Paul And The Rapture

Q. Why was Paul the only apostle who taught the pre-trib rapture?

A. Paul was the only Apostle taught by Jesus after the Resurrection. All the others were taught before, during His time on Earth. In Galatians 1:10-24 where Paul explains how he gained his knowledge, he hints that Jesus taught him personally during his 3 years at Mt. Sinai in Arabia. He also visited God’s Throne (2 Cor 12:2) and learned things there he wasn’t allowed to fully disclose.

There were clear strategic decisions for not disclosing the Rapture to anyone before the cross. In 1 Cor 2:6-10 Paul wrote that if Satan had known what the Lord had planned for the Church, he’d have done everything in his power to prevent the crucifixion. Paul called it part of God’s secret wisdom there and in Ephesians 3:10.

The Lord didn’t teach about the Rapture during His time on Earth, so it’s understandable that His disciples didn’t mention it either.  By revealing the Rapture through Paul, the Lord was announcing it after it was too late for Satan to react.  He was also adding credibility to Paul’s claim of Apostleship, which he received directly from the Lord  (Galatians 1:1). The Lord did this by giving him information no one else had.  Then, after Paul had announced the Rapture, the Lord confirmed it in His Letter to the Church in Philadelphia. (Rev. 3:10)