I am amazed that many pretribulation teachers continue to white-knuckle believe that the Greek noun apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 refers to the rapture because they claim this Greek noun can mean “physical departure.”
The problem is that the noun never means “physical departure” during the Koine Greek period. It means a religious or political departure.
That should end the debate.
But man’s tradition is strong, in this case, pretribulationism. It is like believing in the Assumption of Mary with no evidence. I mention the Assumption of Mary, because pretribulationists desperately appeal to this NT apocryphal work as “evidence” that apostasia can mean “physical departure.”
There is only one problem: the document is dated at the end of the 5th century A.D! In other words, this usage here is not during the time of Jesus, let alone during the larger Koine period.
It seems no amount of evidence will convince them that they are wrong.
If you think I am exaggerating, take this example:
In my cross-examination period in my public debate with Thomas Ice a few years back in Texas, I challenged him on this very point and he had to admit that he could not name a single document during the Koine where the noun apostasia means a “physical departure.” But he continues to this very day believing that it does.
The following is a catalogue of articles that I have written for this website on this topic, the first one is the most important article.
Does Apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Refer to a ‘Physical Departure’ (i.e. the Rapture)?
How Did the Syriac Version Translate the Greek ‘Apostasia’ in 2 Thess 2:3?
My Cross-Examination Period with Thomas Ice in the Prewrath vs Pretrib Debate
Reply to H. Wayne House on the Claim that APOSTASIA Can Mean ‘Spatial Departure’
A Brief Reply to Arnold Fruchtenbaum on the Meaning of the Greek Noun Apostasia
A Reply to Andy Woods on ‘APOSTASIA Is the Rapture’ – Ep. 104
