Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:17)
In 1 Thess 4:17, the term translated as
"meet" is ἀπάντησις. It is sometimes used for meeting someone
important and then escorting them back to where the crowd (not the dignitary!)
came from. Note Acts 28:15:
And from thence, when
the brethren heard of us, they came to meet (ἀπάντησις) us as far as Appii
forum, and the three taverns, whom when Peter saw, he thanked God, and took
courage.
The Christians came out from Rome to meet
Paul and escort him back to Rome.
In Matt 25:1, 6 we read:
Then shall the
kingdom be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to
meet (υπαντησις, "going to meet") the bridegroom . . . And at
midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
(ἀπάντησις) him.
Such further adds to the case against
the “rapture” reading of this verse. For more, see: