early Church Fathers

The early Church Fathers (1st to 5th century) in Christian theology believed the church would experience a time of tribulation before a harpazo (rapture) event. The premillennial view, in contrast, represents a later development from the 19th century, asserting that the Church will escape a period of eschatological tribulation.

The pre-tribulation rapture—the idea that Christians will be removed from the earth before a period of tribulation—is essentially a modern concept and does not have roots in the writings of the early Church Fathers. Let’s go step by step.

1. Pre-tribulation rapture: modern origin

• The pre-tribulation rapture idea was popularized in the 19th century:
  • John Nelson Darby (1800–1882), leader of the Plymouth Brethren, formulated a detailed pre-tribulation rapture theology.
  • His system was later spread widely through the commentary within the Scofield Reference Bible (1909) and modern evangelical dispensationalism.
• Key point: There is no evidence that early Church Fathers (1st–5th century) taught that the faithful would be “taken away      before tribulation.”

2. Early Fathers’ actual stance

• All the early Church Fathers expected Christians to endure persecution and trials:
  • Justin Martyr: Christians would suffer for Christ.
  • Irenaeus: Faithful endure tribulation until the end.
  • Tertullian: Trials are part of godly life; perseverance is required.
  • Clement of Alexandria: Righteous learn through trials.
• No patristic writing mentions a “pre-tribulation removal” or an      escape from trials.
• The closest idea sometimes mentioned is Origen (c. 185–253 AD) spiritualizing tribulation—seeing suffering allegorically—but even he did not teach that Christians would literally be taken off the earth before tribulation.

3. Misattributed Fathers

• Some modern writers sometimes claim that early Fathers were      “pre-tribulation” because they read certain passages about God      protecting the faithful or about the Church being “spared wrath” in Revelation.
  • Reality check: Those passages in the Fathers often refer to spiritual protection, endurance, or ultimate salvation, not a literal rapture prior to tribulation.
• No early Church Father explicitly supported the idea that the faithful would physically avoid the tribulation described in Matthew 24, Revelation 6–19, etc.

4. Early Fathers “post” (after) Tribulation is not modern-day "Post-Tribulation" definition

• Somewhat confusing is the different modern-day Post-Tribulation view definition, represented with Christ’s return and rapture at the end of the 70th week.
• The early Church Father never made a chronological connection with the 70th week of Daniel. The Fathers “post tribulation” is in reference only to the elect living through a time of tribulation from the Antichrist. Consider Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12 which have the great tribulation ending with the opening of the sixth seal, located within the 70th week. 

5. Conclusion

• Pre-tribulation rapture = 19th century theology (Darby)
• Early Church Fathers = "post" (after)-tribulation expectation ()
• Christians would live through trials and tribulations.
• Reward comes after enduring, not before.

Summary:

Christians endure persecution and tribulation, then rewarded. Therefore, no historical Church Father taught a pre-tribulation view. The idea that the Church would avoid tribulation is a modern innovation (19th century), not rooted in patristic writings.

Here’s a list of pre-Nicene (before AD 325) writers who explicitly or implicitly affirm that the Church must endure tribulation, persecution, or the eschatological distress (tribulation) before Christ’s return.

🕊️ 1. The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

Date: c. A.D. 70-120
Reference: Didache 16

“Then shall appear the world-deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands… but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself.”
📖 → Explicit expectation that the Church will face the Deceiver(Antichrist) before deliverance.

🕊️ 2. Barnabas (Epistle of Barnabas)

Date: c. A.D. 80-130
Reference: Barnabas 4:9-13

“The final stumbling block approaches… the Black One approaches… therefore we must give heed in the last days, that we may be saved.”
📖 → Anticipates believers persevering amid final evil.

🕊️ 3. Hermas (The Shepherd of Hermas)

Date: c. A.D. 100-140
Reference: Vision 2.2; Similitude 9.16.2-7

“Happy are you who endure the great tribulation which is to come, and who shall not deny their life.”
📖 → Uses the literal term “great tribulation” (μεγάλη θλῖψις), applied to Christians.

🕊️ 4. Justin Martyr

Date: c. A.D. 150
Reference: Dialogue with Trypho 110

“He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy… shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians.”
📖 → Christians expected to experience the persecution of the man of lawlessness (Antichrist).

🕊️ 5. Irenaeus of Lyons

Date: c. A.D. 180-190
Reference: Against Heresies V.29-35

“The Church shall be suddenly caught up… and there shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world.”
📖 → Irenaeus expects the Church to suffer under Antichrist before final deliverance.

🕊️ 6. Tertullian

Date: c. A.D. 200
Reference: Apology 32; De Resurrectione 25

“The soul is trained by temptations to patience… we are destined to tribulation.”
📖 → Saw persecution and tribulation as intrinsic to the Church’s witness before Christ’s kingdom.

🕊️ 7. Hippolytus of Rome

Date: c. A.D. 200-230
Reference: On Christ and Antichrist 64-67

“The tribulation and anguish shall come upon the whole world, and the Church shall be tried as by fire.”
📖 → Clear affirmation that believers will pass through end-time distress.

🕊️ 8. Cyprian of Carthage

Date: c. A.D. 250
Reference: Treatises VII.2; Epistle 55.1

“The day of affliction has begun to hang over our heads, and the end of the world, and the time of Antichrist, to draw near… let us prepare for the battle.”
📖 → Expects the Church to face persecution in the end-time conflict.

🕊️ 9. Commodianus

Date: c. A.D. 250
Reference: Instructions 44–46

“Then shall the Church be scourged as a ship tossed in the sea… she shall suffer, and afterwards be crowned.”
📖 → Poetic portrayal of the Church enduring tribulation before deliverance.

🕊️ 10. Victorinus of Pettau

Date: c. A.D. 270-303
Reference: Commentary on the Apocalypse 7:14; 20:4

“The white robes are the righteous acts of the saints who have overcome in great tribulation.”
📖 → Interprets Revelation’s great tribulation as the Church’s endurance.

🕊️ 11. Lactantius

Date: c. A.D. 304-313
Reference: Divine Institutes VII.17-19

“The righteous shall be pressed, harassed, and tortured… but the judge shall come to destroy the wicked and to liberate the just.”
📖 → Affirms a period of oppression preceding the visible return of Christ.

🧩 Summary Pattern

Across all these writings:

• The Church is on earth during the rise of Antichrist or the “great tribulation.”
• Deliverance and resurrection occur after or at Christ’s appearing.
• There is no concept of a pre-tribulational escape; suffering is normative and purifying.