Lexical Summary apantésis: Meeting, encounter Original Word: ἀπάντησις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance meeting, friendly encounterFrom apantao; a (friendly) encounter -- meet. see GREEK apantao NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom apantaó Definition a meeting NASB Translation meet (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 529: ἀπάντησιςἀπάντησις, ἀπαντεως, ἡ (ἀπαντάω), a meeting; εἰς ἀπάντησιν τίνος or τίνι to meet one: Matthew 25:1 R G; Matthew 25:6; Acts 28:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:17. (Polybius 5, 26, 8; Diodorus 18, 59; very often in the Sept. equivalent to לִקְרַאת (cf. Winer's Grammar, 30).) Topical Lexicon Overview of the TermThe word translated “meeting” (ἀπάντησις) is found only three times in the Greek New Testament. In each setting it describes a purposeful going-out to greet an arriving person of importance, emphasizing welcome, honor, and accompaniment. Though the contexts differ—parable, travel narrative, and eschatological teaching—the common thread is the joyful reception of a long-expected figure and the immediate escorting of that figure to the intended destination. Cultural Background: Welcoming a Dignitary In the Greco-Roman world it was customary for citizens to leave a city and form a delegation to meet a visiting official, benefactor, or victorious general. After greeting him, the group would turn around and accompany him back through the gates in celebratory procession. Jewish antiquity echoes the practice when elders “went out to meet” kings or military heroes (compare 1 Samuel 6:13; 2 Samuel 19:15–18). This background clarifies each New Testament occurrence: the party who goes out does not depart permanently but returns promptly, escorting the honored guest the rest of the way. New Testament Usage 1. Matthew 25:6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins the bridesmaids wait to join the wedding procession. The midnight cry signals that the bridegroom has arrived; those prepared go out for the meeting, reenter the village in rejoicing, and join the banquet. Here ἀπάντησις depicts vigilant readiness and the privilege of participating in the bridegroom’s triumphal arrival. 2. Acts 28:15 “The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.”. Believers from Rome journey outward along the Appian Way to welcome Paul. Their action honors the apostle and signals solidarity with him. Paul’s response—thanksgiving and renewed courage—illustrates the ministry of presence that such a meeting can supply. “After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.”. Here the church, both resurrected and living, rises to meet the returning Christ. The imagery conforms exactly to ancient welcome ceremonies: the King approaches, His people go out, and immediately accompany Him for His royal entry. The verse provides comfort concerning departed believers and sets a pattern for Christian hope. Eschatological Significance 1 Thessalonians 4:17 stands at the heart of Christian expectation. The “meeting in the air”: • Affirms bodily resurrection and transformation (4:16). Because the meeting occurs “in the clouds,” location is transitional, not permanent. The final dwelling is the renewed earth under Christ’s reign (Revelation 21:1–3). Thus the passage harmonizes with prophecies of His visible return to Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) and universal kingdom (Psalm 2:7–12). Themes of Readiness and Encouragement • Vigilance. Like the wise virgins, believers must keep lamps trimmed—lives marked by faith, obedience, and spiritual alertness. Unpreparedness leads to exclusion (Matthew 25:10–12). Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Worship Services Singing about the blessed hope sustains congregational joy. Readings from 1 Thessalonians 4 assure mourners at funerals that separation is temporary. 2. Missions and Hospitality Acts 28 inspires churches to meet incoming missionaries at airports, ports, or city limits, providing immediate support. 3. Discipleship Matthew 25 underscores cultivating oil—symbolic of the Spirit’s work and continual devotion—so that faith is not found empty when the Bridegroom arrives. Historical Reception in Church Teaching Early Christian writers (for example, Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Thessalonians 8) highlighted the civic welcome motif to explain 1 Thessalonians 4, insisting that the saints return immediately with Christ to earth. The Reformers retained this understanding, grounding it in the consistent language of Scripture. Modern evangelical scholarship likewise sees the “meeting” as an escort motif, aligning all three occurrences without contradiction. Eternal Perspective Whether receiving a bridegroom at midnight, an apostle on a Roman road, or the Lord Himself in the sky, Scripture pictures the church as an expectant, welcoming community. Every ἀπάντησις reminds believers that history is headed toward the grand procession of Christ’s return. Until that day, the call is clear: watch, welcome, and encourage—“for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8). Forms and Transliterations απαντήσει απαντησιν απάντησιν απάντησίν ἀπάντησιν απάνωθεν apantesin apantēsin apántesin apántēsinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 25:6 N-AFSGRK: ἐξέρχεσθε εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ NAS: Come out to meet [him].' KJV: go ye out to meet him. INT: go forth to meet him Acts 28:15 N-AFS 1 Thessalonians 4:17 N-AFS |
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