The Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory has many critics in the modern Church. In the past, I’ve made the case for why I believe that a Pre-Trib Rapture is biblical. Today’s article is not quite that. It is a refutation of the canard that the early Church never taught that view. This is demonstrably false. One of the most virulent attacks against this belief is based on the assertion that the Pre-Trib Doctrine was essentially invented during the first half of the 19th century by John Nelson Darby. Go to the website of one typical opponent of this doctrine and you will find statements like this. “Rapture doctrine is one of the most recent ‘new doctrines’ in the history of the Church.’ And: “Rapture doctrine did not exist before John Darby invented it in 1830 AD. Before it ‘popped into John Darby’s head” no one had ever heard of a secret rapture doctrine.”[i] As we’ll see, those assertions are patently untrue. There were quite a number of the early Church Fathers, – many of them with connections to the Apostles – and following in their teachings – that believed and taught a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Here is a list of just some of those who taught and believed that doctrine and the years they were alive.
- Papias – AD 60-130
- Clement of Rome – ?-100
- The Shepherd of Hermas 96-150
- Barnabas writing in the year 100
- Justin Martyr – 110-165
- Tertullian – 145-220[ii]
PODCAST LINK
https://rumble.com/v780vti-stop-the-darby-nonsense.html
But let’s get down to some of the specifics and look at their writings on the subject.
Ephraim the Syrian (AD 373) from his sermon: ‘On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World.’
“For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins.”[iii]
Eudebius (AD 260/265-AD 339) from his writings on Luke17:26
“The cataclysm of the destruction of the ungodly shall not happen before those men who are found of God at that time are gathered into the ark and saved according to the pattern of Noah … all the righteous and godly are to be separated from the ungodly and gathered into the heavenly ark of God.”
Eudebius (AD 260/265-AD 339) from his writings on Luke, Migne vol 24, p 561
“But he promises at the end to increase and perfect them, take them up, and bring them into his bridal chamber, where he will recline them (set them relaxed at his table) and serve them.”[iv] [ Sounds like the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to me.]
Iranaeus (AD120-202)
Iranaeus was an interesting fellow. Dr Nathan Jones explained that he believed “There were two churches (two synagogues): the elder and the younger (Against Heresies 4:31.1-2). The elder refers to Israel and the younger refers to the Church….He distinguished between God’s current program with the New Testament seed of Abraham and God’s future program with the Old Testament seed of Abraham, defending this future return to Israel by citing the promise in Jeremiah that God would gather Israel from all the nations where they had been scattered (Against Heresies 5.34.1).
Iranaeus from Against Heresies 5.29
“And therefore in the end when the Church is suddenly caught up from this, it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.’ For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome, they are crowned with incorruption.”
So, the bottom line is this. There ample evidence that many early Church Fathers taught and believed the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Please stop with the Darby nonsense. Let’s talk this out using the Scriptures.[v]
[i] The origin of Rapture False doctrine: John Darby 1830 AD, The Interactive Bible, monitored April 2, 2026
[ii] Gene Cunningham, Back to Basics, Session 7, The Rapture was taught in the Early Church, monitored March 31, 2026
[iii] Ephraem the Syrian, JoshuaNet.org, monitored April 2, 2026
[iv] Lee William Brainard, Pretrib Arguments in the Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve) Soothkeep Ministries, Soothkeep Ministries,
April 1, 2026
[v] Dr Nathan E Jones, Three Early Church Fathers Who Believed in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, The Christ In Prophecy Journal,
September 30, 2025
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