Ephraim the Syrian — Ten Undiscovered Pretribulation-Rapture Passages

In my ongoing studies in the early-church fathers, I have discovered a number of pretribulation-rapture passages in Ephraim the Syrian that I haven’t seen referenced in books, magazines, or online. I offer ten of the clearest here. Perhaps “undiscovered” is an overstatement, but unless my radar needs to be significantly upgraded, these passages do seem to have largely escaped notice in prophecy-loving circles. I found them in his 150-plus Greek works which not only aren’t included in the standard English-translation church-father collections, but the vast majority of them have never been translated into English, at least not with any semblance of formal publication.  

If these passages are as clear to other prophecy students as they appear to me, this is potentially explosive information. They would be a significant addition to the patristic pretribulation-rapture references that we already have.  It is high time that those who love Bible prophecy avail themselves of Ephraim’s largely unknown Greek works. This treasure trove significantly bolsters the proof that biblical eschatology—I mean premillennial and pretribulational—survived deep into the patristic era before the militant efforts of the apostatizing church almost entirely replaced the biblical truth with the error of replacement theology.

(#1)   Ephraim the Syrian, Sermon on Repentance and Judgment and the Separation of the Soul From the Body

— (239) Behold, the kingdom of heaven is at the doors [ready] to flash forth, but we don’t want to hear about these things—not ever. The signs and wonders, which the Lord said had to happen, the famines, the earthquakes, the terrors, and the nations in upheaval. These all seem to us like a dream to be told to others. The report of these things does not disturb us, nor the spectacle itself. For the elect shall be gathered prior to the tribulation, so they shall not see the confusion and the great tribulation coming upon the unrighteous world. The season for harvest has now drawn nigh, and the end of the age holds forth. Angels holding scythes are waiting for the nod. Let us fear, brethren, for it is the eleventh hour of the day. 

— (239) Ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ θύραις ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν τοῦ ἐκλάμψαι, ἡμεῖς δὲ περὶ τούτου οὐ βουλόμεθα ἀκροάσασθαι πώποτε. Τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα, ἃ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, γεγόνασιν, λιμοὶ καὶ σεισμοὶ καὶ φόβητρα καὶ ἐθνῶν αἱ κινήσεις· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα δοκεῖ ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ὄναρ διηγήσασθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους. Οὐ θροεῖ ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ αὐτὸ τὸ θέαμα. Οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ συνάγονται πρὸ τῆς θλίψεως, τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν τὴν σύγχυσιν καὶ τὴν θλῖψιν τὴν μεγάλην τὴν ἐρχομένην εἰς τὸν ἄδικον κόσμον. Ὁ ἀμητὸς ἤδη ἤγγικεν εἰς θερισμόν, καὶ τέλος ἔχει ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος. Οἱ Ἄγγελοι τὰ δρέπανα κατέχουσι καὶ τὸ νεῦμα ἐκδέχονται. Φοβηθῶμεν, ἀγαπητοί. Ὥρα ἐστὶν ἑνδεκάτη τῆς ἡμέρας.

— LATIN TITLE — Sermo de paenitentia et iudicio et separatione animae et corporis.
— GREEK TITLE — Λόγος περὶ μετανοίας καὶ κρίσεως, καὶ περὶ χωρισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE — K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 4, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1992: 234-244. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #60, TLG #61.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement “gathered prior to the tribulation” is clear presentation of a pretribulation rapture.

(#2)   Ephraim the Syrian, On the Fathers Who Have Completed Their Course

— (14) Behold, now the holy and the just are chosen and gathered into the harbor of life that they should not see the tribulation and the snares (stumbling blocks) coming upon us because of our sins. … If we don’t now hasten and weep shamelessly, rightly repenting in humility of soul and complete meekness, oh how we shall mourn in the tribulation …  Again, when we see the saints in glory flying off in light in the clouds of the air to meet Christ, the king of glory, but see ourselves in the great tribulation, who shall be able to bear that shame and terrible reproach?

— (14)  Ὅσιοι καὶ δίκαιοι ἰδοὺ νῦν ἐκλέγονται καὶ ἐπισυνάγονται εἰς λιμένα τῆς ζωῆς, ἵνα μὴ θεωρῶσι τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ σκάνδαλα ἐπερχόμενα ἡμῖν δι’ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίας. … Ἂν μὴ νῦν σπουδάσωμεν καὶ κλαύσωμεν ἀναιδῶς, μετανοοῦντες καλῶς ἐν ταπεινώσει ψυχῆς καὶ πρᾳότητι πολλῇ, πῶς μέλλομεν ἕκαστος θρηνῆσαι ἐν τῇ θλίψει … Ὅταν πάλιν ἴδωμεν τοὺς ἁγίους ἐν δόξῃ ἱπταμένους ἐν φωτὶ ἐν νεφέλαις ἀέρων εἰς ἀπάντησιν Χριστοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς δόξης, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ βλέποντες ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ θλίψει, τίς ἄρα ὑπενέγκῃ τὴν αἰσχύνην ἐκείνην καὶ δεινὸν ὀνειδισμόν.

— LATIN TITLE — Sermo in patres defunctos.
— GREEK TITLE — Λόγος εἰς πατέρας τελειωθέντας.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE — K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 2, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1989: 252-266. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #16, TLG #15.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement “not see the tribulation” and his contrast between those in the clouds and those in the tribulation clearly teach a pretribulation rapture.

(#3)   Ephraim the Syrian, On the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ

— (407-408) Indeed, the grace of God strengthens and rejoices the hearts of the righteous; and they shall be seized up in the clouds to meet him. While those who are lazy and timid like me shall remain on the earth, trembling. … (409)  For behold the Bridegroom is ready to proceed on the clouds of heaven with the glory of his blessed Father. And he will summon each of you by name, and he will place you in the rank of those saints abiding in the unspeakable light in the life that is undefiled, immortal, and eternal, according to your labors.

— (407-408) ἀλλ’ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνισχύει καὶ χαροποιεῖ τὰς καρδίας τῶν δικαίων· καὶ ἁρπάζονται ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ. Οἱ δὲ ὁμοιωθέντες ἐμοὶ ῥᾴθυμοι καὶ ὀκνηροί, τρέμοντες μένουσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. … (409)  Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ Νυμφίος ἕτοιμός ἐστι τοῦ προελθεῖν ἐν νεφέλαις τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μετὰ δόξης τοῦ εὐλογημένου αὑτοῦ Πατρός, καὶ κατ’ ὄνομα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν φωνήσει, καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ τάγματι τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων τῶν διαγόντων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἐκείνῳ τῷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ, ἐν τῇ ζωῇ τῇ ἀκηράτῳ καὶ ἀθανάτῳ καὶ αἰωνίᾳ, κατὰ τοὺς καμάτους αὐτοῦ.

— LATIN TITLE — In secundum adventum domini nostri Jesu Christi.
— GREEK TITLE — Eἰς τὴν δευτέραν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE — K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 3, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1990: 404-415. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
—  WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #49, TLG # 48.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s contrast between  those seized up in the clouds and those trembling in the tribulation indisputably portrays a pretribulation rapture.

(#4)   Ephraim the Syrian, Sermon on the Advent of the Lord, and the End of the Age, and the Coming of the Antichrist

— (115) Watch always, praying continually, that you may be worthy to escape the tribulation and stand before God … (116) for if anyone has tears and compunction, let him pray the Lord that he might be delivered from the tribulation which is about to come upon the earth, that he might not see it at all, nor the beast himself, not even hear of its terrors. For there shall be famines, earthquakes, and diverse pestilences upon the earth. … We need to use many prayers and tears, oh beloved, that each and every one of us might be found steadfast in [our] trials, for many fantastic (deceptive?) signs by [the hand of] the beast are going to happen … (117) …  Finally, brethren, there is a terrible struggle for all those men who are lovers of Christ, (118) that we may not manifest timidity till the hour of [our] death, neither stand in weakness (sponginess) when the dragon is marking with his own seal in opposition to the cross of the Saviour. … (122) And there is nowhere to flee or hide. Everything is in disarray—in the sea and on land. This is why the Lord said to us, watch and pray continuously that you might escape the tribulation.

(115) ἀγρυπνεῖτε πάντοτε, δεόμενοι συνεχῶς, ἵνα γένησθε ἄξιοι ἐκφυγεῖν τῆς θλίψεως καὶ σταθῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ … (116) Εἴ τις ἔχει δάκρυα καὶ κατάνυξιν, δεηθήτω τοῦ Κυρίου, ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἐκ θλίψεως τῆς μελλούσης ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἵνα μήτε ἴδῃ παντελῶς μήτε αὐτὸ τὸ θηρίον, μηδὲ πάλιν ἀκούσῃ τὰ φόβητρα αὐτοῦ.  Ἔσται γὰρ κατὰ τόπους λιμοί, σεισμοὶ καὶ θάνατοι διάφοροι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.  …  Πολλῶν εὐχῶν καὶ δακρύων χρῄζομεν, ὦ ἀγαπητοί, ἵνα τις ἡμῶν εὑρεθῇ ἑδραῖος ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς. Πολλὰ γάρ εἰσι τὰ φαντάσματα τοῦ θηρίου τὰ γινόμενα … (117)  Λοιπὸν οὖν, ἀδελφοί μου, φρικτὸς ἀγὼν ἅπασι τοῖς φιλοχρίστοις ἀνθρώποις, (118) ἵνα μέχρις ὥρας τοῦ θανάτου μὴ δειλιάσωσι, μηδὲ στῶσιν ἐν χαυνότητι, ὅταν χαράσσῃ ὁ Δράκων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σφραγῖδα ἀντὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος. … (122)  Καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ποῦ φυγεῖν ἢ κρυβῆναι· τετάρακται γὰρ τὰ σύμπαντα, ἡ θάλασσα καὶ ἡ ξηρά. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔφη ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος· γρηγορεῖτε, δεόμενοι ἀδιαλείπτως ἐκφυγεῖν ἐκ θλίψεως.

— LATIN TITLE — Sermo in adventum domini, et de consummatione saeculi, et in adventum antichristi.
— GREEK TITLE — Λόγος εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ περὶ συντελείας τοῦ κόσμου,
καὶ εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 4, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1992: 111-128. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #53, TLG # 52.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — The idea in (118) is that if we stand in the weakness of hypocrisy now, we shall miss the rapture and stand in weakness before the dragon.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement “escape the tribulation” with the clarification “that he might not see it at all” emphatically teaches a pretribulation rapture.

(#5)   Ephraim the Syrian, On Patience and the Consummation of this Age, and on the Second Coming … 

— (179) Therefore beloved, faithful servants and elect soldier monks, let us take up in our hearts the full armor which we have been talking about, and without delay meditate on them one by one, that we may be able to fight the good fight and tread down all the power of the enemy, that we might be delivered from the wrath coming upon the sons of disobedience and that we might find mercy and grace in the day of judgment before the righteous judge who renders to every man according to his works.

— (179) Οὐκοῦν, ἀγαπητοί, πιστοὶ δοῦλοι καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ στρατιῶται μοναχοί, ἀναλάβωμεν τὴν πανοπλίαν τῶν προειρημένων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν, καθ’ ἑκάστην ἀνυπερθέτως μνείαν αὐτῶν ποιούμενοι, ὅπως δυνηθῶμεν ἀγωνίσασθαι τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα καὶ καταπατῆσαι πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Ἐχθροῦ, ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐπερχομένης ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας καὶ ἵνα εὕρωμεν ἔλεος καὶ χάριν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως ἐνώπιον τοῦ δικαίου Κριτοῦ τοῦ ἀποδιδόντος ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

— LATIN TITLE — De patientia et consummatione huius saeculi, ac de secundo aduentu; necnon de meditatione diuinarum scripturarum; et quae quantaque sit quietis silentiique utilitas.
— GREEK TITLE — Περὶ ὑπομονῆς καὶ συντελείας καὶ τῆς δευτέρας παρουσίας. Καὶ περὶ μελέτης τῶν θείων Γραφῶν. Καὶ τί τὸ τῆς ἡσυχίας ὠφέλιμον.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 4, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1992: 155-179. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #55, TLG # 54.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim employs phrases like the time of wrath coming upon the world as synonymous with the tribulation.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement “delivered from the wrath coming upon the sons of disobedience” is clear presentation of a pretribulation rapture.

(#6)   Ephraim the Syrian, Fifty-Five Beatitudes, 19

—  Blessed is he who unceasingly remembers the fear of Gehenna and hastens to sincerely repent with tears and groans in the Lord, for he shall be delivered from the great tribulation.

—  Μακάριος ὃς μέμνηται διηνεκῶς τοῦ φόβου τῆς γεέννης καὶ σπεύδει ἐν δάκρυσι καὶ στεναγμοῖς εἰλικρινῶς μετανοεῖν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅτι ῥυσθήσεται ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης.

— LATIN TITLE — Beautitudines, capita quinquaginta quinque.
— GREEK TITLE — Μακαρισμοί, κεφάλαια νεʹ.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE — K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 2, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1989: 252-266. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
—  WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #30, TLG # 29.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement “delivered from the great tribulation” indisputably portrays a pretribulation rapture.

(#7)   Ephraim the Syrian, Sermon on the Resurrection of the Dead 

— (272-273) Give to us a desire, Lord, to watch for your meeting, having the loins of our understanding girded and the intellectual lamp of our soul unquenchable, waiting for you, our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Count us worthy, Lord, of the rapture of the righteous, when they meet you the Master in the clouds, that we might not be tried by the bitter and inexorable judgment … The righteousness flight is swift, lifting the righteous from earth to heaven. May your grace, Lord, be our strength, and may you take us up in the clouds, with the righteous and the elect in the air, to meet you the king of everything.

— (272-273) Δὸς ἡμῖν, Κύριε, προθυμίαν ἐγρηγορέναι εἰς τὴν σὴν ἀπαντήν, ἔχοντας τὰς ὀσφύας τῆς διανοίας περιεζωσμένας, καὶ τοὺς νοεροὺς λύχνους τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσβέστους, σὲ προσδοκῶντας τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρα Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Ἀξίωσον ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, τῆς ἁρπαγῆς τῶν δικαίων, ὅτε ἐν νεφέλαις ὑπαντῶσί σοι τῷ Δεσπότῃ, ἵνα μὴ πειρασθῶμεν ἐκείνης τῆς πικρᾶς καὶ ἀπαραιτήτου κρίσεως. … Ἡ δικαιοσύνη πτέρα ἐστὶν ὀξυτάτη κουφίζουσα τοὺς δικαίους ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς οὐρανόν. Ἡ χάρις σου, Κύριε, ἰσχὺς ἡμῖν γενηθήτω καὶ ἀναλάβῃ ἐν νεφέλαις, σὺν δικαίοις καὶ ἐκλεκτοῖς εἰς ἀέρα, εἰς ἀπάντησίν σοι τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῶν ἁπάντων.

— LATIN TITLE — De resurrectione mortuorum sermo.
— GREEK TITLE — Περὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν λόγος.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 4, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1992: 256-274. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #62, TLG #63.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — His reference to our being tried (πειρασθῶμεν) by the bitter, inexorable judgment is an allusion to the hour of trial (τῆς ὥρας τοῦ πειρασμοῦ) in Rev. 3:10. He obviously regards the hour of trial as a time of divine judgment. 
— OBSERVATION — The pretribulation rapture cannot be taught any more clearly than Ephraim’s statement that the church will be caught up to the clouds that they “might not be tried by the bitter and inexorable judgment.” They won’t be down here to see that horrible time. 

(#8)   Ephraim the Syrian, The Destruction of Pride 

— (94) Let us pray the Lord in great humility that he would take us out (remove us) from the coming fear, and count us worthy of that rapture (snatching away) when the righteous are raptured (snatched) in the clouds to the air to meet the king of glory, and we shall inherit the kingdom of heaven with meekness and humility.

— (94) Δεηθῶμεν οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ πολλῇ, ὅπως ἐξέληται ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ φόβου τοῦ μέλλοντος, καὶ ἀξιώσῃ ἡμᾶς τῆς ἁρπαγῆς ἐκείνης, ὅτε οἱ δίκαιοι ἁρπάζονται ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀέρα εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Βασιλέως τῆς δόξης, καὶ κληρονομήσωμεν μετὰ πραέων καὶ ταπεινῶν τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

— LATIN TITLE — Ad eversionem superbiae.
— GREEK TITLE — Πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὑπερηφανίας.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 1, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1988 (repr. 1995): 84-95. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #3, TLG #3.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Here he refers to the tribulation or hour of trial as “the coming fear.” This expression doesn’t have the ring of standard English, but if we paraphrase it as “the coming horrors” the point is driven home to the deepest recesses of our inner man.
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s statement that the church will be removed prior to the time of the coming horrors, and this by being raptured up to the clouds, is a strong testimony for a pretribulation rapture. 

(#9)   Ephraim the Syrian, How the Soul Ought to Pray God with Tears 

— (68) Blessed are those who cry day and night that they should be delivered from the coming wrath.

— (68) μακάριοι οἱ δακρύοντες ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, ἵνα ῥυσθῶσιν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς.

— LATIN TITLE — Quomodo anima cum lacrymis debeat orare deum, quando tentatur ab inimico.
— GREEK TITLE — Περὶ ψυχῆς ὅταν πειράζηται ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἐχθροῦ πῶς ὀφείλει μετὰ δακρύων τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 2, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1989: 59-70. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #23, TLG #22.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — Here Ephraim refers to the tribulation as “the coming wrath.”
— OBSERVATION — Ephraim’s deliverance prior to the coming wrath is clearly a pretribulation rapture. 

(#10)   Ephraim the Syrian, On the Blessed and the Cursed 

— (323) Blessed are those who cry day and night because they shall be delivered from the coming wrath.

— (323) Μακάριοι οἱ δακρύοντες ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ῥυσθήσονται ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς.

— LATIN TITLE — De beatitudinibus atque infelicitatibus.
— GREEK TITLE — Περὶ μακαρισμῶν καὶ ταλανισμῶν.
— GREEK TEXT SOURCE —K.G. Phrantzolas, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα, vol. 3, To Perivoli tis Panagias, 1990: 323-326. Retrieved from Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu).
— WORK IDENTIFICATION — Roger Pearce #41, TLG #40.
— ENGLISH TRANSLATION SOURCE — Translation is my own.
— OBSERVATION — This is identical to the prior citation except that it presents the promise in the indicative rather than the subjunctive. This evidences, as I have long observed, that there was semantic overlap between the subjunctive and the future indicative in the minds of the Greek speakers of yore. 
— OBSERVATION — Here, as above, Ephraim is clearly teaching a pretribulation rapture. 

When I discovered the first of these references to a pretribulation rapture in Ephraim the Syrian’s Greek works, I could hardly believe what I was reading. It was so emphatic and clear. As my research progressed, and the clear testimonies to a pretribulation rapture began to pile up, my excitement level went through the roof. I felt like I had stumbled upon a treasure trove in the mountains. While these passages do not prove a pretribulation rapture — that is the province of Scripture alone —  they establish beyond all shadow of a doubt that there was a clear and strong pretribulation rapture testimony in the early church. May these pretribulation-rapture passages from the writings of a fourth-century monk prove a blessing to all who love the prophetic Scriptures and the glorious hope they hold out for the church. 

“Eyes wide open, brain engaged, heart on fire.”

Lee W. Brainard

VIDEO VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE:

Ephraim the Syrian: Ten Undiscovered PreTrib Rapture Passages

AMAZON KINDLE AND PAPER
Recent Pre-Trib Findings in the Early Church Fathers — This recent volume contains my pretrib rapture passage discoveries in Ephraim the Syrian, Eusebius, Irenaeus, and the Didache, along with evidence that Irenaeus taught a fairly developed version of dispensationalism. 

FURTHER LINKS ON EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN:

Observations on Ephraim the Syrian’s eschatology. — Like most of his contemporaries, Ephraim’s theology contains a few idiosyncracies. These observations, gathered from thirty-four of his Greek works, will help the newcomer work their way through his eschatology. None of these Greek works are included in the standard English-translation church-father collections, and most of them are without an English translation. 

English translation of Ephraim’s Sermon on the Advent of the Lord, the Consummation of the Age, and the Advent of the Antichrist. — An amazing work that teaches a three-and-a-half-year long great tribulation and a clear pretribulation rapture. 

Observations on Ephraim the Syrian’s Sermon on the Advent of the Lord, the Consummation of the Age, and the Advent of the Antichrist. — These observations walk newcomers through the pretribulational eschatology of this work and explain several elements that pose difficulties to those unfamiliar with Ephraim’s eschatology. 

FURTHER LINKS ON THE PRETRIBULATION RAPTURE:

What Margaret MacDonald Really Taught

Revelation 3:10 — Tereo ek — “Keep from”

Revelation 3:10 — Peirasmos — “Trial, Testing”