1 Thessalonians 5:21

δε in the first clause is omitted by א*A and many minn., cop syrpesh, Or Bas Chr Tert Ambrst, probably through confusion with the following syllable in the continuous uncial script: πανταδεδοκιμαζετε; cf. note on disputed δε in 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Intrinsic probability speaks for the antithetic conjunction: the sense seems to be, “Do not despise … but test …” (see Expository Note). K, followed by many minn. and several Fathers, after dropping the δε alters δοκιμαζετε to δοκιμαζοντες—a change due, perhaps, to loose quotation; Dam gives δοκιμασαντες. The participle employed in Ephesians 5:10 may have furthered this corruption.

21. πάντα [δὲ] δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε: [but] everything put to proof; the good hold fast,—pres. imperative of settled rule and practice. Mark off this verse, again, from the foregoing by a colon or semi-colon: while “prophesyings” are not to be “despised,” neither are they to be accepted wholesale and because of their pretensions. The chaff must be sifted out from the wheat. Prophecy is brought under a universal Christian rule laid down in πάντα δοκιμάζετε, which vindicates “private judgement” in religion, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 having warned us beforehand against its sceptical or prejudiced use. For the purpose of discriminating true and false inspiration, the faculty of διάκρισις πνευμάτων (1 Corinthians 12:10) had been given by “the one and self-same Spirit,” side by side with προφητεία. In 1 Corinthians 12:3 St Paul supplies a criterion for exercising this διάκρισις or δοκιμασία; 1 Corinthians 14:29 exhibits this very faculty in exercise,—προφῆται δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν. Similarly St John bids his readers μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύειν� in his First Epistle, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, furnishing his test of “the spirits” in the context. Claims to inspiration, supernatural phenomena, are therefore chiefly, though not exclusively, aimed at in πάντα δοκιμάζετε. For the meaning of δοκιμάζειν, see note on 1 Thessalonians 2:4. For the reading πάντα δέ—on the whole the more likely—see Textual Note.

Cyril of Alexandria quotes this passage several times, combining with it the famous apophthegm, γίνεσθε δόκιμοι τραπεζῖται, “Be ye approved money-changers” (testers of current coin), credited by other Fathers to our Lord, which is now generally ascribed to Him as a traditional ἄγραφον. Possibly, this saying of Jesus was in the writers’ mind; if so, the allusion helps to elucidate the next clause (see note following). See Lightfoot’s note ad loc.

Τὸ καλόν signifies what is good or fine in quality, and is so contrasted with τὸ κακόν, the base, in Romans 7:21; Hebrews 5:14 (see also 2 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 6:9), while ἀγαθός (see note on 1 Thessalonians 5:15) is opposed to πονηρός, and to φαῦλος besides. For κατέχω in its other (adverse) sense, see 2 Thessalonians 2:6; in this sense, 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Corinthians 15:2.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 completes negatively the exhortation of 1 Thessalonians 5:21 : testing results in holding fast or abstaining from (κατέχειν or ἀπέχεσθαι�) the good or evil offered for choice. From the antithesis thus presented, in view of the application of δοκιμάζειν to the testing of coin (see note to 1 Thessalonians 2:4, and foregoing note on 1 Thessalonians 5:21), it has been argued that ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ signifies “from all bad coinage,” as though εἶδος were synonymous with νόμισμα (cf. specie, from Latin species),—prevalent doctrines or moral practices being thus represented, it is supposed, under the figure of currency. But lexical evidence is wanting for such a use of εἶδος. This word denotes (a) visible form, appearance (as in Luke 3:22; Luke 9:29, &c.); or (b) sight, appearance in the abstract, as contrasted with faith (2 Corinthians 5:7); or (c) show, appearance, in contrast with reality (like εἴδωλον, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, e.g.)—the rendering of the A.V., which, beside its lack of parallels, gives a sense intrinsically weak, as it would recommend the studying of appearances (see, against this, Matthew 23:5); (d) kind, sort, the most obvious rendering—a sense perfectly familiar in the κοινή though hap. leg. in Biblical Greek, and derived originally from philosophical usage. Our choice lies between (a) and (d). The former appears to be intended in the ab omni specie mala of the Vulgate, as though the Apostles meant: “Keep away from every evil sight,” or “show,” from all that is evil in the aspect of things about you, from the fleeting shows of the world. A better turn is given to the species mala by understanding it to mean that which appears evil in the eyes of others and would cause needless offence (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:32 f.). The common rendering (as in R.V.), on which we must fall back, failing (a)—from every kind of evil—is open to the objection that πονηροῦ, thus rendered as a neuter (abstract) substantive, requires the article (like τὸ καλόν; cf. Romans 12:9). But this is not an invariable rule; “in Plato the anarthrous neuter singular for abstract ideas frequently occurs” (Kühner’s Grammatik2, ii. § 462 l): see e.g. εἶδος� in Plato Repub. 357 c. Thus πονηρόν stands for “evil” collectively, evil quâ evil: cf. πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ in Hebrews 5:14; also, for the use of εἶδος, Josephus Ant. vii. 4. 2, x. 3. 1, εἶδος μέλους, πονηρίας.

Τὸ καλόν is opposed by πονηρόν, as κακόν in 1 Thessalonians 5:15 by τὸ�. The phrasing was perhaps suggested by Job 1:1; Job 1:8; Job 2:10,—ἀπεχόμενος� (κακοῦ) πράγματος; widening the prohibition to include the manifold πονηρά enticing their readers, the Apostles insert εἴδους into their sentence. For ἀπέχομαι�, see note on 1 Thessalonians 4:3,—a passage perhaps intentionally recalled in this dehortation; certainly πορνεία was one εἶδος πονηροῦ to be shunned at Thessalonica. The notion of πονηρός is that of “irredeemable badness,” “intrinsic absolute badness” (see F.H. Chase: Essay on The Lord’s Prayer in the Early Church, pp. 89 ff.); while κακός (1 Thessalonians 5:15) signifies base, malicious, cowardly (bad in quality and disposition).