1 Thessalonians 5:27

ενορκιζω, as against ορκιζω, is preserved in *Obadiah 1:17 : a hapax legomenon for the N.T., and rare in Greek; see Grimm-Thayer, Lexicon s.v.

αγιοις, before αδελφοις, in AאcKLP &c., cop syrr vg go, wanting in א*BDG latt. The only parallel to αγιοι αδελφοι in Paul is αγιοις αποστολοις of Ephesians 3:5 (see Expository Note; cf. Hebrews 3:1); the copyists were more likely to add αγιοις to the text than to cancel it. Weiss suggests that it was lost in אB through homœoteleuton.

27. Ἐνορκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν κύριον�, κ.τ.λ. I adjure you by the Lord that the letter be read to all the brothers. Observe the 1st person singular, previously occurring only in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5, which gives to the wish, on St Paul’s part, an emphatic personal note; cf. the concluding note on 1 Thessalonians 5:28. This appeal unmistakably implies, as probably does the direction of 1 Thessalonians 5:26 (see note above), certain responsible persons to whose address the Epistle was sent and who had it in charge for the Church. That the request should take the form of a solemn adjuration, is surprising. The tenor of the Epistle (see Introd. pp. xxxiii., lxii.) indicates no contention or jealousy that might occasion the withholding of the Letter from one party by another. It must be remembered (1) that this is the earliest Apostolic Letter extant, and that the custom of reading such Epistles had yet to be established. The appeal gives expression to the authority of the communication, and the importance attaching to it in the writers’ minds (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:15). (2) The desire felt for St Paul’s presence, and the disappointment of the Church at his failure to return (1 Thessalonians 3:6), to which he addresses himself in chaps. 2 and 3, might lead some to say, “O, it is only a letter from him! we do not want that!” (3) Further, amongst the bereaved members of the Church whom the writers are wishful to console (1 Thessalonians 4:13 ff.), some in consequence of their recent and deep sorrow might be absent when the Epistle was read; the Apostles will make sure that these shall not lose its benefit. Lightfoot suggests (4) that St Paul had “a sort of presentiment or suspicion that a wrong use might be made of his name and authority” in some quarters in regard to the matters agitated touching the Parousia—as appears, from the subsequent allusion of 2 Thessalonians 2:2, to have proved the case; and that he therefore takes care that no one shall misunderstand his meaning from merely hearing it at second-hand and by report. Or, finally, (5) the ἄτακτοι (1 Thessalonians 5:14) might escape hearing the Letter, unless they were sought out and had it brought to their knowledge. A somewhat similar injunction is found in Colossians 4:16.

ἐνορκίζω—“probably stronger than ὁρκίζω, I bind you by an oath” (Lightfoot)—appears to be found otherwise only on one or two Inscriptions, and probably (by emendation) in Josephus Antiq. viii. 15. 4; ὁρκίζω in Mark 5:7; Acts 19:13. Like verbs of its class, it takes two accusatives. Ὁρκόω is the correct Attic form. Τὴν ἐπιστολήν refers to the Letter now complete. The benediction μακάριος ὁ�. οἱ�, of Revelation 1:3, says much the same thing as this verse in another way. Bengel remarks, in regard to the reading of Scripture on the part of the laity: “Quod Paulus cum adjuratione jubet, id Roma sub anathemate prohibet.”