Section VI. (continued): 1 Thessalonians 5:1 The first part of this Chapter stands in close connection with the last six verses of ch. 4. Together they form the most distinctive and the weightiest section of the Epistle. The two paragraphs of the section touch upon two different aspects of our Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
Section VI. The Coming of the Lord Jesus Ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 1 Thessalonians 5:11 This solemn topic, as we have already seen (note on ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:10, and _Introd_., pp. 18 21), is the principal theme of the Epistles to the Thessalonians. It is not treated by way of argument or in... [ Continue Reading ]
_But of the times and the seasons_ Better, CONCERNING THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS. The Greek word for "times" denotes _stretches of time_, that for seasons _particular times_; the question as to the former was, "How long before the Lord comes? what periods will elapse before the final establishment of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For yourselves know perfectly_ "For yourselves know:" a turn of expression characteristic of these Epistles; ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (see note), 1 Thessalonians 2:1 (Identical with this), 2, 5, 11; 1 Thessalonians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:7 (identical). "Perf... [ Continue Reading ]
_For when they shall say_ Rather, WHEN THEY ARE SAYING (R. V.). In the very act of their saying "Peace and safety" just when men of the world pronounce everything secure and quiet then the thief comes, who steals from them the possessions they imagined safe from all attack. A reminiscence of Ezekiel... [ Continue Reading ]
_But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that_that _day should overtake you as a thief_ Properly, THE DAY the great Day, the "day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2); comp. the other elliptical phrase, "the wrath," of ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:16. At the same time, this word, while i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day_ More correctly, FOR YOU ARE ALL SONS OF LIGHT AND SONS OF DAY. This confirms positively what was stated by way of denial in 1 Thessalonians 5:4. Those cannot be "in darkness" who are "sons of light." Light is their native element and ab... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore_ More exactly, ACCORDINGLY THEN. The double conjunction here employed is an idiom peculiar to St Paul, which appears once in 2 Thess. (ch. 1 Thessalonians 2:15), eight times in Romans, and twice besides in his Epistles. It combines the _logical_and _practical_inference, that which both re... [ Continue Reading ]
_For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night_ The "sons of day" must be wakeful and sober, for the opposite conditions belong to _night_and are proper to its children. To be drunken _by day_was a monstrous and almost unheard-of thing (comp. Acts 2:15). N... [ Continue Reading ]
_But let us, who are of the day, be sober_ Better, SINCE WE ARE OF THE DAY (R. V.); comp. notes on "sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:6), and "day" (1 Thessalonians 5:5). _Watchfulness_has been sufficiently urged already. The Apostle now reiterates the other half of the appeal made in 1 Thessalonians 5:6:... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God hath not appointed us to wrath_ In the strict order of the words, APPOINTED US NOT UNTO WRATH, BUT (to something very different) UNTO THE OBTAINING OF SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. "Obtaining" is _securing, making a thing absolutely one's own_, as in 2 Thessalonians 2:14 (see not... [ Continue Reading ]
(through our Lord Jesus Christ,) _who died for us_ It has been said that the gospel which Paul preached at Thessalonica was "not the gospel of the Cross of Christ, but of the Coming of Christ." But these two are not exclusive or conflicting doctrines; they are complementary parts of one and the same... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore comfort yourselves together_ EXHORT (or ENCOURAGE) ONE ANOTHER same verb as in ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:18 (see note, and on ch. 1 Thessalonians 3:2). While "encouragement" would be drawn especially from 1 Thessalonians 5:9, as from the closing _vv._of ch. 4, the appeal to the Thessalonians... [ Continue Reading ]
_And we beseech you, brethren_ For "beseech" (or "ask") see note to ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:1. The Apostle resumes the line of exhortation which he there commenced, and which was interrupted by the consolations and warnings he had to give on the subject of the Second Coming. The "But" with which this... [ Continue Reading ]
Section VII. Rules for the Sanctified Life. Ch. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 In Section v. (ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12) the _saintship_of his readers supplied the basis and the nerve of the Apostle's charge. He there enforced on the Thessalonian believers the virtues which they needed to cultivate, in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake_ EXCEEDING HIGHLY (R. V.) the same Greek adverb as in ch. 1 Thessalonians 3:10, the strongest Intensive possible to the language. So deep and warm should be the affection uniting pastors and their flocks. Their appreciation is not to be a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now we exhort you, brethren, warn_them that are _unruly_ More strictly, BUT WE EXHORT, &c. The Apostle is not passing to a new topic. His exhortation to "peace" needs to be qualified. "The unruly" must not for the sake of peace be left unreproved. It is a false and cowardly peace that leaves disord... [ Continue Reading ]
_See that none render evil for evil unto any_man] The stress lies not on the personal object, as in the former clause (_all, any_), but on the quality of the act: better, SEE THAT NONE RENDER UNTO ANY ONE EVIL IN RETURN FOR EVIL. The Thessalonian Christians were receiving much evil from the world; p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rejoice evermore_ ALWAY (R. V.) same as in ch. 1Th 1:2. 1 Thessalonians 2:16, &c. This seems a strange injunction for men afflicted like the Thessalonians (see ch. 1Th 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:2-4; 2 Thessalonians 1:4). But the Apostle had learnt, and taught the secret, that in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pray without ceasing_ Twice the Apostle has used this adverb (ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:13), referring to his own constant grateful remembrance of his readers before God. Numberless other objects occupied his mind during the busy hours of each day; and the Thessalonians could not b... [ Continue Reading ]
_In every_thing _give thanks_ This again the Apostle taught by example as well as precept; see ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-10; and comp. Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2. "In _everything_," even in persecution and shame, suffered for Christ's sake; comp. Philippians 1:29; 2 Corinthia... [ Continue Reading ]
_Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings_ The R. V. properly reduces to a semi-colon the full stop between these sentences. What is _revelation_on God's part, is _prophecy_in its human instrument. "Prophecy" bears to "revelation" the same relation as "teaching" to "knowledge" (1 Corinthians... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prove all_things; _hold fast_that which is _good_ Some of the best ancient authorities read, BUT PROVE ALL THINGS. In any case, this exhortation, while capable of the widest application, arises out of the subject of the last. "Instead of accepting or rejecting wholesale what is addressed to you as... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abstain from all appearance of evil_ FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL (R. V.). The Apostle does not advise the Thessalonians to avoid what _looks like_evil; the command thus understood encourages the studying of appearances, and tends to the "doing of our works to be seen of men" which our Lord condemns (Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the very God of peace_ THE GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF (R. V.) so "God Himself" in ch. 1 Thessalonians 3:11, and "our Lord Jesus Christ Himself" in 2 Thessalonians 2:16, where the like contrast is implied between human wish or endeavour and Divine power. With this contrast in his mind, St Paul begins,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Faithful_is _he that calleth you, who also will do_it] WHO WILL ALSO TO IT (R. V.). The Apostle often appeals to the faithfulness of God, as of One pledged to carry out what He promises in the Gospel; see 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Timothy 2:13, &c. The Thessalonians were conscious that God was calling t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Brethren, pray for us_ St Paul has just prayed for his readers (1 Thessalonians 5:23; comp. ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:10-13); he desires that they in tarn should pray for him. "Some ancient authorities," very suitably, "read _also_" (R. V. _margin_): PRAY ALSO FOR US, i.e. _as we d... [ Continue Reading ]
The Conclusion 1 Thessalonians 5:25 The conclusion of the Epistle is very brief. It contains no reference to the autograph signature, which St Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 and in subsequent letters is careful to notify. The urgent request "that the Epistle be read to all the brethren," is its nota... [ Continue Reading ]
_Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss_ Better, SALUTE (R. V.). The _kiss_, as the common sign of affection amongst kindred and near friends in meeting or parting, was universal in the primitive Christian assemblies, and is still a usage of the Greek and Oriental Churches, especially at Holy Commu... [ Continue Reading ]
_I charge you by the Lord that_this _epistle be read unto all the holy brethren Holy_is probably an erroneous insertion of the copyists, due to Philippians 4:21, or Hebrews 3:1. _Charge_should be the much stronger ADJURE (A.V. _margin_, and R. V.). It is as much as to say, "I put you on your oath be... [ Continue Reading ]
_The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ_be _with you_ This is St Paul's usual form of final benediction. He expands it later Into the full Trinitarian blessing of 2 Corinthians 13:14, or shortens it into the brief "Grace be with you" of Colossians 4:18. It contains all spiritual good that one Christian... [ Continue Reading ]