1 Thessalonians 5:23

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, But, not and: "I bid you keep yourselves from evil; but may God, Who only can, cleanse and preserve you." Comp. Philippians 2:12-13, "Work out your own salvation; for God is He that worketh in you."

"The God of peace" is a favourite designation with St Paul (found also in Hebrews 13:20), in wishes and blessings: see 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Romans 16:20, &c. For peace, see note on ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:1. This is God's distinguishing gift in the Gospel, that by which He makes Himself and His grace known in the hearts of men. In like fashion He is named from other gifts, "The God of patience and consolation" (Romans 15:5), "of hope" (1 Thessalonians 5:13), "of love and peace" (2 Corinthians 13:11), "of all grace" (1 Peter 5:10). While He is "the God of peace," true peace is "the peace of God" (see Philippians 4:7; Philippians 4:9). And His peace bears fruit in our sanctification.

sanctify you wholly Rather, unto completeness, or full perfection. The readers are already sanctified in Christ Jesus (see ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8, "in sanctification"; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; comp. 1 Corinthians 1:2); the Apostle prays that they may be sanctified to the fullest extent, or rather, that God may so sanctify them as to bring them to the full perfection of their nature, that as sanctified men they may realise the end of their being in all its length and breadth. See Trench's Synonyms of the N.T., § xxii., on the relation of this expression to entirein next clause.

On sanctification, see notes to ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; also 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

andI pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless "I pray God" is needlessly supplied in the A.V. More precisely, and in the Greek order: entire (or in full integrity) may your spirit and soul and body, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, be preserved. The word "entire" takes up the thread of the last sentence, to the prayer of which the Apostle seeks to give more comprehensive expression. But the completeness of blessing desired now assumes a new aspect. From the degree of holiness desired we pass to its range, from its intension(as the logicians would say) to its extension. St Paul prays that in the integrity of their human person and naturethey may be preserved, "spirit, soul, and body" alike finding their safety, with their oneness, in the holy service of God.

St Paul has already treated, in ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, of one chief branch of bodilysanctification. Now he thinks of this sanctity as penetrating the whole being of the man. It is not necessary to regard spiritand souland bodyas three distinct logical divisions of man's nature [8]. The Apostle aims at making his wish exhaustive in its completeness. He begins with the innermost "your spirit," nearest to God "Who is spirit," and with which the Holy Spirit directly unites Himself, "witnessing to our spirit" (Romans 8:16); and he ends with "body," the vessel (ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:4) and envelope of our nature, through which it belongs to the external world and holds intercourse with it. The "soul," poised between them, is the individual self, the living personality, in which spirit and flesh, common to each man with his fellows, meet and are actualised in him. When St Paul bids the Corinthians to "cleanse" themselves "from all defilement of flesh and spirit" (2 Corinthians 7:1: contrast 1 Peter 1:22, "having purified your souls" your individual selves), that phrase covers the same ground as this, but it treats the matter as one of contrast between man's outer and inner relations; whereas the stress here lies on the integrity of the man himself, with his balanced and developed nature, and all his faculties in exercise. Hence the verb (be preserved) is singular: spirit, soul, and body forming one whole man. The "spirit" is "kept," when no evil reaches the inner depths of the man's nature, or disturbs his relations to God and eternity; his "soul," when the world of self is guarded, when all his feelings and thoughts are sinless; his "body," when his outward life and relations to the material world are innocent.

[8] Those who maintain a threefold analysis of human nature in Scripture are called Trichotomists; and the advocates of a twofold division, Dichotomists. Amongst the chief expositions of the former view is that given in Delitzsch's System of Biblical Psychology, and in Heard's Tripartite Nature of Man; on the other side, consult Beck's Biblical Psychology, or Laidlaw's Bible Doctrine of Man.

The connection between sanctityand safety("be preserved") lies in the fact that what is sanctified is given over to God. "No one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand," said Jesus (John 10:29). See the next verse, and comp. 2 Timothy 1:12; also Psalms 121; Isaiah 27:3. The word "preserved" stands with emphasis at the end of the sentence. In the intercession of John 17, our Lord prays first, "Holy Father, keepthem" (1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:15), then "sanctifythem" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But He is thinking there of the situation of His disciples, in the midst of the world; the Apostle leads up to their future manifestation, at His coming.

St Paul writes blamelessly not blameless(A.V.); and in not unto the coming &c. This adverbial adjunct must belong, despite its position, to the foregoing adjective (entire), not to the verb (be preserved); for Godis the keeper in this context, and no blame can conceivably attach to the manner of His keeping: "In full integrity may your spirit and soul and body be preserved, blamelessly entire in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" is the end of the Apostle's thoughts in this letter, the goal of his readers" hopes. It will supply the final testof the worth of character, and of the completeness of the sanctification effected in believers. Then the whole work of Christ's servants will be brought to its issue and determination. "The Day will declare it" (1 Corinthians 3:13).

On "the coming" (parousia), and "our Lord Jesus Christ," see notes to ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1Th 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; on "blamelessly," 1 Thessalonians 3:13.