1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Text (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

21 prove all things; hold fast that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Translation and Paraphrase

21.

Test all things (whatever you may hear or see. Then) hold fast (only that which is) the good (in the mixture of good and evil that constantly confronts us).

22.

Depart from every (thing that has the) appearance of evil.

Notes (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

1.

Many people accept any teaching, simply because Our preacher said so, or because they have always thought it was that way. The command to Prove all things forbids such a gullible attitude, We should not accept anything we hear or see until we know it is in harmony with God's word.

2.

In our life we are always confronted with a mixture of evil and good in everything. Therefore we must prove (or test) all things, and hold fast only to that which is good.

Paul urged the Philippians to approve the things that are excellent. Philippians 1:10. (The same Gr. verb, dokimadzo, is used both in Philippians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21.)

Error is never so dangerous as when it is mixed with some truth.

3.

The command to Prove all things, may have had reference to the prophesyings mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5:20. While they were not to despise prophesyings, yet they were to test all things. The apostles commanded us to Try the spirits whether they are of God. 1 John 4:1. (The word try in 1 John 4:1 is the same Gr. word that is translated prove in 1 Thessalonians 5:21.)

Some of the early Christians had the gift of discerning of spirits which would enable them to spot false teaching without the aid of written Scriptures. We who have the Scriptures have a perfect yardstick to measure all things against.

4.

Not only were the Thessalonians to hold fast to that which was good, but to avoid all appearance of evil. This would be very difficult for them to do in their pagan surroundings. They would have to be careful about where they went, whom they were seen with, under what conditions, etc. This would be difficult, but with God's help not impossible. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

5.

Most English versions of the Bible seem to prefer to translate 1 Thessalonians 5:22 in some way similar to that in the American Standard version: Abstain from every form of evil.

The translation hinges on the meaning given to the word eidos (translated appearance in the King James version). Basically the word means external appearance, form, figure, shape. (Thayer.) It can mean kind or form, as in the American Standard version. But it seems to us that the King James translation, Abstain from all appearance of evil, is to be preferred.

6.

There is a play on words in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 which is not apparent in the English versions. We will try to bring it out by the following contrast:

(1)

In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we are told to hold fast (Gr., katecho) that which is good.

(2)

In 1 Thessalonians 5:22, we are told to hold off (Gr., apecho) from all appearance of evil.

7.

Keeping away from evil is essential for the child of God. God is holy and we too must be holy. Note Exodus 23:7; Job 1:8; Job 2:3. We must not use the members of our body as Servants of unrighteousness. Romans 6:13; Romans 6:19.

8.

Avoiding all appearance of evil means that Christians should avoid going to places where people might think they were doing evil. To go into a night club, pool hall, tavern, etc., even for a legitimate reason, might cause some one to think we were indulging in evil. We should not only avoid the evil itself, but we must avoid even the appearance of evil.