1 Thessalonians 5:27

“I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the brethren”

“Adjure”: To put on oath, make swear; by analogy, to solemnly enjoin, adjure, charge. “I give orders” (Bas). “This strong appeal may perhaps be explained by. suspicion on Paul's part that. wrong use might be made of his name and authority (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2), so that it was important that his views should be made known to all” (Vincent p. 53). “He placed them under oath to do this. This certainly emphasized the importance that Paul attached to his writings” (Fields p. 156).

“Be read unto all the brethren”: Compare with Colossians 4:16. “Paul evidently thought that his letter could be understood by the common people in the church. The Roman Catholic clergy has often held back the Bible from their people, saying that the laity cannot interpret correctly the Bible without an infallible guide. However, Lois, Eunice, the Bereans, the Ephesians, and many others all read and understood the Scriptures without any official interpreter to explain them (2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15; Acts 17:11; Ephesians 3:4)” (Fields p. 155). God wants this letter read publicly to all the brethren, that is, when they are assembled. Hence preaching and bible reading were an essential aspect of the worship when the First Century churches assembled (1 Timothy 4:13).

“All”: “It is very well possible that some of the disorderly persons, upon hearing that. letter from the missionaries had arrived and suspecting that it contained some admonitions intended especially for them, might wish to be absent when it was read aloud to the congregation. So Paul stresses the fact that by all means every person in the church must hear the letter” (Hendriksen p. 144). Marshall observes, “It is interesting that he simply assumes that all the members of the church do gather together regularly” (p. 165).