1 Thessalonians 5:2

Perfectly [α κ ρ ι β ω ς]. See on Luke 1:3.

The day of the Lord [η μ ε ρ α κ υ ρ ι ο υ]. The day of Christ's second coming. In Paul's Epistles this is expressed by hJ hJmera the day, absolutely, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Romans 13:12 : hJ hJmera ejkeinh that day, 2 Thessalonians 1:10 : hJmera cristou the day of Christ, Philippians 1:10; Philippians 2:16 : hJmera kuriou or tou kuriou day of the Lord, 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2 : hJmera tou kuriou hJmwn Ihsou [χ ρ ι σ τ ο υ], 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:14. These expressions refer to a definite time when the Lord is expected to appear, and Paul expects this appearance soon. Attempts to evade this by referring such expressions to the day of death, or to the advance toward perfection after death until the final judgment, are forced, and are shaped by dogmatic conceptions of the nature of Biblical inspiration. 30 In the O. T. the phrase day of the Lord denotes a time in which God will conspicously manifest his power and goodness or his penal justice. See Isaiah 2:12; Ezekiel 13:5; Joel 1:15; Joel 2:11; and comp. Romans 2:5. The whole class of phrases is rare in N. T. outside of Paul's Epistles. As a thief [ω ς κ λ ε π τ η ς]. Comp. Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 16:15, and see on Revelation 3:3.

In the night [ε ν ν υ κ ι τ ι]. The ancient church held that the advent was to be expected at night, on an Easter eve. This gave rise to the custom of vigils. Jerome, on Matthew 25:6, says : "It is a tradition of the Jews that Messiah will come at midnight, after the likeness of that season in Egypt when the Passover was celebrated, and the Destroyer came, and the Lord passed over the dwellings. I think that this idea was perpetuated in the apostolic custom, that, on the day of vigils, at the Pascha, it was not alloxved to dismiss the people before midnight, since they expected the advent of Christ."

It is noteworthy how many of the gospel lessons on watchfulness are associated with the night and a visit by night. See Matthew 24:43; Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 13:35; Luke 12:35; Luke 12:38; Luke 17:34; Luke 12:9; Luke 12.