1 Thessalonians 5 - Introduction

He proceedeth in the former description of Christ's coming to judgment, and giveth divers precepts; and so concludeth the Epistle.

Anno Domini 52.

THE Apostle, after describing the coming of Christ to raise the dead, and carry the righteous with him into heaven, does not quit the subject of Christ's return; but proceeds, in this chapter, to foretel the terror which his appearing will occasion to the wicked, and the punishment which he will then inflict upon them. This circumstance merits the reader's attention, because it proves that, in describing Christ's return to the earth,theApostlehadsomefartherview,besides that of comforting the Thessalonians under the death of their relations. For if this had been his only purpose, nothing more was necessary but to tell them that if they believed Jesus died and rose again, so also them who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Wherefore, since, in the preceding chapter, he not only mentions the resurrection and departure of the righteous into heaven, but enters into a particular description of the circumstances of Christ's coming to judgment, by which his power and greatness, as the Son of God and Governor of the world, will be manifested; also, since in this chapter he goes on to foretel the terror which Christ's return will occasion to the wicked, and the punishment which he will inflict on them, it seems to me plain, that his chief design in all this was to shew, that, by committing the judgment of the world to Christ, the Father hath confirmed the gospel of his eternal Son, and authorised him, as Mediatorial King, to punish all who do not obey it; as the Apostle also expressly affirms, 2 Thessalonians 1:8.

To the authority, however, of Christ as judge, and to the argument for the divine original of the gospel founded thereon, it may be objected, that we have no evidence thereof, excepting the apostle's prophesy, and Christ's own prediction, that he will return as judge. I therefore reply, that although, in ordinary cases, a prophesy proves nothingtill it be accomplished, yet we have complete evidence in Christ's resurrection from the dead, that the prophesies concerning his return to judge the world will, in due time, be accomplished. For, seeing the chief priests and elders of the Jews put him to death as a deceiver, because he called himself the Christ, the Son of the blessed God, and because he affirmed that they should see him sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, namely, to raise the dead and judge the world, his resurrection from the dead is certainly a demonstration that he is the Son of God; that he is now on the right hand of power; and that he will come in the clouds of heaven to judge mankind. Hence the first preachers of the gospel always appealed to Christ's resurrection, as the proof of his return to judgment. For example, St. Paul, in his oration to the learned Athenians, Acts 17:31. He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.—2 Corinthians 4:14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead, will raise up us also by Jesus, and will present us with you.—And in this Epistle, 1 Thessalonians 1:10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath which is to come. Hence also, in the proof of the divine original of the gospel under our consideration, the Apostle very beautifullyconnects Christ's return to judgment with his resurrection from the dead; and produces the two events thus connected as his fourth argument, 1 Thessalonians 4:14. For if we believe that Jesus died, for calling himself the Son of God and judge of the world, and rose again, to prove that these characters really belong to him, even so must we also believe, that them who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him from the dead into heaven. The truth is, we cannot believe the resurrection of Jesus, without believing that he is the Son of God and the judge of the world; and if we believe that he is the Son of God, and the judge of the world, we must believe that his gospel is Divine.

Farther, the argument taken from Christ's power and dignity as judge, is introduced in this proof of the Divine original of the gospel, with peculiar propriety; because it effectually removed those prejudices, which were entertained from the very beginning, against Christ and his gospel, on account of his having been publicly put to death, as a deceiver, by the chief priests. For his crucifixion, though a stumbling-block to the Jews, was necessary to his resurrection, whereby his dignity as the Son of God, and his power as judge of the world, have been established beyond contradiction. Since, then, the return of Christ to judgment is indubitable, the righteous may rejoice in the prospect: firmly persuaded, that if they continue to cleave to Jesus, they shall obtain the resurrection to eternal life, promised them in the gospel. On the other hand, the wicked may tremble, when they think of the circumstancesof Christ's advent foretold byhis Apostle, and of that terrible punishment which he will then inflict upon them, and from which none of them shall escape.

His description of the punishment of the wicked the Apostle introduces with observing, that there was no need for his writing any thing to the Thessalonians, concerning the time of Christ's coining to judge the world, 1 Thessalonians 5:1.—Because, from what he had formerly told them, they knew perfectly that the time of it is uncertain, not having been revealed to any person; and that it will be sudden and unexpected, 1 Thessalonians 5:2.—and will occasion great terror and astonishment to the wicked, when he comes to punish them. And their terror will be exceedingly increased by this, that, about the time of Christ's coming, they will promise to themselves peace and safety for a great length of years. But while in this state of security, sudden destruction shall come upon them, and none of them shall escape, 1 Thessalonians 5:3.—This is all that the Apostle thought fit to write at present concerning the punishment of the wicke

Having then set forth the punishment to be inflicted on the wicked at the coming of Christ, under the idea of sudden destruction, the Apostle told the Thessalonians, that, being fully instructed concerning the design of Christ's coming, that event will not be terrible to them, 1 Thessalonians 5:4.—Yet, they were not to live slothfully and securely, like the wicked, but they were to watch continually, 1 Thessalonians 5:6.—and, as persons living in the midst of enemies, they were always to have on the Christian armour, 1 Thessalonians 5:8.—because God had not appointed them to wrath, that was not his will concerning them; but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:9.—who died for this end, that whether his faithful saints wereof the number of the dead or of the living at his coming, they might live in endless happiness with him, 1 Thessalonians 5:10.—Lastly, he desired them, a second time, to edify each other, by making the great discoveries contained in this Epistle the subjects of their daily conversations, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Hisprincipaldesignbeingfinished,theApostlecautionedtheThessalonianbrethren against those errors and irregularities which Timothy had informed him still more or less prevailed among them. In particular, because many were not so submissive to their spiritual guides as it became them to be, he besought them to be obedient to those who laboured among them in the ministry, and those whose duty it was to admonish and rebuke them for their faults, 1 Thessalonians 5:12.—and to esteem them very highly for their works' sake, 1 Thessalonians 5:13.—On the other hand, the Thessalonian ministers, who, perhaps, had been negligent in admonishing and rebuking the faulty among them, he exhorted to be very plain in warning and reproving such as walked disorderly; and affectionatelyto support the weak, by administering proper consolations to them; and to be patient towards all, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.—and to take care that none of their flock rendered evil for evil to any one, 1 Thessalonians 5:15.—Then, addressing the pastors and people jointly, he gave them a variety of practical advices, 1 Thessalonians 5:16.—After which he prayed fervently for the sanctification of the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 5:23.—begged them to pray for him and his assistants, 1 Thessalonians 5:25.—and laid the rulers of the church under an oath to cause this, his Epistle, to be read to all the holy brethren; namely, in their own city, and in the neighbouring churches, 1 Thessalonians 5:27.—Then he gave them his Apostolical benediction, 1 Thessalonians 5:28.