1:2 The Old
Testament as well as New is written in such a way as to encourage memorization,
although this is often masked by the translation. There are several devices
commonly used to assist in this. Not least is alliteration, i.e. similarly
sounding syllables: Pantote Peri Panton (1 Thess. 1:2); Polymeros kai polytropos(Heb. 1:1); hautee protee entolee (Mk. 12:30); aphtharton amianton amaranton
(1 Pet.
1:3,4).
1:3 Note how many times Paul gives thanks for the spiritual progress he sees in others, even though we can be sure he saw clearly enough the spiritual immaturity which there still must have been in his converts. So many times he thanks God in his prayers for what he has seen in others (Rom. 1:8-10; 1 Cor. 1:4-9; 2 Cor. 1:3-7; 9:12-15; Eph. 1:3-23; Phil. 1:3-6; Col. 1:3-14; 1 Thess. 1:2,3; 2:13-16; 3:9; 2 Thess. 1:3-10; 2 Tim. 1:3-7; Philemon 4-7). Now it follows that if we are to pray like Paul, we must have the heart of love for people that was in him. So often we dwell upon the negative, the scandals, the failures of others. And we can't thank God for those things. Paul's pattern of prayer was of positive praise. And we can only share that if we have a mind that is positively perceptive of signs of response to grace in others.
‘Faith' comes from a hearing of "the word of God"
in the sense of 'the true Gospel'. This is why 'the doctrines of the one faith'
and 'faith' are linked. This is the importance of doctrine. But faith never
exists alone. James argues that there is no essential difference between faith
and works. 'Faith' is not just credulity or a vague feeling of hope, but an
active, driving force. There is "the work of faith" (1 Thess. 1:3; 2
Thess. 1:11); faith is something which ought to be 'done', the Lord taught (Mt.
23:23). Knowledge and faith are paralleled in John's thought (Jn. 8:32 cp.
14:1; and 6:69 cp. 11:27)- in stark contrast to this
world's emphasis upon works rather than faith. Hence Isaiah's appeals to know
and believe Yahweh (43:10); and the Lord's parallel
of 'little faith' with little understanding (Mt. 16:7,8).
Pistis, one of the
NT words for 'faith', is translated in the LXX as both 'faith' (e.g. Dt. 32:20;
Prov. 12:22) and 'truth' (Prov. 12:17; 14:22; Jer. 5:1). Indeed, another word
used in the LXX is 119 times translated 'truth' and 26 times 'faith'. There is
a connection between true knowledge of the Gospel and faith. And this faith is
the basis for our works. We don't just learn the propositions of the one faith
before baptism, and forget them. The triumphant spiritual life lives
them out.
1:5 assurance- see on Jn. 15:26.
1:5- see on
Gal. 1:6.
1:5 There was a confidence exuding from the early preachers that
they had arrived at Truth. They ‘had the Truth’ in that what they knew and had
experienced was enough for salvation. Unlike the surrounding philosophies and
religions, they knew whom they had believed; they weren’t going somewhere in
vague hope, they had arrived. They had something concrete to offer others. They
preached from a basis of personal hope and conviction and experience, quite
unlike the more ‘political’ methods other religions used to recruit members.
The philosophers and teachers of the 1st century had little conviction about
the value or truth of their position. But the Truth came “not only in word but
also in power…and with full conviction (Gk. plerophoria)” (1
Thess. 1:5). This conviction was not mere dogmatism and self-belief; and
likewise our witness must carry with it a “full conviction” that contrasts with
the uncertainty about faith, doctrine, hope etc. which many professing
‘believers’ of other faiths reveal when they are probed in any depth about
their positions. Paul preached the seriousness of the issues which there are in
the Gospel; and yet people flocked back to hear more (Acts 13:41). The preaching
of truth involves the message of something being exclusive, and compellingly
so. In the first century, “no pagan cult was exclusive of any other and the
only restriction on initiation into many cults was the expense”.
1:6 The idea of consciously
modelling, of having some characters as your heroes,
your inspiration towards a closer following of God, was very much in Paul's
thinking. Not only does he do it himself, but he encourages others to do it. He
doesn't use the word 'modelling'; he uses the word
'mimicking', Greek 'mimicos', normally translated
" follow" in the AV. This Greek word is used almost exclusively by
Paul. "Ye became followers of us and of the Lord.... ye know how ye ought to follow us... an ensample
unto you to follow us" (1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:7,9; the
implication is that in the gap between 1 and 2 Thessalonians, they stopped
following Paul as they initially did straight after his conversion of them).
1:6 We all have more influence on each other than we may think.
Quite naturally, the Thessalonians imitated the ecclesias
of Judaea and also Paul personally (1 Thess.
1:6; 2:14). And in turn, they became models to all the believers in Macedonia
(1 Thess. 1:7). Leadership is essentially a process of influence, rather than a
brother standing up and lecturing others. But the Lord used images such as
salt, yeast and light to describe all who are in Him. They
speak of indirect, constant, transforming influence rather than a frontal
assault on the unspirituality of others.
1:6-8 It
is difficult to read 1 Thess. 1:6-8 in the RSV without seeing an allusion to
the great preaching commission: as if Paul is saying: 'Well done for realising
that the great commission which some of us received specifically, does in fact
apply to you too!': "You became imitators of us... for
not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in
Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth
everywhere"
1:6-9 Paul explains to the Thessalonians that he has consciously lived life before them in order to provide them with a template to copy; and their copying of that template in turn became a pattern to those within their circle of contact to emulate. In this we see the power of example, especially in the preaching of the Gospel: "You know what kind of men we were among you for your sake (i.e. Paul consciously lived as an example to them). And you became followers of us... so that you became examples to all in Macedonia... so that we do not need to say anything [because those who had copied Paul's example were effectively his voice to others]... for they [the converts of the Thessalonians, not Paul] themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you [i.e. the converts of the Thessalonians were a reflection of Paul's conversion of the Thessalonians]... you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea" (1 Thess. 1:6-9; 2:14). This last comment suggests that in imitating Paul, the Thessalonians were imitating the ecclesias in Judaea- perhaps indicating that it was those ecclesias who had initially influenced Paul and been his pattern, and now he was a pattern to the Thessalonians, and they in turn were a pattern to their converts in Macedonia.
1:7 The example of the early Christians, especially their deportment under persecution and even death, was what converted others. The Thessalonians were convinced that what Paul taught them was not the word of men but the word of God, because of who Paul was: his life, his self-sacrifice, his caring, convinced them (1 Thess. 2:1-14). Paul speaks of how they had become examples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia; and yet he also notes in the same context how the Gospel has been spread throughout those very same regions, Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess. 1:7,8). Their example was associated with the acceptance of the message. Their faith had “gone forth” and so thereby had the word of the Lord “sounded forth” (RV).
1:8- see on Acts 2:46.
1:10- see
on Mt. 3:7.
2:1 Paul’s personal example could hardly be distinguished from the gospel he taught (1 Thess. 2:1-12)- he was his message, just as the Lord was His word made flesh. This is why ‘authority’ and respect are things which are earnt naturally in a community by those who have converted the community. It is hard to impose these things from outside the conversion experience.
2:2 Paul
saw himself in the parables- just as we should. Paul describes himself as
having been “shamefully entreated” when he brought the Gospel to Philippi (1
Thess. 2:2)- using the Greek word used in Mt. 22:6 concerning how the
messengers sent to the vineyard were “entreated spitefully”. And maybe Paul was
consciously aware that the Lord Himself had spoken of how He would be
“spitefully entreated” (Lk. 18:32) during His final sufferings. Hence Paul
could speak of filling up the measure of Christ’s sufferings through what he
suffered whilst preaching Christ’s Gospel (Col. 1:24).
2:3- see on 2 Cor. 12:7.
He has to remind the Thessalonians that he isn't preaching because he wants to take money and have relationships with women (1 Thess. 2:3-12). There were some wealthy women in Thessalonica who accepted the Gospel (Acts 17:4 Western Text), and no doubt gossip spread from this. See on 1 Tim. 5:19.
2:4 We were "put in trust with the Gospel", literally 'en-faithed' with it, God gave it to us in faith that we would preach it (1 Thess. 2:4).
If we know God's judgments- and this is an ongoing process- then our self-examination will become closer and closer to the real picture of us which God has. It is apparent that God now tries our hearts (Job 7:18; Ps. 11:4; 17:3; 26:2; 139:23), e.g. weighing up our motives in preaching (1 Thess. 2:4).
2:7 Paul says he was gentle with his Thessalonians, as a nurse with her own children (1 Thess. 2:7 RV). This is a touching figure- a wet nurse giving that extra special attention to her own child (as 2:11 RV a father with his own children); and like children, they mimicked him (1 Thess. 1:6 Gk.). This was quite different to Paul’s background culture, where “boldness and abusive scolding were considered essential by many of the wandering philosophers if their teaching was to have any impact”. Many a Pentecostal pastor likewise scolds his flock for their lack of faith; but the leaders of our groups shouldn’t be like this. There should be gentleness, an appeal for love’s sake, rather than shouting and criticism. Paul dealt with his converts “as a father with his own children”, encouraging, comforting, ‘dealing with each one [individually]’ and urging them to live a life worthy of God’s grace (1 Thess. 2:11,12 RV). Note in this context how Paul says that he cares for them as for his own babies, as both the father and mother, and yet reminds them that “We were babes among you” (1 Thess. 2:7 RVmg.). His appeal to them was on the basis of the fact that although their parent, he was also essentially like them. Only as their spiritual father could he ask the Corinthians whether they wanted him to come to them with a whip or with a loving appeal. He could exercise the discipline of a father, out of his affectionate concern for them; but he chose, wherever possible, a better way. He normally uses the father:child image to show his closeness to them, rather than to impose his authority upon them. And so it should be with the true spiritual father or mother in our groups today. He asks them to copy him; his method of shaping the community was to present himself as the pattern. This was especially necessary amongst largely illiterate converts- one could not direct them merely to independent study of the text of Scripture. Paul even likens himself to a woman breast feeding a child (1 Cor. 3:1-3; 1 Thess. 2:7). And yet such wet nursing was considered to be an occupation for the very lowest of women in the Roman world; it was common for even a respectable slave woman to pass her baby over to such a woman to breast feed. But no, Paul himself, as their leader and converter, as it were breast fed them himself. This very nicely shows the link between unashamed, self-abasing humility and true leadership. And again, the Spirit chose ‘shepherd’ as an image of ecclesial leadership, when the surrounding Rabbis despised shepherds as dishonest. It’s just the same as the Lord Jesus describing Himself as the humble King- a very contradiction in the terms of the contemporary culture. There is an intended juxtaposition in Zech. 9:9: “thy King cometh...lowly, and riding upon an ass”.
2:8- see on
Rom. 9:3.
2:8 Paul
was “well pleased to impart unto you not the gospel of God only, but also our
own souls, because ye were become very dear to us”. So says the RV of 1 Thess.
2:8. It is one thing to impart the Gospel to someone. It is another to give
your soul to them, because you truly love them. I suspect we have all been
guilty of merely imparting the gospel, without the heart that bled within Paul.
They are two quite different things. Imparting knowledge, inviting to meetings,
distributing books…is not the same as giving your soul. The AV of this passage
says that Paul was “willing to have imparted
unto you…our own souls”. There may be a connection back to Rom. 9:3, where in
the spirit of Moses, Paul says that he is theoretically willing to give his
eternal place in the Kingdom for the sake of his hearers’ conversion- even
though he had learnt from Moses’ example that God will not accept such a substitutionary offer. To give your life, to impart a
Gospel…is one thing. But to so feel for others that you would let them go to
the Kingdom rather than you… this is love. No wonder Paul was so compelling a
converter. There was such an upwelling of thankful love and reflected grace
behind his words of preaching.
2:9- see on Phil. 4:16.
2:9 It was during the course of
their daily lives that the early converts made their witness. Note how Paul
implies that it was during the course of his daily work that he won many
converts: “You remember, brothers, our work and toil. It was while we were
labouring night and day… that we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thess.
2:9). Celsus claimed that Christianity was attractive
“only to the foolish, dishonourable and stupid, and only slaves, women and
little children… [the Christian evangelists] were wool-workers, cobblers,
laundry-workers, and the most illiterate and bucolic yokels [who enticed]…
children and stupid women [to come along to]… the wooldresser’s
shop, or to the cobbler’s or the washerwoman’s shop, that they may learn
perfection”. This could almost be a quotation from 1 Cor. 1, where Paul
describes the converts as just such people. And yet from out of their ordinary
life situations, the witness went forth. Not from specially built halls, but
from the workplace. And so it has ever been. This is why Pliny could observe
that Christianity “penetrated not only the cities but even the villages and
farms”. It was individuals converting individuals.
2:10- see on Phil. 1:10.
2:11- see on 1 Thess. 2:7.
2:12 1 Thess. 2:12,13 speaks of how God is constantly calling us to the Kingdom through the word of the Gospel, and therefore that word dynamically works in us who believe. The basic Gospel of the Kingdom works in us throughout our lives, calling us daily, beckoning us onwards to the Kingdom.
2:13 So often one hears a recent convert preaching to others about how wonderful their new church is, and how worthy they are to join. This I always discourage. For conversion is ultimately into Christ, and not into any human organization. We are to receive the Gospel from others not as the word of men, but as the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13).
Paul taught the Thessalonians after their baptism "the Gospel of God... which effectually [Gk. ‘dynamically’] worketh also in you that (already) believe" (1 Thess. 2:9,13). That basic Gospel powerfully worked in them.
2:14- see on 1 Thess. 1:6-9.
2:16- see on Mt. 19:14.
The Jews forbad or hindered the apostles from preaching to the Gentiles “to fill up their sins… for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost” (1 Thess. 2:16). This is quoting from the LXX of Gen. 15:16 about the Amorites. See on Jn. 12:31.
Not only did the Jews crucify God’s Son, but the book of Acts makes it clear that it was Jewish opposition which was the main adversary to Paul’s spreading of the Gospel and establishment of the early church (Acts 13:50,51; 14:2,5,619; 17:5–9,13,14; 18:6,12–17; 21:27–36; 23:12–25). Paul speaks of the Jewish opposition as having “killed both the Lord Jesus and the [first century Christian] prophets, and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins” (1 Thess. 2:13–16). These are strong words, and must be given their full weight in our assessment of the degree to which the Jews were indeed a great ‘Satan’ to the cause of Christ in the first century.
2:17 It has been pointed out by F.F. Bruce that Paul's later letters reveal a marked and progressive fondness for Greek words compounded from syn-, i.e. together / with (e.g. synergos, co-worker; synaichmalatos, co-prisoner). Priscilla, Aquilla, Timothy, Titus, Marcus, Archippus, Luke, Aristarchus, Tychicus, Epaphras, Demas, Epaphroditus, Clement, Philemon, Euodias, Syntyche (the last two being weak in terms of spiritual behaviour)...all of these are described by Paul with a syn- compound word. It seems that as he matured, Paul needed his brethren, he realized he wasn't so alone and strong-willed as he had once been, he saw the Christ in his brethren. Often he speaks of his urgent desire to see the face of his brethren (Rom. 1:11; 15:24; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:17; 3:6,10; Heb. 13:23).
2:18 1
Thessalonians 2:14–16 relates how “the Jews...have persecuted us (Paul and his helpers)...forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles”. But Paul goes on to say in :18:
“wherefore we would have come unto you ...once and again but Satan hindered us”.
The “Satan” refers to Jewish oppositions to the Gospel and Paul’s planned preaching
visit to Gentile Thessalonica.
2:19,20 Nearly all references to Paul's "joy" are in the context of his joy at the prospect of others' spiritual development and salvation (Acts 13:52; Rom. 5:11; 15:32; 2 Cor. 2:3; 7:4,6,13; Phil. 1:14,18; 2:2,17; 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19,20; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:4; Philemon 7,20). See on Eph. 1:4. Paul could say that his great joy at the judgment would be to see his dear brethren enter the Kingdom (1 Thess. 2:19,20; Phil. 4:1; 2 Cor. 1:14); not just joy for his own personal acceptance. In this moment, "he that soweth and he that reapeth [will] rejoice together" (Jn. 4:36)- the letter writers, speakers, writers, travellers... Hence Paul "held forth the word of life" to his converts at Phillipi, "that I may rejoice in the day of Christ (through their acceptance) that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain". This explains the intensity of his efforts to strengthen his brethren: "As though God did beseech you by us: we pray you... be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20). And later he could write from prison "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 1:10). Thus even in this life John could write: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth... I wish above all things that thou mayest (spiritually) prosper" (3 Jn. 2-4).
3:1 When Paul was first imprisoned in Rome, it seems Epaphroditus was a great comfort to him; he didn't want to send him to Philippi, but he "supposed it necessary" (Phil. 2:25). Likewise, it was only when he "could no longer forbear" (1 Thess. 3:1,5) that he sent Timothy away from him when he was living at Athens, to strengthen the Thessalonians. Paul came to really need his brethren.
3:1 Loneliness isn’t at all a bad thing. Paul tells the Thessalonians how desperately he wanted to physically be with them, but God stopped him “time and again”; and so he concluded in the end that it was better for him to be left at Athens alone (1 Thess. 2:17-3:1). He “could no longer forbear” that loneliness in Athens, just as many readers likewise struggle with their loneliness. But looking back, he realized that that aloneness in Athens had actually been for his spiritual good, even though he so longed to be with his brethren. And here those who so bemoan [understandably] their spiritual isolation as they live out their Christian lives in ones or twos can take comfort. It was whilst left alone in Athens that Paul’s conscience was stirred within him and he began an incredibly successful preaching campaign (Acts 17:16-22). The image of that wonderful man standing alone on Mars Hill taking Christ to the masses there for the very first time is inspirational; but he only stood up there and did it because he had been left in Athens alone by a loving Father. His loneliness led to his spirit / conscience being stirred within him by the need of the humanity around him. His loneliness made him see how unique was his relationship with God Almighty and His Son
3:5 Notice how there was no distinction between Paul’s will (“When I could endure it no longer, I also sent...” 1 Thess. 3:5), and that of his fellow workers (“When we could endure it no longer… we sent...” 1 Thess. 3:1,2). He assigned to his brethren his own feelings and decisions.
"For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith" (1 Thess. 3:5)- such was his concern for their spiritual state.
3:6- see on 1 Thess. 2:17.
3:7 Paul wrote to the Thessalonians how their faith was a comfort to him in his "distress". And yet he goes straight on to say that he plans to visit them in order to "perfect that which is lacking in your faith" (1 Thess. 3:7,10). I find this so wonderful. Their faith was imperfect- and yet Paul all the same rejoices in what faith they do have, and can speak of "all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before God" (1 Thess. 3:9). Yet we are all too easily discouraged by the immaturities we notice in others' faith; instead, in a world where the majority don't truly believe, we need to focus on the positive in our brethren and rejoice in it, rather than holding them to some ideal standard which we claim to have in our own mind or understanding or perception. For when compared against the spirituality of our Lord, we are ourselves so miserably imperfect.
3:8 Paul could say that he lived, if his brethren held fast; his life was bound up with theirs (1 Thess. 3:8; 2 Cor. 7:3). He was willing to be offered as a drink offering upon the sacrifice of the Philippians (Phil. 2:17). Time and again he rejoices in the joy and hope of others (e.g. 2 Cor. 7:l3; Col. 1:4); they were his joy and hope and future crown of reward in the Kingdom (Phil. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19,20). For them to be accepted at the day of judgment would be his crown, i.e. his reward and expectation which he looked forward to. It was for their salvation, not his own, that he would rejoice at the Lord's return (2 Cor. 1:14). His spiritual life was bound up in that of others; others who were many times his spiritual inferior. See on 2 Tim. 2:10.
3:9- see on Eph. 1:4; 1 Thess. 2:19,20.
3:10- see on 2 Cor. 8:7; 1 Thess. 2:17.
Paul's description of praying "night and day" (1 Thess. 3:9,10) alludes to the sacrifices, prepared and offered "night and day" (Ex. 30:7,8; Ps. 55:16,17). There was clearly an element of preparation before offering the prayer, as there was before offering a sacrifice. Note how Prov. 15:8 likewise parallels sacrifice with prayer. Prayer ought to be a humbling experience, perhaps alluded to by the incense, representing prayer, needing to be "beaten small". Preparation of prayer involves humility. David takes words of supplication to himself, which as King he must often have heard from desperate citizens, and uses it in his own prayers to God: "Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call... A Psalm of David" (Ps. 20:9). In this one sees a conscious humility in how David formulated his prayers.
3:12-see on 2 Cor. 12:15.
Paul talks of an “account” of good works that is ‘increased’ by each good work- an account not kept by us, but by the Father (Phil. 4:17). And if we ‘increase’ in such acts of love, we increasingly have a heart unshaken by the prospect of judgment to come (1 Thess. 3:12).
3:13- see on Mt. 24:28.
3:13 Lk.
1:6 = Phil. 2:15; 1 Thess. 3:13. We are to have the serene spirituality, all
down the years, of Zacharias and Elizabeth.
The
cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1) will go with Jesus to judgment, which must be
located on earth for the glimpses of the judgment seat which we are given to be
realistically fulfilled. The Lord Jesus comes to judgment with His saints
with Him (1 Thess. 3:13; Zech. 14:5; Jude 14). It is reasonable to guess that
this assembly of faithful believers will visibly reflect God's glory, giving
the impression of a 'shekinah' cloud.
This may be due to the physical presence of the Angel with us during our time
in this cloud. Such a picture is presented in Dan. 7:9-14; Jesus comes with the faithful, symbolized as clouds,
along with the Angels, to the judgment seat. It is at this stage
that the responsible from all nations come to the judgment (Matt. 25:32) so
that there can be a separation of sheep and goats. The 'coming
down' of the righteous responsible to Jerusalem will be at the same time as the
judgment of the wicked nations in that same place: "Thither cause
thy mighty ones to come down" (Joel 3:11) occurs in the context of
Armageddon. The bride comes down out of Heaven as a prepared bride.
"Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau"
(Obad. v 21), i.e. Israel's Arab enemies. The apparent confusion between
our gathering to judgment in Jerusalem and the judgment of the nations there at
the same time is explicable if we accept that the meaning of time will be
collapsed around the second coming. The sequence of events here suggested
chimes in with the thought so often expressed by generations of believers -
that our initial reaction to the knowledge that our Lord is back will
effectively be our judgment, although this will be formally confirmed at the
judgment seat before which all the responsible must appear (2 Cor. 5:10).
4:1 “The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another... to the end He may establish your hearts” (1 Thess. 3:12,13) gives an insight into the upward spiral of development which the Lord wishes us to partake in. It’s quite a theme in 1 Thessalonians: “abound more and more… increase more and more” (4:1,10).
4:3 The will of God is not always done on earth automatically;
it’s not determining of human behaviour in absolute
terms; otherwise the will of God would exclude human freewill. “This is the
will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication”
(1 Thess. 4:3); but the Thessalonians still had the freedom to commit
fornication. The will of God here refers to the wish / desire of God. But the fulfilment of God’s will is of course up to the freewill of
the individual. Which is why we pray for God’s will to be done in our lives;
not in the sense of ‘OK well get on and do what You are going to do anyway’,
but rather of seeking for strength to personally do God’s wish in our lives.
And as we mature, our will and the Father’s become
closer. We ask what we will and it is done; and therefore and thereby we ask for the Father’s
will to be done.
4:3-6 There was evidently a problem with immorality in the Thessalonica ecclesia (1 Thess. 4:3-6). And yet the ecclesia was so eager for the second coming that some were throwing in their jobs, so certain were they that it was imminent. Clearly the moral implications of the soon coming of the Lord had not been felt. And this is why in every chapter of those epistles, Paul pounds away about the Lord's return- a fact which they knew and enthused about, just as we can, and yet would not face up to its real implications. If Christ is coming soon, we must quit the things which plagued Thessalonica- immorality, laziness, irresponsibility etc.
4:7 Paul had
the same calling as we do (Rom. 9:24; 1 Thess. 4:7); in him above all there is
set a pattern for all those who would hereafter believe. This may not entail
itinerant missionary work as it did for Paul, but all the same, the same
essential commitment to Gospel preaching must be at the core of the life of
every convert.
4:11- see
on 1 Cor. 1:26-28.
" ...that ye study
(be ambitious) to be quiet, and to do your own business... that ye may walk
honestly toward them that are without" (1 Thess. 4:11,12).
"That ye study (be ambitious) to be quiet"
presents a powerful opposition of ideas; to have
heroic ambition to be quiet; to be self-controlled, living a blameless
spiritual life in everyday things (this is what the idiom of "walk"
refers to). In 2 Thess. 3:12,13, Paul returns to this
idea: He tells them once again to live a quiet life, and says
in that context: " Be not weary in (such) well doing" . Yet he asks
them in 1 Thess. 4:11 to be ambitious to be quiet. Surely he is encouraging
them not to be weary in living a life of such ambition. And this is not the
only reference to ambition in Thessalonians. Paul praises them for the
brotherly love which they undoubtedly had. But he doesn't just say 'Keep it up!'. He exhorts them to increase in it, more and more (1
Thess. 4:10).
4:14 Jesus
will "bring with Him" from Heaven "them also which sleep in
Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:14) when the Heavenly Jerusalem (the believers) comes
down from Heaven at Christ's return (Rev. 21:1). However, we know that Jesus
will bring the Angels with Him. Being the guardians of those who have died, in
this sense those people come with Christ from Heaven, although of course
literally and personally they cannot seeing they "sleep in Jesus" in
the dust of the earth. See on Dan. 5:23.
The Lord's resurrection is the basis for ours. Despite the
emotion and hardness of death itself, our belief in resurrection is rooted in
our faith that our Lord died and rose. When comforting those who had lost loved
ones in the Lord, Paul doesn't simply remind them of the doctrine of the
resurrection at the Lord's coming. His focus instead is on the fact that
"if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thess. 4:14). The reality of
the resurrection must mean something to us in the times of death which we face
in life. Jesus and the New Testament writers seem to me to have a startling
disregard of death.
4:15 1 Thess. 4 and 5 are shot through with allusions to the
Olivet prophecy. A few of the more obvious are listed:
|
1 Thess. |
Olivet Prophecy |
|
4:15 " This we say unto you
by the word of the Lord" Jesus |
Jesus on Olivet |
|
4:16 |
Mt. 24:30,31 |
|
5:1 |
Lk. 21:24 |
|
5:2 |
Mt. 24:43 |
|
5:3 |
Mt. 24:43,48,51 |
|
5:5 " Children of light"
|
Wise virgins with lamps (Mt. 25) |
|
5:6 |
Mt. 24:13,25,42,49 |
|
5:9 |
Mt. 24:51 |
4:15 1 Thess. 4:15-18, begins with
"For..." . This is explaining 1
Thess. 4:14, which states that "them also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring (up) with him" . This will thus
be true both spiritually, in that they will share His victory over death, and,
literally, in that they will come with their judge to judgment.
John 14:3 may also become easier to handle with this understanding:
"I will come again, and take you to be with me" (N.I.V.).
Initially, this will mean a literal ascent into the sky, followed by a return
to earth to be with Christ eternally in the Kingdom. "That
where I am, there ye may be also" may be the spirit's basis for 1 Thess.
4:17, "And so shall we ever be with
the Lord". The idea
of literally travelling through the sky to the judgment seat was plainly taught
by our Lord in His explanation of how " one shall be taken (literally
disappear) and the other left" at His coming;
"Wheresoever the body is, thither will
the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:36,37).
The point of this allusion is to show that as the eagle travels through the air
with a natural homing instinct, without fear or worry as to correct direction,
so there should be no apprehension in the mind of the believer concerning the
mechanics of how he will be taken away to meet his Lord
4:15- see
on 1 Cor. 7:11.
4:17
clouds- Jesus will return to earth for judgement with
His Angels, as we are told in His parables concerning the judgement.
In the parable of the wheat and tares the point is made that the Angels do not
just come to gather the harvest, but also to separate the wheat from the tares. Thus it would seem that the actual process of judgement will be largely associated with the Angels. We
are told in 1 Thess. 4:17 that "we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air". The clouds must be
the clouds of Angels with which Jesus returns, and may even represent the
figurative "air" in which we meet Him first of all, as if He is
manifested through the Angels which He sends to gather us to judgement (although it is quite possible to take the 'air'
literally too). The elohim under the Old Covenant
were the judges, ruling over different numbers of God's people and judging
them, referring them up to more senior elohim and
finally to Moses. Similarly, at the judgement it may
be that we are judged by our guardian Angel- ideally suited to discuss our
lives with us- and then referred to Christ Himself.
4:17 If we believe that we are counted righteous, we must
likewise assume that all those properly baptized are equally righteous, and
will be saved along with us. We cannot condemn each other; therefore we must
assume each other will be saved. If we have a positive attitude to our own
salvation, we will likewise perceive our whole community. And the reverse is
true; if we cannot believe that God sees us positively, we will tend towards a
negative outlook upon ourselves. My sense is that many of us fail in this area.
Paul had many reasons to think negatively of his converts; and yet he writes to
the Thessalonians as if ‘we all’, all his readership,
would be saved (1 Thess. 4:17). And likewise to dodgy Corinth, he writes as if
they would all be accepted at the Lord’s return (1 Cor. 15:52); he saw them all as innocent Eve in danger of being
beguiled (2 Cor. 11:3).
The connections between the parable
of the virgins and 1 Thess. 4 are strengthened by the same Greek word being
translated "meet" in Mt. 25:6 concerning the wise virgins going out
to "meet" Christ and also in 1 Thess. 4:17: "We which are
alive and remain shall be caught up...in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air". The picture is therefore presented of the righteous
obeying the call of their own volition, and then being confirmed in this by
being 'snatched away' to meet Christ in the (literal) air. We will
then travel with Christ "in the clouds" (literally) to judgment in
Jerusalem. In no way, of course, does this suggestion give countenance
to the preposterous Pentecostal doctrine of being 'raptured'
into heaven itself. Every alternative interpretation of 1 Thess.
4:17 seems to run into trouble with the phrase "meet the Lord in the
air" . 1 Thessalonians is not a
letter given to figurative language, but rather to the literal facts of the
second coming. Further, the 1 Thess. 4:16-18 passage is described by Paul as
him speaking “by the word of the Lord” Jesus (1 Thess. 4:15). If 1 Cor. 7 is any guide to how Paul uses this phrase, he
would appear to be saying that in this passage he is merely repeating what the
Lord Himself said during His ministry. This deals a death blow to some
Pentecostal fantasies about the passage.
It is necessary to side-track in
order to show that Paul is speaking of the faithful believers in 1 Thess. 4 and
5 rather than all the responsible:-
- He comforts them that the
dead believers really will be rewarded with immortality, and that they can take
comfort from the fact that they would live for ever
(1 Thess. 4:13,14,18).
Paul is therefore assuming their acceptability at judgment.
- "Ye are all the
children of light" (1 Thess. 5:5) as opposed to the unworthy within the
ecclesia, who were in darkness. This suggests that Paul wrote as
though his readership were all faithful and assured of eternal life.
Those wise virgins who go forth to meet Christ immediately are
therefore those who will be "caught up together" with the faithful
believers who will have been resurrected. This will be when the Angels
"gather together his elect" (Mt. 24:31). They then "meet
the Lord in the air" literally, perhaps connecting with Rev. 11:12:
"They (the faithful, persecuted saints of the last days) heard a great
voice from heaven (cp. "the voice" of 1 Thess. 4:16) saying unto them, Come up
(cp. " caught up...") hither. And they ascended up to
heaven in a cloud (cp. " caught up... in clouds”); and their enemies
beheld them". It may well be that Rev. 11:12 is speaking of the faithful Jewish remnant of the last days,
who will be snatched away along with us. This cloud of witnesses (Heb.
12:1) will then go with Jesus to judgment, which must be located on earth for
the glimpses of the judgment seat which we are given to be realistically
fulfilled. It is reasonable to guess that this assembly of faithful
believers will visibly reflect God's glory, giving the impression of a 'shekinah' cloud. This may be due to the
physical presence of the Angel with us during our time in this
cloud. Such a picture is presented in Dan. 7:9-14; Jesus comes with the faithful, symbolized as clouds,
along with the Angels, to the judgment seat. It is at this stage
that the responsible from all nations come to the judgment (Matt. 25:32) so
that there can be a separation of sheep and goats. The 'coming
down' of the righteous responsible to Jerusalem will be at the same time as the
judgment of the wicked nations in that same place: "Thither cause
thy mighty ones to come down" (Joel 3:11) occurs in the context of
Armageddon. "Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the
mount of Esau" (Obad. v 21), i.e.
The chronology we have suggested can
now be summarized:-
- Persecution of believers.
- The Lord is revealed; the resurrection.
- An Angel invites each of the
responsible to go and meet Christ.
- The unworthy delay, whilst
the worthy go immediately.
- The worthy are snatched away
into the air, forming a cloud of glory which is visible to all.
They are physically with Jesus.
- Along with Him they come to
Jerusalem.
- The unworthy are then
gathered there.
- There is a tribunal-style
judgment. The sheep and goats are together before the judgment
seat. They are then finally separated by Christ's judgment, and receive their
rewards.
- The wicked are destroyed
along with the nations then surrounding Jerusalem.
The time scale for all this is
unimportant - it could well be just a few seconds, if the meaning of time is to
be collapsed, although there presumably must be a period of time for the cloud
of witnesses to be beheld, and for the unworthy to desperately try to slap
themselves into spiritual shape. The tremendous encouragement
offered by the scenario here presented should not be missed: we will come
with our judge, possibly already reflecting His glory, to the
judgment. This in itself should give us a sense of humble certainty
as we come before His tribunal. So much will depend on our reaction
to the Angel's coming - our faith in acceptance, our degree of concern for the
things of this life - all will be revealed in that instant.
5:2 There has been much confusion over the
'thief-like coming of Christ' mentioned in 1 Thess. 5:2. The
context is concerning the state of the ecclesia in the last days, and is shot
through with allusions to the parable of the virgins. The sleeping
virgins represent the unworthy amongst the believers who will live just prior
to the second coming. Paul's allusion to this fills out the
details: the coming of Christ to this category of 'believers' will be
like a thief in the sense that their privacy and spiritual house will be
invaded by the reality of the second coming. This will be due to
their attitude of 'peace and safety', which they will actively promulgate -
'Everything's great within the household, we're going from strength to strength
spiritually, there's no need to fear failure in any form!' That
"they shall say, Peace and safety" (1 Thess. 5:3) suggests
that this is an attitude which they publicly disseminate amongst the
brotherhood. Bearing in mind the many prophecies and indications
that there will be a massive spiritual collapse within the latter-day ecclesia,
it is reasonable to assume that the faithful minority will speak out against
this - to be met by a barrage of 'peace and safety' reasoning. Those who will
stand ready for their Lord will be in the light, in the day, self-aware,
spiritually sensitive and realistic, and therefore not saying
"Peace and safety" (1 Thess. 5:3-8). Christ's coming as a
thief to the unworthy is therefore in the sense of His coming being unexpected
by them, rather than being as a thief to the world. The frequent
application of the 'peace and safety cry' to the world of the last days never
ceases to amaze the present writer. Prophecy after prophecy
describes a time of global cataclysm around the time of the second coming, even
though this may be mixed with a fair degree of material prosperity.
In no way will it be a time of "peace and safety" for the world; and
their ever-increasing escapism shows that they don't exactly see it like that
either. Biblically speaking, their hearts are failing them for fear,
apprehensive concerning whatever is going to happen to their planet earth (Lk.
21:26, see modern versions).
5:3 The insistent stress by Paul on the need to live lives worthy of our beliefs is really powerful. He knew that this was the main drawing power for the community. It has often been pointed out that sections of his letters seem to have strong links between them. Consider:
|
1 Thess. 5 |
Rom. 12 |
|
:12,13a |
Respect elders |
|
:3-8 |
Don’t think too highly of
yourselves |
|
:13b |
Peace among yourselves |
|
:18 |
Peace with all men |
|
:14 |
Care for weak and unruly(14:1);
Receive the weak |
|
:15 |
Not evil for evil, but good to all
men |
|
:17 |
Not evil for evil, but good to all
men |
|
:16 |
Rejoice always |
|
:12 |
Rejoice in hope |
|
:17 |
Pray unceasingly |
|
:12 |
Continue in prayer |
|
:19 |
Don’t quench the Spirit |
|
:11 |
Fervent in spirit |
|
:20 |
Don’t despise prophecy |
|
:6 |
Prophecy |
|
:21 |
Test all things, hold fast to good |
|
:9 |
Cleave to good |
|
:22 |
Avoid evil |
|
:9 |
Hate evil |
The conclusion from this could be
that there was in fact a common document to which Paul is referring- a kind of practical
guide to true Christian living that was expected of converts. If this is the
case, then the early community would have been committed to being joyful,
prayerful, tolerant, peaceful, loving, humble, Bible based, as a fundamental
principle. These were what accepting Christ in baptism would have required.
5:3 Paul begins chapter 5 by saying
that we do not need to know exact times and seasons (i.e. dates) of the second
coming, because the most obvious sign is that it would come when some in the
ecclesia were unaware- it would come upon them as a thief. Likewise Jesus said
that a sign more important that famines etc. was the tribulation of the
household. The unworthy saints of the last days who are not watching will find
the second coming take them like a thief (Mt.24:43). 1 Thess.5:3 says that
those who think there is "peace and safety" within the ecclesia will
also find the second coming to be thief-like. Thus a lack of spiritual watching
is the equivalent of the "peace and safety" cry. The attitude that
all within the house (the ecclesia) is well and there is no real danger of
tribulation will result in a lack of watching. What sense can we make of Lk.
21:36 if we deny the possibility of a persecution period: "Watch ye
therefore, and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass" ...? "Pray always
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall
come to pass...". Whilst it is
possible that we will be saved out of the tribulation, to dogmatically
say that we will not experience it, coupled with an attitude which refuses to
admit the doctrinal and behavioural problems within the ecclesia, will result
in us being lulled into a sense of peace and safety. This "peace
and safety" atmosphere within the ecclesia matches that in Israel just
prior to the Babylonian invasion: "Them that are at ease (A.V.mg. "secure" ) in Zion" (Am.6:1, cp. Lk.6:24) trusted
in their riches and regular observance of a few religious rituals. But
surely we "are all the children of light" (the word), and therefore
"are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief"
(v.5,4). "By peace (prosperity) he shall destroy
many" (Dan.8:25) is the language of 1 Thess.5:1-3 regarding peace, safety
and materialism destroying the saints of the last days. If this connection is
valid, it shows that the little horn of Daniel will exert its influence within
the ecclesia.
Ezekiel
(8:8-15; 9:8; 11:3), Jeremiah, Micah and perhaps even the Lord Jesus (Is.
59:16; Lk. 13:8) over-estimated the spirituality of God's people in the run up
to the 'day' of Divine judgment in their time. The "peace and safety"
cry within the latter day ecclesia (1 Thess. 5:3) is part of an extended set of
allusions back to the parables of Mt. 24 and 25, concerning the apostate,
drunken servant who thinks everything is fine being suddenly destroyed by his
Lord's coming. This kind of believer had been forseen
by Moses in Dt. 29:19; the type who hears the curses for disobedience, but
blesses (forgives) himself in his heart, "saying, I shall have peace,
though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to
thirst". As natural
The day of the Lord will result in the wicked being "in
pain as of a woman that travaileth" (Is. 13:8; 1
Thess. 5:3). The Lord seems to have alluded to this when He spoke of how the
faithful just before His coming would be like a woman in travail, with the
subsequent joy on delivery matching the elation of acceptance at Christ's
return (Jn. 16:21). So, it's travail- or travail, especially in the last days.
If we choose the way of the flesh, it will be travail for nothing, bringing
forth in vain (this is seen as a characteristic of all worldly life in Is.
65:23). We either cut off the flesh now (in spiritual circumcision), or God will
cut us off. This point was made when the rite of circumcision was first given:
"The uncircumcised [un-cut off] man... shall be cut off" (Gen.
17:14).
5:5- see on
Rom. 13:12.
At times it
seems Paul 'unconsciously' uses a phrase
from the parables, out of context, but as an indication that they were running
through his mind (e.g. "children of light" in Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5
is quarried from Lk. 16:8).
There is a superficial contradiction between the following three passages:
"Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Mt. 24:42)
"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thess. 5:5). This is alluding to Christ's parable of Mt. 24:42-51, where He says that we should stay awake like the house manager who knows when the thief is coming, and therefore watches.
"If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev. 3:3). The implication is that if we watch, Christ's coming will not be like a thief to us, and therefore we will know the hour of His coming.
So we should watch and be loving the appearing of Christ because we don't know when He will come; but if we watch, He will not come like an unexpected thief, because we will know the hour of His coming. Giving all these passages a latter day application (whilst not denying they had a primary meaning in the first century too), this would suggest that those who do watch will have a sure sense of when Christ is coming. But we can't know the day or hour... to which I would respond: We must watch as if we know for sure that the hour of Christ's coming is upon us. If we do this, then when Christ comes, we will be prepared for Him, as if we had been told the actual hour. The fact the NT writers spoke as if Christ's return was imminent in their time was not because they were just over optimistic; for they were inspired. Surely they were inspired to write as if the Lord's return was imminent in their time because this is how God expected His people to perceive the Lord's coming: as absolutely imminent.
5:6 - see on Mt. 26:41.
5:7- see on
Mt. 3:7.
There are many links between 1 Thess. 4,5
and Mat. 24,25. The wise virgins slumbered and were
sleeping at the time of the Lord’s return. Paul matches this by saying that the
unworthy
will be slumbering and we ought to be awake and watching at the time of the
Lord’s return. And yet, the parable teaches that those slumbering wise girls
will be accepted. This is a glaring paradox within the Lord’s own teaching- for
had He not taught that the faithful servants will be awake and watching when
their Lord returns? Yet the paradox is there to flag a major message- that even
though the last generation of believers may well not be ready and watching as
they should be, their humble recognition of the very
likelihood of their oil running out would be their saving grace. And within 1
Thess. 5:6-10 this same paradox is brought out: “Therefore let us not sleep, as
do others; but let us watch and be sober. For
they that sleep sleep in the
night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are
of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us,
that, whether we wake [s.w.
watch] or sleep, we should live
together with him”. The same Greek words are italicized. The contrast is between
those who watch and those who sleep. And yet Christ died to save both those who
watch / are awake, and those who sleep, as the ‘wise’ virgins slept when they
ought not to have done. Both those who watch and those who sleep [after the
humble pattern of the wise virgins] will be saved due to the fact that Christ
died to save sinners, to save the sleepy as well as the more lively- if they
are truly and humbly in Him. Likewise the Lord’s parables generally include two
types- the self-righteous rejected, and the accepted, who have something
spiritually the matter with them. They either enter the Kingdom with splinters
in their spiritual vision / perception, or are totally blinded by planks in
their vision and will be rejected.
5:17- see on Jude 20.
5:17 When
Paul wrote of praying "night and day”, it could be that he refers to his
twice daily prayer times. For he was hardly praying 24/7.
5:21- see
on Job 34:4,5.
5:22 "A
talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a
faithful spirit concealeth (Heb. covereth)
the matter" (Prov. 11:13). The principles of the atonement and the
redemption we have experienced ought to be finding expression in every part of
our lives. Instead of gossiping, we ought to cover over the confidences which
we have been let into. We should abstain from every appearing of sin; wherever
it comes up, we should abstain (1 Thess. 5:22; this verse doesn't
mean 'don't do things which look as if they're sinful'). Whenever we hear of
sin we should seek to cover it, not to show it forth more widely,
and especially seek for it to be forgiven. By doing so we will reflect our own
experience of how God has dealt with His knowledge of our sins.
5:23- see on Phil. 1:10.
Paul at times quotes from or alludes to popular Jewish ideas with which he may not have necessarily agreed. The lack of quotation marks in New Testament Greek means that it’s hard for us at this distance to discern when he does this – but it seems to me that it’s going on a lot in his writings. Thus he uses the phrase “your whole spirit, soul and body” (1 Thess. 5:23), a popular Jewish expression for ‘the whole person’ – but it’s clear from the rest of Paul’s writings that he didn’t see the body and soul as so separate.
5:26 “A holy kiss” seems to have been the way of concluding a first century Christian meeting, in the same way as Paul ends some of his letters with this (1 Thess. 5:26; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Pet. 5:14).
5:27 Revelation, Thessalonians and Colossians contain
specific statements that the material was to be read out loud to the
[illiterate] church members (Rev. 1:3; 1 Thess. 5:27; Col. 4:16); but the
contents of those books require quite detailed analysis, which we tend to
wrongly assume can only be given by reading the text. The processes of occasional
listening to a text [employed by most first century believers] and reading a
text [employed by many twenty first century believers] are quite different. We
can go back to a text, re-read it, re-access it at will. Someone who
occasionally hears a passage read, and who maybe only heard parts of the New
and Old Testaments read once or twice in their lives, simply relates to the
text differently. Further, the nature of the reading of the text, the delivery
of the speaker, would've played an important part in the interpretation of it
by the illiterate hearer- hence the greater responsibility of teachers in the
first century than today. For the illiterate audience, the message was tied up
with the messenger to a huge degree. Hence Timothy is told to pay attention to
his [public?] reading, preaching and teaching (1 Tim. 4:13).