1 Thessalonians 5:2

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. The apostles follow their Lord's parable, expressing how His coming shall take men by surprise (; ). 'The night is wherever there is quiet unconcern' (Bengel). "At midnight" (perhaps figurative: to some parts of the earth it will be literal night), : cf. , "in that day;" , "in that night." The thief not only gives no notice of his approach, but takes all precautions to prevent the household knowing of it. So the Lord ...

2_Ye know perfectly_. He places exact knowledge in contrast with an anxious desire of investigation. But what is it that he says the Thessalonians know accurately? (591) It is, that the day of Christ will come suddenly and unexpectedly, so as to take unbelievers by surprise, as a thief does those that are asleep. This, however, is opposed to evident tokens, which might portend afar off his coming to the world. Hence it were foolish to wish to determine the time precisely from presages or prodigies....

1-5 It is needless or useless to ask about the particular time of Christ's coming. Christ did not reveal this to the apostles. There are times and seasons for us to work in, and these are our duty and interest to know and observe; but as to the time when we must give up our account, we know it not, nor is it needful that we should. The coming of Christ will be a great surprise to men. Our Lord himself said so. As the hour of death is the same to each person that the judgment will be to mankind in general, so the same remarks answer for both. Christ's coming will be terrible to the ungodly. Their destruction will overtake them while they dream of happiness, and please themselves with vain amusements. There will be no means to escape the terror or the punishment of that day. This day will be a happy day to the righteous. They are not in darkness; they are the children of the light. It is...

FOR YOURSELVES KNOW PERFECTLY - That is, they had been fully taught this. There could be no doubt in their minds respecting it. THE DAY OF THE LORD SO COMETH - Of the Lord Jesus - for so the word “Lord” in the New Testament commonly means; see the notes, Acts 1:24. The “day of the Lord” means that day in which he will be manifested, or in which he will be the prominent object in view of the assembled universe. AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT - Suddenly and unexpectedly, as a robber breaks into a dwelling. A thief comes without giving any warning, or any indications of his approach. He not only gives none, but he is careful that none shall be given. It is a point with him that, if possible, the man whose house he is about to rob shall have no means of ascertaining his approach until he comes

EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—With regard to the time of that glorious advent when believers, whether dead or living, will be gathered together to Christ, the Thessalonians had already been fully instructed. They knew well that the day of the Lord would come suddenly and unexpectedly, and surprise an ungodly world. But they were not in darkness so as to be taken by surprise. Still, however, they must exercise constant watchfulness and sobriety, and be armed with the Christian graces of faith, love, and hope, being comforted with the assurance that God had not appointed them to wrath, but to the acquisition of salvation through Jesus Christ, who died for their benefit, in order that, whether living or dead, they might share in the blessings of his advent. Now follows a series of short admonitions. The Thessalonians were to love and honor their ministers, to live in peace among themselves, to admo...

FOR YOURSELVES KNOW PERFECTLY,.... With great exactness and accuracy, with great clearness and perspicuity, as a certain truth, which was made plain and evident to them, and about which there could be no question; and which perfect knowledge they had, either from the words of Christ, Matthew 24:42, or from the ministration of the apostle and his fellow labourers, when among them: THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD; of the Lord Jesus, when he will show himself to be King of kings, and Lord of lords, and the Judge of the whole earth; and which is sometimes styled the day of the Son of man, and the day of God, for Christ will appear then most gloriously, both in his divine and human nature; the day of redemption, that is, of the body from the grave, and from corruption and mortality; and the last day in which will be the resurrection of the dead, and the day of judgment, in which Ch

1 Thessalonians 5:1. _But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night._ It will be a great surprise to the wicked. It will take them at unawares. Just at that moment when they least expect it will Christ come; and as the thief comes to destroy and to kill, so will the coming of Christ be the death of their carnal ease the destruction of their earthly hopes. 1 Thessalonians 5:3. _For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape._ A terrible text that «They shall not escape.» They shall not escape by their own power or force

V. THE DAY OF THE LORD AND EXHORTATIONS CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The day of the Lord 1 Thessalonians 5:1)_ 2. Exhortations 1 Thessalonians 5:12) 3. Conclusions 1 Thessalonians 5:23) 1 Thessalonians 5:1 “But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” The apostle next men

PAUL'S WARNING TO THE CHRISTIANS TO BE PREPARED FOR THE PAROUSIA. 1 Thessalonians 5:2. as a thief in the night: _ cf._ the words of Jesus (Matthew 24:43). Throughout this paragraph the suddenness of the Parousia is emphasized. 1 Thessalonians 5:5. sons of light: a Hebraism, meaning those who have been enlightened. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:8. BREASTPLATE: _cf._ with this passage the fuller description of the Christian's armour in Ephesians 6:13....

You have no need, brothers, that anything should be written to you about the times and seasons; for you yourselves well know that, as a thief in the night, so the day of the Lord comes. When they are saying, "All is well; all is safe," then sudden destruction comes upon them, just as the labour pains come on a woman who is with child, and very certainly they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the dark. You are not in a situation in which the day, like a thief, can surprise you. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to night or darkness. So then, let us not sleep, as the rest of men do, but let us be watchful and sober. For those who sleep sleep at night; and those who get drunk get drunk at night; but, as for us, because we belong to the day, let us be sober and let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and let us take for a helmet the...