1 Thessalonians 5 - Introduction
CHAPTER 5 WORDS ABOUT THE END OF THE DAYS, EXHORTATIONS TO HOLINESS AND FINAL SALUTATIONS.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 5 WORDS ABOUT THE END OF THE DAYS, EXHORTATIONS TO HOLINESS AND FINAL SALUTATIONS.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need that anything be written to you, for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.' ‘Concerning the times and the seasons.' The first denotes chronological time and simply si... [ Continue Reading ]
‘When they are saying “Peace and Safety (or ‘Certainty')”, then sudden destruction comes on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child, and they shall in no way escape.' This defines further the day of the Lord in terms of God's final judgments. The world, content and self satisfied, says ‘Peace an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.' The day overtakes these people because they are in darkness. They are asleep in the wrong sense. But Christians, who are no longer under the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13), nor walking in darknes... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For you are all sons of light, and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.' In contrast to those who are in darkness, Christians are ‘sons of light' and ‘sons of the day'. To be sons of light means that light characterises us, that we are those who believe in the Light (John 12:36... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So then let us not sleep as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober, for those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunken, are drunken in the night, but let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.'... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For God appointed us not to wrath but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Here Paul tells us that God has ‘appointed' His own to the obtaining of salvation through Jesus Christ. This agrees with the constant revelation in Scripture that salvation is of God's doing. See for... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him.' Having stated the fact of salvation Paul now declares the basis. It is because our Lord Jesus Christ died for us that salvation is possible. The very fact of his mentioning the death of Christ here demonstrates that... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Wherefore exhort (or strengthen by coming alongside) one another, and build each other up, even as also you do.' The fact of the coming of Christ and the resurrection and transformation of the people of God should make them ever more eager to help each other to grow as Christians, exhorting, givin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But we beg you, brothers and sisters, to know those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.' From the very beginning the early church appointed leaders over the flock. The earliest ch... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And we exhort you, brothers and sisters, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering towards all. See that none render to anyone evil for evil, but always follow after that which is good.' ‘Brothers and sisters'. The work of the leaders, as described here... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' Again we have a threefold injunction. Rejoicing, praying and giving of thanks which are to be continual and total. This is to be the spirit of the church. A satisfactory at... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesyings, prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from every appearance (or ‘form') of evil.' The word for quench is often used of the quenching of a fire, but the word then means ‘stifle, suppress'. We quench the Spirit when we choose t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he who calls you who also will do it.' Paul's final prayer and exhortation is an important one. It draws the attention away... [ Continue Reading ]
FINAL GREETING. ‘Brothers, pray for us.' In the midst of his trials and the need of the world Paul was very much aware of how he and his companions needed prayer. Being full of the Holy Spirit and specially chosen men of God did not mean that they did not need such prayers, although not so much fo... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Salute all the brothers with a holy kiss.' There is no certain instance in the Bible of a kiss being used in salutation except between family members. It was used between close family members and in order to demonstrate affection, as well as as a sign of submission to a superior. In Palestine kissi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren.' The change to the first person probably indicates the point at which Paul took up the pen himself to authenticate the letter. The remainder would have been written by an amanuensis (a kind of secretary). The strength of the re... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.' This again is Paul's personal greeting. It partly repeats the greeting in 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Grace is God's undeserved active favour given in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, which Paul prays will be active in all the members of the church at The... [ Continue Reading ]