1 Thessalonians 1:10

and to wait for his Son from heaven… even Jesus Lit., from the heavens: comp. 2 Corinthians 12:2, "the third heaven;" and Hebrews 4:14, "Jesus, … Who (in ascending) hath passed through the heavens." Heavenis a plural word in Hebrew, and its conception was manifold, implying the existence of successive regions and stages, like the Courts and Chambers of the Tabernacle, leading up to the innermost, immediate presence-chamber of the Most High.

This expectation separated the Church of Thessalonians from the Synagogue. It involved the belief in Jesus as the Christ(Acts 17:3); and if Christ, then Son of Godand King of His kingdomamongst men. "The kingdom and glory of God to" which "He is calling" the Thessalonians (ch. 1 Thessalonians 2:12), will be inaugurated by the return of their Deliverer from heaven; and this they are awaiting. Jesus, God's Son, had come already, to suffer affliction and to die for men's salvation (1 Thessalonians 1:6; ch. 1 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). He had gone to heaven, "that He might receive His kingdom and return" (Luke 19:12; comp. Acts 3:21), return as Judge to reward God's faithful servants and to render to oppressors and persecutors their due (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). Such, we gather, had been the line of Paul and Silas" teaching at Thessalonica: see Introd.Ch. III. Hence their readers were possessed with the idea of the parousia, or second advent of Christ. This formed a chief part of their religion. They were in truth "like men looking for their Lord, when He should return from the wedding" (Luke 12:36). Comp. note on "patience of hope," 1 Thessalonians 1:3; also ch. 1Th 4:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:17 1 Thessalonians 5:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:16.

From 1 Thessalonians 1:9 we may draw a definition of religion, as consisting of two things servingand waiting, seen in its present and future, its practical and its ideal aspect; the first springing out of faith, the second out of hope, while both gain through lovetheir Christian character and spirit.

his Son … whom he raised from the dead "The palmary argument in proof of the Divine sonship of Jesus" (Bengel): comp. Romans 1:4, "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead." And Christ's resurrection was equally the warrant of faith in His future kingdom and judgeship, "whereof God hath given assurance, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). Indeed it was the seal of the whole Apostolic message (read 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Corinthians 15:14; 1Pe 1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 2:32-36; Acts 3:13-21). Raised from the dead, Jesus was exalted as God's Son, and man's Saviour, and Lord of all things, to the highest heaven (Ephesians 1:20-22); and in this character He will return, as He said, "with His Fathers glory and with the holy angels," to "render to every man according to his deeds" (Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38). The Resurrection was the first step in Christ's glorification, the pledge of all the rest.

even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come deliveredshould be delivereth (R.V.). The Greek participle is present("the One delivering"); and such a participle, with the definite article, approaches the force of a substantive (see note on "all that believe," 1 Thessalonians 1:7), denoting a continued work, or perpetual office. Reference to 2 Corinthians 1:10, or 2 Timothy 4:17-18, where the same verb is used, will show that it signifies rescuerather than redemption, indicating the greatness of the peril, and the sympathy and power of the Deliverer.

This deliverance is not yet complete: see Romans 5:9-10, "having been justified by His blood, reconciled to God through the death of His Son, we shall be savedfrom God's wrath, saved in His life." It is a rescue "from the wrath to come" (comp. Matthew 3:7), more strictly, the wrath that is coming; as in Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6. For God's anger against sin is never quiet; it is on the way, like a tide that rises till it reach its full height. Comp. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12; Romans 1:18; Romans 1:28. As against the Jewish nation, the Apostle sees that its term is now reached: "His wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" (ch. 1 Thessalonians 2:16). For others its recompenses are preparing, who "in their hardness and impenitence of heart" are "laying up for themselves a store of wrath" (Romans 2:4-6), comp. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 and notes.

HowJesus "delivers us" from the wrath impending over sinful men, St Paul does not tell us here; he had certainly taught the Thessalonians. In ch. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 he opposes to God's "wrath" "salvationthrough our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us;" and this shows that he had proclaimed at Thessalonica the same doctrine of reconciliation through the Cross which he expounds in the next group of his Epistles, and which was the core of his gospel from the beginning. On this most important point, see once more Introd.pp. 16, 17.