1 Thessalonians 5:6

Therefore More exactly, Accordingly then. The double conjunction here employed is an idiom peculiar to St Paul, which appears once in 2 Thess. (ch. 1 Thessalonians 2:15), eight times in Romans, and twice besides in his Epistles. It combines the logicaland practicalinference, that which both reason and duty require.

let us not sleep, asdo others the rest (R. V.); as in ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:13, see note. "Sleep" is natural to those who are "of the night" (comp. Ephesians 5:11-14); it is symbolic of the insensibility and helplessness that sin produces. Comp. Romans 13:11-12: "It is high time to awake out of sleep … Let us put off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light." In this sense we may well pray the prayer of Psalms 13:3, "Lighten Thou mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death."

but let us watch and be sober Lit., let us keep awake. It is our Lord's word of warning and entreaty in the Garden, Mark 14:34; Mark 14:37-38; comp. Luke 12:36-37, "Be ye like into men looking out for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding … Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching." It indicates the wakeful activityof a mind devoted to Christ's service and busy with thoughts of His coming. Of such "watching" prayeris a necessary accompaniment (Mark 14:38; Colossians 4:2).

"Be sober" gives the moral, as "watch" the mental side of the attitude enjoined in view of the coming Day; comp. 1 Thessalonians 5:8; also 1 Peter 5:8. Soberness, in its narrower sense the opposite of drunkenness (1 Thessalonians 5:7), includes habits of moderation and self-control generally. It excludes, for one thing, morbid excitement and unreasoning credulity about the Parousia (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).