1 Thessalonians 5:14

Text (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

14 And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.

Translation and Paraphrase

14.

But we exhort you, brothers, warn those who are (idle and) not obeying orders; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be longsuffering toward all (men).

Notes (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

1.

No one enjoys being told he is wrong or being warned about something he is doing. Warning many people merely makes them stubborn. But Christians should both expect and appreciate warnings and exhortations that are given from God's word by sincere people who are more advanced in the faith than they are.

2.

Paul urged the Thessalonians (in 1 Thessalonians 5:12) to obey those who admonished them. Now in this verse, they themselves are instructed to admonish (or warn) others.

3.

The word unruly (Gr., ataktos) means disorderly, out of the ranks (often so of soldiers), irregular. The INTERPRETER'S BIBLE says that the Greek papyri sometimes uses the word to refer to idleness and loafing, and that is probably its application here.

We say this because 2 Thessalonians 3:11 says, We hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. The word disorderly in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 is the same one as is translated unruly here in 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

4.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Paul compared Christians to armored soldiers. Now he says, Don-'t be disorderly, or out of the ranks. Paul himself was not disorderly among them. 2 Thessalonians 3:7. Too many Christians are like soldiers out of line. Their actions interfere with the forward march of the whole church.

5.

Admonish (warn and seriously advise) those who are out of linethe loafers, the disorderly. (Amplified New Testament)

6.

This verse is an admonition against a too strictly disciplinarian spirit. The disorderly are not too hastily to be considered apostates, nor are the fainthearted to be regarded as cowards, nor the weak called backsliders, nor are any to be hastily cast out. (McGarvey)

7.

Paul's second Thessalonian letter indicates that these people who were unruly and disorderly and not working did not obey his exhortation and warning here in I Thessalonians. Therefore, in the second letter, Paul dealt with them roughly, saying, If any will not work, neither let him eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10.

8.

The feeble-minded are not those who are mentally weak, but those who are faint-hearted and easily discouraged. They are the timid ones, those easily discouraged by persecutions, or cast down by trouble.

We do not condone their faulty understanding or weak will, but we must make concessions to their weakness and support them. We comfort, exhort, and encourage them. 1 Corinthians 8:12.

Paul himself set an example of encouraging the fainthearted. For in 1 Thessalonians 2:11, he tells how he exhorted and comforted, and charged every one of you as a father does his children.

Furthermore, God Himself comfort the fainthearted, Isaiah 57:15: I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

9.

The idea in the phrase, Support the weak, is to stick with them, Hold the weak firmly to you.

The law of the jungle says that the weak shall perish and only the fittest survive, The law of Christ is that the strong shall support the weak. Romans 15:1: We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Every church has people in it who are weak in knowledge, trust, courage, and strength. Let us stick to these people and support them until they become strong and can uphold others.

10.

To be patient (Gr., makrothumeo) means to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles; to be patient in bearing the offences and injuries of others; to be mild and slow in avenging. (Thayer.) It is the very opposite of being exasperated, short tempered, and despairing.

It takes a lot of long-suffering and patience before some of the children of God develop into the kind of people they should be. See 1 Corinthians 13:4.