OUTLINE: I. The Second Coming continued: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 A. Knowing the date is not the key to being prepared: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 B. Christians can be prepared: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 II. Practical Exhortations: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 A. Respect and appreciation for the elders: 1 The... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT CONCERNING THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS, BRETHREN, YE HAVE NO NEED THAT AUGHT BE WRITTEN UNTO YOU” “But concerning”: Suggesting that Paul might be responding to. question that they had either sent him via Timothy or that was being hotly debated among some of them. “TIMES”: The set or proper time.... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YOURSELVES KNOW PERFECTLY THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD SO COMETH AS. THIEF IN THE NIGHT” “For yourselves know”: They already knew the answer to their own question, and they knew it, because Paul had previously taught them about the subject, while with them. “PERFECTLY”: “Exactly”. Paul knows that... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEN THEY ARE SAYING, PEACE AND SAFETY, THEN SUDDEN DESTRUCTION COMETH UPON THEM, AS TRAVAIL UPON. WOMAN WITH CHILD; AND THEY SHALL IN NO WISE ESCAPE” “When”: Which connects 1 Thessalonians 1:3 with everything that has proceeded, all the way back to 1 Thessalonians 4:13. "When" Jesus comes and Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT YE, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS. THIEF” “But yet”: In contrast to the unbelievers. “ARE NOT IN DARKNESS”: The Christian is no longer in spiritual darkness and separated from God (Colossians 1:12; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 5:8). In addition, we have the light... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YE ARE ALL SONS OF LIGHT, AND SONS OF THE DAY: WE ARE NOT OF THE NIGHT, NOR OF DARKNESS” “For”: The reason why it should not "overtake" us. “ALL”: The same level of morality is demanded of all believers. “SONS OF LIGHT”: “In the Semitic languages generally to be. ‘son' of something means to be... [ Continue Reading ]
“SO THEN LET US NOT SLEEP, AS DO THE REST, BUT LET US WATCH AND BE SOBER” “So then”: Since we live in the light (John 8:12). “LET US NOT SLEEP”: “Sleep in. figurative or spiritual and moral sense. 'Asleep about spiritual things (Romans 13:11)'” _(Fields p. 134)._ This “means to live as if there wi... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR THEY THAT SLEEP, SLEEP IN THE NIGHT: AND THEY THAT ARE DRUNKEN ARE DRUNKEN IN THE NIGHT” “They that sleep”: The unbelievers. “Night is the sleeper's time for sleeping, the drunkard's time for drinking” (Knox). Paul's point in this verse may be that, “In contrast with this rightful attitude (1... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT LET US, SINCE WE ARE OF THE DAY, BE SOBER, PUTTING ON THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE; AND FOR. HELMET, THE HOPE OF SALVATION” “But”: In contrast to the indifference and immorality found among the unbelieving. “LET US”: We can do this. This is. matter of complete freewill. “SINCE WE ARE OF T... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR GOD APPOINTED US NOT INTO WRATH, BUT UNTO THE OBTAINING OF SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST” “For God appointed us not into wrath”: The word "appointed" does not mean that God has "predestined" (against their freewill) the salvation of certain individuals. Obviously, these Christians co... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHO DIED FOR US, THAT, WHETHER WE WAKE OR SLEEP, WE SHOULD LIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM” “Who died for us”: That is why salvation is "through Him". There is not any reason why the Christian should be discouraged or think that "it's no use". Jesus died for us! God wants us saved (2 Peter 3:9). God is not... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEREFORE EXHORT ONE ANOTHER, AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP, EVEN AS ALSO YE DO.” “Wherefore”: Because of all the encouraging truths just mentioned! “EXHORT”: Comfort, exhort, entreat, encourage, implore. “BUILD”: Confirm, edify, embolden. “EVEN AS ALSO YE DO”: Credit where credit is due, and again we f... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT WE BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, TO KNOW THEM THAT LABOR AMONG YOU, AND ARE OVER YOU IN THE LORD, AND ADMONISH YOU” John Stott entitles this section, “How to be. gospel church”. In reading this portion of Scripture it seems that evidently there were some problems at Thessalonica, or members who neede... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND TO ESTEEM THEM EXCEEDING HIGHLY IN LOVE FOR THEIR WORK'S SAKE. BE AT PEACE AMONG YOURSELVES” “Esteem:”: “To think, to estimate” _(Vincent p. 48)._ “Hold them in special esteem and affection” (Mof). “EXCEEDINGLY HIGHLY IN LOVE”: “Inserted to show that this should be done without stint” _(Morris... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND WE EXHORT YOU, BRETHREN, ADMONISH THE DISORDERLY, ENCOURAGE THE FAINTHEARTED, SUPPORT THE WEAK, BE LONGSUFFERING TOWARD ALL” “And we exhort you”: Three distinct groups in this congregation needed specific attention. This is another way to keep peace in. congregation. Problems usually only grow... [ Continue Reading ]
“SEE THAT NONE RENDER UNTO ANY ONE EVIL FOR EVIL; BUT ALWAYS FOLLOW AFTER THAT WHICH IS GOOD, ONE TOWARD ANOTHER, AND TOWARD ALL” “See that”: “Take care” (TCNT). “Be sure” (Phi). “Make sure” _(Stott p. 123)._ This admonition is addressed to all members of the Church, we are are indeed our brother's... [ Continue Reading ]
“REJOICE ALWAYS” The fact that we are saved (1 Thessalonians 1:10), should always be at least one major source of continual joy for the Christian (1 Peter 4:4). ‘Be happy in your faith at all times” (Phi). This admonition was addressed to Christians who were suffering. The Christian can rejoice desp... [ Continue Reading ]
“PRAY WITHOUT CEASING” This is common theme in Paul's letter (1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2). This reveals that the Christian is not confined by "set hours" to pray. “The Christian should live in such communion with God that prayer is always... [ Continue Reading ]
“IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS TO YOU-WARD” “In everything give thanks”: Yes even be grateful for the hard times (Romans 5:3). “Bless the Lord,. my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Psalms 103:2). Barclay notes, “We must always remember that if we face... [ Continue Reading ]
“QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT” “Quench”: To extinguish. “Do not stifle the utterances of the Spirit” (TCNT). “Do not stifle inspiration” (NEB). “THE SPIRIT”: That is, the Holy Spirit. In view of verse 20, we find that the Thessalonians possessed various spiritual gifts, including prophecy. During the tim... [ Continue Reading ]
“DESPISE NOT PROPHESYINGS” “Despise”: To set at nought or view as being contemptible. “Do not make light of prophetic gifts” (TCNT). “do not hold prophecy in low esteem” (Knox). “Do not scoff at those who prophesy” (Tay). Paul faced people who did not appreciate the truth that was revealed through... [ Continue Reading ]
“PROVE ALL THINGS; HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD” “Prove”: To test, examine. “And yet you must scrutinize it all carefully” (Knox). The expression “all things” should remind us that we cannot just assume that something is right, neither can we accept the conclusions or majority opinions of secular so... [ Continue Reading ]
“ABSTAIN FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL” “Abstain”: To hold oneself off, that is refrain. “EVERY FORM”: The term “form” here means appearance, fashion or shape. This would include evil advice or false teachings. Every "form" of evil, whether that "form" takes the form of speech, attitude, conduct, exampl... [ 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” “And”: Notice the connection between this verse and the previous one. God does not cleanse or sanctify people apart from their cooperati... [ Continue Reading ]
“FAITHFUL IS HE THAT CALLETH YOU, WHO WILL ALSO DO IT” “Faithful”: One who is trustworthy and dependable. “He who calls you will not fail you” (TCNT). See 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13). God does not call people through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), only to abandon them when they obey t... [ Continue Reading ]
“BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US” “Pray”: The word “pray” here is in the continuous tense, that is, keep praying for us. Paul often asks for the prayers of those he had converted (Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 3:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). This infers that the prayers of "ordinary" Christians are just as effective... [ Continue Reading ]
“SALUTE ALL THE BRETHREN WITH. HOLY KISS” “Salute”: Embrace, greet, welcome. “HOLY KISS”: “Sacred kiss” (TCNT). Compare with Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Peter 5:14. Fields notes, “In this verse Paul did not say that we had to kiss every time we met or said ‘good-bye'.... [ Continue Reading ]
“I ADJURE YOU BY THE LORD THAT THIS EPISTLE BE READ UNTO ALL THE BRETHREN” “Adjure”: To put on oath, make swear; by analogy, to solemnly enjoin, adjure, charge. “I give orders” (Bas). “This strong appeal may perhaps be explained by. suspicion on Paul's part that. wrong use might be made of his nam... [ Continue Reading ]
“THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU” Stott notes, “If. local church is to become. gospel church, it must not only receive the gospel and pass it on, but also embody it in. community life of mutual love” _(p. 135)._... [ Continue Reading ]