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1
Thessalonians Chapter Five
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Lord’s Second Coming and Christians’
Sanctification
A. Christians should watch and be sober to wait for the Lord’s coming again
(v.1-11):
1. For the day of the Lord comes as a thief (v.1-3);
2. Christians shall watch and be sober in
faith, love and hope (v.4-11);
B. Believers become sanctified by co-operation
with God before the Lord’s coming again (v.12-24):
1. Be at peace among Christians and pursue what
is good (v.12-15);
2. Do everything that is connected with the
will of God, the Spirit and what is good (v.16-22);
3. God will sanctify us completely and preserve us
until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (v.23-24);
C. The concluding remarks (v.25-28);
II.
Verse by Verse commentary
1Thess. 5:1 “But concerning the times
and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.”
YLT: “And concerning the
times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need of my writing to you,”
Literal Meaning: “but concerning the times and
the seasons, brethren”, “times” and
“seasons” are a pair of synonyms. Both of them are in plural form, referring to
the period when the Lord comes to the earth, namely, “the day of the Lord”
(v.2).
According to other scriptures, this period will be
about many years (some even counts the kingdom of one thousand years in this
period), during which many prophesies shall be fulfilled, and many things shall
happen step by step. Therefore, when we read the Scriptures, we shall discern
the day of the Lord so as not to be vague about the order of time. For example,
in the Second Book of Peter, the elements shall be dissolved in that day (2Pet.
3:10-13). However, it happens after the period of the kingdom of one thousand
years just before the new heaven and new earth (see Rev. 21:1).
From the times of the Lord’s disciples, there were
many people who were interested in “times and seasons” (see Acts 1:6-7).
Besides, there were also many people who often prophesied the Lord’s coming
again. However, since the Lord had said “of that say and hour no one knows …
nor the Son” (Matt. 24:36), we Christians shall not make presumptuous
conjecture, but shall know His coming is near (Matt. 24:32-33) according to
various signs and thus watch and prepare ourselves.
“You
have no need that I should write to you”, it indicates he needs not to illustrate by
epistles, for they have “known perfectly” (v.2).
1Thess. 5:2 “For you yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”
YLT: “for yourselves have
known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so
come,”
Literal Meaning: “for you yourselves know
perfectly”, when Paul was with them there, he had early taught
them clearly about this matter, so they were supposed to have no doubts.
“That
the day of the Lord so comes”, “the day of the Lord” refers to the day when the Lord Jesus
comes again (see 2Thess. 2:1-2), namely, the day when the Lord comes again.
Most of the scriptures in which the day of the Lord is mentioned are relevant
to the Lord’s judgment (see 1Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 1Cor. 1:14; 2Tim. 4:8).
Therefore, the following paragraph (v.3-6) is mainly for the purpose of warning
believers.
“As
a thief in the night”, there are three
aspects of meanings: 1) such a sinful world is like a dark night; 2) the
majority are in the state of deep sleep (see v.7); 3) the whereabouts are
difficult to be known in darkness. “Thief” also has double meanings: 1) who
comes in an unexpected time; 2) who specially steals things of value;
The day of the Lord will come suddenly without
expectation. Believers who are mature in life shall be taken and those who are
left will experience the Tribulation never seen before (see v.3).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) “Know perfectly”
is one thing. And yet real knowledge and the practical application of the
knowledge is another thing. Many Christians clearly know the truth of the
Lord’s coming again, but they have not led a life of waiting for the Lord’s
coming. Therefore, we shall not be satisfied with the knowledge of the truth
only.
2) Though we have heard or known some truth, if
we have not hold fast it, we may still be deceived. Therefore, we need always
to receive light humbly and judge ourselves.
3) Concerning the date of the Lord’s coming
again, one thing we are sure is that no one knows in advance when the Lord
comes.
4) Christians need not to guess the date of the
Lord’s second coming. No matter when the Lord comes, we shall always lead the
life that Christians are supposed to live.
5) Since we have clearly known the day of the
Lord shall come as a
thief in the night, we shall always
watch and be sober (see v.6). Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis said, “Christian shall
watch from the first day when he has become a Christian”.
6) Now the night is far spent and the day is
near (Rom. 13:12). The Lord’s coming is also near. Therefore, we shall prepare
us at any time.
1Thess. 5:3 “For when they say,
"Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor
pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”
YLT: “for when they may
say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the
travail [doth] her who is with child, and they shall not escape;”
Meaning of Words: “destruction”: punishment, death;
Literal Meaning: “for when they say,
"Peace and safety!"” “They” here refer to “those who are fallen asleep”
(v.6), namely, unbelievers in the world; “when they say, "Peace and
safety!"”, it is
self-deceiving comfort; men in the world believe “there is no so-called
judgment or affliction at all” so they can take pleasure in this life.
"Peace and safety!" It suggests that possibly a short period of
days of peace because of the conclusion of peace treaty may appear on the earth
(especially in the areas of
“Then
sudden destruction comes upon them”, “destruction” here does not refer to eternal
destruction, but the trial which is about to come upon the whole habitable
world (Rev. 3:10), namely, the Tribulation in that three years and a half (see
Rev. 11:2; 12:14-17; 13:5, 7)
“As
labor pains upon a pregnant woman”,
“labor pains”: the pains that the woman bears when she delivers her baby. It
shows that the Tribulation will make men as painful as the women who are in
labor pains (see Ps. 48:6; 13:8).
“And
they shall not escape”, “shall not”, the
double negative in the original is emphatic, which shows none of them shall
escape.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Some believers who are asleep in spirit say
in their hearts, “my lord delays to come” and thus behave outrageously (see
Matt. 24:48-49). Woe to such men!
2) To those who have not well prepared, the
Lord’s coming is “destruction” that they shall not escape.
3) “A pregnant woman”
is able to infer when her baby is due, but unable to expect when the twinge of
pain may suddenly come. Likewise, Christians are able to know in advance the
Lord’s coming is near (see Matt. 24:32-33), but unable to predict the sure
date.
4) If man’s “lust” has “conceived”, it will
give birth to sin (see James 1:15) and make man unable to escape the impending
“labor pain”. Therefore, man shall deal with it early.
1Thess. 5:4 “But you, brethren, are
not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.”
YLT: “and ye, brethren,
are not in darkness, that the day may catch you as a thief;”
Literal Meaning: “but you, brethren, are not
in darkness”, “darkness” is the sign of sin and death. Men in the
world are “in darkness”, for the devil has blinded the thoughts of them (see
2Cor. 4:4). Therefore, they are unable to see their own conditions or the dangerous
future and walk and live as usual with their heart at rest.
“Brethren”, it indicates it is spoken to believers; “you are
not in darkness”, it shows that believers have turned from darkness to light
(Acts 26:18) since the Lord has opened their eyes, thus: 1) walk in light
(1John 1:7); 2) have the guidance of the light of life (John 8:12); 3) watch
and be sober (see v.6) to wait for the coming of the light of the Lord.
“So
that this Day should overtake you as a thief”, “overtake”: seize suddenly; to believers who
live in light instead of darkness, that Day shall not overtake them as a thief,
so they shall not be caught unawares.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Since the identities of believers and
unbelievers are different, their statuses are different. Therefore, believers
shall in no wise live in darkness or wickedness.
2) In other words, this verse indicates that if
we believers live in darkness instead of light (see 1John 1:6-7), that Day
shall overtake us as a thief. It is a significant warning to those who firmly
believe that Christians shall “peace and safe” (see v.3) and by no means suffer
the Tribulation.
1Thess. 5:5 “You are all sons of light
and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
YLT: “all ye are sons of
light, and sons of day; we are not of night, nor of darkness,”
Literal Meaning: “you are all sons of light
and sons of the day”, “sons of”, it is
a habitual usage of the Jews to refer to a special nature. “Sons of light”, it shows that the “life” of Christians
has the nature of light (Eph. 5:8-9).
“Light” is opposite to
“darkness” and both of them refer to two different periods. The present age is
darkness, and the impending age is light (see
“We
are not of the night nor of darkness”,
“of…” is different from “in…” (v.4). The former is governed and ruled and
controlled by the object, and the latter is living in the object.
“Of
the night”, it reveals that
the conversation is in darkness as in the night; “of darkness”, it means it is
darkness by nature and is governed by the power of darkness (
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The nature of one’s inner life decides the
conditions of his daily life. The life of light and the day must live in light.
And yet the life of darkness and the night must live in darkness.
2) Believers not only live in light but also
have the nature of light. We Christians no longer live in darkness, for we are
not of darkness.
3) The problem of Christians is that though we
have the life and God and of light, we often ignore it and live in the old and
natural and corrupted life. Therefore, we may live in darkness.
4) Though we walk in this age, we live in the
eternal spirit. The full glory of the coming Christ is our inner nature and
motivates us to press on.
1Thess. 5:6 “Therefore let us not
sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”
YLT: “so, then, we may
not sleep as also the others, but watch and be sober,”
Meaning of Words: “watch”: keep awake,
be vigilant, wake; “be sober”: discreet;
Literal Meaning: “therefore let us not sleep,
as others do”, “sleep” does not refer to the death in the flesh
(see 4:13, 15), but the unwatchful condition in spirit (see
“But
let us watch and be sober”, “watch” is
opposite to “sleep”, and “sober” is opposite to “drunken” (see v.7). Therefore,
the opposite meaning of “sober” is “befuddled” and “spiritually blind”.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Since Christians have the life and nature of
the day and light (see v.5), if we let this life grown in us, we shall not be
afraid of the Lord’s coming and shall be prepared to see the Lord at any time.
2) “Sleep” (sleep in spirit) is not the
supposed condition to Christians. Therefore, we shall “watch and be sober” in any case. And this is God’s warning and
command to us.
1Thess. 5:7 “For those who sleep,
sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.”
YLT: “for those sleeping,
by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken,”
Literal Meaning: “for those who sleep, sleep
at night”, generally, men work out in the daytime and lie down
in the night. If it is reversed, it is special or uncommon.
“And
those who get drunk are drunk at night”,
it is because man shall keep sober in the working time during the daytime.
Spiritual Meaning: “sleep”: it is
complete relaxation without any soberness (see v.6). “Drunk”: indulgence in
pleasure without constraint; “night”: the realm under the power of darkness;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) He who has fallen asleep is senseless to the
danger he is faced with and continues to sleep. He who has drunken is out of
his sense and unable to control himself. Both of the conditions should not
appear in Christians.
2) Unbelievers idle away the night by sleep and
drunkenness. But we Christians live in the dark night for the purpose of
shining for the Lord (see Phil. 2:15).
3) Christians are those who are of the day
(v.5, 8). Sleep and drunkenness are in no wise proper. We shall work more while
it is day (John 9:4) and walk becomingly (Rom. 13:13).
1Thess. 5:8 “But let us who are of the
day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the
hope of salvation.”
YLT: “and we, being of
the day -- let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an
helmet -- a hope of salvation,”
Literal Meaning: “but let us who are of the
day”, “of the day” has two
meaning: 1) the life of Christians has the nature of light; 2) the life of
Christians is for the purpose of waiting for the Lord;
“Be
sober”, here it is like the soldiers who are ready to fight
at any time. He who always keeps sober and be ever vigilant shall be enabled to
deal with the enemies who come to attack suddenly.
“Putting
on the breastplate of faith and love”, “faith”: have right heart toward God; “love”: have
right heart toward men (see Eph. 1:15; Col. 1:4); “breastplate”: it is used to keep man’s heart;
“And
as a helmet the hope of salvation”,
“the hope of
salvation”, when the Lord
comes, we shall enter into the hope that we are delivered from the impending
wrath (see 1:10); “helmet”, which is used to protect man’s mind and thoughts so
that he will not be deceived by Satan (see 2Cor. 10:5) because of the mind of
the earthly things (see Col. 3:2).
Controversial Clarification: “the hope of salvation”, since this paragraph mentions how to watch and
be sober in order to escape the sudden destruction (see v.3). Therefore, some Bible exegetes
interpret the “salvation” here as “being saved from the Tribulations in the
last days”. However, such interpretation causes two serious contradictions: 1)
the word “salvation” is also mentioned in verse nine, so men must believe God
appoints all Christians to be delivered from the Tribulation, namely, “the
rapture of the church before the Tribulation”. However, it contradicts with
other scriptures, so it is difficult to be accepted (please refer to the
“Controversial Clarification” of verse nine); 2) if “the rapture of the church
before the Tribulation” is not agreed with, and the hope of deliverance from
the Tribulation is held, it shows that the “hope” of Christians may either be
fulfilled or not fulfilled. How poor and miserable such hope is (see 1Cor.
15:19). Moreover, it seriously denies the faithfulness of God (see 2Thess.
2:16).
Therefore, the “salvation”
of this verse refers to the eternal and perfect salvation, including obtaining
the adoption, namely, the redemption of our body (see Rom. 8:21-25). Such hope
of believers shall be fulfilled step by step when the Lord comes. And since we
have such “hope of salvation”, we shall apply it to be our protection in our
short life on the earth, lest we should experience an unnecessary stage when
the Lord is coming.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Keep your heart with all diligence, for out
of it spring the issues of life (Pro. 4:23).
2) A believer shall have firm faith in his
will, abundant love in his emotion and endless hope in mind so that he is
enabled to prepare himself to meet the Lord’s coming.
3) It is a kind of spiritual war that believers
lead a watchful and sober (see v.6) life. And such war requires the whole armor
of faith, love and hope so that Satan cannot attack us and we are able to keep
the true Christian life.
4) Faith, hope and love are believers’
spiritual virtues (see 1Cor. 13:13), and yet now have become believers’
spiritual weapons. Many times, we struggle by the weapons of spiritual virtues
instead of intelligence, means or others.
1Thess. 5:9 “For God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
YLT: “because God did not
appoint us to anger, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ,”
Meaning of Words: “appoint”: set, lay
down, settle;
Literal Meaning: “for God did not appoint us
to wrath”, here it means that God appoints Christians the end
of life. “Wrath” is not “the Tribulation” (see “Controversial Clarification”),
but the eternal punishment.
“But
to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”, “salvation” refers to eternal salvation, namely,
the ultimate and perfect salvation.
Controversial Clarification: according to this verse and 1Thess. 1:10 and
4:17, those who keep “Pre-Tribulation” think since God does not appoint
Christians to wrath and sends Jesus to deliver us from the coming wrath,
believers who are alive when the Lord comes will be caught with the risen
believers together and not suffer “the Tribulation” ---- the punishment of
God’s wrath.
Though the Tribulation is the wrath of God (see
Rev. 15:1) and mainly aims at Gentile unbelievers (Rev. 6:17), we shall not
regard “the Tribulation” equal to “the coming wrath of God”, because: 1) God
has promised that He shall keep some believers from the trial that is come upon
the whole world (Rev. 3:10); 2) there are still believers in the Tribulation
(see Rev. 12:17 “have the testimony of Jesus”; 14:12 “keep the faith of
Jesus”); 3) the Tribulation is not only the wrath of God but also the anger of
Satan at Christians and the Jews (Rev. 12:12, 17); 4) to Christians, the
Tribulation is not wrath, but discipline for the purpose of making us grown
(see Rev. 14:15; Heb. 12:10-11); 5) the “wrath” here and in chapter (the wrath
to come v.10) both refer to the eternal punishment.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Believers will ultimately obtain the full
salvation, which is the end that God has appointed us. Therefore, no matter
what condition we are faced with, there is God’s good pleasure therein. We
shall hold fast the hope of salvation and wait for the Lord’s second coming.
2)
Our being saved is
not out of God’s occasional mercy, but a great thing that God has predestinated
in eternity. Therefore, we shall take it serious and not ignore this great
salvation (Heb. 2:1-3). Yet a little while, we shall prepare ourselves to meet
the Lord’s coming.
1Thess. 5:10 “who died for us, that
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
YLT: “who did die for us,
that whether we wake -- whether we sleep -- together with him we may live;”
Literal Meaning: “who died for us”,
it reveals that the death of the redemption
of the Lord Jesus Christ has transformed the significance and purpose of our
life. Henceforth, we shall no longer live for ourselves (see
“That
whether we wake or sleep”, Paul seems to imply two aspects of meaning: 1) no matter live or
die (see 4:13-17; Rom. 14:8); 2) no matter our spirit is sober or sleeping (see
v.6;
“We
should live together with Him”, “live together”:
have the same life with Christ because of the union of life with Him;
On account of the different interpretation of “wake
and sleep”, this verse can be explained in two aspects: 1) we were cursed but
were delivered from death for Christ died for us. Therefore, when the Lord
comes again, no matter believers who live or who died, they shall live with Him
forever (see 4:16-17); 2) Christ died for us so that we shall receive His risen
life. No matter the condition of our spirit or flesh is, we are able to turn to
the Lord and live with Him in His risen life. Thus, when the Lord comes again,
we shall be caught by Him and be delivered from the coming wrath.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The redemption of the Lord Jesus who died
for us leads us into an eternal and efficacious relationship of oneness with
Christ.
2) On one hand, the Lord leaves us and we are
waiting for His coming. On other hand, He is still with us (Matt. 28:20), and
we lead the life of living with Him (see
3) To live with the Lord is the secret of
believers’ soberness and watchfulness. We are unable to watch or be sober by
ourselves. However, we will surely be able to lead a life of watchfulness and
soberness by the life of the Lord and living with the Lord.
1Thess. 5:11 “Therefore comfort each
other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
YLT: “wherefore, comfort
ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do.”
Literal Meaning: “therefore comfort each other”, it indicates the
hope that “the Lord is coming and we shall live with Him” is the theme of
believers’ comforts and exhortations among one another in the church.
“And
edify one another”, “build up”, this verb is used to describe the building
of house. However, Paul often uses it to refer to the building of Christians’
virtues and spirit (see
“Just
as you also are doing”, it shows us that
the church at that time rather emphasized “the Lord’s coming” and its relevant
doctrines in truth.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Truth is by no means kept for any
individual. Believers are responsible to share the gospel of the redemption
with unbelievers in the world and the truth edifying men with other believers.
2) We are all members in the body of Christ,
not individual members that live separately. Therefore, once every trial or
frustration or challenge comes, we shall support and edify each other to
strengthen our spiritual building and let it abide in the trial of fire.
1Thess. 5:12 “And we urge you,
brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord
and admonish you,”
YLT: “And we ask you,
brethren, to know those labouring among you, and leading you in the Lord, and
admonishing you,”
Meaning of Words: “recognize”: know, consider, understand; “be over”:
stand before, take the lead;
Literal Meaning: “and we urge you to recognize those who labor among you”, “recognize” means
confessing the value and position of them; “those who labor” refer to the
elders, ministers and teachers in the church. They labor to serve the Lord and
the saints and are worthy of double honor (see 1Tim. 5:17).
“And
are over you in the Lord and admonish you”, “be over”, it emphasizes setting oneself as an
example for all so that men shall imitate according to the pattern; “admonish”: teaching and warning;
This verse suggests that the leaders in the church
must include three conditions at least: 1) the labor of love (see 1:3); 2) the
decent care and shepherding in the Lord (see 1Pet. 5:1-3); 3) provide right
guidance to believers in truth (2Tim. 2:15).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Only when believers recognize the labor of
the Lord’s servants and know what they have given and consider the hardship of
their dealing with the church, can they truly honor the leaders. The more
believers know of the hardship of the ministry of preachment, the more will
they honor the preachers.
2) The leaders in the church are totally
different from those in the society. The former serves laboriously and sets
them as an example, and the latter domineers over servants and enjoys
privileges and presides over others with mouth.
3) Labor is not only physically laborious but
also mentally laborious (see 2Cor. 11:28). No matter how laborious, if one has not
worked by heart, it still does not count before God.
4) Only those who set them as examples by their
own conversation are qualified to admonish others. Preachers shall do the word
first, and then their preachment shall be honored.
5) The worst problem in the church today is
that those who shall take responsibility perform their duties in a perfunctory
manner and those who are supposed to obey are unwilling to honor. Therefore,
there is no “comfort or edification among each other” (v.11).
6) If believers do not honor spiritual leaders,
there will be no peace in the church. It is the normal condition in the church
of honoring spiritual leaders and being at peace among one another.
1Thess. 5:13 “and to esteem them very
highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”
YLT: “and to esteem them
very abundantly in love, because of their work; be at peace among yourselves;”
Meaning of Words: “very highly”: most exceedingly, beyond measure; “esteem”: count, judge, suppose;
Literal Meaning: “and for their work's sake”, “for”: not only the “person” of them but also
their “works” are worthy of honor.
“To esteem them very highly in love”, “very highly”, it is used to express “love”. “Esteem them very highly”, it also means that we shall not esteem
them in a cold manner, but in a fervent and loving manner. “Esteem” in the
original means “a kind of recognition after judgment and consideration”.
“Be
at peace among yourselves”, it is not only
used in the relationship of Christians, but also in that between governors and
those who are governed or the relationship among governors.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) One is not honored because of his background
or social status or gift. In fact, it is his uncommon “works” and selfless
devotedness that make him worthy of “high honor”.
2) Believers do not honor the Lord’s servants
because of their famous works or names or great learning and talents. Instead,
they are worthy of honor for they desire a good work and are willing to labor.
3) Those who labor highly in love (see v.12;
1:3) are worthy of high honor.
4) Believers shall wait for the Lord’s second
coming with double diligence. The motivation of our works is the Lord. We shall
work better because of the hope of the Lord’s second coming.
5) If there is no peace among believers, it
will be difficult for preachers to work. Therefore, “be at peace among yourselves”, it is another form of treating
the Lord’s servants well.
1Thess. 5:14 “Now we exhort you,
brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak,
be patient with all.”
YLT: “and we exhort you,
brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the
infirm, be patient unto all;”
Meaning of Words: “fainthearted”: little capacity of soul;
Literal Meaning: “now we exhort you, brethren,
warn those who are unruly”, “unruly”: in the original it means “departing from
the troops” in a military tone; “those who are unruly”, apart from those who walk disorderly (see
Col. 2:5) and those who have made mistakes (see v.22; 4:6), it also refers to
those who ignore their own duties and are idle to work and are busybodies (see
4:11-12; 2Thess. 3:11).
“Comfort
the fainthearted”, “fainthearted”, according to the original, it means that
the little capacity of one’s soul makes him unable to bear any blow; “the fainthearted”, probably, it refers to those who are
shaken because of the tribulation (see 3:3) and those who are sorrowful for the
death of their family members or friends (see 4:13).
“Uphold
the weak”, “the weak”: those who are physically infirm and
thus unable to work in a normal manner (see 20:35) and those who are infirm in
faith (see
“Be
patient with all”, it indicates that
all the members in the church shall be patient with all since each member has
the shortcomings or difficulties more or less.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God allows the fainthearted and the weak and even the unruly in the church in order to let us comfort and
uphold and warn one another. This is not only the responsibility of the fellow
workers but also that of all believers.
2) Those who are strong shall sympathize with and bear the infirmities of others
(see
3) He who exhorts or warns or encourages or
upholds others shall be patient and help them unto the end in love.
4) There are always many troubles in the church
life and each of us may become the trouble of others. In the face of all these
difficulties, there is only one changeless principle, namely, patience and
rendering good for evil (see v.15).
1Thess. 5:15 “See that no one renders
evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and
for all.”
YLT: “see no one evil for
evil may render to any one, but always that which is good pursue ye, both to
one another and to all;”
Literal Meaning: “see that”, it is after the previous verse, “be
patient…”, which shows that if one is unable to “be patient”, he may have
fierce response, so we shall “see that…”.
“No
one renders evil for evil to anyone”, “renders
evil for evil”: to lower oneself
to a degree the same as others and reward them in the same manner. That is to
say, “since you are not like a Christian, I will also not be a Christian”.
“But
both for yourselves and for all”, to treat others
in private or in public;
“Always
pursue what is good”, in fact, no one
is good but God (see Matt. 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). “Pursue what is good”, that is to pursue how God deals with us
and we shall still deal with others in like manner.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) No matter how we are treated in the church,
even though we are evil-treated, we shall not “tooth for tooth”. Christians
shall overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21).
2) Christians shall in no wise choose the way
of revenge (see Rom. 12:17; 1Pet. 3:9). Christians are called to forgive others
(see Matt. 5:38-42; 18:21-35).
3) To deal with the flesh with flesh is to
render evil for evil. He who treats men with the life of God is pursuing good.
1Thess. 5:16 “Rejoice always,”
YLT: “always rejoice ye;”
Literal Meaning: “rejoice always”,
it means that one is able to rejoice at any time and in any place and even in
affliction.
Since this verse is
after verse fourteen and fifteen, very probably, when one is evil-treated, he
shall not only be patient (v.14) but also treat men with joy (v.15).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) We exult with joy unspeakable and are filled
with glory because of believing Him (1Pet. 1:8). Therefore, the faith of the
Lord is the reason for our joy.
2) Men must rejoice in a joyful occasion.
However, if one rejoices always, he cannot rely on the environment only but
shall surpass the environment and rejoice in any condition.
3) If we rejoice at things of this world, our
joy must be of constant change。
However, if we rejoice at God and things of God (Luke 1:46-47), we will be
enabled to rejoice always.
4) The joy of Christians comes from what Christ
has fulfilled, and it is abiding.
1Thess. 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”
YLT: “continually pray
ye;”
Literal Meaning: “pray without ceasing”, it does not mean praying with audible voice
unceasingly, but means keeping intimate close fellowship with God always and
leading the life of “abiding in the Lord” (John 15:4-7).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Christians should commit our troubles unto
God unceasingly and thus always experience the acts of God from prayers.
2) Prayer is spiritual breathing of believers.
Just as the physical breathing should not stop, neither should the spiritual
breathing.
3) If we Christians act after praying to God in
everything, we will see the good hand of God upon us (see Neh. 2:4, 8).
1Thess. 5:18 “in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
YLT: “in every thing give
thanks, for this [is] the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.”
Literal Meaning: “in everything give thanks”,
“everything”:
all things, no matter great things or small things, favourable circumstances or
unfavourable circumstances, joy or sorrow; “give thanks”, since all things we
Christians have met are according to the good will of God (Rom. 8:28), we give
thanks to God (see Luke 10:21).
“For
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”, it shall be applied in the previous three
verses: 1) rejoice always; 2) pray without ceasing; 3) in everything give
thanks; such life is the will of God who has ordained to Christians.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Christians are different from men in the
world. Christians are able to give thanks to God in any case (see 5:20) because
of all the works done by God.
2) If we have truly confessed that we have
nothing, we must be able to give thanks to God because of what we have owned at
present.
1Thess. 5:19 “Do not quench the Spirit.”
YLT: “The Spirit quench
not;”
Meaning of Words: “quench”: go out, extinguish;
Literal Meaning: the Spirit works in
believers as fire (see Acts 2:3), which makes them zealous in spirit (see Rom.
12:11). Therefore, believers shall be kindly affectioned towards one another
and be zealous in service (Rom. 12:10-11). However, if we do not obey the
Spirit, we shall become cold or neither cold nor hot (see Rev. 3:16).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Though the Spirit burns as fire, we may
still quench the Spirit. Therefore, we believers shall work together.
2) The more believers obey the Spirit, the more
prosperous will the fire of the Spirit be. If believers are hard and resist the
Spirit, the fire of the Spirit will be quenched.
1Thess. 5:20 “Do not despise
prophecies.”
YLT: “prophesyings
despise not;”
Meaning of Words: “despise”: see at
nought, contemptible, least esteemed;
Literal Meaning: “prophecies”, the prophets who are inspired by the
Spirit are able to declare the revelation and message of God in order to edify
and comfort and exhort believers (1Cor. 14:3).
“Prophecies”, in the Scriptures, it more emphasizes the
sermon of opening the will of God (forth-telling, e.g. 1Cor. 14:31), and yet
less refers to prophecies (foretelling, e.g. Acts 11:28).
The basic attitude of believers toward the
prophecies is not to despise. Besides, we shall also not receive any prophecies
flippantly but shall judge (see v.21).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The right prophecies are inspired by the
Spirit. Therefore, he who despises the prophecies is quenching the Spirit.
2) He who likes to hear the prophecies may not
emphasize the prophecies. He who hears the word and yet does not do the word is
despising the prophecies.
3) Many believers like to tell and to hear the
word of God as news like the Athenians (see Acts 17:19-21). They are unwilling
to receive the word by heart. Therefore, the word of God will not be kept in
them.
1Thess. 5:21 “Test all things; hold
fast what is good.”
YLT: “all things prove;
that which is good hold fast;”
Literal Meaning: “test all things”, it means one shall
not “receive all the prophecies without any judgment”; “all things”, here it
especially relates to all the prophecies; “test”: it means searching the
Scriptures and proving whether the prophecies are according to the Scriptures
or not (see Acts 17:11) in the perfect and balanced light of the whole
Scriptures.
The Scriptures teach us that
we shall test all things, including: 1) judge the prophecies (1Cor. 14:29); 2)
discern all spirits (1Cor. 12:10); 3) prove the spirits whether they are of God
(1John 4:1); 4) prove what the will of God is (Rom. 12:2); 5) prove what is
agreeable to the Lord (Eph. 5:10).
“Hold
fast what is good”, here it is not
the good or evil works, but the prophecies (see v.20). If it is according to
the Scriptures after testing, it is good. Otherwise, it is evil.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) To any sermon which is claimed to be in the
name of the Lord, we shall not receive without any doubt, but shall put it in
the light of “the word of God” and test carefully.
2) All the works of the Spirit and spiritual
gifts are possibly to be made use of or abused. Especially some supernatural
phenomena, the evil spirit may make use of men to copy the same appearance.
Therefore, believers shall test with exceeding caution.
1Thess. 5:22 “Abstain from every form
of evil.”
YLT: “from all appearance
of evil abstain ye;”
Meaning of Words: “evil”: hurtful,
grievous, malicious;
Literal Meaning: “evil”, here it
especially refers to the evil works under the pretence of the Spirit, including
the sermon of false prophets, false tongues and unreal gift of healing etc.
“every form of evil”: the various falsehoods in the church;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Speaking and walking under the guise of God
and making all misunderstand the will of God are the most things that irritate
God’s abomination. We shall abstain from such evil things.
2) If we believers have made sure that
something or some words neither conform to the will of God nor please God after
proving (see v.21), we shall not force us to do them for any reason (including
pleasing men).
1Thess. 5:23 “Now may the God of peace
Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be
preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
YLT: “and the God of the
peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and
body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Literal Meaning: “now may the God of peace
Himself sanctify you completely”, God is the God of peace. He is willing to let men
reconciled to Him and to one another (see Eph. 2:14-16). Only when we have
peace among one another (see v.13), will we have the presence of the God of
peace (2Cor. 13:11). He is the God of peace, and is willing to grant grace and
peace to men (see 1:1). Only when we have part in His holiness, shall we enjoy
His peace (see Heb. 12:10-11).
“The
God of peace Himself sanctify you completely”, the sanctification can only be perfected by God
in the Spirit. Therefore, we shall obey the Spirit rather than quench the
Spirit (see v.19).
“Sanctify
… completely”,
it refers to thorough and complete sanctification without any spot or wrinkle
or any of such things, holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27).
“And
may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved”, it openly points that man is constituted by
spirit, soul and body. Please refer to the “Controversial Clarification” as
below.
“Be preserved”, and “sanctify” have a slight
difference: preservation is being kept from the external elements, and sanctification
is perfected by the internal transformation.
“Blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”,
“blameless” is slightly different from “sanctify…completely”: the former
emphasizes the apparent state, and the latter emphasizes the inner nature;
Controversial Clarification: “your whole spirit, soul”,
the dualists cannot give clear and proper explanation to this
verse, but only parry the problem on the pretext that here they refer to the
whole man and cannot be separated. However, the Scriptures have clearly
revealed us that spirit and soul are different and are separable (Heb. 4:12).
However, many theologians are unable to distinguish both of them. Besides, they
themselves lack true spiritual experience. Therefore, they confuse spirit with
soul, and uphold the dualism of “soul” and “body”.
In fact, man’s difference from all is that man has
spirit, soul and body. And yet the animal has only soul and body, and the plant
has only body. Therefore, when God created man, it described: “And Jehovah
Elohim formed Man, dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life. And Man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7). In this verse, it
points that man’s body is created by dust, and man’s spirit comes into being by
God’s breathing. When the spirit enters into man’s body, man’s has become a
living soul.
Man’s physical “body” is the faculty, through which
man is enabled to be in contact with the physical world; “soul” is the
personality of a man, including thoughts, emotion and will. And it is the faculty
through which man is enabled to touch the mental world. “Spirit” is the faculty
through which man is enabled to get in touch with the spiritual world. It is
the special organ that God has granted to men, through which man is enabled to
receive the spirit and life of God so as to have fellowship with God.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The power of sanctification is not out of
oneself, but out of God.
2)
We shall believe God
“is able to” sanctify us and He “will” keep believers completely blameless in
Christ (2Tim. 1:12).
1Thess. 5:24 “He who calls you is
faithful, who also will do it.”
YLT: “stedfast is He who
is calling you, who also will do [it].”
Literal Meaning: “He who calls you is faithful”, “He who calls you” refers to God Himself; “call”: the calling of God
or the election of God;
“is faithful”, since He is a faithful God (Deut. 7:9), He cannot
deny Himself (2Tim. 2:13).
“Who
also will do it”, “it” refers to
our sanctification and God’s keeping our spirit and soul and body completely
blameless.
This verse suggests that thee aspects of God’s
nature have utterly ensured believers’ sanctification and being preserved
blameless: 1) God’s calling; 2) God’s faithfulness; 3) God’s power;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God does not preserve all men in the world
nor those false believers, but preserves those whom He has called.
2) God and the Spirit will sanctify us (v.19,
23). God’s faithfulness and power will preserve us unto the day of Christ.
1Thess. 5:25 “Brethren, pray for us.”
YLT: “Brethren, pray for
us;”
Literal Meaning: Paul not only prays
for believers in Thessalonica but also asks them to pray for him. He pays great
attention to intercession for one another, for it will make the hands of God
work.
1Thess. 5:26 “Greet all the brethren
with a holy kiss.”
YLT: “salute all the
brethren in an holy kiss;”
Literal Meaning: “greet all the brethren with
a … kiss”, “greet with a
kiss”, it was originally a sign of welcome when the Jews met one another (see
Luke 7:45; 22:48), just like the handshaking in modern times. In the old times,
they embraced each other, cheek to cheek. Later, believers of all the churches
did so to express the fellowship of one another (see
“Holy”, greeting with a kiss is originally a sign of
loving one another. However, if one’s inner motivation discords with the outer
actions, he is hypocritical and wicked and is unholy before God.
1Thess. 5:27 “I charge you by the Lord
that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.”
YLT: “I charge you [by]
the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren;”
Literal Meaning: “I charge you by the Lord”, this is a kind of very strong tone. That is to
say, the receiver of the epistle should not ignore it.
“That
this epistle be read to all the holy brethren”, the words in the epistles of Paul are refined
and concise, and even Peter appreciates him (see 2Pet. 3:15-16). Later, the
church collected this epistle into the New Testament in the inspiration of the
Spirit.
Enlightenment in the Word:
today, in the church the preachment and hearing the words are much more
emphasized, and yet the reading of the Scriptures is less emphasized. Actually,
if the Scriptures are read well, the word of God will naturally work in those
who have heard it.
1Thess. 5:28 “The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
YLT: “the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ [is] with you! Amen.”
Literal Meaning: “grace … be with you”,
this epistle starts from “grace to you…”, and ends at “grace be with you…”,
which indicates that the enjoyment of grace is the secret of believers’
sanctification.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The Relation of the Day
of the Lord with Believers
A. The day of the Lord shall comes as a thief
(v.1-2);
B. Those who do not pay attention to the day
will not be able to escape the destruction (v.3);
C. If believers watch and are sober, they shall
not suffer the wrath when the day of the Lord comes (v.4-10):
1. For believers are sons of light, and are not
in darkness (v.4-5);
2. For believers are of the day, and will not
sleep or get drunk at night (v.6
3. For believers have the armor of faith and
love and hope, and will be enabled to guard (v.8b);
4. For God does not appoint believers to wrath,
but to obtain salvation (v.9);
5. For Christ died for us so that believers
should live together with Him (v.10);
D. Believers shall comfort and edify one
another according to the above-mentioned truth (v.11);
The Conditions that Believers Should Have
before the Lord’s Coming
A. The conditions that the leaders in the church
are supposed to have (v.12
1. Labor;
2. Be over in the Lord;
3. Admonish in the Lord;
4. Do the work worthy of honor;
B. The conditions that all the members in the
church (including the leaders and common believers) are supposed to have
(v.13b-15):
1. Be at peace among yourselves (v.13b);
2. Warn, and exhort and uphold those whose
conditions are not good (v
3. Be patient with all (v.14b);
4. Not render evil for evil (v
5. Pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all (v.15b);
C. The conditions that the common believers in
the church are supposed to have (v.12
1. Recognize those who labor among us and are
over us in the Lord and admonish us (v.12);
2. Esteem them very highly in love for their
work’s sake (v
D. The conditions that believers are supposed
to have toward God (v.16-22):
1. Keep the will of God in Christ Jesus for us
(v.16-18):
a. Rejoice always (v.16);
b. Pray without ceasing (v.17);
c.In everything give thanks (v
2. Nor quench the Spirit (v.19-22):
a. Not quench the Spirit in us (v.19);
b. Not despise the prophecies of the prophets
in the Spirit (v.20-22):
1) Do not despise prophecies (v.20);
2) Test all things (v
3) Hold fast what is good (v.21b);
4) Abstain from every form of evil (v.22);
The Forms and Results of Quenching the
Spirit
A. The forms of quenching the Spirit:
1. Do not esteem others (v.12
2. Have conflict instead of peace with one
another (v.13b);
3. Fail to fulfill the duty of warning, or
comforting or upholding (v
4. Be not patient with all (v.14b);
5. Be not good to all and render evil for evil
(v
6. Not pursue what is good (v.15b);
7. Despise the prophecies (v.20);
8. Not distinguish what is good or evil:
neither hold fast what should be held fast nor abstain from what should be
abstained (v.21);
B. The results of quenching the Spirit:
1. Not rejoice always (v.16);
2. Not pray unceasingly (v.17);
3. Not give thanks in everything (v.18);
The Will of God in Christ Jesus for
Believers
A. Rejoice always (v.16) ---- in any case, we
are able to bear the fruit of “the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22);
B. Pray without ceasing (v.17) ---- at any time,
we are able to keep good fellowship with “Christ” (John 15:7);
C. In everything give thanks (v
Seven Aspects of Protection for Christians’
Mind
A. The protection of joy (v.16) ---- believe
God’s works with whole heart;
B. The protection of prayer (v.17) ---- praying
is not unbecoming in any occasion or environment;
C. The protection of thanksgiving (v.18) ----
all that is appointed by God is the best;
D. The protection of the Spirit (v.19) ----
obey the working of the indwelling Spirit;
E. The protection of teaching (v.20) ----
esteem the vessel and channel selected by God;
F. The protection of judgment (v.21) ---- test
everything by the word of God;
G. The protection of holiness (v.22) ---- avoid
any evil thought;
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou