1stThessalonians5

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
¹Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,^£ you have no need to have anything written to you. 
²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 
³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 

The times  (chronos)  and the epochs (kairos)  refers in a general sense to the end times.  “Chronos” refers to chronological time, to clock time or calendar time.  “Kairos”  – view time in terms of events, eras, or seasons, such as the time of the Gentiles. 

V.2-3a– ²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 
³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,”

The metaphor of a “thief” coming is never used to refer to the “Rapture of the church”.  The word thief is used to describe the coming of the Lord in judgment and the end of the 7 year tribulation period and the judgement at the end of the thousand-year kingdom of Christ on earth. 

 “the day of the Lord” is used to describe God’s cataclysmic future judgment on the wicked.  19 Xs in OT (Amos 5:28) and 4 Xs in the NT.  (Acts 2:20).

Amos 5:18(ESV)
¹⁸    Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!      Why would you have the day of the Lord?      It is darkness, and not light,

Acts 2:20(ESV)
²⁰    the sun shall be turned to darkness      and the moon to blood,     before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

The “Day of Christ”  is distinguished from the “Day of the Lord”

The day of Christ –   Philippians 1:10 – ¹⁰so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,     AND   Philippians 1:6(ESV) ⁶And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 

 The day of the Lord Jesus Christ… – 1 Corinthians 5:5 – ⁵you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^£

The Day of the Lord must also be distinguished from the “day of God” –  2 Peter 3:12(ESV)
¹²waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 

George Eldon Ladd writes:  The Day of the Lord was near because God was about to act; and the historical event was in a real sense an anticipation of the final eschatological deed …. The historical imminence of the Day of the Lord did not include all that the Day of the Lord meant; history and eschatology were held in dynamic tension, for both were the Day of the Lord.

Following Material – Quote: J. MacArthur Commentary

Unlike the Rapture, which will not be preceded by any signs, there will be several precursors that will herald the arrival of the eschatological Day of the Lord. They will not, however, reveal the specific time that it will come. 

The first sign that the Day of the Lord is drawing near will be the appearance of an Elijah-like forerunner. In Malachi 4:5 the Lord declared, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” Like many other Day of the Lord prophecies, this one had a historical fulfillment in John the Baptist (Luke 1:17) and will also have a future fulfillment in the end times. Some have speculated that this forerunner will be one of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3). Whoever he is, he will herald the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the arrival of the Day of the Lord that precedes it.

Second, a worldwide rebellion against God and His Word will precede the Day of the Lord. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Paul reminded the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord (v. 2) “will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” That apostasy will include a worldwide system of false religion. (See the discussion of 2 Thessalonians 2:3 in chapter 23 of this volume.)

Third, the Day of the Lord will not come until “the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). The rise of Antichrist and his desecration of the temple (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15) will precede the coming of the Day of the Lord. (See the discussion of 2:3–4 in chapter 23 of this volume.)

Fourth, the nations will begin to assemble in the valley of decision for the battle of Armageddon (Joel 3:2–14).

Fifth, dramatic signs in the heavens will precede the coming of the Day of the Lord; God “will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes …. The sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness” (Joel 2:30–31; 3:15; cf. Isa. 13:10; Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:25; Rev. 6:12–13; 8:12).

 

Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 Jesus gave another list of precursors to the Day of the Lord that paralleled the first five seal judgments in Revelation.  An analogy of birth pains that occur and intensify until birth.  These pains signal that soon a birth will occur as the people being warned that the Day of the Lord is near.

First birth pang is a proliferation of false teachers, false prophets and false religions.  They will succeed in explaining away the signs of the times.  Matthew 24:5: ⁵For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.   The main one would appear known as the ‘antichrist’ or the little horn in Daniel 7:8.  The Antichrist will reveal his true colors as he puts a stop to Israel’s religion and desecrates the temple by setting himself up as God and demanding the world worship him.  (2 Thess. 2:4)

The 1^st seal judgment (Rev. 6:2) depicts Antichrist’s rise to power.   Antichrist’s victory will be a bloodless, political, ideological conquest, as the world turns to him to lead them through the unparalleled crisis of the time of Tribulation. 
Antichrist’s false peace will not last long, for the 2^nd birth pang is war.  Matthew 24:6–7 (NASB95)   “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  7    “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

The 2^nd seal judgment (Rev. 6:3-4) depicts the devastating wars that will precede the Day of the Lord.  War personified rides the red horse of battle and slaughter.
The 3^rd  seal judgment describe natural disasters that precede the Day of the Lord.  (Rev. 6:5-6)
The 4^th seal pictures death on a scale unprecedented in human history.  (Rev. 6:7-8)

The fourth birth pang describesthe martyrdom of many of the Tribulation believers. In the midst of the devastation, slaughter, and horror of the Tribulation, many (Rev. 7:9) will be redeemed through the preaching of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:2–6), the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Rev. 7), and the “angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Rev. 14:6). Jesus warned those believers, “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matt. 24:9).   –  Matthew 24:9  ⁹“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 

5^th seal –Revelation 6:9-11(ESV)
⁹When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 
¹⁰They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 
¹¹Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants^£ and their brothers^£ should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

 6^th seal –  The final birth pang is a positive sign in Matthew 24:14(ESV)
¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 Unbelievably, incomprehensibly, despite these obvious, unmistakable signs, most people will still be caught by surprise when the Day of the Lord comes. The terrible outpouring of God’s wrath in judgment will happen while they are saying, “Peace and safety!” The only explanation for such a ludicrous, absurd response is that people will be deceived by false prophets. Jesus warned, “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many …. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many …. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:5, 11, 24). Those lying deceivers will dupe the world into believing that peace and prosperity are just around the corner, despite the ominous signs that the Day of the Lord is fast approaching.

The false prophet, the associate of the Antichrist, will use signs and wonders to persuade people to worship the Antichrist: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” (Rev. 13:13).

End Quote…

Unbelievers’ susceptibility to the false prophets’ deception is a sign of God’s judgment on them. In 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12 Paul wrote that those deceived by the Antichrist will “perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” As a result, the sudden, unexpected coming of the Day of the Lord will sweep them away in judgment.

1 Thess. 5:3b  “…then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child.”

Olethros(destruction) (LN20.33) –  does not refer to annihilation, but separation from God (cf. 2 Thess. 1:9).  God will accomplish the destruction of unbelievers by casting them into the eternal torment of hell (2 Thess. 1:9).

The Day of the Lord: Revelation 6:12-17(ESV)
¹²When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 
¹³and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 
¹⁴The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 
¹⁵Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave^£ and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 
¹⁶calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 
¹⁷for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Olethros(destruction) LN 20.33ὄλεθρος^a,ου m: a state of utter ruin or destruction—‘ruin, destruction.’⁵αἵτινες βυθίζουσιν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ὄλεθρον ‘which cause people to sink into ruin’ or ‘which ruin people’ 1 Tm 6:9.

1 Thess. 5:3c  “…and they will not escape”

Believers should be comforted by the reality that they will be raptured before the coming of the Day of the Lord and not experience its horrors. Yet the knowledge that that event looms large on the prophetic horizon should also motivate them to evangelize the lost. The tragic reality is that those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ will experience God’s temporal and eternal wrath. In the sobering, pensive words of the writer of Hebrews, “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3).

 

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11(ESV)
⁴But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 
⁵For you are all children^£ of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 
⁶So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 
⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 
⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 
⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
¹⁰who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 
¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

 

V.4-5 – “…Not surprised as a thief; for you are all children of light…”

Believers are not in darkness, sin and rebellion!  We have a spiritual insight contrary to those in darkness that are ignorant of God’s plan and are in moral darkness of sin and not knowing what is true. 

Believers are all sons of light and sons of day…  John 12:36(ESV)
³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

 We would not be surprise as a thief that is unannounced.  Amos 5:18-20(ESV)
¹⁸    Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!      Why would you have the day of the Lord?      It is darkness, and not light,  ¹⁹    as if a man fled from a lion,     and a bear met him,      or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,      and a serpent bit him.  ²⁰    Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,      and gloom with no brightness in it?

GET READY – Quote: LABC
Paul warned Christians not to be surprised by Christ’s return. The only way for believers not to be surprised is to be morally ready and spiritually vigilant at all times (see 5:6–8). Knowing that Christ’s return will be sudden and unexpected should motivate us to always be prepared. We are not to live irresponsibly—sitting and waiting, doing nothing, seeking self-serving pleasure, or using the time until he returns as an excuse not to do God’s work of building his kingdom. No one should develop a false sense of security based on precise calculations of events or let their curiosity about the end times divert them from doing God’s work. Are you working, serving, and waiting?

 

V.6-8 – 6 so then let us not sleep as bothers do, but let us be alert and sober.  7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

The phrase “so then” emphasizes the inseparable link between Christians’ nature and their behavior, between their character and their conduct.  What people are determines how they act; believers are day people and must act accordingly.   Ephesians 4:1(ESV)
¹I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 

 Colossians 1:10(ESV)
¹⁰so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8(ESV)
⁶So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 
⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 
⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 

 V.6 – “Let us not sleep (ketheudo)(LN232.66) as others do, but let us be alert (gregoreo)(LN27.56)

SLEEP – LN 23.66καθεύδω^a; κοιμάομαι^a; κοίμησις,εως f; ὕπνος,ου m: the state of being asleep—‘to sleep, to be asleep, sleep.’…‘the child is not dead; she sleeps’ Mk 5:39

ALERT – 27.56γρηγορέω^b: (a figurative extension of meaning of γρηγορέω^a‘to stay awake,’ 23.72) to be in continuous readiness and alertness to learn—‘to be alert, to be watchful, to be vigilant.’ γρηγορεῖτε,στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει ‘be alert, stand fast in the faith’ 1 Cor 16:13.

Not sleep as others do would be the children of darkness that are in spiritual indifference, living as if there will be no judgment.  We need to be alert and sober”….

Quote MacA: Living consistent with their nature as day people provides believers with comfort, because living a righteous, godly life brings assurance of salvation (cf. 2 Peter 1:5–10). When day people walk in the darkness, however, they forfeit that assurance and become fearful of God’s judgment. They become “blind or short-sighted, having forgotten [their] purification from [their] former sins” (2 Peter 1:9). Though it is not possible for day people to be caught in the Day of the Lord, it is possible for sinning ones to lose assurance and fear they might be.

V.6 – “and sober” LN30.25  –  means to be free from in influence of intoxicants.  A sober person exhibits self-control, lives a serious, balanced, calm, steady life, and maintains proper priorities. 

Louw Nida – LN 30.25 –νήφω^a: (a figurative extension of meaning of νήφω ‘to be sober, to not be drunk,’ probably not occurring in the NT; see 88.86) to be in control of one’s thought processes and thus not be in danger of irrational thinking—‘to be sober-minded, to be well composed in mind.’ ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶμεν καὶ νήφωμεν ‘but we should be awake and sober-minded’ 1 Th 5:6. It is also possible to understand νήφω in 1 Th 5:6 as meaning ‘self-control,’ as a characteristic of moral behavior (see 88.86).

These people aren’t waiting for the Lord, aren’t caring that he could return, and are even getting drunk (the opposite of sober), a metaphor for their moral indifference toward the holy God. “Sober” (LN 88.86) also means “self–controlled” (niv) and further implies being ready rather than muddled in one’s thinking. Because unbelievers are people of the “darkness” and of the “night,” their lives are focused on their own pleasures and obsessions and not on alertness and moral readiness for the coming of Christ.  Quote LABC

V.7 –     For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk  (LN88.86) get drunk at night.

LN 88.86 νήφω^b: …‘It is possible that in 1 Th 5:8 νήφω means lack of drunkenness, but most scholars interpret the use of νήφω in the NT as applying to a broader range of soberness or sobriety, namely, restraint and moderation which avoids excess in passion, rashness, or confusion.

Quote LABC:  This contrasts with the rest of the world, the others of the “darkness” and of the “night” who are asleep at the Lord’s return. The word translated “asleep” (katheudo) is used for moral indifference (see Mark 13:36; Ephesians 5:14). These people aren’t waiting for the Lord, aren’t caring that he could return, and are even getting drunk (the opposite of sober), a metaphor for their moral indifference toward the holy God. “Sober” also means “self-controlled” (niv) and further implies being ready rather than muddled in one’s thinking. Because unbelievers are people of the “darkness” and of the “night,” their lives are focused on their own pleasures and obsessions and not on alertness and moral readiness for the coming of Christ.

Luke 12:45-46(ESV)
⁴⁵But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 
⁴⁶the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:8      But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:8  – Compare  V. 6 “sober”(LN30.25) and V. 8 “sober” (LN88.86)   (Look above for LN30.25.

COMPARE:  V6 – “keep awake and be sober”  LN30.25   V.8 – “let us be sober”  LN88.86  –  Same Strong #G3525

V.8-But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.   NIV84  -“Self-Controlled” – other translations use “Sober” (LN88.86)– Greek Word for “Self Control”.

NIV – V.8  LN88.86 – (Let us be self controlled,) – Sober Up

LN88.86 – the sense of not being drunk, probably not occurring in the NT –to behave with restraint and moderation, thus not permitting excess—‘to be self- controlled, to be restrained, to be moderate in one’s behavior, to be sober.’ ….but most scholars interpret the use of νήφω in the NT as applying to a broader range of soberness or sobriety, namely, restraint and moderation which avoids excess in passion, rashness, or confusion. For another interpretation of νήφω in 1 Th 5:8, as well as in 1 Th 5:6, see 30.25.

In J. MacArthur Commentary a Quote from the New Testament Commentary …
The sober person lives deeply. His pleasures are not primarily those of the senses, like the pleasures of the drunkard for instance, but those of the soul. He is by no means a Stoic. On the contrary, with a full measure of joyful anticipation he looks forward to the return of the Lord (1 Peter 1:13). But he does not run away from his task! Note how both here and also in 1 Peter 5:8 the two verbs to be watchful and to be sober are used as synonyms.

The apostle’s exhortation, then, amounts to this: “Let us not be lax and unprepared, but let us be prepared, being spiritually alert, firm in the faith, courageous, strong, calmly but with glad anticipation looking forward to the future day. Let us, moreover, do all this because we belong to the day and not to the night.

 

“Sleeping”refers metaphorically to passive indifference; getting drunk to active sin.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:8(ESV) – ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 

 Ephesians 6:11-12(ESV)
¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 
¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

 Faith, love, and hope form the supreme triad of Christian virtues (cf. 1:3; 1 Cor. 13:13). They also provide an excellent defense against temptation.
Faith is trust in God’s power, promises, and plan. It is the unwavering belief that God is completely trustworthy in all that He says and does.

1^st – believers can trust God’s Person. He will never deviate from His nature as revealed in Scripture, but will always act consistently with His attributes. The writer of Hebrews declared of God the Son, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

2^nd – believers can trust God’s power. God rhetorically asked Abraham, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14; cf. Jer. 32:17, 27).

3^rd –  believers can trust God’s promises. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19).

4^th –  believers can trust God’s sovereign plan, which can neither be halted nor hindered. Through Isaiah the prophet, God declared, “I act and who can reverse it?” (Isa. 43:13).

 

1^st – believers can trust God’s Person. (Heb. 13:8).

2^nd – believers can trust God’s power. (Jer. 32:17, 27).

3^rd –  believers can trust God’s promises. (Num. 23:19).

4^th –  believers can trust God’s sovereign plan, which can neither be halted nor hindered. (Isa. 43:13).

(Quote, in part from  J. MacArthur Commentary)

Faith provides a defense against temptation…

Faith forms the hard, protective outer surface of a Christian’s breastplate and love is its soft inner lining.  (Matt. 22:37 – Love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Love and Faith provide a protective barrier against temptation.

The helmet of the hope of salvation.  It is the future aspect of “glorification”. 

 

When faith is weak, love grows cold.  When love grows cold, hope is lost.  When hope in God’s promise of future glory is weak, believers are vulnerable to temptation and sin.  Only those who keep the effectively the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the hope of salvation firmly in place an resist effectively the onslaught of the forces of darkness.    Quote:  MAC

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11(ESV)
⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
¹⁰who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 
¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

“God has not destined us for wrath,” 

Destined (tithemi)(to set) LN90.86

LN 90.86 τίθημι^g: to cause someone to experience, with the implication of subjecting a person to something—‘to make experience, to subject to.’ οὐκ ἔθετο ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ὀργήν ‘God did not subject us to (suffering) his anger’ 1 Th 5:9.

“Destined” expresses the inexorable outworking of God’s sovereign plan for believers’ salvation.  Matthew 25:34(ESV)  ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 

Wrath –  “Orge” LN38.10 – does not refer to a momentary outburst of rage, but to ‘an abiding and settled habit of mind.”  Generally a reference to the final judgment of God’s wrath upon the wicked, the doomed night people.

We look forward to living with Jesus Himself as He promised:  John 14:1-3 & 1 Thess. 4:17

 

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13(ESV)  Growing a healthy flock…
¹²We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,  ¹³and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 

A series of direct exhortations to the Thessalonians to persevere and grow in their Christian walk. 

V.12 – The Apostles made leadership a high priority for the churches.  The leader needs to be mature and wise enough to articulate the truth and direct the congregation with discernment.  He must be able to provide spiritual discernment and guidance for this flock. 

V.12b “…who diligently labor among you,”

Diligently Labor is from (kopiao) which means to exhibit great effort and exertion, to the point of sweat and exhaustion.  Paul was a model of a diligent servant and shepherd for the flock. 

V.12c “..have charge over you in the Lord.”

Charge over (proistemi) literally means “to stand before” and conveys the notion of authoritatively presiding, leading, or directing.     “In the Lord” – to emphasize that the true shepherds are not self-appointed, and their authority does not derive from fallible human beings. 

V.12b “and give you instruction”

The very “noutheteo”  is often translated “admonish” – with instruction with the purpose of correcting and changing people.  A teaching with an element of a warning, designed to direct the sheep to holy living. 

 

V.13 – “that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.  Live in peace with one another.

Sheep are dirty, weak, unorganized creatures that are prone to wander.  They can be very demanding and have no regard for those who get in its way of their sharp hooves.  Sheep can make life quite joyless for the shepherd if they do not obey him.   THUS, the responsibility to “appreciate those”:

Appreciate from word (oida) means to know by experience.  The connotation is that believers are to know their shepherds deeply and respectfully and to value their service. 

For the pastor to have for them a goodly measure of “esteem”, regard, think about very highly in love. 

 

V.13b – “live in peace with one another”

Hebrews 13:17(ESV)
¹⁷Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15(ESV)
¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,^£ encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.  ¹⁵See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

   

“Urge” LN25.150 – (parakaleo) literally means “to come alongside” and carries the idea of providing help to someone. 

LN25.150παρακαλέω^d; παράκλησις^a,εως f: to cause someone to be encouraged or consoled, either by verbal or non-verbal means—‘to encourage, to console, encouragement.’¹¹ Eph. 6:22 – Phil 2:1

Admonish LN33.424 –(Noutheteo) – does not mean being judgmental or critical in a superior manner.  Rather, it is the caring kind of warning against danger that Paul gave to the Ephesian elders.  Note:   Acts 20:31(ESV)  ³¹Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 

LN33.424 – (noutheteo)  – advise someone….  LN33.424  to advise someone concerning the dangerous consequences of some happening or action—‘to warn, warning.’  1 Cor. 1:10

It means to put sense into someone’s head or alerting him of the serious consequences of his actions. 

 “..the idle”LN88.247  or some translators use the word “unruly”….  LN 88.247ἄτακτος,ον; ἀτάκτως: (derivatives of ἀτακτέω ‘to do nothing,’ 88.246) pertaining to refusing to work—‘idle, lazy, lazily.’…‘we urge you, brothers, warn those who are lazy’ 1 Th 5:14. 1 Tim 3:16 Lazily

V.14b – “encourage the fainthearted (oligopsiychos), help (antecho) the weak (asthenes), be patient with them.”

“encourage” (paramytheomai)  LN 25.153 – literally means to “speak alongside” 

“fainthearted” – literally the “small souled” (oligopsiychos) LN 25.290–LN 25.290 ὀλιγόψυχος,ον: pertaining to having limited or diminished motivation for the attainment of some goal—‘fainthearted, discouraged, losing heart.-1 Th 5:14. The expression ‘those who are losing heart’ is semantically negative, but can be expressed in a more specifically negative form in some languages, for example, ‘those who do not have courage’ or ‘those whose hearts are not strong.’

“…help (antecho)( LN35.1)  the weak, be patient with them”   (antecho) meaning “to hold firmly,” “to cling to,”  “to support,” “to hold up”.  LN35.1 …to assist in supplying what may be needed—‘to help.’

Weak (asthenes) LN 79.69 focuses on susceptibility to sin and applies to believers who struggle with abandoning sin and obeying God’s will. 
James 5:14(ESV)
¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

 “be patient with everyone”  Patient (makrothumeo)  LN25.168– to be forbearing with those who struggle. 

Patient – LN 25.168 μακροθυμέω^a: (derivative of μακροθυμία ‘patience,’ 25.167) to demonstrate patience despite difficulties—‘to be patient, to remain patient, to wait patiently.’… He 6:15;… Mt 18:26.

 

 1 Thess. 5:15 – See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 
Quote John MacArthur:  So a healthy flock is characterized by growth in faith, love, and purity, and progress toward the likeness of Christ …the healthy sheep must lovingly, patiently, but truthfully deal with the difficult sheep to remove sinful impediments and ensure real growth. The key is not finding some clever strategy to bypass the troubles, but addressing the issues directly, as shepherds and sheep alike admonish the wayward, encourage the worried, uphold the weak, bear with the wearisome, and render goodness to the Wicked.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
¹⁶Rejoice always, 
¹⁷pray without ceasing, 
¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

“Rejoice  (G5463 LN25.125) Always”  –  literally reads:  “at all times be rejoicing”   that we would have a deep seated confidence in God’s sovereign love and mighty power on behalf of His own.  That His providential working of all things according to His perfect plan.  Rejoice always in the appreciation that God is in control and all is happening according to His plan.

Paul stressed that Christians needed to transcend their sorrows with a continual focus on true joy as he wrote:  2 Cor. 6:10  “sorrowful yet always rejoicing”  .

A proper perspective on biblical joy provides numerous reasons for believers to rejoice.  J. MacArthur lists:
1^st – Rejoice always in appreciation for God’s righteous character. (Ps. 28:7)
2^nd – We should have constant joy out of appreciation for Christ’s redemptive work – His infallible instruction
3^rd – Rejoice in appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s ministry on their behalf (Acts 10:44)
4^th – Rejoice always because of the vast array of spiritual blessings that believers possess (Phil. 4:13, 19)
5^th – They should have joy in God’s providence as He orchestrates everything for their benefit (Rom. 8:28–30)
6^th – They should be joyful out of gratitude for the promise of future glory (Matt. 5:12)
7^th – In answered prayer should always be a source of joy (John 16:24).,
8^th – Have an appreciation for the gift of God’s Word (Col. 3:16; cf. Pss. 19:7–11; 119:14, 111, 162; Jer. 15:16).
9^th – The privilege of genuine fellowship should bring continual joy to the believer (1 Thess. 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:4)
10^th – True believers cannot help but express their joy at the saving proclamation of the gospel..(Acts 15:3)

Therefore, the joyful Christian is more concerned about glorifying God than about avoiding temporal difficulties (Rom. 8:18; cf. Heb. 11:13–16, 25). He thinks more of his spiritual riches and eternal glory than he does any present pain or material poverty (1 Peter 1:6–7; 4:13; James 5:11; cf. 2 Cor. 6:4–10; 1 Peter 5:10). Believers who live like that will fulfill the command to rejoice always.

V.17 – Pray (LN 33.178) without ceasing…  It means in constant prayer. 

Pray without ceasing is their desire for spiritual growth for themselves and for fellow believers.  Pray for spiritual growth of ourselves and our brothers and sisters. 

 V.18 – “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

No matter what struggles, trials, testing, or vicissitudes occur in our lives we need to give thanks. 
Acts 5:41(ESV)
⁴¹Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 

Philippians 4:6-7(ESV)
⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 
⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. 
²⁰Do not despise prophecies, 
²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good. 
²²Abstain from every form of evil.

V.19 – Do not quench (sbennymi) (LN68.52) the Spirit (pneuma) LN12.18 – do not despise (exoutheneo) (LN88.195

Quenchmeans to extinguish, stifle, or retard the power or energy of something. 
The Spirit was sent to all believers to air them in their Christian development and their walk with God. 
The Spirit is a fire it is a power/force
Acts 2:2-4(ESV)
²And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 
³And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested^£ on each one of them. 
⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 A list of what the Holy Spirit does to assist believers:

1.      The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God.  (1 Cor. 2:10)

2.      It brings believers into intimacy with God.  (Rom. 8:15-16)

3.      The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ to believers and make them more like Him.  (2 Cor. 3:18)

4.      It helps believers know God’s will.  (Eph. 5:17; James 1:5)

5.      The Holy Spirit grants believers inward strength to help them stay on the path of progressive sanctification.  (Eph. 3:16)

1 Corinthians 2:10(ESV)
¹⁰these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 

Romans 8:15-16(ESV)
¹⁵For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 
¹⁶The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 

2 Corinthians 3:18(ESV)
¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,^£ are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17(ESV)
¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 

James 1:5(ESV)
⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

Ephesians 3:16(ESV)
¹⁶that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 

 

V.20 – Do not despise prophecies, 

“Despise” (exoutheneo) LN 88.195 –  to despise someone or something on the basis that it is worthless or of no value—‘to despise..”

“prophecies” (propheteia) LN33.460 an utterance inspired by God—‘inspired utterance, prophecy.

The Scripture’s essential character:

1.        it is authoritative (Isa. 1:2);

2.       it is completely infallible (Ps. 19:7);

3.       it is inerrant in every part (Prov. 30:5–6; cf. Matt. 5:18);

4.       it is sufficient for all spiritual needs (Ps. 19:7–11; 2 Tim. 3:15–17);

5.       it is absolutely effective (Isa. 55:11);

6.       it is determinative of one’s spiritual condition (John 5:24).

 

 Because of Scripture’s generous benefits:

1.       it is the supreme source of truth (John 17:17);

2.       it is the source of all true happiness (Prov. 8:34; Luke 11:28);

3.       it is the source of victory over sin and the forces of evil (Ps. 119:9, 11; Matt. 4:1–11; Eph. 6:17);

4.       it is the ultimate source of spiritual growth (2 Tim. 3:16–17; 1 Peter 2:2);

5.       it is the only perfectly reliable source of guidance (Pss. 19:8; 119:105);

6.       it is the source of hope (Ps. 119:116; Rom. 15:4).

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22(ESV)
²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good. 
²²Abstain from every form of evil.

But examine, test (dokimazo) “scrutinize” LN27.45 – everything;  Frequently used in NT referring to testing something for authenticity.

LN27.45  to try to learn the genuineness of something by examination and testing, often through actual use—‘to test, to examine, to try to determine the genuineness of, testing.’

Hold (katecho) LN31.48  “to hold fast” to that which is good – to embrace wholeheartedly.

LN31.48 – to continue to believe, with the implication of acting in accordance with such belief—‘to continue to believe and practice, to continue to follow. if you continue to believe and practice it’ 1 Cor 15:2.

Good (kalos)  LN88.4– denotes what is inherently genuine, true, noble, and right – not just what might be beautiful in appearance.  When we find what is good we need to embrace it and make it our own.

LN88.4 –: pertaining to a positive moral quality, with the implication of being favorably valued—‘good, fine, praiseworthy.’

CONVERSELY we are to  abstain (apecho) LN85.16) from evil, a strong word meaning “to hold oneself away from”.  Emphasis on completely avoiding  or doing any evil teaching or behavior.  

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28(ESV)
²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
²⁵Brothers, pray for us.
²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
²⁷I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

V.23 – “God of Peace” (eirene) (LN22.42)(G1515) – “Peace” is the best way to summarize God’s saving work, which the NT uses to describe Him  Luke 19:38 (ESV)
³⁸  saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

LN 22.42εἰρήνη^a,ης f: a set of favorable circumstances involving peace and tranquility—‘peace, tranquility. ‘send him on his way in peace’ 1 Cor 16:11.

Strongs: G1515…. 1a state of national tranquillity. …5of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.

 WE gain the peace of salvation: 

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
⁵  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Romans 5:1 (ESV)
¹  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵  by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

V23b “and may your spirit (pneuma)(LN26.9) and soul (psyche) and body (soma)

Note “SPIRIT” has the “ho pneuma” in front as does the  SOUL “ho psyche” –  BODY  “ho–soma” 

HO – LN92.24 – a reference to an entity, event, or state, clearly identified by the linguistic or non-linguistic context of the utterance—‘the, he, she, it.
HO – G 3588ὁ[ho, he /ho/] article. In all their inflections, the definite article; GK 3836; 543 occurrences; AV translates as “which” 413 times, “who” 79 times, “the things” 11 times, “the son” eight times, and translated miscellaneously 32 times. 1this, that, these, etc.

SPIRIT – LN26.9 – (pneuma)   n: the non-material, psychological faculty which is potentially sensitive and responsive to God (πνεῦμα^econtrasts with σάρξ^f, 26.7, as an expression of the divine in contrast with the purely human)—‘spirit, spiritual, spiritual nature, inner being.’

Soul (LN92.24) –  (psyche) (LN.26.4)  -the essence of life in terms of thinking, willing, and feeling—‘inner self, mind, thoughts, feelings, heart, being.’ …‘with one mind, struggling together for the faith of the gospel’ Php 1:27.

BODY– (soma) – LN8.1  – 8.1 σῶμα^a,τος n: the physical body of persons, animals, or plants,² either dead or alive – ‘body.’ …‘though all the parts of the body are many, it is still one body’ 1 Cor 12:12;

 

The body is the temple of God (the Holy Spirit) – to be kept blameless  –  or preserved complete

ESV: v.23c– be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

NASB: v.23c –   be preserved (tereo)(LN13.32)  complete (holokleros) LN59.30, G274, without blame (amemptos) G274 LN88.317  at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 
The Morphology of the Greek Words are:
“Preserved” VAPO3S (Verb, Aorist, Passive, Optative, Third person, Singular)
“complete” JNSN (Adjective, nominative, singular, neuter)
“without blame”    B  (adverb)

Preserved – (tereo) – LN13.32 G5083

LN 13.32τηρέω^a: to cause a state to continue—‘to cause to continue, to retain, to keep.’

G5083– …to attend to carefully, take care of. 1ato guard. 1bmetaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is. 1cto observe. 1dto reserve: to undergo something…

 

Complete meaning to be ‘with integrity’ – ‘total’ ‘intact’ ‘undamaged’ and perfectly conforms with the Lord’s desire for the church to be holy.

“Complete” (holokleros)  G3648 – LN 59.30 

G3648 – “complete in all its parts, in no part wanting or unsound, complete, entire, whole. 1aof a body without blemish or defect,…”

LN59.30– a totality, with special emphasis upon the entity as a whole—‘whole, entire.’

“without blame” – (amemptos) – G274 – LN 88.317

LN88.317–  pertaining to being without fault or blame—‘blameless, without blame, innocent, guiltless.’

G274 – 1blameless, so that there is no cause for censure.

 

V.24 – Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Faithful (pistos) G4102 – LN31.87

G4102 – in the NT one who trusts in God’s promises. 2b1one who is convinced that Jesus has been raised from the dead. 2b2one who has become convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and author of salvation…

LN 31.87πιστός^b,ή,όν: (derivative of πιστεύω^b‘to trust,’ 31.85) pertaining to being trusted—‘faithful, trustworthy, dependable, reliable.’…‘good and faithful servant’ Mt 25:21;

Quote John MacArthur:

In summary, Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians suggests a number of essential principles that all Christians need to remember concerning the sanctification process.
First, experiential sanctification is inherently both negative and positive. Negatively, it involves the purging out of sin (cf. Rom. 6:6; 8:13; 2 Tim. 2:19). Positively, sanctification involves the renewing of the mind (cf. Rom. 12:2) and the putting on of Christlikeness (cf. Col. 3:5–17). The negative and positive changes occur as the Holy Spirit continually uses God’s Word in believers’ lives (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; cf. John 15:1–3).
Second, sanctification occurs chiefly in the heart, the mind, the inner being. It is not concerned with modifying one’s outward behavior—even if that behavior were in line with God’s law—apart from the changed heart (cf. Rom. 3:21–23, 28; 4:4–5; 5:1–2), nor is it circumscribing one’s attitudes and actions to an arbitrary code of ethics (cf. Rom. 14:17; Col. 2:16–23). Sanctification does affect a Christian’s outward actions (cf. John 15:4–5; Eph. 2:10),but it is essentially an inward grace. It is illustrated by what the apostle Peter wrote to believing wives: “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3–4).

Third, the Bible implicitly calls sanctification a beautiful reality (cf. Ps. 110:3 kjv). Holiness is the beautiful crown jewel of the Godhead, reflecting divine perfection, unmitigated virtue, absolute righteousness, and pure sinlessness (cf. Ex. 15:11; Pss. 47:8; 145:17; Isa. 57:15…

Fourth, sanctification is an ongoing reality. At the new birth, God plants the seed of righteousness, the principle of divine life, into the believer’s heart (cf. 1 Peter 1:23–25). That does not mean he will never sin again, but it does mean he will discontinue living in his previous unbroken pattern of sinfulness and begin to live in a new pattern of holiness (cf. Rom. 6:17–18; 1 John 3:9).

Fifth, believers must remember that people can counterfeit sanctification in a number of ways. First, moral virtue can substitute for true sanctification. People can exhibit character qualities such as fair-mindedness, loyalty, civility, kindness, generosity, diligence, and philanthropy and yet at heart be unbelievers (cf. Isa. 29:13). Second, religious activity can masquerade as sanctification. For example, devoutly religious people might spend years avoiding the most heinous sins and seeking to please God by adhering to their church’s rituals and self-righteously engaging in good works (cf. Matt. 23:23–25; Luke 18:10–14). But they do it all because they are afraid of God and want to earn His forgiveness, not because they are His children who sincerely love Him for His grace. Third, outward Christian profession can appear to be genuine sanctification (cf. Matt. 23:27–28). It often parades a hypocritical type of piety that is merely superficial (cf. Matt. 7:21–23). Such false sanctification deceives not only those who witness it, but also those who practice it. Fourth, their conscience and fear of sin’s consequences often restrain people from bad behavior. Most of the time they reject sin because they fear its negative physical, psychological, or even legal consequences. They may have grown up in a Christian family in which their parents taught them biblical principles and established a doctrinal foundation that informs their consciences with moral convictions. Such people are afraid to engage in overt sin and on the exterior appear to be righteous, but only because they do not want a guilty conscience to bother them. A saving love for Christ does not motivate their behavior; instead, human fear and a sensitive conscience drive their actions.

Sixth, sanctification keeps believers from polluting holy things. “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled” (Titus 1:15). Unbelievers mock and blaspheme God and His Son (cf. Luke 22:65; Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21; Rev. 16:9).

Finally, Christians must remember that sanctification is God’s priority for their lives. It is His will for them (1 Thess. 4:3; cf. Heb. 12:14) and the result of Christ’s death on their behalf—“who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). All believers are to live for sanctification. They have no other goal in life than to be like Jesus Christ: “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

 

1 Thess. 5: 25-28

  25      Brethren, pray for us.

  26      Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

  27      I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.

  28      The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 

V.25 – “Brethren, pray for us.”  –  A request for prayer

 

V. 26 – “Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss”  –  A request for affection

 

V. 27 – “I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.” –  A Request for Submission

 

“Adjure” (enorkizo) G3726  LN  33.467 – is a strong word that means “to bind with an oath”. 

LN – 33.467ὁρκίζω; ἐνορκίζω; ἐξορκίζω: to demand that a person take an oath as to the truth of what is said or as to the certainty that one will carry out the request or command—‘to put under oath, to insist that one take an oath, to require that one swear

 

 

V.28 – The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  –  Paul gives His Benediction to the Thessalonians.