Commentari biblici

In this chapter the apostle gives earnest exhortations to abound in holiness, with a caution against uncleanness, enforced with several arguments, 1Th 4:1-8. He then mentions the great duties of brotherly love, and quietness with industry in our callings, 1Th 4:9-12. And concludes with comforting those who mourned for their relations and friends that died in the Lord, 1Th 4:13-18.

Analysis Of The Chapter

This chapter, properly, comprises two parts: First, various practical exhortations, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; and secondly, suggestions designed to console those who have been bereaved; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The first part embraces the following topics:

(1) An exhortation to increase and abound in the Christian virtues which they had already manifested; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2.

(2) a particular exhortation on the subject of sanctification 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, in which two points are specified, probably as illustrations of the general subject, and embracing those in regard to which they were exposed to special danger. The first was fornication, the other was fraud.

(3) an exhortation to brotherly love; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10.

(4) an exhortation to quiet industry, and to honesty in their dealings. particularly with those who were Christians; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.

The second part is designed to comfort the Thessalonians who had been bereaved; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Some of their number had died. They appear to have been beloved members of the church, and dear friends of those to whom the apostle wrote. To console them he brings into view the doctrine of the second coming of the Saviour, and the truth that they would be raised up to live with him for ever. He reminds them that those who had died were "asleep" - reposing in a gentle slumber, as if they were to be awakened again 1 Thessalonians 4:13; that they should not sorrow as they did who have no hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13; that if they believed that Jesus died and rose again, they ought to believe that God would raise up all those who sleep in Jesus 1 Thessalonians 4:14; that in the last day they would rise before the living should be changed, and that the living would not be taken up to heaven and leave their departed friends in their graves 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, and that both the living and the dead would be raised up to heaven and would be forever with the Lord 1 Thessalonians 4:17. With this prospect, they had every ground of comfort which they could desire, and they should sustain each other in their trials by this bright hope; 1 Thessalonians 4:18.

The apostle exhorts them to attend to the directions which he had already given them, that they might know how to walk and please God, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:2. Gives them exhortations concerning continence, chastity, and matrimonial fidelity, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8. Speaks concerning their love to each other, and love to the Churches of Christ; and exhorts them to continue and increase in it, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:10. Counsels them to observe an inoffensive conduct, to mind their own affairs, to do their own business, and to live honestly, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:12. Not to sorrow for the dead, as persons who have no hope of a resurrection; because to Christians the resurrection of Christ is a proof of the resurrection of his followers, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:14. Gives a short but awful description of the appearing of Christ to judge the world, 1 Thessalonians 4:15.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Thessalonians 4

In this chapter the apostle proceeds to exhort in general to the performance of good works, particularly to purity of life, to brotherly love, to quietness, diligence, and industry in the several callings of life, and not to mourn in an excessive and immoderate manner for deceased friends; which leads him to say some things concerning the second coming of Christ, and the resurrection of the dead. The general exhortation to holiness is in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 which is pressed in a way of entreaty for the sake of Christ; and the duties urged to were the commandments of Christ, and which the apostles had given them, and they had received, and were well acquainted with; and besides, a walk according to these commands was well pleasing to God, and sanctification in general was his will: and in particular the apostle exhorts to abstain from fornication, and all uncleanness; since it is a dishonouring the body of man; acting the part of the ignorant Gentiles that know not God; a defrauding another man, as is uncleanness with another man's wife; the vengeance of God will light on such; it is contrary to that calling with which the saints are called, that being to holiness, and not uncleanness; and to despise this exhortation, is casting contempt, not upon man, but God himself, 1 Thessalonians 4:4. Brotherly love is the next thing exhorted to, which seemed needless to write about, since, in regeneration, these saints were taught to exercise it, and had exercised it towards all the brethren throughout Macedonia, though it was necessary to exhort them to abound more and more in it, 1 Thessalonians 4:9 and to study peace and quietness, and be industrious in their business, that so they might live an honest life among their carnal neighbours, and not be in want of anything from them, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and whereas some of them had lost some of their dear friends and relations by death, and were ready to exceed due bounds in their sorrow for them, he dehorts from such immoderate sorrow, as being like that of those that had no hope of a resurrection from the dead; whereas, seeing it was an article of their faith, that Christ was risen from the dead, they might assure themselves that those that sleep in him shall be brought along with him when he shall appear a second time, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 which will not be prevented by those that are alive when Christ comes; for as they will be changed, the dead in Christ will be raised at his coming; which coming of his will be in person, from heaven, with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and trump of God; and then both shall be caught up together to meet him in the air, and be for ever with him; and therefore they had no need to sorrow as others, since they should meet again, and never part more, and with which words they should comfort one another under their present loss, 1 Thessalonians 4:15.

CHAPTER 4

1 Thessalonians 4:1. Λοιπόν] Elz. Matth. read Τὸ λοιπόν. Correctly rejected, according to overwhelming testimony (A B* D E F G K L א, min. Chrys. cod. Damasc.), by Griesb. Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. and Alford. Τό arose from the last syllable of the preceding αὐτοῦ.

οὖν in the Receptus after λοιπόν is erased by Tisch. 1. But the omission is only attested by B* some min. Copt. Chrys. and Theoph., and might easily have been occasioned by the preceding ον.

After Ἰησοῦ Elz. has καθὼς παρελάβετε παρʼ ἡμῶν τὸ τῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀρέσκειν Θεῶ, ἵνα περισσεύητε μᾶλλον. Defended by Reiche. But ἵνα is to be inserted before καθὼς παρελάβετε, with Lachm. Tisch 1 and 7, and Alford (after B D* E* F G, 17, 37, al., Arm. Vulg. It. Ambrosiast. Pel.), and the parenthesis καθὼς καὶ περιπατεῖτε is to be inserted before ἵνα περισσεύητε (after A B D E F G א, min. Copt. Aeth. Arm. Syr. p. Slav. ed. Vulg. ms. It. Harl. Ambrosiast.). Internal criticism also requires this. For ἵνα περισσεύητε presupposes the earlier mention of a prior commencement (comp. 1 Thessalonians 4:10), and such a commencement would not be implied in the preceding text without καθὼς καὶ περιπατεῖτε. Evidently the apostle would originally have written ἵνα, καθὼς παρελάβετε παρʼ ἡμῶν τὸ πῶς κ.τ.λ., οὕτως καὶ περιπατῆτε; but, while writing, altered this his intended expression, that he might not say too little, wishing to notice the good beginning already made by the Thessalonians. The repetition of ἵνα after so long an intervening clause was too natural, so that it might excite suspicion—1 Thessalonians 4:6. προείπομεν. So Griesbach and Schott, after A K L, most min. (as it appears) Clem. Chrys. Theodoret, al.; whilst Elz. Matth. Lachm. Tisch. Alford, after B (e sil.) D E F G א, al. read προείπαμεν.—1 Thessalonians 4:8. Elz. has τὸν καὶ δόντα. καί is wanting in A B D*** E, min. edd. Syr. Arr. al., Ath. Chrys. al. Erased by Lachm. and Tisch. 1. However, it might easily have been omitted, the eye of the translator passing from τόν to δόντα.

Instead of δόντα, B D E F G, א* 67* et al., mult. edd. Ath. Didym. have διδόντα. Preferred by Lachm. and Tisch. 1. But διδόντα appears to be a correction from a dogmatic point of view, in order, instead of the objectionable preterite, to obtain the statement that the Holy Spirit is permanently communicated to believers.

ὑμᾶς] Elz. has ἡμᾶς. Against B D E F G K L א, min. plur. edd. Syr. Arr. Arm. Syr. p. in m. It. al. Didym. Ambrosiast. An alteration in conformity with a reference to the apostle himself implied in the preceding ἄνθρωπον.—1 Thessalonians 4:9. Instead of the meaningless Rec. ἔχετε (comp. commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:9), ἔχομεν is to be received, after B [εἴχομεν] D* F G א**** min. Vulg. It. Chrys. Theoph. Ambrosiast. Recommended by Griesbach. Received by Lachm. and Tisch. 1. Ἔχετε is taken from 1 Thessalonians 5:1.—1 Thessalonians 4:11. ταῖς χερσίν] Elz. has ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν. Ἰδίαις, defended by Schutz, suspected by Griesb., and erased by Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, after B D* E? F G א**** 31, 46, al., Aeth. Arm. Vulg. It. Bas. Chrys. Theoph. Ambrosiast. Pel. Gloss for the sake of strengthening, arising from τὰ ἴδια.—1 Thessalonians 4:13. θέλομεν] Elz. has θέλω. Against preponderating testimonies (A B D E F G L א, min. pl. vss. [also It. and Vulg.] and Fathers).

Instead of the Receptus κεκοιμημένων, A B א, 39, al., Or. Damasc. Chrys. ms. (alic.) have κοιμωμένων. So Lachm. Tisch. 1, 2, and Alford.—1 Thessalonians 4:16. Elz. has πρῶτον. D* F G, Vulg. It. Cyr. Theoph. ed. Tert. Ambrosiast. al. read πρῶτοι.—1 Thessalonians 4:17. Elz. has ἀπάντησιν. D* E*? F G read ὑπάντησιν.

Elz. has τοῦ κυρίου. D* E*? F G, Vulg. It. Tert. al. read τῷ Χριστῷ.

CONTENTS.

The apostle entreats and exhorts his readers to progress with the greatest earnestness in the Christian life, which they had begun, according to the instructions and commandments which they had received. God desires holiness; they should therefore abstain from fornication, covetousness, and overreaching their neighbours (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8). He has no necessity to exhort them to active brotherly love; they practise this already far and wide; but he exhorts them to increase therein, and to seek honour in distinguishing themselves by a quiet and busy life (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12). With regard to their anxiety for the fate of their fellow-Christians who had fallen asleep before the commencement of the advent, it may serve for their information and comfort that those who are then alive would receive no preference over those who are already asleep; Christ will descend from heaven; then will the dead rise first, and afterwards the living also will be uplifted with them to eternal fellowship with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

1Th 4:1-18.

EXHORTATIONS TO CHASTITY; BROTHERLY LOVE; QUIET INDUSTRY; ABSTINENCE FROM UNDUE SORROW FOR DEPARTED FRIENDS, FOR AT CHRIST'S COMING ALL HIS SAINTS SHALL BE GLORIFIED.

1. Furthermore--Greek, "As to what remains." Generally used towards the close of his Epistles

(Eph 6:10; Php 4:8).

then--with a view to the love and holiness

(1Th 3:12, 13)

which we have just prayed for in your behalf, we now give you exhortation.

beseech--"ask" as if it were a personal favor.

by, &c.--rather as Greek, "IN the Lord Jesus"; in communion with the Lord Jesus, as Christian ministers dealing with Christian people [EDMUNDS].

as ye . . . received--when we were with you

(1Th 2:13).

how--Greek, the "how," that is, the manner.

walk and . . . please God--that is, "and so please God," namely, by your walk; in contrast to the Jews who "please not God"

(1Th 2:15).

The oldest manuscripts add a clause here, "even as also ye do walk" (compare

1Th 4:10; 5:11).

These words, which he was able to say of them with truth, conciliate a favorable hearing for the precepts which follow. Also the expression, "abound more and more," implies that there had gone before a recognition of their already in some measure walking so.

Furthermore then - Τὸ λοιπὸν To loipon. "As to what remains." That is, all that remains is to offer these exhortations; see the 2 Corinthians 13:11 note; Galatians 6:17 note; Ephesians 6:10 note; Philippians 4:8 note. The phrase is a formula appropriate to the end of an argument or discourse.

We beseech you - Margin, "request." The Greek is, "we ask you" - ἐρωτῶμεν erōtōmen. It is not as strong a word as that which follows.

And exhort you - Marg, "beseech." This is the word which is commonly used to denote earnest exhortation. The use of these words here implies that Paul regarded the subject as of great importance. He might have commanded them - but kind exhortation usually accomplishes more than a command,

By the Lord Jesus - In his name and by his authority.

That as ye have received of us - As you were taught by us. Paul doubtless had given them repeated instructions as to their duty as Christians.

How ye ought to walk - That is, how ye ought to live. Life is often represented as a journey; Romans 6:4; Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 6:16, Ephesians 4:1.

So ye would abound more and more - "That is, follow the directions which they had received more and more fully." Abbott.