Commentari biblici

CHAPTER 5

IN 1 Thessalonians 5:2 Lachm. and Tisch., after B D E F G א, 17, 67** et al., read only ἡμέρα. But the Receptus ἡ ἡμέρα is to be retained. The article was omitted in consequence of the similar letter at the beginning of the following word.—1 Thessalonians 5:3. Ὅταν λέγωσιν] Elz. Matth. read Ὅταν γὰρ λέγωσιν. But γάρ is wanting in A F G א* 17, 44, al., m. Syr. It. Tert. Cypr. Ambrosiaster, ed., and instead of it B D E א**** Copt. Syr. p. Chrys. Theodoret have δέ (bracketed by Lachm.). This diversity of authorities makes it highly probable that Paul wrote only Ὅταν (received by Griesb. Scholz, Tisch. and Alford), but that at a later period, after the relation of ideas was defined, a γάρ or a δέ was inserted for explanation.—1 Thessalonians 5:4. Elz. has ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμᾶς. Instead of this Lachm. and Tisch. 1 have ὑμᾶς ἡ ἡμέρα. Correctly; for this position is not only required by predominant attestation (A D E F G, al., Vulg. It. Chrys. in comm.), but also by the internal design of the discourse.

Elz. has ὡς κλέπτης. ὡς κλέπτας, accepted by Lachm. (not Tisch.), is not sufficiently attested by A B, Copt., and unsuitable by the change of the image without any reason.—1 Thessalonians 5:5. πάντες γάρ] Elz. Matth. read πάντες. Against A B D E F G L א, 17, 23, al., perm. edd. Syr. utr. Arr. Copt. Aeth. Arm. Slav. ed. Vulg. It. Clem. Chrys. Theodoret, Theoph. Ambrosiast. Aug. Pel.

Elz. has οὐκ ἐσμέν. οὐκ ἐστέ, found in D* F G, Syr. It. Harl.** Marian, Ambrosiast., is a correction for the sake of conformity with the preceding.—1 Thessalonians 5:6. Elz. has ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί. Lachm. and Tisch. 1 read ὡς οἱ λοιποί. But the omission of καί is not sufficiently attested by A (B?) א* 17, al., Syr. Arr. Aeth. Vulg. ms. Clem. (bis) Antioch. According to Schott, καί is a gloss from 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (?).—1 Thessalonians 5:13. Instead of the Receptus ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ, B D* F G, al. have ὑπερεκπερισσῶς. Preferred by Lachm. Tisch. and Alford. Probably original: ὑπερεκπερισσῶς, not occurring elsewhere, being corrected according to 1 Thessalonians 3:10 and Ephesians 3:20.

Instead of ἐν αὐτοῖς, which D* F G א, 47, al., pl. edd. Syr. Erp. Aeth. Slav. ms. Vulg. It. Chrys. Theodoret, Codd. ap. Theophl. Ambrosiast. ed. Pelag. require, and Griesb. has commended to special consideration, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς of the Receptus is to be retained, with Matth. Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. Bloomfield, Alford, and Reiche. Ἐν αὐτοῖς arose because εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς was not considered an independent exhortation (on which account a καί is inserted by א* before εἰρηνεύετε), since these few words are found inserted between two exhortations, of which the first was introduced by the formula ἐρωτῶμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, and the second by παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς.—1 Thessalonians 5:15. καὶ εἱς ἀλλήλους] so Elz. Matth. Tisch. 2 and 7, and Alford. καί is disputed by Griesb. Correctly erased by Lachm. Scholz, and Tisch. 1, after A B E F G א* min. perm. Syr. Arr. Copt. Vulg. ed. It. Ambrosiast. ed. Pelag.—1 Thessalonians 5:18. Elz. has Τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα Θεοῦ. Lachm. reads Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν θέλημα Θεοῦ. Although ἐστίν is found in D* E* F G, 37, al., Vulg. It. Slav. Ambrosiast. Pel., yet the change of its position (sometimes after γάρ, sometimes after θέλημα, sometimes after Θεοῦ) betrays it to be an insertion.—1 Thessalonians 5:21. πάντα δέ] Elz. Tisch. 2, Bloomfield read πάντα. But δέ (B D E F G K L א**** min. plur. edd. Aeth. Slav. Vulg. It. Clem. [bis] Bas. Chrys. [in textu] Damasc. Theoph. Ambrosiast. ed. Pel., recommended by Griesb., received by Matth. Scholz, Lachm. Tisch. 1 and 7, Alford, also preferred by Reiche) was easily absorbed by the first syllable of the following word, δοκιμάζετε.—1 Thessalonians 5:27. Instead of the Receptus ὁρκίζω, Lachm. Tisch. and Alford have correctly accepted ἐνορκίζω, after A B D* E, 71, 80, al., Auct. Synops. Euthal. (in hypoth.) Damasc.

τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς] Elz. Matth. Scholz, Bloomfield, Reiche, Tisch. 7, read τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀδελφοῖς. But ἁγίοις is wanting in B D E F G א* min. Aeth. It. Damasc. Ambrosiast. Cassiod. Suspected by Griesb. Correctly erased by Lachm. Tisch. 1, 2, and Alford.

CONTENTS.

Concerning the period of the commencement of the advent the readers require no instruction. They themselves well knew that the day of the Lord will suddenly break in, as a thief in the night. Therefore as children of the light they are to be watchful, and to arm themselves with the spiritual armour of faith, love, and hope, comforted with the assurance that God has not appointed them to destruction, but to eternal salvation through Jesus Christ who died for us, that we, whether living or dead, may receive a share in His glory. Therefore they are to comfort and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). They are to esteem those who had the rule over them, to be peaceful among themselves, to admonish the unruly, to encourage the faint-hearted, to assist the weak, and to be forbearing toward all men. No one is to repay evil with evil. They are always to retain Christian joyfulness, to pray continually, to thank God for all things. They are not to quench the Spirit, nor to despise prophecy, but to prove all things, and to preserve the good. May God sanctify them thoroughly, in order that they may be blameless at the coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:12-24). After an exhortation to the readers to pray for him, to salute all the brethren, and to read the Epistle to the whole assembled congregation (1 Thessalonians 5:25-27), the apostle concludes with a Christian benediction (1 Thessalonians 5:28).

-21 Thessalonians 5:1-3. A reminder of the sudden and unexpected entrance of the advent.

1 Thessalonians 5:1. Περὶ δὲ τῶν χρόνων καὶ τῶν καιρῶν] but concerning the times and periods, i.e. concerning the time and hour, sc. of the advent. The conjunction of these two words frequently occurs; comp. e.g. Acts 1:7; Daniel 2:21; Ecclesiastes 3:1. χρόνος denotes time in general; καίρος, the definite point of time (therefore usually the favourable moment for a transaction). See Tittmann, de synonym. I. p. 39 ff. Paul puts the plural, because he thinks on a plurality of acts or incidents, in which partly preparation is made for the advent (2 Thessalonians 2:3 ff.), and partly it is accomplished. That, moreover, the apostle, although he has not treated of the advent in itself, but only of an entirely special objection regarding it, feels necessitated also to make the commencement of the advent a subject of explanation, is an evident intimation that this point also formed the subject of frequent discussion among the Thessalonians. Yet on account of the relation of the second Epistle to the first, the opinion that the return of Christ was immediately to be expected was not yet diffused.

οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε] a praeteritio, as in 1 Thessalonians 4:9. The reason why the readers did not require instruction on the time and hour of the advent, is neither because instruction concerning it would not be useful to them (Oecumenius: ὡς ἀσύμφορον· ὁ δέ γε Παῦλος ἴσως ᾔδει αὐτό, ἐκ τῶν ἀῤῥήτων καὶ τοῦτο καθών, Theophylact, and others), nor also because no instruction can be given concerning it (Zwingli, Hunnius, Estius, Fromond., Flatt, Pelt, Baumgarten-Crusius, Koch, and others), but because the Thessalonians were already sufficiently acquainted with it from the oral instruction of the apostle. Accordingly the apostle adds—

1 Thessalonians 5:2. Αὐτοὶ γάρ] For ye yourselves, emphatically contrasted with the person of the writer, as in 1 Thessalonians 4:9.

ἀκριβῶς] exactly, i.e. very well.

By the ἡμέρα κυρίου, Hammond, Schoettgen, and Harduin arbitrarily understand the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; Nicolas de Lyra, Bloomfield, and others, the day of each man’s death; Oecumenius, Theophylact, and Zwingli, the death of the individual and the end of everything earthly, ἡμέρα κυρίου can only be another expression for παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, and denotes, as everywhere else, the near impending period, when the present order of the world will come to an end, and Christ in His glory will return to the earth for the resurrection of the dead, the general judgment, and the completion of the kingdom of God; comp. 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Php 1:6; Php 1:10; Php 2:16. Besides, the corresponding expression יוֹם יְהֹוָה is used in the Old Testament to denote a time in which God will manifest in a conspicuous manner His penal justice, or also His power and goodness; comp. Joel 1:15; Joel 2:11; Ezekiel 13:5; Isaiah 2:12.

ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτί] as a thief in the night, sc. ἔρχεται; comp. 2 Peter 3:10. The figure is designed to depict the suddenness and unexpectedness of the coming; comp. Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39. Others, as Flatt, Schott, and Alford (similarly also Hofmann and Riggenbach), find expressed therein the further reference that the day of the Lord will also be terrible to all those who are not properly prepared for it. But this further idea is not contained in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, but only meets us in what follows. The comparison ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτί was undoubtedly the chief reason of the opinion in the ancient church, that the advent is to be expected at night (more specifically, on an Easter-eve), which gave rise to the vigils, as one wished to be overtaken in a waking condition by the return of Christ. Comp. Lactantius, Institt. vii. 19: “Haec est nox, quae a nobis propter adventum regis ac Dei nostri pervigilio celebratur; cujus noctis duplex ratio est, quod in ea et vitam turn recepit, quum passus est, et postea orbis terrae regnum recepturus est.” Jerome on Matthew 25:6 (vol. vii. p. 203): “Traditio Judaeorum est, Christum media nocte venturum in similitudinem Aegyptii temporis, quando pascha celebratum est et exterminator venit, et dominus super tabernacula transiit.… Unde reor et traditionem apostolicam permansisse, ut in die vigiliarum paschae ante noctis dimidium populos dimittere non liceat, exspectantes adventum Christi.”

οὕτως] even so, a strong resumption of the preceding ὡς.

The present ἔρχετε is not here used instead of the future ἐλεύσεται (Vorstius, Koppe, Flatt, Pelt), but is designed to characterize the coming thus taking place as an absolute and certain truth. See Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 371; Winer, p. 237 [E. T. 331].

1 Thessalonians 5:3. Paul carries on in a vivid manner (therefore asyndetically) the description of the sudden and unexpected nature in which the advent is to break in, whilst he indicates that precisely at the time when man fancies himself in the greatest security, the advent will occur. But with this thought is the wider and more special thought blended, that they who dream of security and serve earthly things will reap the fruit of their carelessness, namely, destruction.

ὅταν λέγωσιν] when they shall say, when it is said. As the subject of the verb, the apostle naturally thinks not on the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Harduin), but, as is evident from the nature of the expression of opinion added, and from the apodosis, unbelievers and merely nominal Christians, the children of this world; comp. Matthew 24:38 ff.; Luke 17:26 ff. For the pious and true Christian never abandons himself to the feeling of security, but is always mindful of his salvation with fear and trembling; comp. Php 2:12.

εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια] sc. ἐστίν; comp. Ezekiel 13:10.

ἐφίσταται] imminet, or it surprises them.

ἐκφύγωσιν] stands absolutely. Camerarius and others unnecessarily supply τὸν ὄλεθρον. Moreover, de Wette justly remarks, that in the comparison of the pangs of a pregnant woman, the supposition is contained that the advent is close at hand; for although the day and the hour, indeed, is not known to her, yet the period of her bearing is proximately known. Comp. Theodoret: σφόδρα πρόσφορον τὸ παράδειγμα· καὶ γὰρ ἡ κύουσα οἶδεν ὅτι φέρει τὸ ἔμβρυον, ἀγνοεῖ δὲ τὸν τῶν ὠδίνων καιρόν· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτι μὲν ἐπιφανήσεται τῶν ὅλων ὁ κύριος, ἴσμεν, σαφῶς δὲ αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν οὐδαμῶς ἐδιδάχθημεν. Oecumenius: καλῶς δὲ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα τέθεικε τῆς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσης· καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὕτη σημεῖα μὲν ἔχει τοῦ τόκου πολλά, αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς ὥρας ἢ τῆς ἡμέρας οὐκ ἔτι.

REMARK.

If ὅταν δέ (see critical remark) is read, we might, with Schott, whom Koch follows, find the following contrast with αὐτοί in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 expressed: ye indeed know certainly that the day of the Lord will infallibly and suddenly arrive; but the day of the Lord, bringing destruction, will surprise the unbelieving and ungodly, who live in carelessness and security. But were such an emphatic opposition of persons the intention of the apostle, he would have attached to the simple verb ὅταν δὲ λέγωσιν a particular personal designation. Besides, αὐτοί, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, already forms a contrast with the person of the writer, 1 Thessalonians 5:1; accordingly, it is improbable that αὑτοί, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, should be so emphatically placed first, in order at the same time to introduce a contrast to third persons who are not mentioned until 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Lastly, it is evident from the context that it is by no means the design of the apostle to explain that the day of the Lord will befall Christians prepared, but unbelievers unprepared; but he purposes to remind them only of the sudden and unexpected entrance of the advent itself.

-31 Thessalonians 5:4-11. Exhortation to be ready and prepared for the coming of the advent, occasioned and also softened by the previous indication of their character as “of the light,” which the readers by reason of their peculiarity as Christians possessed.

1 Thessalonians 5:4. Ὑμεῖς δέ] but ye, in contrast to the unbelieving and worldly-minded described in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

ἐστέ] indicative, not imperative; for otherwise μὴ ἔστε would require to be written instead of οὐκ ἐστέ (see Schmalfeld, Syntax des Griech. Verb. p. 143), not to mention that, according to the Pauline view, Christians as such, i.e. in their ideas and principles, are no more σκότος, but φῶς ἐν κυρίῳ; comp. Ephesians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Colossians 1:12. The expression σκότος, darkness, here occasioned by the comparison ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτί, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, is a designation of the ruined condition of the sinful and unredeemed world, which in its estrangement from God is neither enlightened concerning the divine will, nor possesses power to fulfil it.

ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἡ ἡμέρα κ.τ.λ.] By ὑμᾶς placed first the readers are fittingly and emphatically brought forward in opposition to those described in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

ἵνα is not ἐκβατικῶς in the sense of so that (Flatt, Pelt, Olshausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, Bisping, and others), but τελικῶς: that, or in order that. But the design contained in ἵνα is to be referred to God. Paul intends to say: Ye are not among the unbelieving world alienated from God, and thus the design which God has in view in reference to that unbelieving and alienated world, namely, to surprise them by the day of the Lord, can have no application to you. Why this design of God can have no application to the readers, the apostle accordingly states—

1 Thessalonians 5:5, first positively, and then negatively with a general reference to all Christians.

υἱοὶ φωτός] sons of the light, and υἱοὶ ἡμέρας, sons of the day, are Hebraisms: being a concrete mode of expression, in order to represent “belonging to.” Comp. Ephesians 2:2-3; Ephesians 5:8; Luke 16:8; 1 Peter 1:14, and other passages. See Winer, p. 213 [E. T. 298], ἡμέρα is here used as a synonym for φῶς. The transition from the notion of the day of the Lord to the notion of day generally, in contrast to the darkness, was so much the more natural, inasmuch as the day of the Lord is according to its nature light, before which no darkness can exist, or rather by which every impurity of the darkness will be discovered and judged. An entirely similar transition from the ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου to ἡμέρα generally is found in Romans 13:12-13.

Το οὐκ ἐσμὲν νυκτὸς οὐδὲ σκότους, Estius, Pelt, Schott, and others incorrectly again supply υἱοί; for εἶναι, with the simple genitive, is the genuine Greek mode of expressing the idea of a possessive relation. See Kühner, II. p. 167; Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 165.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 infers from the Christian’s character as children of the light, the duty to behave conformably to it, i.e. to be watchful and sober, that they might not be taken unprepared by the day of the Lord.

καθεύδειν] denotes, under the image of sleep, carelessness about the eternal salvation of the soul. In Ephesians 5:14 it is of the sleep of sin.

οἱ λοιποί] the others (comp. 1 Thessalonians 4:13; Ephesians 2:3), i.e. the unbelievers.

γρη γορεῖν and νήφειν are also conjoined in 1 Peter 5:8. νήφειν is the opposite of μεθύσκεσθαι, 1 Thessalonians 5:7. Oecumenius: ἐπίτασις ἐγρηγόρσεως τὸ νήφειν· ἔνι γὰρ καὶ ἐγρηγορέναι καὶ μηδὲν διαφέρειν καθεύδοντος.

1 Thessalonians 5:7. A reason for the exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 by a reference to the practice of the outward life.

νυκτὸς μεθύουσιν] refers to the known custom of devoting the evening and the night for debauchery.

μεθύσκεσθαι is entirely synonymous with μεθύειν. It is not to be assumed that the change of the verb is intentional, in order to denote with the first “the act of getting drunk,” and with the second “the state of being so” (Macknight); since, as also the analogy of the first half of the sentence proves, the progress of the discourse is contained in the addition of νυκτός, and accordingly only the idea already expressed in μεθυσκόμενοι is again taken up by μεθύουσιν. The view of Baumgarten-Crusius, repeated by Koch and Hofmann, that 1 Thessalonians 5:7 is to be understood in a figurative sense (comp. already Chrysostom and Oecumenius), and that Paul intends to say: “A want of spiritual life (καθεύδειν) and immorality (μεθύσκεσθαι) belong to the state of darkness (νυκτός), thus not to you,” is logically and grammatically impossible, since νυκτός, on account of the same verbs as subjects and predicates, can only contain a designation of time. In order to justify the above interpretation, οἱ γὰρ καθεύδοντες καὶ (οἱ) μεθυσκόμενοι νυκτός εἰσιν would require to have been written.