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The apostle, having spoken in the end of the foregoing chapter concerning the resurrection, and the second coming of Christ, proceeds to speak concerning the uselessness of enquiring after the particular time of Christ's coming, which would be sudden and terrible to the wicked, but comfortable to the saints, 1Th 5:1-5. He then exhorts them to the duties of watchfulness, sobriety, and the exercise of faith, love, and hope, as being suitable to their state, 1Th 5:6-10. In the next words he exhorts them to several duties they owed to others, or to one another (1Th 5:11-15), afterwards to several other Christian duties of great importance (1Th 5:16-22), and then concludes this epistle, 1Th 5:23-28.

Analysis Of The Chapter

This chapter consists of two parts:

I. The continuation of the subject of the coming of the Lord; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; and,

II. Various practical exhortations.

I. In the first part, the apostle states:

(1) that it was well understood by the Thessalonians that the coming of the Lord would be sudden, and at an unexpected moment, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2;

(2) he refers to the effect of his coming on the wicked and the righteous, and says that it would be attended with the sudden and inevitable destruction of the former, 1 Thessalonians 5:3; but that the result of his coming would be far different on the righteous; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11.

The prospect of his coming was fitted to make them watchful and sober, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; and his advent would be attended with their certain salvation; 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

II. In the second part of the chapter, he exhorts them to show proper respect for their spiritual teachers and rulers, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; to endeavor to restrain the unruly, to support the feeble, and to evince toward all the spirit of patience and forbearance, 1 Thessalonians 5:14; to manifest a meek and benevolent manner of life, 1 Thessalonians 5:15; to rejoice always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16; to pray constantly, 1 Thessalonians 5:17; to render thanks to God in every situation, 1 Thessalonians 5:18; to cherish the influences of the Holy Ghost on their souls, 1 Thessalonians 5:19; to show respect for all the divine prophetic communications, 1 Thessalonians 5:20; to consider and examine carefully everything submitted to them for belief; to adhere steadfastly to all that was good and true, 1 Thessalonians 5:21; and to avoid the very appearance of evil, 1 Thessalonians 5:22. The Epistle closes with a fervent prayer that God would sanctify them entirely; with an earnest entreaty that they would pray for him; with a command that the Epistle should be read to all the churches, and with the benediction; 1 Thessalonians 5:22-28.

The apostle continues to speak of Christ's coming to judgment, and the uncertainty of the time in which it shall take place, and the careless state of sinners, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Shows the Thessalonians that they are children of the light; that they should watch and pray, and put on the armor of God, being called to obtain salvation by Christ, who died for them; that whether dead or alive, when the day of judgment comes, they may live for ever with him; and that they should comfort and edify each other with these considerations, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11. He exhorts them to remember those who labor among them, and are over them in the Lord; and to esteem such highly for their work's sake, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13. He charges them to warn, comfort, and support those who stood in need of such assistance, and to be patient and beneficent towards all, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:15. He points out their high spiritual privileges; warns them against neglecting or misimproving the gifts of the Spirit, and the means of grace, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-20. They are also exhorted to prove all things; to abstain from all evil; and to expect to be sanctified, through spirit, soul, and body, by him who has promised this, and who is faithful to his promises, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24. Recommends himself and brethren to their prayers; shows them how they are to greet each other; charges them to read this epistle to all the brethren; and concludes with the usual apostolical benediction, 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Thessalonians 5

In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning the suddenness of Christ's coming, and the necessity of sobriety and watchfulness, and being on our guard with respect unto it, and then proceeds to exhort to several duties of religion, and closes the epistle with prayers for the saints, salutations of them, advice unto them, and with his usual benediction. Having spoken of the coming of Christ in the preceding chapter, the apostle signifies he had no need to write of the time and season of it; since it was a well known thing that it would be sudden, and at an unawares, like the coming of a thief in the night, and the travail of a woman with child, though certain and inevitable; and would bring sure destruction on wicked men, unthought of by them, 1 Thessalonians 5:1 but such was the state and condition of the saints, being not in the night of nature's darkness and unregeneracy, but enlightened by the spirit of God, that they were not ignorant of these things, nor liable to be surprised unawares hereby, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, however, in consideration of their being in the light, and not in darkness, it became them to behave accordingly, and not indulge themselves in sleep and sloth, but be watchful and sober, and on their guard, having on their spiritual armour, 1 Thessalonians 5:6 and the rather, since they were not appointed to the wrath they deserved, but to salvation by Christ; whose end in dying for them was, that they might live together with him, and therefore should exhort and comfort, and edify one another, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and then follow various exhortations, some, which respect their ministers, their knowledge of them, love to them, and esteem for them, on account of their dignity, office, work, and usefulness, 1 Thessalonians 5:12 others, which concern themselves and one another, as church members, 1 Thessalonians 5:13 others, which regard also them that are without, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 and others which relate to joy and thanksgiving, to prayer and praise; to the gifts of the spirit, and the ministry of the word; and to a trial and examination of what is good, and an abiding by it, and an abstinence from all evil, and every appearance of it, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and the whole is concluded with prayers for them, for their perfect sanctification, and entire preservation to the coming of Christ; which were put up in faith, grounded upon the faithfulness of God who had called them to grace and glory, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and with a request to them to pray for him, and other ministers of the Gospel, and to salute all the brethren, 1 Thessalonians 5:25 and with a charge to read this letter to them all, 1 Thessalonians 5:27 and with his usual benediction, 1 Thessalonians 5:28.

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.

1Th 5:1-28.

THE SUDDENNESS OF CHRIST'S COMING A MOTIVE FOR WATCHFULNESS; VARIOUS PRECEPTS: PRAYER FOR THEIR BEING FOUND BLAMELESS, BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT, AT CHRIST'S COMING: CONCLUSION.

1. times--the general and indefinite term for chronological periods.

seasons--the opportune times

(Da 7:12; Ac 1:7).

Time denotes quantity; season, quality. Seasons are parts of times.

ye have no need--those who watch do not need to be told when the hour will come, for they are always ready [BENGEL].

cometh--present: expressing its speedy and awful certainty.

But of the times and the seasons - See the notes, Acts 1:7. The reference here is to the coming of the Lord Jesus, and to the various events connected with his advent; see the close of 1 Thessalonians 4.

Ye have no need that I write unto you - That is, they had received all the information on the particular point to which he refers, which it was necessary they should have. He seems to refer particularly to the suddenness of his coming. It is evident from this, as well as from other parts of this Epistle, that this had been, from some cause, a prominent topic which he had dwelt on when he was with them; see the notes on 1 Thessalonians 1:10.