1 Thessalonians4
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,—that ye abound more and more.
2For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication;
4that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God;
6that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
7For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
8Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.
9But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
10for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
11and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;
12that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.
13But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
17then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Thessalonians 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Exhortations to purity and holiness. (1–8). To brotherly love, peaceable behaviour, and diligence. (9–12). Not to sorrow unduly for the death of godly relations and friends, considering the glorious resurrection of their bodies at Christ's second coming. (13–18).
vv1-8
To abide in the faith of the gospel is not enough, we must abound in the work of faith. The rule according to which all ought to walk and act, is the commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Sanctification, in the renewal of their souls under the influences of the Holy Spirit, and attention to appointed duties, constituted the will of God respecting them. In aspiring after this renewal of the soul unto holiness, strict restraint must be put upon the appetites and senses of the body, and on the thoughts and inclinations of the will, which lead to wrong uses of them. The Lord calls none into his family to live unholy lives, but that they may be taught and enabled to walk before him in holiness. Some make light of the precepts of holiness, because they hear them from men; but they are God's commands, and to break them is to despise God.
vv9-12
We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we may engage them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingly taught of God, are taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men; and men's teaching is vain and useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable for this or any other grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a peaceable and quiet behaviour. Satan is busy to trouble us; and we have in our hearts what disposes us to be unquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. Those who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men's matters, have little quiet in their own minds, and cause great disturbances among their neighbours. They seldom mind the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their own hands. Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. People often by slothfulness reduce themselves to great straits, and are liable to many wants; while such as are diligent in their own business, earn their own bread, and have great pleasure in so doing.
vv13-18
Here is comfort for the relations and friends of those who die in the Lord. Grief for the death of friends is lawful; we may weep for our own loss, though it may be their gain. Christianity does not forbid, and grace does not do away, our natural affections. Yet we must not be excessive in our sorrows; this is too much like those who have no hope of a better life. Death is an unknown thing, and we know little about the state after death; yet the doctrines of the resurrection and the second coming of Christ, are a remedy against the fear of death, and undue sorrow for the death of our Christian friends; and of these doctrines we have full assurance. It will be some happiness that all the saints shall meet, and remain together for ever; but the principal happiness of heaven is to be with the Lord, to see him, live with him, and enjoy him for ever. We should support one another in times sorrow; not deaden one another's spirits, or weaken one another's hands. And this may be done by the many lessons to be learned from the resurrection of the dead, and the second coming of Christ. What! comfort a man by telling him he is going to appear before the judgment-seat of God! Who can feel comfort from those words? That man alone with whose spirit the Spirit of God bears witness that his sins are blotted out, and the thoughts of whose heart are purified by the Holy Spirit, so that he can love God, and worthily magnify his name. We are not in a safe state unless it is thus with us, or we are desiring to be so.
Key Words
λοιπόν (loipón): something remaining (adverbially)
οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
ἀδελφός (adelphós): a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1 (Α))
ἐρωτάω (erōtáō): to interrogate; by implication, to request
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
παρακαλέω (parakaléō): to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation)
ὑμᾶς (hymâs): you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
ἐν (en): "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
κύριος (kýrios): supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
Cross References
1 Thessalonians 4Paul's parallel instruction to work quietly and avoid idleness, echoing his custom.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Parallel description of the resurrection occurring in an instant at the last trumpet sound.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Exhortation to honorable marriage and sexual purity under divine judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The husband-wife relationship framed around honor and the metaphor of the weaker vessel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Rejecting apostolic instructions equals rejecting God who authorized the messengers.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Allusion to Isaiah's prophecy of believers being directly taught of God.
Supported by JFB
The mystery that those alive at Christ's coming will be changed, not sleep.
Supported by JFB
Parallel description of the Lord Jesus descending from heaven with mighty angels.
Supported by JFB
Jesus' promise to return and take His disciples to be forever with Him.
Supported by JFB
Ignorance of God among the Gentiles directly leads to moral blindness and unchastity.
Supported by JFB
The dishonoring of bodies when people are given up to their own lusts.
Supported by JFB
God is the ultimate avenger of wrongs committed against others.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ's command of mutual love as the defining mark of His disciples.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The tragic state of the pagan world: having no hope and without God.
Supported by JFB
The essential connection between Christ's resurrection and the resurrection of believers.
Supported by John Calvin
David refers to physical bodies or instruments as 'vessels' kept holy.
Supported by Matthew Poole