Commentary on 1 Thessalonians

1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief:  1Th 5:5  for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness;  1Th 5:6  so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.   Notes: " You are not in darkness but the light." Powerful  laser is 'brightest  light  in the universe' Physicists have turned on the world's most  powerful laser, whose pulses are more intense than any known light  source in the universe. Apr 9, 2008 Powerful laser is 'brightest light in the universe' | New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/.../dn13634-powerful-laser-is-brightest-light-in-the-univer... Paul reaches back in His Teaching to the Old Testament Hebrew and the teachings of Jesus. "LIGHT" and "DARKNESS" are Words of Salvation, not some philosophical speculation on the cosmos or some intellectual enlightenment.

1Th 5:3  While they are saying "Peace and safety!" then in a moment destruction falls upon them, like birth-pains on a woman who is with child; and escape there is none.  Notes verse 3 . -  While they are saying "Peace and safety!"  There will be false prophets of peace and safety in that Day. This is just like in Ezekiel 13:9- 10 Eze 13:9  And my hand shall be against the prophets that see false visions, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord Jehovah.  Eze 13:10  Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one buildeth up a wall, behold, they daub it with untempered mortar:  - then in a moment destruction falls upon them,  This is sudden destruction and they were unaware of the danger. In a moment when they lea

1Th 5:1  But as to times and dates it is unnecessary that anything be written to you.  1Th 5:2  For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.  -   But as to times and dates it is unnecessary that anything be written to you.  The Coming of the Lord is sudden, unexpected and at the right and opportune time. We are warned not to fix dates or times for His Coming. times = Chronological periods, dates = seasons.  Act 1:6  Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"  Act 1:7  " It is not for you," He replied, "to know times or epochs which the Father has reserved within His own authority;  So don't follow these teachers that seem to fix dates and times.    1Th 5:2  For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.  - For you know perfectly well = know

1Th 4:18  And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.  Our final home is with the Lord forever. Matthew 25:31 Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (Wherefore comfort each other with these words.) Notes There will be no more parting. Rev 3:12  "'He who overcomes--I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he shall never go out from it again. And I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is to come down out of Heaven from My God, and My own new name. Rev 3:13  Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.' YouTube The New Jerusalem - The Holy Capital City of God We will be with Jesus in the New Jerusalem. Christ will reign on earth with His saints. 1Co 6:2  Do you not know that God's people will sit in judgement upon the world? And if y

1Th 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.  1Th 4:18  Therefore comfort one another with these words.  The Two Stages of the Parousia. The People of Christ will go forth to meet Christ in these two stages: -  1.  The dead in Christ shall rise first; and now in v.17 2. All the Living Believers; all will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air. " Christ descends, the believing dead shall arise and the living Christians are snatched upwards with them into the "clouds" and "into the air" to meet Christ." Taken up together : Future tense  of  ἁρπάζω harpazō Thayer Definition: 1) to seize, carry off by force 2) to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly 3) to snatch out or away Latin (raptiemur) from which we get rapture Compare 2Co 12:2  I know a Christian man who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know,

1Th 4:15  For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away.  1Th 4:16  For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a loud word of command, and with an archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Notes :  -  we declare to you on the Lord's own authority    [en logoi Kuriou] It seems here that that he, Paul was speaking by direct Revelation.  Cp.  1Co 11:23  For it was from the Lord that I received the facts which, in turn, I handed on to you; how that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was to be betrayed, took some bread,  It could have been a point in the Lord's Teaching which we do not have written down in the Gospels. -   that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, This refers to Christians still living when the Lord come

1Th 4:13  Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.  1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, we also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who shall have passed away.  Notes on V.13  Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.  THE BIG QUESTION Where will their relatives and friends who have died be at the Parousia ? [the Coming of the Lord]. They  were waiting for The Son of God from heaven with the Holy Angels. 1Thess 1:10. Paul knew that they had grasped the truths about Sexual purity and Brotherly love from 4:1-12. Now Paul does not want them to be uninformed or ignorant about those who have died or fallen asleep. This would cause them to grieve like others who have no hope. But we do not grieve l

1Th 4:11  and to vie with one another in eagerness for peace, every one minding his own business and working with his hands, as we ordered you to do:   1Th 4:12  so as to live worthy lives in relation to outsiders, and not be a burden to any one.   Notes: to vie with one another in eagerness for peace WNT  i.e. and make it your ambition to live peaceably [Shogren]; or that you study to be quiet KJV. Be ambitious for this one thing; to be quiet and to live a quiet and peaceful life. John Gill says , "To live peaceably in their own families, and to give no disturbance to other families, by tale-bearing, whispering, and backbiting; to behave with quietness in the neighbourhood, town, or city, they dwell in, and to seek the peace thereof; and to lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, in the commonwealth, and under the government to which they belong;"  -  every one minding his own business and working with his hands , as we ordered you

1Th 4:9  But on the subject of love for the brotherhood it is unnecessary for me to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another ; 1Th 4:10  and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. And we exhort you to do so more and more,  Notes v.9. Brotherly Love or Love of the brotherhood. Because we all have one Heavenly Father, we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ. We have been born again  by the Spirit of God and this relationship will last for eternity. v.10  Notes. you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another ;   Even though the Apostles Paul and Silas or even Timothy, were not present God was teaching them to put brotherly love into action. and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. Because of their abounding and overflowing Love for the Brethren, then the other believers in Macedonia were recipients of the Gracious Love of God flowing to them. And we exhort you to do so more and more, 

1 Thess 4:8 (Berkley) Therefore, the one who rejects this, does not reject man, but God, who has given us His Holy Spirit. 1Th 4:8  (WNT)Therefore a defiant spirit in such a case provokes not man but God, who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts.   Notes : He who despises or rejects or defies this command in v.6-7, which calls him to live a holy life, is really defying, rejecting and despising God Himself. These are not just human precepts which are not obligatory.  Paul assures them that this is not so.- They are God's Commands; Pinterest who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts.   It is the Holy Spirit which convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgement to Come.. It is by the Spirit who is pure and Holy that we are born again. All true believers have the Holy Spirit in their hearts. He leads us into Holiness of life. Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus;  Rom 8:2  for the Spirit's Law-- telling of Life in Chris

Purity of Life. Cont.) 1Th 4:6  and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you.  1Th 4:7  God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity .  1Th 4:8  Therefore a defiant spirit in such a case provokes not man but God, who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts. WNT Notes : in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. You must not cheat any of the Lord's Followers in the matter of sex.  no encroaching on the rights,   this means transgress the bounds of rectitude in respect to your brother. defraud - overreach - take advantage of .... In this matter of conjugal rights and to honour his brother as a husband 4:4-7. The word, 'brother', enhamces the enormity of the crime. Fancy wronging your very brother in the faith. Compare Prov

1Th 4:3  For this is God's will--your purity of life, that you abstain from fornication;  1Th 4:4  that each man among you shall know how to procure a wife who shall be his own in purity and honour;  1Th 4:5  that you be not overmastered by lustful cravings, like the Gentiles who have no knowledge of God;  Notes: For this is God's Will - your Sanctification, for you to be at a distance from all harlotry God's Will: [thelema]: Determination;choice, purpose, decree, desire and pleasure. ἁγιασμός hagiasmos Thayer Definition: 1) consecration, purification 2) the effect of consecration 2a) sanctification of heart and life. Strong's From G37; properly purificatio n, that is, (the state) purity; concretely (by Hebraism) a purifier: - holiness, sanctification. " Internal Sanctification (the setting apart of heart and life as holy and for God alone) is the work of the Spirit of God. It is a principle of the Spiritual life of the soul, where the Div

1Th 4:1  Moreover, brethren, as you learnt from our lips the lives which you ought to live, and do live, so as to please God, we beg and exhort you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live them more and more truly.  1Th 4:2  For you know the commands which we laid upon you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.  Notes: Moreover, brethren, as you learnt from our lips the lives which you ought to live,.... - we instructed you  how to live in order to please God.... Compare :1Th 3:8  For now life is for us life indeed, since you are standing fast in the Lord.    1Th 3:11  But may our God and Father Himself--and our Lord Jesus--guide us on our way to you;  1Th 3:12  and as for you, may the Lord teach you to love one another and all men, with a growing and a glowing love, resembling our love for you.  1Th 3:13  Thus He will build up your characters, so that you will be faultlessly holy in the presence of our God and Father at the Coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy one