1 Thessalonians Chapter 4
1 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,
4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honour,
5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God,
6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn't reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
10 for indeed you do it towards all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you;
12 that you may walk properly towards those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
13 But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don't grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,
17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Footnotes
- Verse 4 (own body)
- literally, possess his own vessel
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1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 Guide
At this point in his letter the apostle turned to exhortation. Timothy's report concerning the Thessalonians' condition had indicated that they needed some words of kindly warning.
The first subject is personal purity. Their life was lived in a city characterized by great moral looseness. The condition of the unregenerate Gentiles is revealed in the arresting phrase which describes them as living "in the passion of lust," and declares that the reason was that "they know not God." Hence the necessity for a life of purity among the members of Christ. Their attitude toward each other was to be that of love, while that toward those who "are without" was that they should be quiet, and attend to their daily work, thus bearing testimony to the power of the Gospel in life. No testimony is more powerful for God than that a life fulfilling the "daily round, and the common task," which is characterized by the renunciation of idols, and illuminated by the hope of the coming of the King.
It is evident that some of these Thessalonian Christians had fallen on sleep, and that, somehow, those remaining were afraid lest these departed ones had missed the realization of the glorious hope of the advent of Jesus. To correct that impression the apostle now dealt with the great subject, especially to show the relation of the advent to those who had thus fallen on sleep. They had been living in the "patience of hope." The apostle now declares that they who have fallen asleep will take precedence at the advent. Therefore, sorrow for the departed ones must not be the sorrow of despair. These loved ones are at present with the Lord, and at His Coming will accompany Him. What we may reverently describe as the program of the advent is then given. The Lord Himself will descend. Then the dead in Christ will rise, and receive the eternal body. Then the living will be caught up in the clouds, and the final truth is declared in the words, "So shall we ever be with the Lord."
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- 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)
Verses 1-8
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.
Verses 9-12
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.
Verses 13-18
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.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.