Whether we wake or sleep. That is, whether we be of the number of those whom Jesus Christ shall find still upon earth, when he shall come to judgment, or among those who have slept and returned to dust, it is his will that we should be his. (Theodoret) read more
6-11 Most of mankind do not consider the things of another world at all, because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, because they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blessed gospel shining in their faces, be careless about their souls, and unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armour, or the three Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of... read more
1Thess 5 THE FIRST AND second verses of chapter 5 stand in very direct contrast to 1Th_4:13 , 1Th_4:15 . As to the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints that which is commonly spoken of as “the rapture” they had been ignorant, and consequently they were in needless difficulty and sorrow, and the Apostle wrote to them “by the word of the Lord” to enlighten them. But as to “the times and the seasons” they were not at all ignorant and there was no need for Paul to write to them on that subject.... read more
The alertness and vigilance of the Christians: v. 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. v. 5. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness. v. 6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. v. 7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. v. 8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the... read more
1 Thessalonians 5:1-112. But when He will come, we know not; let your walk, therefore, be at all times watchful and sober.1But of [concerning, περί] the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write [it be written]1unto you: 2for yourselves know perfectly that 3the2 day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when [When]3 they shall say [are saying] 4: Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon4 them, as [even as, ὥσπερ] travail upon a woman [her that is,... read more
1 Thessalonians WAKING AND SLEEPING 1Th_5:10 . In these words the Apostle concludes a section of this, his earliest letter, in which he has been dealing with the aspect of death in reference to the Christian. There are two very significant usages of language in the context which serve to elucidate the meaning of the words of our text, and to which I refer for a moment by way of introduction. The one is that throughout this portion of his letter the Apostle emphatically reserves the word... read more
1 Thessalonians EDIFICATION 1Th_5:11 . I do not intend to preach about that clause only, but I take it as containing, in the simplest form, one of the Apostle’s favourite metaphors which runs through all his letters, and the significance of which, I think, is very little grasped by ordinary readers. ‘Edify one another.’ All metaphorical words tend to lose their light and colour, and the figure to get faint, in popular understanding. We all know that ‘edifice’ means a building; we do not... read more
Ready for “the Day of the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 To the Apostle “the day of the Lord” was near. He expected it in his lifetime, and if we remember that the Lord’s words with reference to it were in part fulfilled when Jerusalem fell, it is clear that his expectation was not altogether vain. The suddenness of the Advent was the theme of Jesus’ reiterated assurances. See Matthew 24:38 ; Matthew 24:43 ; Luke 17:29-30 . The world spends its days in careless indifference ( sleep ), or in... read more
Under the figure of a camp in which fully armed soldiers are waiting for the break of day, while those not expecting this are sleeping and drunken, the apostle shows that those waiting for the Son are children of light, and therefore called upon to live in watchfulness and sobriety. In view of the glorious certainty of hope the apostle urged them to continue in the 'labour of love" in serving "a living and true God." There follow brief injunctions (verses 1Th 5:17-20 ) which perfectly set... read more
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Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11
(4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) ¶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of... read more