1 Thessalonians 5:19 - Exposition

Quench not the Spirit. The Spirit is here considered as a flame which may be extinguished ( Matthew 3:11 ). The descent of the Spirit at Pentecost was in the form of cloven tongues like as of fire ( Acts 2:3 ). By the Spirit here is usually understood the miraculous gifts of the Spirit—speaking with tongues or prophesyings; and it is supposed that the apostle here forbids the exercise of these gifts being hindered or checked. In the next verse the gift of prophesying is mentioned. But there is no reason to exclude the ordinary and still more valuable gifts of the Spirit, such as pure thoughts, holy actions, devout affections, which may be effectually quenched by a careless or immoral life. "Quench not the Spirit." Do not those things which are opposed to his influences. Be on your guard against sin, as opposed to the work of the Spirit in the soul. In this sense the admonition is similar to that given by Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" ( Ephesians 4:30 ).