1 Thessalonians 4

Chap. IV. Ver. 1—18. Exhortations to holiness—consolation to the bereaved.—Practical exhortations have, of course, a general similitude; so many of these are levelled against lewdness, that we may safely infer it was the reigning sin of the Thessalonians, and of the Pagan world in general. It may, indeed, be doubted whether this sin was ever carried to greater excess than in some Christian cities, (so called;) but the fact is, Christianity has thrown a veil over vice, and driven its votaries from the idol temples, where they used publicly to perpetrate the most shameful crimes, under the mask of religion and the forms of devotion, into holes and corners, where the public eye but seldom follows them; and those who are not ashamed to commit fornication and adultery, are at least ashamed of being seen to do it.

But the eye of God enters every chamber of iniquity, and his “Book of remembrance” recordeth every secret crime, and will one day be opened in the presence of assembled worlds. St. Paul, then, not only strongly guards his Thessalonian converts against their former crimes; but urges them to the opposite virtues, and to that course of industry, which hath a powerful tendency, by usefully filling up their time, to preserve them from temptation. The apostle then meets an objection, which seems to have troubled the weaker brethren, who indulged excessive grief, like the heathen, for some of their deceased friends. Death must be terrible indeed to those who have no hope beyond the grave. Well might they wail and howl over their departed friends.

But with the disciples of Jesus the case is far otherwise. Those who die in Jesus, do but sleep; and when he returns in glory, he will bring his departed saints with him. For he shall descend from heaven in great and awful glory, and a voice no less powerful than that which said, “Let there be light, and light was,” shall command the dead to rise. But the dead in Christ (we are told) shall rise first, and then those who believe in him on earth shall be changed, and their rarefied bodies (so to speak) shall be “caught up,” to meet their descending Saviour; and so shall they be “for ever with the Lord.” Well is it added, “Comfort one another with these words.” “Yes: Faith shall triumph o’er the grave, And trample on the tombs: My Jesus, my Redeemer lives; My God, my Saviour comes!”—Watts.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IV. Ver. 4. Possess his vessel.—(Gr. “his own vessel;”) i.e. his body. The woman being elsewhere called the “weaker vessel,” implies that the man is a vessel also. (1 Peter iii. 7.) And our apostle himself speaks of himself and brethren as “earthen vessels.” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Ver. 6. In any matter. Macknight, “In (this) matter.”

Ver. 8. Despiseth.—Namely, the testimony of the apostles, assertion of their inspiration.—Doddridge.

Ver. 11. Study to be quiet.—Doddridge, “Make it your ambition to live a more [quiet life].”

Ver. 12. Walk honestly.—Doddridge and Macknight, “Decently,” or orderly.—Lack of nothing—i.e. have need of no man’s assistance.

Ver. 14. Will God bring with him.—Compare (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

Ver. 16. With a shout,—(Keleusma.) “The word is used in profane authors for the shout of soldiers in attacking, of rowers, and of charioteers,” Elsner and Wetstein. Also, for “the word of command in battle.” Smith’s Mess.—The trump of God.—See (1 Corinthians 15:52).—Shall rise first.—See note on (1 Corinthians 15:23).

Ver. 17. We which are alive—That is, “we Christians”—the members of Christ’s mystical body. Compare (Genesis 49:25). (Psalms 66:6). Hosea xii. 4. (1 Corinthians 15:51). These passages are sufficient to show, that Paul’s manner of speaking does not imply that he expected to be living at the arrival of this great and strong day. But for a full answer to this objection, see Findlay’s Vindication of the Sacred Books, in reply to Voltaire; also Pres. Edwards’ Miscellaneous Observations.