1 Thessalonians 5

The apostle teacheth that Christ shall come to judgment unaware as a thief in the in the night and as the pangs of travail upon a woman 4 exhorts them therefore to be always on their guard and to be sober 8 and armed with the breast-plate of faith and love and with the helmet of hope of salvation 12 prayeth them to have their rulers in honor 14 and furthermore exhorts them to the divers Christian virtues 17 also to prayer and thanksgiving 19 and to take heed to the spirit and prophesying to hold fast that which is good 23afterwards prayeth God to keep them unblameable unto the coming of Christ with a promise that he will also do it 25 exhorts them to pray for him and to salute one another 27and adjure them that this epistle be read before all .

1. But of the times of the opportunities [namely of the times by the first is understood whether it shall be by day ,night, morning, evening or midnight or the like see Mark 13:34 ,35 Acts 1:7] brethren ye have no need that it should be written to you

2. For ye yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord [so the last day is called everywhere because then Christ shall come as a Lord to judge the quick and the dead]shall so come [Gr cometh so the prophets speaks of things to come as if they were same]even as a thief in the night [from hence it follows not that Christ shall come by night as some think but thereby is taught that he shall come unaware and unexpectedly namely in respect of worldly man as the following verse declares for the godly must long after it comes as is testified hereafter verse 4 see also Matthew 24.42c.

3. For when they [namely worldly and ungodly men] shall say [namely either in words or at least in their hearts as Psalms 14:1] it is peace and without danger [Gr safety that is there is no more mischance to be feared see Matthew 24.37c] then shall a speedy distraction [or at unaware Luke 21:34] come upon them as pangs on a woman with child and they shall by no means escape it.

4. But ye brethren ye are not in darkness [that is in ignorance and carelessness as the others of whom he spake before] that, that day should surprise you as a thief [namely who use to come unexpected and in the dark.]

5. Ye all [namely who believe in Christ] children of the light and children of the day [that is endured with the true knowledge of Christ and of this will and obey the same as children do their fathers] we are not of the night nor of the darkness

6. Let us not therefore sleep that is sleep in aerial security ]even as others but let us watch [that is be on our guard and the spiritual care wait for him]and be sober [this is not opposed to moderate eating and drinking but to gluttony, drunkenness and other worldly encumbrances Christ himself declares Luke 21:34.]

7. For they that sleep, sleep by night and they that are drunk are drunk by night [that is use commonly to be drunk by night he here takes a reason from that which for the most part to be done for otherwise there are also indeed those that arise early in the morning to drink strong drink Isaiah 5:11.]

8. But we that of the day [that is who are children of the light as he spake verse 5] let us be sober as we put on the breast-plate of faith and of love [that is being furnished with faith and love as with a breast-plate against the assaults of Satan see 1 Peter 5:8,9]and for a helmet [that is as a helmet see of this whole spiritual furniture of a Christian Ephesians 6:11 c] the hope of salvation.

9. For God hath not appointed us [that is ordained or prepared as 1 Peter 2:8]unto wrath [that is to be vessels of wrath or to bring a just judgment and destruction upon us see Romans 9:22] but unto obtaining of salvation [the Greek word signifies properly to do much about a thing to obtain it as Acts 20:28 1 Peter 2:9 although therefore God hath elected us salvation and Christ hath procured it for us nevertheless we must be careful to use the means whereby God brings us to salvation see Ephesians 2:10 and Philippians 2:12]through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10. who died for us that we whether wake or whether we sleep [this word sleep is here taken before verse 6 for they that sleep in sin live not with Christ but either is taken for the natural sleep of man or much rather to be fallen asleep or dead for Christ died for this purpose that whether we wake that is live here or sleep that is are dead we should live with Christ namely a spiritual life here and hereafter an eternal life here in glory see the like Romans 14.8c] we should live together with him

11. Therefore exhort [or comfort for the Greek word signifies both] one another and edify one the other [namely both with good examples and with good instructions] even as ye also do.

12. And we beseech ye brethren acknowledge them [namely for such as there are by the reason of calling and ought to be accounted see 1 Corinthians 16:18] that labor among ye [namely in the word and doctrine as he adds 1 Timothy 5:17]and are ye rulers [namely together with the teachers in the government of the church and exercise of discipline as the apostle also distinguisheth these two oaths of elders 1Timothy 1.17]in the Lord [that is in the work of the Lord namely to distinguish them from the worldly magistrates which they are under]and admonish ye [this may be understood of both of both as well of the elders who labor in the word as also of them who are only rulers in governing to whom particular admonitions also belong together with the teachers see hereof Romans 12:8 1 Corinthians 12:28.]

13. And esteem them very much in love [that is not out of fear or constraints but of a ready inclination] if their works sake [that is because of the service which they do ye in Christ name and for the furtherance of his service] be peaceable and amongst another.

14. And we entreat ye brethren admonish the unruly [namely idle persons and the like whom he treats more large 2 Thessalonians 3:10 c] comfort the faint-hearted support the weak [or keep up the weak namely in the faith as Roman s 15.1] belong sufferings towards all

15. See that no man recompense unto any evil for evil but always pursue good that which is good ]that is pity seeing this is here opposed to revengefulness ]both towards one another and towards all.

16. Rejoice always [that is be always of good courage and well content even in the midst of all tribulations Romans5.3 2 Corinthians 6:10.]

17. Pray without ceasing [that is upon all opportunities and in all your necessities.]

18. Thank God in everything [that is as well in adversity as in prosperity so willingly submitting to the will of the Lord see Job 1:21 Matthew 5:11, 12] for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning ye [that is that which is acceptable to God in Christ Jesus Hebrews 13:21 or good pleasures of go concerning ye see 1 Peter3.17.]

19. Quench not the spirit [this may be understood either of the illumination or other gifts of spirits which are in believers themselves and which must continually be stirred up by the means thereunto appointed as Paul exhorts 2 Timothy 1:6,7 and by the neglect which means the spirit is grieved in us and his gifts as it were quenched Ephesians 4:30 or of the spiritual gift which are in others which by contempt and contention are sometimes kept under this last seem best to agree with that which followeth.]

20. Despise not prophesying [that is the explications and applications of Gods words wherefore the apostle treats at large 1 Corinthians 14:3 &c which may be understood as well of ordinary as extraordinary prophesying against those who judged themselves wise enough and thought that they had no need of such see Hebrews 10:25 2 Peter 1:19 &c.]

21. Prove all things [namely which are propounded to ye by the teachers by the touchstone of Gods word see the laudable example acts 17.11] hold [namely steadfastly without turning from it] that which is good [that is the good doctrine which ye find firmly grounded in Gods words]

22. Abstain from all appearance of evil [or from all evil appearance much more abstain ye from the evil itself.]

23. and the god of peace himself [that is God who is author of all prosperity and salvation as this word is taken everywhere in the scripture or who is author of the true peace with God and with our neighbor see Romans 5:1 and 14.17] sanctify ye entirely [or in every part that is he that hath begun the good work in ye finish the same also unto the day of Jesus Christ as he speaketh Philippians 1:6]and your whole sincere spirit and soul and body [by the word spirit is fitly understood the understanding of man and by the word soul and the will decrees is finally executed as the like difference almost is also to be seen in the words of Christ Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27 for although a man hath but one soul not withstanding but there are divers faculties in the same which for as much as they are all corrupted in the natural man Ephesians 4:17,18 so all must be renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God]be kept unblameable in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [this the apostle adds to shew that this sanctification of all our faculties shall not till then be done fully although we must increase daily more and more se 1 Corinthians 13:9,10 Philippians 3:12 &c.]

24. He that calleth ye is faithful who also will do it [that is sanctify ye wholly in due time according to his promise.]

25. Brethren pray for us.

26. Salute all the brethren with an holy kiss [see hereof the annotate on Romans 16:16.]

27. I adjure [see the like Matthew 26:63] ye [namely rulers and overseers of the church to whom this epistle was sent to impart the same afterwards to the whole church whereof they do evil who seek to withhold from the churches the reading of Paul’s epistle of the whole scripture] by the Lord that is the epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with ye amen [of this conclusion see Romans 16:20.]