1 Thessalonians

1. EPISTOLARY GREETING (1:1)

The authors are “Paul, Silvanus [i.e., Silas; see the CSB footnote], and Timothy,” the founders of the church, whom Paul later identifies as “apostles” (2:7). The recipients of the letter are “the church [Gk ekklēsia] of the Thessalonians.” An ekklēsia was the assembly of free citizens in a Greek city. To distinguish this ekklēsia from all the others in Greek cities, Paul clarifies that this one finds its source and identity “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul Christianizes the common word used in Greek letters for “greetings” (chairein) by changing it to “grace” (charis), which summarizes the saving work of God through Jesus Christ (Rm 3:24; 5:15; Eph 2:8; 2 Th 2:16). To “grace” he adds “peace,” a common greeting among the Jews. This “peace” is not an emotional disposition but describes the relational status of a person or people reconciled with God (Rm 5:1).

2. OPENING THANKSGIVING: THE COMING OF THE GOSPEL AND ITS RECEPTION (1:2–10)

The thanksgiving anticipates the letter’s major topics, such as the coming of the gospel to Thessalonica (1:5a, 9), the character of the missionaries (1:5b), the conversion of the Thessalonians (1:6, 9–10), the results of their conversion (1:3, 7–8), the sufferings that they endured (1:6), the mission of the church (1:8), and the eschatological hope (1:10).

A. Faith, love, and hope (1:2–3). 1:2. The apostles’ thanksgivings to God for the church are frequent (“always”) and inclusive (“for all of you”). The context of these thank offerings was likely their corporate prayer times.

1:3. The motivation for their thanks is the Christian virtues of faith, love, and hope demonstrated by the Thessalonian believers. This trilogy of virtues characterizes true Christianity (1 Th 5:8; Rm 5:1–5; 1 Co 13:13; Gl 5:5–6; Col 1:4–5; 1 Pt 1:21–22; Heb 10:22–24). Their “work produced by faith” likely refers to their “good works” (2 Th 1:11; 2 Co 9:8; Eph 2:10). Among the Jewish people, acts of charity, visitation of the sick, hospitality toward strangers, and helping those who had been forsaken were considered to be good works.

The apostles also recall the Thessalonians’ “labor motivated by love.” The objects of this love were the other members of the congregation (2 Th 1:3), their leadership (1 Th 5:13), other Christians in Macedonia (4:9–10), and even those outside the community (3:12). Love seeks the welfare of others and labors hard for their benefit.

Paul and his associates also recall their “endurance inspired by hope.” Endurance was one of the most highly valued virtues in the church. In the face of persecution and the temptation to abandon the faith (1:6; 2:14; 3:1–5; cf. 2 Tm 2:11–12), the Thessalonians have stood firm (3:8). The reason for this is their hope in the coming of the Lord (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:16; 5:23; 2 Th 1:7–10; 2:1; and see 1 Th 5:8).

B. The coming of the gospel and its reception (1:4–10). 1:4–5. Paul now moves to his knowledge of God’s election of the Thessalonians (1:4). The source of the believers’ election is the love of God (cf. Dt 4:37; Ps 47:4; Is 42:1; Mt 12:18; Rm 11:28; Eph 1:4). The focus of election is the formation of the Christian community, the brothers and sisters “loved by God” (cf. 2 Th 2:13). Paul then underscores the first evidence of their election (1:5a): the message of the gospel came to the Thessalonians accompanied by divine power (cf. Rm 15:18–19; 1 Co 1:6–7; 2 Co 6:7; 12:12; Heb 2:3–4; and note the result in 1 Th 2:13). “Power” refers to the miracles God performed (Mk 6:5; Ac 2:22; 1 Co 2:4; 2 Co 12:12; Heb 2:4). The proclamation was also powerful in that the gospel message was reinforced by the conduct of the messengers (1:5b; see 1 Th 2:1–12).

1:6. The way the Thessalonians have received the gospel is additional evidence of their election (1:6–10). Imitation is not a well-recognized form of instruction today in the West, but the ancients appreciated the value of imitating people who served as models, as do people in other cultures today. Paul understood well that suffering is an element of the Christian life (see Ac 9:15–16; 14:21–22; Rm 8:17; 2 Co 1:5; Php 3:10; 1 Pt 2:21). The miracle of the Thessalonians’ conversion is that they received the message of Christ crucified amid great hostility. The first Christians, like many believers today, suffered intensely but found joy in sharing in the sufferings and the shame of Christ (Ac 5:41; Rm 12:12; 2 Co 4:8–10; 7:4; Php 2:17; 1 Pt 1:6; 4:13–14). The source of this joy is the Holy Spirit (cf. Gl 5:22; Rm 14:17; 1 Pt 4:13–14).

1:7–9. The influence and ministry of this church, located in the city known as “The Mother of Macedonia,” spread far and wide (1:7–8; cf. 4:10). Paul and his associates have received reports from others who encountered the Thessalonian believers (1:9). Paul affirms that their conversion from paganism to the one true God was affirmed by others (Ac 14:11–18; 17:22–31; 19:23–41). Conversion to God not only entailed abandoning practices associated with idolatry (1 Pt 4:3) but also included worship and moral service to God (Rm 6:6, 16–19).

1:10. Turning to God included embracing the Christian expectation regarding the end. “To wait” was used in the Greek translation of the OT to signify the hope God’s people held for divine salvation and mercy (Is 59:11; see also Pss 25:3; 27:14). The object of this waiting is Jesus, the one risen and slated to return (1 Th 4:13–18), “who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Th 1:10; 5:9). The wrath of God is the execution of his judgment against sin (Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7; Rm 2:5; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6; Rv 6:16–17; 11:18; 16:19; 19:15), not an outburst of emotion.

Paul praises the Thessalonians for becoming “imitators of us and of the Lord” (1 Th 1:6). Learning by imitation was prescribed by the ancients, especially in the sphere of moral teaching about virtue and vice (Php 3:17; 2 Th 3:9; 1 Tm 4:12; Ti 2:7; 1 Pt 5:3). The NT often calls believers to imitate Christian leadership (1 Co 4:16; 11:1; Gl 4:12; Php 4:9; 2 Th 3:7), other members of the community (Php 3:17; Heb 6:12; 13:7), and God the Father and Jesus Christ (Eph 5:1; 1 Co 11:1).

3. THE BODY OF THE LETTER (2:1–5:22)

A. The gospel arrives in Thessalonica (2:1–3:13). The themes of the thanksgiving are now taken up again and elaborated, with 2:1–12 explaining the character of the apostles and their entry, while 2:13–16 reminds the church of their reception of the gospel in the midst of great persecution. The following section (2:17–3:13) recalls the story of the apostles’ absence from the church and their continued care and concern for the Thessalonians.

2:1–2. While Paul may refer either to the character of the apostolic mission or its results among the Thessalonians (as 3:5), the emphasis in this section (2:1–12) is on the character of the ministers. Paul and Silvanus had suffered by being beaten and jailed before coming to Thessalonica (2:2; see Ac 16:19–40; Php 1:30). The treatment also publicly dishonored and insulted them. Despite this socially weakened position, they “were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel.”

2:3–6. The gospel proclamation was not simply a presentation of facts but a call to respond to the divine initiative (cf. Lk 3:18; Ac 2:40). The apostles’ exhortation was not based on a false message, nor was it preached with impure or immoral motives (2:3) such as greed or glory (2:5–6; “glory” is the honor, prestige, or fame that a person might receive). Neither did they use deceitful methods, employing rhetorical trickery to persuade their audience (cf. 1 Co 2:4). The apostles were not flatterers who sought their own gain.

The character of the apostles was such that they had been tested and approved by God for the mission of preaching the gospel (2:4a). Since the apostles have been commissioned by God, they seek to please him (2:4b; cf. Gl 1:10; 2 Tm 2:4). Paul invokes two witnesses, the Thessalonians and God himself, to attest to the apostles’ character (2:5; see also 2:10; Dt 17:6; 2 Co 13:1; 1 Tm 5:19; Heb 10:28).

2:7–9. The apostles’ care for the Thessalonians was in fact like that of a nurse for a child (2:7). Although the term “burden” could refer to a financial obligation placed on someone (as in 2:9), here as in other contexts it suggests a weight of authority that someone exercises over others. They did not impose their apostolic authority when they ministered to the Thessalonians (see 2 Co 10:8; 13:10; 1 Pt 5:3). Rather, they were “gentle among you” as a wet nurse. Here Paul compares his nurture of the Thessalonians with the tenderness of a wet nurse who feeds and cares for her own children, not those of another.

The apostles shared their lives with the Thessalonians because of their care for them (2:8). They made sure that their presence would not be a financial burden for these new believers (2:9). The apostles also received gifts from the Philippian church during this time (Php 4:15–16), although they worked to sustain themselves (2 Th 3:8–9).

2:10–12. Paul once again invokes the Thessalonians and God as two witnesses (as in 2:5) who can testify to the character of the apostles’ conduct (2:10). Their conduct was holy, or pure. They also behaved righteously, or justly; that is, their conduct conformed to human and divine norms. The apostles acted in conformity with both divine and human law and fulfilled all their obligations to both.

Paul’s care for them was like that of a wet nurse with her own children (2:7) but also like that of a father (2:11). He and his associates acted as an ancient father would by training them in the moral life. The three actions of encouraging, comforting, and imploring (2:12) underscore the apostles’ insistence in their moral instruction. The idea of living a life worthy of God is found in Jewish moral instruction as well as Jesus’s teaching (Mt 10:37–38).

2:13. This section (2:13–16) opens with the epistle’s second thanksgiving (cf. 1:2–10). The apostles leave the explanation of the apostolic mission (2:1–12), focus on the Thessalonians’ response (2:13), and then move to reflect on their sufferings (2:14). This final note leads the authors to compare the sufferings of the Thessalonians with those of the churches of Judea at the hands of the Jewish community there. Paul follows with a severe critique of his Jewish contemporaries (2:15–16).

The thanksgiving begins with the recognition that the Thessalonians received the gospel as a divine and not simply human message (2:13). To give thanks to one’s benefactor was one of the most important social obligations in antiquity, whether the benefactor was human or divine. God spoke to them and called them through this proclamation (2 Th 2:14; 2 Co 5:20), and their reception of that message was the moment of their conversion (Ac 8:14; 1 Th 1:5).

2:14–16. Paul introduces one of the evidences that demonstrated their true reception of the gospel (2:14): their suffering persecution (3:3–4). While many early congregations suffered for their adherence to the gospel (Ac 14:22; 1 Pt 5:9), the churches in Judea were the first (Ac 8:1–3; 9:1; 12:1–5), with Paul even perpetrating their sufferings before his own conversion (Ac 8:3; Gl 1:22–23; 1 Tm 1:13).

Paul begins the litany of the sins of the Judean people, perhaps with focus on their leaders (2:15a). Paul understands the persecution of the Christian messengers within this same frame, since he and his associates were driven out of city after city, including Thessalonica. Paul sees the unbelieving, contentious Jews as in opposition to God and others (2:15b). Their rebellion against God (cf. Rm 8:8) was evidenced by their opposition to the messengers of God (2:15a, 16a). Paul’s final indictment is severe (2:16b) and echoes a biblical theme concerning the sins of a people that come to their full measure before they are judged by God (Gn 15:16; 6:11–13; Dn 8:23; see also Mt 23:32).

2:17–20. The founders of the church were torn away from the new converts in Thessalonica (2:17; cf. Ac 17:5–10). The Greek phrase translated as “forced to leave you” is an expression that in Paul’s day could indicate a child’s loss of parents or the tragedy of losing one’s children (see the CSB footnote), reinforcing the familial ties Paul felt to the church. The longing for the Thessalonians prompted great, even extreme, efforts to return. But Paul simply states, “Satan hindered us” (2:18).

So that there would be no question with regard to the sincerity of the apostles’ intentions, Paul explains why they wanted to return. The church is the source of their joy not only in the present (2:20; cf. 3:9) but also for the future when the Lord returns (2:19). The Greek term parousia, which refers to Jesus’s return or “coming,” was used to describe the coming of a deity (e.g., the god Asclepius to a sick person) or the advent of a dignitary, especially the emperor, to a city. The source of the apostles’ honor and joy is not the recognition of their accomplishments, however, but the Thessalonian converts themselves (2:20).

3:1–2. This section (3:1–5) should be read in the light of Paul’s painful separation from the Thessalonians and his unfruitful attempts to return to the church (2:17–18; Ac 17:5–10). When he and his companions could no longer bear the agony and the weight of worry, they took action (cf. 3:5). Timothy’s mission was to “strengthen” or establish the church (3:2). In the NT this verb refers to being established in the faith, especially in the face of persecution and possible apostasy (Lk 22:43; Ac 18:23; Rm 16:25; 1 Th 3:13; 2 Th 3:3; 1 Pt 5:10; 2 Pt 1:12; Rv 3:2; and with new converts in Ac 14:22; 15:32, 41).

3:3–5. Timothy’s mission was prompted by concern Paul had about the Thessalonians’ stability in the midst of persecution (3:3a). Paul’s concern was their continuance in the faith. Apostasy was a real possibility (3:5). Paul adds that they were “appointed” for persecution (3:3b). Basic instruction given in the early church included a theology of suffering. Those who followed the crucified one would suffer as he did (Ac 14:22). Paul also recognized that the opposition to the church was spiritual and not only social. The “tempter” is Satan (3:5), the demonic power behind this persecution (cf. Eph 6:11–12), who also blocked the apostle’s attempts to return to the city (1 Th 2:18).

3:6–8. The event that prompted Paul to write this letter was Timothy’s return from his trip to Thessalonica (see 3:1–2). Timothy’s report was “good news” (3:6) and pointed out the Thessalonians’ “faith and love,” the distinctive virtues of those who are true members of the redeemed community (Gl 5:6; Eph 1:15; Col 1:4–5; 1 Th 1:3; 2 Th 1:3; 1 Tm 1:14; Phm 5 ). The mutuality of friendship (cf. Rm 1:10–11; 2 Co 1:7) finds expression in 3:7 as well. As Timothy was sent to encourage the believers (3:2), so now Paul is encouraged because of them (3:6).

The Thessalonians’ faith, love, and steadfastness were like renewed life for Paul (3:8). Oppressed by circumstances, he and his associates recovered with hope and encouragement because of the Thessalonians’ firm stance in the gospel. “Stand firm” suggests constancy and stability in the faith (1 Co 16:13), or as here, “in the Lord” (Php 4:1). The Thessalonians maintained their solidarity with the Lord despite the persecution (1 Th 2:14) and satanic attacks that were trying to lead them into apostasy (3:5).

3:9–10. At this point the letter explodes into thanksgiving and joy. The way Paul poses the question recalls Ps 116:12. Here, as in the psalm, thanksgiving to God is regarded as a debt to be paid, yet one impossible to pay in full (3:9). The principle of reciprocity is at the heart of the thanksgiving: to return thanks for a benefit received was an essential social obligation. Paul wants to return to make their faith complete (3:10; cf. Lk 6:40; Heb 13:21). The Thessalonians were ignorant of certain fundamental theological tenets (1 Th 4:13) and had forgotten some teaching they had already received (5:1–2). A visit would help put all this right.

3:11–12. The apostles now voice their prayer (3:11–13). The prayer is addressed to “our God and Father” (3:11), echoing Jesus when he taught the disciples to pray (Mt 6:9; and see Rm 8:15; Gl 4:6). But the prayer is also directed to “our Lord Jesus,” who is elevated to the same level as the Father.

The mutual love of the Thessalonians (1 Th 3:12) and other early Christians was the counterpoint to the hostility and social ostracism that the church experienced from without. This love places the interests of the other first and is not the same as feelings of affection and emotional warmth (Jn 13:34–35; Rm 12:10; 13:8; 1 Pt 1:22; 4:8; 1 Jn 3:11; 4:11–12).

They follow with a petition regarding the church’s love (3:12). The Thessalonians are the objects of God’s love (1:4; 2 Th 2:13, 16), and God himself has infused love into the community (4:9). Their love for each other is noteworthy (3:6), and they express that love toward other congregations in Macedonia (4:9–10).

3:13. The final portion of the prayer focuses on the church’s existence in light of its eschatological hope. The prayer is that their hearts, or persons, be made “blameless in holiness” (3:13a). “Blameless” appears frequently with regard to the moral life of a person as well, especially focusing on the final outcome of one’s life. “Holiness” denotes the condition of sanctification, a principal concern of the apostles regarding this congregation (4:3–4, 7; 5:23; 2 Th 2:13).

The prayer is that this moral purity will be theirs in the last judgment (3:13b). Their God and Father (3:11) is also their Judge, and the prayer is that they be found blameless before him. In this last time, the Lord Jesus will come “with all his saints.” These may be deceased Christians (4:16) or angels (2 Th 1:7). The verse is an allusion to Zch 14:5, where celestial beings are in view (see Dt 33:2; Jb 5:1; 15:15; Ps 89:5, 7; Dn 4:13; 8:13).

B. The apostolic instruction: The life that pleases God (4:1–5:22). The second section of the body of the letter addresses both ethical and theological concerns. The teaching that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have delivered to the new church includes moral orientation, and now they stimulate the new converts to put the teaching into practice. The section responds to concerns regarding the church’s sexual ethics (4:3–8) and the issue of labor (4:11–12). But it is also a response to the questions the church had put to Paul, perhaps via letter, about love among the members (4:9–10), the destiny of the dead in Christ (4:13–18), and the time of the day of the Lord (5:1–11). The section concludes with exhortations centered on relationships with the church’s emerging leadership (5:12–13) and among members of the congregation (5:14–22).

4:1–2. The first verses of the section on living to please God (4:1–2) serve as an introduction to both the teaching on sexual ethics (4:3–8) and the rest of the moral teaching of the letter. The verb “ask” (4:1) is not simply a request but, in moral contexts, should be understood as “demand” (Php 4:3; 1 Th 5:12; 2 Th 2:1; 2 Jn 5). The verb “exhort” is also found in moral contexts, at times with the first verb (1 Th 5:12, 14). The exhortation is that the Thessalonians “do this even more” (see 3:12 and 4:10)—that is, excel and be outstanding to an ever greater degree in that which they have learned and are doing.

A commonplace in ancient letters was to remind the reader of what he or she already knew. In the same way, the apostles remind the Thessalonians of the fundamental teaching that has been handed over to them, which is not only doctrinal but moral (4:2). The authority behind this teaching is that of “the Lord Jesus.”

4:3. In 4:3–8, the apostles address the problem of sexual immorality. Evidently some church members who received the teaching regarding their sexuality (4:1–2, 6) have rejected it (4:8). They responded to their passions as those who were unconverted (4:5), so the apostles remind them that sanctification, here understood as sexual purity, is the will of God (4:3–4, 7–8) and that God will judge those who hand themselves over to such passions (4:6). Not a few religions celebrated in Thessalonica promoted sexual immorality. It would therefore have been difficult for new converts to resist what the social norms of their day permitted.

4:4–5. Paul starkly contrasts the life of sexual self-control that leads to honor and holiness (4:4) with the life defined by passion due to ignorance of God (4:5; see Rm 1:18–32; Eph 4:17–18). The implication for the readers of this letter is clear: you know God—don’t live that way! This text is one of the many that call Christians to self-control (Ac 15:20, 29; 21:25; 1 Co 6:12–20; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; and esp. 2 Tm 2:21–22).

4:6–8. The focus of this section is on adultery. In this act, the person “take[s] advantage” of another believer (4:6), the verb suggesting a form of exploitation (in other contexts it refers to political, economic, and military as well as sexual exploitation). Such acts are not casually dismissed.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians of God’s claim on their lives (4:7). Just as the gospel is a divine message (1 Th 1:5; 2:13), so too are the moral implications that stem from it. Paul therefore concludes that to reject this teaching is to reject God (4:8a). He adds that God “gives you his Holy Spirit” (4:8b), the one who enables them to live according to the will of God in sanctification (Rm 8:4; Gl 5:16; 1 Jn 3:24; 1 Th 5:23).

4:9. Paul next appears to answer a series of questions put to him by the Thessalonians about fraternal love (4:9–12), the destiny of the dead in Christ (4:13–18), and the time of the day of the Lord (5:1–11). Paul recognizes that they have already been taught by God to love one another (4:9), through God’s example in sending Christ (Jn 3:16; Rm 5:8; Eph 5:1–2), through the Holy Spirit (Gl 5:22; Rm 5:5), and through Jesus’s teaching (Jn 13:34–35; 15:12, 17), which the apostles echoed in their instruction (Rm 12:10; Gl 6:2; 1 Pt 1:22).

4:10–12. Paul touches on the issue of being benefactors for others (4:10), and he then fixes his attention on those members of the church who are receiving aid from their patrons, whether inside or outside the church. This passage, like 2 Th 3:6–15, demonstrates that the apostles were opposed to the social and economic dependency that characterized the client-patron relationships, likely due to its social entailments. High-status patrons would have multiple clients who expected food, money, and public representation to protect their rights, while they reciprocated by giving patrons honor by supporting their causes. The exhortation to work with their hands (4:11) not only indicates that the members of the church were of the artisan class but also suggests that some Thessalonians were clients of prominent patrons. Paul calls them to labor, following his example (4:12; cf. 2:9; 2 Th 3:7–8).

4:13–14. In this section (4:13–18) the apostles respond to the inquiry of the Thessalonian believers about the destiny of believers who had died before the Lord’s advent. At times “sleep” describes death in the light of the anticipated resurrection (4:13; cf. Dn 12:2; 1 Co 15:20). This discussion implies that between the time Paul left and Timothy’s visit some members of the church had passed away.

Paul’s comfort is firmly rooted in the resurrection of Christ (4:14). In response to the grief the Thessalonians experience in the face of death, Paul and his associates return to the creed of the church (cf. Ac 17:3). Paul presents the resurrection of Jesus as the guarantee of the resurrection of the believers, a denial of which was, in Paul’s eyes, a virtual denial of the resurrection of Christ (1 Co 15:12–28). The dead in Christ will be raised as Christ was (see 4:16).

4:15–17. The “word from the Lord” (4:15) does not here refer to a prophetic oracle (as Is 1:10) but refers either to the message of the gospel (1 Th 1:8; 2 Th 3:1) or, more likely, to a teaching that came from the Lord Jesus (Ac 20:35; see Mt 24:29–31, 40–41). Paul’s argument is simply that the dead in Christ will rise first and then the living and the resurrected dead will be taken up together to meet the Lord (4:17). The “Lord’s coming” is his parousia (see the commentary on 2:19).

Both 1 Co 15 and 1 Th 4:13–5:11 present the bodily resurrection of believers at the return of Christ as a significant Christian doctrine.

In 4:16, Paul describes the dramatic events that occur at the Lord’s coming (cf. 1:10). We may suppose that with this, God calls the dead to life. Christ also will come with the voice of the archangel (cf. Mt 24:31) and the trumpet call of God. The result is that the dead in Christ will rise first, giving them the place of preeminence and honor. “Caught up” (4:17) denotes taking something or someone by force or violence and at times is used of taking a person up to celestial places (Ac 8:39; 2 Co 12:2, 4; Rv 12:5), sometimes described as “rapture.” Clouds often accompany times when God shows himself (Mt 17:5), such as in Christ’s second coming (Mt 24:30; 26:64). The purpose of this event is “to meet the Lord.” The pomp and ceremony at Christ’s coming is beyond compare. The end result is that believers will be with the Lord forever. Paul does not state where we will be with the Lord, but the previous argument implies that the believers, living and resurrected, will return with him to this earth (cf. Mt 6:10).

In the ancient world the trumpet was primarily a signal or sign, not a musical instrument. In the OT it often signals the appearance of God or the coming of the day of the Lord (Ex 19:16; 20:18; Is 27:13; Jl 2:1; Zch 9:14).

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4:18. This embedded letter of consolation concludes with instructions to “encourage one another.” This teaching was not just for the leadership but was to be used in the ministry each of the members exercised toward others (4:9; 5:11, 14–15).

5:1–2. This section (5:1–11) constitutes a response to the Thessalonian believers about the time of the day of the Lord and how to prepare for it. The apostles affirm that maintaining a life characterized by faith, love, and hope will give believers the assurance that the day of the Lord will not surprise them like a thief (5:4). As in 4:9, Paul begins the section by reminding the Thessalonians about what they already know (5:1). This day is not only the time when God will come to judge the inhabitants of the earth (Is 13:6, 9; Ezk 13:5; Jl 1:15; 2:1, 11; 3:14) but also when God will deliver his people (Jl 2:21–32; 3:18; Ob 15–21; Zch 14:1–21). That day will come like a thief in the night (5:2)—that is, suddenly and at a moment when it is not expected.

5:3–5. Paul graphically describes how that day will come (5:3). Once again, Paul draws from Jesus’s teaching (Lk 21:34–36). Paul describes how believers will face that day (5:4). While they do not know when the day of the Lord will come (5:2), they will be prepared for it since they are “not in the dark.” Christian salvation is a transition from the realm of moral darkness to light (Ac 26:18; Eph 5:8; Col 1:13; 1 Pt 2:9; and see Heb 6:4; 10:32). Paul’s point is that living the moral life in the light (5:5) assures the believers that the day of the Lord will not surprise them, since they will be ready for it. [Hell]

5:6–11. Paul exhorts them to act according to who they are (5:6). To be “awake” signifies being spiritually and morally alert and vigilant (Mt 24:42–44; 25:13) so that they do not enter into temptation (Mt 26:40–41). The believer does not embrace the night with its sin (5:7). Paul occasionally employs military metaphors when describing Christian conduct (5:8; cf. Rm 13:12; 2 Co 6:7; 10:3–5; Eph 6:11–17; Php 2:25; 2 Tm 2:3–4). Here he draws from Is 59:17, where God himself is compared to a soldier, as also in Eph 6:11–17 (although the symbolic references of the armament here are not the same as in Eph 6). The trilogy of faith, love, and hope (see 1:3; 3:6–8) is the vital element of the armor, which will ensure that the Christian is prepared for that day, whenever it comes. In 5:9 the focus changes to the ultimate destiny of believers and unbelievers. Believers are liberated from the coming wrath through the death of Jesus and his resurrection (5:10).

5:12–13. After responding to the Thessalonians’ questions (4:9–5:11), the apostles take up a variety of issues, starting with the church’s relationship with their emerging leadership (5:12a). What legitimized the Thessalonian leadership was not their status or social rank, as was common in Greek and Roman society, but the hard work they undertook on behalf of the congregation (5:12b–13a; see 1:3; 1 Co 3:8; 15:58; 2 Co 6:5; 11:23, 27). The Thessalonians should honor their leaders and live in harmony with one another (5:13b), a teaching given by Jesus (Mk 9:50).

5:14. Leaving the theme of community loyalty, the apostles now instruct the believers about their response to various groups within the church (5:14–22). This ministerial responsibility is placed not on the leadership alone but on all (4:18; 5:11). They should admonish (see 5:12) the “idle.” These are not “the lazy” but those who are out of line or undisciplined (see the CSB footnote). The “discouraged” are the disheartened, those in danger of giving up. There were likely many in this category due to the persecutions that the church endured (1:6; 2:14; 3:3–4) and the deaths of beloved believers (4:13–18). The “weak” who needed help may have been the physically weak, perhaps due to illness (1 Co 11:30), or those who had no social status or power, such as slaves, freedmen/freedwomen, or others who had no economic and social power (1 Co 1:26–29). Finally, they should exercise patience toward everyone, not being irritable due to others’ foibles. The diverse social mix in the church would provide innumerable opportunities to exercise this virtue.

5:15. Teaching about nonretaliation was part of the basic moral instruction for new Christians (Rm 12:17–21; 1 Pt 3:9), an important topic given the tensions with the surrounding community and the internal problems of the congregation. Paul, like Jesus, counsels the church to do good to the one who has caused the offense (see 3:12; Gl 6:10).

5:16–18. In this group of three exhortations, the apostles move on to the characteristic traits of believers, joy (5:16), prayer (5:17), and thanksgiving (5:18), which should mark their lives at all times and in every situation. This is God’s will. Though the Thessalonians already have joy in suffering (1:6), a fruit of the Spirit in their lives, they are called to a life of joy that is constant (5:16; cf. Php 4:4; 3:1). “Pray constantly” (5:17) is not an exhortation to pray at every moment (cf. 1:2) but is an entreaty to do so consistently and without fail (Lk 18:1; Rm 12:12; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2). The third exhortation of this trilogy (5:18a) is a call, not to give thanks for every situation, but rather to give thanks in every situation. The Christian affirms that God can use any situation for his or her own good (Rm 8:28) and that one can triumph in the midst of any circumstance, even adversity (Rm 8:31–39).

5:19–22. This last group of exhortations has to do with the use and control of prophecy in the church. Paul speaks of the Spirit as the agent in prophecy (Lk 1:67; Ac 2:17; 19:6; 28:25; Eph 3:5; Rv 22:6), and here he responds to attempts to curtail this gift (5:19). Some prophesied in the church, but others rejected and despised these prophetic oracles (5:20). While there were abuses of the gifts in the churches, the apostolic teaching was not to eliminate them but to use them under proper control (1 Co 12:10; 14:29; 1 Jn 4:1–3; cf. 1 Co 14:39).

“Test” (5:21a) is the same verb found in 1 Jn 4:1, which likewise talks of testing prophecy. The presence of false prophecies made such testing necessary (Mt 24:24; 1 Co 12:3; 2 Th 2:2; 1 Jn 4:1–3). The basis for testing was apostolic doctrine, which carried authority that superseded that of prophecies. Finally, after examining all prophecies and holding firmly to that which is true revelation (5:21b), the church should reject inauthentic revelations (5:22).

4. FINAL PRAYER, GREETINGS, AND BLESSING (5:23–28)

A. Prayer for sanctification (5:23–25). The first part of the letter’s closing contains a blessing expressed in the form of a prayer (5:23), the assurance that God is faithful to complete the work of grace in the Thessalonians’ lives (5:24), and an appeal that they pray for the apostles (5:25).

God is here described as “the God of peace” (5:23), a name Paul uses frequently in benedictions (Rm 15:33; 16:20; 2 Co 13:11; Php 4:9). “Peace” is practically a synonym for “salvation” (1 Th 1:1; Ac 10:36; Rm 2:10; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17; Eph 6:15). The prayer is that God would “sanctify” (see 1 Th 3:13; 4:3–4, 7–8) them entirely, a thought clarified in the following clause. The apostles wish them to have complete health in spirit, soul, and body, which, according to the context, would mean moral health (blamelessness). What God began in the election and calling of the Thessalonians (5:24; 1:4; 2:12; 4:7; 2 Th 2:13–14) will be brought to completion at the time of the coming of the Lord (Php 1:6). Paul also calls the church to pray for him and its other founders (5:25).

B. Call to greet and read to one another (5:26–27). This letter would have been read aloud in a gathering of the church where all, even the illiterate, could hear the message (5:27; cf. Col 4:16; 1 Tm 4:13). After the reading, there would be time to greet each other “with a holy kiss” (5:26; cf. Rm 16:16; 1 Co 16:20; 2 Co 13:12). The kiss signified a variety of things, such as the love between members of a family, honor and respect, and friendship (Mk 14:44–45; Lk 7:36–45; 15:20; Ac 20:37).

C. Final blessing (5:28). As in all the Pauline Epistles, 1 Thessalonians ends with a blessing of grace. The apostles want them not simply to be strong but rather to have the grace that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. This desire, sounded in the opening prayer of the letter (1:1), summarizes the heart of the faith that the Thessalonians received.