WHAT A WAY TO SAY “GOOD-BYE”!
1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-28
NASB
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
25 Brethren, pray for us[a].
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
5:25 [a]Two early mss add also
NLT
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.
27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
We’ve all witnessed the scene a dozen times —at airports or bus terminals, college campuses on orientation day, bustling military deployment centers, or at kindergartens on the first day of school. Time to say “good-bye” —a dreaded moment seeping with sorrow, regret, longing, and hope. A son or a daughter may be going off to college. A visiting sweetheart may be returning home. Or a grandparent is moving away.
The ritual tends to follow an age-old pattern. The awkward small talk comes first: “Looks like good weather, anyway” . . . “You’ll have such a good time” . . . “Don’t forget to text us when you get there.” Then, when the time for departure nears, there’s that last lengthy embrace . . . then a second and third last embrace. Then one more just to be sure. Now the tears come, followed by a litany of emotions: “We’re going to miss you” . . . “We’re so proud of you” . . . “We love you so much” . . . “Don’t forget us.” At last it comes to the walk through a tunnel, up the stairs, down the hall —a final wave good-bye, and they’re gone.
In the last few verses of 1 Thessalonians, Paul says his final good-byes. He concludes this practical letter with a profound farewell, writing as a close and personal friend. Instead of ending with a cold, “Sincerely yours, Paul the apostle,” he takes six verses to graciously affirm his readers with a benediction that serves as a beautiful capstone for a splendidly constructed letter of exhortation.
From the start, Paul constantly expressed his love for his readers. In many ways, the Thessalonians were Paul’s pride and joy. Though he had already planted several churches by the time he got to Thessalonica, these believers seem to have had a special place in his heart. In fact, each chapter of this letter has him saying something special to these believers:
Chapter 1: I give thanks for you (1:1-2).
Chapter 2: I love you dearly (2:7-8).
Chapter 3: I’m concerned for you (3:4-5).
Chapter 4: I exhort you (4:1-3, 9-11).
Chapter 5: I encourage you (5:11-14).
After pouring out his heart to his readers, Paul was ready to say good-bye. Who knew if he would ever be able to see them in person again? Or when he would get another opportunity to write? Or whether the next contact he had with his friends in Thessalonica would be bad news? So many uncertainties led Paul to write, under the inspiration of the Spirit, his parting thoughts on the Lord (5:23-24), his final words to the people (5:25-27), and his closing remarks on grace (5:28).
— 5:23-24 —
Commentator F. F. Bruce rightly calls the blessing of 5:23-24 a “wish-prayer” indicating that this is both a prayer and a blessing at the same time.[38] If he were standing in their midst, Paul wouldn’t have been staring into heaven with open hands, saying, “Father, sanctify these dear brothers and sisters of mine entirely.” Rather, he would have been staring into the eyes of those believers and pronouncing a blessing upon them: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely” (5:23).
This isn’t the first time Paul addressed the issue of sanctification. He challenged them to live in sexual purity (4:1-8). He exhorted them to remain doctrinally and morally alert as they anticipated the coming of Christ (5:1-11). And he urged them to maintain the basics of Christian living (5:12-22). All of these things relate to the believer’s sanctification, or being “set apart” for worshiping and obeying the Lord. Now, in this brief conclusion, he returns to the issue of sanctification.
This time, though, Paul points out that sanctification is ultimately God’s work in us, not our work for him. Yes, we are active in yielding to the power of the Spirit and depending on His gracious and powerful provision, but it is ultimately God who is working in us “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). In the original Greek text of 1 Thessalonians 5:23, there’s no equivocation about who is ultimately the source of power for godly living —and it’s not us! Not only does Paul use the intensifying pronoun “Himself,” but he makes this the opening word of his sentence, which in Greek often means it’s receiving the emphasis. It is God Himself who is sanctifying us.
Paul identifies God as “the God of peace” (5:23). This somewhat unique title appears in other benedictions as well (Rom. 15:33; 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; 2 Thes. 3:16; Heb. 13:20). In Paul’s Jewish way of thinking, it may be related to the Hebrew word shalom [H7965], which means more than mere absence of noise or freedom from trouble. It has the idea of “wholeness” or “well-being.”[39]
It’s not a surprise, then, that Paul prays that the “God of peace” would sanctify them “entirely” (1 Thes. 5:23). He wants a complete setting-apart and consecration of every dimension of their lives —physical, spiritual, mental, emotional. This is probably why he mentions spirit, soul, and body (5:23). Jesus similarly called His disciples to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30), echoing the same sentiment of Deuteronomy 6:5. Elsewhere Paul urged believers to “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1-2). God wants our entire selves, not parts of us, to be wholly consecrated to Him.
Paul also prays that his brothers and sisters in Thessalonica would “be preserved complete” (1 Thes. 5:23). The Greek word for “preserve” is tēreō [5083], which means “to watch over, guard, keep.”[40] In this context, the “keeping” is connected to the sanctifying; it refers to being protected from the unholy contamination of the sinful world. Though we may be able to stray, God will keep us by the power of His Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). Also, even when we may wander far from the right path of holy living, God promises to discipline His children whom He loves (Heb. 12:7-11). To guard and protect us, God doesn’t remove us from the world but insulates us from its devastating effects. Jesus prayed, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). Similarly, Paul wants believers to be “preserved complete” — spirit, soul, and body.
Some commentators have understood Paul’s reference here to “spirit, soul, and body” to be an indication that each person is composed of three distinct parts: the physical (body), which relates to the self; the mental/emotional (soul), which relates to the world; and the spiritual (spirit), which relates to God.[41] Complex theories of salvation and sanctification have developed around this idea of the trichotomy (or threefold nature) of humans. However, most Christians have seen this as a general description of the various dimensions of a person’s life rather than as a complete list of the complex components of a human person. In fact, other parts of a person include the heart and the mind (Luke 10:27). And we know that the body itself is complex, made up of flesh, blood, bones, even joints and marrow (Heb. 4:12). Paul probably could have gone on, praying that God would preserve believers’ body, flesh, heart, soul, mind, emotions, spirit, and will. Most theologians throughout history have held to the dichotomist view of a person —that we are made up of a complex material part (body, flesh, bone, blood, etc.) and immaterial part (soul, spirit, mind, heart, will, etc.).[42] In any case, the purpose of the passage is not to establish a biblical doctrine of the component parts of a human person, but to simply pray that God would protect every dimension of our lives.
Finally, Paul prays that God would receive his brothers and sisters in Christ “without blame” when Christ returns (1 Thes. 5:23). Just picture the jubilation when the trials and tribulations, and struggles against sin, suffering, and death all give way to the glories of eternal life in a new heaven and a new earth, where only righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-4)! All of us who have trusted in Christ alone for salvation will be standing before our Savior with no rebuke, no condemnation, no guilt . . . blameless! Jude’s benediction contains the same glorious thought:
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
As children of God, we should fear neither death nor the return of Christ as Judge. In Him we are blameless . . . even when we don’t feel blameless. Even when we feel faithless, we can always recall the promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 —“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” We don’t have to do it. As long as we are one with Christ by faith, God does it.
— 5:25-27 —
After his words on God’s gracious gift of sanctification, Paul then turns his attention to a few final comments on relationships —the Thessalonians’ relationship of support for Paul, Silas, and Timothy (5:25); their relationship of love for one another (5:26); and their relationship of responsibility for the edification of other brothers and sisters in Christ (5:27).
Paul first reminds them that prayer is the primary need for those engaged in ministry (5:25). Without prayer support, they can accomplish nothing. Think about what this means for us. If the apostle Paul —eyewitness of Christ, spiritually gifted beyond measure —needed the Thessalonians’ prayers, why do we think our own pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, missionaries, or evangelists don’t need our prayers?
Second, Paul encourages the believers to show loving affirmation and affection for each other (5:26). The “holy kiss” to which Paul refers indicates an uninhibited, unhesitant acceptance for one another, regardless of status or race. One commentator notes:
There was to be an absence of formality and hypocrisy, a freedom from prejudice arising from social distinctions, from discrimination against the poor, from partiality towards the well-to-do. In the churches masters and servants would thus salute one another without any attitude of condescension on the one part or disrespect on the other. The kiss took place thus between persons of the same sex.[43]
Generally speaking, in Western cultures people don’t usually greet friends and loved ones with kisses, but with handshakes or hugs. I don’t believe Paul meant to legalistically prescribe a particular first-century cultural form as the standard for greeting. Rather, he intended to point us to the substance behind the form. We are to show others that we actually care about them in tangible, physical ways. Whether it’s a hug or a handshake, a pat on the shoulder or a fist-bump, we need to send each other a message of love regardless of the method.
Finally, Paul sought to promote the reading of Scripture and thus the passing on of the truth beyond their normal circles into other groups. The Thessalonians were adjured —that is, bound as if under a covenant —to read their letter to “all the brethren” (5:27). We don’t know the whole historical context behind this; perhaps Paul meant to reincorporate schismatic splinter groups who had gone astray. Or maybe he was referring to any sister churches that may have existed or were going to pop up on the scene later —they were to share with other believers the letter they had received from the apostle by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
— 5:28 —
Paul began his letter, “Grace to you and peace” (1:1). Now he ends it with “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (5:28). Though it’s easy to think of Paul’s final line here as just a standard throwaway means of “signing off,” such a view fails to consider that for Paul, this was the grace that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. For Paul, this grace was everything.
The word “grace” is multifaceted. It includes ideas of favor, beauty, thanksgiving, delight, kindness, blessing, charm, and joy.[44] For Paul, grace was always something undeserved —unmerited, unearned favor before God. Theologically speaking, grace is God’s favor that is lovingly, lavishly, and eternally bestowed upon us by God the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
What a way to say good-bye!
APPLICATION: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-28
Scripture, Spirit, and Family
In Paul’s first letter to the fledgling church in Thessalonica, he spent the first part speaking from a pastor’s heart, turning from the past to the present (1:1–3:13). He reflected on the experiences of the new believers in that challenging ministry context —some of which he, Silas, and Timothy had shared in while they were present among them. In the second part, he shared his pastoral burden, explaining how to live in the present in light of the future (4:1–5:28).
Before you turn the page on this powerful and relevant letter to the Thessalonians, let me encourage you to take one last look backward to gather some of the living insights you gleaned through the application reflections along the way. Hopefully you didn’t rush through those periodic opportunities to apply the truths of God’s Word to your life.
Faith, hope, and love —Paul’s ancient trio of gifts to that newborn church in Thessalonica —are abiding gifts to every generation of believers who take time to ponder those eternal words. Perhaps through this study you’ve been challenged to focus on building a greater knowledge of and commitment to the Christian faith . . . or to rest more in the hope of Christ’s coming in the midst of fear or worry . . . or to show genuine, self-sacrificial love toward your brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe you’ve felt the Spirit convicting you to be a more faithful church member, a more loving spouse or parent, or a brighter light of hope in a dark, depressing world.
Let me leave you with three resources and reminders to help you apply the truths you’ve discovered through your study of 1 Thessalonians. First, remember that we have in God’s Word all the truth we need. Scripture builds our faith, focuses our hope, and empowers our love. So read it, study it, and live it. Second, remember that we have in God’s Spirit all the power we need. Rely on Him for the strength to believe in the face of doubts, to look up with hope in the face of despair, and to choose love in the face of hatred and anger. Third, remember that we have in God’s family all the help we need to overcome the challenges we face. In the church, the family of God, we have those we can help and those who can help us as we strive to be a people known for our faith, hope, and love.