1 Thessalonians 5:1-5

V1-5 – ¹Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

At this point, we begin to see some differences in the interpretation of Paul’s teaching. Some commentators, such as most post-millennialists, see Paul starting a new discussion on a different event as we move into chapter 5. They might conclude that chapter 4 addressed the second coming of Christ and the rapture; they would say that chapter 5, as well as 2 Thessalonians 2, deal with “the day of the Lord” against the Jews who have heaped up their sins to an apostatized level beyond the patience of God and deemed worthy of imminent judgment, or specifically the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. The similar language used in these chapters, corresponding with Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, is used to justify their reasoning. Paul is likely familiar with Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:3-25:46), and when he mentions “the day of the Lord” in v2, he introduces to the Gentile Christians of Thessalonica an Old Testament familiarity. Others (amillennialists) understand Paul to be speaking of the same event (the day of the Lord – Judgment Day – and the second coming and the rapture all occur together), laying out the application of previous teaching into this chapter. They might conclude that Paul has laid out some eschatological doctrine and now moves into the timeline details and how it all applies to life for believers.

Whichever way we lean on our eschatological perspective, we can agree that Paul’s teaching on eschatological matters continues here, but he doesn’t want anyone to speculate “about times and dates.” His audience already knows (v1) that the time and date of “the day of the Lord” is unknown and will come suddenly, “like a thief in the night” (v2) and “as labor pains on a pregnant woman” (v3). This event, whether it is specifically the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD or the rapture and/or the second coming, will come unexpectedly and painfully (inescapable destruction) for “people” (v3), thought to be unbelievers, since Paul seems to separate them from the “brothers” (v4); these people predict and desire all to have “peace and safety,” something I want very much in my prayers, but they fail to believe in and therefore realize the inability to escape the destruction about to befall them. Vincent Cheung has much to add here:

“Non-Christians operate under the deception that they have ‘peace and safety.’ They assume that they are safe from judgment for many reasons. Some of those who affirm the existence of God, or even claim to follow Christ, might hold to a distorted view of God (so that they think His standard is lax), of Christ (so that they think His atonement applies to everyone without faith and repentance), and of man and sin (so that they think they are not depraved, but righteous in themselves). Some people affirm non-Christian religions that they think will save them. Then, some of them deny God altogether, so to them there cannot be a judgment of destruction and hellfire. Perhaps they even think that human cooperation and scientific progress will secure this ‘peace and safety’ for them. But no human cooperation and no scientific progress can stem the wrath of God. As for the Jews in particular, perhaps they thought that they were the chosen people of God, and that the temple would remain forever. But Jesus told them that they were a rejected people, and in His parables, told them that God would send an army to kill them and burn their city (Matthew 22:7), which happened in AD 70. Paul adds that the unbelievers would remain under this deception up until the event occurs. What will come upon them will happen ‘suddenly.’ Shattering their illusion of peace and safety, suddenly, ‘destruction’ would come upon them… Whether we are talking about God’s judgment against the non-Christian Jews in the first century, or whether we are talking about God’s judgment against all non-Christians throughout history, or at the second coming of Christ, no unbeliever can escape from Him.”

But Christians, those in the light and “not in darkness,” need not be caught off guard (v4). The “sons of the light and sons of the day” (Isaiah 60:2) – namely Christians – are furnished with light and enjoying the daylight to always be ready – both intellectually and morally (“alert and self-controlled” as v6 says) – not asleep as in the darkness of nighttime. Christians have not been enlightened merely to see that they are in darkness; rather, Christians have been brought into the light and can therefore see the darkness that still envelopes unbelievers (John 3:19-21). And whether Paul is speaking of the same event in chapter 4 and 5, or two different events, we can reasonably conclude that the rapture will not occur prior to “the day of the Lord,” as both Christians and non-Christians will be alive at Christ’s return.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

V13-18 – ¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. ¹⁵According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Paul had already taught the Thessalonian Christians about the second coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13), but he apparently did not have time to complete that teaching due to the death threats coming his way. So here he adds to what he had taught them in person, beginning with teaching about the dead, and he’ll apply that teaching for them in the final chapter of this letter. Then, as we’ll see, he addresses specific concerns about this eschatological instruction in 2 Thessalonians. In the meantime, Paul calls the dead “those who fall asleep,” which was a standard multi-cultural and multi-religious metaphor for describing the dead more tenderly. (It does not speak of “soul-sleep,” but of the body’s stationary, unresponsive position.) Paul wants Christians to grieve over the dead in Christ in a different way than the world grieves. Christian grief is done with hope; unbelievers lack hope, or at least their hope is false and unfounded. But our hope comes from the resurrection of Christ (v14). Because “we believe that Jesus died and rose again,” it logically follows that “we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have [died] in Him.” Calvin concludes, “Those that are by faith ingrafted into Christ, have death in common with Him, that they may be partakers with Him of life.” This is an encouraging, pastoral teaching, and Paul elaborates on additional questions in his other epistles. For example, Paul explains the resurrection body in 1 Corinthians 15:35-37.

Vincent Cheung says of the second coming of Christ, “It is cited [here] to produce motivation in sanctification, anchor in temptation, comfort in bereavement, and strength in persecution. It is even used to identify those who belong to Christ – those who believe in Him look forward to His glorious return (1 Corinthians 1:7-8, 16:22-24; Philippians 3:20-21; Titus 2:12-15; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Hebrews 9:27-28; 2 Peter 3:11-12; 1 John 2:28). The doctrine does not only provide hope for us as believers, but it imposes a moral obligation on us to look forward to the Lord’s return and to order our lives in a manner that is consistent with this expectation. And it is to be a natural part of our preaching and conversation.”

In v15, Paul teaches “according to the Lord’s own word,” that the living will not precede the dead to heaven. Some people may have thought (2 Esdras 13:14-24 – a Jewish apocalyptic text) that those living at the second coming of Christ were more blessed, that they alone would receive eternal life. Apparently, many Jews (and Gentiles), such as the Sadducees, did not believe in a resurrection at all; still others hoped in vain for some type of resurrection, but nothing like the one Christ provides. So Paul implies in this teaching that all in Christ – whether dead or alive at His coming – are equally blessed with His resurrection power unto eternal life in heaven. He doesn’t speak here concerning unbelievers and in fact only mentions the resurrection of unbelievers unto judgment in Acts 24:15; see also Acts 17:31; Romans 2:5-16. Calvin says, “He says nothing as to the reprobate, because this did not tend to the consolation of the pious, of which he is now treating.”

Calvin begins his commentary on v16 by saying, “The Apostle unquestionably had nothing farther in view here than to give some taste of the magnificence and venerable appearance of the Judge, until we shall behold it fully. With this taste it becomes us in the mean time to rest satisfied.” Keeping that in mind, we see that Paul speaks of the resurrection of believers. He mentions “a loud command,” or cry from Jesus, “the voice of the archangel,” and “the trumpet call of God,” declaring a most-certainly public rapture (“caught up” from v17). When Paul teaches on the rapture, it’s not meant to be a full lesson on the doctrine of eschatological events – that will come in 2 Thessalonians – but it is meant to be pastoral teaching for the grieving to assure them (“encourage each other” from v18) of reunion with loved ones. So we conclude this chapter with the key doctrinal take-away – that Jesus Christ will come again, and when He comes, He will receive His people to be with Him forever (v17).

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

V9-12 –⁹Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. ¹⁰And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. ¹¹Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹²so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Paul encourages brotherly love to those who are already good at exhibiting brotherly love. They are already doing it well, loving “all the brothers throughout Macedonia,” because they “have been taught by God” (v9). Calvin says, “The Holy Spirit inwardly dictates efficaciously what is to be done, so that there is no need to give injunctions in writing.” And Paul wants them, strongly urges them, “to do so more and more.” It’s appreciation, commendation, encouragement, and exhortation, all in one. Elsewhere, Paul urges Timothy in a similar way, acknowledging that God will help him (and us) understand Paul’s words – since they are in fact God’s words – and put them into practice: “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (2 Timothy 2:7).

In v11-12, Paul says, “Make it your ambition…” This Greek word for “aspire” was culturally used for the wealthy to gain honor through generosity. The footnote of my Reformation Study Bible says, “Paul’s use of the term turns it on its head: the Thessalonians should be zealous for the honor that comes not through self-assertion or an ostentatious show of personal greatness, but through humble, industrious, and unimpeachable behavior. This exhortation…had a particular urgency in Thessalonica where the Christians had already been falsely accused of sedition (Acts 17:6-9). By living lives that were respectable and unpretentious, the Christians were to allay any lingering suspicions.” In fact, we might understand Paul to be saying, “Strive not to strive,” or “Be ambitious to be unambitious.” And this command is given in preparation for the coming teaching on eschatological matters. This command is for those who have taken to idleness, or laziness, out of grief for lost loved ones and/or the expectation of Christ’s imminent return. Maybe they’ve started meddling in other peoples’ business. But as Paul addresses that in the next section, he pre-warns them here that leading a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your hands (there is no doubt that one’s manual labor earns respect from those who once thought him or her lazy) will “win the respect of outsiders.” On the other hand, idleness and being a busybody will not (2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Timothy 5:13).

DC Break

Wrapping up DC 401 with a look at biblical history, we now have a 7 week break, during which we'll read through Isaiah, before commencing with our final semesters (DC 402-403), which begin with post-biblical Christian history.