Bible Commentaries
1 Thessalonians 5

Verses 1-28

(B) V 1-11 The Uncertainty of the Time of the Parousia— Having explained the identity of the lot of the living and of the dead at the moment of the Parousia, St Paul now deals with the second question: Is the Parousia close at hand?

1-2. Neither the time in general nor the particular date can be known; cf.Matthew 24:43. The Parousia is the supreme ’day of the Lord’. 3. It is abundantly clear that St Paul had the thought of Matthew 24:36-51 before his mind when he wrote this answer. The Parousia will be as catastrophic as the Deluge and as unheralded and as sudden as the visit of the thief in the night.

4-8. No one can escape the visitation, but it is possible to be ready for it whenever it comes, and to live in a state of watchfulness. As Christians belong to the light and to the day and not to the darkness of sin they will confidently await ’the day of the Lord’, provided they have been ever watchful and sober and have put on the armour of the three theological virtues. 9. ’but unto the acquisition of salvation’, to which God predestines all believers. 10. In any case whether alive or dead when he comes matters nothing in comparison with living with Jesus (in heaven) afterwards.

12-14 Exhortations to Laity and Clergy— 12-13. The laity are invited to respect and love the hierarchy set by St Paul to work among, rule over, and advise them.

14. ’rebuke the disorderly’: cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:6. The Greek ?ta?t?? literally refers to a soldier who breaks ranks. The hierarchy in Thessalonica, probably as yet only priests and deacons, are to be conscientious, patient and universally charitable.

15-18. Four general directions, summarizing the Christian life, for the practice of charity, joy, prayer and thanksgiving.

19-21. Brief advice on the treatment of charismata at liturgical assemblies, cf. 1 Cor 12 and 14, where he treats of ’prophesying’ and the ’speaking with tongues’, etc., at much greater length. ’Extinguish not the Spirit’: ’do not suppress’ such manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

23-28 Final Prayers and Requests— 23. ’that your entire spirit and soul and body may be preserved free from all defect. . .’ This passage does not prove that St Paul believed in a trichotomy or threefold division of the human being, as opposed to the dichotomy or twofold division he follows elsewhere, cf. Prat, La Théologie de Saint Paul, 192512, II, 61, 173-4 . 490-2. For him p?e??µa is the material body, ????? the, soul, the principle of the sensible life and seat of the passions. p?e??µa on the other hand, is the most elevated part of the soul by which it resembles God, i.e. the reason informed by grace.

26: cf.Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, doubtless, the origin of the liturgical kiss of peace. 27. He demands that the epistle be publicly read so that it may reach the ears of all in the Thessalonian church.