Bible Commentaries
1 Thessalonians 4

Verses 1-2

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 1 Thessalonians 4:1

Several translations (NAS, NAB, NKJ) start off with the word "Finally" here. When we hear the word "finally" today we assume that the writer or speaker is about to end. The Greek words are lipon oun, and they can be translated "And now,"^(F1) or as the NIV has it here, "As for other matters." Obviously, Paul is not yet ready to end.

Paul had instructed them how to live and please God and it looks like they were doing just that. However, in the Christian life we can never rest on our laurels. We must press on and continue in all the good things of the gospel. It is like riding a bicycle. We go on or we go off The apostle urged these new Christians to continue; to do more and more.

The word for "live" seen here is the Greek peripateo, and it literally means to "walk." This corresponds very well to the word halak in Hebrew. The manner in which one walks in the Jewish faith is called halakhah. We see here that there is also a Christian halakhah or walk. The New Testament speaks of this in many places. We are not to walk as other Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17), but we are to walk in love (Ephesians 5:2) and to walk as the children of light (Ephesians 5:8).^(F2) Proverbs gives some good advice about our walk, "Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil" (Proverbs 4:25-27).

Paul continues, saying, "For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus" (4:2). He gives us an interesting peek into what we might call "apostolic teaching." In the Thessalonian epistles he refers to this several times, and has just spoken of it in the preceding verse. He often uses the expression "you know," implying that the Thessalonian Christians had the information given to them originally (1 Thessalonians 2:5,11; 3:3,4; 4:2; 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:6; 3:7). This apostolic teaching was very important to the first church for we see how – "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). They instantly became a powerful church.

The apostle was with the new Thessalonian assembly only a short time. We know that he only ministered in the synagogue there for three Sabbaths (Acts 17:2). Yet, a vigorous church was born and made its presence known throughout Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:7). How do we explain this? Today it seems to take months and even years for a new church to stand on its own feet in our western world. Their immediate success was partly through the power of the Holy Spirit but it also due to apostolic teaching. We have that teaching available to us today, but we so seldom seem to pay attention to it. Of course, it is found largely in the epistles of the New Testament.

Paul was like a loving father but he was in another sense like a military commander, and his authority came from the Lord himself. Sometimes Paul acted much like a drill sergeant in the army as he barked commands.

Verses 3-8

GOD'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Often we hear Christians saying things like this, "I sure wish I knew God's will for my life." Hello! Here it is plain and simple. It is God's will that we all be sanctified. Sanctification (Gk. hagiasmos) is an important word in the Bible. Elias points out that the word appears three times in eight verses here.^(F3) Holmes relates how sanctification can be either a state or condition of holiness as well as a process leading up to holiness.^(F4) When we come in faith and repentance to Jesus for our salvation we are instantly sanctified. The blood of Jesus covers all our sins (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:10,14). However, as we continue our walk with Christ we are to be involved in a constant process of sanctification. The method God uses is by his word (John 17:17), by the continuing actions of his Holy Spirit and his blood (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 1:7,9). So we have positional sanctification and progressive sanctification. Jesus does not just want to declare us holy, but he wants to really make us holy in thought, word and deed.

God said to his people of old, "…Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). It is abundantly clear that this command is carried over into the New Testament (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:15-16). In Hebrews 12:14, the author warns us with these words, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

A common area where people fall flat regarding sanctification is the area of sexual impurity. This was a horrendous problem for people in the First Century. For instance, the people of Thessalonica were coming fresh out of paganism. In many pagan religions people worshipped their gods in sexual ways. Pagan shrines were littered with "holy" prostitutes and "holy" homosexuals. Stott speaks of how both Corinth and Thessalonica were famous or rather infamous for their immorality. He says of Thessalonica that it was "particularly associated with the worship of deities called the Cabiri, in whose rites gross immorality was promoted under the name of religion."^(F5)

The whole manner of life in the Greek world reflected a total misunderstanding of sexuality. Barclay gives us an insight into family life saying, "In Greece, immorality had always been quite blatant. Long ago Demosthenes had written: 'We keep prostitutes for pleasure; we keep mistresses for the day-to-day needs of the body; we keep wives for the begetting of children and for the faithful guardianship of our homes.' So long as a man supported his wife and family there was no shame whatsoever in extra-marital relationships."^(F6)

So the new believers in Thessalonica were brought directly out of paganism and thrust into a religion where people were called to be holy and sanctified. We have a similar problem today since we are once again beginning to live in what is called "neo-paganism." In our day the "new morality" is intent on reviving all the old morality, with its sexual abuse and perversion. We need to be reminded of Paul's clear words in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "…Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

In 4:3, the word Paul uses for sexual impurity is porneia. Morris remarks about this word saying that it strictly means "fornication." However, in New Testament times its usage was broadened out to mean any type of sexual sin.^(F7) Today that word forms the basis of our ever-present "pornography" or "porn." As early as 2007 the Nielson ratings revealed that already a quarter of internet searches had to do with pornography, and that roughly one quarter of all users in the US had visited a porn site. The Atlantic magazine which reflected these figures remarked, "…the new world of porn is revealing eternal truths about men and women."^(F8)

Porneia in its common form of "porn" may well be one of the biggest problems faced by our modern and postmodern churches. Other studies suggest that as high as 50 percent of Christians sitting in the pews are looking at pornography, and upwards to 40 percent of the clergy have acknowledged visiting sexually explicit sites.^(F9) Stott sighs here saying, "One of the great weaknesses of contemporary evangelical Christianity is our comparative neglect of Christian ethics, in both our teaching and our practice."^(F10) Obviously a lot of Christians have forgotten to put on their helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17), that mind protector which Christ has given us all.

Paul continues saying, "that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; (4:4-5). Through the centuries, this has been a problematic verse regarding its translation. Stott affirms that, "The first half of verse 4 contains the most difficult phrase in the whole letter."^(F11) The problem comes with two Greek words, skeous (meaning body or wife) and ktaomai (meaning to control, or procure). Stott spotlights some of the problems in translation saying that if skeous is translated as wife it appears to speak of both the woman and marriage in a derogatory manner. He notes how other scholars prefer to see skeous as a reference to the body. However, a parallel use of skeous for body is not found. He notes that regarding the body as a container for the soul is a Greek concept and not a biblical one. He states that there are difficulties with both renderings.^(F12)

Stott also notes regarding ktaomai that since it normally means "to procure for oneself, acquire or get," it cannot easily be applied to our body, since we already possess that.^(F13) So, like many interpreters of old, we are left in a quandary. It is possible that there is good sound biblical meaning in either translation and we will have to leave it there.

The Bible demands that Christians have control over their bodies and it also demands that marriages be kept sacred and free from adultery. Bodies are to be kept in sanctification and honor as this verse tells us. We absolutely must not be led astray by the pagans around us.

Since the rebellious 1960s, the so-called new morality has essentially taken over in our western societies. This new morality unfortunately has no basis in reality. People say that sex is a private matter between two consenting adults and is therefore not the business of anyone else. The raw truth is that sex usually becomes the business of others in the matters of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, disrupted families, and sometimes in legal tangles. Illicit sex often becomes everyone's business as in the case of David and Bathsheba. It grew into a national scandal and David tried desperately to cover it up by having the defrauded husband murdered.

There are two really big problems with sexual immorality. First of all, it is an insult to the Almighty God who is the Creator of human beings. Second, sexual immorality simply does not work. By the way, this is true with all sins, be they great or small. People have been trying for ages to make adultery work. It has never worked and it never will, regardless of whatever nice names we wish to call it. It brings disaster to the families involved, disaster to the individuals, disaster to the community and especially the churches involved. It leaves its participants feeling like the cheaters they really are. It is horribly destructive to children. It leaves the participants as violators of one of the most sacred covenants on earth, and it leaves them with life-long guilt feelings that cannot be eased.

The seventh commandment builds a wall to keep out this awful sin. It says, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). Proverbs 6:32-33 speaks of an adulterous man in these unflattering words, "But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away." Stedman reminds us of that old hymn of the church:

Rise up, O men of God,
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of Kings.^(F14)

Paul now concludes his very long sentence, "and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before" (4:6). We need to pause here and try to recover in our minds the biblical concept of marriage and family. Marriage was not invented by the Justice of the Peace or by civil government. God created marriage. God made it for the enjoyment and bliss of the married couple, and in order that godly children could be brought forth from their sexual union (Malachi 2:15). There are only three partners to a godly marriage and these are God, the husband and the wife. There can be no other parties. Marriage is a holy covenant that must not be broken for life (Malachi 2:14). What God has joined together must not be separated (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9).

We have some interesting Greek words in this sentence. The first is the verb hperbaino, and it has to do with "crossing a boundary" into forbidden territory. It involves trespassing into sexual territory that is not one's own.^(F15) The second word is pleonekteo and it has to do with coveting or desiring to possess.^(F16) Commentators have long noted that greed and sexual sin have a close connection (cf. Ephesians 4:19; 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5). The really tragic thing here is that through sexual sins we can even defraud a Christian brother or sister.

It would be good for us to understand how sexual sins defraud others. Guzik says, "When we are sexually immoral, we take advantage of and defraud others and we cheat them in greater ways than we can imagine. The adulterer defrauds his mate and children. The fornicator defrauds his future mate and children, and both defraud their illicit partner."^(F17) The "golden-mouthed" ancient preacher, John Chrysostom commented about adultery saying, "…it is more cruel than any robbery; for we grieve less when robbed of our riches than when our marriage is invaded."^(F18) Morris goes on to state of the fornicator, "the impure person cannot bring to the marriage that virginity that is the other's due."^(F19)

Because we have only one word for love in our English language, this can sometimes become confusing. A young suitor can say "if you love me you will have sex with me." This is speaking of the Greek eros type of love, which has to do more with sexual exploitation (sexploitation).^(F20) It has nothing to do with the agape kind of love which only builds the other person up and which wishes for the good of the other person. For those who trespass in the sexual area there is much sorrow, heartbreak and life-long guilt. Even if the young promiscuous couple gets married, their relationship is off to a rocky start and will likely have problems developing later.

There are a host of other evil possibilities that can arise, including abortion, in an attempt to hide an unwanted pregnancy. New statistics reveal the horribly damaging effects of this operation. It is now clear that some 90 percent of women who have an abortion suffer grave emotional and psychiatric stress, with 10 percent requiring psychiatric hospitalization or other kinds of professional treatment. Some 30,000 of these women each year have emotional trauma that is severe enough to render them unable to work.^(F21)

We can see by these things that the highly promoted "free love" that our society so much acclaims is not free at all. It is horribly expensive. These sexual encounters before marriage, or adultery within marriage, are by no means expressions of real love. Rather, they are sexploitations which do a great deal of harm in our families, our society and our churches.

"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit" (4:7-8). Any type of illicit sex, unholy sexual relationships, pornography and the like make us spiritually unclean. Selfish sexual habits like masturbation also render us unclean, despite what some Christian teachers say. We see in scripture that if a male had a nocturnal emission he was required to go outside the camp of Israel (Deuteronomy 23:10). In other words, he was rendered unclean. God wants us to be clean and pure in heart, mind and body. It is said in the Phillips translation of scripture, "It is not for nothing that the Spirit God gives us is called the Holy Spirit."^(F22)

Verses 9-12

BROTHERLY LOVE

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 1 Thessalonians 4:9

When we become Christians, the love of God is poured out into our hearts (Romans 5:5). With this, we begin to really love our Christian brothers and sisters. Paul is speaking here of the philadelphias kind of love, known as brotherly love. This is the glue that holds the church together. Wiersbe calls love the "circulatory system of the body of Christ."^(F23) It is interesting that the apostle declares that the people are God-taught to love one another. The Greek word is theodidaktoi, and it occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Holmes feels that this Greek word may have been coined by Paul himself.^(F24)

Love for one another is a biblical theme both exemplified and taught by Christ. He taught that we should love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31). In John 13:34, Jesus gave us a new commandment saying, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (cf. John 15:12).

Paul goes on to laud the people saying, "And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more," (4:10). Paul had already heard reports of how the Thessalonian church had impacted the areas of Achaia and Macedonia (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Kretzmann comments, "This passage is another masterpiece of pastoral exhortation, for it combines a ready acknowledgment of the progress already made in sanctification with a tactful reminder of the fact that the goal has not yet been reached…"^(F25) Clearly, we cannot love too much. We cannot even love enough.

The apostle continues, "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you," (4:11). Paul will speak more about it in the next section, but it appears that some folks were getting overly excited about the soon coming of the Lord. They were neglecting their normal work and upsetting others with their zeal.

The challenge to work with one's own hands was a rather new concept in the Greek culture. Morris comments, "Greeks despised manual labor; they saw it as an occupation fit for slaves. But the Christians (like the Jews) did not hesitate to insist on the dignity of manual work (cf. Ephesians 4:28)."^(F26) Paul had actually set the example by working with his hands as a tentmaker while he ministered in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:9; cf. Acts 18:3). In the Jewish/Christian tradition work was an honorable thing. Wiersbe remarks how God even gave Adam work to do in Paradise.^(F27) Through the centuries it was customary for Jewish fathers to teach their sons a trade so that they could earn an honest living.

Paul seems to be advising the Thessalonians to keep a low profile and to be as quiet as possible, minding their own business and doing their own work. Michael Brown quips about this, "One reason that Scripture urges us to mind our own business and to keep a good reputation with outsiders, is the gospel itself creates enough trouble of its own!"

The apostle gives good reason for his advice saying, "so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody" (4:12). Years ago I joined the insurance business with my father in his agency. I remember one day several people from a certain religious denomination passed by our business window. My dad said to me, "Don't ever do business with those folks because they do not pay their bills." What a poor testimony these religious people had in our small town! No doubt some of the excited Thessalonians were not paying their bills either. They were actually becoming a poor witness for the glorious gospel of Christ.

Early in America's history a Baptist preacher by the name of William Miller became convinced that the Lord would come very soon. Eventually, the date of October 22, 1844 was set for the Lord's appearance. This created quite a stir among the 50 to 100,000 of his followers. No doubt there were disruptions in their daily lives as they all awaited this date. Of course, the Lord did not come. It made them all the laughingstock of their neighbors. In Luke 19:13, Jesus says, "Do business till I come" (NKJ). We are to keep on working and presenting a good example while we wait for the Second Coming.

Verses 13-15

THE COMING OF THE LORD

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

It appears that Paul's original teaching on the coming of the Lord had caused some problems at Thessalonica, just as the teaching has done for some people since that time. Apparently a number of the members had passed away after Paul's visit, and the ones left behind were quite troubled that these dear departed ones might miss the Lord's coming entirely. It is even possible that some of the people understood that all believers were supposed to actually live to the Parousia or coming of the Lord.^(F28) It is this matter that the apostle primarily addresses. He does not get into the many other aspects of the last days. Some of these will be developed more fully in the next chapter and in his second epistle.

We need to realize that the new Christian believers were far better off than the pagans who had absolutely no hope beyond the grave. Morris gives us some pitiful examples of the hopelessness of the ancient masses. Here is a letter where one tries to console the bereaved:

Irene to Taonnophris and Philo, good comfort. I was as sorry and wept over the departed one as I wept for Didymas. And all things whatsoever were fitting, I die, and all mine, Epaphroditus and Thermuthion and Philion and Apollonius and Plantas. But, nevertheless, against such things one can do nothing. Therefore comfort ye one another.^(F29)

Aeschylus also wrote, "Once a man dies there is no resurrection." Theocritus said, "There is hope for those who are alive, but those who have died are without hope." Catullus noted, "When once our brief light sets, there is one perpetual night through which we must sleep." On their tombstones were such grim epitaphs as this one. "I was not; I became: I am not: I care not."^(F30)

Christians, despite their questions, had an unfailing hope in life beyond the grave. They knew that to die was gain (Philippians 1:21,23). They could even meet death with rejoicing. A certain writer, Aristides by name, said of the Christians, "And if any righteous man among them passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and they escort the body as if he were setting out from one place to another near."^(F31)

We note in this verse that Paul refers to death as "sleep" (cf. vs. 13, 14, & 15). Sleep was a common euphemism for death. Even our English word for "cemetery" is derived indirectly from the Greek word for sleep. We should understand that there is no concept of "soul sleep" here. Such a concept sees that the believer must wait in some sort of unconscious limbo until the Day of Resurrection.^(F32) It is the body that sleeps while the spirit lives on. We know from several scriptures that when the believer dies that person is immediately with the Lord (Philippians 1:23-24). It is interesting today that most of our funeral services use the words found from these passages to console the bereaved.^(F33)

It will help us to remember that Paul's focus here is on the pastoral and not on the theological. Utley says, "Doctrine is given, but only as it serves a godly lifestyle now!"^(F34) We see much the same thing in 1 Corinthians 15:58, where Paul says, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Paul continues on in his pastoral role to answer the specific questions the Thessalonians had in mind. He says, "For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him" (4:14). This bit of divine revelation certainly answered their urgent questions about the departed loved ones. Paul says that they will return with the Lord.

This brings us face to face with the subject of the Second Coming of the Lord, or the Parousia as it is called. Today there are many diverse opinions on this subject. Since the early 1800s there has been the idea of the Pretribulation Rapture. This doctrine proposes that there will actually be three comings, with one of them secret, where the Lord catches away his church. It would help us to understand that the early Christian writers knew nothing of three comings. Here are a few of their statements: Irenaeus around 180 said, "All the prophets announced his two advents…In the second one, he will come on the clouds, bringing on the day which burns as a furnace."^(F35) Obviously there is nothing secret about this coming.

Hipopolytus around 200 said, "The Scriptures indicate there will be two advents of our Lord and Savior. The one is his first advent in the flesh, which took place without honor…However, his second advent is foretold as being glorious, when he will come from heaven with the host of angels."^(F36)

Justin Martyr around 160 said:

The prophets have announced two advents of Christ. In the first one, which has already past, he came as a dishonored and suffering man. However, in the second advent, according to prophecy, he will come from heaven with glory, accompanied by his angelic host. At that time he will raise the bodies of all men who have lived.^(F37)

It is interesting that Justin also remarked that his Second Coming would happen when the "man of apostasy" is revealed. He was of course speaking of the antichrist.^(F38) Today many dear saints and pastors fervently believe in the secret Rapture of the church prior to the tribulation and we respect them for their belief. However, my wife and I grew up in the South or in what is called America's Bible Belt. We were raised in the church in two separate areas of the south. It is interesting that neither of us had ever heard of the Rapture until we were grown, married and living in New England. It is also interesting that the older Bible commentaries, even up to the early twentieth century did not speak of the Rapture.

So, it would be good for us to stick to the simple word of God and see what it says. It is not wise for us to try to implement a system of thought upon biblical passages. We should not insist on seeing the Bible through our doctrine-colored glasses or try to force some paradigm or template of thought on the sacred pages.

It is clear from these verses that the Second Coming of the Lord will be a glorious and public event (cf. vs. 16-17). Paul promises the bereaved of Thessalonica that their dear loved ones will accompany Jesus when he returns. This great truth is verified several places in scripture (cf. Zechariah 14:5; Romans 6:4; 8:11; 10:6; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Jude 1:14).

Utley comments, "Not only will they participate, they will receive their new bodies first and will accompany Jesus on the clouds of heaven."^(F39) For such reasons, John in Revelation 14:13 could say, "…Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on….."

"According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep" (4:15). This statement has puzzled a lot of commentators over the centuries, because there is no direct word of the Lord like this in the gospels. There are several explanations of where Paul came up with this teaching. It could have been an unrecorded word (Gk. logion) of the Lord that was circulating in the first century.^(F40) It could have been a statement of the contemporary Lord coming down through one of his apostles or prophets. Or it could have been a direct revelation to Paul (cf. Galatians 1:17; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4).^(F41)

Paul says clearly that those who remain alive until the coming of the Lord shall not in any way precede those who have died in the faith. This must have been great comfort to the Thessalonian bereaved saints regarding their loved ones. In older translations, the word now translated "precede" was often translated "prevent." Of course, this word has changed a lot in its meaning since earlier times. The older word "prevent," as seen in the King James Version, is now often translated "anticipate."^(F42)

Verses 16-18

EVENTS OF THE LORD'S COMING

For 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. 1 Thessalonians 4:16

There are some things we immediately notice from this verse. The coming of the Lord will be very public. It will be loud and unmistakable. It will not be a secret thing, and Jesus warns us about the idea of secrecy. In Matthew 24:26-27, the Lord says, "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the wilderness,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."

Let us look more specifically at Jesus' appearing. "The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command." Jesus is coming in person. This event is obviously universal and will be seen and heard throughout the earth. Let us first notice the loud command of the Lord (cf. John 5:28-29). The Greek word is keleusma, and it was used of a commander speaking to his soldiers; a ship master commanding his rowers; or a charioteer his horses. The word always has a ring of authority and urgency.^{Revelation 19:11-21)…. the trumpet blast which usually accompanies God's manifestation in glory" (Exodus 19:16; Psalm 47:5)…." (Jamieson, Faussett & Brown, v. 4:16).">(F43)} We can but imagine how this shout of the Master will petrify our world establishment. All the lies and make-believe with which our world system operates will, with this shout, suddenly dissipate. A very sinful world will then be exposed to the one whose eyes are like flames of fire. The cry and the desperation of lost people will be bitter (Revelation 6:15). Long ago John of Damascus (c. 675-749) said of this time, "Then after long seasons, Christ our God shall come to judge the world in awful glory, beyond words to tell."^(F44)

This loud command of Jesus is no doubt directed at the dead. It is a command for them to arise from the grave, just as Jesus once commanded the dead Lazarus, and he quickly came out of the tomb (John 11:43-44). It is this command that will bring forth the first resurrection. In the Bible we know that this resurrection is both blessed and holy (Revelation 20:6). This will be a resurrection of the righteous dead. From scripture we know that the unrighteous dead will come forth at a later resurrection, and that they will come forth to face judgment at the White Throne (Revelation 20:11-13).

We should note that there is a great difference between the Hebrew/New Testament understandings of the body and the Greek understanding. The whole idea of a resurrection of the dead body was foolishness to the Greek (Acts 17:32). Wiersbe says of the Greeks that

"…being rid of the body was their great hope…"^(F45) Those enlightened ones in the Old Testament knew that the dead would live again (Job 19:26; Isaiah 26:19; Psalm 23:6). However, it is in the New Testament that we really see the resurrection portrayed. Jesus by his life, death and resurrection brought immortality to light (2 Timothy 1:10). We know now that when Jesus appears the righteous dead will arise first with their immortal bodies and those who are still living will instantly have their bodies changed into immortal ones (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

We know that the resurrected body will be somewhat like the former body. However, just as a new plant springs from a dying seed, the resurrected body also will be much different than the old one (1 Corinthians 15:35-44). While there is continuity between seed and plant, there is a radical difference. The resurrection is not simply a reconstruction of the old body.^(F46)

Let us see what other elements are involved in Christ's coming. There will be the voice of the archangel. Actually, the Greek is not specific^(F47) and reads "a voice of an archangel." In Jewish tradition there were several archangels mentioned, like Uriel and Raphiel, but the Bible gives us the name of only one archangel, Michael (cf. Jude 9). He is the national angel of Israel (cf. Daniel 12:1).^(F48) The reformer Calvin says of Michael, "the archangel will discharge the office of a herald to summon the living and the dead to the tribunal of Christ. …He says nothing as to the reprobate, because this did not tend to the consolation of the pious, of which he is now treating…"^(F49)

The final element in the coming of the Lord is the loud trumpet call. The trumpet had many uses in Israel. It was used to gather the people of God, to move God's camps, to mark sacred seasons and times of rejoicing, and to declare war on the enemies (Numbers 10:2-10). Perhaps the most interesting use of trumpets was for the coronation of the kings of Israel (1 Kings 1:39). The sounding of the last trumpet seems to be a call for the coronation of the true King of all the earth, Jesus Christ the righteous one and the true ruler of all things. It is also clear that the sounding of this trumpet will expedite the raising of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:52).

"In the Roman Empire, trumpets were used to announce the arrival of a great person."^(F50) Clearly the last trumpet will be the greatest announcement in all of human history. With this trumpet call the angels will gather the elect from the four winds (Matthew 24:31).

With the voice of the Lord and the archangel and with the trumpet call, the dead in Christ will rise first of all (Gk. anastēsontai prōton). Thus we see that the dead in Christ will never be separated from Christ.^(F51) The Thessalonian believers could take great comfort from Paul's words. Of course, these same words are a great comfort for us today.

"After 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" (4:17). Obviously, despite the difficulty of the last days, some Christians will still be alive for the Lord's appearing. These will likely be the overcomers or the righteous remnant that Revelation speaks of. They will have finished the course and kept the faith despite all that the antichrist could bring against them. These will be instantly transformed to be like Christ and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The word caught up is an interesting one. It is the Greek harpazō meaning to seize, catch up or snatch away. Stott says that this word pictures a suddenness and violence like that when the Roman centurion and his soldiers rescued Paul by force from a lynch mob.^(F52)

Bible interpreters have long been intrigued by the force of this word. In fact, it is from this word that the whole Rapture concept has been derived.^{harpazō – future passive indicative), which implies a forceful 'snatching away' (cf. John 6:15; 10:12,28-29). This event is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52." (Utley, v. 4:17).">(F53)} It seems possible that the force here may picture the Lord's ragged and persecuted saints being snatched from the death machine of the antichrist at their very last moment. The Book of Daniel does picture the saints as being almost overcome by the evil one (Daniel 11:33).

We see that the saints will be snatched up into the clouds for their meeting with the Lord. In a very real sense, the Lord is returning in the clouds just as he departed in the clouds of heaven so long ago (Acts 1:9; Matthew 24:30). In the Bible, clouds are often depicted as a sort of triumphal chariot of God (Psalm 104:3; Daniel 7:13).^(F54) The fact that Jesus is meeting his church in the clouds or in the air seems significant. Pfeiffer and Harrison remark, "The absolute pre-eminence of Christ is underscored by his using the dwelling place of evil spirits (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12) for this rendezvous…"^(F55)

The Greek word to describe this meeting is apant"sis. There was a general understanding of this word in New Testament times. The word apant"sis derives from a particular political practice in the Greco-Roman world. Elias describes this background saying, "Whenever an emperor or other official came to a city for a formal visit, the local civic leaders normally headed a procession of its citizens so that they could meet an enthusiastically welcome the visiting dignitary to their city. Usually the meeting and formal greeting occurred outside the city gates. The leading city officials, followed by citizens, then escorted the distinguished visitor into the city for the celebrations or whatever business might be at hand."^(F56) It is interesting that the early Christian writer and preacher Chrysostom also confirms this usage of the word.^(F57)

We really need to pause and get the full picture here. According to meaning of this New Testament word, Christ the King will be coming to earth with his saints and angels. The redeemed of earth will be called up to meet him at his coming. The sense of this word is that the whole company will then continue on down to the earth where Christ will continue his judgment and remaking of this planet. The kingdom of God will then be established with his triumphant saints ruling on his behalf (Revelation 5:10). The purpose of his coming is to absolutely abolish all other rule and authority and to take over all things on earth.

As we can easily see, the Greek usage seems to dispute the whole concept of a Rapture, where the saints of God somehow escape from the doomed earth.^{apant"sis, which is used in the sense of meeting someone and then accompanying them (cf. Matthew 25:6; Acts 28:15). So believers meet the Lord and return to a recreated earth with Him!… heaven is depicted as a restored Garden of Eden (cf. Genesis 1-2 compared with Revelation 21-22)." (Utley, v. 4:17). Guzik clarifies, "The pre-tribulation rapture position believes believers are caught up before this final seven-year period…The mid-tribulation rapture position believes believers are caught up in the midst of this final seven-year period…The pre-wrath rapture position believes believers are caught up at some time in the second half of this final seven-year period. The post-tribulation rapture position believes believers are caught up at the end of this final seven-year period." (Guzik, v. 4:17).">(F58)} The whole movement of the last days is a movement from heaven to earth. The Lord is bringing his saints and angels in a triumphant procession. Heaven is in fact coming down to earth. The New Jerusalem will also soon come down as a bride adorned for her husband. In the process, both heaven and earth will be remade and cleansed and the meek shall then inherit the earth as the Lord himself has assured us (Matthew 5:5).

Of course, in these deep spiritual matters, we see dimly as through a glass or mirror. However, on that day we will see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). There are many things we do not understand about the Lord's coming and actually a number of things that are not mentioned here that are spoken of in other Bible passages. Morris warns us saying, "This is the fullest description of the Parousia in the New Testament, and when we reflect on the little that is said here we are warned against undue dogmatism about what will then happen."^(F59)

"Therefore encourage one another with these words" (4:18). We can imagine that the grieving loved ones at Thessalonica were greatly encouraged and even excited at this message from Paul. Barnes says, "1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 contains a truth which is to be found in no pagan classic writer, and nowhere else, except in the teachings of the New Testament…There is no description anywhere which is more sublime than that in the close of this chapter."^(F60) Elias says, "The good news being communicated in this passage is simpler and more profound than all the speculative scenarios which pious minds can build on the basis of their imaginative construal of a few highly symbolic texts."^(F61) Holmes adds, "Resurrection and the return of Jesus, for example, are events that are beyond the range of present human experience and which strain the ability of language to describe them."^(F62)