1Thessalonians:4
Seeker Overlay ON
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:1 @{
Finally } (\
loipon \).
Accusative of general reference of \
loipos \,
as for the rest .
It does not mean actual conclusion ,
but merely a colloquial expression pointing towards the end (
Milligan )
as in strkjv @
2Corinthians:13:11 ;
strkjv @
2Timothy:4:8 |.
Songs :\
to loipon \
in strkjv @
2Thessalonians:3:1 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:3:1 ;
strkjv @
4:8 |. {
We beseech } (\
er
t
men \).
Not "
question "
as in ancient Greek ,
but as often in N .
T . (
1Thessalonians:5:12 ;
strkjv @
2Thessalonians:2:1 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:4:3 |)
and also in papyri to make urgent request of one . {
How ye ought } (\
to p
s dei hum
s \).
Literally ,
explanatory articular indirect question (\
to p
s \)
after \
parelab
te \
according to common classic idiom in Luke (
Luke:1:62 ;
strkjv @
22:2 ,
4 ,
23 ,
24 |)
and Paul (
Romans:8:26 |). {
That ye abound } (\
hina perisseu
te \).
Loose construction of the \
hina \
clause with present subjunctive after two subordinate clauses with \
kath
s \ (
as ,
even as )
to be connected with "
beseech and exhort ." {
More and more } (\
mallon \).
Simply {
more },
but added to same idea in \
perisseu
te \.
See also verse 11 |.
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:2 @{
What charge } (\
tinas paraggelias \).
Plural ,
charges or precepts ,
command (
Acts:16:24 |),
prohibition (
Acts:5:28 |),
right living (
1Timothy:1:5 |).
Military term in Xenophon and Polybius .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:3 @{
Your sanctification } (\
ho hagiasmos hum
n \).
Found only in the Greek Bible and ecclesiastical writers from \
hagiaz \
and both to take the place of the old words \
hagiz ,
hagismos \
with their technical ideas of consecration to a god or goddess that did not include holiness in life .
Songs:Paul makes a sharp and pointed stand here for the Christian idea of sanctification as being "
the will of God " (
apposition )
and as further explained by the epexegetic infinitive {
that ye abstain from fornication } (\
apechesthai humas apo t
s porneias \).
Pagan religion did not demand sexual purity of its devotees ,
the gods and goddesses being grossly immoral .
Priestesses were in the temples for the service of the men who came .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:4 @{
That each one of you know how } (\
eidenai hekaston hum
n \).
Further epexegetic infinitive (
second perfect active ),
learn how and so know how (
learn the habit of purity ). {
To possess himself of his own vessel } (\
to heautou skeuos ktasthai \).
Present middle infinitive of \
ktaomai \,
to acquire ,
not \
kekt
sthai \,
to possess .
But what does Paul mean by "
his own vessel "?
It can only mean his own body or his own wife .
Objections are raised against either view ,
but perhaps he means that the man shall acquire his own wife "
in sanctification and honour ,"
words that elevate the wife and make it plain that Paul demands sexual purity on the part of men (
married as well as unmarried ).
There is no double standard here .
When the husband comes to the marriage bed ,
he should come as a chaste man to a chaste wife .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:5 @{
Not in the passion of lust } (\
m
en pathei epithumias \).
Plain picture of the wrong way for the husband to come to marriage . {
That know not God } (\
ta m
eidota ton theon \).
Second perfect participle of \
oida \.
The heathen knew gods as licentious as they are themselves ,
but not God .
One of the reasons for the revival of paganism in modern life is professedly this very thing that men wish to get rid of the inhibitions against licentiousness by God .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:6 @{
That no man transgress } (\
to m
huperbainein \).
Old verb to go beyond .
Final use of \
to \ (
accusative of general reference )
and the infinitive (
negative \
m \),
parallel to \
apechesthai \
and \
eidenai ktasthai \
above . {
And wrong his brother } (\
kai pleonektein ton adelphon autou \).
To take more ,
to overreach ,
to take advantage of ,
to defraud . {
In the matter } (\
en t
i pragmati \).
The delicacy of Paul makes him refrain from plainer terms and the context makes it clear enough as in strkjv @
2Corinthians:7:11 | (\
t
i pragmati \). {
An avenger } (\
ekdikos \).
Regular term in the papyri for legal avenger .
Modern men and women need to remember that God is the avenger for sexual wrongs both in this life and the next .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:7 @{
Not for uncleanness ,
but in sanctification } (\
epi akatharsi
i all '
en hagiasm
i \).
Sharp contrast made still sharper by the two prepositions \
epi \ (
on the basis of )
and \
en \ (
in the sphere of ).
God has "
called "
us all for a decent sex life consonant with his aims and purposes .
It was necessary for Paul to place this lofty ideal before the Thessalonian Christians living in a pagan world .
It is equally important now .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:8 @{
Therefore } (\
toigaroun \).
This old triple compound particle (\
toi ,
gar ,
oun \)
is in the N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Hebrews:12:1 |.
Paul applies the logic of the case . {
He that rejecteth } (\
ho athet
n \).
This late verb (
Polybius and LXX )
is from \
a-thetos \ (\
a \
privative and verbal of \
tith
mi \,
to proscribe a thing ,
to annul it . {
But God } (\
alla ton theon \).
Paul sees this clearly and modern atheists see it also .
In order to justify their licentiousness they do not hesitate to set aside God .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:9 @{
Concerning love of the brethren } (\
peri t
s philadelphias \).
Late word ,
love of brothers or sisters .
In profane Greek (
one papyrus example )
and LXX the word means love of those actually kin by blood ,
but in the N .
T .
it is the kinship in the love of Christ as here . {
Are taught by God } (\
theodidaktoi este \).
Only here and ecclesiastical writers .
Passive verbal adjective in \-
tos \
from \
didask \
as if \
theo -\
in ablative case like \
didaktoi theou \ (
John:6:45 |). {
To love one another } (\
eis to agap
in all
lous \).
Another example of \
eis to \
and the infinitive .
Only those taught of God keep on loving one another ,
love neighbours and even enemies as Jesus taught (
Matthew:5:44 |).
Note the use of \
agapa \,
not \
phile \.
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:10 @{
Ye do it } (\
poieite auto \).
The \
auto \
refers to \
to agap
in all
lous \ (
to love one another ).
Delicate praise .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:11 @{
That ye study to be quiet } (\
philotimeisthai h
suchazein \).
First infinitive dependent on \
parakaloumen \ (
verse 10 |,
we exhort you ),
the second on \
philotimeisthai \ (
old verb from \
philotimos \,
fond of honour , \
philos ,
tim \).
The notion of ambition appears in each of the three N .
T .
examples (
1Thessalonians:4:11 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:5:9 ;
strkjv @
Romans:5:20 |),
but it is ambition to do good ,
not evil .
The word ambition is Latin (
_ambitio_
from _ambo
,
ire_
),
to go on both sides to accomplish one '
s aims and often evil ).
A preacher devoid of ambition lacks power .
There was a restless spirit in Thessalonica because of the misapprehension of the second coming .
Songs:Paul urges an ambition to be quiet or calm ,
to lead a quiet life ,
including silence (
Acts:11:18 |). {
To do your own business } (\
prassein ta idia \).
Present infinitive like the others ,
to have the habit of attending to their own affairs (\
ta idia \).
This restless meddlesomeness here condemned Paul alludes to again in strkjv @
2Thessalonians:3:11 |
in plainer terms .
It is amazing how much wisdom people have about other people '
s affairs and so little interest in their own . {
To work with your own hands } (\
ergazesthai tais chersin hum
n \).
Instrumental case (\
chersin \).
Paul gave a new dignity to manual labour by precept and example .
There were "
pious "
idlers in the church in Thessalonica who were promoting trouble .
He had commanded them when with them .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:12 @{
That ye may walk honestly } (\
hina peripat
te eusch
mon
s \).
Present subjunctive (
linear action ).
Old adverb from \
eusch
m
n \ (\
eu ,
sch
ma \,
Latin _habitus_
,
graceful figure ),
becomingly ,
decently .
In N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Romans:13:13 |.
This idea includes honest financial transactions ,
but a good deal more .
People outside the churches have a right to watch the conduct of professing Christians in business ,
domestic life ,
social life ,
politics .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:13 @{
We would not have } (\
ou thelomen \).
We do not wish . {
You ignorant } (\
humas agnoein \).
Old word ,
not to know (\
a \
privative , \
gno -\,
root of \
gin
sk \).
No advantage in ignorance of itself . {
Concerning them that fall asleep } (\
peri t
n koim
men
n \).
Present passive (
or middle )
participle (
Aleph B )
rather than the perfect passive \
kekoim
men
n \
of many later MSS .
From old \
koima \,
to put to sleep .
Present tense gives idea of repetition ,
from time to time fall asleep .
Greeks and Romans used this figure of sleep for death as Jesus does (
John:11:11 |)
and N .
T .
generally (
cf .
our word _cemetery_
).
Somehow the Thessalonians had a false notion about the dead in relation to the second coming . {
Even as the rest which have no hope } (\
kath
s hoi loipoi hoi m
echontes elpida \).
This picture of the hopelessness of the pagan world about the future life is amply illustrated in ancient writings and particularly by inscriptions on tombs (
Milligan ).
Some few pagans clung to this hope ,
but most had none .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:14 @{
For if we believe } (\
ei gar pisteuomen \).
Condition of first class ,
assuming the death and resurrection of Jesus to be true . {
In Jesus } (\
dia tou I
sou \).
Literally ,
through or by means of Jesus .
It is amphibolous in position and can be taken either with \
tous koim
thentas \ (
that are fallen asleep in or through Jesus )
like \
hoi koim
thentes en Christ
i \
in strkjv @
1Corinthians:15:18 |
and probably correct or with \
axei \ (
through Jesus with God ). {
With him } (\
sun aut
i \).
Together with Jesus .
Jesus is the connecting link (\
dia \)
for those that sleep (\
koim
thentas \
first aorist passive ,
but with middle sense )
and their resurrection .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:15 @{
By the word of the Lord } (\
en log
i Kuriou \).
We do not know to what word of the Lord Jesus Paul refers ,
probably Paul meaning only the point in the teaching of Christ rather than a quotation .
He may be claiming a direct revelation on this important matter as about the Lord '
s Supper in strkjv @
1Corinthians:11:23 |.
Jesus may have spoken on this subject though it has not been preserved to us (
cf .
strkjv @
Mark:9:1 |). {
Ye that are alive } (\
h
meis hoi z
ntes \).
Paul here includes himself ,
but this by no means shows that Paul knew that he would be alive at the Parousia of Christ .
He was alive ,
not dead ,
when he wrote . {
Shall in no wise precede } (\
ou m
phthas
men \).
Second aorist active subjunctive of \
phthan \,
to come before ,
to anticipate .
This strong negative with \
ou m \ (
double negative )
and the subjunctive is the regular idiom (
Robertson ,
_Grammar_
,
p .
929 ).
Hence there was no ground for uneasiness about the dead in Christ .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:16 @{
With a shout } (\
en keleusmati \).
Note this so-called instrumental use of \
en \.
Old word ,
here only in N .
T .,
from \
keleu \,
to order ,
command (
military command ).
Christ will come as Conqueror . {
With the voice of the archangel } (\
en ph
n
i archaggelou \).
Further explanation of \
keleusmati \ (
command ).
The only archangel mentioned in N .
T .
is Michael in strkjv @
Jude:1:9 |.
But note absence of article with both \
ph
n
i \
and \
archaggelou \.
The reference may be thus indefinite . {
With the trump of God } (\
en salpiggi theou \).
Trumpet .
See same figure in strkjv @
1Corinthians:15:52 |. {
The dead in Christ shall rise first } (\
hoi nekroi en Christ
i anast
sontai pr
ton \). {
First }
here refers plainly to the fact that ,
so far from the dead in Christ having no share in the Parousia ,
they will rise before those still alive are changed .
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:17 @{
Then } (\
epeita \).
The next step ,
not the identical time (\
tote \),
but immediately afterwards . {
Together with them } (\
hama sun autois \).
Note both \
hama \ (
at the same time )
and \
sun \ (
together with )
with the associative instrumental case \
autois \ (
the risen saints ). {
Shall be caught up } (\
harpag
sometha \).
Second future passive indicative of \
harpaz \,
old verb to seize ,
to carry off like Latin _rapio_
. {
To meet the Lord in the air } (\
eis apant
sin tou Kuriou eis aera \).
This special Greek idiom is common in the LXX like the Hebrew ,
but Polybius has it also and it occurs in the papyri (
Moulton ,
_Proleg_
.,
p .
14 ,
n .
3 ).
This rapture of the saints (
both risen and changed )
is a glorious climax to Paul '
s argument of consolation . {
And so } (\
kai hout
s \).
This is the outcome ,
to be forever with the Lord ,
whether with a return to earth or with an immediate departure for heaven Paul does not say .
To be with Christ is the chief hope of Paul '
s life (
1Thessalonians:5:10 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:23 ;
strkjv @
Colossians:3:4 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:5:8 |).
rwp @
1Thessalonians:4:18 @{
With these words } (\
en tois logois toutois \).
In these words .
They were a comfort to the Thessalonians as they still comfort the people of God .