1 Thessalonians - 3

1 Thessalonians – 3

Introduction

3:10

Paul wants to fill in the gaps of their faith. As we looked last week, what are those gaps? Could it be a lack of hope? After praising them in 1:3 for faith, love, and hope, Paul reports on Timothy’s report in 3:6 about their faith and love, but no mention of their hope.

Now the letter turns to the practical. Following typical pattern, establishes Gospel, then turns to the implications. Ethics.

“One of the great weaknesses of contemporary evangelical Christianity is our comparative neglect of Christian ethics, in both our teaching and our practice. In consequence, we have become known rather as people who preach the gospel than as those who live and adorn it. We are not always conspicuous in the community, as we should be, for our respect for the sanctity and the quality of human life, our commitment to social justice, our personal honesty and integrity in business, our simplicity of lifestyle and happy contentment in contrast to the greed of the consumer society, or for the stability of our homes in which unfaithfulness and divorce are practically unknown and children grow up in the secure love of their parents. At least in the statistics of marriage and family life, Jewish performance is higher than that of Christians. One of the main reasons for this is that our churches do not (on the whole) teach ethics. We are so busy preaching the gospel that we seldom teach the law. We are also afraid of being branded ‘legalists’. ‘We are not under the law’, we say piously, as if we were free to ignore and even disobey it. Whereas what Paul meant is that our acceptance before God is not due to our observance of the law. But Christians are still under obligation to keep God’s moral law and commandments. Indeed, the purpose of Christ’s death was that ‘the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us’, and the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling in our heart is that he might write God’s law there.”[1]

4:1-2

v. 1

finally – better translated as “and now…”

urge – paraclete

live in a way – peripateo – walk, lifestyle (comes up again in v. 12, forming

an inclusio)

pleases God – aresko – win favor, flatter, give pleasure to

-Jesus lived to please God ()

-desires his followers to do the same

-2:4 – Paul’s purpose is to please God

-alternative is to displease God (2:15)

-goal isn’t to obey law, but please the Law-Giver (motivation)

more and more – always room for growth

-wherever you are, God doesn’t want you there.

v. 2

you remember – can reconstruct Paul’s original teaching to them

4:1 – we urged you

4:2 – what we taught you

4:6 – as we have warned you before

4:11 – just as we instructed you before

we taught you – parangelas – lit. gospeled alongside you

-military command; civil order by a court (authority)

- “in the name of the Lord Jesus” ()

-not only is Paul’s Gospel God’s Word, his instructions are Christ’s

commands

Gets specific for rest of the chapter. He will talk about sexual ethics (convenient since we just looked at on Sunday). He will cover their work, and then their hope.

3:12-13

His prayer there sets the tone and direction. Love, holiness. And if their gap is hope, he ends there with a bang. Theologian J.E. Frame linked the rest of this chapter with 5:14.

Warn those who are lazy – work in 4:9-12

Encourage those who are timid – hope in 4:13-18

Take tender care of those who are weak – sexual sin in 4:3-8

All of this teaching is under the main heading of v. 1-2 on Pleasing God. To please God we must:

1. CONTROL OURSELVES (4:3-8)

4:3-8

v. 3

God’s will – thelema – desire

-usually very general, rarely specific

;

holy – hagiosmos – sanctified/saint

Stay away from – apechesthai – a=no, echo=have/hold

Sexual sin - porneias

John Stott - “It is not surprising that the apostle begins with sex, not only because it is the most imperious of all our human urges, but also because of the sexual laxity—even promiscuity—of the Graeco-Roman world. Besides, he was writing from Corinth to Thessalonica, and both cities were famed for their immorality. In Corinth Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sex and beauty, whom the Romans identified with Venus, sent her servants out as prostitutes to roam the streets by night. Thessalonica, on the other hand, was particularly associated with the worship of deities called the Cabiri, in whose rites ‘gross immorality was promoted under the name of religion’. It may be doubted, however, whether Corinth and Thessalonica were any worse than other cities of that period in which it was widely accepted that men either could not or would not limit themselves to their wife as their only sexual partner.” [2]

Professor F. F. Bruce sums up the situation:

“A man might have a mistress (hetaira) who could provide him also with intellectual companionship; the institution of slavery made it easy for him to have a concubine (pallakē), while casual gratification was readily available from a harlot (pornē). The function of his wife was to manage his household and to be the mother of his legitimate children and heirs.”[3]

v. 4

the beginning of v. 4 is the most difficult phrase in the entire letter to translate. Most of your bibles will have a footnote or page note about it. There are two primary options for how to translate this verse.

It literally translates: Each of you should learn to take possession of/acquire his own vessel in holiness and honor.

Problems comes down to two words in particular – verb for take possession or acquire, and skeuos the noun for vessel. Does the verb mean possess or acquire? It can mean both depending on context. Does skeuos mean wife or himself?

- Each person should take possession of their own body. A figurative way to refer to self-control.

- Each person should acquire a wife.

Skeuos is used to refer to human beings numerous times in the Bible. Though it literally translates as vessel, and it used for bowls, cups, etc.

– Paul is God’s chosen instrument

– we are earthen vessels/jars of clay

– used for flatware and people

– wife is weaker vessel

Personally believe it is a reference to obtaining a spouse (more literal translations fall to this interpretation). NLT chooses the self-control interpretation, which is a good one too. I believe this verse is an early iteration of the more developed teaching in .

Either way this goes, Paul’s point is clear…God is opposed to any kind of sexual immorality. John Stott continues: “Paul’s first principle, then, is that heterosexual and monogamous marriage is the only context in which God intends sexual intercourse to be experienced, and indeed enjoyed. The corollary is that it is forbidden in every other context, whether with a heterosexual partner before marriage (‘fornication’) or outside marriage (‘adultery’), or in a homosexual relationship.”[4]

v. 5

-this is to be done in opposition/contrast to those who do not know God

Lustful passion – epithymias – extreme desire or longing

Good uses in bible:

– hunger of the Prodigal Son

– Jesus’ longing to eat Passover meal

– Paul longing to be with Jesus

– Elders who desire to have the position

Negative uses in bible:

– look with lust commit adultery

– Parable of Sower, desire for other things

– shameful hearts desires

– used to live by inclination of sinful nature

– desire is root of all other sin

pagan – ethne – nations/Gentiles

-we would call this “theological ethics”, driven by our knowledge of God. Those who know God should live noticeably different than those who have no knowledge of God.

v. 6

harm – hyperbanein – beyond bounds, used for trespassing, cross line

-only 1x used in NT

cheat – pleonektain – defraud, exploit

violating his wife – not in the text, goes back to their interpretation

-believer cheated could be the spouse

-believer cheated could be the Christian you sleep with sinfully

Lord avenges – ekdikos – lit. bringer of righteousness/justice

;

– don’t take revenge

– government leaders are God’s avengers

v. 7

God has called – ekalesen – same root word as “church”

Holy – hagiasmos

Impure – akatharsia – not healthy, helpful (cathardic)

v. 8

refuse/disobey/reject – all same word

- atheton – reject, nullify/declare invalid

Paul’s entire point is about personal holiness:

- God’s call is one to holiness (v. 7)

- God’s will is to be holy (v. 3)

- God’s Spirit is holy (v. 8)

- God’s judgment falls on the unholy (v. 6)

2. LOVE ONE ANOTHER (4:9-12)

4:9-12

With these verses, Paul switches from chastity to charity, from caring for the weak to warning the lazy.

5:14 – word for lazy – ataktoi – army in disarray, undisciplined soldiers

-used in personal letter from AD 66 for son’s truancy from school

-Paul uses 4x in letters (4:11; 5:14; ,)

Work/laziness issue likely comes from a misunderstanding about Christ’s return (which drives chapters 4 and 5, and much of 2 Thessalonians). They fully expected Jesus to return in their lifetime, so some of them quit their job to wait. Jesus is taking his own sweet time, and they have become a burden on others due to their self-imposed unemployment.

His appeal to them is based on Christian love. V. 9 love is philadelphias, lit. loving the brothers. He uses a great word for ‘God himself taught’ you. Theodidaktoi – lit. God taught. And God has taught them to agape. God teaches undeserved, self-sacrificial love, so brotherly love should be no problem at all.

v. 10 they are already loving each other, but have room to grow. We urge you to do so more and more (abound). Again, there is always room for growth, no matter how good you are.

Live a quiet life – could render into English…make it your ambition to not be ambitious. Don’t make your life loud and all about yourself.

Mind your own business – they had quit jobs and had no business, so they are butting into other’s business.

Work with hands – Greek culture looked down on manual labor, something for slaves to do. But Paul has been reminding them of the importance of work:

1:3 – praises them for their work and labor

2:9 – his work for them day and night

3:3 – concern his work was in vain

Paul the tentmaker reinforced the example of Jesus the carpenter for them to see that it is good to work. Work honors the Lord and helps people.

And that is Paul’s concern as he writes this. We see it in v. 12 with the twofold purpose of living like this: First, this kind of lifestyle commands the respect of the pagan world. Don’t give the world an unnecessary reason to disrespect or dismiss your life. Second, you won’t depend on others. Again, his appeal is based on love for others…these self-imposed unemployed were parasites on the body of Christ. This isn’t referring to general unemployment, like those who want to work but can’t for various reasons. He is referring to those who can work but won’t.

3. HOPE IN CHRIST (4:13-18)

4:13-18

Again, much of this is driven by their misunderstanding of Christ’s return. They believe his return is imminent and will happen within their lifetime. But then some of their family and friends die before Jesus returns. What happens to them? Where are they? Are they going to miss out on the glory of Christ’s return?

These are questions they are asking, and have likely sent back with Timothy for Paul to answer. There is a phrase in Greek (per di) that shows what is coming is an answer to a question. Paul used in , now about the questions you asked…He uses it here in 4:9,13; 5:1.

v. 13

we want you to know – double negative…we don’t want you to be ignorant

-knowledge is the answer. Much fear, anxiety, problems come from

ignorance.

Believers who have died – word is for “sleep”

-uses in v. 13,14,15

-euphemistic way of referring to the dead

-stillness of body, rest from work, wake to a new day

- – Lazarus has fallen asleep; I go to wake him up.

-cemetery – Gk. sleeping place

-not reference to doctrine called soul sleep – allusion to physical death

Do not grieve like those who have no hope – not a condemnation of grief,

but of hopeless grief.

-differences in funerals I have done

-while there were vague concepts of afterlife in Greek/Roman culture

(Hades), nothing like the confident expectation of Christ’s return

and resurrection.

v. 14-15

these verses are likely an early creed – we believe…lit. have faith

-Jesus died (different word than sleep…no confusion over his death)

-rose again…we have hope

We grief with hope…what is our hope? The Gospel. Jesus died and rose. And he is returning (Gk. Parousia) to make the same happen for us.

“On the one hand, the word served as a cult expression for the coming of a hidden divinity, who makes his presence felt by a revelation of his power … On the other hand, parousia became the official term for a visit of a person of high rank, especially of kings and emperors visiting a province … These two technical expressions can approach each other closely in meaning, can shade off into one another, or even coincide.…”[5]

Jesus is going to return (hidden divinity becoming visible; king coming to his domain) …and is bringing with him the believers who have died.

-this creed covers three clauses…

Jesus (v. 14a)

Christian dead (v. 14b)

Christian living (v. 15)

So he covers the core of the Gospel, declares those who are dead in the Lord are ok, and that we get to come along too. V. 15 – we will not meet him ahead (precede) lit. have no benefit over…His point is that in life and in death, there is no separation from Christ.

Quick sidenote: when he says “we” who are still alive, he includes himself. Perhaps Paul thought Jesus’ return was going to be in his lifetime as well. Either way, you can sense his excitement and expectancy about Christ’s return (we will talk about that next week). After Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, ascension, giving of the Spirit, there is not another saving act of God until his return. This is the only remaining, final saving act of the Lord.

v. 16-17

make 4 positive affirmations about what happens.

must keep integrity of the text…add it other texts, but cannot form full doctrine of Jesus’ return from these verses.

1) Return (v. 16a)

It is the Lord himself, the same Jesus who died for them and rose from the grave. He is not sending some emissary. He himself is coming.

Commanding shout/voice of archangel (commanding troops of angels)/trumpet call of God – all likely the same sound

-announces the end and raises the dead

-commanding shout – to rise…Lazarus, come out.

2) Resurrection (v. 16b)

Believers who have died will rise from their graves.

-physical, bodily resurrection…not angels on clouds with harps

-at same time, who is coming back with Jesus? Those who have died.

How does that work? In Paul wrote that to be

absent from the body (dead) is to be present with the Lord. So

when a believer dies, they are ushered straight into the presence

of God. We find hope and comfort in that. No goofy stretches for

something like “soul sleep.” , poor man Lazarus, taken to

Abraham’s side.

So when Jesus returns, the souls of believers who have died come back with him. At the command to rise, their physical bodies are raised from the dead.

This is a view of death/eternity called “temporary heaven.” When we die we go to Heaven, where God is. But the Bible ends with God coming here, not the other way around. So we are in temporary heaven, come down with the Lord, are united with our physical (now transformed according to ) bodies. Then we await the judgment of the world, and the creation of the new heavens and new earth, where we will live with Jesus for all eternity.

Again, Heaven is not sitting on a cloud playing a harp. Nor is it a never ending worship service. It is life on a perfect, redeemed Earth, as God originally intended.

- renewal of all things (lit. new genesis)

-God’s original intent was the Garden of Eden…takes us back there.

3) Rapture (v. 17a)

“caught up” – Latin rapere – where the contemporary idea of “rapture” comes from. I am not convinced the Bible teaches a secret rapture of the Church, like in the contemporary movies/books. Does this sound secret to you here in 1 Thessalonians?

Caught up – harpagesometha – to take by force

– grasp/cling to

– evil one snatches seed away

– no one can snatch them out of my hand

– soldiers take Paul by force

All this means is that we are forcefully taken up off the earth to meet the Lord. And isn’t that a great phrase! He is coming down, and we are snatched up to meet him there.

-I think of that says “though you have not seen him” you

rejoice. That won’t be true anymore!

As the physical bodies of the dead in Christ rise, those still alive rise with them.

Meet - apentesis

‘When a dignitary paid an official visit (parousia) to a city in Hellenistic times, the action of the leading citizens in going out to meet him and escort him back on the final stage of his journey was called the apantēsis.’[6]

He calls us to the sky to meet him, and then accompany him down to the Earth that he will recreate, and rule over for all eternity.

4) Reunion (v. 17b)

17a – together with them…reunion with believers

17b – with the Lord forever

Regardless of an end time view…this is the most important aspect of it. We spend eternity with the Lord.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If time…these verses on sexual immorality (and ) are left out of the lectionary. We just ignore them to our peril.

The Revised Common Lectionary omits this passage, and reasons for that decision are not hard to surmise. Few preachers will relish the opportunity to talk about fornication during the Family Hour on Sunday morning, and those who do will do so badly[7]

[1] John R. W. Stott, The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel & the End of Time, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 76.

[2] John R. W. Stott, The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel & the End of Time, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 81.

[3] F.F. Bruce, Word Biblical Commentary: 1 & 2 Thesslonians (Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1982), 82.

[4] John R. W. Stott, The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel & the End of Time, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 84.

[5] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, translated and adapted by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, 2nd edition, revised and augmented by Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker from Bauer’s fifth edition, 1958 (University of Chicago Press, 1979).[5]

[6] Bruce, 102.

[7] Beverly Roberts Gaventa, First and Second Thessalonians, Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1998), 60.