DFD 7-5 - 1 THESSALONIANS 4
1 THESSALONIANS: CHAPTER 4
PASSAGE DESCRIPTION
1 we. ch. 2:11. Ro. 12:1. 2 Co. 6:1; 10:1. Ep. 4:1. Phile. 9, 10. He. 13:22. we beseech. or, we request. exhort. or, beseech. by the. ver. 2. Ep. 4:20. 2 Th. 2:1. 1 Ti. 5:21; 6:13, 14. 2 Ti. 4:1. ye have. ver. 11, 12. Ac. 20:27. 1 Co. 11:23; 15:1. Phi. 1:27. Col. 2:6. 2 Th. 3:10–12. ye ought. See on ch. 2:12. to please. Ro. 8:8; 12:2. Ep. 5:17. Col. 1:10. He. 11:6; 13:16. 1 Jno. 3:22. so ye. ver. 10. Job 17:9. Ps. 92:14. Pr. 4:18. Jno. 15:2. 1 Co. 15:58. Phi. 1:9; 3:14. 2 Th. 1:3. 2 Pe. 1:5–10; 3:18.
2 Eze. 3:17. Mat. 28:20. 1 Co. 9:21. 2 Th. 3:6, 10.
3 this. ch. 5:18. Ps. 40:8; 143:10. Mat. 7:21; 12:50. Mar. 3:35. Jno. 4:34; 7:17. Ro. 12:2. Ep. 5:17; 6:6. Col. 1:9; 4:12. He. 10:36; 13:21. 1 Pe. 4:2. 1 Jno. 2:17. your. ver. 4; ch. 5:23. Jno. 17:17–19. Ac. 20:32; 26:18. Ro. 6:22. Gr. 1 Co. 1:30; 6:11. Ep. 5:26, 27. 2 Th. 2:13. Tit. 2:14. 1 Pe. 1:2. that. Mat. 15:19. Ac. 15:20, 29. Ro. 1:29. 1 Co. 5:9–11; 6:9, 10, 13–18; 7:2. 2 Co. 12:21. Ga. 5:19. Ep. 5:3–5. Col. 3:5. He. 12:16; 13:4. Re. 21:8; 22:15. Gr.
4 should. Ro. 6:19; 12:1. 1 Co. 6:15. 18–20. his. 1 Sa. 21:5. Ac. 9:15. Ro. 9:21–23. 2 Ti. 2:20, 21. 1 Pe. 3:7. honour. Phi. 4:8. He. 13:4.
5 in the. Ro. 1:24, 26. Col. 3:5. as the. Mat. 6:32. Lu. 12:30. Ep. 4:17–19. 1 Pe. 4:3. know. Ac. 17:23, 30, 31. Ro. 1:28. 1 Co. 1:21; 15:34. Ga. 4:8. Ep. 2:12. 2 Th. 1:8.
6 go. Ex. 20:15, 17. Le. 19:11, 13. De. 24:7; 25:13–16. Pr. 11:1; 16:11; 20:14, 23; 28:24. Is. 5:7; 59:4–7. Je. 9:4. Eze. 22, 13; 45:9–14. Am. 8:5, 6. Zep. 3:5. Mal. 3:5. Mar. 10:19. 1 Co. 6:7–9. Ep. 4:28. Ja. 5:4. defraud. or, oppress. or, overreach. Le. 25:14, 17. 1 Sa. 12:3, 4. Pr. 22:22. Je. 7:6. Mi. 2:2. Zep. 3:1. Ja. 2:6. in any matter. or, in the matter. the Lord. De. 32:35. Job 31:13, 14. Ps. 94:1; 140:12. Pr. 22:22, 23. Ec. 5:8. Is. 1:23, 24. Ro. 1:18; 12:19. Ep. 5:6. 2 Th. 1:8. as we. Lu. 12:5. Ga. 5:21. Ep. 4:17.
7 God. Le. 11:44; 19:2. Ro. 1:7; 8:29, 30. 1 Co. 1:2. Ep. 1:4; 2:10; 4:1. 2 Th. 2:13, 14. 2 Ti. 1:9. He. 12:14. 1 Pe. 1:14–16; 2:9–12, 21, 22. uncleanness. ch. 2:3. Ga. 5:19. Ep. 4:19. 2 Pe. 2:10.
8 despiseth. or, rejecteth. 1 Sa. 8:7; 10:19. Jno. 12:48. despiseth not. Pr. 1:7; 23:9. Is. 49:7; 53:10. Lu. 10:16. Ac. 13:41. Jude 8. who. Ne. 9:30. Ac. 5:3, 4. 1 Co. 2:10; 7:40. 1 Pe. 1:12. 2 Pe. 1:21. 1 Jno. 3:24.
9 touching. Le. 19:8. Ps. 133:1. Jno. 13:34, 35; 15:12–17. Ac. 4:32. Ro. 12:10. Ep. 5:1, 2. He. 13:1. 1 Pe. 3:8. 2 Pe. 1:7. 1 Jno. 2:10; 3:11, 14–19, 23; 4:7–16. ye need. ch. 5:1. Je. 31:34. He. 8:10, 11. 1 Jno. 2:20–27. for ye. Is. 51:13. Mat. 22:39. Jno. 6:44, 45; 13:34; 14:26; 15:12, 17. Ep. 5:2. He. 10:16. 1 Pe. 4:8. 1 Jno. 3:11, 23; 4:21; 5:1.
10 all the. ch. 1:7. 2 Co. 8:1, 2, 8–10. Ep. 1:15. Col. 1:4. 2 Th. 1:3. Phile. 5–7. that ye. ver. 1; ch. 3:12. Phi. 1:9; 3:13–15. 2 Pe. 3:18.
11 that. Pr. 17:1. Ec. 4:6. La. 3:26. 2 Th. 3:12. 1 Ti. 2:2. 1 Pe. 3:4. study. Ro. 15:20. 2 Co. 5:9. Gr. and to do. Mar. 13:34. Lu. 12:42, 43. Ro. 12:4–8. Col. 3:22–24. 2 Th. 3:11. 1 Ti. 5:13. Ti. 2:4–10. 1 Pe. 4:10, 11, 15. to work. Ac. 20:35. Ro. 12:11. 1 Co. 4:12. Ep. 4:28. 2 Th. 3:7–12. Tit. 3:14, marg.
12 ye may walk. ch. 5:22. Ro. 12:17; 13:13. 2 Co. 8:20, 21. Phi. 4:8. Tit. 2:8–10. 1 Pe. 2:12; 3:16, 17. them. Mar. 4:11. 1 Co. 5:12, 13. Col. 4:5. 1 Ti. 3:7. 1 Pe. 3:1. nothing. or, no man. 2 Co. 11:7–9.
13 I would. Ro. 1:13. 1 Co. 10:1; 12:1. 2 Co. 1:8. 2 Pe. 3:8. which are. ver. 15; ch. 5:10. 1 Ki. 1:21; 2:10. Da. 12:2. Mat. 27:52. Lu. 8:52, 53. Jno. 11:11–13. Ac. 7:60; 13:30. 1 Co. 15:6, 18. 2 Pe. 3:4. ye sorrow. Ge. 37:35. Le. 19:28. De. 14:1, 2. 2 Sa. 12:19, 20; 18:33. Job 1:21. Eze. 24:16–18. Jno. 11:24. Ac. 8:2. which have. See on Ep. 2:12. Job 19:25–27. Pr. 14:32. Eze. 37:11. 1 Co. 15:19.
14 if we. Is. 26:19. Ro. 8:11. 1 Co. 15:12–23. 2 Co. 4:13, 14. Re. 1:18. sleep. ver. 13; ch. 3:13. 1 Co. 15:18. Re. 14:13. God. ver. 17. Ge. 49:19. Zec. 14:15. Mat. 24:31. 1 Co. 15:23. Phi. 3:20, 21. 2 Th. 2:1. Jude 14–15.
15 by the. 1 Ki. 13:1, 9, 17, 18, 22; 20:35; 22:14. which are. 1 Co. 15:51–53. 2 Co. 4:14. prevent. Job 41:11. Ps. 88:13; 119:147, 148. Mat. 17:25. asleep. See on ver. 13.
16 the Lord. Is. 25:8, 9. Mat. 16:27; 24:30, 31; 25:31; 26:64. Ac. 1:11. 2 Th. 1:7. 2 Pe. 3:10. Re. 1:7. with a. Nu. 23:21. Ps. 47:1, 5. Zec. 4:7; 9:9. the archangel. Jude 9. with the trump. Ex. 19:16; 20:18. Is. 27:13. Zec. 9:14. 1 Co. 15:52. Re. 1:10; 8:13. and the. 1 Co. 15:23, 51, 52. Re. 20:5, 6.
17 we which. ver. 15. 1 Co. 15:52. caught. 1 Ki. 18:12. 2 Ki. 2:11, 16. Ac. 8:39. 2 Co. 12:2–4. Re. 11:12; 12:5. in the. Mat. 26:64. Mar. 14:62. Ac. 1:9. Re. 1:7. and so. Ps. 16:11; 17:15; 49:15; 73:24. Is. 35:10, 60:19, 20. Jno. 12:26; 14:3; 17:24. 2 Co. 5:8. Phi. 1:23. 2 Pe. 3:13. Re. 7:14–17; 21:3–7, 22, 23; 22:3–5.
18 Wherefore. ch. 5:11, 14. Is. 40:1, 2. Lu. 21:28. He. 12:12. comfort. or, exhort. He. 10:24, 25.
4:1–2 These verses do not express a degree of dissatisfaction with the Thessalonians. Rather they emphasize the progressive nature of the Christian life.
4:3 Sanctification refers to the consecration of the believer to God in holy and proper behavior in regard to sexual purity. God’s will is clear—to keep away from sexual immorality. The passage does not say to abstain from sex practiced in the context of marriage but from sex that deviates from God’s standards. This includes premarital sex, incest, homosexuality, bestiality, and adultery.
4:4–5 The phrase control his own body probably refers to the idea of controlling the body’s lustful sexual desires that might lead a Christian to sin. An alternate but less likely view is that it refers to obtaining a wife.
4:6–8 When a person commits a sexual sin, the result is to transgress against and take advantage of one’s brother or sister—that is, fellow Christian. A sexual transgression defrauds one’s brother in the sense that sexual sin is a form of theft: you take something that does not belong to you. It defrauds both the partner of the illicit relationship as well as a spouse or future spouse who alone has rights in sexual matters. In this manner points back to the discussion of sexual purity in vv. 3–5. Paul gave two reasons for Christians to abstain from sexual immorality. First is that the Lord is an avenger who will judge the offense. Second is that sexual impurity violates God’s call to live in holiness. The implication of God’s giving us his Holy Spirit is that a person should not mix human sexual impurity with God’s holy nature in the Holy Spirit, who dwells within the Christian (1Co 6:19).
4:9–12 The reference to brotherly love (Gk philadelphia) seems to govern the content of these verses in encouraging fellow Christians to lead a quiet life, mind one’s own business, and work with one’s hands. To do otherwise places a burden of dependence on the community of faith and gives a poor testimony to outsiders (5:14; 2Th 3:7–12). Paul demonstrated this work ethic by providing for his own needs (1Th 2:9).
4:13 The term asleep in this context is a metaphorical reference to Christians who have died. This metaphor is particularly appropriate because of the future resurrection of the body. Just as a sleeping person expects to rise in the morning, Christians who have died will experience a bodily resurrection and will rise again (v. 16; Jn 11:11). Until this happens, for deceased believers to be out of the body is to be at home with the Lord (2Co 5:8). Apparently the cause of the Thessalonians’ grief was related to the misunderstanding that dead Christians would miss the events and subsequent blessings associated with the Lord’s coming. Paul corrected this misunderstanding by teaching that the dead in Christ will rise first (1Th 4:16). In contrast to unbelievers who grieve over the loss of loved ones, Christians who grieve over a fellow believer can do so with hope because of the future glorious resurrection.
4:14 Jesus’s resurrection revealed what resurrection will be like for those who have fallen asleep. We can partially understand the nature of our bodily resurrection by reading about his (Lk 24:36–43).
4:15–17 The word that Paul received relates to what has been called the “rapture.” It refers to the event when believers who are alive at the Lord’s coming are caught up (Gk harpazo) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The term rapture is derived from rapturo, the Latin translation of the Greek term. The Greek term means “to snatch or take away suddenly.” Paul referred to this event as a mystery (some truth previously hidden but now known) in 1Co 15:51–52 and said it will happen in the twinkling of an eye. We who are still alive implies that Paul thought the rapture could occur at any moment, even during his lifetime. The “archangel” or chief angel is probably a reference to Michael (Dn 10:13; Jd 9).
harpazō
Greek pronunciation [hahr PAH zoh]
CSB translation caught up
Uses in 1 Thessalonians 1
Uses in the NT 14
Focus passage 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Harpazō (catch up, snatch up) is often invested with the idea of force. In this sense, harpazō refers to a rescue (take away, Ac 23:10) and to the near forceful capture of Jesus by a crowd (Jn 6:15). The term is not limited to the physical realm. The evil one snatches away the message of the kingdom sown upon men’s hearts (Mt 13:19), Jude exhorts believers to snatch some men from the fire (Jd 23), and no one is able to snatch the sheep belonging to the good shepherd from our Father’s hand (Jn 10:11, 28–29). Elsewhere, the term is used of supernatural phenomena and does not carry the concept of force. Paul received glorious revelation after being caught up into paradise (2Co 12:2, 4). The Holy Spirit carries Philip away and transports him to Azotus (Ac 8:39). Believers will one day be caught up to meet their returning Lord (1Th 4:17).
4:1–5:22 Exhortations to the Thessalonians. In the first half of the letter (2:1–3:10) Paul has been defending his integrity and so reestablishing the confidence of his readers. This renewed trust in the apostle not only encourages the Thessalonians in the midst of their persecution but also ensures that they will obey the moral instructions he will now give them in the second half of the letter (4:1–5:22), in which Paul seeks to “supply what is lacking in your faith” (3:10; see note there).
4:1–12 Pleasing God in Sexual Conduct and Love for Others. After opening with a general appeal to increase conduct that is pleasing to God (4:1–2), Paul addresses the specific issues of holiness in sexual conduct (4:3–8) and love for others within the church community (4:9–12).
4:1 live. One of Paul’s favorite words to describe the Christian life (32 occurrences). please God. The notion of pleasing God as the goal of human conduct stems from the OT (Num 23:27; 1 Kgs 14:13; Job 34:9; Pss 19:14; 69:31; Prov 15:26; 16:7; Mal 3:4) and is another of Paul’s favorite terms for right behavior (1 Thess 2:4, 15; Rom 8:8; 1 Cor 7:32–34; 2 Cor 5:9; Gal 1:10; Eph 6:6; Col 1:10; 3:22). as in fact you are living … do this more and more. Although the Thessalonians have made progress in living a God-pleasing Christian life, Paul desires even further growth. we ask you and urge you. Paul resorts to “commanding” his readers only if the situation is serious and requires it (2 Thess 3:6). Normally, he employs softer, more user-friendly language of “asking” or “urging” (here; 4:10b; 5:12, 14; 2 Thess 2:1; Rom 12:1–2; 15:30–32; 16:17; 1 Cor 1:10; 4:16; 16:15–16; 2 Cor 10:1–2; Phil 4:2 [twice]; Phlm 9–12 [twice]). Yet even then (as here) he speaks in an authoritative manner (“in the Lord Jesus”) that indicates his appeal must be obeyed (see note on v. 2).
4:2 instructions. Something one must obey; this word was used for military commands or orders that civil magistrates issued.
4:3 sanctified. Can also be translated “holiness,” a key word in vv. 3–8 that occurs in various forms four times (vv. 3, 4, 7, 8). Holiness is an important OT concept that conveys the notion of “separation”—the need for God’s covenant people to “come out” and be “distinct” from the surrounding peoples (Exod 19:5–6; Lev 20:23–26; Deut 26:18–19). Holiness, therefore, is the boundary marker that separates God’s people from all other nations, whether in sexual conduct or any other area of life (see “Holiness,” p. 2676). It is significant that Paul takes this standard of holiness, which had previously been the exclusive calling of Israel, and applies it to the predominantly Gentile church in Thessalonica. sexual immorality. The Greek term refers broadly to all kinds of sexual misconduct, including both premarital and extramarital sex, as well as homosexual activity. Paul forbids any sexual act that is done outside the bounds of heterosexual marriage (Eph 5:3).
4:4 body. The Greek skeuos can also be translated “vessel,” as in a household dish, but has here a metaphoric meaning. The two main possibilities are that it refers figuratively to either a “wife” (see NIV text note) or one’s own “body.” A more narrow view of the second option is that Paul refers euphemistically to a particular part of one’s body, namely, the sex organ. The apostle’s main point in this verse is that believers need to develop self-control in regard to their sexual desires and conduct.
4:5 like the pagans. The Greco-Roman world’s attitude toward sexual conduct was very tolerant in many sectors of society—an attitude that the majority of the Thessalonian believers, as former pagans, also had before their conversion (1:9).
The remains of a first-century bath next door to a brothel in Thessalonica. Paul urges believers to live holy lives, not ones of passionate lust (1 Thess 4:5).
Todd Bolen/www.BiblePlaces.com
4:6a wrong or take advantage. Sexual sin harms not only those who engage in it but also others: e.g., adultery harms a spouse, premarital sex harms a future spouse or fellow believers who are negatively impacted by knowledge of such sinful conduct.
4:6b–8 Paul gives three reasons why believers must live a holy life with regard to their sexual conduct, and each reason involves a different time period and person of the Trinity: (1) the future coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to “punish all those who commit such sins” (v. 6); (2) the past electing action of God, who “calls us … to live a holy life” (v. 7); and (3) the present working of the Holy Spirit, whom “God gives” to empower believers to live a holy life (v. 8).
4:9 love for one another. Paul shifts the topic to brotherly and sisterly love (vv. 9–12). taught by God. Paul alludes to how Isaiah describes the Messianic age as a time when God will live so intimately among his people through his Spirit that they will no longer need human teachers but will be “taught by the LORD” (Isa 54:13; cf. Isa 2:3; Jer 31:33–34; Mic 4:1–3; John 6:45; 1 John 2:27). Paul once again (see notes on 1:1, 4) takes “new covenant” language originally describing Israel and applies it to the predominantly Gentile church of Thessalonica.
4:11–12 work with your hands … not be dependent on anybody. Some in the Thessalonian church were not working but were living off the generosity of fellow church members. Paul first warned against such idle conduct during his mission-founding visit. He next addresses the problem both here and in 5:14. The problem, however, becomes worse, and so he takes it up for the third time at much greater length in 2 Thess 3:6–15.
4:13–18 Comfort Concerning Deceased Christians at Christ’s Return. The Thessalonian church was grieving over fellow believers who died before Christ’s return, fearing these deceased members would miss out or be disadvantaged at Jesus’ second coming compared to believers who were still alive on that day. After introducing the problem (v. 13), Paul responds by appealing first to Jesus’ resurrection (v. 14) and then to Jesus’ words (vv. 15–17) before concluding with an encouraging exhortation (v. 18).
4:13 sleep. This euphemism for death is common in biblical texts and antiquity, so it does not support the notion of “soul sleep”—the idea that the soul exists in a nonconscious state of “sleeping” between death and resurrection. no hope. The ancient Greek poet Theocritus concisely captures the widespread sense of hopelessness in the Greco-Roman world concerning life after death: “Hopes are for the living; the dead have no hope” (Idyll 4.42).
4:14 Jesus died and rose again. The first reason that the Thessalonian church can have hope for their fellow believers who have died is grounded in Jesus’ resurrection, which in Paul’s theology guarantees that God will resurrect believers (Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 6:14; 15:12–23; 2 Cor 4:14; Col 1:18) so that they will be alive and participate fully in Christ’s glorious return.
4:15 Lord’s word. The second reason for hope is grounded in Jesus’ words, which may refer to a saying of Jesus not recorded in the Gospels (John 21:25), a paraphrase of Jesus’ end-time teaching (Matt 24; Mark 13), a general summary of Jesus’ teaching, or a teaching revealed to Paul on the Damascus road or elsewhere. Paul is giving not merely his opinion but an authoritative teaching of the Lord Jesus himself. Jesus’ words emphasize that living believers “will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.” All believers—the deceased-but-now-resurrected ones (1 Thess 4:14, 16) and the living-but-now-transformed ones (1 Cor 15:51–52)—will share equally in the glorious “coming of the Lord.” Paul employs yet again (1 Thess 2:19; 3:13) a term (Greek parousia) commonly used to describe the coming of an emperor, general or other dignitary into a city with great pomp and celebration (see v. 17 and note).
4:16 with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. These three phrases suggest that Christ’s return will be a public event that is heard and witnessed by all people, not just believers. dead in Christ will rise first. Paul continues to comfort his readers, stressing that their deceased loved ones will rise first—even before the ascension of living believers (see v. 17 and note)—and thus not miss out on Christ’s return.
4:17 caught up. The only explicit reference in the Bible to the “rapture” (from the Latin translation of the Greek verb used here). Paul envisions the church being “raptured,” joined to Christ at his return. together with them. Paul’s concern is not to predict but to pastor, as he stresses (the word order in Greek is emphatic) yet again that both living and deceased believers in Thessalonica will participate equally in Christ’s glorious return. meet. Greek apantēsis; refers to a delegation party meeting an arriving dignitary outside of town to bestow honor on that visitor by escorting him back to their city. This practice of sending a delegation party to meet and escort an important visitor on the final leg of their journey is found in the only two other NT occurrences of this Greek term (Matt 25:6; Acts 28:15). Paul’s word choice, therefore, implies that the church, once it has been “raptured” to Christ in the air, escorts him to earth.
4:18 encourage. Paul’s primary purpose in discussing Christ’s return in vv. 13–18 is not to predict the future but to comfort the grieving Thessalonian church (cf. 5:11; 2 Thess 2:16–17).