1Th 5 | TNotes | STEP | 5:1 Questions such as how and when all this will happen occupied the thoughts of both Jewish and Christian people (Dan 12:6 ; Matt 24:3 ; Luke 17:20 ; Acts 1:6 ; 1 Pet 1:10-11 ).

5:1 ^a Questions such as how and when all this will happen occupied the thoughts of both Jewish and Christian people (Dan 12:6 ^b; Matt 24:3 ^c; Luke 17:20 ^d; Acts 1:6 ^e; 1 Pet 1:10-11 ^f).
5:2 ^g For you know quite well: Paul reminds them of the teaching they had already received (3:3-4 ^h).

• The day of the Lord’s return is the time when God will come to judge humanity (Isa 13:6 ⁱ, 9 ^j; Ezek 30:3 ^k) and save his people (Joel 2:21-32 ^l; 3:18 ^m; Zech 14 ⁿ).

• like a thief in the night: Cp. Matt 24:43-44 ^o; Luke 12:39-40 ^p; 2 Pet 3:10 ^q; Rev 3:3 ^r; 16:15 ^s.
5:3 ^t “Everything is peaceful and secure”: The expression “peace and safety” was common during the era of the pax Romana (Roman peace). Amid such presumed security, God’s ultimate judgment comes without warning and is inescapable.
5:4 ^u The day of the Lord will not surprise believers—not because they know the date of his coming, but because they are spiritually prepared.
5:5 ^v As children of the light, the Thessalonian believers were saved from darkness (John 12:36 ^w; Acts 26:18 ^x; Eph 5:8 ^y; 1 Pet 2:9 ^z).

• of the day: They belong to God’s new order (Rom 13:12 ^aa).

• darkness and night: These refer to an immoral life (see 1 Thes 5:6-8 ^ab).
5:6 ^ac Stay alert and be clearheaded echoes Jesus’ call to be morally prepared because the disciples will not know the day of his return (Matt 24:42 ^ad, 44 ^ae; 25:13 ^af; cp. 1 Pet 1:13 ^ag).
5:7 ^ah Sleep refers to moral indifference (5:6 ^ai), and drunk is a metaphor for those who do not exercise self-control; they will be surprised by the day of the Lord (5:4 ^aj; Matt 24:48-51 ^ak).
5:8 ^al Armor ... helmet (Isa 59:17 ^am; Eph 6:11-17 ^an): The armament is the moral life (Rom 13:12 ^ao; 2 Cor 6:7 ^ap; 10:3-5 ^aq; 2 Tim 2:3-4 ^ar). The Christian soldier is equipped with the virtues of faith, love, and confidence (see 1 Thes 1:3 ^as; 3:6 ^at; 1 Cor 13:13 ^au; 2 Thes 1:3-4 ^av).
5:9 ^aw God’s anger (1:10 ^ax; 2:16 ^ay; Rom 5:9 ^az; cp. 2 Thes 1:6-10 ^ba; 2:8 ^bb) represents the carrying out of his judgment against evil. However, God destined believers for salvation, not wrath (2 Thes 2:13-14 ^bc), and they will escape the terrors of the day of the Lord (1 Thes 5:1-3 ^bd).
5:10 ^be The promise that believers will live with him forever is based on Christ’s resurrection (4:14 ^bf).

• dead or alive: A reference to living and deceased believers (4:13-15 ^bg) rather than people’s moral condition (as in 5:6-7 ^bh).
5:11 ^bi Paul wants the Thessalonians to use the instruction about the end to encourage and build each other up (see 4:18 ^bj), not to fuel speculation about the timing of the Lord’s return.
5:12 ^bk honor (or know): This may be a call either to honor church leaders or to recognize the emerging leaders in the church (1 Cor 16:15-16 ^bl). True leaders ... work hard (1 Tim 4:10 ^bm; 5:17 ^bn) and govern to serve (Matt 20:25-28 ^bo). They preside over, as well as help and protect, the church (Rom 16:1-2 ^bp; 1 Tim 3:4-5 ^bq, 12 ^br).

• give you spiritual guidance: Leaders correct both moral and doctrinal errors (Acts 20:31 ^bs; 1 Cor 4:14 ^bt; Col 1:28 ^bu).
5:13 ^bv Leaders were to receive honor and love not because of their high position but because of their work.

• live peacefully: Teaching about community peace and harmony was a standard topic in ancient moral instruction. Harmony between believers and leaders was especially important because of the persecution the church suffered (2:14 ^bw).
5:14 ^bx The responsibility for the moral progress of the congregation does not rest solely with the leaders (4:18 ^by; 5:11 ^bz). Paul urged the church to warn those who are lazy, that is, those who were “disorderly,” and who did not live by the apostles’ instructions (see 2 Thes 3:6-15 ^ca).

• Take tender care of those who are weak, or those who have no economic or social power. Greek society denigrated the weak.

• Instead of being irritable, believers should be patient in their relationships (Gal 5:23 ^cb; Eph 4:2 ^cc).
5:15 ^cd Jesus and the apostles warned against retaliation (Matt 5:38-48 ^ce; Luke 6:27-36 ^cf; Rom 12:17-21 ^cg; 1 Pet 3:9 ^ch). The Roman author Seneca, by contrast, considered revenge legitimate and necessary as a way of restoring social honor lost because of ill treatment from others. Paul calls Christians to do good—both to members of the church (each other) and to those outside the Christian community (to all people), including their persecutors (1 Thes 2:14 ^ci; see 3:12 ^cj; Gal 6:10 ^ck).
5:17 ^cl Never stop praying means not giving up (1:2 ^cm; Luke 18:1 ^cn; Rom 12:12 ^co; Eph 6:18 ^cp); it does not mean praying at every moment.
5:18 ^cq Be thankful: God is sovereign and can redeem any situation (Rom 8:28 ^cr).
5:19 ^cs Do not stifle the Holy Spirit: Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers not to put out the Spirit’s fire (Matt 3:11 ^ct; Acts 2:3 ^cu; 2 Tim 1:6 ^cv) by prohibiting prophecy in the church (Jer 20:9 ^cw; 1 Jn 4:1-2 ^cx).
Summary for 1Thess 5:20-21: 5:20-21 ^cy Prophecy, meant to build up the church (1 Cor 14:1-4 ^cz), should not be rejected. Instead, the Thessalonians should test the prophecies (1 Cor 12:10 ^da; 14:29 ^db) to discern their origin, to check their agreement with the teaching of the apostles (2 Thes 2:2 ^dc; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ^dd), and to gauge the character of those who utter them (Matt 7:15-20 ^de). Early Christian teaching said, “Not everyone who speaks about spiritual things is a prophet, but only if the person’s conduct is like the Lord” (Didache 11:8). They should hold on to what is good—namely, prophecies that have been tested and found to be genuine.
5:22 ^df They should reject every kind of evil, especially false prophecies (5:19-21 ^dg).
Summary for 1Thess 5:23-28: 5:23-28 ^dh Greek and Roman letters ended with a wish for the good health of the recipient. Jewish letters concluded with a peace blessing. Paul closes with a Christian variation on these practices. 5:23 ^di God enables Christians to live a holy life (3:11-13 ^dj). His sanctifying work extends to the spirit and soul and body, the totality of human life (cp. Matt 10:28 ^dk; Mark 12:30 ^dl; 1 Cor 7:34 ^dm).
5:24 ^dn God will make this happen: Paul bases his confidence on the faithful character of God (1 Cor 1:9 ^do; 2 Thes 3:3 ^dp; 2 Tim 2:13 ^dq; 1 Jn 1:9 ^dr).
5:26 ^ds a sacred kiss (see also Rom 16:16 ^dt; 1 Cor 16:20 ^du; 2 Cor 13:12 ^dv; 1 Pet 5:14 ^dw): Kissing on the cheek or forehead was a common form of greeting that reflected such sentiments as honor, friendship, and love among family members (Mark 14:44-45 ^dx; Luke 7:36-47 ^dy; 15:20 ^dz; Acts 20:37 ^ea).
5:27 ^eb read this letter: Public reading of Scripture was practiced in both the synagogue (Luke 4:16 ^ec; Acts 13:15 ^ed) and the church (1 Tim 4:13 ^ee). Similarly, Paul’s letters were to be read aloud to the whole congregation (Col 4:16 ^ef).
5:28 ^eg Paul improves the customary greeting by adding a blessing of grace at the end of his correspondence (Rom 16:20 ^eh; 1 Cor 16:23 ^ei; Gal 6:18 ^ej; Eph 6:24 ^ek; 2 Thes 3:18 ^el).