1Th 4:13-18 | TNotes | STEP | 4:13 the believers who have died (literally those who have fallen asleep; also in 4:14 ): Sleep was a common euphemism for death in Greek, Jewish, and Christian literature (Dan 12:2 ; Matt 27:52 ). Personal existence continues after death (Luke 23:40-43 ; Acts 7:55-60 ; 2 Cor 5:6-10 ; Phil 1:20-24 ; Rev 6:9-11 ); those who have died await the resurrection (1 Cor 15:23 ). • grieve like people who have no hope: Ancient letters of comfort exhorted mourners not to be overcome with grief because they could do nothing to avert death. Paul does not prohibit grief (cp. John 16:6 , 20 ; Phil 2:27 ) but calls Christian mourners to abandon the kind of grief typical of those who have no hope in God.

4:13 ^a the believers who have died (literally those who have fallen asleep; also in 4:14 ^b): Sleep was a common euphemism for death in Greek, Jewish, and Christian literature (Dan 12:2 ^c; Matt 27:52 ^d). Personal existence continues after death (Luke 23:40-43 ^e; Acts 7:55-60 ^f; 2 Cor 5:6-10 ^g; Phil 1:20-24 ^h; Rev 6:9-11 ⁱ); those who have died await the resurrection (1 Cor 15:23 ^j).

• grieve like people who have no hope: Ancient letters of comfort exhorted mourners not to be overcome with grief because they could do nothing to avert death. Paul does not prohibit grief (cp. John 16:6 ^k, 20 ^l; Phil 2:27 ^m) but calls Christian mourners to abandon the kind of grief typical of those who have no hope in God.
4:14 ⁿ The central Christian creed, that Jesus died and was raised to life again, is the foundation for hope in the face of death, guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15 ^o).

• God will bring back refers to the resurrection of believers (1 Thes 4:16 ^p).
4:15 ^q directly from the Lord: Jesus’ own teaching provided the source of Paul’s assurance for the Thessalonians (see Matt 24:29-31 ^r, 40-41 ^s)

• not ... ahead: Paul wants the Thessalonians to know that, when the Lord returns, the dead will not be at a disadvantage but will participate equally in the resurrection.

• In referring to Jesus’ coming, Paul uses a Greek term (parousia) commonly used to describe the coming of the emperor to a city with great pomp and celebration (see 1 Thes 4:17 ^t).
4:16 ^u with the trumpet call of God: God’s trumpet will herald the resurrection, just as it previously announced the rescue of Israel (Zeph 1:16 ^v; Zech 9:14 ^w). In the future it will announce the gathering of God’s chosen people from the “farthest ends of the earth and heaven” (Matt 24:31 ^x; cp. 1 Cor 15:52 ^y).
4:17 ^z to meet: This alludes to the custom of sending an official delegation to greet a visiting dignitary and accompany him as he enters the city (Matt 25:6 ^aa, 10 ^ab; Acts 28:15-16 ^ac).
4:18 ^ad The purpose of Paul’s teaching about the end is so believers will encourage each other in the face of death. He is not promoting speculation about the end times.