1Th 5:1-11 | 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.