1Th 5:4-11 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief . The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose, He comes in the night, when men are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as men are who are awake when the robber comes. They could see his approach, and could prepare for it, so that it would not take them by surprise. (c) "brethren"

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11

Verse 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose, He comes in the night, when men are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as men are who are awake when the robber comes. They could see his approach, and could prepare for it, so that it would not take them by surprise.

(c) "brethren" Eph 5:8, 1Jn 2:8 Verse 5. Ye are all the children of light. All who are Christians. The phrase "children of light" is a Hebraism, meaning that they were the enlightened children of God.

And the children of the day. Who live as if light always shone round about them. The meaning is, that in reference to the coming of the Lord, they are as men would be in reference to the coming of a thief, if there were no night, and no necessity of slumber. They would always be wakeful and active, and it would be impossible to come upon them by surprise. Christians are always to be wakeful and vigilant; they are so to expect the coming of the Redeemer, that he will not find them off their guard, and will not come upon them by surprise. Verse 6. Therefore let us not sleep as do others. As the wicked world does. Comp. Mt 25:6.

But let us watch. That is, for the coming of the Lord. Let us regard it as an event which is certainly to occur, and which may occur at any moment. Mt 25:13.

And be sober. The word here used (νηφω) is rendered sober in 1Thes 5:6,8, 1Pet 1:13, 5:8; and watch in 2Ti 4:5, 1Pet 4:7. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It properly means, to be temperate or abstinent, especially in respect to wine. Joseph. Jewish Wars, 5. 5. 7. Xenophon, Cyr.. 7. 5. 20; and then it is used in a more general sense, as meaning to be sober-minded, watchful, circumspect. In this passage, there is an allusion to the fact that persons not only sleep in the night, but that they are frequently drunken in the night also. The idea is, that the Lord Jesus, when he comes, will find the wicked sunk not only in carnal security, but in sinful indulgences; and that those who are Christians ought not only to be awake and to watch as in the daytime, but to be temperate. They ought to be like persons engaged in the sober, honest, and appropriate employments of the day, and not like those who waste their days in sleep, and their nights in revelry. A man who expects soon to see the Son of God coming to judgment, ought to be a sober man. No one would wish to be summoned from a scene of dissipation to his bar. And who would wish to be called there from the ball-room; from the theatre; from the scene of brilliant worldly amusement? The most gay votary of the world; the most accomplished, and flattered, and joyous patron of the ball-room; the most richly-dressed and admired daughter of vanity, would tremble at the thought of being summoned from those brilliant halls, where pleasure is now found, to the judgment-bar. They would wish to have at least a little time that they might prepare for so solemn a scene. But if so, as this event may at any moment occur, why should they not be habitually sober-minded? Why should they not aim to be always in that state of mind which they know would be appropriate to meet him? Especially should Christians live with such vigilance and soberness as to be always prepared to meet the Son of God. What Christian can think it appropriate for him to go up to meet his Saviour from the theatre, the ballroom, or the brilliant worldly party? A Christian ought always so to live, that the coming of the Son of God in the clouds of heaven would not excite the least alarm.

(a) "let us not sleep" Mt 25:5, Rom 13:12,13 (b) "sober" 1Pet 2:8 Verse 7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night. Night is the time for sleep. The day is the time for action, and in the light of day men should be employed. Night and sleep are made for each other, and so are the day and active employment. The meaning here is, that it is in accordance with the character of those who are of the night, that is, sinners, to be sunk in stupidity and carnal security, as if they were asleep; but for the children of the day, that is, for Christians, it is no more appropriate to be inactive than it is for men to sleep in the day-time. "It is not to be wondered at that wicked men are negligent, and are given to vice, for they are ignorant of the will of God. Negligence in doing right, and corrupt morals, usually accompany ignorance." Rosenmuller.

And they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. The night is devoted by them to revelry and dissipation. It is in accordance with the usual custom in all lands and times, that the night is the usual season for riot and revelry. The leisure, the darkness, the security from observation, and the freedom from the usual toils and cares of life, have caused those hours usually to be selected for indulgence in intemperate eating and drinking. This was probably more particularly the case among the ancients than with us; and much as drunkenness abounded, it was much more rare to see a man intoxicated in the day-time than it is now. To be drunk then in the day-time was regarded as the greatest disgrace. See Polyb. Exc. Leg. 8, and Apul. viii., as quoted by Wetstein. Comp. Acts 2:15; Isa 5:11. The object of the apostle here is, to exhort Christians to be sober and temperate; and the meaning is, that it is as disgraceful for them to indulge in habits of revelry, as for a man to be drunk in the day-time. The propriety of this exhortation, addressed to Christians, is based on the fact that intoxication was hardly regarded as a crime; and, surrounded as they were with those who freely indulged in drinking to excess, they were then, as they are now, exposed to the danger of disgracing their religion. The actions of Christians ought always to be such that they may be performed in open day, and in the view. of all the world. Other men seek the cover of the night to perform their deeds; the Christian should do nothing which may not be done under the full blaze of day. Verse 8. But let us who are of the day, be sober. Temperate, as men usually are in the day-time.

Putting on the breast-plate of faith and love. This is a favourite comparison of the apostle Paul. See it explained at length Eph 6:14.

And for an helmet, the hope of salvation. Eph 6:17.

(c) "breast-plate of faith" Isa 59:17 Verse 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath. This is designed as an encouragement to effort to secure our salvation. The wish of God is to save us, and therefore we should watch and be sober; we should take to ourselves the whole of the Christian armour, and strive for victory. If he had appointed us to wrath, effort would have been in vain, for we could do nothing but yield to our inevitable destiny. The hope of a final triumph should animate us in our efforts, and cheer us in our struggles with our foes. How much does the hope of victory animate the soldier in battle! When morally certain of success, how his arm is nerved! When everything conspires to favour him, and when he seems to feel that God fights for him, and intends to give him the victory, how his heart exults, and how strong is he in battle! Hence, it was a great point among the ancients, when about entering into battle, to secure evidence that the gods favoured them, and meant to give them the victory. For this purpose they offered sacrifices, and consulted the flight of birds and the entrails of animals; and for this armies were accompanied by soothsayers and priests, that they might interpret any signs which might occur that would be favourable, or to propitiate the favour of the gods by sacrifice. See Homer, passim; Arrian's Expedition of Alexander, and the classic writers generally. The apostle alludes to something of this kind here. He would excite us to maintain the Christian warfare manfully, by the assurance that God intends that we shall be triumphant. This we are to learn by no conjectures of soothsayers; by no observation of the flight of birds; by no sacrifice which we can make to propitiate his favour; but by the unerring assurance of his holy word. If we are Christians, we know that he intends our salvation, and that victory will be ours; if we are willing to become Christians, we know that the almighty Arm will be stretched out to aid us, and that the "gates of hell" cannot prevent it.

(d) "appointed us to wrath" Rom 9:8,9, 2co 5:15 Verse 10. Who died for us. That is, to redeem us. He designed by his death that we should ultimately live with him; and this effect of his death could be secured only as it was an atoning sacrifice.

Whether we wake or sleep. Whether we are found among the living or the dead when he comes. The object here is to show that the cone class would have no advantage over the other. This was designed to calm their minds in their trials, and to correct an error which seems to have prevailed in the belief that those who were found alive when he should return, would have some priority over those who were dead. 1Thes 4:13 and following. The word rendered "together", αμα is not to be regarded as connected with the phrase "with him" -- as meaning that he and they would be "together" but it refers to those who "wake and those who sleep"-- those who are alive and those who are dead--meaning that they would be together, or would be with the Lord at the same time; there would be no priority or precedence. Rosenmuller.

(d) "whether we wake or sleep" Rom 14:8,9, 2Cor 5:15 Verse 11. Wherefore comfort yourselves. 1Thes 4:18.

And edify one another. Strive to build up each other, or to stablish each other in the faith by these truths. Rom 14:19.

Even as also ye do. Continue to do it. Let nothing intervene to disturb the harmony and consolation which you have been accustomed to derive from these high and holy doctrines.

(1) "comfort" "exhort"