1 Thessalonians 4:1 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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Bible Comments

At this point in his letter the apostle turned to exhortation. Timothy's report concerning the Thessalonians' condition had indicated that they needed some words of kindly warning.

The first subject is personal purity. Their life was lived in a city characterized by great moral looseness. The condition of the unregenerate Gentiles is revealed in the arresting phrase which describes them as living "in the passion of lust," and declares that the reason was that "they know not God." Hence the necessity for a life of purity among the members of Christ. Their attitude toward each other was to be that of love, while that toward those who "are without" was that they should be quiet, and attend to their daily work, thus bearing testimony to the power of the Gospel in life. No testimony is more powerful for God than that a life fulfilling the "daily round, and the common task," which is characterized by the renunciation of idols, and illuminated by the hope of the coming of the King.

It is evident that some of these Thessalonian Christians had fallen on sleep, and that, somehow, those remaining were afraid lest these departed ones had missed the realization of the glorious hope of the advent of Jesus. To correct that impression the apostle now dealt with the great subject, especially to show the relation of the advent to those who had thus fallen on sleep. They had been living in the "patience of hope." The apostle now declares that they who have fallen asleep will take precedence at the advent. Therefore, sorrow for the departed ones must not be the sorrow of despair. These loved ones are at present with the Lord, and at His Coming will accompany Him. What we may reverently describe as the program of the advent is then given. The Lord Himself will descend. Then the dead in Christ will rise, and receive the eternal body. Then the living will be caught up in the clouds, and the final truth is declared in the words, "So shall we ever be with the Lord."

Related Commentaries of 1 Thessalonians 4:1

1 Thessalonians 4:1-18

1 Furthermore then we beseecha you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6 That no man go beyond and defraudb his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despiseth,c despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not preventd them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comforte one another with these words.