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 prevent them which are asleep.
By ('in') the word of the Lord - i:e., in virtue of a direct revelation from the Lord. So 1 Kings 20:35; Haggai 1:13; 2 Corinthians 12:1; Galatians 1:12; Galatians 2:2. This is the "mystery" once hidden, now revealed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Prevent - i:e., anticipate. So far were Christians then from regarding their departed brethren as anticipating them in glory, that they needed to be assured that those who remain to the Lord's coming 'will not anticipate them that are asleep.' The "we" means whichever of us remain alive (literally, we, the living, who are being left behind [perileipomenoi]) unto the Lord's coming. The Spirit designed that believers of each successive age should live in continued expectation of the Lord's coming, not knowing but that they should be among those found alive (Matthew 24:42). It is a fall from this blessed hope, that death is generally looked for rather than the coming of our Lord. Each successive generation represents the generation which shall actually survive until His coming (Matthew 25:13; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51; James 5:9; 1 Peter 4:5-6). The Spirit subsequently revealed that which is not inconsistent with the expectation of the Lord's coming at any time-namely, that His coming would not be until there should be a "falling away first" (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3). As symptoms of this soon appeared, none could say but that this precursory event might be realized, and so the Lord come in his day. Each successive revelation fills in the details of the general outline first given. So Paul subsequently, while looking mainly for the Lord's coming to clothe him with His body from heaven, looks for going to be with Christ in the meanwhile (2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 1:23; Philippians 3:20-21; Philippians 4:5). Edmunds, 'The "we" is an affectionate identifying of ourselves with our fellows of all ages, as members of the same body, under the same Head, Christ Jesus.' So Psalms 66:6, end; Hosea 12:4, end. Though neither David nor Hosea was alive at the times referred to, yet each identifies himself with those that were present.