1 Thessalonians 5

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Department of Liberal Arts

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

18 August 2012

             When we come to chapter 5 of the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, it is clear that he has studied the gospels very well. His eschatology is well analyzed, clear and simple. It resonates exactly the way the Old Testament outlines it and the way Jesus explained it. There was no development. Eschatology does not develop. God gives the whole clear frame in the form of a rubricon with colors mixed up and asks the faithful to play with it and get all colors on the same sides. For years, centuries the faithful tried to make sense out of it, but the keen readers, with the help of the Holy Spirit, who gave understanding to them, could figure it out. Misunderstandings and blocks of understanding existed that was remodeled and rephrased or adjusted at times through the centuries but the truth and reality of the eschatological system and frame existed clear and developed from day one.

             In verse 1 Paul said that they do not want the Thessalonians to know that he has no need to write to them about the times (chronoon) and periods (kairoon). Paul is referring to the times and periods of eschatology. The time periods are mentioned in detail in Daniel. Paul is referring to the 2300 years or as it is said in Daniel "evenings and mornings" (ereb boqer). We know that he is speaking about Daniel and about these periods and times mentioned, because in 2 Thessalonians 2 he discussed it again in detail. Some scholars in Adventism, bless their studies, understood that Paul had a misunderstanding in the first book of Thessalonians that Jesus would come in his day (chapter 4). But, they say, later, Paul studied Daniel and realized that it is not so.

             Nothing can be further from the truth, in our opinion here. Paul is talking about Daniel in 2 Thessalonians 2 but then in verse 6 he says that these things (about the book of Daniel and the antichrist and Little Horn) he told them before when he was with them (Thessalonians). It is thus not a later development with Paul. The mention of times and periods in 1 Thessalonians 5 are thus loaded terms that refer to an eschatological understanding of Paul that was well developed and in no need of correction. The ambiguity of chapter 4 of the first book making Paul think that he is at the Parousia soon, should not be so translated or read but rather the other way, namely, addressing the issue of priority of us, now, he include that within the two other groups, the living ones (then) and the resurrected ones (then) to say no one group will be preceding any other. 1 Thessalonians 4 should be read together with 2 Thessalonians 2:6.

             Paul says that they know very well (akriboos) that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). They know very well Jesus saying because Paul told them so (2 Thessalonians 2:6).

             Paul was reading the gospels as is known from phrases that reoccur also in the gospels. The times and periods may refer to Mark 13:32, 33 where the word period (kairoon) also occur. The thief in the night thought may come from Matthew 24:42-43. It is true that it is also in the Old Testament in Isaiah 63:19c-64:2 in the Hebrew (English Isaiah 64:1-2). There are 8 points that Isaiah made about the endtime: 1. heavens will tear; 2. God comes down; 3. In brightness; 4. mountains quake; 5. like fire; 6. fire will be for the enemies of God; 7. unexpectedly; 8. nations will tremble.

             The phrase "like the pangs of woman" in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 probably comes from Micah 5:2 which seems to indicate that the Time of Trouble will be only about 9 months long.

The sleep-theology (katheudoomen) that Jesus talked about, the virgins, are also touched upon by Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:6 = Matthew 25:5; also Mark 13:36 where also Paul is using the word "the rest" = loipoi in 1 Thessalonians 5:6; be alert = gregoroomen compares in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 with Mark 13:37. Paul is thus using Mark 13:34, 35, 37; Matthew 24:42 and Matthew 25:13.

             Paul understood Jesus' message very well. The messages of Jesus was available to Paul in 53 CE already in book form and in full messages. The synoptics became best sellers very soon after the death of Jesus, it seems. The theories of long periods of church tradition development throughout the first century, as modern scholars are trying to extrapolate or squeeze out of the Synoptics, does not work. 911 books appeared shortly after the 911 events, not a century later or twenty years later. The Jewish mentality of authorship, not to miss or mix any data and to record it speedily as soon after the event as possible, was at work with the writing of the Gospels. No long developmental theories.

             Paul says to the Thessalonians, that even though we have the times and periods [of Daniel] the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, as was already pointed out by Jesus and Isaiah 64 mentioned supra.

             In 1 Thessalonians 5:3 Paul says that one of the signals will be when they shall say "Peace" (eirene) and "safety" (esphaleia), then destruction (aiphnidios) will fall on them suddenly (olethros) just like the pangs of a woman in labor. Micah 5:2 is used here and it refers to the Time of Trouble just before the Parousia. It may be an indication that it will be only 9 months long. But the exact day is an uncertainty (1 Thessalonians 5:2 = Matthew 24:42-43) and comes suddenly (1 Thessalonians 5:3; also Joel 2:9 [like a thief = kaganab]), unexpectedly (Isaiah 64:1-2). There will be no escape for the wicked. This point is very clear in the prophets and Paul was a keen reader of the prophets of the Old Testament. Even if people try to escape to Mars, Obadiah 3 says that they will say: "Whose habitation is high, who says to himself: 'Who will bring me down to earth'" (mi yorideni aretz). This nation despised by other nations will have their habitation above the earth at the end-time, says Obadiah. But no escape, says Paul. The word Edom in Obadiah is another word for Rome and Rome is another word for Babylon and Babylon is another word for the capital city of each period's empire. We live during the time of the USA period, after 1798 with France shortlived as prelude until the end of the Napoleons. Obadiah asked the question: "Did thieves come upon you, did plunderers of the night? How were you silent?" In my estimation, these words of Obadiah 5 should be brought in connection with the last phrase of Daniel 11:45 which inaugurate the Time of Trouble mentioned supra, just before the Parousia.

             Paul is not emphasizing the Coming like a Thief aspect with the Thessalonians. It is because it will be uncertain, therefore they have to live not like people uninformed or in darkness (skotei) so that the day will not fall upon them like a thief. In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 Paul is saying that all of them are sons of the light [the Bible, the Truth in Christ, Christ's signals in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 and other passages] and sons of the day but they are not of the night nor the darkness. They are informed. They have the knowledge of the signals and periods and times of the end. They know the system Paul has taught them (2 Thessalonians 5:6).

             Just when we think Paul is encouraging them not to be date setters or time setters, not alarmists but sleepers, just the opposite message is given. In 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Paul is saying that "therefore (ara) then (oun) do not sleep (katheudomen) like the rest (hoos oi loipoi) but be alert (gregoromen) and sober (nephomen). Just when we think Paul is speaking against the Alarmist who always cries "Wolf, Wolf" and there is no wolf, Paul emphasizes that they should not sleep and they should be alert. Another word for gregoromen is be awake, wakeful. How is the Christian in the Sleeping period of Laodicense with the ten virgins all sleeping, gregoromen = awake? It is the time of the sleeping theology. No church escape the sleeping theology period. Whereas Paul worshipped in a house and not church buildings, sleeping theology period churches worships in beautiful, decorated, impressive buildings. Whereas Paul preached until midnight non-stop sleeping theology period churches preached only one hour on Saturday, maybe two with the Sabbath-school lesson, one time also on Prayer meeting night and also on Friday night. Period. The building is vacant for the other hours. Whereas Paul's budgets went for mission work and evangelism work as they travelled and preached, the sleeping theology period churches' budget is going to pay off the debts of the newly build church and organizing to add a babyroom for large sums. That is while in Africa hundreds are sitting under the trees listening to the pastors for hours since they travelled to church walking 4am in the morning already. Whereas Paul was talking daily to audiences wherever he could find them, the sleeping theology period church speaks or outreach only once a week or once a month or once a quarter to hand out pamphlets or put stamps on letters for invitations to the meetings. The sleeping theology period church is rightly called "post-Pauline". How does the sleeper remain an alarmist? In the parable of the ten virgins an eleventh person was the alarmist. That alarmist will likely be the fourth or final Elijah Message. It will come with the Latter Rain outpouring seemingly.

             The nightly entertaining seekers, says Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:7 are sleep in the night and get drunk in the night. But Paul says that they are of the day so they should be sober (nephomen). There were probably those who thought that drinking should not be a problem. My non-SDA uncle joked in South Africa saying, "I just drink one glass then I feel another person and it is that other person that is drinking so much". Total abstinence is a must since there is no measure or red light switching on in our brains to stop doing something. Since it is harmful from point one, total abstinence cancels any decisionmaking on it. If the decision making is impaired by the alcohol, how does the person expect to say "stop" to himself? Therefore, Paul can only mean total abstinence.

             For Paul this whole issue is a fight. So the Christian puts on the breastplate of faith [thoraka pisteoos] and the helmet of hope of salvation [perikephalaian elpida soterias] (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

             Above all human conduct, human events, human history, Paul sees God the Creator and His will for the Creation and Creatures: not for wrath (orgen) but unto the obtaining (peripoiesin) of salvation (soterias) through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Paul has Psalm 24 here in mind (about the wrath).

             God did not place us for wrath, Paul says. He says God placed us for securing of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is for humanity the "hope of salvation" (elpida soterias). The famous professor of Greek from Chicago, James Robinson Boise made a comment here: "Note how frequently our salvation is spoken of as something still in the future; begun, but not yet complete" (James Robinson Boise, Notes, Critical and Explanatory on the Greek Text of Paul's Epistles [New York: Silver, Burdett and Company, 1896], 489).

Jesus died for us (apothanontos) as substitute (huper hemoon) so that (ina) whether we are awake [Paul's day people] or asleep [our post-Pauline mode or a reference to the dead] together with Him (ama sun autoi) we should live (zesomen) (1 Thessalonians 5:10).

             The phrase "together with Him" is the Investigative Judgment function of the Highpriestly role of Christ since 1844 serving in the Heavenly Sanctuary Court as our Advocate clearing the stigma in heaven against us, thus cleansing the heavenly sanctuary from doubt from the unfallen other creatures whether we can be also heavenly citizens, legitimately and rightfully. There is no issue against the marks in His hands on our behalf.

             Therefore (dio), Paul says, encourage each other and build up unto the One (eis ton hena), just as also you do (kathoos kai poieite) (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

             The Thessalonians had many problems and one of them was that they did not respect the anointed workers that were allocated to be their leaders. Elders and deacons and their wives did not like the pastor that was sent to them. They did not like his style. They did not like his mannerisms. They did not like the content of his sermons. They did not want to change their lifestyle of sin and laxity. A lot of copycat laymen preachers made their debut, as we will learn from Paul, but he warned them about them. They had their followers and these were critical of anyone that is not like their own style preachers. For these Paul said: "I asked you bretheren to know the laborers among you and your leaders (proistamenous) in the Lord, and who instructs (nouthetountas) you" (1 Thessalonians 5:12). The literal Classical Greek meaning of proistamenous is to place or set in front. The word nouthetountas in Classical Greek had the meaning "to put in mind, to admonish, warn, advise". They are to respect the ones set in front of them on biblical principles, speaking with biblical authority about biblical things and warning them, admonishing them, advising them when they are off the biblical mark. But they refused and Paul had to talk to them. Instead of changing their lives, they started a gossip column about the pastor in order to limit his influence. They started playing politics and used gossip as the tool for church-politics. All, so that they can keep their way of life undisturbed unsurrendered to the Lord and His biblical teachings.

             These pastors Paul want to be esteemed highly for their work. He said "and esteemed them very high in godly love through their work" (1 Thessalonians 5:13). Live in peace with one another. Because of gossip there were political camps, pro-pastor and anti-pastor. The members were in each other's hair and Paul is saying that there should be peace with one another. Battle-fields on all fronts is not good. Respect the pastor even if he is not your taste of a leader and stop rowing against other members in the church because of their loyalty to the pastor and your resentment of him. Once they realize that He is the anointed for the hour, all prejudices are dropped.

             Paul want to give them more advise and this is where they fall short. He is using the adversative "but" = de, saying "But I encourage you (parakaloumen), brothers, put in mind, admonish, warn, advise the unruly (ataktous)" (1 Thessalonians 5:14). In Herodotus and Thucidides the meaning of ataktous was said of a soldier who is "undisciplined, disorderly, irregular, lawless". There were lawless members in Thessalonians, Sabbath breakers, pig eating people, non-tithe giving people, drinkers, sexual perverts, people living in sexual immorality, who lived disorderly in comparison with biblical standards. Paul asked the leaders and elders and deacons and members to admonish these. They should be warned, and advised. They should be put in mind. The idea that `it is illegal to meddle in others' affairs' works for the judicial system of civil life but not for spiritual cohesiveness. They are part of the body of Christ and care and compassion for them and for the image of the church is necessary. `Care enough to confront', Paul says. But, confront with patience. "Encourage the fainthearted [oligopsuchous = small in soul], help the weak, be patient [makrothumeite] towards all" (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

             Paul do not encourage revenge as a method of one member against another. "See that no one repays the other evil with evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:15). "But always seek good unto one another and unto all".

             Even if someone is your enemy and harmed you severely in church, you are to seek good unto him/her. That is Pauline and that is Jesus message and that is biblical.

             Paul wants them to always rejoice (1 Thessalonians 5:16). They should pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In all things they should give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). "This is the will of God in Christ Jesus unto you".

             They should not quench the Spirit. Another meaning of sbennute is "put out". The Spirit that is already there, they should not put out. If the voice of the Spirit becomes less and less, there is an enormous problem (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Some despised the Spirit of Prophecy or the Voice of Prophecy. Paul says that they should not (1 Thessalonians 5:20). They despise = exoutheneite the prophetic (things). The word did not exist in Classical Greek but in the New Testament it means "to set at naught". To count as nothing. There are people in the church of Thessalonians who are not interested in the prophetic messages of the Bible. The counsels of Christ on prophetic times and end-times they count as nothing. There were sleepers and there were alarmists in the church of Thessalonia and Paul had to address these issues.

             Paul want them to examine everything and hold onto that which is good. Does this mean that Paul is encouraging the church to experience sin and then to decide whether they want to keep it or not? Absolutely not. The word is dokimazete = esteem, to think fit to do. The word dokeo means to think, to suppose, to imagine, to expect. It does not mean to experience or do or practice or try out.

In fact, from any form of evil they are to abstain (apechesthe = to keep away, to be far away) (1 Thessalonians 5:22). This is not evil testing or evil experiencing in order to decide neutrally, yes or no. The Christian was already in evil before they accepted Christ and accepting Christ is coming out of it. There is no neutral ground for decision making. Running away from evil will land one in the arms of Christ. Without Christ and the Holy Spirit sin cannot be fully understood and the result of other religions wishing to run away from evil is that they do not have proper definitions of evil, the origin of evil and so they live a mixed life of freedom one moment and caught the other. The up and down life keep them occupied their whole life and monks try all kinds of tricks to deal with sin in their lives.

             Paul is hoping that the God of peace may sanctify them completely (holoteleis) and that their spirit and soul and body may be kept in all parts (holokleron) blameless (amemptoos) in the Second Coming (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). If sanctification is to take place at the Second Coming of Christ completely, then anyone who dies before the Parousia cannot receive complete sanctification and thus an incomplete sanctified part, whether soul, body, spirit, separate or all in one combination, cannot exist in parts or in whole after death but before the Parousia. There is no unsanctified soul that goes to heaven to wait for the Parousia's body to be reunited. It is unbiblical and illogical, taking Paul's letter to Thessalonians here seriously.

             Paul says that God is faithful who called them and He will do it (poiesei = will do [future tense]). With this explanation Paul puts in the nails of the doctrine of immortality of the soul. It is a false and unbiblical doctrine.

Paul asks them to pray for Paul and his team (1 Thessalonians 5:25).

             When we come to this part of the letter, we must remember that Paul wrote the greetings self by his own hand. That is in all his letters and it is a signature of identification that a letter came from Paul. The same at the end of the book of Hebrews which was also a book written by Paul. He signs it with greetings.

             Paul greets all the brothers in holy kisses (philemati) (1 Thessalonians 5:26). The reason people say it is kisses is because in Xenophon in Classical Greek it is used that way.

Paul says that he adjure (enorkizoo = to be bound by oath) them by the Lord to read this letter to all the bretheren (1 Thessalonians 5:26).