Bible Commentaries

Under the figure of a camp in which fully armed soldiers are waiting for the break of day, while those not expecting this are sleeping and drunken, the apostle shows that those waiting for the Son are children of light, and therefore called upon to live in watchfulness and sobriety.

In view of the glorious certainty of hope the apostle urged them to continue in the 'labour of love" in serving "a living and true God." There follow brief injunctions (verses 1 Thessalonians 5:17-20) which perfectly set forth the true attitude demanded of the saints. Every one of the injunctions will bear close examination.

The apostle finally declared his desire and assurance concerning these Thessalonian Christians. His desire was that they might be sanctified wholly by "the God of peace Himself." That entire sanctification is described as the preservation of "spirit and soul and body at the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." The letter closes with words that are entirely personal. Conscious of the difficulties of his own position at Corinth, from where he had written, the apostle craves their co-operation in prayer. The last words are of most sacred benediction. Their faith and love and hope are all centered on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him grace had been manifested for their salvation; in Him they stood in the grace which conditioned their service and their growth; and at His Coming the grace of the first epiphany would merge into the glory of the second. Thus the apostle committed the Thessalonians to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to establish them in faith, in love, and in hope.