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INDEX
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COLLECTIONS
Commentaries, Word
Studies, Devotionals, Sermons, Illustrations
Old and New Testament. |
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1THESSALONIANS
OVERVIEW |
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Chapter 1 |
Chapter 2 |
Chapter 3 |
Chapter 4 |
Chapter 5 |
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LOOKING BACK |
LOOKING FORWARD |
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Personal Reflections
Historical |
Practical
Instructions
Exhortational |
Ministry
In
Person |
Ministry
in Absentia
(Thru Timothy) |
Ministry
by
Epistle |
Word and Power
of the Spirit |
Establishing &
Comforting |
Calling & Conduct |
1Th 4:13ff
Comfort |
1Th 5:12ff
Commands |
1
Salvation |
2
Service |
3
Sanctification |
4
Sorrow |
5
Sobriety |
|
Exemplary Hope of
Young Converts |
Motivating Hope of
Faithful Servants |
Purifying Hope of
Tried Believers |
Comforting Hope of
Bereaved Saints |
Invigorating Hope of
Diligent Christians |
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Written from Corinth
Approximately 51AD |
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Modified from the
excellent book
Jensen's Survey of
the NT |
OUTLINE OF
1THESSALONIANS
CHAPTERS 1-3 |
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CHAPTER |
THEME |
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1 |
An Exemplary Conversion |
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2 |
An Exemplary Witness |
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3 |
An Exemplary Follow-Up |
NOW MAY OUR GOD AND FATHER
HIMSELF AND JESUS OUR LORD DIRECT OUR WAY TO YOU: Autos de o theos kai pater emon kai o kurios hemon Iesous kateuthunai (2SAAO) ten
hodon hemon pros humas: (1Th 3:13; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah
31:9; Malachi 1:6; Matthew 6:4,6,8,9,14,18,26,32; Luke 12:30,32; John
20:17; 2Corinthians 6:18; Colossians 1:2; 1John 3:1) (Romans 1:3;
2Thessalonians 2:16) (Ezra 8:21, 22, 23; Proverbs 3:5,6; Mark 1:3)
Now Paul tells them specifically
what he is praying for them.
God and Father Himself and Jesus
our Lord - Thomas writes that here we see...
Two persons viewed as one (cf. John
10:30) possess power to open the way to Thessalonica once again; ‘our
God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus’ is the compound subject of
a singular verb . . . probably an indication of the unity of the
Godhead.
Denney remarks
It is an involuntary assent of the
Apostle to the word of the Lord, "I and My Father are one.
Hiebert writes that...
Thus to address the Lord Jesus as
the object of their prayer, equally with the Father, is to ascribe
full deity to Him. To make Christ one with the Father in the
prerogative of hearing and answering prayer is to bracket Him with the
Father as equal in power and glory. For a strong monotheist like Paul
this would have been unthinkable if he had regarded Christ Jesus as a
mere man, however exalted.
His view of Christ is further underlined by the fact that the verb
"clear" is singular in number although the subject is plural. One can
hardly conceive of a stronger way for Paul to indicate his
unquestioned acceptance of the lordship of Jesus and His oneness with
the Father. And the fact that this occurs in his prayer and not in a
doctrinal discussion indicates that it was part of the accepted faith
of the Thessalonians as well as Paul...It was an essential part of the
faith of the Christian church from the very beginning. Here we see
implicit in Paul's earliest letter the Lordship of Jesus Christ which
is made explicit in the epistle to the Colossians. (Hiebert,
D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)
Direct (2720)(kateuthuno from
kata = down, intensifies meaning + euthunô = straighten
from euthus = straight) means to make straight, to straighten fully, to guide or
lead directly straight towards or upon something, to guide one's way
or journey to a place. The idea is that of conducting one straight to
a place, and not by a round-about course.
Note that this verb is singular
whereas the subject is plural (God...Jesus our Lord) which
substantiates the deity of Christ and the unity of the Godhead.
Vine thus translates the verse as...
But God Himself even our Father and
our Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
Kateuthuno gives a picture of opening up the way by removal of obstacles so that
the desired goal may be reached. Paul recognizes the uselessness of
personal efforts toward a revisit unless God "clears the way"
and removes the obstacles that Satan had previously placed in his path
of return which made that path impassable. Paul had learned the secret
(Php 4:13-note) that
it is God
Who "directs our way" and Who Alone is powerful enough to remove
all hindrances (1Th 2:18-note)
that Satan places in our path.
The missionaries are making their
request, but they recognize that the Sovereign God is the supreme
Disposer of events. They acknowledge their dependence upon Him and
know that it is His prerogative to determine the time and manner in
which their prayer will be answered.
Here are the only other NT uses of kateuthuno and in each place
it has the sense of divine providence controlling human action.
Luke 1:79 To shine upon
those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our
feet into the way of peace."
2 Thessalonians 3:5 And may the Lord direct your hearts
into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
There are 50 uses of kateuthuno
in the
Septuagint (LXX)
(Jdg. 12:6; 1 Sam. 6:12; 2 Sam. 19:17; 1 Ki. 11:43; 1 Chr. 29:18; 2
Chr. 12:14; 17:5; 19:3; 20:33; 30:19; 32:30; Est. 3:13; 8:12; Ps. 5:8;
7:9; 37:23; 40:2; 59:4; 78:8; 90:17; 101:7; 102:28; 119:5, 133;
140:11; 141:2; Prov. 1:3; 4:26; 9:15; 13:13; 15:8, 21; 21:2; 23:19;
29:27; Jer. 15:11; 21:12; Ezek. 17:9f, 15; 18:25; Dan. 3:30; 6:28;
8:24f; 11:27, 36; Hos. 4:10; Zech. 11:16; Mal. 2:6)
Way (3598)(hodos) means
any place along which one travels and so a way, a road, a highway.
Hodos is a way for traveling or moving from one place to
another.
Hodos - 101x in 99v - Matt
2:12; 3:3; 4:15; 5:25; 7:13f; 8:28; 10:5, 10; 11:10; 13:4, 19; 15:32;
20:17, 30; 21:8, 19, 32; 22:9f, 16; Mark 1:2f; 2:23; 4:4, 15; 6:8;
8:3, 27; 9:33f; 10:17, 32, 46, 52; 11:8; 12:14; Luke 1:76, 79; 2:44;
3:4f; 7:27; 8:5, 12; 9:3, 57; 10:4, 31; 11:6; 12:58; 14:23; 18:35;
19:36; 20:21; 24:32, 35; John 1:23; 14:4ff; Acts 1:12; 2:28; 8:26, 36,
39; 9:2, 17, 27; 13:10; 14:16; 16:17; 18:25f; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14,
22; 25:3; 26:13; Rom 3:16f; 11:33; 1 Cor 4:17; 12:31; 1 Thess 3:11;
Heb 3:10; 9:8; 10:20; Jas 1:8; 2:25; 5:20; 2 Pet 2:2, 15, 21; Jude
1:11; Rev 15:3; 16:12. NAS = highways(2), journey(7), path(1),
paths(1), road(24), roads(1), streets(1), way(54), ways(9).
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1Thessalonians 3:12
and may the
Lord
cause
* you to
increase and
abound in
love for
one
another, and
for
all
people,
just as we
also do for
you; (NASB:
Lockman) |
|
Greek:
humas
de
o
kurios
pleonasai
kai
perisseusai
te
agape
eis
allelous
kai
eis
pantas,
kathaper
kai
hemeis
eis
humas
Amplified: And may
the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one
another and for all people, just as we also do for you,
(Amplified
Bible - Lockman)
NLT: And may the Lord make your love grow and overflow to
each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward
you. (NLT
- Tyndale House)
Phillips: May the Lord give you the same increasing and
overflowing love for each other and towards all men as we have towards
you. (Phillips:
Touchstone)
Wuest: the Lord cause you to increase and superabound in
your divine and self-sacrificial love for one another and toward all,
even as also we have this divine and self-sacrificial love for you,
(Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: and you the Lord cause to increase and to
abound in the love to one another, and to all, even as we also to you, |
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AND MAY THE LORD CAUSE YOU TO
INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND FOR ALL MEN, JUST AS WE
ALSO DO FOR YOU: humas de o kurios pleonasai (3SAAO) kai perisseusai
(3SAAO) te agape eis allelous kai eis pantas, kathaper kai hemeis eis
humas: (1Th 4:10; Psalms 115:4; Luke 17:5; 2Corinthians 9:10;
James 1:17; 2Peter 3:18) (1Th 4:9,10; Philippians 1:9; 2Thessalonians
1:3) (5:15; Matthew 7:12; 22:39; Romans 13:8; 1Corinthians 13:1-13;
Galatians 5:6,13,14,22; 2Peter 1:7; 1John 3:11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, 19; 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Increase and abound - the idea is that their love be enlarged and
made abundant, taken together giving the force of "increase to
overflowing"! Clearly this was not a loveless church (eg they had a
labor of love - 1Th 1:3-note), but
they were not yet glorified (!) and therefore still had room to grow in love,
the essential mark of the Christian faith as our Lord declared...
A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have
loved you, that you also love one another. By this
all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love
(agape) for one another. (John 13:34, 35).
And so it is not surprising that
Paul prayed for increasing love for other churches such as the one at
Philippi...
And this I pray, that your love
may abound (perisseuo - superabound, overflow;
present tense
= as a continual supernatural outflow of your Spirit controlled and
empowered life) still more and more (and here is the qualifier of such
an overflowing love - it is not mindless sentimentality) in real
knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that
are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of
Christ (Php 1:9, 10-note)
In Paul's second letter we see his
thanksgiving to God for having answered this prayer...
We ought always to give thanks to God
for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly
enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever
greater (2Thes 1:3)
Increase and abound in love -
This is a prayer (in the
aorist,
optative)
as discussed more fully below. Clearly the apostle Paul knew we depend
on the Holy Spirit for the fruit of holiness such as love, and he
expressed this dependence through prayer. Remember that prayer is not
limited by time or place. Your prayers for your fellow believers (and
your loved ones) will do more good than you realize, so stay devoted to
prayer with an attitude of thanksgiving (Col 4:2-note)
Increase (4121)(pleonazo
[word study]
from
pleion = more) means to cause to increase or to
superabound. It suggests an abundance, an increase in number. It means
to have or cause to have much, or more than enough. To have a surplus.
Pleonazo - 9x in 8v - Rom
5:20; 6:1; 2 Cor 4:15; 8:15; Phil 4:17; 1 Thess 3:12; 2 Thess 1:3; 2 Pet
1:8. NAS = cause*(1), grows...greater(1), have too much(1),
increase(3), increased(1), increases(1), increasing(1), spreading(1).
Abound (4052)(perisseuo
[word study]
from
perissós = abundant from peri = in sense of
beyond) means to cause to overflow or superabound (quantitatively or qualitatively),
to cause to
excel. It means to exceed a fixed number
or measure, to exist in superfluity.
Perisseuo - 39x in 35v -
Matt 5:20; 13:12; 14:20; 15:37; 25:29; Mark 12:44; Luke 9:17; 12:15;
15:17; 21:4; John 6:12f; Acts 16:5; Rom 3:7; 5:15; 15:13; 1 Cor 8:8;
14:12; 15:58; 2 Cor 1:5; 3:9; 4:15; 8:2, 7; 9:8, 12; Eph 1:8; Phil 1:9,
26; 4:12, 18; Col 2:7; 1 Thess 3:12; 4:1, 10. NAS = abound(10),
abounded(1), abounding(1), abundance(2), abundant(1), better(1),
cause(1), cause*(1), excel(2), has an abundance(1), have an
abundance(3), have more than enough(1), having abundance(1),
increasing(1), lavished(1), left over(4), leftover(1), live in
prosperity(1), make...abound(1), overflowed(1), overflowing(2),
surpasses(1), surplus(2).
Hiebert writes that the two
verbs increase and abound
are both
aorist,
optative
of wish. They are virtually
synonymous in import, and the use of both strengthens the expression of
the prayer-wish. The former means "to become more, to increase, to be in
abundance," while the latter means "to he present in abundance, to
overflow" They may be rendered "to increase and to overflow" (Weymouth,
Williams). The former may be viewed as "pointing to the process of
growth" and the latter "to superlative attainment."' Then they may be
thought of as standing in a relationship of cause and effect. The
petition is not merely that their converts will "increase" but will be
filled to overflowing in "love."
It is assumed that love is already present in their lives; the request
is that it may increase to overflowing fullness. Its overflowing
presence is the tangible evidence of a robust faith. Genuine Christian
love, whose characteristics are set forth in 1 Corinthians 13, is the
one thing in the Christian life that cannot be carried to excess. This
abounding love will first of all express itself in their relations to
"each other," the fellow-believers at Thessalonica. The reciprocal
pronoun indicates that this love is to be shown mutually. But it must
also be expressed as "for everyone else," not merely Christians in other
places, but all men generally. For the persecuted Thessalonians this
meant also loving their enemies, as Christ commanded (see note
Matthew 5:44).
To show love to their persecutors was the true safeguard against the
natural tendency to retaliate when mistreated by outsiders. Such a love
is not natural to man; it can he known and practiced only as it is
received as a gift from the Lord and made to increase and abound by Him.
(Hiebert,
D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996
Love
(26)
(agape
[word study])
is unconditional, sacrificial love
and a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16) that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9). Greek literature throws
little light on this distinctive NT meaning. Agape love is the
love of choice and of serving with humility. It is the highest kind of
love, the noblest kind of devotion, the love of the will (intentional,
conscious choice) and not done for appearance or motivated by emotional
attraction. Agape is not based on pleasant emotions or good
feelings that might result from a physical attraction or a familial
bond. From all of the descriptions of agape love, it is clear
that true agape love is a sure mark of salvation.
Agape does not depend on the
world’s criteria for love, such as attractiveness, emotions, or
sentimentality. Believers can easily fall into the trap of blindly
following the world’s demand that the one who loves is to feel
positive toward the beloved. This is not agape love, but is a
love based on impulse. Impulsive love characterizes the spouse
who announces to the other spouse that they are planning to divorce
their mate. Why? They reason “I can’t help it. I fell in love with
another person!” Christians must understand that this type of impulsive
love is completely contrary to God’s decisive love, which is
decisive because He is in control and has a purpose in mind.
Jerry Bridges asks...
How then can we fulfill our responsibility to love “more and more”?
Recognizing that love is an inner disposition of the soul produced only
by the Holy Spirit, what can we do to fulfill our responsibility?
First, as we have already seen, the Spirit of God uses His word
to transform us. Therefore, if we want to grow in love, we must saturate
our minds with Scriptures that describe love and show its importance to
us... Do you truly want to grow in love? Then you must begin by
meditating on some of these love passages.
The second thing we must do is pray for the Holy Spirit to apply
His word to our hearts and to our daily lives. Paul did not just exhort
the Thessalonians to grow in love; he looked to the Lord to work in
their hearts: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for
each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you”
(1Thessalonians 3:12). As we see instances in our lives of failing to
love, we should confess them to God, asking Him to help us grow in those
specific areas and be more sensitive to such occasions in the future.
Finally, we must obey. We must do those things that love
dictates. We must do no harm to our neighbor (Ro 13:10); we must meet
our neighbor’s needs and forgive our neighbor’s wrongs against us. We
must put his interests before our own, and we must reach out and embrace
our brother in Christ. But we must do all this in dependence upon the
Holy Spirit, who works in us to will and to act according to His good
purpose. (Bridges, J. The Practice of Godliness. Page 212. Colorado
Springs, CO: Navpress. 1983)
Donald W. Burdick gives an
excellent summary of agape writing that...
It is
spontaneous. There was nothing of value in the persons loved that called
forth such sacrificial love. God of His own free will set His love on us
in spite of our enmity and sin. [Agape] is love that is initiated by the
lover because he wills to love, not because of the value or lovableness
of the person loved. [Agape] is self-giving. and is not interested in
what it can gain, but in what it can give. It is not bent on satisfying
the lover, but on helping the one loved whatever the cost. [Agape] is
active and is not mere sentiment cherished in the heart. Nor is it mere
words however eloquent. It does involve feeling and may express itself
in words, but it is primarily an attitude toward another that moves the
will to act in helping to meet the need of the one loved." (Burdick, D
W: The Letters of John the Apostle. Chicago: Moody, 1985, page 351)
EBC
comments that...
The goal of Paul's prayer for the
Thessalonians is that the Lord will grant them "inner strength" to be
"blameless" in holiness "in the presence of our God and Father" when the
Lord Jesus returns. He looks forward to the time of final accounting. An
overflow of love (1Th 3:12) is the only route to holy conduct in which no
fault can be found (1Th 3:13). For unless love prevails, selfish motives
inhibit ethical development by turning us toward ourselves and away from
God and blameless living. The holiness that belongs to God is the ideal
we must seek (cf. Lev 19:2; 1Pe 1:16- note). (Gaebelein,
F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament.
Zondervan Publishing)
For one another and for all men
- Paul had been thankful for their labor of love (1Th 1:3-note)
and here is praying for an ever widening circle of love, like the Father
has even for the unsaved (all men) and even their countrymen who
had caused them suffering (1Th 2:14-note)
Just as we do for you -
Paul daringly set himself as a standard of love to be emulated. We
should live such Christian lives that we could tell young Christians,
“Love other people just the way that I do.”
Someone has paraphrased this
prayer as follows
The Lord enable you more and more to
spend your lives in the interests of others, in order that He may so
establish you in Christian character now, that you might be vindicated
from every charge that might possibly be brought against you ...
R Larry Moyer has an note
worth pondering regarding Paul's prayers for the saints (disciples)...
Paul’s emphasis on prayer for new
converts is seen in other portions of his epistles such as 1Thessalonians 1:2, 3; 3:10,
11,12, 13; and Philippians 1:3, 4. What is striking is
that Paul was keenly aware that no matter how many times he revisited
the new believers, how many fellow workers he sent to labor among them,
or how much communication he maintained with them, only the Holy Spirit
could accomplish spiritual growth. God through His Spirit had to apply
the truths of Scripture to their lives and cause them to be
comprehended. Paul viewed his prayers to this end as an essential part
of his follow-through.
Referring to Paul’s emphasis on
prayer for new converts, Erdman notes,
A large portion of Paul’s time was
spent in this pursuit. The “anxiety of all the churches” he had
established found its natural expression in earnest intercession in
their behalf. In the preface of his epistle written to any one of these
churches, he states the requests which formed the substance of these
daily supplications. There were in each case petitions appropriate to
the particular need. However, these opening prayers of the apostle
indicate exactly the requests which should be offered for the churches
of the present day, and indeed for each individual Christian. They form
possibly the most precious portions of the New Testament epistles. (from
Charles R. Erdman, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to
Philemon Philadelphia: Westminster, 1966, 45)
One cannot help but wonder how much
further along new converts would be if the amount of time given to
criticism were directed to prayer for their spiritual growth. The
Christian community has often had the practice and reputation of talking
about prayer, but not praying enough. Moments given to persevering
prayer could do more for new converts than hours of criticism or days of
discussion on prayer. (Moyer, R. Larry: Assimilating New Converts into
the Local Church: Bibliotheca Sacra: Volume 151, Issue 603, Page 340.
Dallas TX: Dallas Theological Seminary)
><>><>><>
THE HEALTHIEST PLACE ON EARTH
- IT'S one of the few places on earth where the air is as fresh and
clean as it must have been millennia ago. Constant winds keep out
pollution and germs, and the climate discourages the growth of native
viruses.
It sounds like the healthiest place on earth. So why doesn't anyone want
to live there? Because it's also the coldest place on earth. With
temperatures that drop to minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the South Pole
is too frigid even for germs.
Some churches bear a striking resemblance to that sterile atmosphere.
The truth of God is preached, Scriptures are meticulously quoted, and
error has no chance to survive. But neither does life. The spiritual
temperature is subzero, as evidenced by the cold shoulder given to the
poor and needy (James 2:2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Those weak in the faith engage
in icy arguments (Romans 14:1-note).
Those who threaten to invade their comfortable cliques are left out in
the cold (3John 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Unloved and unwelcomed, many people
leave.
The church is to function as the body
of Christ. As such, it should be warm, compassionate, and inviting. Our
goal is not to keep out germs; it's to create an atmosphere where the
spiritually sick can find healing. —M R De Haan II
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
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1Thessalonians
3:13
so that He may
establish your
hearts
without
blame in
holiness
before our
God and
Father at the
coming of our
Lord
Jesus with
all His
saints (NASB:
Lockman) |
|
Greek:
eis
to sterixai
(AAN)
umon
tas
kardias
amemptous
en
hagiosune
emprosthen
tou
theou
kai
patros
emon
en
te
parousia
tou
kuriou
emon
Iesou
meta
panton
ton
agion
autou.
[amen.]
Amplified: So that He may strengthen and confirm and establish
your hearts faultlessly pure and unblamable in holiness in the sight
of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the
Messiah) with all His saints (the holy and glorified people of God)!
Amen, (so be it)!
(Amplified
Bible - Lockman)
NLT: As a result, Christ will make your hearts strong,
blameless, and holy when you stand before God our Father on that day
when our Lord Jesus comes with all those who belong to him. (NLT
- Tyndale House)
Phillips: May he establish you, holy and blameless in
heart and soul, before himself, the Father of us all, when our Lord
Jesus Christ comes with all who belong to him. (Phillips:
Touchstone)
Wuest: to the end that He might stabilize your hearts
blameless in the sphere of holiness in the presence of our God and
Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: to the establishing your hearts blameless
in sanctification before our God and Father, in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. |
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SO THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH YOUR
HEARTS UNBLAMABLE IN HOLINESS BEFORE OUR GOD AND FATHER AT THE COMING OF
OUR LORD JESUS WITH ALL HIS SAINTS: eis to sterixai (AAN) humon tas kardias
amemptous en hagiosune emprosthen tou theou kai patros emon en te
parousia tou kuriou emon Iesou meta panton ton agion autou: (1Th
5:23; Romans 14:4; 16:25; 1Corinthians 1:8; Philippians 1:10;
2Thessalonians 2:16,17; 1Peter 5:10; 1John 3:20,21) (Ephesians 5:27;
Colossians 1:22; 1John 3:20,21; Jude 1:24) (1Th 2:19; 4:15; 5:23;
1Corinthians 1:7; 15:23; 2Thessalonians 2:1) (Deuteronomy 33:2;
Zechariah 14:5; 2Thessalonians 1:10; Jude 1:14)
So (1519) (eis) marks the conclusion of the
petition and introduces a statement of its goal or aim ("contemplated
result", Lenski). The verse thus reads not as another request but
the goal literally
to the end that he may strengthen
your hearts blameless in holiness The NIV
dynamic paraphrase is somewhat inaccurate rendering this
phrase as a separate prayer request...
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless
and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes
with all his holy ones.
Hiebert commenting on
establish your hearts notes that...
The Lord works through their
increasing love to strengthen them—make them firm and solid (cf. 1Th
3:2-note)—in
Christian character. Only as Christ develops in them the needed inner
spiritual stability will they be able to stand firm and unmoved through
whatever the future holds. Timothy had been sent to Thessalonica to help
strengthen and encourage them (1Thes 3:2); this prayer is a
reminder that however helpful the ministries of the Lord's servants may
be, it is the Lord Himself who must work that inner stability in them. (Hiebert,
D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)
Establish (4741)
(sterizo
[word study]
from histemi = to stand
as in 1Pe 5:12-note "stand firm in" the true grace of God)
means to make firm or solid, to set
fast, to fix firmly in a place, to establish (make firm or stable), to
cause to be inwardly firm or committed, to strengthen. The basic idea of
the verb sterizo is that of stabilizing something by providing a
support or buttress (a projecting structure of masonry or wood for
supporting or giving stability to a wall or building), so that it will
not totter.
Sterizo - 13x in 13v - Lk
9:51; 16:26; 22:32; Ro 1:11; 16:25; 1Th 3:2, 13; 2Th 2:17; 3:3; Jas 5:8;
1Pe 5:10; 2Pe 1:12; Re 3:2. NAS = confirm(1), determined(1),
establish(2), established(2), fixed(1), strengthen(6), strengthening(1).Barclay
writes that sterizo
means to make as solid as granite.
Suffering of body and sorrow of heart do one of two things to a man.
They either make him collapse or they leave him with a solidity of
character which he could never have gained anywhere else. If he meets
them with continuing trust in Christ, he emerges like toughened steel
that has been tempered in the fire. (Barclay,
W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster
Press or
Logos
Guzik has a wise remark noting
that...
The heart must be made holy first.
The devil wants us to develop a holy exterior while neglecting the
interior, like whitewashed tombs, full of death (Matthew 23:27).
T he following uses of
sterizo
demonstrate the various ways God uses
to strengthen His saints and thus what and how Timothy was enabled to
strengthen the faith of the saints in Thessalonica. These are the same
"methods" believers today can utilize to strengthen the faith of their
brethren, a need which is always present because every believer's faith
is continually subject to testing.
Have you ever been sent to
strengthen another's faith?
How would Timothy going to carry out Paul's charge to strengthen the
faith of the saints at Thessalonica? Read on...
Believers
are
strengthened...
By
fervent, Scripturally based prayers of the saints...
May the Lord cause you to increase
and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do
for you that He may establish (sterizo)
your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the
coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (see notes
1Thes 3:12;
13)
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal
comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen (sterizo)
your hearts in every good work and word. (2Th 2:16, 17)
By the Lord
Himself, our Strength and Protector...
But the Lord is
faithful, and He will strengthen (sterizo)
and protect you from the evil
one. (2Th 3:3)
By
looking and living for the Lord's return...
You too
be
patient
(makrothumeo
- having a "long fuse" especially with difficult people -
aorist imperative);
strengthen
(sterizo
-
aorist imperative
Do it now - it's
urgent!,
active voice
= you make the choice to do this)
your hearts (the "control center" of your life), for the coming (parousia)
of the Lord is at hand.
(Jas 5:8)
By the God of
all grace working through suffering...
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace,
who called you to His
eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you. (1Pe 5:10-note)
By the truth
of God's Word...
Therefore, I shall always be
ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them,
and have been established (sterizo)
in the truth which is present with you.
(2Pe 1:12-note)
By the
revealing of the mystery of
the gospel...
Now to Him who is able to
establish (sterizo)
you according to my gospel and
the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept
secret for long ages past
(Ro
16:25-note);
B y the strengthening
ministered through His saints who come alongside...
(Peter) Simon, Simon,
behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you
like wheat but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and
you, when once you have turned again,
strengthen
(sterizo
-
aorist imperative
conveys a sense of
urgency. Do it effectively! When the opportunity presents itself, don't
delay) your brothers. (Lk 22:31,
32)
(Timothy) and we sent
Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel
of Christ, to strengthen (sterizo)
and encourage you as to your faith,
(Paul) For I long to see
you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you,
that you may be established (sterizo)
(Ro 1:11- note).
So although it is the God Himself Who ultimately strengthens and
stabilizes us,
these other NT uses of
sterizo
teach that God uses the the
encouragement and prayers of the saints, the certainty of Christ's
return and the truth of His Word and the gospel to supernaturally exert
a stabilizing effect on our faith.
Heart (2588)
(kardia
[word study])
does not refer to the physical organ but is always used figuratively in
Scripture to refer to the seat and center of human life. The heart is
the center of the personality, and it controls the intellect, emotions,
and will. No outward obedience is of the slightest value unless the
heart turns to God.
Hiebert observes that...
In
Scripture the "heart" (kardia)
is a comprehensive term standing for the whole inner life, including
thought, feeling, and will (cf. 1Th 2:4- note). Christian
stability is not achieved through outward conformity to rules and
regulations, needful as that is, but through the development of
conscious inner strength and stability. Such a petition for the
strengthening of the inner life of the believer is timely today when
much attention is given to head and hand but the inner spiritual life is
often neglected. (Ibid)
Hughes
explains that...
The heart is the wellspring of
man’s spiritual life, and that is where the Roman Christians’ obedience
was rooted. It was not just a formal obedience—it came from the center
of their being. This is the example of slavery Paul holds up for us all:
a heartfelt obedience to Christ and his Word. It is an obedience which
brings liberation." (Hughes,
R. K. Romans: Righteousness from heaven. Preaching the Word. Wheaton,
Ill.: Crossway Books)
While kardia
does represent the inner person, the seat of motives and attitudes, the
center of personality, in Scripture it represents much more than
emotion, feelings. It also includes the thinking process and
particularly the will. For example, in Proverbs we are told, “As (a
man) thinks in his heart, so is he” (Pr 23:7). Jesus asked a group of scribes, “Why are you
thinking evil in your hearts?” (Mt 9:4). The heart is the control center of mind and will as
well as emotion.
Vine writes
that kardia...
came to denote man’s entire mental
and moral activities, and to stand figuratively for the hidden springs
of the personal life, and so here signifies the seat of thought and
feeling." (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
)
MacArthur
commenting on kardia writes that...
While we often relate heart to
the emotions (e.g., “He has a broken heart”), the Bible relates it
primarily to the intellect (e.g., “Out of the heart come evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
slanders,” Mt 15:19). That’s why you must “watch
over your heart with all diligence” (Pr 4:23-note). In a secondary way, however, heart relates to
the will and emotions because they are influenced by the intellect. If
you are committed to something, it will affect your will, which in turn
will affect your emotions." (Drawing Near. Crossway Books) MacArthur
adds that "In most modern cultures, the heart is thought of as
the seat of emotions and feelings. But most ancients—Hebrews, Greeks,
and many others—considered the heart to be the center of
knowledge, understanding, thinking, and wisdom. The New Testament also
uses it in that way. The heart was considered to be the seat of
the mind and will, and it could be taught what the brain could never
know. Emotions and feelings were associated with the intestines, or
bowels. (MacArthur,
J: Ephesians. 1986. Chicago: Moody Press
Marvin Vincent
has a lengthy comment on kardia writing...
Heart (kardia). The heart is,
first, the physical organ, the centre of the circulation of the blood.
Hence, the seat and centre of physical life. In the former sense it does
not occur in the New Testament. As denoting the vigor and sense of
physical life, see
Acts 14:17; Jas 5:5; Luke 21:34. It is used fifty-two times by Paul.
Never used like
psuche
soul, to denote the individual
subject of personal life, so that it can be exchanged with the personal
pronoun (Acts 2:42 Acts 3:21; Romans 13:1
- note);
nor like pneuma spirit, to denote the divinely-given principle of life.
It is the central seat and organ of
the personal life (psuche) of man regarded in and by himself, Hence it
is commonly accompanied with the possessive pronouns, my, his, thy, etc.
Like our heart it denotes the seat of
feeling as contrasted with intelligence. 2Cor 2:4; Romans 9:2 (note);
Ro 10:1
(note);
2Cor 6:11; Php 1:7
(note).
But it is not limited to this. It is also the seat of mental action,
feeling, thinking, willing.
It is used —
1. Of intelligence, Ro 1:21
(note) 2Cor 3:15;
4:6; Ep 1:18
(note).
2. Of moral choice,
1Cor 7:37 2Cor 9:7.
3. As giving impulse and character
to action,
Romans 6:17 (note);
Ephesians 6:5 (note);
Colossians 3:22 (note);
1Ti 1:5;
2 Timothy 2:22 (note)
. The work of the law is
written on the heart,
Romans 2:15 (note).
The Corinthian Church is inscribed as Christ’s epistle on hearts of
flesh,
2Cor 1:23.
4. Specially, it is the seat of
the divine Spirit,
Gal 4:6; Romans 5:5
(note);
2Cor 1:22. It is the sphere of His
various operations, directing, comforting, establishing, etc., Php 4:7
(note); Col 3:15
(note); 1Th 3:13
(note);
2Thes 2:17; 3:5.
It is the seat of faith, and the organ of spiritual praise, Ro 10:9
(note); Acts 2:42,
Ep 5:19
(note); Col 3:16
(note).
It is equivalent to the inner man,
Ep 3:16
(note); Ep 3:17
(note).
Its characteristic is being hidden, Ro 2:28, 29
(note); Ro 8:27
(note);
1Cor 4:5; 14:25.
It is contrasted with the face,
1Th 2:17
(note);
2Cor 5:12; and with the mouth, Romans 10:8
(note).
Unblamable (273)(amemptos
[word study]
from a = negates following word + mémphomai = find fault)
means irreproachable, faultless, without defect or blemish and thus
describes not being able to find fault in someone or some thing (cf use
in Heb 8:7 regarding the Old Covenant). The idea is that the person is
such that he or she is without the possibility of rightful charge being
brought against them. Paul's
desire for the Philippian saints is that
there be no legitimate ground for accusation when the Lord returns to
judge (see discussion of the
bema or Judgment Seat of Christ for
believers) (see below, 1Thes 3:13, for Paul's similar
desire and prayer for the saints at Thessalonica).
Amemptos signifies that
whatever charges might be made, no charge could be maintained. It points
to the high standard God sets for His children (cf. 1John 2:1). It must
ever be their aspiration and aim to so live that no fault may be found
in them, that nothing in their conduct can be censured as evil.
This adjective was often used to characterize someone who is flawless
in the sight of other people.
The related adverb amemptos (differs by mark over the "o")
is the very word archeologists have found on Christian tombs from
ancient Thessalonica. When people wanted to identify a deceased friend
or loved one as a Christian, they inscribed "amemptos" or "blameless"
on his or her grave, such behavioral blamelessness (not just the imputed
and forensic) is the Lord’s desire for His church.
Barclay adds that amemptos...
expresses what the Christian is to
the world. His life is of such purity that none can find anything in it
with which to find fault. It is often said in courts of law that the
proceedings must not only be just but must be seen to be just. The
Christian must not only be pure, but the purity of his life must be seen
by all. (Barclay,
W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster
Press)
The
Septuagint (LXX)
uses show that amemptos
describes some very godly men. Moses for example records ...
Now when Abram was ninety-nine years
old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty;
Walk before Me, and be blameless. (amemptos) (Ge 17:1)
In Job we read that
There was a man in the land of Uz,
whose name was Job, and that man was blameless (amemptos),
upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil....8 And the LORD said
to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like
him on the earth, a blameless (amemptos) and upright man, fearing God
and turning away from evil." (Job 1:1,8, cf 2:3)
Regarding the distinction from the closely related word amomos
used in the next verse, Trench writes that...
If amomos is the
'unblemished,' amemptos is the 'unblamed.'... Christ was
amomos in that there was in Him no spot or blemish, and He could
say, 'Which of you convinceth Me of sin?' but in strictness of speech He
was not amemptos (unblamed), nor is this epithet ever given to
Him in the N.T., seeing that He endured the contradiction of sinners
against Himself, who slandered His footsteps and laid to His charge
'things that He knew not' (i.e., of which He was guiltless). (Trench,
R. C. Synonyms of the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers. 2000)
Believers are to walk (live) in such a manner that we will not
justifiably elicit the reproach of others. Even if a charge would be
made against us, this word amemptos signifies that the charge could not
be maintained.
Our position in Christ before God is
blameless but Paul's prayer speaks of our daily walk and his desire for
it to be blameless in holiness. He continues this theme in the next
chapter exhorting them to excel still more
In holiness - Holiness is the
sphere in which their spiritual career will unfold.
Holiness (42)(hagiosune
from
hagios = holy) basically
refers to separation from what is common or unclean, and consecration to
God (Lev 20:24-26 Acts 6:13; 21:28). Separation from the world involves
more than keeping our distance from sinners but also means staying close
to God. More than avoiding entertainment that leads to sin, it extends
into how we spend our time and money. There is no way to separate
ourselves totally from all sinful influences. Nevertheless, we are to
resist the sin around us, without either giving up or giving in. When
you know what God wants you to do, make a clean break with sinful
practices. But beware of the trap of falling prey to keeping a list of
do's and don't's
or you will fall into the bondage of legalism.
Hagiosune refers to
holiness not in the sense of describing the process of becoming
"holy" but rather the quality of "being holy". It is the quality of
holiness as an expression of the divine in contrast with the human. It
has an ethical quality that reveals itself in purity of life. It
indicates the state or condition of holiness.
Hiebert explains that...
The demand for holiness is rooted in
the fact that by virtue of his acceptance of the atoning work of Christ,
the believer has been separated from the world and set apart as
belonging unto God. That which is devoted to God must he separated from
sin. Genuine holiness is motivated by the obligations love imposes. (Ibid)
There are only 3 uses of hagiosune
in the NT and here are the other two...
Romans 1:4 (note)
who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from
the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our
Lord (Comment: Here hagiosune indicates a spirit or
disposition of holiness which characterized Christ spiritually.)
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore,
having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear
of God.
Hagiosúne and hagiótes (41) are qualities of character for which there
need not be any proof; but for
hagiasmos (38), the process of
sanctification and the result of that process upon the individual, proof
is necessary at each stage of its progressive achievement.
Hagios means to be set apart for a specific use or purpose. Includes the
idea of taking something filthy, dirty and washing it and setting it
apart as something brand new and useful for a different
purpose--salvation
Hagiosune refers to a quality
of life expressed in careful obedience to God.
Hagiosune refers to holiness of God pervading scheme of redemption and
being made manifest in and by Christ. It emphasizes not an act of holiness but the state
or condition of
holiness. God's will is that our lives be characterized in every area by
Christ-likeness in our attitudes and actions. The imminent "coming of
our Lord Jesus" provides an apt incentive for all believers to
pursue holiness.
Before our God and Father -
This phrase removes this holiness from the realm of fallible
human evaluation and lifts it into the presence of God Who is also our
Father. The Christian must always be concerned about the evaluation that
God our Father will make of our character. Our holiness of character and
conduct are derived from Him and will be tested by Him. These grand
attributes we are to prayerfully seek in this life will have their full
realization at the coming of our Lord Jesus.
Hiebert comments that...
In keeping with the realization that
the parousia of Jesus is not a single event, Walvoord accepts that
"this word coming here may not refer
especially to the coming of Christ with His saints to earth, but rather
specifically to the coming to heaven when they will be in the presence
of the Father."
Then the reference is to the coming
of Christ to catch up His people at the Rapture (see notes
1Thessalonians 4:13;
14;
15;
16;
17;
18),
which marks the initiation of His personal presence with His redeemed
people. The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10 - see bema)
is also the Judgment Seat of God (see note
Romans 14:10),
since the judgment of the saints takes place in the presence of God the
Father on whose throne Christ is now seated (see note
Revelation 3:21). Having been
judged and rewarded, the saints will be presented to Christ as His
spotless Bride. By virtue of their union with the Lord Jesus they will
appear before God the Father as sons free from all fault and
imperfection (see note
Ephesians 5:27;
cf. 1 John 3:2). (Hiebert,
D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)
AT THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS
WITH ALL HIS SAINTS: en te
parousia tou kuriou emon Iesou meta panton ton agion autou: (1Thes
2:19; 4:15; 5:23; 1Corinthians 1:7; 15:23; 2Thessalonians 2:1)
(Deuteronomy 33:2; Zechariah 14:5; 2Thessalonians 1:10; Jude 1:14)
At the coming - Remember that
every chapter in this epistle ends with a reference to the return of
Jesus Christ, and as in this section this great truth is applied to
motivate expectant daily living. The imminent return of Jesus (1) is an
evidence of salvation (1Th 1:9,10), (2) is a motivation for soul winning
(1Th 2:17, 18, 19, 20), (3) is an encouragement for holy living (1Th
3:11, 12, 13), (4) is a comfort in sorrow (1Th 4:18) (5) is a
stimulus to have more confidence in the Lord (1Th 5:23, 24).
Coming (3952)
(parousia
[word study]
from pareimi = to be present)
is a combination of two Greek words para = with, alongside +
ousia = being (ousia is the participial form of the verb
eimi = to be) which together literally mean to be alongside.
Parousia - 24x in 24v - Matt
24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1 Cor 15:23; 16:17; 2 Cor 7:6f; 10:10; Phil 1:26;
2:12; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:1, 8f; Jas 5:7f; 2 Pet
1:16; 3:4, 12; 1 John 2:28
Most lexicons in fact state that
parousia is derived from pareimi (from para = near, with +
eimi = to be) which means to be present, to be nearby, to have
come.
Parousia
then literally means a being beside or a presence. The
word denotes both an arrival and a consequent presence with.
Parousia
conveys the thought of an arrival (advent or coming) of a person to a
place plus the idea of their presence at that place until a certain
event transpires. The word parousia has no English equivalent and
therefore is often transliterated in writings.
John MacArthur
writes that...
Parousia refers to more than
just coming; it includes the idea of “presence.” Perhaps the
best English translation would be “arrival.” The church’s great
hope is the arrival of Jesus Christ when He comes to bless His people
with His presence. That glorious truth appears in more than 500 verses
throughout the Bible. (Macarthur
J. James. Moody or
Logos)
(Bolding added)
In an ancient
Greek letter a lady speaks of the necessity of her parousia in a
place in order to attend to matters relating to her property there.
Moulton and Milligan have these secular quotes...
the repair of what has been swept
away by the river requires my presence
“we await your presence,” (a
man to his “brothers)
it is no use if a person comes too
late for what required his presence
In another secular
Greek writing we find parousia used to refer to the coming of a
king or other noted official (see note below). In the visit of the ruler
was accompanied by magnificent ceremonies, delicacies to eat, gifts of
money, street improvements, new buildings, addressing of complaints and
requests! Sounds like the coming of the King to take His throne in the
1000 year
Millennial
or Messianic Kingdom!
As Jesus
sat with Peter and James and John and Andrew,
on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and
what will be the sign of Your coming, (parousia) and of the end
of the age? (Mt
24:3)
This passage
begins what is commonly referred to as the "Olivet Discourse" (Click
for a discussion on Mt 24 entitled "When Jesus Returns to the Earth:
Where Will the Church Be?")
Parousia
refers to the Second Coming of the Lord, but be aware that the Second
Coming is not just a single event taking place at a particular time.
Rather the Second Coming is composed of a series of events. One can
understand which event is being referred to only by a careful
examination of the
context
("Context
is king" in interpretation in
Inductive Bible Study!)
In sum, the period referred to as the
Parousia (coming) of Christ has a beginning, a course and a final
conclusion. Although there is not uniform agreement, most conservative
evangelical scholars would agree that the Parousia of Jesus
Christ begins with the Rapture, when He comes for His saints, as
mentioned discussed by Paul in (1Th 4:16-note). (For more on His coming see "The
Comfort of His Coming (4:13-18)")
This first phase is to followed by
the period of His presence with the saints when, having come to the air
for them, and received them to Himself, He will take them to the place
prepared for them, the Father’s “House,” (cf Jn 14:2).
At the end of the second half of
Daniel's Seventieth Week
(the last 3.5 year period being referred to as the "Great
Tribulation") Matthew
records that
"then the sign (the sign is not
mystical but is Christ coming on the clouds) of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power
and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET
and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one
end of the sky to the other." (Mt 24:30,31)
At that time Christ will come with
His saints in manifest glory and will the overthrow of His foes and
establish His kingdom on earth. (unless you do not believe the 1000
years is a literal period of time). (Click
Chart summary of Daniel's Seventieth Week) (Click
comparison of
Day of the Lord, Day of Christ)
Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that there would be no grounds of accusation because of
unholiness. Compare a similar thought in these other NT passages...
1Cor 1:8 (awaiting eagerly the
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ) Who shall also confirm you to the
end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Cor 11:2 For I am jealous for
you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to
Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
Eph 5:25-27 Husbands, love
your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for
her that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of
water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all
her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she
should be holy and blameless. (See notes
Ephesians 5:25;
5:26;
5:27)
1Pet. 1:16-17 but like the
Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior
because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." (See notes
1 Peter 1:16;
1:17)
Jude 24. Now to Him who is
able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence
of His glory blameless with great joy
Ryrie comments
Probably refers here to angels who will accompany the return of Christ
(Mk 8:38), or possibly also holy men (cf. 1Th 4:14-note)
With all His saints - The
expression literally is all his holy ones indicates that
when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will bring with Him all His holy
ones, which I think without a doubt refers to believers but could also
include angels (2 Thessalonians 1:7 "and to give relief to you who are
afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire")
Morris basically agrees
commenting that...
It is best to understand the ‘holy
ones’ as all those bright beings who will make up His train be they
angels or the saints who have gone before.
Vincent is somewhat dogmatic
writing that...
Saints is often explained as
angels; but the meaning is the holy and glorified people of God.
Hoi hagioi is uniformly used of these in NT and never of angels
unless joined with aggeloiι. See Lk 9:26; Mk. 8:38; Acts 10:22. It is
doubtful if hoi hagioi is used of angels in LXX. Zech. 14:5, which is
confidently cited as an instance, is quoted at the conclusion of the
Didache (16:7), clearly with the sense of glorified believers. Hagioi
aggeloi appears Tob. 11:14; 12:15; Job 5:1. Angels has no connection
with anything in this Epistle, but glorified believers is closely
connected with the matter which was troubling the Thessalonians. See
1Thess 4:13. This does not exclude the attendance of angels on the
Lord’s coming (see Mk. 8:38; Lk 9:26), but when Paul speaks of such
attendance, as 2Th. 1:7, he says, with the angels (aggelon) of his
power.
Hiebert sums up Paul's closing
writing...
With this sublime prayer-wish the
historical and personal portion of the epistle comes to a close. If
Timothy's report had contained no account of "what is lacking in your
faith" (1Thes 3:10) the letter might suitably have closed here. Rut the
mention of the deficiencies in the faith of the readers prepares the way
for the second half of the letter, which deals with the needed
instructions and exhortations. (Ibid)
><> ><> ><>
A B Simpson writes that...
THE LORD'S COMING IS A MOTIVE FOR
CHRISTIAN LOVE - "The Lord make you to increase and abound in love
one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the
end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God,
even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his
saints." (1Thes 3:12, 13.)
In the beautiful series of parables of the kingdom (Mat. 13) there is a
progression in the parable of the treasure and of the pearl from the
individual to the body. In the first of these two parables the Church is
viewed as made up of innumerable persons, but in the second as one
beautiful pearl. The unity of the Church must be accomplished before the
Lord's coming. He is to meet not a number of virgins, but the Bride. The
divisions of Christendom hinder His coming. It may be we shall never see
all the denominations united as one organic body, but we do see
something coming to pass which is perhaps God's substitute for this;
that is, a gathering together of the spiritual elements of the Church of
God in a deeper unity of heart and holy fellowship. They are being drawn
to Christ as a mystical and spiritual body. As such we meet in our great
conventions forgetting our denominational names, and it is this company
whom Christ is calling out and training for the hour of His parousia.
Of course, it goes without saying that all individual bitterness,
strife, and uncharitableness is an offense to Jesus Christ and a
hindrance to His coming. You cannot expect Him to call you to the
meeting in the air if there is anyone in that assembly with whom you
stand in strained relations. There can be no adjustments and
reconciliations there. You must be "found of him in peace" and love with
all men. Beloved, are we ready in this regard for the coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ with all His saints? (A. B. Simpson. Christ in the Bible -
Thessalonians) |
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InstaVerse
for free. It is a nifty, easy to download and install (no restart),
simple to use Bible Verse pop up tool that will allow you to read
every cross reference in this study quickly, in context and in the
Version you prefer (Note: Only KJV is free. NAS, ESV, NIV, et al
available for purchase) When you hold the mouse pointer over the
Scripture reference, the passage pops up immediately and can even be
highlighted.
InstaVerse
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Outlook, etc. It can be enabled or disabled easily (Menu > Disable).
Try the free version. It really works...you will be amazed and
edified. (click
here) Note it won't work
if there is not a space between book name and chapter (Mt1:1 won't pop
up but Mt 1:1 will) |
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