1Thessalonians 4:15-16

FOR THIS WE SAY TO YOU BY THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD: Touto gar humin legomen (PAI): Touto gar humin legomen (1PPAI) en logo kuriou, hoti hemeis oi zontes (PAPMPN) oi perileipomenoi (PPPMPN) eis ten parousian tou kuriou: (1Kings 13:1,9,17,18,22; 20:35; 22:14) (1Corinthians 15:51, 52, 53; 2Corinthians 4:14)

This I say to you by the Word of the Lord - With the phrase "by (literally in) the Word of the Lord" Paul introduces not only a new subject but also new revelation he had received from the Lord. This is not Paul's idea but comes from and with the authority of the Lord Who gives us one of the most detailed accounts of His return for His Bride, the Church. The Lord is the Source of this truth. The Word of the Lord is a Word of promise. Believe it and be blessed.

The pronoun this introduces all that follows the word that in this verse.

To you - A special message to his readers from their Lord. Moffatt thus renders it...

For we tell you, as the Lord has told us.

Stedman adds that...

I take those words to mean that this is something he had not taught them when he was in Thessalonica. He had taught them about Jesus' death and resurrection and how that would affect them, but he did not give them details of time and circumstance of his coming again. Now the apostle is revealing further truth.

We who are alive - Clearly indicates Paul was living in the light of the imminent return of His Lord. How do we reach this conclusion? The use of the plural pronoun we indicates that Paul himself expected to be alive at the parousia. It supports the teaching that the apostle Paul believed that the Rapture was imminent (the condition of being about to occur) and implies that no preceding signs or events had to occur prior to the Bridegroom's return for His Bride, the Church.

James alluded to the imminency of the Lord's return writing...

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. (James 5:9) (Comment: Many Scripture passages depict the return of Christ as an imminent event - Mt 24:42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48; Mark 13:33, 34, 35, 36, 37; Luke 12:35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40; Romans 13:12 (note); 1Cor 7:29; Philippians 3:20 [note]; Php 3:21 [note]; Php 4:5 [note]; 1Th 1:10 [note]; Titus 2:13 [note]; He 9:28 [note]; 1Pe 4:7 [note]; 1Jn 2:18; Jude 1:21; Re 3:11 [note]; Re 22:7 [note], Re 22:10 [note], Re 22:20 [note])

A practical application of the doctrine of imminency (click here for more detail) is that one cannot know the day or hour of our Lord's return and therefore one must strive to always be ready to meet Him in the air. It is interesting that even those who do not accept this doctrine, acknowledge it as one held by many Christians over the past two millennia. For example the amillennialist Adam Clarke (see critique) in his notes on Revelation 20:2 writes...

It has long been the idle expectation of many persons that the millennium, in their sense, was at hand; and its commencement has been expected in every century since the Christian era...(Clarke then goes on to add in a declaration that speaks for itself)... Yet there is no doubt that the earth is in a state of progressive moral improvement; and that the light of true religion is shining more copiously everywhere, and will shine more and more to the perfect day. (Ref)

Hiebert defends the premise that Paul believed in the imminent return of Christ beginning with his rebuttal of Calvin's attempt to explain away this idea...

Calvin ingeniously explains that although Paul knew by "a special revelation that Christ would come at a somewhat later date," he yet here speaks as though he would be among the living "to arouse the Thessalonians to wait for it, and to keep all the godly in suspense." But Paul's indication that he was looking for the Lords return was no pious pretense perpetrated for the good of the church. He sincerely lived and labored in the anticipation of the day, but he did not know when it would come.

The time of the return remains unrevealed (cf. Matt. 24:36; Acts 1:7).

"The last day is hidden, that every day may be regarded" (Augustine).

It cannot be demonstrated from his letters that later on Paul gave up this hope and expected death instead. As he grew older he well realized that the chances of his survival were diminishing, but that did not eliminate the hope.

In 2 Corinthians, written some five years later, Paul deals with his personal attitude to the alternatives of death and the coming of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:1-10). In it he again uses "we." In 2 Cor 5:2-4 he expresses his yearning for that which cannot take place until the Lord's return; in 2 Cor 5:6 he asserts that he is of good courage in the face of death, and in 2 Cor 5:8 he reasserts that he "would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

Clearly he still yearns for the parousia, which is certain to come, but is unafraid of death, which may come first.

In the epistle to the Philippians, written perhaps some five years later still, he describes his own attitude toward death in language akin to that in 2 Corinthians and indicates that death for him is no remote possibility (Php 1:21, 22, 23, 23-see notes Ph 1:21; 22; 23; 24). Yet in 1Thes 3:20 he uses "we," and "our" in 1Th 3:13-note, to describe the characteristic attitude of believers toward the coming of Christ.

Even in the pastoral epistles, written last of all, Paul uses "we" in connection with the hope of the second advent. In Titus 2:11, 12, 13 (notes Titus 2:11; 12; 13) Paul speaks of the grace of God instructing us to live godly lives "while we wait for the blessed hope."

Even in 2 Timothy, where he uses language that can only mean that he was anticipating a speedy execution, he still speaks of the reward awaiting those who love His appearing (2Ti 4:8-note).

Clearly Paul shared that attitude of expectancy that should characterize each generation of believers. He did not know that he would be alive until the parousia, neither could he affirm that he would not be. (Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)

And so we see that a number of Scriptures (there is some duplication of the following references with the references in the previous note) support the fact that Paul had a fervent hope and expectation that he might be among those who were alive at the Parousia of His Lord...

For example, in Romans 13 Paul wrote

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation ("future tense salvation" - glorification - see Three Tenses of Salvation) is nearer to us than when we believed. The night [of man’s sin and Satan’s rule] is almost gone, and the day [of Christ’s return] is near. (Ro 13:11, 12-See notes Ro 13:11; 12)

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul includes himself among those who might still be alive at the Rapture writing

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1Co 15:51,52).

As Paul concluded First Corinthians he wrote

If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha” (1Co 16:22)

Maranatha is Aramaic (maran_atha) meaning “Oh Lord, come!” ("Our Lord come", "Come, O Lord") and expresses Paul’s hope that the Lord would return soon.

The apostle wrote to Titus that he was

looking for (prosdechomai in the present tense = means as the habit of one's life, continually waiting even with a sense of expectancy) the blessed hope and the appearing (cf, the parousia) of the glory of our great God and Savior , Christ Jesus (Titus 2:13-note)

Dear believer in Christ, does you day to day conduct indicate that you are living as if you might see your Bridegroom today? Do your choices reflect an upward look or are you "tethered" to this present world which is passing away? Beloved, don't waste your life. (see Piper's msg - Don't Waste Your Life even better in the Mp3 Audio) What you are looking for will determine what you are living for. Look for Christ and live accordingly. Let our Lord's words motivate you to strive to maintain a future focus...

Behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me to render to every man according to what he has done. (Re 22:12-note)

Alive (2198) (zao) is refers to those who are still physically living on earth when the Lord returns.

Remain (4035) (perileipo from perí = intensifies meaning of the verb + leípo = to leave, lack) means to leave over, to leave all around, (pass.) survive. In Classic Greek the passive voice referred to those who survived and therefore remained or were left behind, the title of a famous novel series! Unlike the book and movie "Left Behind" (which describes unbelievers who "miss" the Rapture), here Paul uses the idea of left behind to describe the ones who will "remain over," or "survive" unto the parousia (cf. 1Th 2:19-note). This is the generation of Christians who will be alive at that time and who will never experience physical death.

The coming (3952) (parousia) 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.

Most lexicons 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 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)

Parousia is used 24 times in the NT (and none in the non-apocryphal Septuagint) (Mt 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1Co 15:23; 16:17; 2Co. 7:6, 7; 10:10; Phil. 1:26; 2:12; 1Th 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2Th 2:1, 8, 9; Jas 5:7, 8; 2Pe 1:16; 3:4, 12; 1 Jn. 2:28) and is translated coming 22 times and presence twice.

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!

Moulton and Milligan add that...

What, however, more especially concerns us in connexion with the NT usage of parousia is the quasi-technical force of the word from Ptolemaic times onwards to denote the “visit” of a King, Emperor, or other person in authority, the official character of the “visit” being further emphasized by the taxes or payments that were exacted to make preparations for it. Thus in P Petr II. 39(e)18 (iii/b.c.) mention is made of contributions for a “crown” (stephanou) to be presented to the King on his “arrival” (parousias), and in a letter of b.c. 264 or 227, P Grenf II. 14(b)2, a certain Appenneus writes that he has prepared “for the visit of Chrysippus” (the dioecetes) by laying in a number of birds for his consumption. Other examples from the papyri are P Par 26i. 18 (b.c. 163–2) (= Selections, p. 15), where the Serapeum Twins lay their grievances before King Ptolemy Philometor and Queen Cleopatra on the occasion of their royal visits to Memphi... “the 80 artabae of wheat for the supplies imposed in connexion with the King’s visit” (Edd.).

SHALL NOT PRECEDE THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP: ou me phthasomen (1PAAS) tous koimethentas; (APPMPA): (Job 41:11; Psalms 88:13; 119:147,148; Matthew 17:25)

Not (ou me) is actually a double negative, so that Paul is saying in essence that there is absolutely no way those who are alive will precede those who have died. The revelation that the living believers will not have any advantage over the dead believers at the return of Christ provides the truth that should make any further feeling of grieving for dead believers wholly unjustified. Paul is teaching that both classes of believers at the Lord's return will share the same destiny at the same time.

Precede (5348)(phthano) means go before in time, to be beforehand or go prior to. The idea is to antedate another, which is primary meaning in this verse. Phthano in other contexts means to reach, to attain or to arrive at, as one would arrive at a state or a goal (Ro 9:31-note, Php 3:16-note).

The living believers shall not come into the blessings associated with the return of Christ any sooner than the dead in Christ. In other words there is absolutely no way the living will "get a head start" on those believers who have already died.

Phthano is used 7 times in the NT...

Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 11:20 "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Romans 9:31 (note) but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

2 Corinthians 10:14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;

Philippians 3:16 (note) however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 (note) hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 (note) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Who have fallen asleep - More literally those who have been falling asleep, which refers to believers who had already died.

Fallen asleep (2837) (koimao related to keímai = to lie outstretched, to lie down) describes the state believers who have died prior to the Lord's return.