1 Thessalonians 5 ESV
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Discussion Questions
1) In verses 1-11 Paul gives three metaphors to encourage the brethren, whether or not they die before the Lord returns:
- Birth pangs (verse 3)
- Night vs day (verses 4-7)
- Spiritual armour (verses 8,9)
What are the lessons of these metaphors?
2) In verses 12 to 28, Paul gives a list of admonitions in order to be “sanctified completely” (verse 23). How would these particular admonitions achieve that?
Discussion Summary
Question 1:
The metaphor of birth pangs spoke to the brethren in Thessalonica of the intensity of the trouble associated with the Day of the Lord as foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24:21,22. The trouble would be a worsening, unstoppable process that would test all people. The brethren were not to be surprised or dismayed by these events.
The metaphor of night versus day spoke to the brethren in Thessalonica of the attitude of heart they were to have prior to the Day of the Lord. They were already to be children of that day. They were not to be unprepared because of an attitude of sleep (discouragement) or of drunkenness (indifference). These same attitudes were warned against by Jesus when he spoke of the Day of the Lord. (Sleep – Matthew 24, 38,39, 49; Drunkenness – Matthew 25:5)
The metaphor of spiritual armour spoke to the brethren in Thessalonica that they would need and receive spiritual protection in order to endure to the end and receive their reward. Faith and love would guard their hearts against discouragement and indifference. The hope of their salvation would give them peace to withstand the troubles coming upon the world.
Question 2:
In verses 12-28, Paul is counseling the brethren in Thessalonica. He knows that their persecutions would increase. He knows that he will not always be able to reach out to them and help them. He is building them up so that they can stand on their own without fear and question. He points to the teachings, disciplining and shaping that all Christians receive when they meet together.
Verses 19-22 can refer to the gift of prophesying which was given to the early church. As an apostle, Paul counsels the brethren to not deny utterances by the Holy Spirit given in such prophecies but to try to discern which are indeed given by the Holy Spirit and which come from human desires and thinking. Earlier in verse 3, Paul had cautioned against those who were predicting “peace and security” because the Parousia (the coming of the Lord) was far in the future. It is interesting to ponder which was the correct view. Throughout the gospel age the attitude of expectation and readiness as given in the Holy Scriptures is the proper counsel.
Verses 17,18 give all Christians a practical way in which to be “of the day” neither asleep nor in a state of drunkenness. Pray without ceasing. If we give thanks for every small and large gift of God that takes place in our lives daily, we will develop the heart attitude that God is looking for in his children.
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