1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - Ready For "the Day Of The Lord"
To the Apostle "the day of the Lord" was near. He expected it in his lifetime, and if we remember that the Lord's words with reference to it were in part fulfilled when Jerusalem fell, it is clear that his expectation was not altogether vain.
The suddenness of the Advent was the theme of Jesus' reiterated assurances. See Matthew 24:38; Matthew 24:43; Luke 17:29-30. The world spends its days in careless indifference (sleep), or in sensual enjoyment (drunkenness); but believers are bidden to be soldier-like in their attire and watchfulness. Ponder that wonderful word in 1 Thessalonians 5:10. Together implies that Christians now living are closely united with those who have died. The state we call death, but which the Apostle calls sleep-because our Lord's resurrection has robbed it of its terror-is as full of vitality as the life which we live day by day in this world. We live together, animated by the same purposes-they on that side and we on this. Whether here or there, life is "in Him." The closer we live to Him, the nearer we are to them. [source]
Chapter Summary: 1 Thessalonians 5
1He proceeds in the description of Christ's coming to judgment; 16and gives various instructions; 23and so concludes the epistle
Greek Commentary for 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Sons of light [υιοι πωτος] Chiefly a translation Hebraism (Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 161ff.). Cf. words of Jesus in Luke 16:8 and Paul in Ephesians 5:9. He repeats the same idea in turning from “ye” to “we” and using νυκτος nuktos (night) and σκοτους skotous (darkness), predicate genitives. [source]
Ye are all [] In the text γὰρ for should be inserted after πάντες allYe are not in darkness for ye are sons of light. [source]
Of the night - of darkness [νυκτὸς - σκότους] The genitive marks an advance of thought from ἐν σκότει indarkness, 1 Thessalonians 5:4. Ἑν indicates the element in which one is. The genitive, of darkness, points to nature and origin. To belong to darkness is more than to be in darkness. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Thessalonians 5:5
John 12:36Believe in the light [πιστευετε εις το πως] That is, “believe in me as the Messiah” (John 8:12; John 9:5). That ye may become sons of light Purpose clause with ινα hina and second aorist subject of γινομαι ginomai to become. They were not “sons of light,” a Hebrew idiom (cf. John 17:12; Luke 16:8 with the contrast), an idiom used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8. It is equivalent to “enlightened men” (Bernard) and Jesus called his disciples the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Hid himself from them Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω kruptō late form (in lxx) for old εκρυπη ekruphē “was hidden from them,” as in John 8:59. This part of John 12:36 begins a new paragraph. [source]
John 3:19And this is the judgment [αυτη δε εστιν η κρισις] A thoroughly Johannine phrase for sequence of thought (John 15:12; John 17:3; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:11,1 John 5:14; 3 John 1:6). It is more precisely the process of judging The light is come Second perfect active indicative of το σκοτος erchomai a permanent result as already explained in the Prologue concerning the Incarnation (John 1:4,John 1:5,John 1:9,John 1:11). Jesus is the Light of the world. Loved darkness Job (Job 24:13) spoke of men rebelling against the light. Here πονηρα to skotos common word for moral and spiritual darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5), though Πονηρος hē skotia in John 1:5. “Darkness” is common in John as a metaphor for the state of sinners (John 8:12; John 12:35,John 12:46; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:8,1 John 2:9,1 John 2:11). Jesus himself is the only moral and spiritual light of the world (John 8:12) as he dared claim to his enemies. The pathos of it all is that men fall in love with the darkness of sin and rebel against the light like denizens of the underworld, “for their works were evil In the end the god of this world blinds men‘s eyes so that they do not see the light (2 Corinthians 4:4). The fish in the Mammoth Cave have no longer eyes, but only sockets where eyes used to be. The evil one has a powerful grip on the world (1 John 5:19). [source]
Ephesians 2:2The prince of the power of the air [τον αρχοντα της εχουσιας του αερος] Αηρ Aēr was used by the ancients for the lower and denser atmosphere and αιτηρ aithēr for the higher and rarer. Satan is here pictured as ruler of the demons and other agencies of evil. Jesus called him “the prince of this world” That now worketh (του νυν ενεργουντος tou nun energountos). Those who deny the existence of a personal devil cannot successfully deny the vicious tendencies, the crime waves, in modern men. The power of the devil in the lives of men does explain the evil at work “in the sons of disobedience” (εν τοις υιοις της απετιας en tois huiois tēs apethias). In Ephesians 5:6 also. A Hebrew idiom found in the papyri like “sons of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). [source]
Ephesians 2:2That now worketh [του νυν ενεργουντος] Those who deny the existence of a personal devil cannot successfully deny the vicious tendencies, the crime waves, in modern men. The power of the devil in the lives of men does explain the evil at work “in the sons of disobedience” In Ephesians 5:6 also. A Hebrew idiom found in the papyri like “sons of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). [source]
2 Thessalonians 2:3The man of sin - the son of perdition [ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας] See on children of light, 1 Thessalonians 5:5. The phrase man of sin (lawlessness ) does not occur elsewhere, either in N.T. or lxx. Son of perdition is found John 17:12, olxx: τέκνα ἄπωλείας childrenof perdition (A.V. transgression ), Isaiah 57:4. The man of sin has been thought to refer to Caligula, Titus, Simon Magus, Nero, the Pope of Rome, Luther, Mahomet, etc. [source]
What do the individual words in 1 Thessalonians 5:5 mean?
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
Greek Commentary for 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Chiefly a translation Hebraism (Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 161ff.). Cf. words of Jesus in Luke 16:8 and Paul in Ephesians 5:9. He repeats the same idea in turning from “ye” to “we” and using νυκτος nuktos (night) and σκοτους skotous (darkness), predicate genitives. [source]
In the text γὰρ for should be inserted after πάντες allYe are not in darkness for ye are sons of light. [source]
More correctly, sons of light. See on Mark 3:17, and comp. Luke 16:8; John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12. The Christian condition is habitually associated in N.T. with light: see Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16; John 3:21; John 8:12; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:7. The contrary condition with darkness: see John 3:19, John 3:20; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 4:16; Matthew 6:23, etc. [source]
The genitive marks an advance of thought from ἐν σκότει indarkness, 1 Thessalonians 5:4. Ἑν indicates the element in which one is. The genitive, of darkness, points to nature and origin. To belong to darkness is more than to be in darkness. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Thessalonians 5:5
That is, “believe in me as the Messiah” (John 8:12; John 9:5). That ye may become sons of light Purpose clause with ινα hina and second aorist subject of γινομαι ginomai to become. They were not “sons of light,” a Hebrew idiom (cf. John 17:12; Luke 16:8 with the contrast), an idiom used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8. It is equivalent to “enlightened men” (Bernard) and Jesus called his disciples the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Hid himself from them Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω kruptō late form (in lxx) for old εκρυπη ekruphē “was hidden from them,” as in John 8:59. This part of John 12:36 begins a new paragraph. [source]
A thoroughly Johannine phrase for sequence of thought (John 15:12; John 17:3; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:11, 1 John 5:14; 3 John 1:6). It is more precisely the process of judging The light is come Second perfect active indicative of το σκοτος erchomai a permanent result as already explained in the Prologue concerning the Incarnation (John 1:4, John 1:5, John 1:9, John 1:11). Jesus is the Light of the world. Loved darkness Job (Job 24:13) spoke of men rebelling against the light. Here πονηρα to skotos common word for moral and spiritual darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5), though Πονηρος hē skotia in John 1:5. “Darkness” is common in John as a metaphor for the state of sinners (John 8:12; John 12:35, John 12:46; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:8, 1 John 2:9, 1 John 2:11). Jesus himself is the only moral and spiritual light of the world (John 8:12) as he dared claim to his enemies. The pathos of it all is that men fall in love with the darkness of sin and rebel against the light like denizens of the underworld, “for their works were evil In the end the god of this world blinds men‘s eyes so that they do not see the light (2 Corinthians 4:4). The fish in the Mammoth Cave have no longer eyes, but only sockets where eyes used to be. The evil one has a powerful grip on the world (1 John 5:19). [source]
Αηρ Aēr was used by the ancients for the lower and denser atmosphere and αιτηρ aithēr for the higher and rarer. Satan is here pictured as ruler of the demons and other agencies of evil. Jesus called him “the prince of this world” That now worketh (του νυν ενεργουντος tou nun energountos). Those who deny the existence of a personal devil cannot successfully deny the vicious tendencies, the crime waves, in modern men. The power of the devil in the lives of men does explain the evil at work “in the sons of disobedience” (εν τοις υιοις της απετιας en tois huiois tēs apethias). In Ephesians 5:6 also. A Hebrew idiom found in the papyri like “sons of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). [source]
Those who deny the existence of a personal devil cannot successfully deny the vicious tendencies, the crime waves, in modern men. The power of the devil in the lives of men does explain the evil at work “in the sons of disobedience” In Ephesians 5:6 also. A Hebrew idiom found in the papyri like “sons of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). [source]
Connect with inheritance: the inheritance which is in light. This need not be limited to future glory. The children of God walk in light on earth. See John 3:21; John 11:9; John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:10. [source]
See on children of light, 1 Thessalonians 5:5. The phrase man of sin (lawlessness ) does not occur elsewhere, either in N.T. or lxx. Son of perdition is found John 17:12, olxx: τέκνα ἄπωλείας childrenof perdition (A.V. transgression ), Isaiah 57:4. The man of sin has been thought to refer to Caligula, Titus, Simon Magus, Nero, the Pope of Rome, Luther, Mahomet, etc. [source]