Fragments on 1 Thessalonians

Commentary on 1 Thessalonians§1

1The Christians in Thessalonica endured many persecutions from the Gentiles while the Greeks were still in power, which is what he uses to comfort them. He also remembers the resurrection of the dead, comforting them regarding the loss of their own family members. The prescribed thanksgiving in the preface is a testimony to the piety of the Thessalonians.

Faith stirs one toward the work of good (1 Thess 1:3), love enables one to endure hardships, and hope enables those struggling to endure with patience. Faith stirs one toward labors, and love enables one to persist in hardships.

Knowing, he says, beloved brothers, that the gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power (1 Thess 1:4-5). Not only, he says, did we preach the word to you, but we also demonstrated powers and miracles to you (1 Thess 1:5). Instead of being passed on and proclaimed (1 Thess 1:8).

It was not permitted to us, he says, to be deprived of our boldness toward Christ by the evils in Philippi, but having come to you, we preached the word without shame (1 Thess 2:2). The gospel through which we exhort the afflicted—that is, the resurrection and the recompense within it—is preached not according to error but according to truth (1 Thess 2:4). Instead of being burdensome and oppressive because of demanding the honors which apostles of Christ ought to receive (1 Thess 2:7). He did not say that no one should complain, so that he might not be accused of glorying, but...

The Rapture of the Living and the Dead§2

2He set down a word that is not able to serve as an indictment of weakness, having said that no one is surprised (1 Thess 4:15-17). 'Not we ourselves are about to be left behind,' he says, 'but we, instead of so many, a few and well-numbered, will be left over, and will not miss the holy ones who have slept for the meeting of Christ; for even if all are raised, not all will meet Christ, but the righteous.' It is therefore evident that at the presence of Christ, some living ones are also caught up.

Or it is something like what he says: if it happened now for Christ to come, we who are left behind today would not miss those who have slept at the presence of Christ. But one must be careful that we, the ones left over, do not miss the sleepers on the day of the Lord. At the voice of an archangel. The same the Lord also says: 'and in the middle of the night a voice came: behold, the bridegroom comes' (Matt 25:6). And 'the dead in Christ shall rise first' (1 Thess 4:16).

This again the Lord himself says in the Gospels, whence both the Lord and the apostle commend that the presence of the Lord shall be at night. Furthermore, we the living, the ones left behind, instead of those about us being righteous. He wills some living ones, the ones left behind, to be caught up at the presence of Christ, and this is made evident from 'we the ones left behind at the presence of the Lord.' And

The Suddenness of the Coming§3

The Bridegroom's Voice and the Preservation of the Whole Person§4

4In this way, the voice of the bridegroom did not cease to speak to her thus; for while knocking on the door, he was aware and said: 'The voice of my sister is knocking at the door' (1 Thess 5:9). That it is not among those being judged, but among those being saved (1 Thess 5:10).

Because of this he says: Christ died on our behalf, so that whether we are watching, that is to say we live, or whether we are sleeping, that is to say whether we die—for in this way to sleep is not as above he took it—at the same time with him let us live. For those having acquired the said weapons will live together and reign with Christ (1 Thess 5:10).

Then the spirit is quenched (1 Thess 5:19), when the rule is unworthy of the faith. Do not despise prophecies (1 Thess 5:20). Test all things (1 Thess 5:21). Do not, he says, sit in wait for the secrets of the spirit, nor accept every proclamation unexamined (1 Thess 5:21).

Nowhere has he placed the three upon the unfaithful, spirit, soul, body (1 Thess 5:23), but only upon the believing ones, of whom soul and body are of nature, but the spirit is of the blessing, that is, the gift of the believing ones. And he did not say 'blamelessly' should it be kept, so that you might not think that he prays on behalf of the gifts, but blamelessly, that is, our living blamelessly and preserving ourselves through piety.