CHAPTER 5

(A.D. 54)

THE DAY OF THE LORD

¹But of the times and the seasons (introduces the recurring question of the curious and the anxious: how long before Christ comes? at what point in history?), Brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. (The Apostle mentions this to repress that vain curiosity, which is natural to man.)

²For yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes (it will begin with the Great Tribulation, and carry on through the Millennium; it will end with the Advent of the New heavens and the New Earth) as a thief in the night.

³For when they shall say, Peace and safety (refers to Israel, but will as well characterize the world; it pertains to the Antichrist signing the seven-year pact with Israel and other nations [Dan. 9:27]); then sudden destruction comes upon them (at the mid-point of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will break his pact, actually invading Israel [Rev. 12:1-6]), as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (The Great Tribulation is definitely coming upon this world [Mat. 24:21].)

⁴But you, Brethren, are not in darkness (Christians have spiritual enlightenment, which comes only from the Word of God), that that day should overtake you as a thief. (No Believer should be caught unawares, but regrettably, it seems many will.)

⁵You are all the children of light, and the children of the day (refers to knowing Jesus Christ, Who is the Light of the World [Jn. 8:12]): we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (The Believer is to be in a totally different sphere of operation.)

⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as do others (be overcome by lethargy and apathy); but let us watch and be sober. (The Christian is to maintain his relationship with Christ by continued watchfulness, even as it regards his personal life and Prophetic events.)

⁷For they who sleep sleep in the night (those who are in spiritual darkness have no idea what is coming upon this world); and they who be drunken are drunken in the night. (Paul is not speaking here of alcoholic beverage, only using the word drunken as a metaphor to describe a spiritual condition.)

⁸But let us (Believers), who are of the day (who have spiritual light), be sober (speaks of assurance), putting on the breastplate of Faith and Love (proper Faith in Christ and the Cross, which produces Love); and for an helmet, the Hope of Salvation (the guarantee of deliverance from this present evil world, which pertains to the Rapture).

⁹For God has not appointed us to wrath (has not appointed Believers to go through the Great Tribulation), but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (again, pertains to the Rapture of the Church),

¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him (again, the Rapture, all made possible by the Cross).

¹¹Wherefore comfort yourselves together (it refers to comfort in view of the coming Rapture and the escape from wrath, which will be poured out upon the world in the coming Great Tribulation), and edify one another, even as also you do. (This refers to cheering and strengthening one another.)

PRACTICAL TEACHING

¹²And we beseech you, Brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you (know for sure that the Preacher you are following is truly Preaching the Word);

¹³And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake. (This carries more reference to the work they do, than to the person in question.)And be at peace among yourselves. (This proclaims the esteem just mentioned as helping to produce such peace.)

PAUL

¹⁴Now we exhort you, Brethren, warn them who are unruly (speaks of those who leave the ranks), comfort the feebleminded (should have been translated, comfort the fainthearted), support the weak (refers to those who do not have proper understanding regarding the Cross of Christ, and what it means to their everyday walk before God), be patient toward all men.(This refers to all the categories just mentioned.)

¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any man(presents Biblical Christianity as the only system of such noble practice); but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men(even to our enemies).

¹⁶Rejoice evermore. (The Believer has every reason to do such, and irrespective of everyday problems.)

¹⁷Pray without ceasing. (We should pray about everything.)

¹⁸In every thing give thanks (not necessarily for everything): for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (No matter what happens, or how negative things may seem to be, we are to never stop giving thanks to the Lord, which is the Will of God.)

¹⁹Quench not the Spirit. (To disobey these admonitions is to quench the Spirit.)

²⁰Despise not Prophesyings. (This Gift has been abused more so than any other Gift. Irrespective, we are to ever recognize the value of the true Operation of this Gift [I Cor. 14:3].)

²¹Prove all things (when Prophecies are given, or anything that claims to be of the Lord, it should be put to the test; the test is, is it Scriptural?); hold fast that which is good. (This refers to the sifting process of accepting that which is definitely of the Lord, and rejecting that which isnt!)

²²Abstain from all appearance of evil. (The question is, Does this please God?)

²³And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly (this is progressive Sanctification, which can only be brought about by the Holy Spirit, Who does such as our Faith is firmly anchored in the Cross, within which parameters the Spirit always works; the Sanctification process involves the whole man); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body (proclaims the make-up of the whole man) be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (This refers to the Rapture. As well, this one Verse proclaims the fact that any involvement, whether righteous or unrighteous, affects the whole man, and not just the physical body or the soul as some claim.)

²⁴Faithful is He Who calls you (God will do exactly what He has said He will do, if we will only Believe Him), Who also will do it(will Sanctify us wholly).

²⁵Brethren, pray for us. (The great Apostle was ever humbly conscious of his own weakness in himself [I Cor. 2:1-5].)

²⁶Greet all the Brethren with an holy kiss (the custom then, with handshaking the custom presently).

²⁷I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the Holy Brethren (and for all the obvious reasons).

²⁸The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (all made possible by the Cross). Amen