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Scripture Reading: 1 Thes. 5:12-28
Chapter five begins with the word “but.” This indicates that the last part of chapter four, which is concerned with the rapture, needs a further word about another matter. According to 5:1, this further word is related to the times and the seasons.
As a young believer, when I heard messages about the Lord’s coming, I was very excited. It is common for new believers to be excited when they hear about the Lord’s coming back. They may expect the Lord to come at any moment. For this reason, they need Paul’s further word in chapter five.
The “times and the seasons” in verse 1 refer to the Lord’s coming. This is confirmed by the expression “the day of the Lord” in the following verse. The coming of the day of the Lord is different from what we imagine. Actually, it is a mystery. The Lord Jesus even said that, as a man, He did not know the time of His coming. The date of the Lord’s coming is absolutely hidden as a mystery in the Father’s heart, and this mystery has not been revealed. Therefore, in 5:2 Paul says that the day of the Lord “so comes as a thief in the night.” To be sure, no thief would give an advance warning that he is coming to steal something. In the same principle, the day of the Lord will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Thus, we need to be watchful and sober. Because we have no way to figure out the time of the Lord’s coming, we need to be watchful and sober.
After covering the matter of watchfulness and soberness in 5:1-11, Paul turns in 5:12-24 to our cooperation with the divine operation. In these verses Paul covers a number of items in an elementary way.
In the New Testament there is no book that ends in such a marvelous and all-inclusive way as 1 Thessalonians. Paul’s concluding word includes a number of crucial things, which Paul did not have the time to cover in detail. Therefore, he listed them together in one section toward the end of this Epistle.
Verse 12 says, “Now we ask you, brothers, to know those who labor among you and take the lead among you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to regard them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” The word “know” here means first to recognize and then render respect and regard. According to Matthew 7:23, when the Lord Jesus comes back, He will say to certain ones, “I never knew you.” The expression, “I never knew you” means not to appreciate or respect what was done. In the same principle, in verse 12 the word “know” means to appreciate and respect those who labor among us and who take the lead among us. Here Paul probably refers to the elders who labor in teaching and take the lead among the believers (1 Tim. 5:17).
To take the lead is not mainly to rule, but to set an example in doing things first that others may follow. The elders should not only labor in teaching, but also do things as an example. The example may become a ground for their admonition.
It is indeed marvelous that, although the church in Thessalonica had been in existence less than a year and Paul had spent only three Sabbaths working there, some leading ones had been raised up. In a short period of time a church was established, and some leading ones were produced. Paul surely was a qualified and skillful Christian worker.
In verse 13 Paul charges us to regard the leading ones most highly in love because of their work. The word “regard” here means to lead the mind through a reasoning process to a conclusion; hence, it is to think, consider, estimate, esteem, regard. The leading ones should regard themselves as slaves serving the saints. But the believers should regard them highly in love because of their work.
As Paul was writing this Epistle, one thought followed upon another. As we have pointed out, the subject of the preceding section (5:1-11) is watchfulness and soberness. The Christian life is a life of fighting for God’s interests, and we need to be watchful and alert. Then Paul goes on to say that we must learn to respect, honor, the leading ones in the church. It seems that the matters of watchfulness and soberness and respecting the leading ones have no logical connection. However, they are related in a very practical way. If we are on the alert, full of watchfulness in spiritual warfare, we shall surely honor the leading ones. Those who have had experience in military service know that soldiers must respect their commanding officers. If they have no respect for the officers, the leaders, the army will not be able to fight properly. The first thing a soldier must learn in order to fight is to respect the one leading him. I believe that this was Paul’s concept in turning to the matter of respecting the leading ones at this point.
In verse 13 Paul gives this exhortation: “Be at peace among yourselves.” To regard the leading ones and to be at peace with one another is a proper condition of a local church. But if the saints in a local church do not respect the leading ones, there will be no peace. The same principle applies to the family life. If the children do not respect their parents, how can there be peace? In such a situation it will be impossible for a family to have peace. In like manner, there will not be peace in an army if the soldiers have no respect for the officers.
The sequence of Paul’s thoughts in these verses is significant. First, we need to be watchful and sober in fighting the spiritual warfare. Second, we must highly regard the leading ones. Then we shall be at peace among ourselves.
In verse 14 Paul continues, “And we entreat you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, console the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be longsuffering toward all.” Those who are disorderly are idle or busybodies; they are not disciplined, but are unruled and rebellious. Acting on their own, they are disorderly and do not care for the proper order in the church life. According to verse 14, all the brothers, not only the leading ones, should admonish the disorderly. This means that all the saints must function to shepherd others and edify them.
In verse 14 Paul also encourages us to console the fainthearted. Literally, the Greek word for fainthearted is “of little soul.” It refers to being narrow and weak in the capacity of mind, will, and emotion. Those who are little-souled have a very limited capacity to bear sufferings or difficulties. Among the saints there are some who are born with such a small soul. They need to be comforted, consoled.
In verse 14 Paul also encourages us to uphold the weak. The weak here probably refers to the weak ones in general, who are weak either in their spirit, soul, or body, or weak in faith (Rom. 14:1; 15:1). Some saints among us are weak. They may be weak in body or in spirit, weak in heart or in will. Some are weak in their faith or weak in praying. What shall we do with these weak ones? According to Paul’s word, we need to uphold them.
In verse 14 Paul exhorts us to be longsuffering toward all. This implies that in a local church, besides some being disorderly who need admonishing, some being of little soul who need consolation, and some being weak who need upholding, all the members may be a problem in some way and need our longsuffering toward them.
Today we are still in the old creation, not in the New Jerusalem. This is the reason there are many problems among the saints. According to my experience, every one of us can be a problem to others. I may be a problem to you, and you may be a problem to me. On the one hand, we may love all the saints; on the other hand, they may cause us problems. Therefore, we need to be longsuffering toward all.
We should not dream that the church will be a utopia. On the contrary, the church life is full of problems. If a believer does not have any problems, it is not likely that he will come into the church life. Those who have no problems have no need for the church life. In a sense, the church is a hospital filled with those who are sick. For this reason, we need to be longsuffering toward all the saints.
Do not be bothered when others come to you with problems, even with problems that seem to be small and insignificant. In particular, those who are little-souled may come to you with minor problems. To such ones, even a hair is like a heavy weight. Instead of being angry at them for bringing such a small thing to you, help them to deal with their problems. However, an elder may be irritated by one who brings a little problem to him. Elders, learn to be longsuffering, especially toward the weak and those with a little soul. Any brother who expects to be an elder must be longsuffering. Paul’s word in verse 14, however, is not limited to elders; it is a word for all the saints.
A number of times saints have come to me saying that they cannot tolerate the church life in their locality and want to move elsewhere. I told them that if they move to a different place, they will find the situation in the new place to be even worse. If they travel from place to place, eventually they will probably prefer the locality where they began. This is a common experience among church travelers. Instead of seeking to move to a different locality where you think the situation in the church will be better, remain where you are and be longsuffering toward all. Because no church is heavenly, free of problems, all the saints, and not only the elders, need longsuffering.
In verse 15 Paul goes on to say, “See that no one renders to anyone evil for evil, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.” This means that regardless of how others treat us, even if their treatment is evil, we should pursue good for them. If we do not have longsuffering, however, we shall render evil for evil.
Verse 16 says, “Always rejoice.” This exhortation is based upon the conditions mentioned in verses 14 and 15. Rejoicing includes calling on the name of the Lord. Can you rejoice in the Lord without calling on Him? I do not believe this to be possible. We simply cannot rejoice in the Lord without uttering His name. Hence, the name of the Lord is implied in Paul’s charge to always rejoice. When we rejoice, therefore, we rejoice with the Lord’s name.
In verse 17 Paul says, “Unceasingly pray.” This is to have uninterrupted fellowship with God in our spirit. It requires perseverance (Rom. 12:12; Col. 4:2) with a strong spirit (Eph. 6:18).
In verse 18 Paul continues, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” We should give thanks in everything because all things work together for our good that we may be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29). The clause “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” modifies all the three preceding items. God wants us to live a rejoicing, praying, and thanking life. Such a life is a glory to God and a shame to His enemy.
The sequence in verses 16 through 18 is according to Paul’s experience. Paul knew that first we rejoice, then pray, and then give thanks. If you try to practice these in the opposite order, you will find that Paul put them in the correct sequence according to experience. The will of God in Christ Jesus for us is that we rejoice, pray, and give thanks.
In verse 19 Paul goes on to say, “Do not quench the Spirit.” The Spirit makes our spirit burning (Rom. 12:11) and our gifts flaming (2 Tim. 1:6). So we should not quench Him.
The Christian life is a life inspired and stirred up by the Spirit. Throughout the day we must have the Spirit inspiring us, stirring us, and moving and acting within us. Thus, instead of quenching the Spirit, we need to fan the flame that is within us. The word “quench” implies fire. The Spirit is burning within us. We should not quench this fire, but instead we should fan it into flame.
In verses 20 and 21 Paul says, “Do not despise prophecies; but prove all things; hold fast what is good.” To despise here is to count as nothing, lightly esteem. The prophecies in verse 20 refer mainly to prophesying, to prophetic speech from a revelation. This does not need to be a prediction (see 1 Cor. 14:1, 3-4). To prophesy is to speak for the Lord and to speak forth the Lord. Only a small percentage of prophecy is related to prediction. We should not despise this kind of speaking. To prove all things includes to discern the prophecies (1 Cor. 14:29), to discern the spirits (1 Cor. 12:10), to test the spirits (1 John 4:1), to prove what is the will of God (Rom. 12:2), and to prove what is well-pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 5:10). On the one hand, we should not despise prophecies; on the other hand, we should not follow blindly. We need to prove things, to test them, and then hold fast what is good.
Verse 22 says, “Abstain from every form of evil.” The King James Version of verse 22 says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” Using this translation, a number of Bible teachers have misunderstood this verse, thinking that it tells us to avoid not only evil but even the appearance of evil, anything that may be suspected of being evil. In the past, we also were influenced by this understanding. But if we consider the meaning of the Greek word rendered “form,” we shall have the proper understanding of this verse. Literally, the word is species, as subordinated to the genus; hence, kind. It denotes anything in view, anything in perception; hence, a sight. It does not refer to the appearance of evil, but the kind, the form, the shape, the sight, of evil. The believers who live a holy life in faith, love, and hope should abstain from evil in any form and of any kind.
