I Thessalonians 5:23-28

I Thessalonians 5:23-28

I.        I Thessalonians 5: 23-24

a.      V. 23

§  Paul often speaks of God as the “god of peace” towards the end of his letters       

·         Cf. Romans 15:33; 16:20; II Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; II Thessalonians 3:16

§  Reference to God as the “god of peace” go back to the Old Testament concept of shalom, or holistic well-being

§  The first wish is their complete sanctification, echoing Paul’s prayer in 3:13, and showing sanctification to be a process, rather than a one-time event

§  There is a connection between the God of peace and sanctification.  Our sanctification is not divisive

§  The phrase “blameless” has been found on some tombstones in Thessalonica

b.      V. 24

§  They receive the needed reminder that their sanctification, and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, is in the hands of God, and not solely dependent on their own efforts

§  The use of calling implies that God’s call is continual, and ends not only in salvation, but in sanctification.  Indeed, we cannot have one without the other

§  “This happens not from my prayers, he says, but from the purpose with which he called you.” – John Chrysostom

§  “Give me the grace to do as you command, and command me to do as you will.” – Augustine, Confessions

II.      I Thessalonians 5: 25-28

a.      V. 25

§  Paul requests prayer, and in fact is in need of prayer, which makes the relationship between Paul and the Thessalonians one of mutual intercession before the Father on each other’s behalf

§  Paul, and Timothy and Silas as well, are humanized in his request for prayer

b.      V. 26

§  In the ancient world one kissed the hand, knee, foot, or breast of a superior, but the cheek of a friend.

§  Only other time the greeting with a “holy kiss” is mentioned is in II Corinthians 13:12

§  In Roman culture, this was a mark of friendship, and in the church would have shown the radical nature of their fellowship, crossing cultural, social, and economic boundaries

c.       V. 27

§  Paul instructs the letter to be read, possibly so that the “unruly/idle” mentioned previously will receive their warning

§  Paul’s insistence on the letter being read aloud is probably because of their separation, and his desire for all the Thessalonians to know of his attempts to return, and for them to hear his words of comfort and instruction

§  The public reading of the letter kept it from being used piecemeal by only a few

·         Reflects the idea that the Word of God is for all

§  Does the injunction to have the letter read to all mean that Jews and Gentiles met separately? 

·         More than likely, it simply means that there were multiple house-churches at this time

d.      V. 28

§  Paul substitutes “grace” for the common secular ending of “farewell”

§  Reflects the idea that Jesus Christ is the source of grace

§  The letter begins and ends with grace.