1 Thessalonians Chapter 4:13-18 Sunday School Notes

These are some of my notes for Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009 in the Lifeway Explore the Bible series.

Books referenced here include:
1. F.F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Word Bible Commentary, vol.45 (1982)

2. Charles Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (1990)

3. Ben Witherington III, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (2006)

4. Craig Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, (1994)

5. J.B. Lightfoot, Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul (1895): e-book, paperback

1 Th 4:13-18
This section of the letter follows a common form of ancient letter, the “letter of consolation”. Paul uses a great many eschatological and apocalyptic themes in this section, ultimately deriving from Jesus’ teaching, as shown in the Gospels. The notion that the dead mentioned here were actually martyrs for the faith seems unlikely, given the rough date of the epistle at 50 AD, and the newness of Christianity, which at this time was shielded by Roman law as a sect of Judaism. Still, how many martyrs would it have taken to make people wonder about eternal questions?(BBCNT)

A word of caution: It is presumptuous to derive a firm view of Paul’s notion of existence between life and the resurrection from this text alone.

1 Th 4:13
Greco-Roman philosophers consoled people over the dead by saying, “do not grieve” or do not grieve too much”, because death was considered a final separation from this world, whether one believed in an afterlife or not. The typical pagan notion in the ancient world was of a sort of dimly light, ghostly existence in a rather featureless land of the dead. Some philosophers and the mystery religions believed in the immortality of the soul and more heaven-like afterlives. And typical ancient grief rituals were quite emotional and demonstrative, which likely offended the Greco-Roman notion of dignified, stoic behavior. “Sleep” was as much a metaphor for death then as now.(BBCNT, Wanamaker)

“Now we don’t want you to be ignorant”- This is typical Pauline language from his early letters, used when he is about to correct mistaken ideas or resolving difficult problems (Rom 21:25; 1 Cor 10:1, 12:1), or even addressing personal issues (Rom 1:13; 2 Cor 1:8), always used in reference to some special issue. (Lighfoot)

This is an abrupt transition to be sure. The topic was presumably brought up either by word from the Thessalonians or, more likely, Timothy’s report about the church at Thessalonica. Paul followed ancient letter-writing formula by using this teaching letter to simultaneously console the Thessalonians, as Greek letter-writing handbooks suggest.

Sleep was commonly used in ancient society as a euphemism for death just as it is today, as sen in references in Homer and Sophocles. It is also so used in the Bible (Gen 47:30, Deu 31:16, 1 Kg 2:10; Job 14:12, Ps 13:33, Jer 51:39, Jn 11:11-13, Acts 13:36; 1 Cor 11:30). (Wanamaker)

Witherington points out that this can perhaps be viewed as less an abrupt transition than usually, thought, if one views the grieving addressed as public behavior. In that case it would be a continuation of v. 12, about walking properly before outsiders. Witherington agrees with Lightfoot that the Thessalonian church must have mostly been Gentiles, for Jews would likely already have the notion of the resurrection of the righteous dead at the end of the world. (Witherington)

“So that you will not grieve like the rest” is Paul’s purpose for this portion of the letter. For Paul the reason for the grief of pagans was not only the separation from loved ones, but their rejection of God and the inevitable facing of divine judgment and wrath for that rejection. (Rom 1:18-32, 1 Thes 1:10, 5:9) (Wanamaker)

1 Th 4:14
Paul seems to have shared the common Jewish notion that the soul lived in Heaven after death until the resurrection of the dead, when soul and body would be re-united. There were multiple levels of “heaven”, some simply the sky, others part of God’s dwelling place. That’s why Paul can speak of Jesus coming from Heaven to meet believers in the air in 4:17(BBCNT)

“Since we believe” is probably an intro to a creed. How much of the creed Paul actually recites is an open question. That it is a creed Paul inherited fits the language quoted: the bare use of “Jesus” rather then “Lord Jesus” or “Christ Jesus”, the Greek anistemi for “resurrection” rather than Paul’s usual Greek egeiro. That it doesn’t mention WHY Jesus died makes one suspicious that Paul selectively quoted from the creed.(Bruce, Wanamaker)

That Jesus died and rose- As F. F. Bruce put it, “the irreducible basis of the gospel”.

So also, Greek outos kai: To believe in Jesus’ resurrection should lead to belief God will raise those who died with/in Jesus at his second coming.

Bruce also points out that no NT author uses “fallen asleep” in relation to Jesus’ own death. The assumption is that Jesus was raised in three days, while his followers have yet to experience the resurrection. There is also the idea, conveyed in the ancient Apostle’s Creed, that even in death Jesus was somehow working for the good of his people, “He descended to hell, and on the third day arose from the dead”. Death for Jesus was not the peaceful union with God of believers, but an active, if mysterious part of his mission. You can find a wealth of interpretation on exactly what the descent into hell means; that is not a topic for this set of notes.(Bruce)

There is much debate as to exactly what dia tou Iesou “through Jesus” actually means, whether it is connected grammatically with “God will bring” or “those who have fallen asleep”. Some who see it as connected with the “fallen asleep” clause see it as referring to martyrdom. Most commentators see it as specifying who will be raised, the righteous dead of Judaism here being defined as believers in Christ, those who died as believers.

1 Th 4:15
“Word of the Lord” refers to a saying of Jesus here (Lk 22:61; Acts 20:35; 1 Cor 7:10), or perhaps more generally, an instruction based on Jesus’ sayings. Jesus spoke of his coming, Greek parousia, in Mat 24:27. The Greek term was commonly used of official visits by rulers or government officials, which typically included formal meetings outside a town, processions into the town, awards to locals, etc. (BBCNT, Wanamaker)

The question of exactly what the “word of the Lord” is here has multiple possible answers:
1) An agraphon, an oral saying of Jesus not part of scripture that circulated in the early church. William Stroker’s _Extracanonical Sayings of Jesus_ has some 240 pages of such material, showing how popular such sayings were in ancient times.
2) A private revelation to a church prophet or even Paul himself. Paul mentions such things on several occasions, as does Acts.
3) Paul’s interpretation of the available sayings of Jesus, here Mark 13 and Matt 24 along with OT prophecies.(Wanamaker)

“We who are still at the Lord’s coming”: This has always been a center of controversy. Did the early church absolutely believe they were the last generation? Old Lightfoot is still quite useful here:
1. The church clearly had Mar 13:32 NET. “But as for that day or hour no one knows it — neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son — except the Father.” And that is not a verse with any textual uncertainty about it.
2.This text, on the other hand, seems fairly certain of the future, as does 1 Cor 15:51-53, though it is a textual critical problem child.
3. On the other hand are text speaking of the uncertainty to some degree of the day: 1 Th 5:1-2, 2 Th 2:2; 2 Pet 3:4-9
Plainly the logical thing, and the impression the NT overall gives, is that the apostles had hope for Jesus’ immediate return, while caution about it’s true timing. And in this the set the examples for all future generations of Christians. (Lightfoot)

KJV’s “prevent” is an antique expression derived from the Latin for precede, go ahead. Paul here assures the Thessalonians that the departed Christian will miss out on nothing that those alive during the second coming participate in.

1 Th 4:16-17
Trumpets were used in ancient times to gather people for assemblies, whether for meetings and discussions, or for war. Here there is the notion of both, for the common Jewish idea of the last days included both a gathering of the righteous and a final battle in which the forces of good destroy the forces of evil. Michael is considered the guardian angel of Israel; Jesus seems to see Michael as guardian of Christian believers.

“Clouds” “trumpet”, and “archangel” apparently refer to Mat 24:30-31.

Judaism also associated the resurrection of the dead with the end of the current world and the beginning of the new heaven and earth.

“Meeting”, Greek apantesis, is a word commonly used, once again, of a city’s leaders greeting officials visiting a town and escorting them within the city walls for official reception ceremonies. This borrowing official Roman ceremony and language for Christian belief may well have offended Roman officials.

“Shout” is a reference to a military commander’s shout, his war cry (Amos 2:2). All this imagery is borrowed from various OT passages (Is 42:13, Ps 47:5, 8-9; Is 31:4, Zech 14:3-4).

“Clouds” are an image both of God’s judgment day (Ezek 30:3, 32:7; Joel 2:2) where the clouds are often smoke from battle and devastation, and the coming of the Son of Man (Dan 7:13)(BBCNT)

V. 16 is very much the language of ancient apocalypses, and thus it is good to be wary of taking the language as completely literal. For one thing, it is hard not to think of the “shout”, the “voice” and the “trumpet” as perhaps the same thing, a loud noise meant to wake the dead and alert the whole world to the return of Jesus in triumph and judgement. On the other hand, Jn 5:25-29 speaks of the dead, righteous and unrighteous hearing Jesus’ voice and awakening. The voice of the archangel might then be a separate command for the angels to gather the righteous dead (Matt 16:27, 24:30-31). The trumpet reminds one of the traditional trumpet fanfare heralding the arrival of a king or notable, though there is definitely a military feel to all this noise and shouting, making one wonder about the apocalyptic battle’s part in all this.

All the noise with Jesus’ appearance also points to the undeniable publicness of this event, as various NT verses speak. (Matt 26:64, Acts 1:11, 2 Th 1:7, Rev 1:7)

“The dead in Christ will rise first”- Again, very definitely, Paul assures the Christian dead will miss out on nothing in the Parousia, for they shall rise first!(Wanamaker, Bruce)

V. 17 And interestingly, Jesus and his followers are then said to meet halfway as it were, Jesus descending from heaven, the dead rising into the air, where they meet.

The famous term for this event, the Rapture, derives from the Vulgate here, rapere being the Latin verb for “snatch, grab”, the Greek term being harpazo. Though it sounds rough and violent, this snatching can be beneficial, as when Paul is snatched from the crowds at the Temple (Acts 23:10), or the child saved from the dragon (Rev 12:5), or Phillip snatched by the Spirit (Acts 8:39), or even Paul’s trip to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2-3)(Bruce)

What is important to take from this passage, is not whether it confirms or denies certain systems of thought about the end times, but rather what it actually says, which is surprisingly little about the successive steps of the end time. The believers, living and dead, are said to be with the Lord forever, but there is no real information as to whether they go back up to heaven with Jesus, or descend to the earth with him as he metes out final judgment. But as the joke goes, with Jesus, it will all pan out, thus to a certain extent details fade in importance.

Two prominent words from Roman imperial custom are used here: apantesin “meeting/royal welcome” and kurios “lord”. It is possible we go to far to say Paul is thumbing his nose at the Roman emperor by using their own language for the “divine” ruler, though Roman official might well have taken offense. On the other hand, clearly Paul is using the imagery of a ruler coming to his kingdom, welcomed outside the city by his favorites, and perhaps journeying into the city to deal rewards and punishments. But how much Paul is saying, “Caesar thinks he is king; Jesus is the true king” is open to interpretation.(Witherington)

1 Th 4:18
It was common in ancient letters of consolation for the authors to tell hearers to spread the words of consolation to others.(BBCNT)

Ben Witherington points out that this section of 1 Thessalonians bears out one of the most ancient Christians prayers we know: Marana tha, “Come, Lord”, in the ancient Aramaic.