The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonikerne 4:1

Til sidst, brødre, beder og formaner vi jer i den Herre Jesus, at efterhånden som I modtog vejledning fra os om, hvordan I burde vandre og behage Gud (ligesom I faktisk vandrer), at I skal udmærke jer endnu mere.

(en) Vi beder og formaner dig. Paul did not lay down the law like a rabbi in the synagogue, but he mentored people like a wise and gentle father (1 Th. 2:11).

(b) Hvordan du burde gå. The Gentile believers in Thessalonica were brand new Christians. They had little experience walking in the new way of the spirit, and a lifetime of experience of living in an idol-worshipping society. Their faith, hope and love were commendable (1 Th. 1:3). But their understanding of what it meant to be a Christian was still something they had to figure out.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:2

For du ved, hvilke befalinger vi gav dig ved Herren Jesu myndighed.

Bud. Det virker inkonsekvent for Paulus at give anmodninger og formaninger i det foregående vers for derefter at begynde at prædike bud i dette vers. Han er ikke. Det oprindelige ord for bud (paraggelia) er afledt af et ord, der betyder "at transmittere en besked" (Strongs). Han henviser til instruktioner eller beskyldninger, han har givet af Herren Jesu autoritet. Hvis tessalonikerne havde glemt disse instruktioner, er Paulus ved at minde dem om.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:3

For dette er Guds vilje, din helliggørelse; det vil sige, at du afholder dig fra seksuel umoral;

(en) Guds vilje. Det er Guds vilje, at du skal blive helliggjort i din adfærd, ikke fordi din frelse afhænger af det, men dit velbefindende gør det. Din Fader ønsker, at du skal have fremgang i alle ting og ikke ødelægge dig selv med synd.

(b) Din helliggørelse. Those who teach progressive sanctification read these words as a recipe for DIY holiness: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.” The implication is that we can sanctify ourselves through our conduct. Such a message is an insult to Jesus who is our sanctification from God (1 Cor. 1:30).

When you were born again and put into Christ, you became as holy and righteous as he is (Acts 26:18, 1 Cor. 6:11). “If the root is holy, so are the branches” (Rom. 11:16). You were sanctified by God the Father (Jude 1:1), God the Son (Heb. 2:11, 10:10, 13:12), and God the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:16, 2 Th. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:2). You are well and truly sanctified!

Hellighed er ikke noget at stræbe efter; det er noget der skal trænes. Tænk på et lille barn, der lærer at gå. Det lille barn har i sig alt, hvad de behøver for at gå, løbe og hoppe. De skal bare finde ud af det. Sådan er det med hellighed. Vi er hele – Gud har givet os alt, hvad vi har brug for i Jesus – vi skal bare lære at leve hel. Det er en ny og vidunderlig oplevelse for os. Vi har ikke været på denne måde før, men med vores øjne rettet mod Jesus den Hellige, kan vi ikke fejle.

(c) Afhold dig fra seksuel umoral. Sexual immorality was normal in parts of the pagan world, but it was a path to disease, death and the breakdown of families. It was not, and is not God’s will for your life. As children of the light, we don’t even talk about what people do in secret (Eph. 3:3). “It is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (Eph. 5:12). When you think about sex, think about the beautiful gift God gave us, why he gave it to us, and how he wants us to enjoy it. Pursue love, not lust.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:4-5

at enhver af jer ved at besidde sit eget kar i helliggørelse og ære, ikke i lysten lidenskab, som hedningerne, der ikke kender Gud;

(en) Possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Treat your body with dignity, for it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).

(b) Lustful passion. In the pagan societies of Greece, idol worship was synonymous with sexual promiscuity. Fertility rites, temple prostitution, and orgiastic displays were part of pagan ceremonies.

(c) Hedningerne. Unlike the chaste Jews, the Gentiles were idol-worshippers (1 Th. 1:9). The Thessalonian believers were regularly exposed to the sexual temptations associated with pagan festivals and temple worship.

(d) Hvem kender ikke Gud. Med andre ord: "Eftersom du ved, hvem din Far er, skal du ikke opføre dig som en, der ikke gør det."

Yderligere læsning: "Hvis vi er hellige, hvorfor kalder Gud os så til at være hellige?”

1 Thessalonikerne 4:6

og at ingen overtræder og bedrager sin broder i sagen, fordi Herren er hævneren i alle disse ting, ligesom vi også har sagt jer før og højtideligt advaret jer.

(en) Transgress. Cross the line. Go too far.

(b) Bedrager sin bror. Don’t act improperly with another man’s wife. Don’t flirt with her, and don’t tempt her to immorality. Don’t act “like the Gentiles who do not know God” (see previous verse).

Unlike the Jews, the Gentiles had not been raised with the Ten Commandments. They hadn’t heard the one that says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Ex. 20:17). Sexual immorality was normal for a pagan, but it is unhealthy and destructive behavior. “Don’t do it,” says Paul. “Flee immorality” (1 Cor. 6:18).

Which begs the question, why is the Apostle of Grace preaching law? He isn’t. If he were preaching law he would have to prescribe the penalties of the law. He would say something like, “If you covet your neighbor’s wife and commit adultery, both of you will be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). Paul does not do this. He never puts law on people because he knows from personal experience that doing so only inflamed sin (Rom. 7:7–8, 1 Cor. 15:56).

(b) Herren er hævneren. God is not a punisher, as some translations have it, but an avenger who makes things right (see indgang for Rom. 12:19). In context, Paul is reminding the Thessalonians that there is a judgment for those who reject the Lord.

(e) We also told you before. Paul spoke about the judgment of the Lord when he visited Thessalonica.

Paul is not saying, “Sexually immoral Christians will be punished with death”. There is no law and no punishment here (Rom. 6:14, 8:1). Jesus bore all our sins and in him we are eternally unpunishable.

But it would be a terrible error to conclude that sin has no consequences or that God is ambivalent about sexual immorality. Cross the line and God won’t punish you, but sin will. Your sin will sink you. Worse, you will be acting out of character. Instead of walking in the light as a holy and beloved child of God, you will be acting like the Gentiles who don’t know God. You will be acting like an unbeliever who wants nothing to do with God. You will be like those immoral and impure people who give no thought to Judgment Day and have no inheritance in the kingdom (Eph. 5:5–6, Gal. 5:19–21). Why would you do that? Since you live in the light, why walk in the dark? It makes no sense.

(f) Solemnly warned you. The original verb (diamartyromai) is a composite word that includes the word (martureo) that means “testify” or “witness”. Paul is saying, “As I have said before, this is a serious business.” Paul is not talking about a specific sin (sexual immorality in this case) but whether you reject or receive in the Lord (see next verse).

1 Thessalonikerne 4:7-8

For Gud har ikke kaldet os for urenhedens formål, men til helliggørelsen. Så den, der afviser dette, afviser ikke mennesket, men den Gud, der giver sin Helligånd til dig.

(en) I helliggørelse. Paul reinforces his earlier point that sanctification is God’s will (1 Th. 4:3). Your heavenly Father does not want you to destroy yourself and others through sexual immorality.

(b) Ham der afviser dette. “These aren’t just my words; it is God’s desire for you to live a whole and healthy life.”

A Thessalonian believer who had lived under a pagan culture his whole life might have had trouble receiving the words of an itinerant Jewish apostle. “What does Paul know? We do things differently here.” So Paul appeals to a higher authority. “Sexual purity is God’s idea. He is not against sex—he invented it. But sex that is contrary to his design leads to all kinds of death. Sexual immorality is dehumanizing and degrading. It destroys lives, marriages, families, reputations, careers, and ministries. It is the driving force behind the evils of trafficking and sexual slavery, and as children of God we are to have nothing to do with it.”

Some say grace gives us a license to sin (Rom. 6:1). This scripture refutes such a lie. Sin is dangerous, like juggling hand grenades. It has no place in the new creation life that Christ gives us. Paul does not address the sin of sexual immorality with law and threats of punishment. Instead, he calls us to trust that God’s ways are better. To treat your body with dignity and live a whole and holy life is far better than the disease-ridden alternative being peddled in the alleys and temples of Thessalonica.

(c) The Holy Spirit. You are not alone in your struggle with sexual temptation. The Lord has given you the mighty Spirit of Grace who will empower you to say “no” to counterfeit caricatures of intimacy, and “yes” to the authentic life that he offers.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:13

Men vi ønsker ikke, at I skal være uvidende, brødre, om dem, der sover, for at I ikke skal sørge, som de andre, der ikke har håb.

(en) Dem der sover henviser til dem, der er døde. Nogle af tessalonikerne var gået bort, og Timoteus kan have bragt denne triste nyhed til Paulus.

(b) Sørge over. Det er normalt at sørge, når en elsket dør, men vores sorg er ikke den bitre sorg hos dem, der ikke har noget håb om opstandelsen. Vi kan trøste os med, at vi vil se vores kære igen.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:14

For hvis vi tror, at Jesus døde og opstod, så vil Gud også bringe dem med sig, som er faldet i søvn i Jesus.

(en) Believe. The chief takeaway of the new covenant is to believe in the Risen Lord (see indgang for John 3:16).

(b) Jesus died and rose again. Opstandelsen var et centralt tema i Paulus' budskab. Se indgang for 1 Cor. 15:3.

(c) Dem, der er faldet i søvn i Jesus. Den samme Gud, som oprejste Jesus fra de døde, vil oprejse dem, der er døde i Kristus.

1 Thessalonikerne 4:15

Derfor siger vi jer ved Herrens ord, at vi, som er i live og bliver, indtil Herrens komme, ikke skal gå forud for dem, som er faldet i søvn.

(en) Vi siger jer ved Herrens ord. "Det, jeg siger, har jeg lært af Herren." Paulus fik denne åbenbaring direkte fra Helligånden.

(b) Coming. The original word (parousia) comes from an oriental word used to describe the royal visit of a king, or emperor. See indgang for Matt. 24:37.

(c) Vil ikke gå forud for dem, der er faldet i søvn. Vi, der er i live, når Kristus vender tilbage, vil ikke opstå før dem, der er døde. Faktisk vil de blive rejst først (se næste vers).

1 Thessalonikerne 4:16

For Herren selv skal stige ned fra himlen med et råb, med ærkeenglens røst og med Guds basun, og de døde i Kristus skal opstå først.

(en) Herren selv vil stige ned fra himlen. Jesus is the Son from heaven (1 Th. 1:10). His first arrival to earth was a humble birth in a one-horse town. In contrast, his final return will be a glorious and loud procession visible to all (Matt. 24:27). If history is a play, the final scene is where the Author and Hero of the story steps onto the stage to vanquish his foes. Jesus’ return is the climax of history.

(b) Shout. The word for shout implies a call or summons. It’s a shout to raise the dead.

(c) De døde i Kristus vil opstå først. These words give hope to those mourning the loss of loved ones. “For those who sleep in death will rise to new life” (1 Th. 4:13).

1 Thessalonikerne 4:17

Så vil vi, som er i live og bliver tilbage, blive fanget sammen med dem i skyerne for at møde Herren i luften, og sådan skal vi altid være hos Herren.

(en) Indhentet sammen. Hvis de døde genopstår, bliver de levende henført. Selvom ordet rapture ikke forekommer i vores engelske bibler, er det afledt af et ord, der forekommer i den latinske bibel. Paulus skrev ikke på latin, men på græsk, og det ord han brugte (harpazō) means to seize or snatch away. To be raptured is to be gathered or caught up (2 Th. 2:1). Think of Philip on the desert road. One moment he was baptizing the Ethiopian; the next he was snatched away by the Spirit (Acts 8:39). It’s the same word here. The rapture or gathering of the church will be sudden and disruptive.

(b) Vi vil altid være hos Herren. En dag vil Jesus vende tilbage til jorden for at bo hos os for evigt.

The earth is God’s gift to humanity (Ps. 115:16) and God’s gifts are good. Although our planet has been broken and marred by sin, God has a plan. He’s not moving us out; he’s moving in. He’s not sending us to heaven; he’s bringing heaven to earth (Rev. 21:3-4).

Yderligere læsning: "Hvad med bortrykkelsen?”

1 Thessalonikerne 4:18

Trøst derfor hinanden med disse ord.

Trøst hinanden. Mange af os har begravet børn, forældre eller ægtefæller. Familier er blevet splittet af døden. Men når Kristus vender tilbage, vil selve døden blive besejret, og vi skal være hos Herren for evigt.

The final coming of the Great King is not something to fear but something to eagerly await (Php. 3:20). All our lives up until then will seem like a waking dream compared to the life we will share with him in eternity.

Yderligere læsning: "Seks fantastiske ting, der vil ske, når Kristus vender tilbage”

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1 Thessalonikerbrev 4