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Scott's Reference Library
1 Thessalonians 4:1 through 1 Thessalonians 4:12 (NIV)
1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as
in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this
more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of
the Lord Jesus.
3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual
immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way
that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not
know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take
advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already
told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a
holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but
God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves
have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the
brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and
more.
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to
work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the
respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 Thessalonians 5:12 through 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who
are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard
in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you,
brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be
patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but
always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
1 Thessalonians 4:1 through 1 Thessalonians 4:9
VERSES 1-8
To abide in the faith of the gospel is not enough, we must abound in the work of
faith. The rule according to which all ought to walk and act, is the
commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Sanctification, in the renewal of
their souls under the influences of the Holy Spirit, and attention to appointed
duties, constituted the will of God respecting them. In aspiring after this
renewal of the soul unto holiness, strict restraint must be put upon the
appetites and senses of the body, and on the thoughts and inclinations of the
will, which lead to wrong uses of them. The Lord calls none into his family to
live unholy lives, but that they may be taught and enabled to walk before him in
holiness. Some make light of the precepts of holiness, because they hear them
from men; but they are God’s commands, and to break them is to despise God.
VERSES 9-12
We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we may engage
them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingly taught of God, are
taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of
men; and men’s teaching is vain and useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable
for this or any other grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere
to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a
peaceable and quiet behaviour. Satan is busy to trouble us; and we have in our
hearts what disposes us to be unquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. Those
who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men’s matters, have little quiet in their
own minds, and cause great disturbances among their neighbours. They seldom mind
the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their
own hands. Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our
particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. People often by
slothfulness reduce themselves to great straits, and are liable to many wants;
while such as are diligent in their own business, earn their own bread, and have
great pleasure in so doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:12 through 1 Thessalonians 5:16
VERSES 12-15
The ministers of the gospel are described by the work of their office, which is
to serve and honour the Lord. It is their duty not only to give good counsel,
but also to warn the flock of dangers, and reprove for whatever may be amiss.
The people should honour and love their ministers, because their business is the
welfare of men’s souls. And the people should be at peace among themselves,
doing all they can to guard against any differences. But love of peace must not
make us wink at sin. The fearful and sorrowful spirits, should be encouraged,
and a kind word may do much good. We must bear and forbear. We must be
long-suffering, and keep down anger, and this to all men. Whatever man do to us,
we must do good to others.
VERSES 16-22
We are to rejoice in creature-comforts, as if we rejoiced not, and must not
expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but if we do rejoice in God,
we may do that evermore. A truly religious life is a life of constant joy. And
we should rejoice more, if we prayed more. Prayer will help forward all lawful
business, and every good work. If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want
matter for thanksgiving in every thing. We shall see cause to give thanks for
sparing and preventing, for common and uncommon, past and present, temporal and
spiritual mercies. Not only for prosperous and pleasing, but also for afflicting
providences, for chastisements and corrections; for God designs all for our
good, though we at present see not how they tend to it. Quench not the Spirit.
Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh
as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. As fire is
put out by taking away fuel, and as it is quenched by pouring water, or putting
a great deal of earth upon it; so we must be careful not to quench the Holy
Spirit, by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding only earthly things.
Believers often hinder their growth in grace, by not giving themselves up to the
spiritual affections raised in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. By prophesyings,
here understand the preaching of the word, the interpreting and applying the
Scriptures. We must not despise preaching, though it is plain, and we are told
no more than what we knew before. We must search the Scriptures. And proving all
things must be to hold fast that which is good. We should abstain from sin, and
whatever looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of
the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of it, and who avoids not
the temptations and approaches to it, will not long keep from doing sin.