Scofield Reference Bible Notes
1 Thessalonians 5

1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

day of the Lord

Day (of Jehovah). 1Th 4:1-3; 2Th 2:1-8. (Isa 2:10-22; Rev 19:11-21).

cometh as a thief

Luk 12:39-40; 2Pe 3:10; Rev 16:15.

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

sudden destruction cometh

Gen 7:11; Mat 24:27; Luk 17:26-27; 2Pe 2:5; 3:6.

1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

ye, brethren, are not in darkness

Eph 5:8; 1Jo 2:8.

1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

children

sons.

1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

let us not sleep

Mat 25:5; Rom 13:12-13.

be sober

1Pe 5:8.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

breastplate

Isa 59:17; Eph 6:14, 17.

salvation [See also 1Th 5:9.]

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

whether we wake or sleep

Rom 14:8-9; 2Co 5:15.

1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

over you in the Lord, and admonish you

Heb 13:7, 17.

1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

be at peace among yourselves

Mar 9:50.

1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

exhort

beseech.

support the weak

Rom 15:1.

be patient

Eph 4:2.

1Th 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

none render evil for evil

Pro 20:22; 24:29; Mat 5:39, 44.

1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

Spirit

Holy Spirit (N.T.). 2Th 2:13. (Mat 1:18; Act 2:4.)

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

all appearance of

every form of.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

sanctify

Sanctify, holy (persons) (N.T.). 1Ti 4:5. (Mat 4:5; Rev 22:11.)

whole spirit and soul and body

Man a trinity. That the human soul and spirit are not identical is proved by the facts that they are divisible (Heb 4:12), and that soul and spirit are sharply distinguished in the burial and resurrection of the body. It is sown a natural body (soma psuchikon = "soul-body"), it is raised a spiritual body (soma pneumatikon), 1Co 15:44. To assert, therefore, that there is no difference between soul and spirit is to assert that there is no difference between the mortal body and the resurrection body. In Scripture use, the distinction between spirit and soul may be traced. Briefly, that distinction is that the spirit is that part of man which "knows" (1Co 2:11), his mind; the soul is the seat of the affections, desires, and so of the emotions, and of the active will, the self. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful" (Mat 26:38; see also Scofield Mat 11:29; and John 12:27). The word transliterated "soul" in the O.T. (nephesh) is the exact equivalent of the N.T. word for soul (Greek psuche), and the use of "soul" in the O.T. is identical with the use of that word in the N.T. (see, e.g. Deu 6:5; 14:26; 1Sa 18:1; 20:4, 17; Job 7:11, 15; 14:22; Psa 42:6; 84:2). The N.T. word for spirit (pneuma) like the O.T. (ruach), is translated "air", "breath", "wind," but predominantly "spirit," whether of God (e.g. Gen 1:2; Mat 3:16) or of man (Gen 41:8; 1Co 5:5). Because man is "spirit" he is capable of God-consciousness, and of communication with God (Job 32:8; Psa 18:28; Pro 20:27); because he is "soul" he has self-consciousness (Psa 13:2; 42:5-6, 11); because he is "body" he has, through his senses, world-consciousness. See Scofield Genesis 1:26, note.

blameless

1Co 1:8-9.

1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Faithful is he

1Co 10:13; 2Th 3:3.

1Th 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

charge

adjure [solemnly implore].