I Thessalonians
Chapter
4
1~~Finally/"For
the rest" therefore . . . [loipon oun]
we
make a request of you, brethern
[erotao (present active indicative) humas adelphos]
and
exhort/encourage [you] in/by/with the Lord Jesus . . .
[kai parakaleo (present active indicative) en kurios Iesous]
"according
as/"even as" [kathos]
you
receive from the immediate source of us
[paralambano (present active indicative) para hemon]
how
you "ought to do because it is right and proper"
[pos humas dei (present indicative)]
to
Walk/"to move through life"
[peripateo (present active infinitive)]
and/even
to please God . . .
[kai aresko (present active infinitive) Theos]
for
the purpose that [hina]
you
might overflow
[perisseuo (present active subjunctive)]
[with "doctrine in your soul applied" resulting in "production
of Divine Good by God through you" which then overflows
in "blessings from God to you to reward your faithfulness"]
"more
and more"/"to a greater degree". [mallon]
[Note: When you LEARN by study how to please God and then you do so by Walking Righteously through life, then your blessings will be tremendous and they actually overflow to the people around you. This is called "blessing by association" and applies to your family, your neighborhood, your employer, your state, your country etc. These people are called the "salt of the earth". That means they add flavor to all they touch and preserve the land. They make up the small reminant of mature believers who actually save/preserve a national entity.]
2~~For
you know/perceive with results that last forever
[gar oida (perfect active indicative)]
what
commandments/"doctrinal teachings"/"doctrines [of Jesus]"
[tis paraggelia (literally "giving of a message")]
we
gave you
[didomi (aorist active indicative) humin]
"by
means of"/through the Lord Jesus.
[dia kurios Iesous]
{Note: This means they were taught the teachings/doctrines of Jesus in the past with permanent results. But, we will see that the Thessalonians were having trouble applying the doctrines they learned in the past to experience (their Walk through life). Verses 3-5 cover sex. Next comes social life. And finally, business life.}
{Verses
3-5: Practical Application of Doctrine Concerning Sex}
3~~For
this "keeps on being"
[gar touto eimi (present indicative - the absolute status verb)]
the
will/desire of God . . .
[thelema theos]
your
sanctification/"set-apart-ed-ness to Him" . . .
[humon hagiasmos]
that
you should abstain/refrain yourself
[humas apechomai (present middle infinitive)]
from
the ultimate source of fornication.
[apo porneia]
[Note: Sanctification is a synonym to the "will of God" - You are "set apart unto God" or sanctified when you are following the will of God: being in fellowship, filled with the Spirit, and applying His Thinking to your Walk through life.]
[Note: Porneia is the Greek word from which we get 'fornication'. It is the word from which we get pornography. Most heathen religions emphasized sex in conjunction with religion - fornication. So the meaning of porneia is to have illicit sex with an unbeliever in connection with idolatry. Per the Greek definition of porneia it also includes adultery and incest. In the Church Age, there is no more difference between male and female. The Higher Walk of Life describes a one to one relationship - one believing male to his right believing female. Otherwise you are "uniting" part of the Body of Christ with someone "outside the Body of Christ" which is considered "unclean" by God. And, if this sex act is done in worship of a false god, that is the ultimate of an unclean union (remember the people Paul was directly talking to were Greeks - their false gods were worshipped by having sex in the temple with priests, priestesses, animals, or any or all of the above - true "porneia").]
4~~[To
amplify that . . .]
[Greek syntax indicates this verse amplifies the previous verse]
each
one of you to know/perceive with results that last forever
[hekastos humon eido (perfect active infinitive)]
to
possess his own vessel/body
[ktaomai (present middle/passive infinitive)]
in/by/with
sanctification/"set-aparted-ness to God"
[en hagiasmos]
and
honor/"the honor which one has by reason of rank
and
state of office which he holds".
[kai time]
{Note: Paul is addressing this epistle to believers in Jesus Christ. The "vessel" here is the human body based on the study of how it was used in other New Testament verses. To have illicit sex with an unbeliever in connection with idolatry is to defile the "temple of God" which is you. And, when you believe in Jesus you share His Royalty. "To whom much is given, much is expected". You are royalty and all royalty has a "time" . . . an honor befitting one's status in life. You are royalty so act with the honor expected of royalty.}
5~~Not
in/by/with the "mental desire of that which is forbidden"
[me en pathos (sexual lust and even idol worship are in view)]
even/and
just as the Gentiles/"non-Jews
[kai kathaper ethnos]
who
are knowing not God with results that last forever.
[o eido (perfect active participle) me Theos]
[Note: Reference to heathen religions again. The Greeks have sex as a main part of their idol worship.]
{Verses
6-10: Applying Doctrine to Social Life.}
6~~"For
the additional purpose that"
[to]
no
[one] "to overstep the proper limits"
[me huperbaino (present active infinitive)]
even/and
defraud/"to gain or take advantage of another"
[kai pleonekteo (present active infinitive)]
his
brother in/by/with [any] matter/question/"business affair"
[autos adelphos en pragma]
"on
account of"/because the Lord
[dioti kurios]
"is
the one exacting penality/"is the avenger" [ekdikos]
concerning
all such . . .
[peri pas touton]
according
as also/and we have forewarned you
[kathos kai proepo (aorist active indicative) humin]
and
we ourselves
"confirm
a thing by testimony"/"cause it to be believed".
[kai diamarturomai (aorist middle indicative)]
{Amplification
of verse 6 again - uncleanness is overstepping
and/or defrauding a brother}
7~~For
God has absolutely not called us
[gar theos kaleo (aorist active indicative ouk) hemas]
upon/unto
uncleanness/"the impurity of lustful living" . . .
[epi akatharsia]
but,
in contrast, in/by/with/unto holiness/"set-aparted-ness to Him".
[alla en hagiasmos]
[Note: Theologically this is called "practical sanctification".]
8~~Consequently
[toigaroun]
the
one disregarding/"setting at
naught"/rejecting/"considering void"
[atheteo (present active participle)]
[God's
Doctrines/Teachings/Commandments],
disregards/"sets
at naught"/rejects/"considers void"
[atheteo (present active participle)]
absolutely
not man . . . [ouk anthropos]
but,
in contrast, [disregards] God . . . [alla Theos]
the
One giving
[didomi (aorist active participle)]
toward/unto
us His Holy Spirit.
[eis hemas autos hagios pneuma]
9a~~Morever/Now
[de]
concerning
"brotherly personal love" . . .
[peri philadelphia (loving believers based on who they are)]
you
need absolutely not
[echo (present active indicative) chreia ouk]
[for
me] to write you.
[grapho (present active infinitive) humin]
9b~~For
you yourselves are "taught of God"
[gar humeis autos este theodidaktos]
to/toward
"to impersonally love"
[eis agape (present active infinitive)]
"one
another of the same kind". [allelon]
10a~~And
for/indeed [kai gar]
you
do it toward all the brethren
[poieo (present active indicative) autos eis pas adelphos]
who
. . . [are] in/by/with the whole of Macedonia.
[o en holos Makedonia (Northern Greece)]
10b~~Moreover/Now
we beseech you, brethren,
[de parakaleo (present active indicative) humas adelphos]
to
increase abundantly "more and more"/"to a greater degree".
[perisseuo (present active infinitive) mallon]
[Note: Most people think that "love" is an esoteric emotion. If you asked someone to describe "love" they would most likely fall back on what the Supreme Court said about pornography, "I can not describe it, but I know it when I see it." That is a cop-out. Love is really a LEARNED trait. This verse is really talking about the congregation continuing to study God's/Jesus' doctrine and grow in spiritual maturity. Then their capacity to give and receive "love" of all forms will increase. See love for more Biblical references on "love".]
{Verses
11-12: Now Applying Doctrine to
Personal and Business life}
11a~~And
[kai]
[for
the additional purpose that]
"to
consider it yourself a point of honor"/
"to
strive yourself from a love of honor to bring something to pass"
[philotimeomai (present middle/passive infinitive)]
to
"quietly mind your own business"/"to lead your life"
[hesuchazo (present active infinitive)]
and
to do/practice your own [business].
[kai prasso idios]
11b~~And/additionally,
[kai]
to
work/"gain by working" yourself [with] your own hands . . .
[ergazomai (present middle/passive infinitive) humon idios cheir]
just
as we commanded you.
[kathos paraggello (aorist active indicative) humin]
[Note: Two uses of "business" here. One is personal and means to mind your own affairs and stay out of the affairs of others. And, the second means to do your labor/job every day as "unto the Lord". When you are in union with Him, you are His ambasador on earth in all that you do. When you fail, unbelievers get the wrong impression of Him! We all fail. Our goal is to limit our failures. And, we do that by studying and knowing as much as we can about God/Jesus and His Divine Viewpoint.]
12~~For
the purpose that [hina]
you
may walk honestly/decently
[peripateo (present active subjunctive) euschemonos]
['walk' is 'how you meander down the path of life' - Paul is
encouraging us all to Walk in the More Excellent Ways of
Jesus Christ again]
face
to face with them that are without
[pros exo]
and
you may lack nothing.
[kai echo (present active subjunctive) chreia medeis]
[Note: Part of Walking in the More Excellent Way of Jesus Christ is to be a hard worker (regardless of your occupation) and work ethically. Do not cheat and steal your way through life. Remember that God has your back. Do not worry how others operate their businesses. If God wants your business to succeed, it will. If God wants your business to fail, it will.]
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