LECTIO DIVINA 1 Thessalonians 5: rd Sunday of Advent Year B Fr. Michael Brizio, IMC 1) OPENING PRAYER:

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1 Page 1 of 13 LECTIO DIVINA 1 Thessalonians 5: rd Sunday of Advent Year B Fr. Michael Brizio, IMC 1) OPENING PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 21 Test everything; retain what is good. 22 Refrain from every kind of evil. 2) READING OF THE WORD (What the Word says): 1 Thessalonians 5: Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophetic utterances. 23 May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.

2 Page 2 of 13 3) EXPLANATION (What the Word means): Context These are among the closing verses of this letter. Paul is taking the opportunity to include several brief admonitions, and to emphasize a few things of special importance. In chapter 4, Paul urged the Thessalonian Christians to live lives pleasing to God - holy lives. He specifically mentioned abstaining from fornication (4:3). He commended them for loving one another, to include loving brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia (the province in which Thessalonica was located) (4:9-10). He counseled them to live quiet lives, to attend to their own business, and to work with their own hands, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing (4:11-12). Quiet diligent work will enhance their witness to Christ as well as their spiritual and material prosperity. Paul s call for them to work with their own hands is related to a problem in Thessalonica to which Paul alludes in this first letter - and which he will deal with at more length in his second letter. The problem has to do with Christians who, anticipating that Jesus will return soon, have quit working and are relying on charity for their support. Paul calls on the church to admonish the idle (5:14). In his second letter, Paul will talk about how he and his colleagues worked day and night, that we might not burden any of you (2 Thessalonians 3:8). He had urged them to follow that example, but he had heard that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12). Paul goes on to say, See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good both for each other and for all (5:15). v.16: Rejoice, chairoo, always. The word chairoo is a common greeting, and means Rejoice! Joy and rejoicing are common themes throughout both Old and New Testaments. The feasts which the Israelites were required to observe celebrated the great events of their history (i.e., the Passover feast celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt), and were to be times of rejoicing (Numbers 10:10). A man could rejoice in the wife of his youth (Proverbs 5:18), or for the prospect of salvation (Psalm 51:12). Women

3 Page 3 of 13 sang songs of joy when David returned from a victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 18:6-7). The people could rejoice at the prospect of the Lord breaking the rod of their oppressor (Isaiah 9:3). In the New Testament, we first encountered this word chairoo in the announcement to Mary that she would have a baby (Luke 1:14), and in Elizabeth s response to Mary s visit (Luke 1:44). In her Magnificat, Mary uses the word agalliao for rejoice, but it conveys the same enthusiasm (Luke 1:47). The Magi, seeing the star stop above the house where Mary was taking care of the baby Jesus, rejoiced with exceedingly great joy (Matthew 2:10).

4 Page 4 of 13 From the beginning of Jesus life to his resurrection appearances (Matthew 28:8; Luke 24:41, 52), rejoicing was an important response. We can certainly understand the call to rejoice, but Paul demonstrated that it is, indeed, possible to rejoice in the midst of adversity. Early in his ministry, when arrested, he and Silas sang hymns and prayed in their prison cell (Acts 16:25). Later, in prison awaiting trial, he wrote a short letter to the church at Philippi in which he used the word joy or rejoice no less than a dozen times (Philippians 1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 28-29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10). In some of those verses, Paul is urging the Philippians to rejoice, but in others he is talking about his own joy. He mentions thanking God whenever I remember you, always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy (1:3-4). He talks about proclaiming Christ, and says, I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice (1:18). Paul asks the Philippians to make (his) joy full, by being like-minded (2:2). He knows that there is a possibility that he will be found guilty and executed, but he responds, But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me (2:17-18). The New Testament gives us a picture of believers who are glad to live out the implications of their faith. There is a serious purpose to life, and that is not overlooked. Sometimes it will

5 Page 5 of 13 lead to stern and serious action. But the emphasis is on the truth that, by and large, the way of Christians is a happy way. Their spiritual resources are so great that earthly things cannot disturb their composure, and they go on their way with a song in their hearts (Colossians 3:16). Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22; Romans 14:17), and Paul has made it clear that the Thessalonians knew this joy (1:6). Paul is not writing about a joy that Christians produce by their own efforts. It is natural for people to be happy when things go well with them. But it is not this natural joy, dependent on circumstances, that is the special characteristic of Christians. It is the joy that comes from being in Christ. v.17: Pray, proseuche, without ceasing. The New Testament has four words for prayer. Deesis has to do with asking God to supply particular needs. Enteuxeis is supplication - prayers for others or for oneself. Eucharistia is thanksgiving. The word used here, proseuche, is a general word for prayer that would include all kinds of prayer. continual rejoicing. The injunction to continual prayer (Luke 18:1; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18) springs out of the same great idea as that to Christianity is a religion that turns people s thoughts away from themselves and their puny deeds to the great God who has wrought a stupendous salvation for them in Christ. Prayer assumes that a relationship exists between the person and God so that the person can believe that God is listening and that God will take seriously the person s petitions. That doesn t mean that God will always answer prayers as we ask. However, the more closely our hearts are aligned with God s will, the more likely we will receive what we asked. Paul s exhortation to continual prayer fits into this picture. The Thessalonian believers were dependent on God for everything. Continuing prayer is the continuing expression of this dependence. Christians, then, are always conscious that they depend on God, and that they are always surrounded by God s love. Prayer was as natural to Paul as breathing. At any time he was likely to break off his argument or to sum it up by a prayer. In the same way he looks for the Thessalonians to live lives with such an attitude of dependence on God that they will easily and

6 Page 6 of 13 naturally move into the words of prayer on all sorts of occasions, great and small, grave and festive. There is no lack of subject matter for our prayers. While we cannot devote every minute of every day in uttering words of prayer, we can live in such a way that our lives honor God; and we can live in thanksgiving for all the blessings that we have received, great and small; and we can offer prayers for people we pass on the street. The possibilities are endless. v.18: In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. The trio of injunctions is completed with the command in all circumstances give thanks. those which do not. Like the preceding two, this one springs from the great central truth of the gospel. Non-believers conceive of life as a matter more or less of chance. Accordingly, they welcome those workings of chance which favor their purposes and object to The believer, instead, sees God s purpose being worked out in the believer s own life and in the lives of those about him. This leads to the thought that the same loving purpose is being worked out even in those events which the believer is inclined not to welcome at all. When we come to realize that God s hand is in all things, we learn to give thanks for all things. Tribulation is unpleasant. Yet in the midst of tribulation who would not give thanks, knowing that the Father who loves us so greatly has permitted that tribulation only in order that his wise and merciful purpose might be worked out? So, out of this great central truth of Christianity, Paul calls on his friends to practice the continual giving of thanks. v.19: Do not quench the Spirit. Quench properly applies to the extinguishing of a flame of some sort, such as that of a fire (Mark 9:48) or a lamp (Matt. 25:8). This is the only place in the New Testament where it is used in a metaphorical sense, though we do find such a sense in the Septuagint. It is used there of quenching love (Song 8:7), anger (Jeremiah 4:4; 21:12), a hot mind (Sirach 23:16), and passions (4Maccabees 16:4).

7 Page 7 of 13 It has particular relevance when used of the Spirit, for his presence is aptly symbolized by fire (Acts 2:3). The positive injunction, fan into flame the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6), is another way of expressing the truth Paul is concerned with here. Exactly how the Thessalonians were trying to put out the Spirit s fire is not clear. But many passages in the New Testament indicate that the manifestations of the Spirit occupied a large place in the life of the early church. Where we may think of the Spirit in terms of that power within the believer which enables him to overcome evil and to produce the fruit of the Spirit, many early Christians just as naturally thought of him as the producer of ecstatic manifestations of various kinds, speaking with tongues, prophesying, and the like. But, in view of the very general character of the expression, perhaps it is better to understand the term more generally. For example, in the second century Hermas maintained that both the doubtful mind and the angry temper grieve the Spirit, for he was given as a cheerful Spirit (Mandate, 10:2.3). The same kind of thing may well be said here. Loafing, immorality, and other sins about which Paul has had occasion to warn the Thessalonians will quench the Spirit in anyone s life and result in the loss of spiritual power and joy. v.20: Do not despise prophetic utterances. While people today think of prophecy as foretelling the future, the role of a Biblical prophet was to convey a message from God to humans. In many cases, that involved giving people a glimpse of the future, but the foretelling was only in support of the larger prophetic message. While most Biblical prophecy took place in the Old Testament, the New Testament also includes accounts of prophecy (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32). Later, in his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul will give more detailed guidance regarding speaking in tongues and prophecy: Prophecy is for the purpose of edification, oikodome, exhortation, paraklesis, and consolation, paramythia (1 Corinthians 14:3). Oikodome is related to the word oikia (house), and is usually associated with constructing a building - building it up, so to speak. Paul uses it metaphorically here to mean the building up or edifying of the church.

8 Page 8 of 13 Paraklesis involves exhortation or encouragement - helping people to see the possibility of overcoming an obstacle or winning a battle. Paramythia is a tender word that has to do with consoling or comforting. Prophecy is more significant than speaking in tongues, because he who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly, ekklesia, (the church). Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly (church) may be built up (1 Corinthians 14:4-5). People who speak in tongues are required to have an interpreter. Those who claim to have a prophetic word are to give it in an orderly fashion, speaking one at a time and giving others a chance to speak, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted (1 Corinthians 14:26-33). Prophets were held in high honor in the early Church, and we find them mentioned along with apostles several times (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5). It does not seem likely that the Thessalonians would be despising such exalted personages. But, wherever the Spirit might convey the revelation, Paul counsels the Thessalonians to be receptive. v.21a: Test, dokimazo, everything; The word dokimazo means to test something to determine its quality or authenticity. What Paul has said in the previous verse might be misconstrued as an injunction to accept without further ado any utterance by a person who claimed to be a prophet and speaking by the Spirit. This would open the door to boundless credulity and all kinds of evil, and it was far from the Paul s mind. Given the context, Paul intends that these Thessalonian Christians should try to discern the validity of that which appears to be the work of the Holy Spirit (v.19) and that which appears to be prophecy (v.20). The counsel of church officers (bishops, priests, elders, deacons) would be a good starting point in making these kinds of judgments. Presumably they are spiritually mature and committed to the Lord. Their opinion should carry significant weight when testing ministry in their midst. Also, with regard to those who claim to be prophets, consider these ten tests: 1) Does their message exalt Christ? (John 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:1-4) 2) Does it accord with scripture? (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 3:15b-16)

9 Page 9 of 13 3) Does it build up the church? (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:3-5, 12, 26) 4) Does it pronounce judgment on sin? 5) Does it emphasize the grace of God? 6) Does it produce Godly fruits? (Matthew 7:15-18; Galatians 5:22-23) 7) If the prophecy involves foretelling the future, does it come true? (Deuteronomy 18:22) 8) Does the alleged prophet have a prophet-motive or a profit-motive? 9) Does the alleged prophet have a Godly character? 10) To whom is the alleged prophet accountable, and to what degree? (1 Cor. 14:29-33) When applying these tests, we must be careful not to be overly critical. Even Godly prophets are sinners (Romans 3:23), and every ministry is subject to error. However, these tests provide a starting point for evaluating those who appear to be led by the Spirit and those who appear to have the gift of prophecy. In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul will give an example of something that would not pass the test. Someone had said that the day of the Lord had come, and Paul disavows that, saying, Let no one deceive you in any way - and then goes on to give more detail about the Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 2:2ff.) v.21b: retain what is good. There are things that appear on the surface to be good. There are manifestations that are claimed to come from God. Such are not simply to be accepted at their face value, for it is not part of Christian simplicity to be credulous. it, to make it their own. All things must be tested. After they have tested things, Paul tells them to hold fast that which is good - to embrace it, to seize One approach to answering the question of what is good would be to look at the tests mentioned above. Something would be good if it exalts Christ, accords with scripture, builds up the church, etc. But we must remember the context. Paul has been talking about the work of the Spirit (v.19) and prophesies (v.20), so that which is good would be Spirit-work and prophesies that pass the test of authenticity.

10 Page 10 of 13 v.22: Refrain from every kind of evil. Refrain is the verb Paul has used in 4:3 of keeping clear of fornication. If a thing is evil, then the believer must have no dealing with it whatever. The tempter is infinitely clever when it comes to repackaging evil to look beautiful - even to look as if it would be good. How can we avoid evil? For one thing, we can avoid going to evil places and entangling our lives with evil people. Ephesians 6:11-18 provides helpful counsel when it comes to abstaining from evil Put on the whole armor of God. v.23a: May the God of peace himself Now that the exhortations are concluded Paul passes over to prayer for his readers. The way in which he effects the transition indicates that it is only in the power of the God on whom he calls that his exhortation can be brought to fruition. It is as if Paul is saying, I have been urging you to do certain things, but it is only in God s strength that you will be able to do them. Peace brings before us the prosperity of the whole person, prosperity in the widest sense, especially including spiritual prosperity. That peace should be associated with God in this way is a reminder that true peace can come only from him, and that he is such a God that peace may be said to be characteristic of him. v.23b: make you perfectly, holoteleis, holy, hagiazein, This Letter has had important things to say about sanctification (3:13; 4:3-8), and it is not surprising that in the concluding prayer Paul returns to the thought. Sanctify and sanctification are not words that we use in everyday conversation, but they are central to the life of a Christian. The essential idea of the word hagiazo (sanctify, make holy - closely related to the word hagios, holy - usually translated saint in the New Testament), and is that of being set apart for God.

11 Page 11 of 13 Although there is a human element in that one must yield oneself up to God (4:4), the primary thing is the power of God that enables this to be done. Thus Paul s prayer is that God will bring about this sanctification perfectly. The New Testament uses the word hagios to mean ordinary Christians (Acts 9:13, 41; Romans 1:7; 12:13; 15:26; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1). So we are saints - people made holy by the grace of God - set apart for a Godly purpose, sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10). Paul s prayer is that God will sanctify these people completely, holoteleis. The word holoteleis is made up of holo (all or whole) and telos (accomplished or completed). The idea here, then, is that God will pull these Thessalonian disciples together as a sanctified (holy) people. The word you is plural, so Paul is praying that God would sanctify (make holy) the congregation-atlarge as well as individual members thereof. v.23b: and may you entirely, holokleron, spirit, soul, and body, Note the similarity in sound of holoteleis in v.23a and holokleron in v.23b. Paul was an educated man who used language gracefully - graceful use of language has power to spark imaginations and to persuade. Holokleron combines holos, whole, with kleros, part. Paul simply uses this graphic form by way of insisting that the whole person, and not some part only, is involved. All our powers of whatever sort are to be sanctified, entirely set apart for God - a person whose life is not fragmented but is what we might today call centered, or together. v.23c: be preserved blameless, amemptos, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word amemptous is made up of the Greek a, without, and memptos, fault. If Paul has the sacrificial usage of blameless, amemptos, in mind, it would fit in very well with the entire surrender of the person to God that is involved in sanctification. of only the very highest standards. The character involved in being a Christian is one that admits

12 Page 12 of 13 Paul prays, not simply that they may live good lives, but that they may be blameless. Both of Paul and of his converts were looking for the coming of the Day of the Lord, the Parousia Paul is not thinking of a sanctification that may last but a little time here on earth, but of one that will continue at the Parousia. Primarily his thought is not which will last until the Parousia (although that is implied), but which will exist at the Parousia. The thought of judgment is associated with the second coming. Paul looks for the Thessalonians to be preserved blameless not only through the changes and trials of this earthly life, but also on that day when they stand before Christ, the eternal Judge. v.24: The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. Paul s prayer is a cry of faith. He is supremely confident that what he has asked above in vv will be done, because their resources were in God. It is not in the unstable qualities of people that trust must be placed, but in the eternal faithfulness of God. The God to whom Paul prays is not a God who is inactive or ineffective - one who will certainly bring to completion that which he has begun - Does he speak and then not act? (Numbers 23:19). It is profoundly satisfying to the Thessalonians that in the last resort what matters is not their feeble hold on God, but God s strong grip on them (John 10:28-29). 4) MEDITATION (What the Word suggests to me): a) We read the Word again. b) Select the word or a brief phrase which touched you or impressed you. Repeat this word/phrase aloud and slowly 3 times. Between each repetition allow a moment of silence for the Word to penetrate into our hearts. c) We will remain silent for a few minutes, and let the Lord speak to us. d) We now share what the Lord has given us in this word. We avoid discussions or sermons or comments on what others have said. We share what the Lord has told us personally by using such expressions as, To me this word has said 5) QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION (What the Word asks me): a) Do I cultivate in me an attitude of joy?

13 Page 13 of 13 b) How can I give greater importance to prayer in my life? c) Which evil should I eradicate more decisively in me? d) Do I strive for holiness, that is, complete dedication to God and others? 6) WORD OF LIFE (What the Word reminds me): Pray without ceasing 7) ACTION (What the Word invites me to do): I will practice giving thanks to God for all the events of my life. 8) PRAYER (What the Word makes me pray): Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, My soul rejoices in my God. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy. And may the blessing of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit descend upon us and with us remain forever and ever.