wishes to explain some new point (cf. Rom. 1:13; 11:25; I Cor. 10:1; 12:1; II Cor. 8). The subject is “Those who sleep.” The present participle is used (signifying continuousness) and can either mean “those that are lying asleep” or “those who fall asleep from time to time.” The verb to sleep is used of natural sleep (Matt. 28:3; Acts 12:6; etc.) and of death, but only the death of a Christian (as here and I Cor. 7:39; II Pet. 3:4; etc.). The word is particu larly suggestive when used in the latter sense. “The object of the metaphor is to suggest that as the sleeper does not cease to exist while his body sleeps, so the dead person continues to exist de spite his absence from the region in which those who remain can communi cate with him, and that, as sleep is known to be temporary, so the death of the body will be found to be. Sleep has its waking, death will have its res urrection” (Hogg and Vine, p. 128). Because of this, any sorrow which the Christian may have over the loss of a loved one (and it is comforting to re member that our Lord wept when His friend Lazarus died, John 11:33-35) is unlike the hopeless despair which the heathen can only have. But Paul is not really saying that Christians may sor row but not to the same degree as the heathen, for that meaning would strain the “even as.” He is saving that Chris tians are not like the heathen because Christians do not sorrow. He does not necessarily deny that we may grieve over loss (cf. Phil. 2:27), but that is not the point here. Sorrow characterizes the heathen and therefore cannot char acterize the Christian. “Against this deep sorrow of the world the word sleen, four times applied in this context to the Christian’s death, is an abiding protest” (Findlay, p. 96). This certainty is based on the pre view seen in the resurrection of Christ. The “i f ’ clause is a first class condition and assumes the fact. Therefore it may be translated “since we believe.” The condition being true, the result is also true; i.e., God will bring with-Christ into His kingdom those who have fall en asleep through Jesus. The last 20
THE LORD'S RETURN (cont.) possibly so near did they regard this return that some had abandoned their daily tasks, and were living in idle and feverish expectation, depending on their brethren for support. It was this situation which led him next to con sider this problem in connection with the coming of Christ. The question had been brought to him by Timothy, or sent to him directly by the Thessalo- nians. Paul’s reply is practical. He does not review the matter at length. He says only enough to enforce an exhortation to comfort. This portion of his letter was not intended so much to impart instruction as to give encouragement and to direct a course of life. Never theless, the statements are of priceless value. The paragraph is the most in teresting and important of the whole epistle. Paul acknowledges the seriousness of the subject by his opening phrase, “We would not have you ignorant.” These words are frequently employed to in troduce a matter of great weight. Here Paul is to write “concerning them that fall asleep,” that is, asleep in death. The readers had possibly thought that they all would live to welcome the re turning Christ. Unexpectedly one after another of their friends was meeting death. Their own hearts were tom not only by bereavement but by the fear that they might never see their friends again; by the fear, also, that these friends might miss the blessedness that they themselves were soon to enjoy. Paul undertakes to show them why they should entertain no such fear for these friends; they should “sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.” Aside from Christians, other mourners in Thessaloniccf had no expectation of reunion with their friends who had died. To this present day nothing is more pitiful than the hopelessness of the pagan world in the face of death. The certainty of the Christian’s res urrection is based on the fact of Christ’s resurrection. The formula, “I would not have you to be ignorant,” is found fre quently in Paul’s writings when he
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