1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 The Lord's Return (part 1)

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 The Lord's Return (part 1) 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

2. Background to 1 Thess. 4:13 – 18* • A certain amount of anxiety some were having with • regard to their loved ones who had died. • They were expecting the return of the Lord at any time, • But what about those loved ones who had died • since trusting Christ? • From the content of verses 13 -18, it is clear they • were asking how would Christ’s return affect these • loved ones who had since died? • Would their death hinder or handicap them in any way? • Will those who are alive at His coming have an advantage • over those who had died? * from H. Keathley Commentary

3. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. brethren – addressed to believers we do not want you to be uninformed uninformed - agnoeō - signifies "to be ignorant, not to know,“ also rendered by the verb "to be ignorant that," or "to be ignorant of," Vine examples: see Rom. 11:25, 1 Cor. 12:1, 2 Cor. 2:11

4. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. about – or concerning those who are asleep(the ones sleeping)– who is this ? asleep – koimaō - is used of natural "sleep," of the death of the body, but only of such as are Christ's.It is connected etymologically with the Greek word “keimai”, "to lie down," Vine examples of normal sleep: Luke 22:45, Acts 12:6 examples of believers who have died physically: Matt. 27:52, John 11:11, Acts 7:60 and Acts 13:36

5. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. so that- what follows tells us the purpose of these verses you will not grieve grieve - lypeō - in the passive voice, "to be grieved, to be made sorry, to be sorry, sorrowful," Vine as do the rest who have no hope the rest -loipos - an adjective (akin to leipō, "to leave") signifying "remaining," is used as a noun and translated "the rest" in the RV. Vine in order that you may not be mourning in the same manner as the rest who do not have a hopeWuest

6. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For if (in view of the fact) that we believe that Jesus died and rose again the central fact of the Gospel message see 1 Cor 15:1 – 4 2 Corinthians 5:15and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

7. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus even so -thus also God will bring with Him will bring -agō - "to bear, bring, carry, lead," is translated by the verb "to lead"(i.e. to lead, to lead along, to bring," has the meaning "to bring”) Vine examples: see 2 Tim. 4:11 and Heb.2:10 have fallen asleep in Jesus- same word in the Greek in Jesus – through Jesus – see 1 Cor. 8:6

8. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. we say to you --- this(what follows in the verse) by the word of (from) the Lord see the following verses: 1 Thessalonians 1:8For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 2:13For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

9. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. present, active, participle we who are alive (or the ones living) and (we who) remain (or the ones remaining) until (to) the coming of the Lord coming - parousia - "a presence," para, "with," and ousia, "being" (from eimi, "to be"), denotes both an "arrival" and a consequent "presence with." present, passive, participle

10. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (we) will not precede those who have fallen asleep precede – phthánō - to come suddenly and unexpectedly; is translated "shall (in no wise) precede" in 1 Thess. 4:15 we shall by no means precede Literally - the ones having fallen asleep

11. RAPTURE & 2ND COMING * CONTRASTS : RAPTURE2ND COMING - CHRIST COMES FOR HIS SAINTS - CHRIST COMES WITH HIS SAINTS 1 THES 4:13-18; 3:13 REV 19:11-16 - SAINTS GO FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN - SAINTS GO FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH 1 THES 4:16,17; 2 THES 2:1 REV 19:14,15 - START OF TRIBULATION ( GOD’S WRATH ) - END OF TRIBULATION ( GOD’S WRATH ) 1 THES 5:1-9; 2 THES 2:1-3 MT 24:29-31; REV19:11 - 20:3 - ASLEEP CHURCH SAINTS RESURRECTED - O.T SAINTS RESURRECTED 1 COR 15:20 -23; 15:52,53; 1 THES 4:l3-16 DAN 12:1,2; REV 20:4:-6 - ALIVE CHURCH SAINTS RAPTURED - NO RAPTURE OCCURS 1 COR 15:51,52a; 1 THES 4:17 MT 24:29-31; REV 19:11 - 20:3 - UNRIGHTEOUSNESS ON EARTH - RIGHTEOUSNESS ON EARTH 2 THES 2:1-12; REV 6-19 ZEPH 1:1-3:20; ZECH 14:1-21; REV 20:1-4 - IMMINENT - MANY SIGNS & EVENTS PRECEED 1 THES 4:15; 2 THES 2:1-3 MT 24:1-28; REV 6-19 - WAS A MYSTERY ( NOT REVEALED ) IN O.T - REVEALED IN O.T 1 COR 15:51,52a ISA 61:1-3; ZECH 12:9-14; 13:6 - INITIATES REWARDS TO THE CHURCH - INITIATES JUDGMENT TO THE WORLD 2 COR 5:10; 1 COR 3:5-17 MT 25:31-46; REV 19:11-21 - SATAN REMAINS ACTIVE - SATAN IS BOUND FOR 1,000 YEARS 2 THES 2:1-12 REV 20:1-3 * from Major Bible Themes by Hal Molloy 9/29/2002