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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comVincent Word Studies - 1 Thessalonians 3:13 - 3:13
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With all his saints (μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ)
Saints is often explained as angels; but the meaning is the holy and glorified people of God. Οἱ ἅγιοι is uniformly used of these in N.T. and never of angels unless joined with ἄγγελοι. See Luk 9:26; Mar 8:38; Act 10:22. It is doubtful if οἱ ἅγιοι is used of angels in lxx. Zec 14:5, which is confidently cited as an instance, is quoted at the conclusion of the Didache (xvi. 7), clearly with the sense of glorified believers. Ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι appears Tob. 11:14; 12:15; Job 5:1. Angels has no connection with anything in this Epistle, but glorified believers is closely connected with the matter which was troubling the Thessalonians. See 1Th 4:13. This does not exclude the attendance of angels on the Lord's coming (see Mar 8:38; Luk 9:26), but when Paul speaks of such attendance, as 2Th 1:7, he says, with the angels (ἀγγέλων) of his power.