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Closing Exhortations: to honor the presidents, to live in peace, to keep themselves free from all bitterness against persecutors, to unite vivacity with sobriety of spirit; ending with the prayer, that God may keep them.
1Th_5:12-24
2. (1Th_5:14.) Now [or, But—see Critical Note 5,—J. L.] we exhort you, &c.—Esteem for their presidents and peace among themselves should and will lead to proficiency in their tasks: 1. in reference to the faults which still cleave to the brethren (1Th_5:14); 2. in relation to their enemies (1Th_5:15); in both relations he directs them, 3. to the right disposition toward God (1Th_5:16-18), and therefore also toward the gifts of His Spirit (1Th_5:19 sqq.).—At 1Th_5:14, as at 1Th_5:11, he exhorts all the brethren; for it is a mistake to regard the exhortation, with Chrysostom, Theophylact [Conybeare], and others, as addressed to the presidents. Truly spiritually minded Christians will, indeed, yield themselves to the guidance of the presidents (1Th_5:12-13), but will themselves also (1Th_5:14) assist them in the same spirit The Apostle is far from entertaining extravagant ideas of office. He immediately reverts to what all have to do; the difference from 1Th_5:11 consists in this, that Paul now treats particularly of the manner of dealing with the erring, or the in some way weaker members.—Admonish the disorderly; not altogether, in general, those who live in the violation of the commandments of God (Chrysostom: all sinners are ἄôáêôïé ; Theophylact: he who in any way infringes order, the drunken, the slanderers, the covetous), but here probably in the narrower sense that appears in 1Th_4:11-12; also 2Th_3:6; 2Th_3:11, ἀôÜêôùò ðåñéðáôåῖí , 1Th_5:7, ἀôáêôåῖí ; ἄôáêôïò (Livy), is the soldier who keeps not his rank and file; then, by transference, whoever forsakes his ôÜîéò , place, rank, station; whoever quits the straight track, driving round irregularly and aimlessly. There were such in this flourishing church.—Encourage (1Th_2:11) the faint hearted; ὀëéãïø ., Septuagint for various Hebrew words, Isa_54:6; Isa_57:15; ìéêñïøõ÷åῖí also occurs. We think first (so already Theodoret) of those who grieved for the dead (1Th_4:13 sqq.); Hofmann will not allow this, because theirs was a case, not of faint-heartedness, but of error; still the error resulted in faint-heartedness, and they therefore needed to be cheered with comforting truth (1Th_4:18). No doubt, however, there might be yet other desponding persons, to whom, when under persecution, Christianity seemed too grievous a thing (as in like manner Theodoret; Theophylact: who could not endure trial); or tempted persons, whose thought was: For me there can be no forgiveness.—Support the weak; ἀíôÝ÷åóèáé , to hold fast to something, adhærere; Tit_1:9, to cleave to the word; Mat_6:24, to one’s master; and so here: to the weak, as a precious treasure; but also in Pro_4:6 Septuagint for ùîø : Wisdom will keep thee, will adhere to thee as a protector. Hofmann: Take pains with them, instead of despising them; a contrast like that in Matthew 6 The temptation would be to become weary of the feeble, as people that are continually making new trouble for us, without ever reaching a definite result. But this would be a dangerous self-pleasing (Rom_15:1 sqq.). The word ἀóèåíåῖò might mean the sick (1Co_11:30), but also those without spiritual strength, the weak in faith and conscience, who do not get forward (1Co_8:10; 1Co_9:22; Rom_14:1); and to this we are led here by the context; the disorderly and the faint-hearted are single instances, but to be weak shows itself in still another form. It is very conceivable that in so young a church there were yet people who, like young children, easily stumbled, and in whom the old things continued still to work. They might become weakest, when they thought themselves strong (1 Corinthians 8, 10). The opposite quality is denoted by ἀíäñßæåóèå , êñáôáéïῦóèå (1Co_16:13), or again by the ὑãéáßíåéí of the Pastoral Epistles.—The most general precept comes last: Be long-suffering toward all; as love acts (1Co_13:4; comp. äֶàֶøִéêְ àַôּåֹ , Pro_19:11; Sept.). Patience allows time for the growth of the godly man. A necessary exhortation for such as are yet young Christians, who are apt to be young also in their zeal. Toward all—Theodoret, Olshausen, Lünemann [Alford, Ellicott] would understand this, as in 1Th_5:15, of all men; Hofmann [Jowett] would take the clause in immediate connection with 1Th_5:15. But ὁñᾶôå , &c. indicates a new start, whereby he passes to the true Christian treatment of all men; whereas in 1Th_5:14 it is still the behavior of Christians to one another that is spoken of; and so Theophylact even refers the expression (only somewhat too strictly) to the three classes before mentioned. Therefore: Be long-suffering toward all, the disorderly, the faint-hearted, the weak, and whoever else in the church requires your patience (De Wette). Who does not? [Webster and Wilkinson: certain classes required particular treatment, all required patience.—J. L.]
3. (1Th_5:15.) See, be careful, be on your guard (Mat_8:4); âëÝðåôå also occurs in this sense; see to it, heedfully, for it is not an easy matter (Calvin); that none render evil for evil unto any one (1Pe_3:9; Rom_12:17; Matthew 5). Not merely, therefore, that ye do not violate ìáêñïèõìßá , in an excessive, spiritual zeal, but also that no one, as quite commonly happens, give way to the revengeful disposition of the old man; toward any brother or non-Christian, possibly a persecutor. Chrysostom, Theophylact: If we are not to return evil, then so much the less should we begin by giving evil for good.—Alas, that there is ever fresh need of such exhortations! But Paul does not say: ìÞ ôéò ὑìῶí , and from this De Wette infers that it is taken for granted, that a spirit of revenge is so unworthy of true Christians, that to them it is merely said: Guard against its breaking out elsewhere even in others. This Lünemann rejects, 1. because Paul could not have supposed, that with those who had been heathens vindictiveness was something so entirely laid aside, since it was rather a new, specifically Christian commandment, to avoid it; 2. because, therefore, all needed for themselves the exhortation to vigilance and self-conquest, whereas 3. it is but seldom that one is able to restrain others. Nevertheless it may still be asked: Why does Paul not employ the second person plural? De Wette is somewhat too one-sided; ìÞ ôéò admits of both applications, to every one for himself, and to the warning of others; Hofmann compares Heb_3:12; Heb_4:1; Heb_12:15; and even among Christians no one is perfectly secure against fits of revengefulness. Accordingly: Let every one look to both himself and others; the discreet is to restrain the passionate. Most judiciously Bengel: He who is incensed by wrongs is prejudiced; therefore should others see to it, and seek to moderate him.—But always pursue that which is good—not merely what is salutary, useful (Olshausen), what is good for one (Hofmann), alienis commodis (Grotius), nor yet beneficence (Pelt), but what is right before God (the opposite: êáêüí ), morally good (Rom_12:9; Rom_12:21). Of course, this is also beneficial to one’s neighbor the special application of what is morally good to our neighbor consisting in those offices of love, which are to be rendered to him (Starke). The good is just everything that furthers the triumph of truth and love. Aim at doing this even to him who injures you. Paul does not always move in such generalities and abstractions (to do good for the sake of good, and such like); but to rich, concrete, particular exhortations he subjoins these comprehensive and simplest fundamental principles (comp. 2Co_13:7, and often). To attain to this (amidst manifestations of enmity) requires a äéþêåéí . We must pursue that which is good, it does not naturally be long to us; the evil, on the contrary, comes of itself (comp. 1Co_14:1, follow after charity; Heb_12:14, peace and holiness).—Toward one another, that means the brotherly love of Christians (1Th_4:9-10); and toward all, even non-Christians (1Th_4:12); here the opposition is expressed. What is good; that is still more than what is becoming (1Th_4:12).
4. (1Th_5:16-18.) Rejoice always [2Co_6:10; Php_3:1; Php_4:4.—J. L.].—Whether you attain the end with your neighbor or not, do you pursue after it, so much as lieth in you (Rom_12:18), and, for your own part, rejoice evermore; Theodoret: even in poverty, sickness, contumely, torture, prison; as those for whom all things work together for good (Rom_8:28). Here he speaks of the right disposition, no longer toward men, but before God. All that goes before is to be attained only when this peace rules within. Should there be a failure of joy because of the difficulty of overcoming evil with good, then raise yourselves above all that depresses you by prayer.—Pray without ceasing (1Th_1:3; 1Th_2:13; Rom_1:9). Already Chrysostom and Theophylact recognize the connection: ôὴí ὁäὸí ἔäåéîå . Without ceasing; this does not mean, with a continual, indolent folding of the hands; as Paul prayed night and day (1Th_3:10), so likewise he labored night and day (1Th_2:9); and yet he had also intervals of sleep! The next thing is therefore obvious: Never omit the practice of prayer; be as regularly diligent therein as in labor. This then infers a constant spirit of prayer, breathing through the whole life. But in order to the stirring up (2Ti_1:6) of this, and so to the quickening of joy, he exhorts further: in everything give thanks; Bengel: even in what seems adverse. Give thanks for the great grace already received (comp. Col_4:2; Php_4:6). In the last place we find in like manner ἐí ðáíôß . This is not the same thing as ðÜíôïôå (which stands with it at 2Co_9:8), for êáéñῷ should not have been wanting; but it means, in every point, every matter or situation, equivalent to êáôὰ ðÜíôá , ðåñὶ ðáíôüò , ὑðὲñ ðÜíôùí (Eph_5:20).—For this Isaiah 46 God’s will, &c. (1Th_4:3); not the will, since that of course includes more than this one point. The subject is ôïῦôï , this, the giving thanks in everything; Grotius [Schott]: prayer and thanksgiving; but in that case we should have to go still a step further, and, with Von Gerlach [Corn. A. Lapide, Jowett, Alford, Möller] bring in also the rejoicing; not quite everything from 1Th_5:14, for that is not so homogeneous that it could well be embraced in ôïῦôï as one topic. In consideration also of the fact that ἑí ðáíôὶ åὐ÷áñéóôåῖôå is added by asyndeton, it may well seem more advisable to refer the ôïῦôï , with Bengel, only to the giving of thanks, which indeed is the means of quickening prayer and joy. Hofmann: The interruption of the exhortations takes place, where one of them is specially confirmed. On the predicate Bengel remarks: Voluntas semper bona, semper spectans salutem vestram in Christo. But not as Calvin gives the turn: Of such a nature is God’s gracious will in Christ, that we have therein abundant cause for thanksgiving; but: God’s will is this, that we give thanks, and this will of God is established in Christ, mediated through Him; Christ strengthens us to give thanks, because in Him all things are ours (1Co_3:21 sqq.), all things work together for good (Rom_8:28), all. things help forward the subdual of the flesh and the relief of the spirit. Finally åἰòὑìᾶò , toward you, in reference to you.
5. (1Th_5:19-22.) Quench not the Spirit.—From prayer and thanksgiving he passes to the source from which they flow; a right frame of heart toward God should show itself in the right use of His choicest gifts; in a proper bearing toward the manifestations of the Spirit in the life of the Church;—a supplement to 1Th_5:14, where the defects of the church and their proper treatment had been touched upon. The Spirit is He who is received from God (1Th_4:8; 1 Corinthians 2; Galatians 3), and who, working in original fulness and freshness, distributes manifold-gifts (1 Corinthians 12); the connection with 1Th_5:20 points in this direction. Calvin: Spiritus genus, prophetia species. Quench—literally, extinguish—Him not; the sacred fire; comp. Rom_12:11, ôῷ ðíåýìáôé æÝïíôåò , and 2Ti_1:6, ἀíáæùðõñåῖí ; Theophylact: In the night of this life God gave us the Spirit for a light. But Wetstein shows by many examples that óâÝííõìé is used also of the stilling of a wind. The fire is nourished by prayer, thanksgiving, exercise; is quenched by neglect or suppression., by want of wood or by pouring on water; Von Gerlach: by contempt, suspicion, a fleshly mind, contradiction or inattention; Calvin: by unthankfulness. But a still more precise question is this: Does it mean: Stifle not the Spirit in yourselves by impurity of doctrine and life? or suppress not the Spirit’s utterances, when they meet you in the church? The connection with 1Th_5:20 leads to the second explanation; it being always understood, that to decline the Spirit’s influences in our own hearts renders us also averse to what we meet with in others of His extraordinary movements. This disaffection might work not only against prophesying, 1Th_5:20, but generally against the most various manifestations of the Spirit. But when De Wette conjectures that there were, in particular, timid, pusillanimous presidents, who, because they saw with regret the spiritual excitement, restrained those inspired from coming forward, there is no satisfactory evidence of this. The exhortation is quite general in its tone (1Th_5:27 will bring us to a similar question). Altogether unsuitable is Olshausen’s inference from our passage, that Paul can therefore have had no misgiving about the Thessalonians being in danger of becoming a prey to enthusiasm, according to the subsequent indications of the Second Epistle. No; Paul knew how matters stood; he admonished the disorderly; he exhorted to careful examination; but surely he could not write: Quench the Spirit! On the contrary, Hofmann will not allow, that there existed in Thessalonica a partial disinclination to spiritual utterances; Paul, he thinks, would merely regulate their bias towards what was extraordinary, the main emphasis being on the after-clause, prove all things. This may be too exclusive on the other side. How easily, in presence of enthusiasm and even false prophesying, might a distrust of everything out of the common course take possession of other minds! Paul corrects both the one tendency and the other. So already Theodoret: Some wished, on account of the false prophets, to stop also the true.—One particular instance of spiritual manifestations is mentioned in 1Th_5:20 : Despise not prophesyings (where they occur). The word stands without the article, in the plural, denoting the Individual cases. Prophesying does not respect the future merely (though this also is not excluded, Act_21:10 sqq.), but is an utterance of Divine mysteries; mysteriorum retectio et præsentium et futurorum, Pelt; a speaking to the church under a special influence of the Spirit, but with clear conscious ness, and thus distinguished from the speaking with tongues; on the other side, it is not one and the same thing with teaching, the reflective development of thought; but a speaking from Divine inspiration, affecting hearts with a thrilling power, strengthening them with the fulness of consolation, unfolding the mysteries of judgment and of grace in the administration of the kingdom and in the sway of individual hearts. At all times one prophet has connected with the word of another; still mere exposition is not prophesying; to the latter belongs somewhat of originality; but this shows itself as well in the elucidation of the past (prophetic history), as in the spiritual flashes that disclose what is coming (comp. 1Co_12:10; 1Co_12:28; 1 Corinthians 14, especially 1Th_5:24-25; Eph_4:11; Rom_12:6; Act_11:27; Act_13:1; Act_15:32; Act_19:6). This gift despise not, old Greek ἐîïõäåíåῖí ; üù likewise occurs (Mar_9:12, various reading); the Swiss vernüte answers exactly in etymology and import. Other gifts might be more brilliant, although this also, 1Co_14:1; 1Co_14:39, is especially commended. The disaffection probably proceeded rather in undue resistance from the intellect and love of order; not, as in Corinth, from an overvaluing of the ãëῶóóáé . Not to despise, however, does not mean to receive without judgment and blindly. Hence: Prove all things. The variations, ðÜíôá , ðÜíôá äὲ , äïêéìÜæïíôåò , instead of æåôå , and lastly êáὶ ôὸ êáëüí , seem to lead back to the asyndeton, ðÜíôá äïêéìÜæåôå , as the simplest reading. But should the preponderance of authorities be deemed decisive in favor of the addition of äÝ , the sentence would stand in opposition to what goes before, and the two following sentences would be arranged by the trial enjoined into 1. Hold fast that which is good, and 2. Abstain from the evil. Prove, the command is to all Christians, not to a privileged class. The object of the trial is to be all things; primarily, according to the context, what the prophets say. The word has come to be a peculiarly trite commonplace, in which the second half of the verse is frequently forgotten: Hold fast that which is good, fair, noble; what furthers you in the Divine life—what amongst the ðÜíôá (primarily in the prophesyings) you find excellent—that hold fast, in opposition to the ἐîïõèåíùῖí . A point of peculiar importance, however, is, not merely what, according to the Apostle, is to be proved, but especially how. The object is everything that claims to be spiritual, as in 1Co_14:29 also it is precisely to what the prophets say that the direction applies: äéáêñéíÝôùóáí . There is, therefore, no fanatical demand for a blind submission, not even to the apostolic word (1 Corinthians 7; 1Co_10:15). Of so much the greater consequence is it to be certain that we really possess the true Divine criterion. What that is, Paul does not say; but plainly it is none other than what they bad received from him and through the Spirit had made their own, the apostolic word of truth, originating with the Spirit, and sealed by the Spirit (1Th_2:13; 1Th_4:1-2; 2Th_2:5; 2Th_3:4-5); answering to the anointing of 1Jn_2:27. The trial of the spirits is a special charism (1Co_12:10; comp. Heb_5:14). See more under the Doctrinal and Ethical head, No. 4.—To ðÜíôá äïêéìÜæåôå Cyril of Alexandria prefixes the words, ãßíåóèå öñüíéìïé ôñáðåæῖôáé (money-changers, argentarii, nummularii). In the other Fathers this sentence is, ã . äüêéìïé ôñáð . and from this arises a telling contrast: Be proved yourselves, that you may be able to prove (comp. Hänsel, in the Stud., a. Krit, 1836, I.). This expression is ascribed generally to Holy Writ by Clement of Alexandria and the Constit. Apost.; to Jesus in particular, by Jerome, Epiphanius; to the Apostles, by Dionysius of Alexandria; to Paul (in connection with 1 Thessalonians 5), by Origen, Basil, and especially by Cyril. Does it come from some apocryphal book? rather, it is a ῥῆìá ἄãñáöïí . Such is Hänsel’s view, who thinks that it may at any rate have been in the Apostle’s mind, and that äïêéìÜæåôå is to be explained by the technical language of exchangers, as also åἶäïò in 1Th_5:22 : Abstain from every sort of bad money. But unless money-changers and coins had been expressly spoken of, it could occur to no one to think of that; especially not, that åἶäïò without íïìßóìáôïò , and that too in the second member, instead of the first, could signify a kind of money. We therefore hold to the more general signification.—But what is the meaning of 1Th_5:22; The Vulgate: ab omni specie mala, is still itself ambiguous. Luther: Avoid every evil appearance; so also Calvin, Grotius [Wordsworth, Webster and Wilkinson]; the English Version, from all appearance of evil; the Dutch, van allen schijn des kuaads; Martin and Ostervald, de toute apparence de mal. This were an altogether beautiful sense: What is finally to be regarded is the åὐó÷çìüíùò ðåñéðáôåῖí (comp. 1Th_4:12); it is perhaps impossible for the Christian always to avoid every evil appearance, but to the best of his ability he is to do so. Lünemann objects that this would imply on the other side: Hold fast merely the appearance of what is good; but that does not follow, inasmuch as the opposition might include the climax: Even from that which should have only an appearance of evil we are willingly to abstain, in order to give no offence. Rieger: That we may not forfeit the confidence of others; but first we are to accept what is proved to be good. Still this interpretation must be rejected, as violating the expression; that is to say, åἶäïò means form, aspect, then kind, species, (Jer_15:3, Sept.), as a subdivision of the genus; but not appearance. Then, to avoid an evil appearance would not suit the matter here spoken of, namely the trial of prophesyings. It would be an independent sentence, introducing something altogether new, whereas evidently ðïíçñüò stands opposed to êáëüò , and ἀðÝ÷åóèå to êáôÝ÷åôå , as the two sides, the negative and the positive, of äïêéìÜæåéí . For Lünemann’s idea is plainly too refined, that, because we have not simply ἀðὸ ôïῦ ðïíçñïῦ 1Th_5:22 cannot form the antithesis to 1Th_5:21, but must contain a more general thought. Why should not Paul be able slightly to modify and intensify the expression? We shall see with what good reason. Hilgenfeld is unwilling to understand åἶäïò in the sense of kind; that would be too flat; it should rather signify spectacle, figure, and be referred to the shameful and seductive exhibitions of heathenism. Already in like manner Roos thinks that what is meant is an image that seizes the mind, fantasticalness. But in this way also the connection would be given up, and the idea limited to some single matter, of which one does not of one’s own accord readily think; whereas the context lends to the seemingly general idea a more specific import. Still it may be asked whether ðïíçñïῦ , because without the article, belongs as an adjective to åἴäïõò (Bengel, Schott, Pelt), or as a substantive depending on åἴäïõò . The former construction would be advisable only in case the expression already implied, of what things the åἶäïò , is intended, and those things such as that their good åἶäç are distinguishable from the bad. It is better, therefore, to take it, with De Wette, Lünemann [Jowett, Alford, Ellicott] and others, as a substantive (comp. Heb_5:14, ðñὸò äéÜêñéóéí êáëïῦ ôå êáὶ êáêïῦ , also without article; comp. Joseph. Ant. x. 3. 1, ðᾶí åἶäïò ðïíçñßáò ; Hofmann refers also to Plato, Rep. p. 357 c., ὁñᾷò ôå åἶäïò ἀãáèïῦ [to which may be added Chrysost. Hom. viii. on this Epistle, ïὐäÝí ἐóôéí åἶäïò êáêßáò ὅðåñ ἀôüëìçôïí —J. L.]. So the antithesis is: Hold fast that which is good (the good is one); from every kind of evil abstain (the evil has various åἴäç , and hence the climax); even from the seemingly spiritual kind of evil; Theodoret: as well in doctrine as in conduct. Even that which comes forward as prophesying, or generally as a spiritual gift, is to be proved; even that kind of evil, which asserts itself under sacred pretexts, you are to avoid. There is evil of a human, natural, fleshly sort, but also of a demoniacal (comp. 2Co_11:14).
6. (1Th_5:23-24.) But may the God of peace Himself, &c.—A contrast both as to the subject and the predicate, as 1Th_3:11; 1Th_4:16; not you alone have to do this, nor could you so accomplish it, but God must effect it; and that not merely here a êáôÝ÷åéí , and there an ἀðÝ÷åóèáé —not isolated acts merely—but the main comprehensive work of life, your sanctification and preservation to the end. He is called the God of peace, its Lord, Author, Source, Rom_15:33; Rom_16:20; similar combinations in Rom_15:5; Rom_15:13. Everything advanced in 1Th_5:14-22 is here taken together, and brought into view as all aiming at true peace. And truly the work of God, whereby he guides us to peace, is our sanctification, and, through that, our preservation to the Advent. Our sanctification is, indeed, His will (1Th_4:3; 1Th_4:7); our entire surrender to His will and service;—a thing which He alone can achieve, to wit, by His Holy Spirit (1Th_4:8). Already has it begun; in their principles Christians are ἅãéïé ; but it is only by slow degrees that perfect sanctification pervades all their powers. And this consummation marks the advance in our passage as compared with 1Th_3:13. In what follows Bengel distinguishes between universi (all without exception) et singuli (every one entirely); but that does not lie particularly in the first clause. Ὁëïôåëåῖò , in the New Testament ἅðáîëåã . means either: you as complete, entire, so that no sort of evil is in you; Luther: through and through; or (Pelt and others): May He sanctify you to be a perfect people—accusative of operation; with this verb without example. This word, no less than ὁëüêëçñïí , may suggest the faultlessness of sacrifice. The latter is equivalent to integer; at Jam_1:4 it stands with ôÝëåéïò ; in the Septuagint for úָּîִéí , ùָׁìֵí ; and unhurt, in all parts uninjured, may your spirit, &c. be kept, &c. De Wette, Olshausen, and Lünemann would understand it quantitatively, to distinguish it from ἀìÝìðôùò : every part by itself entirely, all spotless. But ὁëüêë . denotes the quality, the full healthy life, comp. ὁëïêëìñßá in the healing of the lame man (Act_3:16), and is yet sufficiently distinct from ἀìÝìðôùò , 1. as a positive expression opposed to the negative; 2. as marking the nature of the subject itself, over against what expresses the verdict of the Judge; and lastly, 3. since ὁëïêë h ñßá is a predicate, whereas the adverb ἀìÝìðôùò is to be understood as qualifying the verb. On the latter point most interpreters do not clearly express themselves, or they take the adverb as if it were an adjective, comparing perhaps 1Th_2:10, ἀìÝìðôùò ἐãåÞèçìåí , and the breviloquence 1Th_3:13 (where, however, we find ἀìÝìðôïõò ), as if it were ôçñçèåßç åἰò ôὸ ἀìÝìðôùò ãåíçèῆíáé ἐí —. But that is too artificial. Lünemann understands the adverb as more closely defining ὁëüêëçñïí ôçñçèåῖç ; but to be perfect without blame would be a pleonastic description, since perfection with blame is something inconceivable. There remains, therefore, only (as recommended also by the order of the words) the reference of the adverb to the verb alone. The ôçñçèῆíáé , it is true, is the act of God, and so far the adverbial qualification seems to be unsuitable; but since the being kept implies nevertheless a reciprocity between God and man, the prayer is in order: May your spirit, &c. be kept in such away as can incur no blame at the Coming. Ὁëüêëçñïí , standing foremost, belongs as to sense to all the three members; the construction being, therefore, zeugmatic. The phrase, spirit, soul, body, is not a mere rhetorical amplification [De Wette], nor yet of itself a proof of a trichotomy of human nature (Olsh.), borrowed by Paul from Philo (or Plato). The phraseology of Scripture is as exact as it is popular; but it does not favor such a division. Even the texts, Heb_4:12; 1Co_2:14; 1Co_15:44-46, show indeed incontrovertibly, that Scripture distinguishes between the spirit and the soul, but not necessarily as between constituent parts, substances, but as between two relations, sides, functions of the same essence, according to its upward or downward direction. For ðíåῦìá , øåּçַ , is the spiritual nature of man as directed upward, and as capable of living intercourse with God. The power of thought, íïῦò , is not the same thing as ðíåῦìá (comp. Romans 7, 8); for the íïῦò can be entangled and enchained in the flesh (Col_2:18); the ðíåῦìá is the essence quickened, emancipated, become dominant through regeneration by the Spirit of God, and that, by means of which man is lord of nature and of the flesh. Of this there is mention here: May your spirit, in which God’s spirit dwells and rules (Rom_7:16; 1Co_2:11 with 1Th_5:12), be kept safe. It cannot be the Holy Spirit Himself, for He can suffer no hurt, and so needs not to be kept; to beware of grieving Him (Ephesians 4) is something different. But man’s spirit is threatened with defilement (2Co_7:1), whereby the divinely renewed life might again become retrograde, so that at last the øõ÷éêüò should (as it were) no longer have any spirit (Judges 19).—On the contrary, øõ÷Þ , ðֶôֶùׁ , is the spiritual nature as the quickening power of the body, as in animals; hence excitable through the senses, with faculties of perception and feeling. Óῶìá , finally, is the wisely arranged instrument of the soul, and destined, therefore, likewise for the service of the Lord (1Co_6:13 sqq.); whereas óÜñî , which denotes first the bodily material, is further used to designate the whole man, as he with all his powers is enthralled by the sin-tainted corporeality; comp. áָּùָׂø already in Gen_6:3.—The Apostle, then, expresses the wish that not merely the spirit may be kept (with reference to what had just preceded) from falling back out of the life of regeneration, but that the soul also in its strivings may be held still under the discipline of the spirit, and thus the body, freed more and more from the dominion of its lusts, become an obedient instrument in the service of sanctification. In this way covetousness, with its violations of brotherly love, will be overcome; believers become one heart and one soul (Act_4:32); and fornication will ever more completely lose its power of allurement. This will be a sanctifying of the personality in all its powers and functions.—[For additional remarks on the scriptural usage in regard to ðíåῦìá and øõ÷Þ , see the Doctrinal and Ethical Note 5.—Dr. Hodge (on 1Co_15:43-44) denies, like our Author (and comp. Ebrard on Heb_4:12), a triplicity of substance in the constitution of man. “The Bible,” he says, “recognizes in man only two subjects or distinct separable substances, the soul and body. And this has ever been a fundamental principle of Christian anthropology.” In like manner Webster, and Wilkinson (Wordsworth) find here “a tripartite division rather of man’s faculties than of his nature.” On the other hand, Dr. Candlish (Life in a Risen Saviour, p. 171) remarks on our text: “There, according to a view of man’s organization, or the constitution of his nature, these commonly received, spirit, soul, body, are specified as its constituent parts or elements. The spirit, or that higher principle of intelligence and thought peculiar to man alone in this world, to which we now usually restrict the name of mind or soul; the soul, or that lower principle of animal life,—with its instincts selfish and social, its power of voluntary motion, its strange incipient dawn of reasoning,—which, common alike to man and beast, is so great a mystery in both; and the body, made to be the material organ and instrument of either principle, the higher or the lower; these three in one, this trinity, is our present humanity.”—Alford: “to ôὸ ðíåῦìá is the spirit, the highest and distinctive part of man, the immortal and responsible soul, in our common parlance: ἡ øõ÷Þ is the lower or animal soul, containing the passions and desires ( áἰôßá êéíÞóåùò æùéêῆò æþùí , Plato, Deff. p. 411), which we have in common with the brutes, but which in us is ennobled and drawn up by the ðíåῦìá . That St. Paul had these distinctions in mind, is plain (against Jowett) from such places as 1Co_2:14. The spirit, that part whereby we are receptive of the Holy Spirit of God, is, in the unspiritual man, crushed down and subordinated to the animal soul ( øõ÷Þ ): he therefore is called øõ÷éêüò , ðíåῦìá ïὐê ἔ÷ùí , Judges 19.”—To which may be added part of Ellicott’s note in loc.: “Distinct enunciation of three component parts of the nature of man: the ðòåῦìá , the higher of the two immaterial parts, being the ‘vis superior, agens, imperans in homine’ (Olsh.); the øõ÷Þ , ‘vis inferior quæ agitur, movetur’ (ib,), the sphere of the will and the affections, and the true centre of the personality.” I should say that, on Ellicott’s own theory, this distinction belongs rather to the ðíåῦìá .—J. L.… ‘It may be remarked that we frequently find instances of an apparent dichotomy, ‘body and soul’ (Mat_6:25; Mat_10:28, al.) or ‘body and spirit’ (1Co_5:3; 1Co_7:34, al.), but such passages will only be found accommodations to the popular division into a material and immaterial part; the øõ÷Þ , in the former of the exceptional cases, including also the ðíåῦìá , just as in the latter case the ðíåῦìá also comprehends the øõ÷Þ . ... To