Heinrich Meyer Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 5

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Heinrich Meyer Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 5


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CHAPTER 5

IN 1Th_5:2 Lachm. and Tisch., after B D E F G à , 17, 67** et al., read only ἡμέρα . But the Receptus ἡ ἡμέρα is to be retained. The article was omitted in consequence of the similar letter at the beginning of the following word.—1Th_5:3. Ὅταν λέγωσιν ] Elz. Matth. read Ὅταν γὰρ λέγωσιν . But γάρ is wanting in A F G à * 17, 44, al., m. Syr. It. Tert. Cypr. Ambrosiaster, ed., and instead of it B D E à **** Copt. Syr. p. Chrys. Theodoret have δέ (bracketed by Lachm.). This diversity of authorities makes it highly probable that Paul wrote only Ὅταν (received by Griesb. Scholz, Tisch. and Alford), but that at a later period, after the relation of ideas was defined, a γάρ or a δέ was inserted for explanation.—1Th_5:4. Elz. has ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμᾶς . Instead of this Lachm. and Tisch. 1 have ὑμᾶς ἡ ἡμέρα . Correctly; for this position is not only required by predominant attestation (A D E F G, al., Vulg. It. Chrys. in comm.), but also by the internal design of the discourse.

Elz. has ὡς κλέπτης . ὡς κλέπτας , accepted by Lachm. (not Tisch.), is not sufficiently attested by A B, Copt., and unsuitable by the change of the image without any reason.—1Th_5:5. πάντες γάρ ] Elz. Matth. read πάντες . Against A B D E F G L à , 17, 23, al., perm. edd. Syr. utr. Arr. Copt. Aeth. Arm. Slav. ed. Vulg. It. Clem. Chrys. Theodoret, Theoph. Ambrosiast. Aug. Pel.

Elz. has οὐκ ἐσμέν . οὐκ ἐστέ , found in D* F G, Syr. It. Harl.** Marian, Ambrosiast., is a correction for the sake of conformity with the preceding.—1Th_5:6. Elz. has ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί . Lachm. and Tisch. 1 read ὡς οἱ λοιποί . But the omission of καί is not sufficiently attested by A (B?) à * 17, al., Syr. Arr. Aeth. Vulg. ms. Clem. (bis) Antioch. According to Schott, καί is a gloss from 1Th_4:13 (?).—1Th_5:13. Instead of the Receptus ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ , B D* F G, al. have ὑπερεκπερισσῶς . Preferred by Lachm. Tisch. and Alford. Probably original: ὑπερεκπερισσῶς , not occurring elsewhere, being corrected according to 1Th_3:10 and Eph_3:20.

Instead of ἐν αὐτοῖς , which D* F G à , 47, al., pl. edd. Syr. Erp. Aeth. Slav. ms. Vulg. It. Chrys. Theodoret, Codd. ap. Theophl. Ambrosiast. ed. Pelag. require, and Griesb. has commended to special consideration, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς of the Receptus is to be retained, with Matth. Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. Bloomfield, Alford, and Reiche. Ἐν αὐτοῖς arose because εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς was not considered an independent exhortation (on which account a καί is inserted by à * before εἰρηνεύετε ), since these few words are found inserted between two exhortations, of which the first was introduced by the formula ἐρωτῶμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς , and the second by παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς .—1Th_5:15. καὶ εἱς ἀλλήλους ] so Elz. Matth. Tisch. 2 and 7, and Alford. καί is disputed by Griesb. Correctly erased by Lachm. Scholz, and Tisch. 1, after A B E F G à * min. perm. Syr. Arr. Copt. Vulg. ed. It. Ambrosiast. ed. Pelag.—1Th_5:18. Elz. has Τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα Θεοῦ . Lachm. reads Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν θέλημα Θεοῦ . Although ἐστίν is found in D* E* F G, 37, al., Vulg. It. Slav. Ambrosiast. Pel., yet the change of its position (sometimes after γάρ , sometimes after θέλημα , sometimes after Θεοῦ ) betrays it to be an insertion.—1Th_5:21. πάντα δέ ] Elz. Tisch. 2, Bloomfield read πάντα . But δέ (B D E F G K L à **** min. plur. edd. Aeth. Slav. Vulg. It. Clem. [bis] Bas. Chrys. [in textu] Damasc. Theoph. Ambrosiast. ed. Pel., recommended by Griesb., received by Matth. Scholz, Lachm. Tisch. 1 and 7, Alford, also preferred by Reiche) was easily absorbed by the first syllable of the following word, δοκιμάζετε .—1Th_5:27. Instead of the Receptus ὁρκίζω , Lachm. Tisch. and Alford have correctly accepted ἐνορκίζω , after A B D* E, 71, 80, al., Auct. Synops. Euthal. (in hypoth.) Damasc.

τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ] Elz. Matth. Scholz, Bloomfield, Reiche, Tisch. 7, read τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀδελφοῖς . But ἁγίοις is wanting in B D E F G à * min. Aeth. It. Damasc. Ambrosiast. Cassiod. Suspected by Griesb. Correctly erased by Lachm. Tisch. 1, 2, and Alford.

CONTENTS.

Concerning the period of the commencement of the advent the readers require no instruction. They themselves well knew that the day of the Lord will suddenly break in, as a thief in the night. Therefore as children of the light they are to be watchful, and to arm themselves with the spiritual armour of faith, love, and hope, comforted with the assurance that God has not appointed them to destruction, but to eternal salvation through Jesus Christ who died for us, that we, whether living or dead, may receive a share in His glory. Therefore they are to comfort and edify one another (1Th_5:1-11). They are to esteem those who had the rule over them, to be peaceful among themselves, to admonish the unruly, to encourage the faint-hearted, to assist the weak, and to be forbearing toward all men. No one is to repay evil with evil. They are always to retain Christian joyfulness, to pray continually, to thank God for all things. They are not to quench the Spirit, nor to despise prophecy, but to prove all things, and to preserve the good. May God sanctify them thoroughly, in order that they may be blameless at the coming of Christ (1Th_5:12-24). After an exhortation to the readers to pray for him, to salute all the brethren, and to read the Epistle to the whole assembled congregation (1Th_5:25-27), the apostle concludes with a Christian benediction (1Th_5:28).

(2) 1Th_5:1-3. A reminder of the sudden and unexpected entrance of the advent.