1 Thessalonians iv. 13
“But we would not have you
ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep; that ye sorrow
not, even as the rest, which have no hope.”
are many things which from ignorance alone cause us sorrow, so
that if we come to understand them well, we banish our grief. This
therefore Paul also showing, says, “I would not have you
ignorant, that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no
hope.” Is it on this account thou wouldest not have them
ignorant? But wherefore dost thou not speak of the punishment that is
laid up? Ignorant, says he, of the doctrine of the Resurrection. But
why? This is manifest from the other, and is admitted. But meanwhile, together with that, there will also be this not inconsiderable gain. For since they did not disbelieve the Resurrection, but nevertheless bewailed, on this account he speaks. And he discourses indeed with those who disbelieve the Resurrection in one way, but with these in another. For it is manifest that they knew, who were enquiring about the “times and seasons.” (1 Thess. v. 1.)
Ver. 14. “For if we
believe,” he says, “that Jesus died and rose again,” and lived, “even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”
Where are they who deny the
Flesh? For if He did not assume Flesh, neither did He die. If He did not die, neither did He rise again. How then does he exhort us from these things to faith? Was he not then according to them a trifler and a deceiver? For if to die proceeds from sin, and Christ did not sin, how does he now encourage us? And now, concerning whom does he say, O men, for whom do ye mourn? For whom do ye sorrow? for sinners, or simply for those who die? And why does he say, “Even as the rest, which have no hope”? For whom do the rest mourn? so that to them all these things are vapid. “The firstborn from the dead” (Col. i. 18.), he says, the first-fruits. Therefore there must also be others left. And see how here he introduces nothing from reasonings, because they were docile. For in writing to the Corinthians, he started many things also from reasonings, and then he added, “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened.” (1 Cor. xv. 36.) For this is more authoritative, but it is when he converses with the believer. But with him who is without, what authority would this have? “Even so,” he says, “them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” Again, “fallen asleep”: he nowhere says, the dead. But with respect to Christ, his words are, “He died,” because there followed mention of the Resurrection, but here “them that are fallen asleep.” How “through Jesus”? Either that they fell asleep through Jesus, or that through Jesus will He bring them. The phrase “that fell asleep through Jesus” means the faithful. Here the heretics say, that he is speaking of the baptized. What place then is there for “even so”? For Jesus did not fall asleep through Baptism. But on what account does he say, “them that are fallen asleep”? So that he is discoursing not of a general Resurrection, but of a partial one. Them that are fallen asleep through Jesus, he says, and thus he speaks in many places.
Ver. 15. “For this
we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that
are left
unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are
fallen asleep.”
Speaking concerning the
faithful, and them “which are fallen asleep in
Christ” (1 Cor. xv. 18.); and again, “the dead shall rise in Christ.” Since his discourse is not concerning the Resurrection only, but both concerning the Resurrection and concerning the honor in glory; all then shall partake of a Resurrection, he says, but not all shall be in glory, only those in Christ. Since therefore he wishes to comfort them, he comforts them not with this only, but also with the abundant honor, and with its speedy arrival, since they knew that. For in proof that he wishes to comfort them with the honor, as he goes on, he says, “And we shall be ever with the Lord”: and “we shall be caught up in the clouds.”