The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (232 page)

4:4 his own body:
Literally, "his own vessel". Both ancient and modern interpreters are divided over the precise meaning of the term "vessel", which could refer to one's
body
(2 Cor 4:7) or one's
wife
(1 Pet 3:7). If the former, Paul is advocating chastity and self-control in contrast to the lust of the pagans (Tertullian, St. John Chrysostom); if the latter, Paul is advocating the honorable pursuit of marriage, not as an outlet for lust, but as a pure and holy partnership in the Lord (St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas). Either way, Paul is urging readers to master the passions associated with human sexuality. 
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4:5 do not know God:
Pagans live in darkness and ignorance until the gospel enlightens their way (Ps 78:6; Jer 10:25; Gal 4:8). 
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4:6 wrong his brother:
The context suggests Paul is thinking of adultery, a form of bodily "uncleanness" (4:7). Not only are the involved partners defiled by this impurity, but they wrong their spouses and bring shame on their families as well (CCC 2380-81). 
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4:8 his Holy Spirit:
Unchastity is an outrage against God, whose presence dwells in our bodies and makes them temples of holiness (1 Cor 6:18-20; CCC 2351-56). 
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4:9 love of the brethren:
Fraternal love for brothers and sisters in the faith is the mark of a true disciple of Christ (Jn 13:35). The Thessalonians are learning this lesson well as their charity is spreading throughout the province of Macedonia (1 Thess 4:10).
See note on 1 Thess 3:12
. 
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4:11 mind your own affairs:
A humble and quiet life is all the more necessary in Thessalonica, where disciples are living under clouds of suspicion and distrust (Acts 17:5-9).
work with your hands:
Paul frowns upon idleness (5:14). Believers must be dependable and hard-working people who labor for the Lord and not just their employers (Col 3:23). This not only leads to personal sanctification, but it will earn the respect of coworkers and neighbors as well (CCC 2427). 
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4:13-18
Paul comforts the bereaved with the hope of resurrection. Apparently some were concerned that the faithful departed would be left behind when Jesus returns to bring the saints to heaven. Paul insists otherwise: the righteous dead will be raised in glory and gathered to Christ even before the generation of believers still living on the earth in the last days. 
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4:13 asleep:
A metaphor for death. In Scripture, the expression hints that death is only a temporary state that will end when the righteous are awakened at the resurrection (Is 26:19; Dan 12:2). The gospel tells us that death is not extinction or the end of all things, but a step closer to eternal life (CCC 1010, 1016). For the state of the soul after bodily death,
see note on 2 Cor 5:8
.
may not grieve:
It is human to mourn the death of a loved one; it is Christian to keep our sadness from sliding down to despair. Every sorrow in life can be softened by the joyful hope that the dead will live again when Jesus returns (CCC 1001). 
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4:14 Jesus died and rose again:
The guarantee of our own bodily resurrection (Rom 8:11; CCC 989).
See note on Lk 24:39
. • Christ is the pattern of our resurrection because he assumed flesh and rose again embodied in flesh. He is also the cause of our resurrection, for what was done by Christ's humanity was done, not only by the power of his human nature, but also in virtue of his divinity. It was not merely his body that rose, but a body united to the Word of life (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians
4, 2). 
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4:15 we who are alive:
In contrast to "those who are asleep" (4:13). The distinction is between living and deceased Christians and the order in which they will ascend to meet Christ at his coming. Some infer from Paul's use of "we" that the apostle believed Christ would come again soon, perhaps within his own lifetime. If Paul cherished such a hope, the text does not assert this explicitly. Paul professes to know nothing precise about the timing of the Lord's return beyond its suddenness (5:1-2). Other passages indicate that Paul envisioned death as a real possibility for himself (Phil 3:10-11; 2 Tim 4:6) and numbered himself among those who would be raised from the dead (1 Cor 6:14; 2 Cor 4:14).
See note on 1 Cor 15:51
. 
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4:16-17
Paul depicts the coming of Jesus with apocalyptic imagery that was widely used in Jewish literature from this period. • Several dramatic scenes in the Bible also use this imagery and prepare the way for this final event of history.
(1)
During the Exodus, the Lord
descended
upon Sinai with a fiery
cloud
and a blaring
trumpet,
and all Israel went forth to
meet
him (Ex 19:16-20).
(2)
During the Conquest, Israel joined forces with the
angels
of the Lord to bring down the walls of Jericho with a blast of seven
trumpets
and a loud
cry
from the people (Josh 5:13-14; 6:15-20).
(3)
In the visions of Daniel, a court sits in
judgment
as it watches the Messiah riding the
clouds
into heaven and receiving from God an eternal
kingdom
that he shares with the saints (Dan 7:10-14, 18, 27). 
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4:16 the Lord himself:
Christ will descend to earth "in the same way" that he ascended into heaven, i.e., enveloped in a glorious cloud (Acts 1:11).
cry of command:
The voice of the Son of man that calls forth the dead from their tombs and summons them to the judgment (Jn 5:28-29).
archangel's call:
Possibly the voice of Michael, the guardian of the people of God (Dan 12:1) and the leader of the angelic army (Jude 9; Rev 12:7).
the trumpet:
The final blast that inaugurates the resurrection and glorification of the saints. For its biblical background,
see note on 1 Cor 15:52
.
the dead in Christ:
The faithful departed, though temporarily deprived of their bodies, live on in spiritual union with the Lord as they await the resurrection (2 Cor 5:8). 
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4:17 caught up:
Or, "raptured". Believers living on the earth when Christ returns will be drawn up to join the saints of the ages as they ascend into glory. Paul seems to assert, not that the final generation will die and then be raised, but that their bodies will be instantly glorified and made immortal. This is how Paul was understood by the Greek Fathers of the Church, and this agrees with the prophetic outlook of 1 Cor 15:51-53. 
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5:1-11
Continuing his reflections on the Second Coming, Paul adds a warning that believers must be watchful and ready. Christ will return unexpectedly, so unless we live in the light and arm ourselves with divine virtues (5:8), we will be taken by surprise and delivered to sudden destruction (5:3). His words discourage attempts to speculate about the precise timing of Christ's return (CCC 672-73, 2849). 
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5:1 the times and the seasons:
An expression used elsewhere in Acts 1:7 in the NT and Dan 2:21 in the OT. In both contexts, it refers to predetermined dates when God establishes kingdoms. 
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5:2 day of the Lord:
The appointed day when Christ the Lord will come again as Savior (Heb 9:28) and Judge (Mt 25:31-46). Paul does not know when this day will arrive; he knows only some of the signs that will lead up to it (2 Thess 2:1-12). Liturgically, this final and fateful day is anticipated every Lord's day, when believers gather for eucharistic worship (Rev 1:10) and receive either blessings or curses at Christ's table (Jn 6:54; 1 Cor 11:27-32). Historically, it is prefigured by the return of Jesus to judge Israel and Jerusalem in
A.D.
70.
like a thief:
I.e., suddenly and unexpectedly (Mt 24:43-44; Rev 3:3). 
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5:3 peace and security:
The slogan of the foolish and unprepared (Jer 6:14).
destruction:
Not annihilation or extinction, but eternal separation from God (2 Thess 1:9).
labor pains:
The wicked will be seized with sudden contractions of pain that will intensify and never subside (Hos 13:12-13). 
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5:5 sons of light:
A Semitic way of saying "sons of goodness, righteousness, and truth" (Eph 5:8-9). The struggle between light and darkness as forces of good and evil is a prominent theme in Jewish tradition (Dead Sea Scrolls) and the NT (Jn 1:4-9; Acts 26:18; Rom 13:12-13; 1 Jn 1:5-7) (CCC 1216). 
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5:8 breastplate . . . helmet:
The virtues of faith, hope, and love are the defensive gear of the believer, protecting the head and heart during the battles of life. These conflicts are engaged not only with the passions and enticements of the world, but also with demonic spirits that seek our demise (Eph 6:13-17). Paul often reminds readers of their spiritual armory in Christ (Rom 13:12; 2 Cor 6:7; 10:3-4).
See note on 1 Thess 1:3
. 
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5:10 who died for us:
Even in a letter dominated by the hope of Christ's return, Paul never loses sight of Christ's redemptive death. 
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5:12 over you in the Lord:
A hierarchical ministry of leadership was already in place in Thessalonica. This is not surprising, since it was Paul's policy to ordain presbyters (priests) to shepherd the flock in his missionary churches (Acts 14:23; Tit 1:5). The spiritual oversight of these pastors entitles them to the respect and submission of the laity (CCC 1269). • Love priests as children love their fathers. Through them you have received an eternal generation, you have obtained the kingdom, and the gates of heaven are swung open to you. If you love Christ and the kingdom of heaven, then acknowledge through whom you obtained it (St. John Chrysostom,
Homilies on 1 Thessalonians
10). 
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