CONFIRMING THE BELIEVERS Since the tribulations which the Thessalonians had to go through had purified them before God and men and became a testimony of faith. St. Paul was glorified because of all these difficulties, yet he directs their attention to their spiritual growth so that they may meet the Lord Jesus, their spiritual Bridegroom. Hence, he talks about the following: 1. The meaning of a virtuous life v. 1-3 2. Forsaking adultery v. 4-8 3. Growing in love v. 9-12 4. The Second Coming v. 13-18 1. THE MEANING OF A VIRTUOUS LIFE “Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (v. 1-3) St. Paul points out the meaning of a virtuous life or the holy Christian behavior, which can be summarized as follows: First: A virtuous life is not mere social conduct and moral values which one can personally struggle to attain, but rather it is an interaction with the divine commandment in the Lord Jesus, “we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus…” Since St. Paul is commanding them, he is commanding them in the Lord Jesus. These are not human commandments, but God’s commandments in the Lord Jesus, which is the word of God. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). St. Paul clarified his role by saying: “Therefore, we are 36 ambassadors of Christ as though God were pleading through us; we implore on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20) We do not accept the commandment, even if it were from an apostle, but as a divine commandment, which Christ declares through us, so that it implies authority to change our lives and giving us new depths. His saying, “in the Lord Jesus” means that he talks to us while hidden in the Lord Jesus, in whom he finds peace and rest and in whom he tastes the divine love. He wants us to share in the joyful destination. In the Lord Jesus, the shepherd and the flock are hidden, and the priest commands his children, and the spiritual children accept the commandment. In Him all struggle and in Him all are crowned. Briefly, we say that the foundation of the virtuous life is the continuous fellowship in the Lord Jesus to enjoy new depths through His free grace working in the hearts of the strugglers. Second: Since the virtuous life is accepting the divine commandment in the Lord Jesus, hence we accept it through the “Paradosis” or tradition. He said, “Just as you received from us how you ought to walk and please God.” Christian behavior is a part of the apostolic receiving from God. It is associated with the Christian faith or the Gospel of Christ, whom we accept from the Lord Himself through His disciples as a tradition, which is delivered to successive generations. Thus, we accept the living Gospel, not as mere dogma, but as practical living faith in the heart, and declared through communal and family worship. It is a life that touches every human being and interacts with his thoughts, feelings and deeds. Third: The purpose of the virtuous life is to please God. We could not please God after we have marred His image; “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no not one” (Ps. 14:3). When the Word of God incarnated, the heavens opened to hear the voice of the Father from heaven. He said: “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17), in the Jordan River and also on the mount of transfiguration. Likewise, as we accept to be members in His Holy Body, in the new Jordan, we accept the Father’s good will, where He sees us united in His Son, the subject of His pleasure. When the Holy Spirit lifts us on the mountains 37 of the holy Bible, as on the mount of transfiguration and declares His kingdom inside us, then, we hear that joyful voice of the Father, who rejoices with the fruit of His Holy Spirit within us. Since the virtuous life is fellowship with the Lord Jesus, then we find the pleasure of the Father. For outside Him, we cannot please Him, as St. Paul said, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him…” (Heb. 11:6). In other words, the virtuous life is not mere social conduct but rather it is unity with God, in the Lord Jesus Christ. So He may dwell in us as members in His body, giving us a place in His Fatherly bosom. Fourth: St. Paul said, “that you should abound more and more…” The virtuous life is limitless, for a believer will not rest until he reaches the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13), carrying His traits, where the Lord Christ is apparent in his life. In Christ Jesus, we please the Father; thus we have to struggle without ceasing, so we may grow in Him and abound to please Him. St. Paul realized that without faith, we couldn’t please Him, not through laziness, but through continuous strife as spiritual soldiers. He said, “No one entangled in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4). He struggles that he may not go back to the carnal life, for “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). In his unceasing struggle, he does not ask for the praise of men but to please God. He said, “For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). To please God, he gives up not only the lusts of the flesh and the praise of men, but also his rights, until he satisfies God. He lives a virgin life, not because marriage is defilement, but to devote more time for the spiritual strife, for he said, “He who is unmarried cares for the things that belongs to the Lord, how he may please the Lord”” (1 Cor. 7:32). Fifth: St. Paul summarized the virtuous life in one sentence: “For this is the will of God your sanctification.” St. John Chrysostom commented saying: [See how St. Paul is very enthusiastic 38 about this matter, for he wrote, “Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). Also in his epistle to St. Timothy, he wrote, “Keep yourself pure” (1 Tim. 5:22). In his epistle to the Corinthians, he wrote, “…in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings, by purity…” (2 Cor. 6:5,6) 1.] What does St. Paul mean by holiness that God desires in us? It is isolating what is strange to our nature and accepting what is God’s. In other words, holiness carries two simultaneous meanings: emptying and filling. Emptying all the evil that penetrated our nature and filling with the Holy God Himself, as the mystery of our life. If God is the Holy One, then our virtuous life is that His holiness will be fulfilled in us, so we may carry His holiness inside us and become holy in Him. The Holy Spirit takes what is Christ’s and declares it (John 16:14), not only in words but also practically, so he may change our mind to the mind of Christ, our will becomes His will, our members become His members, and our sufferings His sufferings. Holiness is the apparition of the Holy Christ in our inner lives and our apparent behavior! 2. FORSAKING ADULTERY Mentioning the virtuous life, St. Paul wrote about the negative and positive aspects. One does not enjoy holiness unless he empties himself from all defilement and evil. Virtuous life is a continuous dynamic life where one empties himself from evil then enjoys the pleasure of living with God. One accepts the divine thoughts and rejects all satanic thoughts. St. John Chrysostom said: [Virtue is divided into two matters: forsaking evil and doing good. Forsaking evil is not enough to attain virtue, but it is only the beginning. We have a long way to struggle2.] St. Paul mentioned the negative aspect of the virtuous life, which is forsaking evil, especially adultery, whether by thought, sight or deed. He presented a new concept of forsaking it by the following 1 In 1 Thess. Hom. 5. 2 In 1 Thess. Hom. 5. 39 points: First: Talking about adultery as one of the worst sins, St. Paul is talking about the positive side, which is attaining holiness. In other words, forsaking sin cannot be done separate from attaining holiness. “That each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor not in passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (v. 4, 5). The Gentile cannot forsake the passion of lust for he does not know God, that is, he does not know how to obtain God and be united with Him. If he ever knew God, he knew Him through theoretical thoughts and mental philosophy, therefore, he stays in his vacuum, and he cannot forsake lust of the flesh, hoping it will satisfy his life. However, the true believer can forsake adultery, moreover, he cannot tolerate it, and he does not feel deprivation or emptiness, but rather he possesses his vessel in sanctification and honor and feels divine overflowing springing from inside him that satisfies him. A true believer does not feel that he is thirsty to any temporal desires, because through his unity with God, he feels that what he receives from God is much better than what he has forsaken! Through our new life in Christ Jesus, a believer struggles, abstaining from adultery, because it does not fit the new nature that he has enjoyed in baptism, looking at his body as a holy vessel and an instrument for righteousness. We can look at the vessel meaning the husband or the wife, for Christian looks at his partner as his vessel who abides in love, through the unity of the Holy Spirit. Each partner settles in the other’s heart, and cannot go to another place like Noah’s dove which could not rest except in his hands, and not like the crow who settles on corpuses. St. Augustine1 said that here he refers to the marital relations, for everyone looks at the other partner with a holy look, as a holy vessel. Thus, the relations between them is not based on the lust but on love, so they reproduce children as a fruit of their love and unity, and not as a fruit of the lust of the flesh. 1 City of God , 14:18. 40 St. Ambrose1 has a symbolic interpretation to the holy vessel, for he sees that a priest or minister who does not practice what he preaches is defiling the hearts of others instead of bringing them as holy vessels to the Lord. So they become vessels of destruction instead of vessels of honor. Second: St. Paul considers adultery as transgressing the brothers, for he said, “That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified” (v.6). Whoever looks at the other with lust is defrauding his body for his own lust. Love is sacrifice and giving, while lust is taking and selfishness. Love is giving without discrimination toward sex or appearance. One respects the other partner and appreciates his thoughts, talents, and life. A beloved wife is the one, who sacrifices for her husband, and he appreciates her thoughts and talents. Thus marital relations become a fruit of their true mutual love. St. John Chrysostom presents us a living example of love and lust. According to our human thought, we may think that Potiphar’s wife loved Joseph, but in fact, she did not love him but she wanted to satisfy her lust. To prove that, she unjustly accused him and put him in prison. However, Joseph truly loved her, for he reminded her of her husband to embarrass her, and did not say, “your husband,” but said “my master” to waken her conscience and realize that she is his master. Gently, he rebuked her as if telling her, “It is shameful that you desire evil with a servant.. See whose wife you are?” In spite of him being so gentle with her, yet she put him in prison, yet while he became second man in Egypt, he did not revenge for himself2. Thus, adultery is not love but greediness for others and selfishness to fulfill one’s desires. St. John Chrysostom explained St. Paul’s words, “Do not defraud one another,” by saying, [God has appointed one wife for the 1 Duties of Clergy 3:32. 2 .40- المؤلف: الحب الأخوي 1964 ، ص 38 41 man, thus putting natural limits. So when one looks at another (lustily), it is like stealing, but even more than stealing, for stealing a wife is more catastrophic than stealing money1!] Third: The calling for sanctification and abstaining from adultery is a holy calling and not mere social issue, for he says, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (v. 7). Thus, leading a holy life is fulfilling God’s will in us, and adultery is transgression against God Himself. St. John Chrysostom said: [He Himself has called you and you insult the One who called you2.] The adulterous cannot justify his act by saying that this pleases the other partner and that he does not hurt anyone. This crime is addressed to the Holy God Himself, for He grants His Holy Spirit to sanctify man. Whoever commits adultery insults the Spirit dwelling inside him. He said, “Therefore, he who rejects this, does not reject man, but God who has given us His Holy Spirit” (v. 8). St. John Chrysostom said: [If you defile a woman, whether an empress or a slave, you still committed crime. Why? because God revenges not to those who were hurt, but to Himself3.] God is so generous toward us that He granted us His Holy Spirit, in the sacrament of confirmation, to sanctify us with the holy Chrismation “Myroon,” He creates in us a holy place fit for the heavenly kingdom, so we may become kings through our unity with Christ, the King of kings. (Rev. 7:14). And we become saints through our adoption in the Holy of holies. Therefore, every sin we commit is an insult to the One who raised us to become saints and kings. The king who wears a crown on his head and holds a scepter, if he commits a sin, he insults the position he is holding. 3. GROWING IN LOVE A. St. Paul said, “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (v. 9). St. John Chrysostom said: [Due to his 1 In 1 Thess. Hom. 5. 2 In 1 Thess. Hom. 5. 3 In 1 Thess. Hom. 5. 42 great wisdom, St. Paul wrote that he had no need to write to them. Thus, he emphasized that the matter is very essential, for such important matters are very apparent before everyone. Second, saying thus, he embarrassed them more than if he had offered them advice. He loves them because they are abiding in truth, and saying thus, he leads them to more righteousness1.] B. He wanted to show that they are truly abiding in love, so he does not have to write to them about it. And if he writes, he asks for their growth. He encourages them so they may not have low selfesteem, but he urges them to grow in love without limits. This is St. Paul’s method in writing to encourage others and to instill hope in them, so that even when he rebukes them, he supports them with encouraging words! On the other hand, every Christian who is a member in the body of Christ, that is the church, is granted the free gift of love, and he has to kindle it through spiritual strife, by the Holy Spirit living inside him. That is why St. Paul wrote “For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (v. 9). We are taught not only through the divine commandments but also through His work in us, for He works in us with His love. C. St. Paul presented a practical example for the brotherly love, which is strife in labor to help others instead of asking them to help us. “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (v. 11, 12). St. John Chrysostom said: [The Apostle emphasizes that unemployment causes many evils, and that labor is very beneficial, for labor is a sign of our love to our brothers by helping them, for He said “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) 2.] The early fathers heeded to talk about “the work of the hands,” not only as an expression of brotherly love where one helps others and does not burden anyone financially, but also as an integral part of the 1 In 1 Thess. Hom. 6. 2 In 1 Thess. Hom. 6. 43 spiritual life. God has sanctified the human work and associates it with worship, which God smells an acceptable aroma and a sign of God’s love by being faithful and honest in his work as well as his worship. On the other hand, work supports the soul and the mind in our life with God. For example, St. John Cassian, when talking to the monks about boredom, commented on St. Paul’s words, “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life” by saying” [Stay in your cells and do not engage yourselves in gossiping which stems from lazy people and causes worries to others1.] As unemployment causes emptiness in the soul and mind, so one may get occupied with trifle matters and loses his inner soul and cause others to lose their peace, likewise work is beneficial to our inner quietness and the quietness of others. St. John Cassian explained the words “to mind your own business,” by saying: [You should not meddle in others’ business or be inquisitive of their lives, thus you may spend all your energy, not in your spiritual growth and attaining virtues, but in demeaning others. An unemployed person fills his empty heart not in building himself that is in his own matters, but he occupies his mind with other’s behaviors to condemn them and demean them2.] St. Paul emphasizes, “to work with your own hands as we commanded you;” this means that he had previously commanded them to work so they may not feel empty and start to worry or be inquisitive about others’ matters and condemn them. This phrase reveals an important element in St. Paul’s ministry, which is while he is talking about the Gospel as an integral part of their Christian faith, yet he is directing their attention to work with their hands as part of their spiritual life. He preaches the Gospel as a part of the daily life, for faith touches our spiritual life, as well as our psychological and social life, which constitute one undivided life. Our enjoyment of the new life in Christ Jesus sanctifies our spirits and bodies and our entire behavior in our daily life, even our eating, drinking, sleeping and recreation. This complete outlook toward man removes all astonishment 1 Institution 10:7 f. 2 Ibid. 44 regarding Solomon the wise when he repeatedly wrote about avoiding laziness and emptiness. He said, “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” (Prov. 23:21) St. John Cassian said: [Definitely the drowse man does not deserve to be clothed with the imperishable garment, “Put on the Lord Jesus” (Rom. 13:14) “Putting on the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thess. 5:8). Isaiah addresses Jerusalem saying, “Awake, awake! Put on your strength O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem the holy city!” (Is. 52:1). Whoever is lazy or bored, let him work hard and avoid laziness1.] For the road of laziness is full of thorns and his heart produces only thorns and briers. For Solomon said, “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles, its stone wall was broken down” (Is. 24:30,31). However, a working soul does not have thorns, but is filled with the joyful fruits of the Holy Spirit, and it is not clothed with rags but with the splendor of the Lord Himself. Solomon the wise said, “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms” (Prov. 31:10-17). This is the soul that does not cease to work day and night, so she may satisfy the heart of her Bridegroom the Lord Christ with the fruit of her spirit and offers the food of love to her brothers. She lives by the spirit of power and with a steadfast arm. Thus, labor is a holy obligation for every Christian, even if he is not in need. St. Basil the Great said: [A Christian should be disciplined; whoever is able to work should not eat the food of laziness, and whoever is occupied with work should do his best for the glory of 1 Ibid. 45 Christ1.] 4. THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD After talking with them about the virtuous life in the Lord, St. Paul is directing their attention to the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of the Lord. He is instilling in them the spirit of hope in their spiritual strife and to be steadfast, during tribulations, to the end. First: Death in our faith is considered sleep. He said, “but I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” Fr. Aphrahat says: [A sinner, though he is living, is dead in the eyes of God. However, a righteous, even when he dies, is living to God; and this death is considered sleep. David the Psalmist said, “I lay down and slept; I awoke for the Lord sustained me” (Ps. 3:5). “Awake and sing you who dwell in dust…” (Is. 26:19) The Lord Jesus said about the ruler’s daughter, “She is sleeping.” (Matt. 9:24). He also said about Lazarus, “Lazarus is sleeping but I go and wake him up” ((John 11:11)2.] He calls the dead as sleeping, because their souls have enjoyed the resurrection from the dead when they were buried with Christ in baptism. Death has no authority over them. They are in temporary sleep until the Day of the Lord when their bodies will arise to enjoy the glory, thus the souls share their crown and live in the glories of eternal life. Since death is rest and sleep, then the resurrection is life. St. Ambrose said: [Rest is good but life is much better. St. Paul said, “Awake you who sleep, and rise from the dead and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:14)3.] Second: As long as death is considered sleep, then we should not be mourn without hope, as unbelievers. The Lord Jesus wept when Mary bowed at His feet saying, “Lord, if you were here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). The Jews said, “See how much He loved him.” The Lord Jesus has sanctified our human feelings by His 1 Epistle 22:2 On Perfection of the Life of Solitaries. 2 Selected Demonstrations 8: Of the Resurrection of the Dead, 18. 3 On Belief in Resurrection, 2:39. 46 weeping. Thus, we share with those who suffer their sufferings and we have longing feelings toward the departed, but in a living hope that we will meet with them. St. Ambrose said: [Not every weeping results from unbelief, for natural sadness is something and sadness in despair is something else. There is a great difference between longing to what we have lost and weeping in despair. There are tears for sorrow as well as tears for joy1.] St. Basil the Great wrote to the church of Barnosios, north of Cappadocia, assuring them that St. Paul is not ridding us from our feelings but he is warning us not to surrender to sorrow. He said: [I do not mean that we should not have any feelings toward the departed but we should not surrender to sorrow2.] The reason of not surrendering to sorrow is our hope, which is beyond this temporary life to see the eternal life declared inside us. St. Basil the Great said: [If our hope is in this life only, we will be very bitter, however, if the love of God is in us and we liberated from the bonds of the body, then this is the beginning of the true life. Why are you sad as if you have no hope? May you rest and be above all the tribulations of life3.] Third: St. Paul said, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (v. 14). St. Paul called the dead those who sleep because they carry Christ inside them. Death has no authority over them, but the resurrection is inside them (John 11:25). Even if they die physically, yet they rise through Christ living inside them. Resurrection is not strange to them nor far from them but it is inside them working in their bodies and souls. St. Cyprian said: [Unbelievers are sad when their friends depart because they live with no hope. However, we live in hope and believe and trust that we abide in Christ who suffered and rose for us. We shall rise in Him, so why do we not want to depart from this world 1 On the decease of Statryus, 1:10 2 Epistle 62. 3 Epistle 101. 47 but we are sad for those who departed as if we lost them forever, while the Lord Himself encourages us by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he dies, yet he lives” (John 11:25). If we believe in Christ, let us believe in His words and promises that we will not die forever. Let us proceed with trust and joy that we will conquer and reign forever1.] Fourth: St. Paul declares that the departed will rise and live in glory. He said, “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” (v. 14). This is the secret of their glory and honor. John the Beloved heard a voice from heaven describing the eternal life saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev. 21:3). St. John Chrysostom wrote to one who lost his son: [When you ask for your son, ask for him where the King is and the host of angels. Do not ask for him in the tomb, lest you be still crawling on earth while he is up elevated in heaven2.] Fifth: St. Paul is talking about the meeting of the living and the dead. He said, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words” (v. 15-18). St. Paul is proving that the resurrection is not hard for God, for He who gathers the living to meet Him in the clouds can also raise the dead to have the same inheritance. St. John Chrysostom states that by saying “we who are alive and remain” the apostle does not mean himself and his generation, but 1 Treatise 7 On Mortality, 21. 2 In 2 Corinth. Hom 1:7. 48 he means the believers who remain until His Second Coming1. Saying “we” is an indication of the unity of the church. St. John Chrysostom is questioning: [If the Lord descends to take us, why are we caught up in the clouds? For the honor! When a king enters a city, the dignitaries will go and meet him, but those who are condemned wait for the judge. When a compassionate father goes into a place, his true children go out to meet him and embrace him, but the sinners stay inside. The Lord Jesus was taken up in the clouds (Acts 1:9), and we too will be caught up in the clouds. What great honor! He descends to us and we arise to meet Him! What joy that we will be with Him!2] St. Gregory of Nyssa, said: [When the believers are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus, this is a sign of the transformation in their bodies from the corruption which pulled them to the earth to the incorruption to lift them up to the clouds to meet the Lord. When the trumpet of the resurrection sounds to raise the dead and to change the living to incorruption, then the bodies become weightless and they are caught up in the clouds3.] He also says that the human nature of the Lord was buried in the earth, yet He ascended to the heavens; this makes us believe that we will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air4. St. Augustine had a similar saying: [Since the bodies will be incorruptible, then they will not be a burden on the souls. The souls will not cleave to the bodies, but the bodies will cleave to the souls and the souls will cleave to God5.] 1 In 1 Thess. Hom. 7. 2 In 1 Thess. Hom. 8. 3 On Making of Man, 22. 4 Adv. Eunomius 12:1. 5 On Psalms 109:56.
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