Thessalonians - Part 11

I Thessalonians 413-18 - Paul’s pastoral passage Or “Up, Up, and away”

“This passage is ‘pastoral,’ meant to comfort those grieved and confused by the death of beloved Christians. The assurance that all the righteous without distinction will be with the Lord forever, and united at the Coming of Christ, is the burden of this passage.”

--New Geneva Study Bible Commentary

Imminency: an event is ‘hanging overhead’; it is something that is ready to occur or could occur at any moment.

“While other things may happen before the imminent event, nothing else must occur before that event happens. If something else must occur first, then that event is not imminent.” The Expositors Bible Commentary

Paul believed that Jesus could come in his lifetime, not would come in his lifetime. Paul speaks for all of us!

Paul’s pastoral passage:

Take it easy!

“It is not the details which are important. What is important is that life and in death the Christian is in Christ and that is a union which nothing can break.” Barclay’s Study Bible