The preceding exhortations led Paul naturally to focus on other individual responsibilities to enable his readers to perceive their personal Christian duty clearly (cf. Gal. 6). However all these things are the duties of Christians corporately (the church assembled) as well as individually.
5:16 This is one of approximately 70 New Testament commands to rejoice. This volitional choice is extremely important for the Christian. We can always rejoice if we remember what God has given us in Christ.
5:17 Greek writers used the adverb translated "without ceasing"to describe a hacking cough. Paul did not expect his readers to be in prayer every minute but to continue praying whenever possible.
"Not surprisingly Paul wished his converts to be people of prayer. He himself was devoted to prayer as a fundamental activity in his life (cf. 1:2b; 2 Thes. 1:11; Rom. 1:10; Col. 1:3, 9). In several of his letters he instructs his readers to devote themselves to prayer (cf. 5:25; 2 Thes. 3:1; Rom. 12:12; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2, 3)."129
5:18 We need to give thanks about everything knowing that God is working all things together for good for His people who love Him (Rom. 8:28). Paul said all of these commands are definitely God's will for every believer.
5:19 Quenching the Spirit is a figurative expression used to illustrate the possibility of hindering the Spirit's work in and through the believer. The image is that of water thrown on a fire. The proper response is to follow the Spirit's direction and control without resistance (v. 18; cf. Gal. 5:16, 25). The next verse gives one way in which believers can quench the Spirit.
5:20-21 There appears to have been a tendency in the Thessalonian church to despise prophetic utterances (i.e., the announcing of some word from God; cf. 1 Cor. 14:1). Paul warned against regarding these words from God as only words from men. However, he also counseled that his readers should test these utterances. They could do this by comparing what the speaker said with the standard of previously given divine revelation (cf. Deut. 13:1-5; 18:20; 1 John 4:1-3). They should retain everything that passed the test. What did not they should reject along with all other kinds of evil.130
5:22 They should also avoid every form of evil (Gr. pantos eidous ponerou). This seems to be the best meaning in view of the contrast with verse 21. The alternative interpretation is that Paul wanted his readers not only to avoid evil itself but that which others might perceive as involving evil (cf. Rom. 14). It is not always possible, of course, to abstain from what appears to extremely narrow-minded people to be evil.
5:23 Peace in the assembly was very important to Paul. The "spirit"is the part of us that enables us to communicate with God. The "soul"makes us conscious of ourselves. The "body"is the physical part that expresses the inner man. These are not the only elements that constitute humanity (cf. heart, mind, conscience, etc.), but they are the ones Paul chose here.
"It is precarious to try to construct a tripartite doctrine of human nature on the juxtaposition of the three nouns, pneuma, psycheand soma. . . . The distinction between the bodily and spiritual aspects of human nature is easily made, but to make a comparable distinction between spirit' and soul' is forced."131
Paul may have mentioned "spirit and soul and body"because these three aspects point to the believer's relationships to God, himself or herself, and other people. Together they picture wholeness. Paul's desire for his readers was that every part of them would remain without fault and that they would continue to mature and live free from legitimate grounds for accusation until Christ's return. Note again that he assumed the Lord's return would precede their deaths.
Since the Lord did not return before Paul died was he wrong to view the Lord's return as he did, namely as imminent? No, because imminent means He couldreturn at any moment, not that He willreturn very soon.
"In a prayer expressing Paul's wishes for the congregation, two of the basic themes of the letter are again highlighted. The prayer utilizes two optative verbs, asking that God may . . . sanctify' the Thessalonians and that they may . . . be kept blameless.' The prayer for sanctification reminds the readers of the exhortations in chaps. 4-5. In fact, the call for sanctification brackets these final two chapters. Chapter 4 begins with an exhortation to the people to lead sanctified lives (vv. 3-8), and chap. 5 ends with a prayer that God would sanctify his people (v. 23a). The prayer for the preservation of the saints until the coming of the Lord (v. 23b) reflects back on encouragements to persist in hope despite affliction (1:3, 10; 2:14-16; 3:5; 5:10-11)."132
5:24 Paul was confident God would do this work in the Thessalonians through the Holy Spirit assuming their proper response to Him (v. 19). The antecedent of "it"seems to be the sanctification and preservation of the Thessalonians, not the return of Christ.133
