Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:18
These simple words of Paul communicate much about Paul, death, and our future hope.
Paul notably did not position himself as the source of encouragement.* Unlike some leaders in our day, Paul recognized that the gift of God to His people included the Holy Spirit and the church community. Paul served as a member of the community and as a conduit of the Holy Spirit, but Paul did not seek to connect God’s people to himself as the source of comfort.
The message of the resurrection of Jesus found in the preceding verses takes the normative message of death (hopelessness) and turns it into a message of encouragement: death is not the end.* Wonderfully, we will be joined once again with Christ and one another.* In fact, the Greek word translated as “encourage” can also be translated (as in the NASB) as “comfort.”* Because of Christ, there is a message of great comfort to all who believe in Him.*
Our future hope is accessible. Because Paul invites all of us to encourage one another with the knowledge of our future resurrection and the defeat of death, he also permissions us to a place of respect.* The Gnostics of the time of Paul would limit this kind of knowledge of the resurrection of Christ to the elite.* Paul makes treasure such as this knowledge something for all to share in. Because our future hope is for all who place their belief in Jesus, all may share about it.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to ask Him if there are ways that you have positioned yourself as the source of comfort in someone’s life in an unhealthy way. Perhaps today God would have you find comfort in the community of Christ, remembering that in times of great loss, great hope lies ahead. Maybe God wants you to share the hope of our future resurrection and the defeat of death with someone you know.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (p. 152). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 190–191). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 228–229). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, p. 407). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, p. 92). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (p. 141). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 336–337). Baker Academic.