12 But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit `to them': for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this `were' unprofitable for you.
that ye also be in subjection unto such, and to every one that helpeth in the work and laboreth.
For they refreshed my spirit and yours: acknowledge ye therefore them that are such.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.
Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren:
but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary.
and to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword:
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to `the will of' God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.
I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.
Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, `divers' kinds of tongues.
Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.
But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
The apostle, having spoken in the end of the foregoing chapter concerning the resurrection, and the second coming of Christ, proceeds to speak concerning the uselessness of enquiring after the particular time of Christ's coming, which would be sudden and terrible to the wicked, but comfortable to the saints (v. 1-5). He then exhorts them to the duties of watchfulness, sobriety, and the exercise of faith, love, and hope, as being suitable to their state (v. 6-10). In the next words he exhorts them to several duties they owed to others, or to one another (v. 11-15), afterwards to several other Christian duties of great importance (v. 16-22), and then concludes this epistle (v. 23-28).
1Th 5:1-5
In these words observe,
1Th 5:6-10
On what had been said, the apostle grounds seasonable exhortations to several needful duties.
1Th 5:11-15
In these words the apostle exhorts the Thessalonians to several duties.
1Th 5:16-22
Here we have divers short exhortations, that will not burden our memories, but will be of great use to direct the motions of our hearts and lives; for the duties are of great importance, and we may observe how they are connected together, and have a dependence upon one another.
1Th 5:23-28
In these words, which conclude this epistle, observe,