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1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: the Thessalonians Should Live a Holy Life

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1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: the Thessalonians Should Live a Holy Life 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: The Thessalonians should live a holy life Eduard Verhoef (Maartensdijk, the Netherlands)1 Research Associate: Department of New Testament Studies University of Pretoria Abstract The author argues that 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 should be considered as one coherent pericope. It shows that the term “holiest” does not refer to the god “Kabeiros”, neither that the Greek word “skeuos” means either “spouse” or referring to the male sexual organ. It rather means “body”. The article aims to argue that 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 is a passage in which Paul urges the Thessalonians to be always pure in body and mind. Thus explained, the pericope fits in with the preceding text about the Thessalonians’ holiness at the parousia (3:13) and it prepares for the next paragraph in which the parousia of the Lord with the holy people (3:13) is discussed more thoroughly (1 Th 4:13-5:11). 1. INTRODUCTION In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Paul gives several ethical exhortations. These exhortations are meant to support the Thessalonians on their way to their meeting with the Lord (1 Th 4:17). It is the verses 1-8 that will be the focus in this paper. We are confronted with several exegetical problems in this pericope. The most important are the meaning of the clause sn[ d(`tsnt} rjdt}ni js`}rp`h in vs 4 and the interpretation of the prepositional phrase d)m sv {} o q`.fl`sh in vs 6. In my opinion these phrases do not refer to totally different subjects. The whole pericope must be explained as one coherent reasoning on how to live a holy life.2 I will discuss this pericope and I will elaborate with respect to 4:4. It is sometimes argued that Paul refers to concrete abuses in the church of Thessaloniki (Galanis 1985:255; Lambrecht 1994:352-353). But in my opinion 1 Dr Eduard Verhoef, Maartensdijk, the Netherlands, participates in the research project “Biblical Theology and Hermeneutics”, directed by Prof Dr Andries G van Aarde, Department of New Testament Studies, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria. The author would like to thank Mrs Dra J W van Arenthals and Drs G M Knepper for their critical remarks on this text. 2 I take for granted the integrity of 1 Thessalonians; cf Verhoef (1998:28-33). But see Richard (1995:11-19). HTS 63(1) 2007 347 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: The Thessalonians should live a holy life we cannot deduce from this section that the Christian community of Thessaloniki failed on these points.3 I will argue that the exhortations which are given here serve to prepare the Thessalonians for the parousia. Paul wants the Thessalonians to live a holy life in order to always be with the Lord; see 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. 2. SOME REMARKS ON 1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-2 The beginning of this pericope is marked by knho n[m nt)}m, furthermore then.4 In several manuscripts the preceding paragraph, 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, is concluded with the word `)lg.m, which confirms that a new section starts in 4:1.5 The words knho n[m nt)}m suggest that Paul is not going to discuss a very controversial issue, but he asks the Thessalonians to live according to the commandments he gave them.6 3. GOD WANTS THE THESSALONIANS TO BE HOLY; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:3-8. In the verses 3-8 Paul specifies more exactly what he means. First I will give the Greek text (Aland 1993:53) with my own translation and then we shall study these verses more thoroughly. (3) S nt}sn f`.q d)rshm pd.kgl` snt} pdnt}+ n( `(fh`rln.i t(lv }m+ `/o d.wdrp`h t(l`}i `)o n[ sg}i o nqmdh.`i+ (4) dh)cd.m`h d(.j`rsnm t(lv }m sn[ d(`tsnt} rjdt}ni js`}rp`h d)m `(fh`rlv {} j`h[ shlg{}+ (5) lg[ d)m o `.pdh d)o hptlh.`i j`p`.o dq j`h[ s`[ d).pmg s`[ lg[ dh)cn.s` sn[m pdn.m+ (6) sn[ lg[ t(o dqa`h.mdhm j`h[ o kdnmdjsdh}m d)m sv {} o q`.fl`sh sn[m `/cdken[m `t)snt}+ chn.sh d).jchjni jt.qhni o dqh[ o `.msv m snt.sv m+ j`pv [i j`h[ o qndh.o `ldm t(lh}m j`h[ chdl`qstq`.ldp`- (7) nt) f`.q d)j`.kdrdm g(l`}i n( pdn.i d/o h[ `/j`p`qrh.`{ `)kk . d)m `(fh`rlv {}- (8) snhf`qnt}m n( `)pdsv }m nt)j `).mpqv o nm `)pdsdh} `)kk`. sn[m pdn[m sn[m j`h[ chcn.ms` sn[ o mdt}l` `t)snt} sn[ `f(.hnm dh)i t(l`}i- (3) This is the will of God, your holiness: that you abstain from fornication, (4) that each one of you knows to have control over his body in holiness and in honour, (5) not in covetous passion as also 3 The same applies to 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, but these verses are beyond the scope of my paper. 4 Cf the use of the same words in two epistles published in Aegyptische Urkunden aus den koeniglichen Museen zu Berlin 4 1912:122.123. 5 In rhetorical studies 1 Thessalonians 4:1 is seen as the beginning of the probatio; see for example Jewett (1986:75.221); Hughes (1990:104). 6 For the use of d/qv s`.v and o `q`j`kd.v next to each other see the example given by Deissmann (1923:134). 348 HTS 63(1) 2007 Eduard Verhoef do the pagans who do not know God, (6) not to pass over and put at a disadvantage his brother in this matter, because God punishes all such things, as we told you before and as we witnessed. (7) For God did not call us for impurity, but in order to live in holiness. (8) Thus, anyone who rejects this, does not reject a man but he rejects the God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 3.1 THEY SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM FORNICATION, 1 THESSALONIANS 4:3 The first word of verse 3, the demonstrative pronoun snt}sn, refers to n( `(fh`rln.i t(lv }m, your holiness. It is used as a predicate here.7 P d.kgl` snt} pdnt,} the will of God, is the subject of this sentence (Von Dobschütz 1909:159; Holtz 1986:154).8 God’s will is that the Thessalonians be holy. This interpretation clarifies the connection with the preceding clauses. P d.kgl` refers back to sn[ o v }i cdh} t(l`}i o dqho `sdh}m j`h[ `)qd.rjdhm pdv ,{} how you must conduct yourselves and please God (vs 1), and to o `q`ffdkh.`, command (vs 2). Paul summoned the Thessalonians to live according to the commandments he gave them in order to please God. In verse 3 it is said that the addressees should be holy according to God’s will. The noun `(fh`rln.i is related to the verb `(fh`.yv that is in its turn derived from the adjective `(.fhni. In the New Testament this adjective is used in the meaning “consecrated to God” and then “holy” (Liddell & Scott 1968:9). Paul used `(.fhni for example for people who joined the Christian community; cf Phlp 4:21-22. The verbs ending with -`yv usualy have a causative meaning (Moulton & Howard 1920:404-406), in this case “to make holy” or “to consecrate”. Nomina actionis were often made from these verbs by the suffix , lni (Blass & Debrunner & Rehkopf 1984:§109). Consequently the noun `(fh`rln.i means “consecration”, “sanctification”. But it has also a passive meaning: holiness (Bauer & Aland 1988:15). The noun `(fh`rln.i is specified in the verses 3-6 in three infinitival sentences which must be interpreted appositionally to `(fh`rln.i (Von Dobschütz 1909:161): 1. `/o d.wdrp`h t(l`}i `)o n[ sg}i o nqmdh.`i, that you abstain from fornication (1 Thess. 4:3); 2. dh)cd.m`h d(.j`rsnm t(lv }m sn[ d(`tsnt} rjdt}ni js`}rp`h d)m `(fh`rlv {} j`h[ shlg{}+ lg[ d)m o `.pdh d)o hptlh.`i j`p`.o dq j`h[ s`[ d).pmg s`[ lg[ dh)cn.s` sn[m 7 Cf John 6:39.40 where we read snt}sn cd. d)rshm sn[ pd.kgl` snt} o d.lx `msn.i ld and snt}sn f`.q d)rshm sn[ pd.kgl` snt} o `sqn.i lnt respectively. In both verses these words are followed by a subordinate clause introduced by h(.m`. 8 For the lack of the article before the first noun, see Blass & Debrunner & Rehkopf (1984:§259). HTS 63(1) 2007 349 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: The Thessalonians should live a holy life pdn.m, that each one of you knows to have control over his body in holiness and in honour, not in covetous passion as the pagans, who do not know God (1 Thess. 4:4-5); 3. sn[ lg[ t(o dqa`h.mdhm j`h[ o kdnmdjsdh}m d)m sv {} o q`.fl`sh sn[m `/cdken[m `t)snt,} not to pass over and put at a disadvantage his brother in this matter (1 Thess. 4:6). The meaning of the first clause, `/o d.wdrp`h t(l`}i `)o n[ sg}i o nqmdh.`i, is clear.
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