1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Helpful Background Information: 

• 1 Thessalonians was written by the Apostle Paul around 50 A.D. In our passage, Paul responds to the concerns the Thessalonians had regarding the fate of the dead in Christ, as well as the second coming of Christ. 

• However, the reason why Paul brings up these twin topics in this letter is debated by faithful biblical scholars. The most likely reason is that false doctrine had infiltrated the church, causing the Thessalonians to doubt the reality of a physical resurrection or a bodily second coming of Christ. Another plausible reason is that the Thessalonians were experiencing harsh persecution, with many in the congregation dying. Paul, therefore, writes to reaffirm their faith and provide hope. This latter option is supported by Paul’s stated reason for bringing up the future resurrection of believers in verse 13, “so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.” 

• Regardless, Paul is affirming that there will be a physical resurrection of the dead and a physical coming of Christ; these truths are essential to the Christian faith. To deny either of these truths is to destroy the Gospel and destroy our hope. 

• However, the reality and hope of the resurrection are not just New Testament realities, but they are grounded in the Old Testament, specifically in Daniel 12:2. The use of the word “many” here in 12:2 is synonymous with “all.” This is a general resurrection of all the dead, both believers and non-believers, with different eternal destinations. By the way, this is the first occurrence of the expression “everlasting life” or “life everlasting” found in the Old Testament, and so this text is crucial to understanding the unfolding of God’s saving plan for the future. What God states mysteriously in the Old Testament is made clear in the New. 

Reflection Questions: 

1. Compare Paul’s statements in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 to Daniel 12:2. What truths are repeated? How does Paul provide more clarity on the resurrection? How does Daniel 12:2 help affirm the continuity of God’s saving plan from the Old Testament into the New Testament? 

2. How does the resurrection fill your hope? Can you think of a time when this hope brought you peace and comfort in the face of death? 

3. Why is the belief in a physical resurrection and the physical return of Christ essential to the Christian faith?