1 Thessalonians

D. A. Carson & Douglas J. Moo
An Introduction to the New Testament

These letters make important contributions to our knowledge of eschatology. We learn from the first letter that there are no problems about believers who die before the parousia. When Jesus comes back, these people will be the first to rise from the dead, and they will come with him. Afterward believers who are alive at that time will be caught up to meet the Lord. “And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:17). No other part of Scripture is as explicit as this; however we understand the so-called rapture, it is this letter that tells us about it. And toward the end of every chapter in this letter there is a reference to some aspect of the second coming. But Paul does not encourage speculation about the date of the parousia. It will come unexpectedly (1 Thess. 5:1-2), and the important thing is that “whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him” (1 Thess. 5:10).

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