Shall not escape (ov pr) éxdvyaow). A. V. misses the force of the double negative. They shall in no wise escape.
4. Overtake (cataddB8n). See on comprehended, J. i. 5.
A thief (xAérrns). Tischendorf, Weiss, and Rev. T. retain this reading. Westcott and Hort read «Adémtas thieves, but with «Aérrns in margin. The weight of textual evidence is in favour of the singular.
_ 6. Ye are all. In the text yap for should be inserted after mavres all. Ye are not in darkness for ye are sons of light.
Children of light (viol dwres). More correctly, sons of light. See on Mk. iii. 17, and comp. L. xvi. 8; J. xii. 36; Eph. v. 8; Col. i. 12. The Christian condition is habitually associated in N. T. with light: see Matt. v. 14,16; J. iii. 21; yi. 12; Acts xxvi. 18; 1 Pet. 11.9; 1J.i.7. ‘The contrary condition with darkness: see J. iii. 19,20; Eph. v. 8; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Matt. iv. 16; vi. 23, etc.
Of the night— of darkness (vverds —oxdrovs). The genitive marks an advance of thought from év oxdre in darkness, ver. 4. ’Ev indicates the element in which one is. The genitive, of darkness, points to nature and origin. To belong to darkness is more than to be in darkness.
6. Others (of Aorrol). The rest, as ch. iv. 13.
46 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. V.
Let us watch (ypyyopa@pev). See on Mk. xiii. 35, and comp. Eph. v. 14.
Be sober (v7dwpev). Primarily in a physical sense, as opposed to excess in drink, but passing into the ethical sense of calm, collected, circumspect. Alert wakefulness and calm assurance will prevent their being surprised and confused by the Lord’s coming, as by a thief in the night.
7. Be drunken (peOvoxdpevor). Lit. who are made drunk or get drunk. See on J. ii. 10. In N.T. always of intoxi- cation. In LXX, the Heb. shekar strong drink is several times rendered by péOvopa; Judg. xiil. 4,7; 1 Sam. i. 11, 15.
8. Putting on (évdvodpevor). The son of day clothes himself for the day’s work or battle. The same association of ideas as in vv. 6, 8, is found in Rom. xiii. 12-14; Apoc. xvi. 15; 1 Pet. i. 13. Comp. LXX, Bar. v. 2.
Breastplate — helmet. Comp. Eph. vi. 14. The figures are not original with Paul. See Isa. lix. 17; Wisd. v. 18, 19. Notice that only defensive armour is mentioned, in accordance with the darkness and uncertainty of the last time; and that the fundamental elements of Christian char- acter, faith, hope, and love, are brought forward again as in ch.i. 3; 1Cor. xiii. 18. For the figure of the armed soldier, comp. also Rom. xiii. 12; 2 Cor. x. 4.
9. For (ére). Special emphasis is laid on the hope of salvation. The exhortation to put it on is enforced by the fact that God’s appointment is to salvation and not to wrath.
To obtain (eis zepimroimowv). More literally, wnto the ob- taining. See on Eph.i.14. In three out of five instances in N.T. the word clearly means acquiring or obtaining. In Eph. i. 14 and 1 Pet. ii. 9, it is sometimes rendered possession (so Rev.). But in Ephesians the meaning is redemption or acquisition, or redemption which will give possession; and in
Cu. V.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. 47
Ist Peter a people for acquisition. The meaning here is that we might obtain. Comp. LXX, Mal. iii. 17.
10. Who died. Frequently the resurrection is coupled with the death of Christ by Paul, as ch. iv. 14; Philip. iii. 10; Col. ii. 12; iii. 1-4. Not so here; but the thought of resurrection is supplied in live together with him.
Wake or sleep. Whether we are alive or dead at Christ’s appearing. Comp. Rom. xiv. 9. Ka@evdev in N. T. always literally of sleep, except here, and possibly Eph. vy. 14. In Mk. v. 39; L. viii. 52, it is contrasted with death. In LXX in the sense of death, Ps. Ixxxvii. 5; Dan. xii. 2; 2 Sam. vil. 12.