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Selected Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:4 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Th 5:4 |
King James |
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
not in darkness--not in darkness of understanding (that is, spiritual ignorance) or of the moral nature (that is, a state of sin), Eph 4:18.
that--Greek, "in order that"; with God results are all purposed.
that day--Greek, "THE day"; the day of the Lord (Heb 10:25, "the day"), in contrast to "darkness."
overtake--unexpectedly (compare Joh 12:35).
as a thief--The two oldest manuscripts read, "as (the daylight overtakes) thieves" (Job 24:17). Old manuscripts and Vulgate read as English Version. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief - The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose. He comes in the night, when people are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as people are who are awake when the robber comes. They could see his approach, and could prepare for it, so that it would not take them by surprise. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Overtake (καταλάβῃ)
See on comprehended, Joh 1:5.
A thief (κλέπτης)
Tischendorf, Weiss, and Rev. T. retain this reading. Westcott and Hort read κλέπτας thieves, but with κλέπτης in margin. The weight of textual evidence is in favor of the singular. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Ye are not in darkness - Sleeping secure in sin. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| But ye, brethren, are not in darkness - Probably St. Paul refers to a notion that was very prevalent among the Jews, viz.: that God would judge the Gentiles in the night time, when utterly secure and careless; but he would judge the Jews in the day time, when employed in reading and performing the words of the law. The words in Midrash Tehillim, on Psa 9:8, are the following: When the holy blessed God shall judge the Gentiles, it shall be in the night season, in which they shall be asleep in their transgressions; but when he shall judge the Israelites, it shall be in the day time, when they are occupied in the study of the law. This maxim the apostle appears to have in view in the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th verses. (Th1 5:4-8) |
17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.