Homilies on First Thessalonians — Homily 5

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[1 Thessalonians 4.1]]-3

Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you abound more and more. For you know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.

When he has met what was pressing, and what was upon his hands, and is about henceforth to enter upon things that are perpetual, and which they ought continually to hear, he adds this expression, finally, that is, always and forever. We beseech and exhort you in the Lord. Strange! He does not even speak of himself as of sufficient credit to exhort. And yet who was so worthy of credit? But he takes Christ along with him. We exhort you, he says, by God. Which also he said to the Corinthians, God entreats (exhorts) you through us. [[2 Corinthians 5.20]] That as you received of us. This received is not of words only, but of actions also, viz. how you ought to walk, and he means thereby the whole conduct of life. And to please God, that you abound more and more. That is, that by more abounding you do not stop at the limit of the commandments, but that you even go beyond them. For this it is, that you abound more and more. In what preceded he accepts the marvel of their firm faith, but here he regulates their life. For this is proficiency, even to go beyond the commandments and the statutes. For no longer from the constraint of a teacher, but from their own voluntary choice, is all this performed. For as the earth ought not to bear only what is thrown upon it, so too ought the soul not to stop at those things which have been inculcated, but to go beyond them. Do you see that he has properly said to go beyond? For virtue is divided into these two things, to decline from evil, and to do good. For the withdrawal from evil is not sufficient for the arrival at virtue, but it is a kind of path, and a beginning leading thereto; still we have need of great alacrity. The things therefore to be avoided he tells them in the order of commandment. And justly. For these things indeed being done bring punishment, but not being done, yet bring no praise. The acts of virtue however, such as to give away our goods, and such like, are not of the order of commandment, he says. But what? He that is able to receive, let him receive. [[Matthew 19.12]] It is profitable, therefore, that as he with much fear and trembling had given these commandments to them, he also by these letters reminds them of that his care. Wherefore he does not repeat them, but reminds them of them.

For you know, he says, what charge we gave you through our Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. And observe how he nowhere so vehemently glances at any other thing, as at this. As elsewhere also he writes to this effect; Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord. [[Hebrews 12.14]] And why do you wonder, if