March 11, 2007

Thessalonian Nuggets - 1Th 4:13b
Eschaton Hope!

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” (1Th 4:13)

1Thessalonians 4:13 is arguably the most important verse in this epistle because (1) it informs us of the purpose why Paul writes to the Thessalonians which is their ignorance of a defective eschatology (2) and it introduces Paul's teaching or corrective of the relationship between the resurrection and the Parousia (Coming) of Christ.

Paul received a report from Timothy on the situation of the church (1Thess. 3:6). He is informed that recently members of the church have died, and they have been grieving in such a manner that the apostle Paul finds incongruent with Christian eschatology.

There are two significant matters in this verse:

1. The Ignorance which is the cause of grief
2. Nature of hope

Though these two are related and needs to be seen together, we will address them one by one in separate articles. The Thessalonian ignorance will be taken up when we examine v.13a and vv. 14-18 asking what is the substance or cause of ignorance (agnoein) on the part of the Thessalonians.

Our concern in this article is the nature of "hope" (elpis), which some have seen as emphasizing a general hope of an afterlife; an objective hope found in Christ; and/or a Christian feeling of hope.

Paul contrasts the hope they should be experiencing with those who are most certainly pagans, “like the rest who have no hope” (kathos kai hoi loipoi hoi me echontes elpida).

The Roman pagan world at this time only had pockets of people (mystery cults and certain philosophers) who believed in the immortality of the soul. But the vast majority of people did not have any belief in an afterlife, but rather the disposition of most pagans was one of pessimism. This is demonstrated by inscriptions, epigrams, poems and other literature, and letters. (For some poignant citations of these sources see Gene Green’s commentary on the Thessalonians. pp. 217-19).

Given that the context of v.13 is followed by a discussion of our Lord’s resurrection as the basis of our own, I believe that the hope that Paul refers to is much more than a hope for an afterlife--it is the experiential hope based on the object of that afterlife, Christ, “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). This hope the pagans do not possess and thus the exhortation not to grieve hopelessly but rather to "encourage each other with these words” (1Th 4:18; also, 2:19; 5:8).

As ancients in the Roman world faced the cold, pessimistic, and hopeless reality of death, postmoderns today deal with it in an opposite way: they don’t talk about it, and when it must be addressed they sugar coat it or mythologize death. Just go into your local Hallmark card shop and read the sympathy cards, even the "Christian" cards lack any Biblical substance. Here is a card titled, "Starry Sky,”

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones shines down to let us know they are with us.

What? Our love ones are "openings in Heaven"? What a pitiful delusion! This is postmodernism my friends expressed in the denial of death.

Here is another one,

Seashells remind us that every passing life leaves something beautiful behind. May beauty live on in your memories and bring you peace. With Deepest Sympathy

Possibly this is why in our times we avoid taking walks in the cemetery and pretend it does not exist when we drive by them. The modern world cannot possibly understand why Paul would say it is better to be with the Lord. Paul lived in the light of the eschaton breaking into his present world. We must live likewise brothers and sisters.

And I dare say that the church lacks a proper eschatology as well. If you ever hear a fellow believer say that this subject is not important, please stand firm and correct them on their errant thinking. Both what Christ did for us in the past, and what he will do in the future must intersect with our present Christian life.

In the first century the Jews believed that the Messiah would come and mete out wrath on the nations; rather the Messiah had wrath meted out upon himself! But thanks be to God for his death and resurrection that will be the basis for our deliverance at Christ's Second Coming when he metes out wrath upon the nations. If your believing love ones die before the Parousia be hopeful and cling tightly to our promised hope--in which the pagans can only despair. It is not mere worldly hope with no promise of fulfillment. It is not simply a word of enouragement. Nor is it a temporal hope that only repeats itself. It is promise-fulfillment hope; it is the true Word; and it is eternal hope.

We must live daily with eschaton-love, eschaton-faith, and eschaton-hope!