1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THOSE THAT SLEEP IN JESUS. 1. Sleep is a metaphor used by sacred and profane writers. The ancient Christians called their place of burial Koimetrion "sleeping place." The figure is applied to the death of the wicked, but more frequently to that of the righteous (Isaiah 57:2). Fitly is death so called as signifying rest (Revelation 14:13), and as preparatory to waking. 2. Death is called a sleeping "in Jesus" in conformity with 1 Corinthians 15:18, 23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 11:13. To sleep in Christ, to be Christ's, to die in Christ, to die in the faith, all mean the same; to die in the state of true Christians as to be "in Christ" (John 15:4; Romans 13:1), means to be a Christian. And it is observable that we share all Christ's acts — die, rise, ascend, etc. with Him. 3. Some think that this is the sleep of the soul, but, on the contrary, Scripture applies the figure invariably to the body (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 27:52; Acts 13:36); and it is inconsistent with those passages which clearly affirm the soul to be awake (Luke 16:22, 23; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:6). II. WHAT IS MEANT BY GOD'S BRINGING WITH HIM THEM THAT SLEEP IN JESUS. 1. The death and resurrection of Christ are an argument and proof of ours. Christ's death is mentioned as part of the argument because the truth of the miracle of the resurrection depends upon it. If Christ did not die He could not have risen. The resurrection is shown in 1 Corinthians 15:20 to be the pledge and first fruits of ours. And that Christ intended to lay great stress upon this argument, appears in that He foretold it so often as the great sign He would give to the Jews to confute their infidelity (John 2:18, 19; Matthew 12:39, 40). Christ's resurrection gives us satisfaction in general of immortality, and then of His power to raise us because He raised Himself. And then it assures us of His truth and fidelity that He will perform what He promised. He could not have promised anything more improbable than His own resurrection; and, therefore, since He kept His word in this, there is no reason to distrust Him in anything else that He has promised (Revelation 1:18; Revelation 3:14). 2. Wherein the blessedness of the just shall consist. (1) In the mighty change which shall be made in our bodies and the glorious qualities with which they shall be invested. (a) "Equal to the angels" in immortal duration, and "children of God" in the perfect possession of His happiness (Luke 20:35, 36). (b) Fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ (Philippians 4:20). (c) (1 Corinthians 15:35, etc.). (2) In the consequent happiness of the whole man, the body purified from frailty and corruption, and the soul from sin, and both admitted to the sight and enjoyment of the ever-blessed God (Revelation 21:2-4, 27; Revelation 22:3, 4). (Abp. Tillotson.) Parallel Verses KJV: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. |
    |