Homilies on First Thessalonians

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->1 Thessalonians 4:13

“But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep; that you sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope.”

There are many things which from ignorance alone cause us sorrow, so that if we come to understand them well, we banish our grief. This therefore Paul also showing, says, “I would not have you ignorant, that you sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope.” Is it on this account you would not have them ignorant? But wherefore do you not speak of the punishment that is laid up? Ignorant, says he, of the doctrine of the Resurrection. But why? This is manifest from the other, and is admitted. But meanwhile, together with that, there will also be this not inconsiderable gain. For since they did not disbelieve the Resurrection, but nevertheless bewailed, on this account he speaks. And he discourses indeed with those who disbelieve the Resurrection in one way, but with these in another. For it is manifest that they knew, who were enquiring about the “times and seasons.”

Ver. 14. “For if we believe,” he says, “that Jesus died and rose again,” and lived, “even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”

Where are they who deny the Flesh? For if He did not assume Flesh, neither did He die. If He did not die, neither did He rise again. How then does he exhort us from these things to faith? Was he not then according to them a trifler and a deceiver? For if to die proceeds from sin, and Christ did not sin, how does he now encourage us? And now, concerning whom does he say, O men, for whom do ye mourn? For whom do ye sorrow? For sinners, or simply for those who die? And why does he say, “Even as the rest, which have no hope”? For whom do the rest mourn? So that to them all these things are vapid. “The firstborn from the dead”, he says, the first-fruits. Therefore there must also be others left. And see how here he introduces nothing from reasonings, because they were docile. For in writing to the Corinthians, he started many things also from reasonings, and then he added, “You fool, that which you sow is not quickened.” For this is more authoritative, but it is when he converses with the believer. But with him who is without, what authority would this have? “Even so,” he says, “them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” Again, “fallen asleep”: he nowhere says, the dead. But with respect to Christ, his words are, “He died,” because there followed mention of the Resurrection, but here “them that are fallen asleep.” How “through Jesus”? Either that they fell asleep through Jesus, or that through Jesus will He bring them. The phrase “that fell asleep through Jesus” means the faithful. Here the heretics say, that he is speaking of the baptized. What place then is there for “even so”? For Jesus did not fall asleep through Baptism. But on what account does he say, “them that are fallen asleep”? So that he is discoursing not of a general Resurrection, but of a partial one. Them that are fallen asleep through Jesus, he says, and thus he speaks in many places.

Ver. 15. “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.”

Speaking concerning the faithful, and them “which are fallen asleep in Christ”; and again, “the dead shall rise in Christ.” Since his discourse is not concerning the Resurrection only, but both concerning the Resurrection and concerning the honor in glory; all then shall partake of a Resurrection, he says, but not all shall be in glory, only those in Christ. Since therefore he wishes to comfort them, he comforts them not with this only, but also with the abundant honor, and with its speedy arrival, since they knew that. For in proof that he wishes to comfort them with the honor, as he goes on, he says, “And we shall be ever with the Lord”: and “we shall be caught up in the clouds.”

But how do the faithful fall asleep in Jesus? It means having Christ within themselves. But the expression, “He shall bring with Him,” shows that they are brought from many places. “This.” Something strange he was about to tell them. On this account he also adds what makes it worthy of credit; “From the word of the Lord,” he says, that is, we speak not of ourselves, but having learned from Christ, “That we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.” Which also he says in his Epistle to the Corinthians; “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” Here he gives a credibility to the Resurrection by the manner also [in which it will occur].

For because the matter seems to be difficult he says that as it is easy for the living to be taken up, so also for the departed. But in saying “we,” he does not speak of himself, for he was not about to remain until the Resurrection, but he speaks of the faithful. On this account he has added, “We that are left unto the coming of the Lord shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.” As if he had said, Think not that there is any difficulty. It is God that does it. They who are then alive shall not anticipate those who are dissolved, who are rotted, who have been dead ten thousand years. But as it is easy to bring those who are entire, so is it also those who are dissolved.

But there are some who disbelieve the matter, because they know not God. For, tell me, which is the more easy, to bring one into being out of nothing, or to raise up again him that was dissolved? But what say they? A certain one suffered shipwreck and was drowned in the sea, and having fallen many fishes caught him, and each of the fish devoured some member. Then of these very fishes, one was caught in this gulf, and one in that, and this was eaten by one man, and that by another, while having in it the devoured pieces of flesh. And again, those who ate the fishes, that had eaten up the man, died in different places, and were themselves perhaps devoured by wild beasts. And— when there has been so great a confusion and dispersion— how shall the man rise again? Who shall gather up the dust? But wherefore do you say this, O man, and weavest strings of trifles, and makest it a matter of perplexity? For tell me, if the man had not fallen into the sea, if the fish had not eaten him, nor the fish again been devoured by numberless men— but he had been preserved with care in a coffin, and neither worms nor anything else had disturbed him, how shall that which is dissolved rise again? How shall the dust and ashes be again conglutinated? Whence shall there be any more its bloom for the body? But is not this a difficulty?