1 Thessalonians 4:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does it mean that the Apostle, after speaking much with them about chastity, and intending to speak just as fully about the need to work and not grieve over the dead, seems to set aside love, the head of all good things?

He says, "We have no need to write to you." This also proceeds from his great prudence and spiritual wisdom. By this he accomplishes two things.

First, he shows that this virtue is so necessary that there is no need even to learn it, since everyone knows what has special importance for all.

Second, by speaking in this way, he instructs them more than if he had addressed them directly with edification. By supposing that they lead a righteous life, even if they did not live so, he more quickly brings them to it.

"But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you." The Apostle is no longer speaking of love toward all, but of love toward the brethren.

By the very omission he already exhorts them, accomplishing two things. First, this matter is so necessary that it needs no instruction, for everyone knows that it has special importance for all.

Second, by this he instructs them more strongly, urging them not to fall below the opinion he had of them, as though he already considered them corrected. "For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another."

See how he praises them, saying that God Himself teaches them this virtue. The prophet also said this: "They shall all be taught by God" (Isa 45:3; Jer 31:34).

By this very grace it comes about that we not only know what should be done, but also do what we have learned to be our duty. We not only believe what should be loved, but also love what we have believed.

If this grace must be called teaching, then let it certainly be so called. Thus it will be understood that God instills it with ineffable sweetness more deeply and firmly.

He does this not only through those who plant and water outwardly, but also through Himself. He secretly governs the increase of His fruit in such a way that He not only shows the truth, but also grants love.

For God teaches those who are called according to His purpose (cf. Rom 8:28) in this way. At the same time, He gives them to know what they do and to do what they know.

Therefore the Apostle says the following to the Thessalonians: "Concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another."

Concerning brotherly love, though there is no need to write to you, since you yourselves were doing this, nevertheless we teach you this...

By brotherly love the Apostle here means generosity in monetary almsgiving. Of this he said that they had no need of instruction, because they were progressing in it by the grace of God.

The holy Apostle, like a true spiritual physician, saw that this disease, arising from the spirit of despondency, was spreading even in his own time. Or, by the Holy Spirit, he foresaw that it would arise among monks.

He hastens to forestall it with the saving medicine of his commandments. For when he wrote to the Thessalonians, he first treated the weakness of the sick with a gentle and mild word, like a most skillful and perfect physician.

He began with love and praised them in this respect. Thus the mortal wound, bound with a soothing remedy, would lose the swelling of indignation and more easily endure sharp medicines.

These words in no way confirm the false teaching of heretics who reject human instruction and imagine about themselves that they are taught by God Himself.

Being taught by God is presented here as a higher state, one not attained by everyone and not in every respect. Before this state, the Thessalonians received commandments from men, from the Apostles, as is clear from verses 1-2 of this chapter; cf. 2:12.

Having been perfected by the grace of God in brotherly love, they had not been so perfected in the other virtues that the Apostle had no reason to ask them and beseech them, chapter 4, verse 1.

Nor were they so perfected that he need not keep them from ignorance, verse 13, or adjure them, 5:27. In a word, he still had to use his human instruction in relation to them.

In the moral and dogmatic section, the holy Apostle Paul offers the Thessalonians various instructions according to Timothy's report about their moral state. Then he reasons with them about the lot of those who died before the Lord's second coming. Finally, he prevents possible moral failings among the Thessalonians and heals actual ones.

The Apostle gives instruction that the will of God is our sanctification. Therefore the Thessalonians must abstain from fornication, knowing how to keep their vessel, the body, in holiness and honor.

He also instructs them not to act unlawfully or covetously toward their brother in anything. On the contrary, they are to live quietly, attend to their own affairs, work with their own hands, and be in need of nothing (1 Thess 4:1-12).

The Apostle does not speak at length about brotherly love, finding that it is sufficiently manifested among them. This is seen both in their mutual relations and toward the inhabitants of all Macedonia, by which he probably means a general Christian influence.

Yet the Apostle commands them to abound in love, for the work of love is too great for anyone quickly to become fully perfected in it.

St John Chrysostom says, "What does it mean that the Apostle seems to set aside love, the foundation of every virtue, saying, 'There is no need to write about this'?

"This proceeds from his great prudence and spiritual wisdom. For by supposing that they lead a righteous life, even if they did not live so, and therefore not urging them toward it, he more quickly brings them to such a life.

Then, turning again to the shortcomings observed in the life of the Thessalonians, the Apostle exhorts them to live quietly and attend to their own work. He also urges them not to trouble the Gentiles by their conduct. This instruction was all the more necessary for the Thessalonians because many of them, in view of the nearness of Christ’s coming and the manifestation of His glorious kingdom, had completely abandoned their occupations. They began to wander idly through the city, provoking complaints among the Gentiles against Christianity in general. See 2 Thess 3:9.

The brethren whose love is mentioned here are Christians, as is clear from the following verse (10). "He does not speak of love toward all, but of love toward the brethren" (Chrysostom).

Moreover, he speaks of love not as a feeling, but as brother-loving action. "The Apostle indicated here generosity in monetary almsgiving" (Theodoret).

If works of this kind immediately came to characterize the Thessalonians, it is clear how fully they had received the spirit of Christianity. All Christians, by receiving the Spirit of grace, become one.

Being united in spirit, they commune in mutual beneficence, directing it especially toward those in need. Yet love for the brethren is commanded to Christians everywhere in the epistles (Rom 12:10; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22).