1 Thessalonians 5:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In the Epistle to the Galatians he says: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one” (Gal 6:1). Even before them he exhorts the Thessalonians to the same thing, saying, “Therefore comfort one another and edify one another, just as you are doing.” And again: “Admonish the disorderly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak” (1 Thess 5:14).

Someone might say, “Why should I care about others? Let the one who perishes perish, and let the one who is saved be saved. This has nothing to do with me. I have been commanded to look after myself.” Lest anyone say this, Paul desired to uproot such a savage and inhuman thought. He set such laws against it, commanding us to overlook many of our own concerns in order to order the affairs of our neighbors. He requires such strictness of life in everything.

So also in the Epistle to the Romans he commands great care for this duty. He sets the strong as fathers, as it were, over the weak, and exhorts them to care for their salvation (Rom 15:1).

Here he says this by way of exhortation and counsel. Elsewhere he shakes the souls of his hearers with great force. He says that those who neglect the salvation of the brethren sin against Christ Himself and destroy the building of God (1 Cor 8:12).

He does not say this of himself, but according to the instruction of the Teacher. For the Only-begotten Son of God also wished to show how binding this duty is. He also showed that great calamities await those who refuse to fulfill it. He said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Mt 18:6).

The man who brought the talent was punished not because he neglected something of his own, but because he did not care for the salvation of his neighbors.

Thus, even if everything in our own life were well ordered, there would be no profit for us. That sin alone is enough to cast us into the abyss of Gehenna.

If no excuse will save those who refused to help their neighbor in bodily needs, then, even if they had accomplished the struggle of virginity, they will still be cast out of the bridal chamber. What, then, will be suffered by the one who neglected something far greater? For care for the soul is much greater.

God created man not so that he should benefit only himself, but that he should benefit many others also. Therefore Paul calls believers “lights” (Phil 2:15), showing that they must be useful to others as well. A light would not be a light if it illumined only itself.

For this reason he calls those who neglect their neighbors worse even than pagans, in these words: “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8).

What does he mean here by the words “does not provide”? Does he mean the supplying of necessities? I think he means care for the soul. If you do not agree, then my opinion becomes still stronger. For if he says this about the body, and delivers such a man to punishment, calling him worse than pagans because he does not provide this daily food, where will there be room for the man who neglects what is greater and more necessary?

Second, he calls them those who preside. This denotes pastoral governance, that is, supervision over the moral and religious order, and the rule and guidance of pastors both in church assemblies and in the ordinary life of believers.

Third, the Apostle calls them those who admonish. This clearly denotes pastoral teaching.

As for the flock, the Apostle commands them two chief duties in relation to pastors.

First, to know them. This means to acknowledge their position of headship and authority, to recognize one's dependence on them, and likewise the duty of obedience to them.

Conversely, this forbids everything sometimes expressed negatively by the crude phrase, "I do not want to know him."

Second, he commands them to esteem pastors very highly in love. This means obeying them not merely from propriety or cold duty, but from a heartfelt and free disposition toward them.

By the same feeling they should care for the needs and necessities of pastors, "for their work," that is, for their threefold labors in sacred service, governance, and teaching.

"Be at peace among yourselves." What special shades of meaning do the Slavonic and Russian texts, and some Greek manuscripts, give to this apostolic saying?

In the Slavonic text one hears more strongly the Apostle's command concerning inward peace with God and one's conscience. It is as though the Apostle were saying, "Be at peace within yourselves."

The Russian text speaks of mutual peace among members of the community: "Be at peace among yourselves."

Finally, according to some Greek manuscripts, one should read not "among yourselves" (ἐν ἐἀυτοίϛ), but "with them" (ὲν ἀυτοίϛ), that is, with the pastors.

In that case the connection between the Apostle's thoughts will be this: above he says that pastors must be loved, and here he adds that, for the sake of this love, peace with pastors must never be broken.

This applies, for example, in cases of rebuke and reproof on their part.

"Do you see," says one interpreter, "how the Apostle foresees the possibility that displeasure might arise against teachers? By reproving what is bad and restraining from evil, they incur hostility, despite everyone's duty to love them" (Oecumenius).

Yet in all the readings one hears the same apostolic command concerning peace in every direction: peace with pastors, and under their guidance and guardianship, peace among ourselves and within ourselves (Bishop Theophan).

Do not despair, O man. Come to God, Who did not spare even His own Son. Do not fear present afflictions.

If we die, we shall live. For He Himself also died, and behold, He is alive. Therefore, whether we die or live, we shall live together with Him.

Let us therefore do everything for that life. Let us fulfill everything with our gaze fixed upon it. Let us not fall asleep. Let us not say, 'from this side nothing threatens us, nor from that.'

Often we are robbed from where we did not expect it. Let us not become drunk. Let us not be glutted. Let us not rush madly upon outward goods. Let us remain sober.

The abyss of evil is deep. The precipices are great. Dense darkness is below. The way is narrow.

Let us attend to ourselves with fear. Let us walk with trembling.

The way is narrow. When we must give account for words, thoughts, deeds, and everything, then truly such a way is narrow.

But whoever has learned to restrain himself will not complain of constraint. When we have the possibility of correcting ourselves and do not correct ourselves, who will pity us? No one.

Let us therefore have mercy on ourselves. It lies in our power for God to have mercy on us. If we do what is worthy of His love for mankind, God will have mercy on us."

Thus mutual instruction in the spirit of faith and mutual encouragement toward life according to faith is an apostolic institution in the Church.

“Since teachers cannot themselves teach everyone everything, the Apostle gives them a rule that they should comfort and teach one another” (Oecumenius). “Do you see? Why then do you excuse yourself by saying, ‘I am not a teacher’?” (Theophylact).

At this text Chrysostom chiefly dwells on awakening attention to one’s own deeds and feelings, and to the path along which one must walk. His discourse is detailed and powerful.

It may be recommended for frequent reading to anyone who does not wish to fall asleep on the path. It is also a model of mutual encouragement toward sober life. We shall cite it in shortened form.

“Therefore I beseech you,” he says, “let us always conduct ourselves so that we never fall asleep. Have you not seen that a long watch has often remained useless because those keeping guard yielded to sleep for a short time?

“Through this brief sleep they lost everything, giving great boldness to the one attempting theft. Just as we do not watch thieves as much as they watch us, so the devil watches us most of all, lies in wait, and gnashes his teeth.

“Therefore let us not fall asleep. Let us not say: from this side nothing threatens us, nor from that side. Often we are robbed from where we did not expect it. So also with evil, we may perish from where we did not expect it.

“Let us examine everything carefully. Let us not become drunk, and we shall not fall asleep. Let us not be filled to excess, and we shall not doze. Let us not rush madly toward outward goods, and we shall remain sober.

“Let us guard ourselves on every side. Those who walk on a stretched rope cannot be even a little careless. From that little carelessness comes a great evil. Having slipped, they immediately fall down and perish.

“So we too must not remain careless. We walk on a narrow path surrounded by cliffs on both sides, where two feet cannot stand together. Do you see how much caution is needed?

“Do you not see that those walking on a path surrounded by cliffs not only step carefully with their feet, but also watch attentively with their eyes?

“Even if the walker steps in a certain place apparently with care, and even if his foot stands firmly, an eye clouded because it has looked into the abyss can cast him down.

“He must think both about himself and about how he steps. Therefore it is said: ‘Do not turn to the right or to the left’ (Prov 4:27).

“The abyss of evil is deep, the cliffs are great, the darkness below is thick, and the path is narrow. Let us attend to ourselves with fear. Let us walk with trembling.

“No one who journeys along such a path gives himself to laughter or burdens himself with drunkenness. He walks such a path soberly and attentively.

“No one walking such a path carries anything superfluous. Blessed is the man who, being well girded, can pass along it safely. No one in such a case binds his own feet, but leaves them free.

“But we bind ourselves with countless cares and place upon ourselves countless worldly burdens. Since we are inattentive and distracted, how can we hope to pass along so narrow a path?

“The path is narrow. When we must give account for words, thoughts, deeds, and everything, then such a path is truly narrow.

“But we make it still narrower by fattening and broadening ourselves and stepping with a careless foot. A narrow path is difficult for everyone, but especially for the fat.

“By contrast, one who wastes himself away will not even feel the narrowness. He who has learned to constrain himself will not complain of constraint.

“Therefore let no one expect to see heaven while living in softness. This is impossible. Let no one hope to pass along the narrow path while living in luxury. This is impossible.

“Let no one walking on the broad path hope to attain life. If you see someone delighting himself with baths, an expensive table, or many servants, do not count yourself unfortunate because you do not have these things.

“Rather, pity him, because he is walking the path of destruction. Let us count blessed not those who live in luxury, but those who do not live in luxury. The latter hasten to heaven, the former to Gehenna.

“Sometime we must rouse ourselves. We must open our eyes, awaken, occupy ourselves with eternal life, and interrupt the long sleep. There is judgment, punishment, resurrection, and examination of deeds.

“The Lord comes on the clouds. ‘A fire will burn before Him, and around Him a mighty tempest’ (Ps 49:3). A river of fire flows before Him.

“There are the undying worm, the unquenchable fire, the outer darkness, and the gnashing of teeth. There is eternal torment without consolation, and there will be no defender.

“Who will pity, says Scripture, a charmer bitten by a serpent (Sir 12:13)? When we do not pity ourselves, who will pity us? Tell me.

“When we have the possibility of correction and do not correct ourselves, who will feel sorry for us? No one. Let us then pity ourselves.

“When we pray to God and say, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord,’ let us say this also to ourselves, and let us have mercy on ourselves.

“It is in our power for God to have mercy on us. He Himself has granted this to us. If we do what is worthy of mercy, worthy of His love for mankind, then God will have mercy on us.

“But if we do not have mercy on ourselves, who will feel sorry for us?”