1 Thessalonians 5:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here the Apostle shows that remaining amid the daylight depends on us. Here, I mean in the ordinary day and night, it does not depend on us.

Night comes even against our will, and sleep comes against our desire. But with that night and that sleep it is not so.

One can watch without ceasing. One can remain constantly amid the day. To close the spiritual eyes and surrender to sinful sleep is not a matter of nature, but of free choice.

"But let us watch," he says, "and be sober." Even one who watches may sleep if he does not do good. Therefore he added, "and let us be sober."

Indeed, even by day, if someone is awake but not sober, he can fall into countless dangers. Therefore sobriety is the intensification of watchfulness.

That is, let us not be negligent in good works. The strengthening of watchfulness is sobriety. For one may be awake and yet not sober. Therefore the Apostle is saying, as it were: let us do good works soberly and attentively.

Therefore let us not sleep with respect to good conduct, as do the rest, who do not await that day. Rather, let us watch through our works and be sober through our faith.

"Therefore let us not sleep, as do the rest," that is, those enslaved to impiety, "but let us watch and be sober." Then the Apostle draws benefit from what happens in ordinary life.

Sleep must not act upon the body in a slackening way, but serve only as rest for the vital powers. Therefore one should yield to it not from attachment to carefree idleness, but for repose from labors. A sleeping man is capable of nothing. He is silent as death. Therefore we must often rise from bed even at night and glorify God. Blessed are those who keep watch in the name of God. They become like those angels whom we call watchers.

Let the most holy day be honored by us, the day on which the Creator of our salvation appeared. And let us worship as Almighty in the heavens Him whom the Magi honored in the manger.

Like them, let us bring the mystical figures of gifts. For He Himself is the giver of all good things, yet He requires our fruit. Thus we too must draw from our hearts what is worthy of God.

This is what is obtained by labor. For the Kingdom of Heaven comes not to those who sleep, but to those who labor and keep watch in the commandments of God.

Therefore, if we bring Him gifts that are not barren, we shall deserve, through what He has given, to receive what He has promised.

The winged herald of day proclaims the approaching Light. Already Christ, awakening minds, calls us to life. Leave behind, He cries, your sickly couches, which bring on sleep and idleness. Keep watch, pure, honorable, and temperate. I am already very near.

"Therefore let us not sleep, as the others do, but let us watch ... being sons of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the hope of salvation" (1 Thess 5:6-8).

According to St. Chrysostom, "even one who watches may sleep if he does not do good." Therefore, by the words "let us not sleep as the others do," the Apostle teaches us not to give ourselves over to moral carelessness, like pagans who do not know Christ.

He teaches us not to forget the coming day of judgment. By the words "let us be sober," he calls us to active watchfulness, that is, to works of piety.

But it is still not enough merely to watch and be sober. One must also be armed, like a cautious and attentive soldier who keeps watch on guard duty.

"For," says St. Chrysostom, "if someone has no weapons, then even if he is watchful and sober, robbers can immediately kill him." In the moral life, this armor consists of faith, love, and hope.

Calling them to watchfulness, the Apostle commands them to be sober, not to sleep, and to put on the Christian armor: the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the hope of salvation.

By this he reminds them that the Christian's battle is not against external enemies, but against spiritual delusions and against the heart's betrayal of the fundamental Christian virtues.

If a Christian loses these, he loses everything. But when he is clothed in them, he is strong to defend himself and others at every time and in all circumstances.

This remains true however heavy the times may be, and however dangerous the trials of Christians may become.

Such are we according to our meaning and calling. But for each of us actually to be such, we must not sleep, but must watch and be sober.

"Let us not sleep." Let us not live in carelessness and forgetfulness of the day of judgment, like the rest who do not know Christ.

"Let us watch and be sober." Let us attend to ourselves, to what we ought to be and how we ought to act. Let us act watchfully, energetically, in accord with this.

Let us not permit evil thoughts, impure sympathies, sinful inclinations, passionate impulses, and vicious deeds. The Savior commands: "What I say to you, I say to all: watch" (Mk 13:37).

In another place He says: "Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with gluttony, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly.