1 Thessalonians 5:12 Commentary and Bible Study

Here is Paul’s compendium of conduct. The apostle can be so concise. Of course writing under inspiration, when he chooses he can express things so tersely and economically as he does in the verses which follow. This is a treasury of concise exhortation, all our duties in short compass. Some of the great divines of the 18th century who would make quite long lists of Christian duties and very fine lists too. You think of Jonathan Edwards and his 70 resolutions. He began to compile them as a very young man and determined he would keep them. But under the inspiration of God – and this is no criticism of Jonathan Edwards – you have a compendium of conduct in just a few verses from here to the end of the chapter, and this is practical and much more memorable. What the first counsel amounts to is: be teachable, be inclined to hear. It is God’s will and appointment that there are teachers in the church. Recognise and accept that God has appointed teachers in the church of Christ. We are told that the culture of cities like that of the Thessalonians was that in those idolatrous times, with their polytheism, there was a dictatorial society, and it was generally resented. Consequently, the general attitude of people was to be quietly resentful of leaders or teachers. But no, we are to recognise that in the church of Christ there is appointed leadership. We could turn to Hebrews 13 where the language is even a little stronger. Verse 7 reads: ‘Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation,’ their conduct. Then in verse 17 – ‘Obey them that have the rule over you,’ and we will consider the word ‘obey’. ‘And submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable to you.’Be teachable does not mean, ‘Submit to personal authority.’ It is a matter of being teachable to the Word of God. They labour, and the word for heavy toil is used. So the teacher must work hard at it and at his work and at ministering all together. If he does not, he should not be teaching. Recognise those, you might say, who are hardworking among you. ‘And are over you’ or stand before you. You could translate the Greek, ‘in the Lord’ as, ‘insofar as they represent him and his word, and they do it humbly and faithfully.’ Then for all that is in you, be disposed to be helped by them and to be directed by them, not only in the teaching in the doctrine, but in the exhortation too.’