25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:25–28 (ESV)
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” — Dr. Seuss
“ I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” — Charles M. Schulz
“Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.” — William Shakespeare
“So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night. I hate to go and leave this pretty sight. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu. Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you.” – Oscar Hammerstein II
Have you ever told someone you loved goodbye without using the exact word? Perhaps saying “goodbye” was too final or too painful; perhaps more so for you than for them. Goodbye acknowledges a conclusion, a closing, a finish, a finale.
It may be a song; the crescendo and final chord to A Day in the Life by Lesson and McCartney for example. Or, it could be a concluding line of dialogue by one character to another in a favorite movie; “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
The Apostle Paul wrote to a grieving church (I Thess. 4:13). There is a slight sense of sadness in the tone of Paul’s final words. He said goodbye without saying the word. Perhaps it was too final for him. Perhaps it was too painful for him. So, what did Paul finally say to this faithful church?
“Brothers, pray for us.” The encourager requests encouragement; not only for himself but also for his companions Silas and Timothy (I Thess. 1:1). The missionary trio prayed for the Thessalonian church (3:6-13). Paul strongly requested the church to pray for them. Even regarding personal needs, the apostle’s commands continue.
Dr. R. C. Sproul says, “In 1 Thessalonians 5:25, Paul asks the Thessalonian Christians to pray for him and his companions. We tend to have high view of the Apostles, and rightly so. However, we err if we think that they were invincible or had no need of help in their mission. Paul relied on the intercession of his fellow Christians to sustain him in ministry.”
“Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.” To greet (ἀσπάσασθε; aspasasthe) is an aorist middle, plural, and imperative verb. It is a total resolve to be personally, collectively and obediently followed. To greet means to welcome and be happy to see a fellow believer; brother or sister in Christ. This is to be done everywhere and at any appropriate time and occasion.
Therefore, when we see a fellow believer at church, the grocery store, at work, school, or in the community we are to be happy to see them, say hello to them, and not ignore them. We disobey this biblical command when we see a fellow believer walking down an aisle in a grocery store and we immediately turn around and go to another aisle in order to avoid any verbal or physical contact with this person. How do you feel when someone does such a thing to you?
The phrase holy kiss (φιλήματι ἁγίῳ; philemati hagio) refers to a special expression of affection and appreciation. This act is not to be done sensually but rather purely and divinely.
“Scripture often calls us to show love to one another in the church and gives us practical ways to do so (e.g., John 13:34–35; Gal. 6:2). One way we can love each other is with affectionate greetings. This does not necessarily require a kiss, for acceptable greetings vary from culture to culture. A handshake, hug, or other expression of camaraderie can be appropriate,” comments Dr. Sproul.
“I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.” To place someone under oath (ἐνορκίζω; enorkizo) requires an individual, or individuals, to fulfill a task or responsibility. The Thessalonian church leaders were to presently, actively, collectively and obediently read Paul’s letter to all the believers in the city. Presumably this meant to read the letter aloud so all could hear.
“The Apostle wanted all the Christians in Thessalonica to hear his instruction because of its authority for every believer (2 Tim. 3:16–17). He intended his words to be preserved by the church, and we must continue to do this until Christ returns,” continues Dr. Sproul.
As a final benediction, the Apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy concluded their letter as they initiated it. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Cf. 1:1). Grace (χάρις; charis) refers to God’s unmerited favor. It is solely sourced, in the context, from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This was how Paul and his faithful companions chose to concluded the letter by the prompting of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
“Paul ends his epistle by calling for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to be with the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5:28). This is a fitting prayer, for the Thessalonians were trophies of grace won by the Savior. Their firm belief in the gospel and their turning from idols proved that divine grace had given them spiritual life (Ch. 1). This same grace fueled Paul’s ministry among the Thessalonians, for it drove him to seek God’s approval and moved the elect in Thessalonica to believe the Apostle’s preaching even though doing so brought much affliction (Ch. 2). Our Lord’s grace preserved the Thessalonians in faith during Paul’s absence from them, and it guided them (and us) to flee sexual immorality and to work hard for the sake of the church’s witness (3:1–4:12). In His grace, Christ will bring all those who have rested in Him alone for salvation into the fullness of His blessings when He returns to consummate His kingdom and complete the transformation of His people that He has begun (4:13–5:28). We can count on God’s grace to do these things for us as well,” concludes Dr. Sproul.
Trusting the Lord has strengthened your faith by this study in I Thessalonians. May the Lord’s truth and grace always be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord. Remember, this no goodbye, but until we meet again.
Soli deo Gloria!
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