1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 Commentary

1Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you
in Christ Jesus. (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: en panti eucharisteite; (2PPAM) touto gar thelema theou en Christo Iesou eis humas

Amplified: Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give
thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that
will]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
NIV: give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
NLT: No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ
Jesus. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: Be thankful, whatever the circumstances may be. If you follow this advice you will be working
out the will of God expressed to you in Jesus Christ. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: In everything be giving thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.

REFERENCES

Greg Allen 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 Personal Policies

Greg Allen 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give Thanks
Paul Apple 1 Thessalonians Commentary
Albert Barnes 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Art in Bible 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Brian Bell 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
John Calvin 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Oswald Chambers 1 Thessalonians 5:19 "Do Not Quench the Spirit"
Adam Clarke 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Thomas Constable 1 Thessalonians Commentary
W A Criswell 1 Thessalonians 5:17-25 Make It A Matter Of Prayer
Ron Daniel 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
James Denney 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Standing Orders of the Gospel
James Denney 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 The Spirit
John Eadie 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Charles Ellicott 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Explore the Bible 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28: Guidance in Godliness
George Findlay 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
John Frame 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Arno C Gaebelein 1 Thessalonians - Analysis and Annotation
John Gill 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Bruce Goettsche 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Simple but Difficult Christianity
Bruce Goettsche 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Maintaining Spiritual Growth
L W Grant 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
David Guzik 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Danny Hall 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 A Living Community
Matthew Henry 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
David Holwick 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Grumbling Or Gratitude?
David Holwick 1 Thessalonians 5:19-23 How the Spirit Speaks Today
Jamieson, F, B 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
 Hampton Keathley 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 Commentary
William Kelly 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Keith Krell 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 L.I.P. Live in Peace
Steve Lewis 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Giving Thanks in Everything
Steve Lewis 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In Everything Give Thanks
Steve Lewis 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Not Quenching the Holy Spirit
Steve Lewis 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Responding to God's Word
Alexander Maclaren 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Continual Prayer & Its Effect
John MacArthur 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Giving Thanks in Everything
John MacArthur 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In Everything Give Thanks
John MacArthur 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Not Quenching the Holy Spirit
John MacArthur 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Responding to God's Word
Ian Mackervoy 1 Thessalonians Commentary in simple English
J Vernon McGee 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 Commentary Mp3
J Vernon McGee 1 Thessalonians 5:19-28 Commentary Mp3
George Milligan 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
James Moffatt 1 Thessalonians 5:18ff -Expositor's Greek Testament - goto Page 42
Robert Morgan 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 In Everything Give Thanks
People's Com. 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
John Piper 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18: Pray Without Ceasing
Ray Pritchard 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Standing Orders of the Gospel
Grant Richison 1 Thessalonians 5:18 18b 19 20 Commentary
A T Robertson 1 Thessalonians 5 Word Pictures in the NT
Don Robinson 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Growing Spiritually: Continual Gratitude
Don Robinson 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Sweet Hour of Prayer #8: Thanksgiving
Don Robinson 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench Not the Spirit 9
Don Robinson 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Growing Spiritually: Careful Discernment
Gil Rugh 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
Rob Salvato 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Church Life 101
Charles Simeon 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Nature of True Religion
Charles Simeon 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench Not the Spirit
Chuck Smith 1 Thessalonians 5-18 God's Will for You - 1
Chuck Smith 1 Thessalonians 5:18 God's Will for You - 2
Chuck Smith 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Giving Thanks
Speaker's Com. 1 Thessalonians 5 Commentary
Ray Stedman 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Loving Christianly
Joe Stowell 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Being Thankful Anyway
Today in the Word 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 1Th 5:16-18; 1Th 5:16-24 Devotionals
Bob Utley 1 Thessalonians Commentary (Be a Berean - he is Amillennial)
Marvin Vincent 1 Thessalonians 5 Greek Word Studies
John Walvoord 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Christian Testimony in the Light of Lord s
Drew Worthen Return
Xenos 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 5:19-22
Steve Zeisler 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Gratitude & Spirituality
Precept Ministries 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Priorities for Life in the Body
RBC 1 Thessalonians Download Lesson 1 of 11
Knowing God Through Thessalonians

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: en panti eucharisteite (2PPAM): (Ephesians

5:20; Philippians 4:6;Colossians 3:17; Job 1:21; Psalms 34:1; Hebrews 13:15) (1Thes
4:3; 1Peter 2:15; 1Pe 4:2; 1Jn 2:17)

Paul exhorts the saints at Colossae to continually practice a God "aligned" attitude of
gratitude...

Whatever you do in word (lips) or deed (life), do all (Greek = pas = same word
in 1Th 5:18)in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through
Him (study) to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17-note)

The prime OT illustration of this supernatural response even in the face of

overwhelming troubles (If you think you're experiencing trials and afflictions read Job
1:13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) is Job who...

said, Naked I came from my mother s womb, and naked I shall return there. The
Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job
1:21)

Comment: Beloved, if this affirmation of Job does not convict you (And be
sure and read Job 1:22 if you're feeling smug! cp Php 2:14-note), then you
must already be glorified! And remember the OT saints did not have the
incredible resource we NT believers possess - the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ro
8:9-note)!

David steadfastly affirmed...

I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
(Psalm 34:1)

Spurgeon comments: I will bless the Lord at all times. He is resolved

and fixed, I will (Ed: God won't force us to choose thankfulness. It comes
down to a choice, but even that choice is motivated by His indwelling Spirit as
in Php 2:13-note); he is personally and for himself determined, let others so
as they may; he is intelligent in head and inflamed in heart -- he knows to
Whom the praise is due, and what is due, and for what and when.

To Jehovah, and not to second causes our gratitude is to be rendered. The

Lord hath by right a monopoly in His creatures praise. Even when a mercy
may remind us of our sin with regard to it, as in this case David's deliverance
from the Philistine monarch was sure to do, we are not to rob God of His
meed (a fitting return or recompense) of honour because our conscience
justly awards a censure to our share in the transaction. Though the hook was
rusty, yet God sent the fish, and we thank Him for it.

At all times, in every situation, under every circumstance, before, in and

 after trials, in bright days of glee, and dark nights of fear.

He would never have done praising, because never satisfied that he had
done enough; always feeling that he fell short of the Lord's deservings.

Happy is he whose fingers

are wedded to his harp.

He who praises God for mercies

shall never want a mercy for which to praise.

To bless the Lord is never unseasonable. His praise shall continually be in

my mouth, not in my heart merely, but in my mouth too.

Our thankfulness is not to be a dumb thing; it should be one of the

daughters of music. Our tongue is our glory, and it ought to reveal
the glory of God.

What a blessed mouthful is God's praise! How sweet, how purifying, how
perfuming! If men's mouths were always thus filled, there would be no
repining against God, or slander of neighbours.

If we continually rolled this dainty morsel under our tongue, the

bitterness of daily affliction would be swallowed up in joy.

God deserves blessing with the heart, and extolling with the mouth --

good thoughts in the closet

and
good words in the world.

So how does one emulate and exercise this Davidic attitude of gratitude?...

Through Him (through Christ, our Great High Priest - see study of through
Him = through Christ) then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to
God, that is, the fruit of lips (What does this imply? As physical fruit is borne by
abiding, so spiritual fruit is borne by us abiding in Christ and His Spirit in us - Gal
5:22-note, Gal 5:23-note, Jn 15:5) that give thanks to His Name. (Hebrews
13:15-note)

Chrysostom...

gave a practical illustration of this heroic temper by repeating (this attitude of

 gratitude), as he died in the extreme hardships of an enforced and painful exile.
(James Moffatt - Expositor's Greek Testament - goto Page 42)

See Related Resources:

Exposition of Ephesians 5:20 (Eph 5:20)
Exposition of Philippians 4:6 (Php 4:6)

A great many Christians although familiar with this command, have looked on it as a
sort of counsel of perfection which is out of reach of most of us mere mortals. We
offer our own practical paraphrase of Paul's command saying something like "in most
things give thanks" or "in some things give thanks" or "give thanks when you feel like
it"! Let's be honest, there are times when the thought of giving thanks is the farthest
thought from our mind. We would rather grumble and/or complain. And often we have
a "legitimate" (in the world's way of looking at things) reason to gripe. And so we
arrive at a "spiritual stalemate" because we really don't want to do what Paul is
commanding. It is at times like this what we need to remember the basic spiritual
"law" that God never asks us to do something that He doesn't enable us to
accomplish. Thanksgiving is often an act of sheer faith. Our intellect says "get upset
and complain." But the Spirit says, "give thanks in all things and at all times." If we
respond to the Spirit in faith (God allowed it and He will cause it to work out for good)
and genuinely give thanks (not legalistically but enabled by amazing grace), we are
blessed. We will cease fretting and a beautiful joy and confidence in God sets in.
Admittedly this describes the ideal response, and yet one that is within the reach of
every believer because we all possess the Spirit and access to just the necessary
amount of grace.

The opposite of giving thanks in all things is grumbling or murmuring, an attitude

and response Paul addressed in his letter to the Philippians...

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 (Paul explains why this response
is so important) that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,
children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the
word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did
not run in vain nor toil in vain. (See notes Philippians 2:14; 15; 16)

Comment: Notice that "non-grumbling" is not optional and is not just a

suggestion. Paul is commanding "non-grumbling" to be the believer's
continual response [present imperative]! Remember that when you murmur
about your circumstances, in the final analysis, you are murmuring against
the One Who has designed every circumstance of your life. So when the
urge to murmur comes over you [the old fleshwill always urge you in that
direction - see Gal 5:17-note], remember that you need to view the adverse
circumstances with eyes of faith and an eternal perspective [cf 2Cor
4:16, 17, 18], asking the question "Is God still on the throne?" Then make the
 volitional choice to "Give thanks in everything!"

Thanksgiving is also an excellent antidote for anxiety or worry as we deduce from

Paul's famous command in Philippians...

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with

thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (see note Philippians 4:6)

Robert Morgan illustrates this spiritual dynamic...

When her children were rebelling against the Lord, Ruth Bell Graham found
herself occasionally torn apart by worry. One night while abroad, she awoke
suddenly in the middle of the night worrying about her son. A current of worry
surged through her like an electric shock. She lay in bed and tried to pray, but
she suffered from galloping anxiety, one fear piling upon another. She looked at
the clock and it was around three o clock. She was exhausted, yet she knew she
would be unable to go back to sleep. Suddenly the Lord seemed to say to her,
"Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises."

She turned on the light, got out her Bible, and the first verses that came to her
were these, Philippians 4:6,7. As she read those words, she suddenly realized
that the missing ingredient in her prayers had been thanksgiving. "...in everything
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

She put down her Bible and spent time worshipping God for Who and what He is.
She later wrote, "I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in
the first place. I even thanked him for the difficult spots which had taught me so
much. And you know what happened? It was as if someone turned on the light in
my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries that had been nibbling away in
the darkness like mice and cockroaches hurriedly scuttled for cover. That was
when I learned that worship and worry cannot live in the same heart. They are
mutually exclusive." (In Everything Give Thanks)

James Moffatt wrote the following regarding 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18...

To comment adequately on these diamond drops would be an outline a history of

the Christian experience in its higher levels.

To the natural man who lives for this present world Paul gives a startling injunction.
As usual though Paul does not command them to do something he did not model for
them as testified by numerous passages...

Ro 1:8 (note) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because
your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
 1Cor 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was
given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all
speech and all knowledge,

Ep 1:16 (note) do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you
in my prayers;

Php 1:3 (note) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

Col 1:3 (note) We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you,

Philemon 1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers

In everything (3956) (pas) (first in the Greek for emphasis!) means no

exceptions! Every situation. All times. Every circumstance. Good. Bad. Happy. Sad.
This all inclusive emphatic adverbial phrase lifts this admonition above the level of
natural practice or possibility. The previous two commands are continuous as to time
(always) and this one is universal in scope.

Really Paul, this is not humanly possible! To which Paul would probably reply
"You're right. It's not. It's only superhumanly possible!" Okay I see it now -

It's impossible!
But it is...
Him-possible!
And so we're not surprised to see the attitude of gratitude associated with a Spirit
filled (controlled, enabled) saint for in the context of Eph 5:18-note, Paul lists one of
the "indicators" of Spirit filling writing that he or she is...

always (Same word as in 1Th 5:18 = pas = everything, no exceptions) giving

thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father
(Eph 5:20-note)

Notice that Paul say in everything not for everything give thanks. Paul is not calling
us to be thankful for the rebellious kids, or for the terminal illness, etc. The
preposition is in all things. In the midst of all things, we can give thanks because God
will enable us to do so.

God is sovereign and is over all adversity and all prosperity. The upshot is that
everything that is allowed into our lives either from His hand directly or is filtered
through His hands of perfect love and infinite wisdom. And so we can give thanks in
everything because He is still on the throne and is in control. He El Elyon: Most High
God, Sovereign Over All.

William Law wrote in 1729 in his famous book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy
Life wrote that...

If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness and all
perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God
for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming
calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it to a
blessing. Could you, therefore, work miracles, you could not do more for yourself
than by this thankful spirit, for it heals with a word speaking, and turns all that it
touches into happiness

Richison makes a distinction that...

There is a difference in giving thanks for everything and in everything. If we

gave thanks for everything that would mean that we give thanks for the Devil
and his plan for the world!

Neither do we give thanks necessarily after everything. It does not require much
faith to trace the hand of God with the benefit of hindsight. However, it takes faith
to accept one s lot with gratitude in the midst of circumstances...we need to have
the attitude of Samuel in 1Samuel 3:18,

Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It
is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.

Whatever comes in our lives comes in by the will of God, otherwise, He would
prevent it. God mixes with His divine compound the bitter and the sweet, the
good and the bad, in appropriate proportions so that they work together for good.
God knows just the right amount of sunshine and rain. He measures out these
things with great precision...(1 Thessalonians 5:18 )

God designs all circumstances for the benefit of the believer. God thinks about
your limitations. He knows the proper proportions of adversity that are right for
you. We should not concern ourselves with the portion given to someone else.
God works in each person s life differently.

He custom designs the structure of their circumstances by divine design. God

knows the straw that will break the camel s back. He will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you can bear, but He wants a tested product. Engineers of
today s automobiles test drive prototypes so that they know what these cars can
tolerate. God wants to bring out the best in us...
 God s providential plan for our lives includes all contingencies. God foresees
every circumstance that comes into our lives. Not only does He foresee
everything that happens to us, but He providentially plans or allows each situation
that comes into our lives.

There is no substitute for understanding the will of God for our suffering. Nothing
can come into our lives unless the Lord allows it. God must put His initials on
everything that comes into our state of affairs. We may give thanks through tears.

Our obligation is to believe God s Word about these matters. The Bible teaches
God s providential care of His creatures throughout the Scriptures. (1
Thessalonians 5:18b)

Montgomery writes that Paul commands a...

duty not dependent on gratifying times or circumstances. They must practice

thanksgiving in every circumstance

There is a silver lining to every cloud. God is with us whatever befalls us, as was so
beautifully recorded by William Cowper (John Piper's description of his life or Audio
version) in his hymn...

God Moves in a Mysterious Way (play)

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread,

Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain;

God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.

As John Piper asks

 How can we not be thankful when we owe everything to God? (A Godward Life)

Give thanks (2168)(eucharisteo [word study] from eucháristos = thankful,

grateful, well-pleasing - Indicates the obligation of being thankful to someone for a
favor done <> in turn from eú = well + charízomai = to grant, give.; English -
Eucharist) means to show that one is under obligation by being thankful. To show
oneself as grateful (most often to God in the NT).

Moulton and Milligan note that eucharisteo originally meant do a good turn to or
oblige, and in late Greek passed readily into the meaning be grateful, give
thanks . Giving thanks is the quality of being grateful, with the implication of also
having appropriate (Spirit filled) attitude.

This meaning is common in diplomatic documents in which the recipient of a favor

reciprocates with assurance of goodwill. It is also used o express appreciation for
benefits or blessings. Giving thanks was an important component of Greco-Roman
reciprocity as demonstrated by a copy of a letter written by the Emperor Claudius to a
Gymnastic Club expressing his gratification at games performed in his honour. The
word eucharista was also common on ancient inscriptions.

Thanksgiving expresses what ought never to be absent from any of our devotions.
We should always be ready to express our grateful acknowledgement of past mercies
as distinguished form the earnest seeking of future mercies.

TDNT writes that...

We first find eucharistos in the senses pleasant and

graceful. Eucharisteo means to show a favor, but this imposes a duty of
gratitude and the meaning to be thankful or to give thanks develops. We also
find the sense to pray.

The Greek world held thanksgiving in high esteem. With the ordinary use we find
a public use (gratitude to rulers) and a religious use (thanksgiving to the gods for
blessings). Thanks are also a constituent part of letters. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G.,
& Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans)

Don't miss the fact that give thanks is in the present imperative which calls for this
to be our habitual attitude and action! The active voice means that his is a personal
choice (enabled by grace and the Spirit) we each must make continually.

Spurgeon admits that...

I have not always found it easy to practice this duty; this I confess to my shame.
When suffering extreme pain some time ago, a brother in Christ said to me,
"Have you thanked God for this?" I replied that I desired to be patient, and would
 be thankful to recover. "But," said he, "in everything give thanks, not after it is
over, but while you are still in it, and perhaps when you are enabled to give
thanks for the severe pain, it will cease." I believe that there was much force in
that good advice. (Ed note: I agree but would add that even if the pain doesn't
cease, one's heart assumes a proper perspective to pain).

Paul writes to the saints at Colossae...

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks (present tense) through Him (Christ Jesus) to God the Father. (see
note Colossians 3:17)

The access we have is provided is through Him...

by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His
flesh (He 10:20-note).

F F Bruce comments that...

Ingratitude is one of the features of pagan depravity in Ro 1:21 (For even though
they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they
became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.); the
children of God are expected to abound in thanksgiving (Col 2:7-note; cf. Col
3:15, 17,4:2-see notes Col 3:15, 17; 4:2; Eph 5:4,20-see notes Ep 5:4, 20).
(Bruce, F F: 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word,
Incorporated. 1982 or Logos)

Hiebert adds that...

The Christian should meet adverse circumstances of life not with a spirit of stoic
resignation but with a spirit of unfailing gratitude. Paul and Silas had exemplified
this spirit when imprisoned at Philippi (Acts 16:25). Such an attitude is made
possible only by the grace of God. It can become a vital reality only when the
truth of Ro 8:28-note is experienced. When we realize that God works all things
out for good to those who love Him and are yielded to His will, thanksgiving under
all circumstances becomes a glorious possibility "He who can say `Amen' to the
will of God in his heart will be able to say 'Hallelujah' also."' It is typical of a life of
unbelief that it lacks thanksgiving (Ro 1:21-note), but a life united with God in
Christ Jesus is characterized by a spirit of thanksgiving (Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 &
2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)

Barnes notes that believers...

can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we
ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and
 frowning. Chrysostom, once the archbishop of Constantinople, and then driven
into exile, persecuted, and despised, died far away from all the splendours of the
capital, and all the comforts and honours which he had enjoyed, uttering his
favourite motto -- glory to God for all things. Bibliotheca Sacra, i. 700. So we may
praise God for everything that happens to us under his government. A man owes
a debt of obligation to him for anything which will recall him from his wanderings,
and which will prepare him for heaven. Are there any dealings of God towards
men which do not contemplate such an end? Is a man ever made to drink the cup
of affliction when no drop of mercy is intermingled? Is he ever visited with
calamity which does not in some way contemplate his own temporal or eternal
good? Could we see all, we should see that we are never placed in
circumstances in which there is not much for which we should thank God. And
when, in his dealings, a cloud seems to cover his face, let us remember the good
things without number which we have received, and especially remember that we
are in the world of redeeming love, and we shall find enough for which to be
thankful.

For this is the will of God. That is, that you should be grateful. This is what God is
pleased to require you to perform in the name of the Lord Jesus. In the gift of that
Saviour he has laid the foundation for that claim, and he requires that you should
not be unmindful of the obligation. (cf note Hebrews 13:15). (Barnes' Notes on
the New Testament)

J Vernon McGee writes that give thanks in everything means...

in all circumstances, not just once a year, but all the time. This "is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you." If you come to me and ask what is the will of
God for you, I can tell you three specific things that are the will of God for you:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. That is the
will of God for you. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas
Nelson or Logos)

Gary Delashmutt writes that...

The New Testament teaches that gratitude is related to spiritual health in two
different ways. We'll use a medical model to explore this . . .

(1) Gratitude is a thermometer that indicates the state of your spiritual health. A
thermometer is a tool that tells you whether you have one of the symptoms of
physical illness (fever). It is not a medicine. You don't put the thermometer in the
freezer and then stick it into your mouth to break your fever. You put it in your
mouth and it tells you if you have a fever. In the same way, the presence or
absence of gratitude in your dealings with God is one of the most reliable
indicators of your spiritual health. This is because it (along with serving love) is
the normal and natural result of personally understanding and receiving God's
 grace. Grace means charity a gift to the undeserving.

(2) Gratitude is a medicine that promotes your spiritual health. Gratitude is not a
feeling that dictates your choices; it is a choice that affects your feelings. This is
what Paul is emphasizing in this passage. Most of the New Testament passages
on gratitude are imperatives, addressed to our volition rather than to our
emotions. He is not prescribing for us how we must feel; he is calling on us to
choose to rejoice and thank God on the basis of what is true--regardless of how
happy or thankful we may feel.

This is a key insight into biblical spirituality. It involves our feelings and
experiences, but it is not rooted in them, because they are fallen and broken and
unreliable. It is rooted in God's truth and our choice to express faith in the truth,
often in spite of what we feel. This is why the notion that it is unspiritual to thank
God unless you feel grateful is false. Choosing by faith to thank God in spite of
intense feelings of depression, disappointment, anxiety, etc. is deeply spiritual.
This is why if you wait until you feel grateful to thank God, you will feel less and
less grateful. But if you choose to thank God regardless of how you feel, you will
feel more grateful more often. It is in this sense that gratitude is a key step of faith
(along with serving love) that unleashes God's blessing into your experience.
( Grateful servants are happy people. ).

Wiersbe wrote...

An attitude of gratitude is a wonderful weapon against unbelief, disobedience, a

hard heart, and a bitter spirit. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In
everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"
(1Thes 5:16-18). Instead of complaining about what we don't have, let's be
thankful for what we do have, because God always gives His best to those who
leave the choice with Him. (Bible Exposition Commentary Old Testament)

We can't control the circumstances of life, but we can control how we respond to
them. That's what faith is all about, daring to believe that God is working
everything for our good even when we don't feel like it or see it happening. "In
everything give thanks" (1Thes. 5:18) isn't always easy to obey, but obeying this
command is the best antidote against a bitter and critical spirit. The Scottish
preacher George H. Morrison said, "Nine-tenths of our unhappiness is
selfishness, and is an insult cast in the face of God." (Bible Exposition
Commentary - Old Testament)

(Commenting on Psalm 146:1, 2 Wiersbe writes) God gives us life and breath
(Acts 17:25), so it is only right that we use that life and breath to praise Him (Ps
150:6). To receive the gifts and ignore the Giver is the essence of idolatry. The
writer promised God he would praise Him all of his life, and certainly this is wise
preparation for praising Him for eternity (Ps 104:33). To live a life of praise is to
 overcome criticism and complaining, to stop competing against others and
comparing ourselves with them. It means to be grateful in and for everything
(1Th. 5:18; Eph. 5:20) and really believe that God is working all things together
for our good (Ro 8:28). A life of praise is free from constant anxiety and
discouragement as we focus on the Lord, who is mentioned eleven times in this
psalm. (Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament)

BBC wrote that even the...

Pagans who recognized that Fate or some god was sovereign over everything
acknowledged that one should accept whatever comes or even give thanks for it.
For Paul, those who trust God s sovereignty and love can give thanks in every
situation. (Bible Background Commentary)

Disciple's Study Bible notes that...

God's will is that we gratefully acknowledge His hand in all circumstances, not for
all circumstances. Circumstances change; God does not. The Christian has an
obligation to remain aware of God's goodness regardless of appearances.
Continuous prayer involves an attitude of openness to God in all situations and a
practice of talking to God about all situations.

Merrill Unger wrote that thanksgiving is...

A duty of which gratitude is the grace. This obligation of godliness is

acknowledged by the universal sentiment of mankind; but as a Christian grace it
has some blessed peculiarities. It is gratitude for all the benefits of divine
Providence, especially for the general and personal gifts of redemption. The very
term most in use shows this; it is charis, which is the grace of God in Christ,
operating in the soul of the believer as a principle and going back to Him in
gratitude: Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2Cor. 9:15). The ethical
gratitude of Christianity connects every good gift and every perfect gift with the
gift of Christ. Moreover, it is a thanksgiving that in the Christian economy, and in
it alone, redounds to God for all things: in everything give thanks. This
characteristic flows from the former. The rejoicing that we have in the Lord, and
the everlasting consolation we possess in Him, makes every possible variety of
divine dispensation a token for good. The Christian privilege is to find reason for
gratitude in all things: for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus (1
Thessalonians. 5:18). (Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., &
Unger, M. F. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Chicago: Moody Press)

><> ><> ><>

A Lost Art (Our Daily Bread) - Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren
Wiersbe illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a
ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860,
a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward
Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the
process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was
noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

><> ><> ><>

In his book FOLK PSALMS OF FAITH, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H. A.

Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a
man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited his to have a seat.
Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his
eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?" Ironside replied, "No, I don't."
The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" Ironside
replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."

The man said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never
give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks
to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!"

Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!" (Ray Stedman,
Folk Psalms of Faith)

><> ><> ><>

In a sermon at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, Gary Wilburn said: "In
1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is
said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of
fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the
heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and
wrote this table grace for his children:

'Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices
Who wondrous things had done
In whom His world rejoices.

Who, from our mother's arms,

Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today

Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward
circumstances. (Don Maddox)
 ><> ><> ><>

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit.
He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the
weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself...

Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a
wretched day like this.

Much to his surprise, however, Pastor Whyte began by praying...

We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.

That's the habitual attitude of gratitude Paul is calling for in all of God's children,
beloved. Gratitude is an attitude that like all spiritual disciplines, needs to be
consciously developed and deliberately cultivated in the dependence on the Holy
Spirit and the grace in which we stand. There are some practical steps that can
cultivate the gracious attribute of gratitude. For example, you can make thanksgiving
a priority in your prayer life (Col 4:2-note) rather than focusing only on petitions and
requests. There may even be blessed times when your prayer time consists of
nothing but gratefulness to the Almighty. You can always thank Him for the various
wonderful aspects of your salvation (adoption & sovereign care, forgiveness,
inheritance, the gift of His Spirit, freedom from sin's power and Satan's authority, etc)
Have you had any prayer times like that recently? And you can thank Him for the
"smaller" blessings of life, those things we all to often take for granted. You can ask
Him to make you very sensitive to grumbling and mumbling complaints which are the
polar opposite of a thankful spirit. You can utilize spiritual songs (Ep 5:20-note) to
cultivate an attitude of thankfulness, allowing the words of a wonderful hymn to lift
your eyes and heart in a way that nothing else can. Thank people who bless you in
even the smallest ways. It will complete your enjoyment of the blessing, and it will
increase your capacity to thank God. Reflect on and serve those less fortunate than
you. This will remind you of how gracious God has been to you, how far He has
brought you, and how much He has blessed you which will in turn motivate you to
be grateful to God.

><>><>><>

Give Thanks! (READ: Leviticus 23:15-22) - At harvest time it's natural to thank God
for the bounty of His blessings. The Feast of Weeks in ancient Israel, established in
Leviticus 23, was a week of joyous celebration and feasting in gratitude for the
harvest (Dt. 16:9, 10, 11, 12). Even today as farmers gather their crops, many give
thanks to the Lord for the abundance of their harvest.

But what if untimely and persistent rain keeps the farmer from getting his machines
into the fields and harvesting the ripe grain? What if a sudden hailstorm flattens the
corn? Or a summer drought dries up the fields?

The apostle Paul wrote, "In everything give thanks" (1Th 5:18). That may sound
unrealistic. But think about it. The Jews were instructed to celebrate the Feast of
Weeks whether the crops came in or not. Likewise, we are to give thanks to the Lord
"in everything." After all, our praise is to God, not to a barn full of hay or a crib full of
corn.

Yes, we can give thanks. We can do so whether the day goes smoothly or we meet
aggravating problems. We can be grateful if we're rich or poor, when we're feeling
well or if our health fails. In every circumstance, we can affirm God's goodness and
discover reasons to give thanks to Him. After all, our gratitude is to Him and for Him.
David C. Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Consider what the Lord has done

For you and those you love;
Then give Him thanks with hearts of praise
For blessings from above. --Sper

We don't need more to be thankful for,

we need to be more thankful.

><>><>><>

A Flat Thanks - The day before Christmas became a thanksgiving day for my family.
The station wagon was packed with kids and travel stuff for the 400-mile trip to
Grandma s. As is our custom, before leaving we asked God to protect us on the road.
He did, but in an unusual way.

As we were cruising down I-75 in Ohio, we ran over some debris in the road. It made
a lot of noise, but did no damage or so we thought. With every passing mile we
figured that the crisis had passed. When we pulled off the expressway for gas a few
miles later, though, we were in for a deflating surprise. I felt a sickening, sloppy
feeling in the front of the car. Both front tires had gone flat.

We weren t happy with having to replace the tires, but we were thankful for God s
care. Thankful that we didn t have an accident. Thankful that the tires stayed inflated
until we got off the expressway. Thankful for the tow truck sitting at the gas station.
Thankful that a repair shop was open. We were thankful for God s answer to our
prayer.

Our trials were nothing compared with what the apostle Paul endured. Yet he gave
thanks to God, and he said we should be thankful in everything. Any day can be
thanksgiving day, even when things go wrong. Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights
reserved)

We should be ready to give the Lord thanks

For blessing as well as for test;
Hearts that are thankful is all that He asks;
Let s trust Him to give what is best. Bierema

If you pause to think,

you ll have cause to thank.

><>><>><>

Everyday Blessings - Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and
imprisoned under miserable conditions for 16 months. In his first interview after his
release, he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with boredom and
despair. His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, "Counting my blessings."

"Blessings?" they responded.

"Yes," he explained. "Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some
vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family."

We can understand why the reporters were astonished. It's hard for most of us to be
consistently thankful for the commonplace blessings that make life pleasant and
comfortable--the unfailing supply of our daily needs, the provision of food and shelter,
the companionship of friends and families. There are times when we may even forget
the wonderful mercies of God's redeeming grace.

Paul and Silas, though they were beaten, thrown into prison, and placed in stocks,
were still "singing hymns to God" (Acts 16:25). May we learn from them, and from
Benjamin Weir, to count our blessings no matter what our circumstances. We have
many reasons to rejoice. Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC
Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. --Oatman

Praise to God comes naturally

when you count your blessings.

><>><>><>
Thanks For Fleas - Corrie ten Boom was an inspiration and challenge to thousands
of people after World War II. Hearts were stirred and lives changed as she told with
moving simplicity about God's sufficiency to meet her needs, even as a prisoner in a
Nazi concentration camp.

Not only was the camp filthy, but there were fleas everywhere. Corrie's sister Betsie,
who was imprisoned with her, insisted that 1 Thessalonians 5:18 was God's will for
them: "In everything give thanks." But giving thanks in a flea-infested place seemed
unrealistic to Corrie until she realized why the guards didn't come into their barracks
to make them stop praying and singing hymns. They wanted to avoid the fleas! So,
the prisoners were free to worship and study the Bible. The fleas, yes, even the fleas
were agents of grace, and something to be thankful for.

What are some of the "fleas" in our lives? They aren't the big difficulties, but the petty
annoyances. They are the little trials from which we can't escape. Is it possible that
they are one of the ways the Lord teaches us spiritual lessons and helps us to
increase our endurance?

When we are tempted to grumble, let's remember the fleas and give thanks.
Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

For all the heartaches and the tears,

For gloomy days and fruitless years
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow! Crandlemire

If you pause to think,

you'll find cause to thank.

FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL IN CHRIST JESUS: touto gar thelema theou en
Christo Iesou eis humas:

For (gar)

Take a moment and do a survey of some Scriptural passages related to God's

will (interrogate with the 5W'S & H [for many of the passages it will be important to
check the context] and write down your observations/applications in your devotional
notebook) - Mt 6:10-note, Mt 7:21-note, Mt 12:50, 26:42, Mark 3:35, Jn
4:34, 6:40, 7:17, Acts 13:22, 21:14, 22:14, Ro 12:2-note, Eph 5:17-note, Ep 6:6-
note, Col 1:9-note, Col 4:12-note, 1Th 4:3-note, 1Th 5:18-note, Heb 10:7-note, He
10:36-note, He 13:21-note, 1Pe 2:15-note, 1Pe 4:2-note, 1Jn 2:17-note, Ps 40:8-
note, Ps 143:10-note

For (gar) introduces an explanation, in this case Paul explains why all saints should
be motivated to continually be grateful. According to Hiebert the preposition for (gar)
"introduces the fact that this triplet of commands is justified because of God's will for
the readers."

Hiebert goes on to comment on this (touto) that

There is some uncertainty as to the intended scope of "this" (touto). Is it to be

restricted to thanksgiving alone, or does it include all three injunctions?... The
context favors this inclusive reference. Rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving form a
trio that are closely related and must not be separated in practice. If the dove of
Christian joy is continually to mount upward, it must fly on the wings of prayer and
thanksgiving. (Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)

Guzik comments that...

After each one of these exhortations - rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in
everything give thanks - we are told to do them because it is the will of God.
The thought isn t this is God s will, so you must do it. The thought is rather this
is God s will, so you can do it. It isn t easy to rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, and in everything give thanks, but we can do it because it is God s will.
(Ref)

This is God's will - Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything
that happens to us, but ineverything. Even in evil circumstances, we can still be
thankful for God's presence and for the good that He will accomplish through the
distress.

Will (2307)(thelema from thelo = to will with the "-ma" suffix indicating the result of
the will = "a thing willed") generally speaks of the result of what one has decided. One
sees this root word in the feminine name "Thelma." In its most basic
form, thelema refers to a wish, a strong desire, and the willing of some event. (Note:
See also the discussion of the preceding word boule for comments relating to
thelema).

Zodhiates says that thelema is the...

Will, not to be conceived as a demand, but as an expression or inclination of

pleasure towards that which is liked, that which pleases and creates joy. When it
denotes God's will, it signifies His gracious disposition toward something. Used to
designate what God Himself does of His own good pleasure. (Zodhiates, S. The
Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. AMG or Logos)

Thelema - 62x in 58v - Mt 6:10; 7:21; 12:50; 18:14; 21:31; 26:42; Mark 3:35; Luke
12:47; 22:42; 23:25; Jn 1:13;4:34; 5:30; 6:38, 39, 40; 7:17; 9:31; Acts
13:22; 21:14; 22:14; Ro 1:10-note; Ro 2:18-note; Ro 12:2-note; Ro 15:32-note; 1Cor
1:1; 7:37; 16:12; 2Cor 1:1; 8:5; Gal 1:4; Ep 1:1-note, Ep 1:5-note, Ep 1:9-note, Ep
1:11-note;Ep 2:3-note; Ep 5:17-note; Ep 6:6-note; Col 1:1-note, Col 1:9-note; Col
4:12-note; 1Th 4:3-note; 1Th 5:18-note;2Ti 1:1-note; 2Ti 2:26-note; He 10:7-note, He
10:9-note, He 10:10-note, He 10:36-note; He 13:21-note; 1Pe 2:15-note; 1Pe 3:17-
note; 1Pe 4:2-note, 1Pe 4:19-note; 2Pe 1:21-note; 1Jn 2:17; 5:14; Rev 4:11-
note. NAS = desire(1), desires(1), will(57).

Thelema has both an objective meaning ( what one wishes to happen ) and a
subjective connotation ( the act of willing or desiring ). The word conveys the idea of
desire, even a heart s desire, for the word primarily expresses emotion instead of
volition. Thus God s will is not so much God s intention, as it is His heart s desire. It is
God s gracious disposition.

Don't complain about thorns among the roses!

Be grateful for roses among the thorns! (Jas 1:2-note; Phil 4:6-note)

All the way my savior leads me;

What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who thro life has been my guide?
heav nly peace divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know whate er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know whate er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev ry trial,
Feeds me with the living bread;
Tho my weary steps may falter,
and my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see;

All the way, my Savior leads me;

Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father s house above:
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song thro endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song thro endless ages:
 Jesus led me all the way;

Do not meet adverse circumstances of life with a spirit of stoic resignation but with a
spirit of unfailing gratitude. (Heb 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 see notes He
12:5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11 to help understand this powerful truth of God's discipline & its
ultimate purpose...then with that perspective you can offer thanks in everything, even
though you may feel or be experiencing sorrow. It is "Him-possible")

In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are in prison in Philippi and Luke records that...

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to
God, and the prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16:25)

Such an attitude is possible only by the grace of God and the empowering Spirit of
God.

As someone has said ''He who can say 'Amen' to the will of God in his heart will be
able to say 'Hallelujah' also.''

Ray Stedman writes that...

Twice in this letter we have had this phrase, "This is the will of God." We had it
first in 1Thessalonians 4:3, where Paul says, "This is the will of God for you, that
you know how to preserve your own body in moral purity." That is the will of God
for your body! But here is the will of God for your spirit, your inner life -- that you
"give thanks in all circumstances." If you want to do the will of God there are the
two areas in which his will is clearly set out for you:

Moral purity for your body;

Continual thanksgiving for your spirit.

In Christ Jesus - Christ Jesus Himself is the pattern and source of a life of habitual
gratitude. Gratitude to God found its supreme manifestation in Christ's earthly life, and
it is only in union with Him (see In Christ and also in Christ Jesus) that such a life is
possible for the believer. This life is the product of the new life received from Him and
is made operative in believers by the indwelling Holy Spirit. In his description of Spirit
filled or controlled believers Paul wrote that they are...

always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to
God, even the Father (Eph 5:20 note)

Comment: MacArthur commenting on Ephesians 5:20 writes that

To be thankful always is to recognize God s control of our lives in every detail

as He seeks to conform us to the image of His Son. Nothing must grieve the
 Holy Spirit so much as the believer who does not give thanks. In King Lear
(I.ii.283, 312) Shakespeare wrote, Ingratitude, thou marble hearted fiend!
How sharper than a serpent s tooth it is to have a thankless child! When God
brings trials and difficulties into our lives and we complain and grumble, we
question His wisdom and love as well as His sovereignty... The only person
who can genuinely give thanks for all things is the humble person, the person
who knows he deserves nothing and who therefore gives thanks even for the
smallest things. Lack of thankfulness comes from pride, from the conviction
that we deserve something better than we have. [MacArthur: Ephesians]

James Denney comments that...

The third of the standing orders of the Church is, from one point of view, a
combination of the first and second; for thanksgiving is a kind of joyful prayer. As
a duty, it is recognised by everyone within limits; the difficulty of it is only seen
when it is claimed, as here, without limits: In everything give thanks. That this is
no accidental extravagance is shown by its recurrence in other places. To
mention only one: in Php 4:6(note) the Apostle writes,

In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests

be made known to God.

Is it really possible to do this thing?

There are times, we all know, at which thanksgiving is natural and easy. When
our life has taken the course which we ourselves had purposed, and the result
seems to justify our foresight; when those whom we love are prosperous and
happy; when we have escaped a great danger, or recovered from a severe
illness, we feel, or say we feel, so thankful. Even in such circumstances we are
possibly not so thankful as we ought to be. Perhaps, if we were, our lives would
be a great deal happier. But at all events we frankly admit that we have cause for
thanksgiving; God has been good to us, even in our own estimate of goodness;
and we ought to cherish and express our grateful love toward Him. Let us not
forget to do so. It has been said that an unblessed sorrow is the saddest thing in
life; but perhaps as sad a thing is an unblessed joy. And every joy is unblessed
for which we do not give God thanks. Unhallowed pleasures is a strong
expression, which seems proper only to describe gross wickedness; yet it is the
very name which describes any pleasure in our life of which we do not recognise
God as the Giver, and for which we do not offer Him our humble and hearty
thanks.

We would not be so apt to protest against the idea of giving thanks

in everything if it had ever been our habit to give thanks in anything.

Think of what you call, with thorough conviction, your blessings and your mercies,
 your bodily health, your soundness of mind, your calling in this world, the faith
which you repose in others and which others repose in you; think of the love of
your husband or wife. Think of all those sweet and tender ties that bind our lives
into one; think of the success with which you have wrought out your own
purposes, and laboured at your own ideal; and with all this multitude of mercies
before your face, ask whether even for these you have given God thanks. Have
they been hallowed and made means of grace to you by your grateful
acknowledgment that He is the Giver of them. all? If not, it is plain that you have
lost much joy, and have to begin the duty of thanksgiving in the easiest and
lowest place.

But the Apostle rises high above this when he says, In everything give
thanks. He knew, as I have remarked already, that the Thessalonians had been
visited by suffering and death: is there a place for thanksgiving there? Yes, he
says; for the Christian does not look on sorrow with the eyes of another man.
When sickness comes to him or to his home; when there is loss to be borne, or
disappointment, or bereavement; when his plans are frustrated, his hopes
deferred, and the whole conduct of his life simply taken out of his hands, he is still
called to give thanks to God. For he knows that God is love. He knows that God
has a purpose of His own in his life, a purpose which at the moment he may
not discern, but which he is bound to believe wiser and larger than any he could
purpose for himself. Everyone who has eyes to see must have seen, in the lives
of Christian men and women, fruits of sorrow and of suffering which were
conspicuously their best possessions, the things for which the whole Church was
under obligation to give thanks to God on their behalf.

It is not easy at the moment to see what underlies sorrow; it is not possible to
grasp by anticipation the beautiful fruits which it yields in the long run to those
who accept it without murmuring: but every Christian knows that all things work
together for good to them that love God (see note Romans 8:28); and in the
strength of that knowledge he is able to keep a thankful heart, however
mysterious and trying the providence of God may be.

That sorrow, even the deepest and most hopeless, has been blessed, no one
can deny. It has taught many a deeper thoughtfulness, a truer estimate of the
world and its interests, a more simple trust in God. It has opened the eyes of
many to the sufferings of others, and changed boisterous rudeness into tender
and delicate sympathy. It has given many weak ones the opportunity of
demonstrating the nearness and the strength of Christ, as out of weakness they
have been made strong. Often the sufferer in a home is the most thankful
member of it. Often the bedside is the surmiest spot in the house, though the
bedridden one knows that he or she will never be free again. It is not impossible
for a Christian in everything to give thanks.

But it is only a Christian who can do it, as the last words of the Apostle intimate:
 This is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. These words may refer
to all that has preceded: Rejoice alway; pray without ceasing; in everything
give thanks ; or they may refer to the last clause only. Whichever be the case,
the Apostle tells us that the ideal in question has only been revealed in Christ,
and hence is only within reach of those who know Christ. Till Christ came, no
man ever dreamt of rejoicing alway, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in
everything. There were noble ideals in the world, high, severe, and pure; but
nothing so lofty, buoyant, and exhilarating as this. Men did not know God well
enough to know what His will for them was; they thought He demanded integrity,
probably, and beyond that, silent and passive submission at the most; no one
had conceived that God s will for man was that his life should be made up of joy,
prayer, and thanksgiving. But he who has seen Jesus Christ, and has discovered
the meaning of His life, knows that this is the true ideal. For Jesus came into our
world, and lived among us, that we might know God; He manifested the name of
God that we might put our trust in it; and that name is Love; it is Father. If we
know the Father, it is possible for us, in the spirit of children, to aim at this lofty
Christian ideal; if we do not, it will seem to us utterly unreal. The will of God in
Christ Jesus means the will of the Father; it is only for children that His will exists.
Do not put aside the apostolic exhortation as paradox or extravagance; to
Christian hearts, to the children of God, he speaks words of truth and soberness
when he says, Rejoice alway; pray without ceasing; in everything give
thanks. Has not Christ Jesus given us peace with God, and made us friends
instead of enemies? Is not that a fountain of joy too deep for sorrow to touch?
Has He not assured us that He is with us all the days, even to the end of the
world? Is not that a ground upon which we can look up in prayer all the day long?
Has He not told us that all things work together for good to them that love God?
Of course we cannot trace His operation always; but when we remember the seal
with which Christ sealed that great truth; when we remember that in order to fulfil
the purpose of God in each of us He laid down His life on our behalf, can we
hesitate to trust His word? And if we do not hesitate, but welcome it gladly as our
hope in the darkest hour, shall we not try even in everything to give thanks?
(Classic Commentary Collection. See AGES Software for their full selection of
highly recommended resources)

Matthew Henry writes...

If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every
thing. As we must in every thing make our requests known to God by
supplications, so we must not omit thanksgiving, Philippians 4:6. We should be
thankful in every condition, even in adversity as well as prosperity. It is never so
bad with us but it might be worse. If we have ever so much occasion to make our
humble complaints to God, we never can have any reason to complain of God,
and have always much reason to praise and give thanks: the apostle says, This
is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us, that we give thanks, seeing God
is reconciled to us in Christ Jesus; in him, through him, and for his sake, he
 allows us to rejoice evermore, and appoints us in every thing to give thanks. It is
pleasing to God.

Andrew Murray wrote that...

A joyful, thankful life is what God has destined for us, is what He will work in us:
what He desires, that He certainly does in those who do not withstand Him, but
receive and suffer His will to work in them. (The New Life)

William Barclay wrote...

There is always something for which to give thanks; even on the darkest day
there are blessings to count. We must remember that if we face the sun the
shadows will fall behind us but if we turn our backs on the sun all the shadows
will be in front.

A French proverb says...

Gratitude is the heart's memory

Although he was not a Christian as far as I can discern, Cicero has some sage advice
remarking that...

A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues.

Chrysostom's example of "Praise For All Things"...

Three hundred years after Paul lived John Chrysostom, a good and brave man
who preached very plainly against iniquity of all kinds. The empress was not a
good woman, so she schemed to have him falsely accused and banished. He
died an exile from his home.

Thirty years later, his body was bought back to Constantinople for burial in the
imperial tomb. Chrysostom's motto was inscribed on the tomb: "Praise God for
everything!"

As his friends testified, "When he was driven from home, when he was a stranger
in the strange land, his letters would often end with that doxology, 'Praise God for
all things!' "

Where did Chrysostom get his motto? From Paul "In everything give thanks" (1
Thessalonians. 5:18). (Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations)

><> ><> ><>

Henrietta Mears (in What the Bible is All About) sums up this section beautifully
exhorting us first to be patiently waiting for Christ's return and then...

While you wait, Paul gives you a grand octave upon which to play great melodies
of hope. Strike every note on this wonderful octave. If you do, your life will be
rich.

Be joyful always 1 Thes 5:16

Pray continually 1 Thes 5:17

Give thanks in all circumstances 1 Thes 5:18

Do not put out the Spirit's fire 1 Thes 5:19

Do not treat prophecies with contempt 1Thes 5:20

Test everything 1 Thes 5:21

Hold on to the good 1 Thes 5:21

Avoid every kind of evil 1 Thes 5:22.

><> ><> ><>

Our Daily Bread has the following devotionals (All are Copyright RBC Ministries,
Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)...

Knowing God's Will - I tell my friends in jest that I make three difficult decisions
every day: What should I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? I live in Singapore,
where we enjoy the food of the Chinese, Malay, and Indian cultures, to name just a
few. We are spoiled by having so many choices.

Life is full of decisions far more serious ones than choosing what to eat. Perhaps
this explains why some people constantly wonder what God's will is for their lives.

Discovering God's will is not necessarily a complicated process. He has given us

many simple and clearly stated principles for life. For example, we are told, "This is
the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men" (1 Peter 2:15). In 1 Thessalonians 4:3 we read, "This is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality." And in 1
Thessalonians 5:18 we are told, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you."

As we live by faith and do what the Bible clearly tells us to do, we can be sure the
Lord will lead us through the difficult decisions when the options may not be clear.
Above all else, God's will is that we submit to Him and be willing to follow wherever
He leads. Albert Lee

If you will choose to do God's will

And follow what is right,
God will confirm to you His truth
And give you greater light. D. De Haan

The best way to know God's will

is to say "I will" to God.

><> ><> ><>

Be Filled With Thankfulness - Throughout history, many cultures have set aside a
time for expressing their thankfulness. In the US, Thanksgiving Day originated with
the pilgrims. In the midst of extreme hardship, loss of loved ones, and meager
supplies, they still believed they were blessed. They chose to celebrate God's
blessings by sharing a meal with Native Americans who had helped them survive.

We know we've lost the spirit of that original celebration when we catch ourselves
complaining that our Thanksgiving Day has been "spoiled" by bad weather,
disappointing food, or a bad cold. It's we who are spoiled spoiled by the very
blessings that should make every day a day of thanksgiving, whatever our
circumstances.

Billy Graham wrote, "Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or

immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible." He then quoted Romans 1:21,
one of the Bible's indictments against rebellious humanity. Then Dr. Graham added,
"Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an
ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our
salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness."

Which condition describes you? Joanie Yoder

A grumbling mood of discontent

Gives way to thankfulness
When we consider all God's gifts
And all that we possess. Sper

Gratitude is a God-honoring attitude

1Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: to pneuma me sbennute, (2PPAM)

Amplified: Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
NLT: Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: Never damp the fire of the Spirit (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: Stop stifling and suppressing the Spirit. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: The Spirit quench not

DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT: to pneuma me sbennute (2PPAM): (Song

8:7; Ephesians 4:30; 6:16) (Genesis 6:3; 1Samuel 16:4; Nehemiah 9:30; Psalms
51:11; Isaiah 63:10; Acts 7:51; 1Corinthians 14:30;Ephesians 4:30; 1Timothy
4:14; 2Timothy 1:6)

The Spirit can be...

Quenched - 1Th 5:19-note

Grieved - Eph 4:30-note

Resisted - Acts 7:51

Do not quench - The combination of a negative particle (me) with the present
imperative suggests that the recipients are being told to stop doing something they
have already begun (ie, quenching the Spirit). Note also that the verb sbennumi is in
the second person plural as are all the commands in verses 19-22 , indicating that
each command is intended for the entire membership of the Thessalonian church .
The first two commands are negative (1Thessalonians 5:19; 20) and the remaining
three are positive (1Thessalonians 5:21; 22).

The command could be paraphrased something like this...

Stop putting out the fire (of the Holy Spirit). Stop hindering and repressing the
Holy Spirit, for in so doing you are preventing Him from exerting His full influence!

There is a parallel warning in Ephesians where in the context of allowing

unwholesome words to proceed from their mouth (Eph 4:29-note) Paul commanded
the saints...

do not grieve (present imperative + a negative = stop doing this implying that
they were doing it) the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption. (See note Ephesians 4:30).

Spurgeon advises...

Do not despise his operations, either in yourselves or in your brethren. Do not

 quench him by neglect, much less by open opposition.

Quench (4570)(sbennumi) means to quench or to extinguish as one does to a light

or fire. Figuratively, as used in this verse, it means to dampen, stifle hinder, repress,
or prevent the Spirit from exerting His effect or performing His work in the believer.
Clearly the reference is not to the person of the Spirit Himself, for He is eternal God
and can never be extinguished. The reference is His activity in our hearts.

John MacArthur writes that...

The metaphor quench means to extinguish, stifle, or retard the power or energy
of something (MacArthur, John: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Moody Press or Logos)

The figure of fire is associated with the Holy Spirit in several passages...

Mt 3:11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is
coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (cf Luke 3:16)

Acts 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves,
and they rested on each one of them. (Comment: The mighty wind filling the
house and the fire-like tongues reaching each of the company represent the
audible and visible signs that the Holy Spirit had come upon them fulfilling John
the Baptist's prophecy that Christ would baptize them "with the Holy Spirit and
with fire")

Hiebert comment that the figure of quenching the Spirit

points to His sudden and vehement activities in human hearts. It implies "His gifts
of warmth for the heart, and light for the mind and His power to kindle the human
spirit."...

Since fire is always put out by something outside itself, this prohibition is directed
against some hindrance to the Spirit's operation in their midst. It is not indicated
whether they are quenching the Spirit in themselves or in others. Both thoughts
may be included in this general injunction, yet the connection with 1Thes
5:20seems to indicate that the suppression of prophetic utterances in the
assembly was primarily in view

The precise situation in the Thessalonian church calling forth this injunction is not
clear. Many interpreters hold that it arose out of the operation of the charismatic
gifts in the Thessalonian church. (Ed note: but this view is refuted by
commentators such as MacArthur)....

The general character of the prohibition would certainly leave room for a wider
 interpretation. Anything that might be permitted in their assembly, or in their own
hearts, which was contrary to the nature and work of the Spirit would quench His
operations. The Spirit's fire is quenched whenever His presence is ignored and
His promptings are suppressed and rejected, or the fervor He kindles in the heart
is dampened by unspiritual attitudes, criticisms, or actions. Certainly any
toleration of immorality and idleness, against which they have been warned
(1Th4:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12), would quench the Spirits working in
their midst.

They must not allow the operations of the Spirit to be suppressed either through
yielding to the impulses of the flesh or by imposing a mechanical order upon the
services that would hamper the free movements Of the Spirit. (Hiebert, D.
Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)

Does the context help us discern that might dampen the "fire" of the Spirit? Notice
that in the preceding verse (1Thessalonians 5:18) we are charged to give thanks in
everything. What would be the effect on the Spirit if we continually grumbled,
complained or murmured? (cf Php 2:14-note) In the following verse (1Th 5:20 -note)
what might be the effect on the Spirit if we despised prophetic utterances (Click for
Ray Stedman's balanced comments on prophetic utterances constitute)? In addition
to ingratitude and despising prophetic utterance, clearly sin in any form will douse
"water" on the fire of God's Spirit. The best preventative to quenching the Spirit is to
be continually filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18-note) and walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-
note).

David Jeremiah agrees, asking...

Do you know what it means to quench the Holy Spirit? What do you do when
you quench your thirst? You drink some water and the thirst is put away. When
you quench a fire, you put it out you smother it. How do you quench the Spirit of
God? You quench the Holy Spirit by not doing something He tells you to do.
When you walk in the Spirit and are filled with the Spirit, you don t want to quench
Him. When He tells you to do something, you do it. (Jeremiah, D. God in You :
Releasing the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life. Multnomah Publishers)

F F Bruce feels that...

As the context goes on to make plain, the activity chiefly in view here is prophecy.
In this respect the Spirit may be quenched when the prophet refuses to utter the
message he has been given, or when others try to prevent him from uttering it. A
good example of the former is Jeremiah s attempt to speak no more in Yahweh s
name, when the word held back became, as he said, a burning fire shut up in
my bones (Jer 20:9), which could not be quenched or controlled. An example of
the latter is found in Amos 2:12, where the people of Israel are condemned
because they commanded the prophets, saying, You shall not prophesy.
 Cf. Micah 2:6 (Bruce, F F: 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Word Biblical Commentary.
Dallas: Word, Incorporated. 1982 or Logos)

Vine writes that...

as fire is always extinguished from without itself the meaning seems to be do not
prevent or obstruct the manifestations of the Holy Spirit s power in others. Here
the tense is present continuous, hence the meaning is desist from quenching
rather than do not begin to quench. ...With this injunction may be compared that
in 1Th 4:8 (note), which is aimed against any refusal to obey Him as this is
against any refusal to listen to Him...

The peace, order, and edification of the saints were evidence of the ministry of
the Spirit among them, 1Cor 14:26, 32, 33, 40, but if; through ignorance of His
ways, or through failure to recognize, or refusal to submit to, them, or through
impatience with the ignorance or self-will of others, the Spirit were quenched,
these happy results would be absent. For there was always the danger that the
impulses of the flesh might usurp the place of the energy of the Spirit in the
assembly, and the endeavor to restrain this evil by natural means would have the
effect of hindering His ministry also. Apparently then, this injunction was intended
to warn believers against the substitution of a mechanical order for the restraints
of the Spirit. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas
Nelson or Logos)

Vincent feels that

The reference here is to the work of the Spirit generally, and not specially to His
inspiration of prayer or prophecy.

John Walvoord writes that...

it may be concluded that quenching the Holy Spirit is to suppress, stifle, or

otherwise obstruct the ministry of the Spirit to the individual. In a word it is saying,
No, and replacing the will of the Spirit with the will of the individual. This, in brief,
is the whole issue of morality whether man will accomplish what he wants to do
or whether his life is surrendered and yielded to the will of God. (Bibliotheca
Sacra: Dallas Theological Seminary. Volume 130, page 220)

Ray Stedman in his down to earth style feels that verses 19 and 20 give two simple
commands...

Do not ignore the Spirit's prompting (v19) and do not despise the Scripture's
wisdom (v20). The Spirit's promptings always come in two areas: Stop doing
what is wrong, and Start doing what is right. If you are a Christian at all you are
familiar with the inner feeling that says, "God wants you to do something," or
 "God wants you to stop doing something." We all have felt this inner guidance.
What the apostle is saying is, "Give in to those feelings." When the Spirit prompts
you to show love to somebody, do it; do not hold back. I once heard of a man
who said, "Sometimes when I think of how my wife works and blesses me, it's all I
can do to keep from telling her that I love her!" There is a man being guided by
the Spirit, but he is quenchingthe Spirit. Do not do that. Go ahead and tell her
you love her. You may have to pick her off the floor afterward, but do not
quench the Spirit!

Green writes that the verb sbennumi

At times ...describes an action that makes something disappear completely, such

as a person s very existence when death comes, but elsewhere it carries the
more moderate meaning of to attenuate or to restrict something. The exact
nuance Paul has in mind is not easy to ascertain, but the first sense is the most
likely in the context of prophecy... Some Thessalonians appear to have attempted
to prohibit manifestations of the Spirit in their church. Since the presence of the
Holy Spirit in the community is compared with fire (Jer 20.9; Matt. 3.11; Luke
3.16; Acts 2.3; 18.25; Ro 12.11; 2Ti 1.6; and John 5.35), the verb to quench
would aptly describe the attempts to eliminate these manifestations. On the other
side, Paul exhorts Timothy about the Spirit s activity in his life by saying, Fan into
flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2Ti 1.6).
The manifestations of the Spirit s presence are for the good of the community and
for that reason should not be eliminated...

The quenched spirit had to do with the cessation of prophecy. The presence of
the Spirit in the church was linked inextricably with prophecy among the people of
God (Luke 1.67; Acts 2.17; 19.6; 28.25; Ep 2.5;Rev 22.6); so it does not surprise
in the least that our author should respond to any attempt to prohibit its use with
the exhortation, Do not quench the Spirit. This was not the first occasion, then,
in which the people of God questioned prophecy, even those utterances that
were legitimate (Nu 11.26, 27, 28, 29;Amos 2.12; Mic. 2.6). (Green, G. L. The
Letters to the Thessalonians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand
Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W. B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.)

Here are the 6 uses of sbennumi in the NT...

Matthew 12:20 "A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He
will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory.

Matthew 25:8 "And the foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for
our lamps are going out.'

Mark 9:48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
 Ephesians 6:16 (note) in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which
you will be able toextinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

1Thessalonians 5:19 (note) Do not quench the Spirit;

Hebrews 11:34 (note) quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign
armies to flight.

In the Septuagint this verb relates to literal fire that is not to go out (Lev 6:13) and
figuratively several times of God's wrath which burns like fire and will not be
quenched (2Ki 22:17, 2Chr 34:25, Jer 7:20, 17:27, 21:12, Ezek 20:47. 48, Amos 5:6).
It is used in Isaiah 66:24 to describe the unquenchable fire of hell. There are 35 uses
ofsbennumi in the Septuagint (LXX) and below are some representative uses...

Leviticus 6:13 'Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go
out (Hebrew = kabah = quench, put out, extinguish; Lxx = sbennumi)

2 Kings 22:17 "Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to
other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands,
therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not
be quenched (Hebrew = kabah = quench, put out, extinguish; Lxx = sbennumi)."

Proverbs 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the
wicked goes out. (Hebrew = daak = be extinguished; Lxx = sbennumi)

Song of Solomon 8:7 "Many waters cannot quench (Hebrew = kabah = quench,
put out, extinguish; LXX = sbennumi) love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If a man
were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised."

Isaiah 66:24 "Then they shall go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who
have transgressed against Me. For their worm shall not die, And their fire shall
not be quenched (Hebrew = kabah = quench, put out, extinguish; Lxx =
sbennumi); And they shall be an abhorrence to all mankind."

John MacArthur writes that...

It is that process of progressive sanctification by the Spirit that Paul warned the
Thessalonians not to quench. (MacArthur, John: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Moody
Press or Logos)

Mills takes a similar approach writing that...

quenching the Spirit means nullifying His power in your life, for you manifestly
cannot extinguish Him on a universal basis! How do you nullify His power? Well,
 simply by living an unsanctified life, for if you profane your vessel He, Who is
perfectly pure, will not reside in it. But how do I remedy it when I sin and profane
my vessel? 1John 1:8-9 answers this, for if I confess my sin God will forgive me.
(Mills, M.. The Thessalonian Epistles: A Study Guide to. Dallas: 3E Ministries)

Albert Barnes offers some well reasoned comments on what it means to quench the
Spirit writing that...

This language is taken from the way of putting out a fire; and the sense is, we are
not to extinguish the influences of the Holy Spirit in our hearts; Possibly there
may be an allusion here to fire on an altar, which was to be kept constantly
burning. This fire may have been regarded as emblematic of devotion, and as
denoting that that devotion was never to become extinct. The Holy Spirit is the
Source of true devotion, and hence the enkindlings of piety in the heart, by the
Spirit, are never to be quenched. Fire may be put out by pouring on water; or by
covering it with any incombustible substance; or by neglecting to supply fuel. If it
is to be made to burn, it must be nourished with proper care and attention. The
Holy Spirit, in his influences on the soul, is here compared with fire that might be
made to burn more intensely, or that might be extinguished. In a similar manner
the apostle gives this direction to Timothy

And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in
you through the laying on of my hands. (see note 2 Timothy 1:6).

Anything that will tend to damp the ardour of piety in the soul; to chill our feelings;
to render us cold and lifeless in the service of God, may be regarded as
"quenching the Spirit." Neglect of cultivating the Christian graces, or of prayer, of
the Bible, of the sanctuary, of a careful watchfulness over the heart, will do it.
Worldliness, vanity, levity, ambition, pride, the love of dress, or indulgence in an
improper train of thought, will do it. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

Guzik adds that...

We can quench the fire of the Spirit by our doubt, our indifference, our rejection of
Him, or by the distraction of others. When people start to draw attention to
themselves, it is a sure quench to the Spirit... this command is based on the
familiar image of the Holy Spirit as a fire or a flame. Though there is a sense in
which fire cannot be created, we can provide the environment in which it can burn
brightly. Yet a flame can be extinguished when it is ignored and no longer tended,
or when the flame is overwhelmed by something else. (1 Thessalonians 5 )

Matthew Poole wrote that...

And, by the figure meiosis, he means, cherish the Spirit. The Spirit is compared
to fire, Mt 3:11; and he came down upon the apostles in the similitude, of tongues
 of fire, Acts 2:3; but the Spirit Himself cannot be quenched. ...there are ordinary
gifts and operations of the Spirit common to all Christians, as enlightening,
quickening, sanctifying, comforting the soul: men by sloth, security, earthy
encumbrances, inordinate affections, etc., may abate these operations of the
Spirit, which the apostle calls the quenching it: the fire upon the altar was kept
always burning by the care of the priests. Fire will go out either by neglecting it, or
casting water upon it. By not exercising grace in the duties of religion, or by
allowing sin in ourselves, we may quench the Spirit; as appears in David, Ps
51:10-12 (Ed note: In the OT the Spirit did not indwell believers permanently as in
the New Covenant). Not that the habits of grace may be totally extinguished in
the truly regenerate, yet they may be abated as to degree and lively exercise. Yet
those common illuminations and convictions of the Spirit which persons
unregenerate, especially such that live under the gospel, do often find, may be
totally lost, (Heb 6:4, 5, 6, -see notes He 6:4; 5; 6); and we read of God s Spirit
ceasing to strive with the old world, Ge 6:3, and the scribes and Pharisees
resisting the Holy Ghost, Acts 7:51 ("You men who are stiff-necked and
uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are
doing just as your fathers did."), which were not persons regenerate. He may
sometimes strive with men, but not overcome them. And there is a quenching of
the Spirit in others as well as ourselves -- people may quench it in their ministers
by discouraging them, and in one another by bad examples, or reproaching the
zeal and forwardness that they see in them. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on
the New Testament)

Henry Morris adds to Poole's last point (above) writing that...

When the Holy Spirit is clearly using a Christian in a ministry to which He has
called him, the Christian should be encouraged and assisted, not criticized and
hindered, assuming, of course, that it is really the Spirit's work and not of the
flesh. The best test for this is fidelity to the Scriptures (Isaiah 8:20). (Morris,
Henry: Defenders Study Bible. World Publishing)

Matthew Henry writes that we are to...

Quench not the Spirit (v. 19), for it is this Spirit of grace and supplication that
helpeth our infirmities, that assisteth us in our prayers and thanksgivings.
Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh
as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. We must be
careful not to quench this holy fire. As fire is put out by withdrawing fuel, so we
quench the Spirit if we do not stir up our spirits, and all that is within us, to comply
with the motions of the good Spirit; and as fire is quenched by pouring water, or
putting a great quantity of dirt upon it, so we must be careful not to quench the
Holy Spirit by indulging carnal lusts and affections, or minding only earthly things.
Calvin writes that...

This metaphor is derived from the power and nature of the Spirit; for as it is the
proper office of the Spirit to illuminate the understandings of men, and as he is on
this account called our light, it is with propriety that we are said to quench him,
when we make void his grace.

Adam Clarke explains that...

The Holy Spirit is represented as a fire, because it is His province to enlighten

and quicken the soul; and to purge, purify, and refine it. This Spirit is represented
as being quenched when any act is done, word spoken (Eph 4:29,30-notes Ep
4:29; 30 - "do not grieve the Spirit"), or temper indulged, contrary to its dictates. It
is the Spirit of love, and therefore anger (see James 1:20-note), malice, revenge,
or any unkind or unholy temper, will quench it so that it will withdraw its
influences; and then the heart is left in a state of hardness and darkness.

It has been observed that fire may be quenched as well by heaping earth on it as
by throwing water on it; and so the love of the world will as effectually grieve and
quench the Spirit as any ordinary act of transgression (cf James 4:4, 1John
2:15, 16, 17). Every genuine Christian is made a partaker of the Spirit of God;
and he who has not the spirit of Christ is none of His (Ro 8:9-note). It cannot be
the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which the apostle means, for these were given to
few, and not always; for even apostles could not work miracles when they
pleased; but the direction in the text is general, and refers to a gift of which they
were generally partakers.

The BKC explains that..

The Holy Spirit s working can be opposed by believers. It is this that Paul warned
against. The next verse may give a clue as to how the Spirit was in danger of
being quenched by the Thessalonians. 1Th 5:20. There may have been a
tendency in the early church, and perhaps in the Thessalonian church in
particular, to underrate the value of prophetic utterances. The gift of prophecy
was the ability to receive and communicate direct revelations from God before
the New Testament was completed (1 Cor. 13:8). Sometimes these revelations
concerned future events (Acts 11:28), but often they dealt with the present (Acts
13:2). Perhaps people who had not received prophetic revelations were teaching
their own views of such things as the Second Advent, with the result that
prophetic revelations tended to be evaluated on superficial terms (e.g., the
eloquence of the speaker) instead of on the basis of their intrinsic authority. By
way of application, Christians should not disparage any revelation that has come
to the church and has been recognized as authoritative and preserved by the
Holy Spirit in Scripture. The temptation to put the ideas of men on an equal
footing with the Word of God is still present. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al:
 The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor or Logos)

J Vernon McGee writes that...

To quench the Spirit means that you refuse to do the will of God; that is, you are
not listening to the Holy Spirit. You refuse to let the Holy Spirit be your Guide to
lead you. You and I quench the Holy Spirit when we take matters into our own
hands. This is the same teaching that Paul gave to the Ephesian believers: And
grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption (Ep 4:30-note). You cannot grieve a thing; you grieve a Person. The
Holy Spirit is a Person, and He is grieved by sin in our lives. Also, He is
quenched when we step out of the will of God. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible
Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

The Pulpit Commentary writes that...

By the Spirit here is usually understood the miraculous gifts of the Spirit
speaking with tongues or prophesyings; and it is supposed that the apostle here
forbids the exercise of these gifts being hindered or checked. In the next verse
the gift of prophesying is mentioned. But there is no reason to exclude the
ordinary and still more valuable gifts of the Spirit, such as pure thoughts, holy
actions, devout affections, which may be effectually quenched by a careless or
immoral life. Quench not the Spirit. Do not those things which are opposed to
his influences. Be on your guard against sin, as opposed to the work of the Spirit
in the soul. (The Pulpit Commentary: 1 Thessalonians)

It is written of Charles Wesley that...

Until the day of his death he exercised the greatest care to have everything "done
decently and in order," and to avoid all fleshly excitements, hallucinations, and
delusions (cp Ro 13:12, 14, 14-see notes Ro 13:12;13; 14); but on the other hand
he was careful to encourage every genuine work of the Holy Spirit. "Quench not
the Spirit" was to him a solemn warning which he scrupulously and
conscientiously tried to follow.

John Walvoord writes:

The expression (do not quench) is nowhere formally explained in

Scripture. Quenching is often used in the Bible in its proper physical sense, as
illustrated in Mt 12:20, where Christ spoke of not quenching flax, and in Hebrews
11:34 (note), the heroes of the faith are revealed to have quenched the violence
of fire. InEph 6:16 (note), the shield of faith is said to be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked. In 1 Thessalonians, however, it is used in a
metaphysical sense, meaning according to Thayer, to suppress, stifle. It is
patently impossible to extinguish the Holy Spirit in the absolute sense, or to put
 Him out. His abiding presence is assured for all Christians. His Person is
indestructible. It is, therefore, quenching in the sense of resisting or opposing His
will. Quenching the Spirit may be simply defined as being unyielded to Him, or,
saying, No. The issue is, therefore, the question of willingness to do His will."

><> ><> ><>

Call Of The Chickadees - The black-capped chickadee has a surprising level of

complexity in the noises it makes for alarm calls. Researchers found that chickadees
use a high-frequency call to warn of danger in the air. Depending on the situation, the
chickadee call can cue other birds about food that is nearby or predators that are
perched too close for comfort.

Studies have also found that chickadees don t sense danger from large predators
such as the great horned owl, because they re not likely to prey on such a petite bird.
But smaller owls, which are closer to the size of the chickadee and more of a threat,
prompt sentinel chickadees to repeat the alarm sound of their calls the chickadee s
distinctive dee note.

A similar level of awareness might serve us well. In the apostle Paul s first letter to the
Thessalonians, he didn t just condemn the evils of the world. He also focused his
attention on the matters of the heart that can do harm to us with barely a notice.

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone,

but always pursue what is good.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Test all things (1Th 5:15,19,21)

With the Spirit s help, let s keep attuned to every caution in the Word about our heart.
Mart De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

How we need a keen awareness

Of God s voice that is His Word,
Quiet whispers, gentle nudgings,
So we ll make Him King and Lord. Anon.

God speaks to those who are willing to listen.

><> ><> ><>

Be Safe--Not Sorry! - Two young women lost their lives in a fire that swept through
their apartment as they slept. Their home was equipped with a smoke detector that
was in good working order, but it hadn't gone off. Why? Fire inspectors concluded that
the device had been deactivated for a party the night before. The unit had been
disconnected to keep it from sounding off because of the smoke from cooking and
candles. In Acts 5 we have another example of two people who apparently
deactivated an alarm system that could have saved their lives. Ananias and Sapphira
must have quenched the Holy Spirit by turning a deaf ear to their consciences,
believing they had plenty of good reasons for doing what they did. But their action
cost them their lives.

We need to realize that the Holy Spirit was not given to annoy us like a sensitive
smoke detector. He doesn't sound false alarms. When He activates our conscience
by bringing to mind a principle or warning from God's Word, it is really His love and
wisdom in action.

By weighing the warnings of His love against the cost of our foolishness, we'll soon
realize that it's always better to be safe than sorry. M R De Haan II (Our Daily
Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All
rights reserved)

Our conscience is a gift from God,

It is a guiding light;
And when aligned with God's true Word,
It shows us what is right. Sper

To ignore your conscience is to invite trouble.

><> ><> ><>

Lord light my fire! Light the fire in my local church! Light the fire of Your Spirit
in Your Body in America before the day of Your great mercy passes by our
land! Do it Father not because we are great or once were great but only
because the heathen see the abominations done in "Christian America" and
abhor Christianity and ultimately You, O Father of all. For Your Name's sake, for
the Name of Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

><> ><> ><>

O Chambers....

The voice of the Spirit is as gentle as a zephyr, so gentle that unless you are living in
perfect communion with God, you never hear it. The checks of the Spirit come in the
most extraordinarily gentle ways, and if you are not sensitive enough to detect His
voice you will quench it, and your personal spiritual life will be impaired. His checks
always come as a still small voice, so small that no one but the saint notices them.
Beware if in personal testimony you have to hark back and say - "Once, so many
years ago, I was saved." If you are walking in the light, there is no harking back, the
past is transfused into the present wonder of communion with God. If you get out of
the light you become a sentimental Christian and live on memories, your testimony
has a hard, metallic note. Beware of trying to patch up a present refusal to walk in the
light by recalling past experiences when you did walk in the light. Whenever the Spirit
checks, call a halt and get the thing right, or you will go on grieving Him without
knowing it.

Suppose God has brought you up to a crisis and you nearly go through but not quite,
He will engineer the crisis again, but it will not be so keen as it was before. There will
be less discernment of God and more humiliation at not having obeyed; and if you go
on grieving the Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, you
have grieved Him away. But if you go through the crisis, there will be the paean of
praise to God. Never sympathize with the thing that is stabbing God all the time. God
has to hurt the thing that must go. (Ref )

><> ><> ><>

J C Ryle...

Quench not the Spirit. Vex not the Spirit. Drive Him not to a distance, by tampering
with small bad habits and little sins. Little jarrings between husbands and wives make
unhappy homes, and petty inconsistencies, known and allowed, will bring in a
strangeness between you and the Spirit.

><> ><> ><>

D L Moody...

In 1st Thessalonians, 5th chapter, we are told not to Quench the Spirit. Now, I am
confident the cares of the world are coming in and quenching the Spirit with a great
many. They say: "I don't care for the world;" O perhaps not the pleasures of the world
so much after all as the cares of this life; but they have just let the cares come in and
quench the Spirit of God. Anything that comes between me and God -- between my
soul and God -- quenches the Spirit. It may be my family. You may say: "Is there any
danger of loving my family too much?" Not if we love God more; but God must have
the first place. If I love my family more than God, then I am quenching the Spirit of
God within me; if I love wealth, if I love fame, if I love honor, if I love position, if I love
pleasure, if I love self, more than I love God who created and saved me, then I am
committing a sin; I am not only grieving the Spirit of God, but quenching Him, and
robbing my soul of His power. (D. L. Moody. Secret Power)

><> ><> ><>

Woodrow Kroll...

When we fail to yield ourselves completely to Him, we quench the Holy Spirit... Now,
do you know what it means to quench the Spirit of God? It doesn't mean that we
extinguish Him as you would quench or extinguish a fire. It means that we stifle Him.
We stifle His influence in our lives. And it's very possible for us to be cleansed of
every sin except unyieldedness. And if this is so, we cannot be filled with the Spirit of
God. So, make sure that you unreservedly yield yourself to God for whatever He
wants from you. Just be transparent and open before Him. (The Holy Spirit Fills You)

><> ><> ><>

Spurgeon writes that...

If you are filled with the Spirit of God, and wish to retain his gracious presence, speak
about him. Note this, Be not drunk with wine, wherein is riot; but be filled with the
Spirit; speaking. That is a curious word to follow so soon. The Holy Ghost is not a
dumb Spirit; he sets us speaking. Speaking to yourselves ; it is a poor audience; but
still it is a choice audience if you speak to your brethren. Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord. Beloved, when the Spirit of God fills you, you will not only speak, but sing.
Let the holy power have free course: do not quench the Spirit. If you feel like
singing all the while, sing all the while, and let others know that there is a joy in the
possession of the Spirit of God which the world does not understand, but which you
are feeling, and to which you wish to bear witness. Oh, that the Spirit of God would
come upon this entire church, and fill you all to overflowing! May the members of
other churches that are here to-night take home fire with them, and set their churches
on flame! The Lord bless you, for Jesus Christ s sake! Amen. (From his
sermon FILLING WITH THE SPIRIT AND DRUNKENNESS WITH WINE)

><> ><> ><>

A B Simpson has some interesting thoughts (be a Berean - see note Acts 17:11)
about what it means toquench the Spirit writing that it

has reference, perhaps, mainly to the hindrance we offer to His work in others, rather
than to our resistance of His personal dealings with our own souls.

Among the various hindrances which we may offer to the Holy Spirit may be
mentioned such as these:

1. We may refuse to obey His impulses in us when He bids us speak or act for
Him. We may be conscious of a distinct impression of the Spirit of God bidding us to
testify for Christ, and by disobedience, or timidity, or procrastination, we may quench
His working, both in our own soul and in the heart of another.
2. We may suppress His voice in others, either by using our authority to
restrain His messages, when He speaks through His servants or refusing to
allow the liberty of testimony. Many hold the reins of ecclesiastical authority unduly,
and thus lose the free and effectual working of the Holy Ghost in their churches and in
their work.

There is a less direct way, however, of politely silencing Him by forcing Him out, and
so filling the atmosphere with the spirit of stiffness, criticism, and a certain air of
respectability and rigidness that He gently withdraws from the uncongenial scene,
and refuses to thrust His messages upon unwilling hearts.

3. The Spirit may be grieved by the method of public worship in a congregation.

It may be either so stiff and formal that there is no room for His spontaneous working,
or so full of worldly and unscriptural elements as to repel and offend Him from taking
any part in a pompous ritual. An operatic choir and a ritualistic service will effectually
quench all the fire of God's altar, and send the gentle dove to seek a simpler nest.

4. The Spirit may be quenched by the preacher, and his spirit and method.

His own manner may be so intellectual and self-conscious, and his own spirit so
thoroughly cold and vain that the Holy Ghost is neither recognized nor known in his
work. His sermons may be on themes in which the Spirit has no interest, for He only
witnesses to the Holy Scriptures and the person of Christ, and wearily turns away
from the discussion of philosophy, and the stale show of critical brilliancy over the
questions of the day or the speculations of man's own vain reason.

Perhaps his address is so rigidly written down that the Holy Spirit could not find an
opportunity for even a suggestion, if He so desired, and His promptings and leading
so coolly set aside by a course of elaborate preparation which leaves no room for
God.

5. The spirit of error in the teachings of the pulpit will always quench the Holy
Spirit.

He is jealous for His own inspired Word and when vain man attempts to set it aside
He looks on with indignation, and exposes such teachers to humiliation and failure.

The spirit of self-assertion and self -consciousness is always fatal to the free working
of the Holy Ghost.

When a man stands up in the sacred desk to air his eloquence and call attention to
his intellectual brilliancy, or to preach himself in any sense, he will always be deserted
by the Holy Spirit. He uses the things "that are not to bring to naught the things that
are." And before we can expect to become the instruments of His power, we must
wholly cease from self and be lost in the person and glory of Jesus.

6. The spirit of pride, fashion and worldly display in the pews, is just as fatal as
ambition in the pulpit.

Such an atmosphere seems to freeze out the spirit of devotion, and erect on the
throne of the lowly Nazarene a goddess of carnal pride and pleasure, like the foul
Venus that the Parisian mob set up in the Madeleine at Paris in the days of the
revolution, as an object of worship. From such an atmosphere the Holy Ghost turns
away grieved and disgusted.

7. The quickening and reviving influences of the Holy Ghost are often quenched
in the very hour of promise by wrong methods in the work of Christ's church.

How often, on the eve of a real revival, the minds of the people have been led away
by some public entertainment in connection with the house of God, or its after-fruits
withered by a series of unholy fairs and secular bids for money, and the introduction
of the broker and the cattle-vender into the cleansed temple of Jehovah, as in the
days of Christ.

8. The spirit of criticism and controversy is fatal to the working of the Holy
Ghost.

The gentle dove will not remain in an atmosphere of strife. If we would cherish His
power we must possess His love, and frown down all wrangling gossip, evil speaking,
malice, envy, and public controversy in the preaching of the Word.

Sometimes a single word of criticism after an impressive service will dispel all its
blessed influence upon the heart of some interested hearer, and counteract the
gracious work that would have resulted in the salvation of the soul.

A frivolous Christian woman returning one night from church with her unsaved
husband, was laughing lightly at some of the mistakes and eccentricities of the
speaker. Suddenly she felt his arm trembling; she looked in his face and his tears
were falling. He gently turned to her, and said: "Pray for me; I have seen myself
tonight as I never did before." She suddenly awoke with an awful shudder to realize
that she had been frivolously wrecking his soul's salvation, and quenching the Holy
Ghost.

And so, public controversy is as fatal to the Spirit's working as personal criticism.

It is when the children of God unite at the feet of Jesus, and together seek His
blessing, that He comes in all the fullness of His life-power.
The Spirit may be quenched in the hearts of our friends by unwise counsel, or
ungodly influence.

The little child may be discouraged from seeking Christ by a worldly parent, or the
ignorant assumption that it is too young to be a Christian, or too busy with its studies,
or its social enjoyments, for such things.

The attractions of the world and claims and pressures of business, may be interposed
in the way of some seeking heart, and we find in eternity that we put a stumbling-
block in our friend's way, from which he fell into perdition.

Let us be very careful lest, in our willfulness and pride, we not only miss ourselves the
inner chambers of the kingdom of heaven, but hinder those that would enter from
going in.

Oh! if we would cherish the faintest breath of life in the rescued waif that has been
snatched from a watery grave, if we could fan the expiring flame of life in a friend's
bosom, let us be careful lest we quench the spark of everlasting life in a human soul,
and stand at the last, responsible for the murder of immortal beings, and crimson with
the blood of souls. "Quench not the Spirit." (A. B. Simpson. Walking in the Spirit)

><>><>><>

Be Safe--Not Sorry! - Two young women lost their lives in a fire that swept through
their apartment as they slept. Their home was equipped with a smoke detector that
was in good working order, but it hadn't gone off. Why? Fire inspectors concluded that
the device had been deactivated for a party the night before. The unit had been
disconnected to keep it from sounding off because of the smoke from cooking and
candles.

In Acts 5 we have another example of two people who apparently deactivated an

alarm system that could have saved their lives. Ananias and Sapphira must have
quenched the Holy Spirit by turning a deaf ear to their consciences, believing they
had plenty of good reasons for doing what they did. But their action cost them their
lives.

We need to realize that the Holy Spirit was not given to annoy us like a sensitive
smoke detector. He doesn't sound false alarms. When He activates our conscience
by bringing to mind a principle or warning from God's Word, it is really His love and
wisdom in action.

By weighing the warnings of His love against the cost of our foolishness, we'll soon
realize that it's always better to be safe than sorry. Mart De Haan (Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights
reserved)

Our conscience is a gift from God,

It is a guiding light;
And when aligned with God's true Word,
It shows us what is right. Sper

To ignore your conscience

is to invite trouble.

1Thessalonians 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances. (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: propheteias me exoutheneite; (2PPMM)

Amplified: Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic
revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: Don t make light of manifestations of the gift of prophecy. (Westminster Press)
NLT: Do not scoff at prophecies, (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: and never despise what is spoken in the name of the Lord. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: Stop counting as nothing divine revelations given in the local assembly by the one who
receives them, (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: prophesyings despise not

DO NOT DESPISE PROPHETIC UTTERANCES: propheteias me exoutheneite;

(2PPMM): (1Thes 4:8;Numbers 11:25, 26, 27, 28, 29; 1Samuel
10:5,6,10, 11, 12, 13; 19:20, 21, 22, 23, 24; Acts 19:6; 1Corinthians
11:4; 1Corinthians
12:10,28; 13:2,9; 14:1,3, 4, 5, 6,22, 23, 24, 25,29, 30, 31, 32,37, 38, 39; Ephesians
4:11,12;Revelation 11:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ,11)

Hiebert comments that...

"Do not treat prophecies with contempt" names a specific action whereby the
Spirit may be quenched.

Despise (1848)(exoutheneo from ek = an intensifies + outhenéo = bring to naught)

is a strong verb which means to despise someone or something on basis it is
worthless or of no value. To treat something or someone as of no account. To set at
naught. To make something of no account (disregard, reject with contempt, despise).

Williams paraphrases it...

 Stop treating the messages of prophecy with contempt.

As noted with the negative command in verse 19, the combination of a negative
particle (me) with the present imperative suggests that the recipients are being told
to stop doing something they have begun -- they were to stop despising prophetic
utterances. Note also that the verb exoutheneo is in the second person plural as
areall the commands in 1Thes 5:19, 20, 21, 22 , indicating that the command is
intended for the entire Thessalonian church.

Barclay sums up Paul's command explaining that...

The prophets were really the equivalent of our modern preachers. It was they
who brought the message of God to the congregation. Paul is really saying, If a
man has anything to say, don t stop him saying it. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study
Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos)

BDAG writes that exoutheneo means...

(1) to show by one s attitude or manner of treatment that an entity has no merit or
worth (disdain)....(2) to have no use for something as being beneath one s
consideration (reject disdainfully)... (3) to regard another as of no significance
and therefore worthy of maltreatment, treat with contempt. (Arndt, W., Danker, F.
W., & Bauer, W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature)

There are 11 uses of exoutheneo in the NT...

Luke 18:9 And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

Luke 23:11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and
mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.

Acts 4:11 "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which
became the very corner stone.

Romans 14:3 (note) Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does
not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has
accepted him.

Romans 14:10 (note) But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again,
why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of God.

1 Corinthians 1:28 and the base things of the world and the despised, God has
 chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are,

1 Corinthians 6:4 If then you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do
you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?

1 Corinthians 16:11 Let no one therefore despise him. But send him on his way
in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

2 Corinthians 10:10 For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his
personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible."

Galatians 4:14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did
not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus
Himself. (Paul is saying that during the time of trial in connection with my physical
disability, the Galatians showed no disdain.)

1 Thessalonians 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances.

There are 6 uses in the (1 Sam. 8:7; 10:19; Prov. 1:7; Jer. 6:14; Dan. 4:31; Amos 6:1)
and here are 2 representative passages...

1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in
regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected (Hebrew = ma'ac =
reject, despise, refuse; Lxx = exoutheneo) you, but they have rejected (Hebrew =
ma'ac = reject, despise, refuse; Lxx = exoutheneo) Me from being king over
them.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

Fools despise (Hebrew = buwz = to despise, hold in contempt; Lxx =
exoutheneo) wisdom and instruction.

Prophetic utterances (4394) (Propheteia from pró = before or forth + phemí = tell)
has the literal meaning of speaking forth, with no connotation of prediction or other
supernatural or mystical significance.

Vine notes that...

Though much of the Old Testament prophecy was purely predictive, see Micah
5:2, e.g., and cp. John 11:51, prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, =
foretelling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural
means, Matthew 26:68, it is the forth telling of the will of God, whether with
reference to the past, the present, or the future, see Genesis 20:7; Deuteronomy
18:18; Revelation 10:11; 11:3. The relation between Aaron and Moses illustrates
the relation between the prophet and God, Exodus 4:16; 7:1...
 With the completion of the canon of Scripture prophecy apparently passed
away, 1Corinthians 13:8, 9. In his measure the teacher has taken the place of the
prophet, cp. the significant change in 2Peter 2:1. The difference is that, whereas
the message of the prophet was a direct revelation of the mind of God for the
occasion, the message of the teacher is gathered from the completed revelation
contained in the Scriptures.

Instructions given to the prophet of apostolic days serve as a general guide to the
teacher now. Building up the saints is to be his sole aim, 1Corinthians
14:5, 12, 26; Ephesians 4:12; to this end his words must be distinctly spoken, and
his language must be suited to his hearers, 1Co 14:7, 9, 11, 16; he must avoid
confusion of every kind, since confusion is of the flesh, not of the Spirit, 1Co
14:32, 33. Teachers are to defer one to another, 1Co 14:30, nor is any teacher to
be judge of the profit, or otherwise, of his own utterances, 1Co 14:29. Acceptance
of these divine regulations is evidence of spirituality, 1Co 14:37, 38.

Propheteia or prophetic utterances in its purest form is found in the Scriptures

themselves, the speaking forth of the the Word of God. Propheteia in fact refers
specifically to the Scriptures in Peter's epistle...

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own
interpretation, for noprophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men
moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (Seenotes 2 Peter 1:20; 21)

Paul gives perhaps the best definition of the prophetic gift in 1 Corinthians...

But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and
consolation. (1Corinthians 14:3)

In short, prophetic utterances are to build up, encourage and comfort believers.

The gift of prophecy today is the most clearly illustrated by the gift of preaching, of
proclaiming the Word of God. God used many Old and New Testament prophets to
foretell future events, but that was never an indispensable part of prophetic ministry.

In the well respected theological journal Bibliotheca Sacra, the late Dr John Walvoord
makes the following statements...

Divine revelation, of course, received a tremendous addition when Jesus Christ

came in the flesh. He was a revelation of God in His person and life as well as in
His prophetic utterances. Throughout the apostolic period special revelation
continued as God communicated truth to individuals and to churches. (Volume
130, page 23)

The Olivet Discourse is one of the great prophetic utterances of Scripture

 dealing not only with the age as a whole in its progress and signs of the end but
portraying the great truth of the second coming of Christ later to be expounded in
greater detail in the Book of Revelation. (Volume 129, page 315).

The OT has a pointed example of despising or showing contempt for prophetic

utterance in 2 Kings...

Then he (Elijah) went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the
way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up,
you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!" (2 Kings 2:23)

There is little doubt that Paul's instructions regarding prophetic utterances followed
by the command toexamine everything carefully relates in some way to what
occurred in the church at Thessalonica between the first and second epistles. In his
second letter Paul wrote...

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming (parousia) of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and our gathering together (episynagoge) to Him (referring to his
previous letter where he had explained theRapture - see 1Th
4:13, 14, 15, 16, 17-see notes 1Th 4:13; 14; 15; 16; 17), that you may not be
quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a
message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the Day of the Lord has come.
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-2) (Comment: Undoubtedly some in their midst had
claimed a message or prophetic utterance that the church was in now in the Day
of the Lord but when examined carefully with Scripture, this utterance could be
proved false.)

Hiebert explains that...

Prophecies refers to the utterance of various declarations of the divine counsels

under the immediate inspiration of the Spirit. The plural noun without the article
denotes the individual cases as the Spirit spoke through the prophets for the
instruction and edification of the church. The prophetic function held an important
place in the life of the early church. In Ephesians 4:11 (note) the prophets are
named next to the apostles as Christ's gift to the church. They were the human
channels through whom the Spirit made known His will and purpose for His
people. The prophetic revelation might at times concern the future (Acts 11:28)
but not necessarily so. The prophetic message generally was in the nature of
instruction and guidance concerning the present (Acts 13:2). The basic function
of the prophet was to "speak forth" the counsel of God.

Through this important gift, the Spirit guided the development of the e and
doctrine of the young church. With the completion of the divine revelation in the
New Testament canon such direct communication of new spiritual revelation has
ceased. Today the prophetic ministry in the church is not the disclosure of new
 revelation directly from the Spirit but rather the proclamation of God's message
for His people as gathered from the inspired Scriptures under the illumination of
the Spirit and made relevant to the contemporary situation. Believers need to be
on guard against any professed revelation from the Spirit today that goes beyond,
or is inconsistent with, the revelation embodied in the Scriptures. (Hiebert, D.
Edmond: 1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996)

J Vernon McGee applies this passage writing that believers today are not to...

look down upon Bible study as something that is beneath you. Do not be
indifferent to the Word of God. We have a lot of folk who are in Christian service,
but they are ignorant of the Bible and they look down on Bible study.
Occasionally I hear such a person saying, You just spend all your time in Bible
study and you don t do anything. What you need to do is get out and get busy.
Well, what is needed is to get busy studying the Word of God, and after you do
that you will see how to get busy and really be effective. (McGee, J V: Thru the
Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

Comment: As an aside I spoke recently to the secretary in a local Bible

church in which the leadership has made the decision that they want to avoid
teaching too much doctrine! Paul would tell them stop looking with contempt
on sound doctrine or perhaps he would say don't hypocritically call yourself a
Bible church!

Clarke comments that Paul is saying...

Do not suppose that ye have no need of continual instruction

Without it ye cannot preserve the Christian life, nor go on to perfection. God will
ever send a message of salvation by each of his ministers to every faithful,
attentive hearer. Do not suppose that ye are already wise enough; you are no
more wise enough than you are holy enough. They who slight or neglect the
means of grace, and especially the preaching of God s holy word, are generally
vain, empty, self-conceited people, and exceedingly superficial both in knowledge
and piety.

Ray Stedman has an excellent summary writing that Paul's command says in
essence...

Do not ignore the Scripture's wisdom: Do not despise prophesying. Unfortunately,

because of certain cultic tendencies in our day, we think of prophesying as some
special power to predict the future either for ourselves individually or for the world
at large. But prophesying was not that. Dr. F. F. Bruce, who is one of the great
expositors of our day, says prophesying is
 declaring the mind of God in the power of the Spirit.

In those early days, before the New Testament was written, this was done orally;
prophets spoke the mind of the Spirit in an assembly. But since the writing of the
Scriptures we have very little need for any kind of prophesying other than that
based upon the Scriptures. So prophesying really becomes what we call
today expository preaching and teaching. It is what I am doing right now. It is
opening the mind of God from the Word of God. Do not despise that, says the
apostle. That is the wisdom of God. That is telling you how to act, how to think
and how to order your life. Do not treat it lightly. It will save you countless
headaches and heartaches if you observe it. (Loving Christianly) (Bolding added)

John Calvin has a similar explanation observing that...

This sentence is appropriately added to the preceding one, for as the Spirit of
God illuminates us chiefly by doctrine, those who give not teaching its proper
place, do, so far as in them lies, quench the Spirit, for we must always consider in
what manner or by what means God designs to communicate himself to us. Let
every one, therefore, who is desirous to make progress under the direction of the
Holy Spirit, allow himself to be taught by the ministry of prophets.

By the term prophecy, however, I do not understand the gift of foretelling the
future, but as in 1 Corinthians 14:3, the science of interpreting Scripture, so that
a prophet is an interpreter of the will of God. For Paul, in the passage which I
have quoted, assigns to prophets teaching for edification, exhortation, and
consolation, and enumerates, as it were, these departments. Let, therefore,
prophecy in this passage be understood as meaning interpretation made
suitable to present use. Paul prohibits us from despising it, if we would not
choose of our own accord to wander in darkness.

Matthew Poole surmises that some of the Thessalonians...

despise it (prophecy) because of the outward meanness of the persons which

prophesy; some, through a proud conceit of their own knowledge; some, by a
contempt of religion itself. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament)

Barnes feels that...

The reference here seems to be to preaching. They were not to undervalue it in

comparison with other things. It is possible that in Thessalonica, as appears to
have been the case subsequently in Corinth, (cp.1Co 14:19), there were those
who regarded the power of working miracles, or of speaking in unknown tongues,
as a much more eminent endowment than that of stating the truths of religion in
language easily understood. It would not be unnatural that comparisons should
be made between these two classes of endowments, much to the disadvantage
 of the latter; and hence may have arisen this solemn caution not to disregard or
despise the ability to make known divine truth in intelligible language.

A similar counsel may not be inapplicable to us now. The office of setting forth
the truth of God is to be the permanent office in the church; that of speaking
foreign languages by miraculous endowment, was to be temporary. But the office
of addressing mankind on the great duties of religion, and of publishing salvation,
is to be God's great ordinance for converting the world. It should not be despised,
and no man commends his own wisdom who contemns it (Albert Barnes. Barnes
NT Commentary)

Guzik writes...

We recognize that the Lord speaks to and through His people today, and we
learn to be open to His voice. Of course, we always test prophecies (following the
command to test all things), but we do not despise prophecies.

James Denney adds that...

The prophet was a man whose rational and moral nature had been quickened by
the Spirit of Christ, and who possessed in an uncommon degree the power of
speaking edification, exhortation, and comfort. In other words, he was a Christian
preacher, endued with wisdom, fervor, and tenderness; and his spiritual
addresses were among the Lord s best gifts to the Church. Such addresses, or
prophesyings, Paul tells us, we are not to despise.

Now despise is a strong word; it is, literally, to set utterly at naught, as Herod set
at naught Jesus, when he clothed Him in purple, or as the Pharisees set at
naught the publicans, even when they came into the Temple to pray.

Of course, prophecy, or, to speak in the language of our own time, the preacher s
calling, may be abused: a man may preach without a message, without sincerity,
without reverence for God or respect for those to whom he speaks, he may make
a mystery, a professional secret, of the truth of God, instead of declaring it even
to little children; he may seek, as some who called themselves prophets in early
times sought, to make the profession of godliness a source of gain; and under
such circumstances no respect is due. But such circumstances are not to be
assumed without cause. We are rather to assume that he who stands up in the
Church to speak in God s name has had a word of God entrusted to him; it is not
wise to despise it before it is heard. It may be because we have been so often
disappointed that we pitch our hopes so low; but to expect nothing is to be guilty
of a sort of contempt by anticipation. To despise not prophesyings requires us
to look for something from the preacher, some word of God that will build us up in
godliness, or bring us encouragement or consolation; it requires us to listen as
those who have a precious opportunity given them of being strengthened by
 Divine grace and truth. We ought not to lounge or fidget while the word of God is
spoken, or to turn over the leaves of the Bible at random, or to look at the clock;
we ought to hearken for that word which God has put into the preacher s mouth
for us; and it will be a very exceptional prophesying in which there is not a single
thought that it would repay us to consider. (Classic Commentary Collection.
See AGES Software for their full selection of highly recommended resources)

Vincent has a lengthy, interesting note on prophetic utterances writing that...

The emphasis on prophesyings corresponds with that in 1 Cor.

14:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 22 ff. Prophecy in the apostolic church was directly inspired
instruction, exhortation, or warning. The prophet received the truth into his own
spirit which was withdrawn from earthly things and concentrated upon the
spiritual world. His higher, spiritual part (pneuma), and his moral intelligence
(nous), and his speech (logos) worked in harmony. His spirit received a spiritual
truth in symbol: his understanding interpreted it in its application to actual events,
and his speech uttered the interpretation. He was not ecstatically rapt out of the
sphere of human intelligence, although his understanding was intensified and
clarified by the phenomenal action of the Spirit upon it. This double action
imparted a peculiarly elevated character to his speech. The prophetic influence
was thus distinguished from the mystical ecstasy, the ecstasy of Paul when rapt
into the third heaven, which affected the subject alone and was incommunicable
(2Cor. 12:1, 2, 3, 4). The gift of tongues carried the subject out of the prophetic
condition in which spirit, understanding, and speech operated in concert, and into
a condition in which the understanding was overpowered by the communication
to the spirit, so that the spirit could not find its natural expression in rational
speech, or speech begotten of the understanding, and found supernatural
expression in a tongue created by the Spirit. Paul attached great value to
prophecy. He places prophets next after apostles in the list of those whom God
has set in the Church (1Co 12:28). He associates apostles and prophets as the
foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20). He assigns to prophecy the precedence
among spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:1, 2, 3, 4, 5), and urges his readers to desire the
gift (1Co 14:1, 39). Hence his exhortation here.

In summary in issuing this negative command, Paul is saying that some in the
Thessalonian church had a low opinion of prophesying and/or viewed this activity with
contempt. Whatever the exact nature of the problem that evoked the tendency to
undervalue prophecy, Paul is declaring that they must guard themselves against the
reaction of despising all prophesying. Believers need to remember that wherever the
Spirit of God is at work, the devil will seek to introduce confusion. They must not
disparage the true manifestations of the Spirit but be alert to detect the false, which
leads into the next section.