SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:13
¶ Tampoco, hermanos, queremos que ignoris acerca de los que duermen. Que no os entristezcis como los otros que no tienen esperanza.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Verse 13. I would not have you to be ignorant] Instead of ecomen, have, qelomen, wish, is the reading of ADEFG, many others, besides the Arabic, AEthiopic, Armenian, some of the Slavonian, the Vulgate, and Itala, with many of the Greek fathers. This is undoubtedly the true reading: Brethren, I would not wish you to be ignorant; or, I would not that you should be ignorant. This was probably one of the points which were lacking in their faith, that he wished to go to Thessalonica to instruct them in.
Them which are asleep] That is, those who are dead. It is supposed that the apostle had heard that the Thessalonians continued to lament over their dead, as the heathens did in general who had no hope of the resurrection of the body; and that they had been puzzled concerning the doctrine of the resurrection. To set them right on this important subject, he delivers three important truths: 1. He asserts, as he had done before, that they who died in the Lord should have, in virtue of Christ's resurrection, a resurrection unto eternal life and blessedness. 2. He makes a new discovery, that the last generation should not die at all, but be in a moment changed to immortals. 3. He adds another new discovery, that, though the living should not die, but be transformed, yet the dead should first be raised, and be made glorious and immortal; and so, in some measure, have the preference and advantage of such as shall then be found alive. See Dodd.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren , etc.] As they seem to have been, about the state of the pious dead, the rule and measure of mourning for them, the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, the second coming of Christ, and the future happiness of the saints; wherefore the apostle judged it necessary to write to them upon these subjects: the Alexandrian copy and others, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, we would not have you to be ignorant, etc. concerning them which are asleep ; that is, dead: it was in common use among the Eastern nations, when they spoke of their dead, to say they were asleep. This way of speaking is used frequently both in the Old and the New Testament; (see 1 Kings 2:10 11:43 Daniel 12:2 John 11:11) ( 1 Corinthians 15:20) and very often with the Targumists; so the Targum on ( Ecclesiastes 3:4) a time to weep, paraphrases it, a time to weep abyk l[ , over them that are asleep: and in ( Ecclesiastes 4:2). I praised abyk ty , those that are asleep, the dead: the reason of this way of speaking was, because there is a likeness between sleep and death; in both there is no exercise of the senses, and persons are at rest, and both rise again; and they are common to all men, and proper and peculiar to the body only. The apostle designs such persons among the Thessalonians, who either died a natural death, or were removed by violence, through the rage and fury of their persecutors, for whom their surviving friends were pressed with overmuch sorrow, which is here cautioned against: that ye sorrow not, even as others that have no hope ; the apostle's view is not to encourage and establish a stoical apathy, a stupid indolence, and a brutal insensibility, which are contrary to the make of human nature, to the practice of the saints, and even of Christ and his apostles, and our apostle himself; but to forbid excessive and immoderate sorrow, and all the extravagant forms of it the Gentiles ran into; who having no notion of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, had no hope of ever seeing their friends more, but looked upon them as entirely lost, as no longer in being, and never more to be met with, seen, and enjoyed; this drove them to extravagant actions, furious transports, and downright madness; as to throw off their clothes, pluck off their hair, tear their flesh, cut themselves, and make baldness between their eyes for the dead; (see Deuteronomy 14:1) practices forbidden the Jews, and which very ill become Christians, that believe the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead: the words are to be understood not of other Christians, who have no hope of the eternal welfare of their deceased friends; not but that the sorrow of those who have a good hope of the future Well being of their dear relatives, must and ought to be greatly different from that of others, who have no hope at all: it is observed by the Jews on those words in ( Genesis 23:2) and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, etc. that it is not said to weep for Sarah, but to mourn for her; for such a woman as this, it is not fit to weep, after her soul is joined in the bundle of life, but to mourn for her, and do her great honour at her funeral; though because it is not possible that a man should not weep for his dead, it is said at the end, and to weep for her: but here the words are to be understood of the other Gentiles that were in a state of nature and unregeneracy, who had no knowledge of the resurrection of the dead, or and hope of a future state, and of enjoying their friends in it: they are called oi loipoi , the rest; and the Syriac version renders it, other men.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-18 - Here is comfort for the relations and friends of those who die in the Lord. Grief for the death of friends is lawful; we may weep for our ow loss, though it may be their gain. Christianity does not forbid, an grace does not do away, our natural affections. Yet we must not be excessive in our sorrows; this is too much like those who have no hop of a better life. Death is an unknown thing, and we know little abou the state after death; yet the doctrines of the resurrection and the second coming of Christ, are a remedy against the fear of death, an undue sorrow for the death of our Christian friends; and of thes doctrines we have full assurance. It will be some happiness that all the saints shall meet, and remain together for ever; but the principa happiness of heaven is to be with the Lord, to see him, live with him and enjoy him for ever. We should support one another in times sorrow not deaden one another's spirits, or weaken one another's hands. An this may be done by the many lessons to be learned from the resurrection of the dead, and the second coming of Christ. What comfort a man by telling him he is going to appear before the judgment-seat of God! Who can feel comfort from those words? That ma alone with whose spirit the Spirit of God bears witness that his sin are blotted out, and the thoughts of whose heart are purified by the Holy Spirit, so that he can love God, and worthily magnify his name. We are not in a safe state unless it is thus with us, or we are desirin to be so __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ου 3756 θελω 2309 5719 δε 1161 υμας 5209 αγνοειν 50 5721 αδελφοι 80 περι 4012 των 3588 κεκοιμημενων 2837 5772 ινα 2443 μη 3361 λυπησθε 3076 5747 καθως 2531 και 2532 οι 3588 λοιποι 3062 οι 3588 μη 3361 εχοντες 2192 5723 ελπιδα 1680
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. I would not have you to be ignorant (ou qelomen umav agnoein). The Greek is, we would not, etc. A formula often used by Paul to call special attention to what he is about to say. See Rom. i. 13; xi. 25; 1 Corinthians ii. 1, etc. He employs several similar expressions for the same purpose, as qelw uJmav eijdenai I wish you to know (1 Cor. xi. 3; Col. ii. 1): ginwrizw uJmin I declare unto you (1 Cor. xv. 1; 2 Corinthians viii. 1; Gal. i. 11): ginwskein uJmav boulomai I would have you know (Philip. i. 12).
Them which are asleep (twn koimwmenwn). Or, who are sleeping. See on Acts vii. 60; 2 Pet. iii. 4, and comp. 1 Cor. vii. 39; xi. 30; xv. 6, 18, 20, 51; John xi. 11, etc. The dead members of the Thessalonian church. Ye sorrow (luphsqe). Opinions differ as to the possible ground of this sorrow. According to some, the Thessalonians supposed that eternal life belonged only to such as should be found alive at the parousia, and therefore that those already dead would not share the blessings of the second advent. Others, assuming an interval between the advent and the general resurrection, think that the Thessalonians were anxious lest their brethren who died before the advent would be raised only at the general resurrection, and therefore would not share the blessings of communion with the Lord during the millennial reign. It is impossible to decide the question from Paul's words, since he does not argue, but only consoles. The value of his consolation does not depend upon the answer to the question whether the departed saints shall first be raised up at the general resurrection, or at a previons resurrection of believers only. The Thessalonians were plainly distressed at the thought of separation from their departed brethren, and had partially lost sight of the elements of the Christian hope - reunion with them and fellowship with the Lord. These elements Paul emphasises in his answer. The resurrection of Jesus involves the resurrection of believers. The living and the dead Christians shall alike be with the Lord.
Others (oi loipoi). More correctly, the rest. Paul makes a sharp distinction between Christians, and all others.
Who have no hope. Only believers have hope of life after death. The speculations and surmisings of pagan philosophy do not amount to a hope.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:13 {We would not have} (ou qelomen). We do not wish. {You ignorant} (humas agnoein). Old word, not to know (a privative, gno-, root of ginwskw). No advantage in ignorance of itself. {Concerning them that fall asleep} (peri twn koimwmenwn). Present passive (or middle) participle (Aleph B) rather than the perfect passive kekoimemenwn of many later MSS. From old koimaw, to put to sleep. Present tense gives idea of repetition, from time to time fall asleep. Greeks and Romans used this figure of sleep for death as Jesus does (#Joh 11:11) and N.T. generally (cf. our word _cemetery_). Somehow the Thessalonians had a false notion about the dead in relation to the second coming. {Even as the rest which have no hope} (kaqws hoi loipoi hoi me econtes elpida). this picture of the hopelessness of the pagan world about the future life is amply illustrated in ancient writings and particularly by inscriptions on tombs (Milligan). Some few pagans clung to this hope, but most had none.
