ACC ~ 1 Thessalonians 5 v23

THE HUMAN COMPOSITE. AMBROSE: On this subject the Lord says, “When you come into the land to which I bring you and when you eat of the food of the land, you shall present an offering to the Lord. When you separate the firstfruits of your barn floors, you shall also give the firstfruits of your dough to the Lord.” We are a composite of diverse elements mixed together, cold with hot, and moist with dry. This mixture is the source of many pleasures and manifold delights of the flesh. But these are not the firstfruits of this body of ours. Since we are composed of soul and body and spirit, the first place is held by that mixture in which the apostle desires that we find sanctification. “And may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” CAIN AND ABEL 2.1.6.

FULL PARTICIPATION. GREGORY OF NYSSA: This, therefore, is perfection in the Christian life in my judgment, namely, the participation of one’s soul and speech and activities in all of the names by which Christ is signified, so that the perfect holiness, according to the eulogy of Paul, is taken upon oneself in “the whole body and soul and spirit,” continuously safeguarded against being mixed with evil. ON PERFECTION.

ONE SANCTIFIED LUMP. ORIGEN: In another way, it is possible to take the woman for the church, the leaven for the Holy Spirit and the three measures for body, spirit and soul. These three are sanctified by the leaven of the Holy Spirit, so that by the Holy Spirit they become one lump, in order that “our whole body and spirit and soul may be kept blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” as Paul says. HOMILIES ON LUKE, FRAGMENT 205.

THE HARMONY OF THE THREE. ORIGEN: In the wicked sin reigns over the soul, being settled as on its own throne in the mortal body, so that the soul obeys its lusts. . . but in the case of those who have become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery and put to death the deeds of the body. It imparts to the body of its own life and there arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth. … But still more blessed is it if the three [i.e., body, soul and spirit] be gathered together in the name of Jesus, that this may be fulfilled, “May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 14.3.

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

ARGUMENT: Since the Thessalonians have asked Paul about the “times and seasons, and since he is not able to visit in person, this is the letter that he sends instead. He wishes to refute”deceivers,” who have led the Thessalonians to think that the resurrection is past, that there is no retribution yet to come. Further, believers must be strengthened not only for retribution but for vindication yet to come (CHRYSOSTOM). Paul wishes to encourage the faith of the Thessalonians, as well as to warn them against expecting the Lord’s advent too soon. Antichrist must come first (THEODORE). Paul reminds them that great rewards await the righteous, as well as just punishment the unrighteous. The Thessalonians must not be led astray by false teaching about when the end will come (SEVERIAN). Central to Paul’s intention is the need to console the Thessalonians with the conviction that enemies of Christ must come, so that finally Christ our God and Savior will appear (THEODORET). In his discussion of the Lord’s final appearance and the resurrection of the dead, Paul speaks obscurely here about the end of the Roman kingdom and the person of Antichrist (AMBROSIASTER).