Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church Volume 21

Paul's Exhortation to the Church @ Thessalonica for Purity/Chastity Part 2

1 Thessalonians 4:4-6 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. KJV

Paul continues in his exhortation to these believers in Thessalonica for sexual purity among them and in their congregation by declaring, "That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;" (1 Thessalonians 4:4) (KJV). It has been debated over the centuries exactly what the Apostle meant in this verse when he uses the English word 'vessel', first lets remind ourselves of what the little English phrase 'should know' means, for we just defined this phrase in our last study/commentary and it is translated by the Greek word eido which is a primary verb that means simply to know, to perceive, or to understand. Next in this verse, Paul uses the little English phrase 'how to possess' (speaking of course of the vessel) and this phrase is translated by one Greek word ktaomai which is a primary verb that means to get, that is, acquire (by any means; own): - obtain, possess, provide, purchase. Here is where much of the controversy, contention, and contesting over the meaning of the English word 'vessel' has come about. It is clear to me that the Apostle Paul has a two fold meaning in mind for this English word 'vessel' which is translated by the Greek word skeuos which is defined in Greek meaning figuratively [specifically a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband].

Women back in the day that Paul wrote this letter did not question or argue over what was meant by the use of this word, but in later generations of the Church disputes arose over the idea that God the Father would label the woman as a possession of her husband or that she was 'owned' by him. Paul is speaking to the entire Church @ Thessalonica and surely everyone in the Church at the time of the writing of this letter were not all married, therefore, with this fact accepted, we see then that Paul is primarily or for the most part speaking of the possessing of one's 'vessel' as the Christian husband's wife (we will explain further when we get to verse 6), but having said that surely not everyone in the Church was married, then we are certain that Paul speaks also of 'vessel' as being that of the man's body single or married (2 Corinthians 4:7) that should not be defiled by having sex within his own blood family (incest) or fornicating with another single woman or married woman (which would be adultery). Paul wanted to exhort everyone in the Church married or single to possess or handle their 'vessel' with the idea of controlling the use of their body by not having sex with anyone that was not their wife (for the men) or their husband (for the women).

To support, substantiate, and strengthen the argument that Paul's primary definition of the word 'vessel' being that of the wife, we only have to go the Scripture where the Apostle Peter likewise refers to 'vessel' as that being the wife as we see with these words he wrote, "In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker vessel, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered {and} cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]" (1 Peter 3:7) (Amplified Bible). Paul had implored the Corinthian believers to also abstain from fornication, for before their conversion to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ in Corinth fornication was widely accepted as spiritual worship to their idol gods in their temple where many women prostitutes were there for the sexual service to the men entering the temple, therefore, Paul in answering their question of whether or not they could continue such practices 'in Christ' wrote to them these words of warning, "Do you not see {and} know that your bodies are members (bodily parts) of Christ (the Messiah)? Am I therefore to take the parts of Christ and make [them] parts of a prostitute? Never! Never! Or do you not know {and} realize that when a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? The two, it is written, shall become one flesh. But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. Shun immorality {and} all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God {and} bring glory to Him in your body." (1 Corithians 6:15-20) (Amplified Bible).

Marriage was according to the Apostle Paul God's desire for man's procreation, but also for man and woman's pleasure in sex, which is the only sexual relationship that is completely and wholly and fully blessed by God the Father as the Apostle Paul wrote in the Book of Hebrews with these words, "Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge {and} punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous." (Hebrews 13:4) (Amplified Bible). The Apostle Paul next warns them of continuing or carrying on as they were before their reception of the Gospel of Grace, for grace was for them and for us not a license into the furtherance of fornicating with many women, but grace was for them and is for us the power of God from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ as enacted by the Holy Spirit to enable us to abstain from fornication, thus showing that the One True God has truly placed His seal upon them and upon us today as Paul wrote to them and speaks to us today with these words, "Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:" (1 Thessalonians 4:5) (KJV). The English word 'concupiscence' is translated by the Greek word epithumia meaning a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - desire, lust (after). In other words, Paul exhorts them to walk or live along a different path or street than the unbeliever (Gentile is used here by Paul) who justify fornication as a normal way of life and of living, seeing no wrong in it at all.

Even human reasoning declares to man that when he seduces his friends girl friend into having sex with him, he hurts his friend (not physically of course), but emotionally and spiritually, that damages him in a way that cannot be appeased as the Proverb declares to us with these words, "But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart {and} understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life. Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy makes [the wronged] man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance [upon the detected one]. He will not consider any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts {and} bribes." (Proverbs 6:32-35) (Amplified Bible). Now Paul gets to the heart of why the abstinence from fornication is so critical for these Thessalonian believers and we believers 'in Christ' today and of every generation and era and that is as he declares here, "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified." (1 Thessalonians 4:6) (KJV). The English word 'defraud' is translated by the Greek word pleonekteo which means to be covetous, that is, (by implication) to over reach: The English word 'matter' is translated by the Greek word pragma meaning a deed; by implication an affair; by extension an object (material): Therefore, in other words, we see that Paul warns them of the harm done to another brother in Christ when the desire to please the appetite of the flesh overrules the desire to 'love thy neighbor or brother as thyself' and that is to covet, desire, and long for your brothers wife to have sex with her seeing her as merely a sexual object in fornication to please your sexual appetite but causing your brother harm. This is exactly what the King of Israel (David) did with Bathsheba as recorded with these words, "One evening David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, when from there he saw a woman bathing; and she was very lovely to behold. David sent and inquired about the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers and took her. And she came in to him, and he lay with her--for she was purified from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house. And the woman became pregnant and sent and told David, I am with child." (2 Samuel 11:2-5) (Amplified Bible).

David (the King of Israel) defrauded his brother Uriah the Hittite by coveting his wife and fornicating with her and getting her pregnant. David even graduated on to the sin of murder, as he had Uriah killed in battle in order that he might cover up his own sin of adultery. The little English phrase 'the avenger' is translated by one Greek word ekdikos only used one other time in the New Testament meaning carrying justice out, that is, a punisher: In other words, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' (Romans 12:19) is what Paul means by the use of this Greek word for all who do defraud their brother 'in Christ' by fornicating with his wife just as even the King of Israel discovered was true as documented for us by these words, "Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, doing evil in His sight? You have slain Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife. You have murdered him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because [you have not only despised My command, but] you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord {and} given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born to you shall surely die. Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, and he was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted and went in and lay all night [repeatedly] on the floor. His older house servants arose [in the night] and went to him to raise him up from the floor, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. And on the seventh day the child died." (2 Samuel 11:9-18) (Amplified Bible). 'There is no partially or favoritism with God' (Romans 2:11).

"No one must come in between husband and wife to defraud either of the lawful love which each should receive from the other. The home has been rescued and exalted by Christ, and the Christian Church must still be its custodian, not only inculcating the ideal, but revealing the sufficient power for its defense." F. B. Meyer

"But what does Paul mean by 'his own vessel'? It can only mean his own body or his own wife. Objections are raised against either view, but perhaps he means that the man shall acquire his own wife 'in sanctification and honour,' words that elevate the wife and make it plain that Paul demands sexual purity on the part of men (married as well as unmarried). There is no double standard here. When the husband comes to the marriage bed, he should come as a chaste man to a chaste wife." Robertson's Word Pictures

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…