NOTES for Th1 4:1-12
As Paul continues to instruct the new converts in writing, he turns to what matters most: holiness, everyday life and the resurrection of the dead. For the apostle, holiness, as the consequence of obedience to God’s will, is the only reward. Everyday life, as he understands it, is far removed from our notions of happiness. One must strive to live quietly and do one’s work well. The apostle considers faith in the resurrection—the resurrection promised to all and granted to humanity through Christ’s sacrifice—to be the central question of faith. The concise nature of the letter suggests that all this had been the subject of the apostle’s extensive preaching and that he is now merely reminding his disciples of what is most important in Christian life.