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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Thessalonians 5:16–22.
Here we have divers short exhortations, that will not burden our memories, but will be of great use to direct the motions of our hearts and lives; for the duties are of great importance, and we may observe how they are connected together, and have a dependence upon one another. 1. Rejoice evermore, Th1 5:16. This must be understood of spiritual joy; for we must rejoice in our creature-comforts as if we rejoiced not, and must not expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but, if we do rejoice in God, we may do that evermore. In him our joy will be full; and it is our fault if we have not a continual feast. If we are sorrowful upon any worldly account, yet still we may always rejoice, Co2 6:10. Note, A religious life is a pleasant life, it is a life of constant joy. 2. Pray without ceasing, Th1 5:17. Note, The way to rejoice evermore is to pray without ceasing. We should rejoice more if we prayed more. We should keep up stated times for prayer, and continue instant in prayer. We should pray always, and not faint: pray without weariness, and continue in prayer, till we come to that world where prayer shall be swallowed up in praise. The meaning is not that men should do nothing but pray, but that nothing else we do should hinder prayer in its proper season. Prayer will help forward and not hinder all other lawful business, and every good work. 3. In every thing give thanks, Th1 5:18. 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, Phi 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. 4. Quench not the Spirit (Th1 5:19), 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. 5. Despise not prophesyings (Th1 5:20); for, if we neglect the means of grace, we forfeit the Spirit of grace. By prophesyings here we are to understand the preaching of the word, the interpreting and applying of the scriptures; and this we must not despise, but should prize and value, because it is the ordinance of God, appointed of him for our furtherance and increase in knowledge and grace, in holiness and comfort. We must not despise preaching, though it be plain, and not with enticing words of men's wisdom, and though we be told no more than what we knew before. It is useful, and many times needful, to have our minds stirred up, our affections and resolutions excited, to those things that we knew before to be our interest and our duty. 6. Prove all things, but hold fast that which is good, Th1 5:21. This is a needful caution, to prove all things; for, though we must put a value on preaching, we must not take things upon trust from the preacher, but try them by the law and the testimony. We must search the scriptures, whether what they say be true or not. We must not believe every spirit, but must try the spirits. But we must not be always trying, always unsettled; no, at length we must be settled, and hold fast that which is good. When we are satisfied that any thing is right, and true, and good, we must hold it fast, and not let it go, whatever opposition or whatever persecution we meet with for the sake thereof. Note, The doctrines of human infallibility, implicit faith, and blind obedience, are not the doctrines of the Bible. Every Christian has and ought to have, the judgment of discretion, and should have his senses exercised in discerning between good and evil, truth and falsehood, Heb 5:13, Heb 5:14. And proving all things must be in order to holding fast that which is good. We must not always be seekers, or fluctuating in our minds, like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. 7. Abstain from all appearance of evil, Th1 5:22. This is a good means to prevent our being deceived with false doctrines, or unsettled in our faith; for our Saviour has told us (Joh 7:17), If a man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God. Corrupt affections indulged in the heart, and evil practices allowed of in the life, will greatly tend to promote fatal errors in the mind; whereas purity of heart, and integrity of life, will dispose men to receive the truth in the love of it. We should therefore abstain from evil, and all appearances of evil, from sin, and that which looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of sin, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to sin, will not long abstain from the actual commission of sin.
Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
12 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
So, too, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth," has now grown old, ever since "Let none render evil for evil" grew young.
For no one is going to turn away from sin and start behaving righteously unless he thinks about what he is doing. Not until he has been straightened out by practicing godly behavior will he actually possess the reward of faith: the crown of righteousness that Paul possessed, having fought the good fight. That crown is laid up not just for Paul but for all who are like him in this respect. This sort of meditation and exercise in godliness should be familiar to us, as it was to the saints of old. It should be especially so in the season when the divine word calls upon us to keep the feast. For what, after all, is the feast but continual worship of God, recognition of godliness and unceasing prayer all done from the heart in full agreement with each other? St. Paul, wanting us to be so inclined, urges us, “Always rejoice, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all things.”
Then, because he [David] had been delivered from great danger, he sent up this prayer of thanksgiving to God who had rescued him. “I will bless the Lord at all times.” Having escaped death, as if he were setting up norms for his life, he molded his soul to an exact manner of living, so that he ceased at no time from praise but referred the beginning of affairs, great and small, to God. “I will not think,” he says, “that anything was done through my diligence nor happened through spontaneous chance, but, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times,’ not only in prosperity of life, but also in precarious times.” The apostle, learning from this, says, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks.”
Fo paye and psalmody, howeve, as also, indeed, fo some othe duties, evey hou is suitable, that, while ou hands ae busy at thei tasks, we may paise God sometimes with the tongue (when this is possible, o, athe, when it is conducive to edification); o, if not, with the heat…. Thus we acquie a ecollected spiit—when in evey action we beg fom God the success of ou labos and satisfy ou debt of gatitude to him who gave us the powe to do the wok, and when, as has been said, we keep befoe ou minds the aim of pleasing him. If this is not the case, how can thee be consistency in the wods of the apostle bidding us to “pay without ceasing,” with those othe wods, “we woked night and day.” The Long Rules q..
For prayer and psalmody, however, as also, indeed, for some other duties, every hour is suitable, that, while our hands are busy at their tasks, we may praise God sometimes with the tongue (when this is possible, or, rather, when it is conducive to edification); or, if not, with the heart.… Thus we acquire a recollected spirit—when in every action we beg from God the success of our labors and satisfy our debt of gratitude to him who gave us the power to do the work, and when, as has been said, we keep before our minds the aim of pleasing him. If this is not the case, how can there be consistency in the words of the apostle bidding us to “pray without ceasing,” with those other words, “we worked night and day.”
"Rejoice alway."
This is said with respect to the temptations that bring in affliction. Hear ye, as many as have fallen into poverty, or into distressing circumstances. For from these joy is engendered. For when we possess such a soul that we take revenge on no one, but do good to all, whence, tell me, will the sting of grief be able to enter into us? For he who so rejoices in suffering evil, as to requite even with benefits him that has done him evil, whence can he afterwards suffer grief? And how, you say, is this possible? It is possible, if we will. Then also he shows the way.
When the mind is freed from lust, established in tranquility and does not waver in its intention toward the one supreme good, the monk will fulfill the precept of St. Paul, “Pray without ceasing,” and “In every place lifting up holy hands without wrath and controversy.” By purity of heart the mind is drawn away from earthly feelings and is reformed in the likeness of an angelic spirit. Then, whatever thought the mind receives, whatever it considers, whatever it does, will be a prayer of true purity and sincerity.
The brothers told this story: We once visited some hermits, and after the usual prayer we exchanged greetings and sat down. After we had talked with them, we got ready to go, and asked once again for prayers to be said. But one of the hermits said to us, ‘What, haven’t you prayed already?’ We said: ‘Yes, abba, when we came in, we prayed, and since then we have been talking.’ He said, ‘I may be wrong, brothers; but one of you, while he was sitting and talking with you, offered a hundred and three prayers.’ With these words he prayed, and sent us away.
A brother asked one of the hermits, ‘If I happen to over-sleep, and am late for the hour of prayer, I am ashamed that others will hear me praying so late, and so I become reluctant to keep the rule of prayer.’ He said, ‘If ever you oversleep in the morning, get up when you wake, shut the door and the windows, and say your psalms. For it is written, “The day is thine and the night is thine” (Ps. 74:16). God is glorified whatever time it is.’
“Sing with jubilation to God, all the earth.” The prophet was troubled for the faithful people in case they believe they are to serve the Lord with gloomy anxiety, so he began at once with jubilation, for ministering to the Lord with happiness of mind constitutes the perfect devotion of the just man. As Paul warns us, “Always rejoice: pray without ceasing: in all things give thanks.”
And again, the apostle made the announcement in similar terms, saying, "Rejoice evermore: pray without ceasing: in everything give thanks."
Why did Paul say, “Pray and do not grow weary”? As long as he is a servant, he indeed prays; but once born of the Spirit in the world of prayer, he is a son of God, and he has authority over riches, being an heir; thus he does not merely ask.
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Summary
The concise yet profound command, "Rejoice evermore," serves as a foundational and enduring instruction for believers, calling them to a continuous, deep-seated joy that transcends circumstances. It is an imperative from the Apostle Paul, emphasizing that joy is not merely an emotion contingent on external factors but a spiritual discipline and a consistent disposition of the heart, rooted in God's unchanging character and the hope of salvation.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within the concluding section of Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians, specifically in a rapid-fire series of ethical and spiritual exhortations found in 1 Thessalonians 5. Following his extensive teachings on eschatology and the return of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4 and the earlier parts of chapter 5, Paul shifts to practical, concise commands for daily Christian living. "Rejoice evermore" is the first of a powerful triad, immediately followed by "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and "In every thing give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), indicating that these three disciplines are interconnected and essential for a robust spiritual life. This placement highlights their foundational importance for the community.
Historical & Cultural Context
The church in Thessalonica was relatively young, established during Paul's second missionary journey, and comprised primarily of Gentile converts. They faced significant challenges, including persecution from both Jewish and Gentile populations (1 Thessalonians 1:6 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14). Additionally, they grappled with misunderstandings concerning the second coming of Christ and the fate of believers who had died before His return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). In this context of external pressure and internal theological questions, Paul's letter serves to encourage, affirm their faith, and provide practical guidance. The command to "rejoice evermore" would have been counter-cultural, as worldly joy was typically dependent on favorable circumstances, whereas Paul calls for a joy that persists despite adversity, rooted in their new identity in Christ and the hope of His return.
Key Themes
The command to "rejoice evermore" contributes significantly to several overarching themes in 1 Thessalonians and Paul's broader theology. It underscores the theme of Christian Resilience and Endurance, demonstrating that faith in Christ equips believers to maintain a joyful disposition even amidst suffering and trials. This joy is not a superficial emotion but a deep-seated Spiritual Discipline and Choice, reflecting a consistent orientation of the heart towards God, independent of external circumstances. It also highlights the Transformative Power of the Gospel, as believers are empowered to live a life characterized by virtues like joy, prayer, and thankfulness, which are fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Ultimately, this perpetual joy is intrinsically linked to Eschatological Hope, as the Thessalonians' joy was anchored in the certainty of Christ's return and their future with Him, providing a secure foundation for their present experience.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This is a primary verb meaning "to be 'cheer'ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off." It can also be used impersonally as a salutation, meaning "be well." In this context, it is an imperative verb, a direct command, indicating that joy is not merely a passive feeling but an active choice and a spiritual discipline. The root of chaírō is closely related to charis (grace), suggesting that Christian joy is a gift from God's grace and a response to it.
Derived from pas (all) and hote (when), this adverb means "every when, i.e. at all times" or "always." Its inclusion emphasizes the continuous and perpetual nature of the command. It signifies that joy is to be a consistent characteristic of the believer's life, not an intermittent or circumstantial emotion, but a deep-seated disposition that endures through all seasons.
Verse Breakdown
"Rejoice"
This is a present imperative verb, indicating a continuous action. It is a command, not a suggestion or a description of a feeling. Paul is instructing believers to actively choose and maintain a state of joy. This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in one's relationship with God and the work of Christ. It implies an internal disposition of gladness and contentment, irrespective of trials or tribulations.
"evermore"
This adverb modifies "rejoice," specifying the duration and constancy of this command. It means "always" or "at all times." This signifies that the call to joy is not limited to favorable conditions but extends through all aspects of life—in prosperity and adversity, in peace and persecution, in health and sickness. It points to a deep, abiding joy that is sustained by faith and hope, rather than fleeting happiness.
Literary Devices
The brevity and directness of "Rejoice evermore" make it a potent command. The primary literary device is the Imperative Mood, which conveys a direct command, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of this instruction. It is not merely a suggestion but a divine directive for the Christian life. The phrase also employs a form of Hyperbole or Absolute Language with "evermore," which, while seemingly an impossible human feat, points to an ideal and a spiritual reality. It challenges believers to strive for a consistent, enduring joy that transcends fleeting emotions, implying that this joy is supernatural and divinely sustained. The Conciseness of the phrase itself makes it memorable and impactful, easy to recall and apply in daily life, serving as a powerful spiritual anchor.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The command to "rejoice evermore" distinguishes Christian joy from worldly happiness. While happiness is often circumstantial and fleeting, Christian joy is a deep-seated, abiding gladness rooted in God's unchanging character, His sovereign control, His redemptive work in Christ, and the certain hope of eternal life. This joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), indicating its divine origin and supernatural nature. It is a source of strength, enabling believers to face adversity with resilience and peace, serving as a powerful testimony to the world of the hope that is within them. It is a choice, an act of faith and obedience, even when feelings may not align, demonstrating a trust that God is good and at work in all things.
Reflection and Application
The command to "rejoice evermore" presents both a profound challenge and a deep comfort to believers. In a world often marked by suffering, anxiety, and disappointment, maintaining a consistent posture of joy may seem unrealistic. However, Paul's imperative calls us to a joy that is not dependent on circumstances but on our unchanging relationship with God. Practically, cultivating this "evermore" joy involves intentionally shifting our focus from our immediate trials to God's faithfulness, His promises, and the ultimate hope we have in Christ. It means embracing gratitude as a daily discipline, actively recalling God's past goodness and anticipating His future grace. Furthermore, it requires viewing joy as an act of worship and obedience, a spiritual discipline to be practiced even when our emotions falter. This active pursuit of joy, empowered by the Holy Spirit, strengthens our inner being, transforms our perspective, and enables us to be a vibrant witness to a world desperately searching for lasting hope.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is "rejoice evermore" a realistic command for believers, given the reality of suffering and sorrow in life?
Yes, "rejoice evermore" is a realistic and attainable command for believers, precisely because Christian joy is fundamentally different from worldly happiness. Worldly happiness is often contingent upon favorable circumstances, fleeting emotions, or the absence of difficulty. In contrast, biblical joy, as commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, is a deep-seated, abiding gladness rooted in one's relationship with God, His unchanging character, His sovereign control over all things, and the certain hope of salvation through Christ. This joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), meaning it is supernaturally empowered and sustained, enabling believers to experience it even amidst trials and sorrow. It is a choice, an act of faith and obedience, to fix one's gaze on God's goodness and promises, rather than on the immediate pain. As Paul himself demonstrated, it is possible to be "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10), because the source of Christian joy transcends earthly circumstances.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The command to "rejoice evermore" finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. He is not only the object of our joy but also its source and perfect embodiment. Our capacity for unending joy is rooted in His finished work on the cross, His triumphant resurrection, and His ongoing intercession for us. Through Christ, we are reconciled to God, our sins are forgiven, and we are given the promise of eternal life, providing an unshakeable foundation for joy that no earthly circumstance can diminish. Jesus Himself endured the cross "for the joy that was set before him" (Hebrews 12:2), demonstrating that true joy can coexist with profound suffering and is often found in obedience to God's will. The Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent, indwells believers and produces this supernatural joy as a fruit (Galatians 5:22), enabling us to "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). Therefore, to "rejoice evermore" is to continually fix our gaze on Christ, trusting in His sovereignty, celebrating His victory over sin and death, and living in the confident expectation of His glorious return (Philippians 4:4). Our joy is not in our circumstances, but in the Lord, who is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8).