Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (5:25–28)
In this postscript, Paul conveys his personal requests directly and clearly for his beloved church in Thessalonica. Before closing with a benediction, he offers three pleas: (1) pray for him as pastor, (2) show affection for one another, and (3) submit to God’s Word.
A REQUEST FOR PRAYER
Brethren, pray for us. (5:25)
Paul’s simple request that the Thessalonian brethren would pray for him constitutes his first parting desire for them. As so often expressed to his churches, the burden of the apostle’s heart was that his flock would intercede before the Lord for him (cf. Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:18–20; Phil. 1:19; Col. 4:2–4; Philem. 22) and, by implication, that all believers would pray for their pastors.
Brethren (adelphoi), in an emphatic position, is used repeatedly (see also 1:4; 2:1, 9, 17; 3:7; 4:1, 10; 5:1, 12, 14) to underscore Paul’s strong affection for the Thessalonians. Brethren left no one out and served as a basis for Paul’s first request—because they were together in the family of God and he had the right to expect them to pray for him.
Us includes Paul’s co-laborers Silas and Timothy. All three had been faithful in praying for the Thessalonians: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers” (1 Thess. 1:2; cf. Acts 6:4), and now Paul asked them to return the spiritual favor. Pray is in the present tense, indicating that Paul wanted the Thessalonians to make these prayers a habit.
That Paul would express his dependence on the prayers of other believers is consistent with the pleas he made in his other epistles. William Hendriksen comments:
The man [Paul] who, in the midst of his herculean labors, in II Cor. 11:29 exclaims, “Who is weak, that I am not weak?” and who prefaces that remark with a long list of sufferings and hardships which he had to endure, feels the need of prayer. The circumstances which surround him at Corinth are by no means easy…. Besides, he (together with Silas and Timothy, of course) believes in the efficacy of prayer. It is therefore not surprising that here (and in several of the epistles) we find this stirring request, Brothers, do pray for us. Cf. II Thess. 3:1; Rom. 15:30; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3. (New Testament Commentary. Exposition of Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981], 142)
Gardiner Spring, a nineteenth-century Presbyterian pastor in New York City, understood the vital role prayer has in spiritual warfare and made an impassioned plea for Christians to pray for their pastors:
O it is at a fearful expense that ministers are ever allowed to enter the pulpit without being preceded, accompanied, and followed by the earnest prayers of the churches. It is no marvel that the pulpit is so powerless, and ministers so often disheartened when there are so few to hold up their hands. The consequence of neglecting this duty is seen and felt in the spiritual declension of the churches, and it will be seen and felt in the everlasting perdition of men; while the consequence of regarding it would be the ingathering of multitudes into the kingdom of God, and new glories to the Lamb that was slain!
On his behalf therefore, and on the behalf of his beloved and respected brethren in the ministry, the writer would crave an interest in the prayers of all who love the Savior and the souls of men. We are the dispensers of God’s truth and at best fall far below our mighty theme. The duties of our calling return upon us with every returning week and day. They often come upon us with many and conflicting demands. They sometimes put a demand upon all our thoughts, and at the very time when we have lost the power of thinking; and sometimes they call for all the intensity and strength of our affections, just at the time we are the least capable of expressing them. There is also associated with these demands that pressing distress, and decaying anxiety, which exhausts our vigor, cripples our courage, and drinks up our spirits. And then, in addition to all this, there are so many disappointments in our work, that we desperately need the sympathy and comfort of the prayers of God’s faithful people! (“A Plea to Pray for Pastors” [Amityville, N.Y.: Calvary, 1991], 5–6; excerpted from The Power of the Pulpit [reprint of 1848 edition; Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, n.d.])
Paul’s requests for prayer suggest a number of matters that believers especially ought to remember when they pray for their pastor. First, it is important to pray for the pastor’s safety. In his second letter to them, Paul told the Thessalonians, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith” (2 Thess. 3:1–2; cf. Rom. 15:31a). “Perverse” refers to ones who were outrageously wicked, hostile to Paul, and sought to harm him (primarily unbelieving Jews). Potentially, the faithful pastor who consistently confronts the world’s wicked system with spiritual truth could suffer harm (John 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12; cf. Acts 4:3; 5:18; 13:50; 16:23) and therefore needs his people’s prayers for safety.
Second, believers ought to pray for their pastor’s wisdom in service. Paul asked the Romans to pray that his “service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints” (Rom. 15:31b). By “service” he was not referring to his preaching and teaching of doctrine. Rather, Paul was referring to his servant leadership as he collected money from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Asia Minor for the financially poor members of the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:27–30; 1 Cor. 16:1–3; cf. 2 Cor. 8–9). Paul coveted believers’ prayers for his wisdom to administer the plan effectively. As he undertook that special collection, the apostle had no guarantee that the Jews would receive it with loving gratitude and recognize that the Gentiles intended it as a gesture of brotherly kindness. His plea to the Romans illustrates simply and well why pastors need prayer to make good leadership decisions and exercise wise judgment in resolving potential conflicts.
Third, believers should pray that their pastor’s future plans and priorities are consistent with God’s will for him (James 4:13–15; cf. Matt. 6:10, 33; Acts 21:14; Rom. 1:10; 15:32; Eph. 6:6; 1 Peter 5:1–4). Paul asked the Romans to pray that God would direct his path “so that [he might] come to [them] in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in [their] company” (Rom. 15:32). Pastors have desires and visions for future ministry and, like Paul, they need the encouragement that can result from believing prayer—that God in His providence will fulfill those plans.
Fourth, Christians need to pray for their pastor’s effectiveness in preaching the Word of God. Paul sought such prayer from the Ephesians: “Pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19; cf. Col. 4:2–4). Paul added those requests to what he earlier had asked the Thessalonians to pray: “that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified” (2 Thess. 3:1). There his desire was that the Word would “run” from one place to another (as a sprinter would) and receive honor when people obeyed it.
Finally, the flock needs to pray that God would spiritually strengthen its pastor and allow him to minister with integrity. Gardiner Spring solicited prayer for spiritual strength this way:
Brethren, pray for us, that we may be kept from sin; that we may walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time [Eph. 5:16]; that our hearts may be more devoted to God, and our lives a more impressive example of the Gospel we preach; that we may be more completely furnished for our work and our conflicts, and put on the whole armor of God [6:10–17]; that we may be more faithful and wise to win souls, and that we may discipline our body, and bring it into subjection, lest having preached to others, we ourselves be cast away [1 Cor. 9:27]. (“A Plea to Pray for Pastors,” 9; emphasis in original)
The writer of Hebrews urged his people to pray that his integrity would remain evident: “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things” (Heb. 13:18).
A REQUEST FOR AFFECTION
Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. (5:26)
Paul’s second parting desire for the Thessalonians was that they would display loving affection for one another. This wish that his readers would greet one another with a holy kiss was a common conclusion for Paul’s letters (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; cf. 1 Peter 5:14). Greet conveys the intention of a friendly and righteous gesture, as opposed to a formal, reserved acknowledgement.
All the brethren leaves out none of the Thessalonian believers, not even the unruly ones of 5:14. When the elders received this letter they were to begin passing along to the entire congregation, by means of a holy kiss, the apostle’s love for the church. As members kissed, they would tangibly demonstrate love for one another as well. In Paul’s day, it was customary for people to greet a superior with a kiss on the foot, knee, elbow, or hand; but friends kissed one another on the cheek. (The wretched hypocrisy of Judas Iscariot’s kiss is the most twisted illustration of this custom [cf. Matt. 26:49].) Among believers, the holy kiss became a symbol of genuine love and affection; but it was more than a liturgical sign or ritual gesture performed only during worship services—it was a spontaneous, personal display of affection practiced whenever believing friends met.
Eventually people in the church began to abuse the holy kiss and by the thirteenth century the Western church abandoned the custom. Christians in Western culture now generally express affection by shaking hands or embracing one another. In whatever appropriate form the affection might take, however, the apostle Paul commanded believers to love one another in a demonstrable fashion.
A REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION
I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. (5:27)
Paul declared, in the strongest of terms, his third parting desire for the Thessalonians—that they would submit to God’s Word. Because the contents of this letter were divinely inspired, Paul could adjure the Thessalonians to have it read to all the brethren.
Adjure (enorkizō) is a strong word that means “to bind with an oath.” Paul was so intent that all the Thessalonians receive his letter’s contents that he imposed a solemn oath (by the Lord) on the elders. The Holy Spirit through Paul thus obligated them to make sure everyone heard the letter (cf. Rev. 2:7, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
Read connotes a reading aloud in the public worship service. Public reading of Scripture was essential to the spiritual accountability of the people of God (2 Thess. 3:14; 1 Tim. 4:13; cf. Gal. 4:16). The apostle was concerned that the Thessalonians might be disappointed at his not having come in person and therefore neglect this letter. So he urged that the elders have it read when the church met so that all would hear the letter’s contents. Paul especially wanted them to hear his words of comfort and clarification concerning eschatology (4:13–5:11).
Initially, there was only one treasured copy of the epistle, which made it impossible for everyone to read it individually. Most of the church members would likely have been unable to read it because of illiteracy. The letter was to be read as God’s Word, a revelation from heaven that was true and authoritative, requiring belief and obedience.
PAUL GIVES HIS BENEDICTION TO THE THESSALONIANS
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (5:28)
The apostle Paul summed up his correspondence with a benediction, praying that they would experience the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul began and ended all his epistles with a mention of divine grace (e.g., Rom. 1:7; 16:20; 1 Cor. 1:3; 16:23; Gal. 1:3; 6:18) because grace is at the heart of Christian theology (John 1:14, 17; Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; 2:5; Titus 3:7). Grace summarizes all that God provides believers in Jesus Christ (Rom. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 9:8; 2 Thess. 1:11–12; 2 Peter 3:18). Regarding Paul’s use of the term grace in the openings and closings of his letters, Leon Morris observed:
Grace fundamentally means “that which causes joy,” a shade of meaning we may still discern when we speak of a graceful action or the social graces. It comes to mean “favor,” “kindness,” and then especially God’s kindness to man in providing for his spiritual needs in Christ. Thence it comes to signify what is due to grace, namely, God’s good gifts to men, and finally the attitude of thankfulness which all this awakes within the Christian. As used in greetings it is the free gift of God that is meant, but the word necessarily evokes memories of the free gift on Calvary…. It is the grace of the Lord which lingers in the Apostle’s thoughts [as he closes his letters], just as it is the grace of the Lord with which he begins his letters. (The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989], 49, 187)
The closing requests Paul made to the Thessalonians match what all dedicated pastors desire from their own churches: that their people pray for them, that their people demonstrate affection to them and to one another, and that their people hear, read, study, and apply God’s Word. The evangelical church now resides in a time when so many people assume that it can accomplish its mission by man-centered methods, programs, and strategies. Those same people minimize the need to seriously and faithfully pray for their pastors, or the necessity to regularly rely on the divine, all-sufficient resources contained in Scripture. It is a lie from Satan that pastors can do without the divinely energized prayers of their people, but it is God’s truth that, through those prayers, He will powerfully enable pastors to fulfill their callings and help build His church.