Verse
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Meaning of 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The meaning of the verse, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”, is that God wants his followers to have an attitude of thankfulness and gratitude. The concept of having a grateful heart is a recurring concept in the Bible. This is because Christians are instructed and expected to be thankful in both good and bad situations. The verse Romans 8:28 is parallel to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and both verses mean that in every circumstance of life if a person is thankful, he/she will have a positive outlook in life.
Interpretations of 1 Thessalonians 5:18
1 Thessalonians is a very commonly quoted verse in the Churches and among Christians. However, it can also be misinterpreted sometimes. Here are a few examples.
Interpretation #1 Being thankful even for natural disasters/calamities
The interpretation of the verse, “In every thing give thanks”, is that a believer/Christian has to be grateful even when they go through misfortunes. The reader believes that by doing so, he or she can learn to maintain composure and calmness when everything around them feels chaotic. This could result in them having presence in mind and allowing them to act sensibly. Apostle Paul had predicted that a Christian would face difficulties in life, including physical challenges and natural disasters. Hence, he encourages his readers to believe in Jesus and be grateful in such situations, as it would make them stronger. Additionally, being thankful transforms a person and makes them stronger.
Interpretation #2 A Christian should always maintain a smiling face
In this version, the reader believes that a Christian has to smile through difficulties like health issues, being bullied at school, having difficult parents, failing in studies, etc. Hence, the verse is taught at churches to encourage Christians to be courageous during hard times. The preachers or priests insist Christians not accept defeat, encouraging them to smile even in painful situations. This means that the believer is expected to hide their weakness from the world and should maintain composure and calmness to please God. Furthermore, Christians are expected to set an example for non-believers by being cheerful and positive, thus showing kindness and affection towards others who are down or depressed.
Interpretation #3 Thankful means giving an offering to the church
In this interpretation of the verse, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”, the reader believes that “give thanks” means giving an offering to the church. The importance of giving back to the church is a very common message taught in churches. There are different types of offerings in the Old Testament. One of them is the thanks offering, which is followed in Christianity as well as Jewish traditions. The Old Testament as well New Testament, mentions thanks offerings. Hence, the reader believes that by doing so, they will reap the benefits and will be blessed and protected by God. The offering was earlier in the form of animal blood and later in the form of money, properties, possessions, time, manual labor, etc., to the church or to one another.
Interpretation #4 Being grateful and happy pleases God
The meaning of the verse, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” is that God is pleased when his children are happy and grateful. There are several instances in Bible where God does not force his children to do anything but gives them a choice to follow his instructions. Hence, when Christians follow these verses in their daily lives, it greatly pleases God. The reader here believes that by pleasing God, they will be blessed and earn rewards in their earthly life or afterlife. There are instances in Bible were following God’s commandments and directives proved to be rewarding for a Christian like Jonah.
Interpretation #5 Attitude of gratitude is important in Christianity
The final interpretation of the verse, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”, is that a Christian should possess the quality of being grateful at all times. The reader believes that Apostle Paul is asking Christians to be thankful “in” their circumstances as opposed to being thankful “for” their circumstances. For example, a person may not thank God for their illness but can choose to be thankful for medicines and doctors. Similarly, a person will not be thankful for hardships but be grateful for the lessons they learn from them.
Historical background of 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The book of 1 Thessalonians was written by Apostle Paul to the church in Thessalonica. It was believed to be written in Corinth around 50-51 CE. The fifth chapter mainly focuses on Christ’s second coming and several final incitements and greetings. The eighteenth verse talks about being thankful in every situation in life and that it is what God expects us to do. The verse is frequently used in churches and gatherings.
Literary Devices of 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The verse of 1 Thessalonians consists of some noteworthy literary devices. Here are some examples.
Theme – In this verse, there are two major themes. For example, gratitude and peace.
Assonance – The verse has one repeated vowel sound example, the sound of /i/ in In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Consonance – The verse also has one repeated sound /s/ in In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Hyperbole – As the verse requires the readers or Christians to be happy in every situation, which is humanly impossible, thus exaggerating the importance of happiness. Hence it’s a perfect example of hyperbole.
Alliteration – The verse uses two consonants in repetition at the beginning of the word. For example, the sound of /th/ (θ) in In every thing give thanks and also the sound of /th/ (ð) in for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.