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In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 – “Who” Is Being Discussed?

A querist asks, “In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, who is being discussed here – all persons, good and bad, or is it only talking about those who are “in Jesus”?

The text in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 reads:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.“

Obviously, there was some confusion among the brethren in the church at Thessalonica who thought that only the righteous “living” would be allowed to participate in the blessings and benefits of the Lord’s coming. Those who had previously died before the Lord’s coming would somehow be left out of the resurrection. Paul writes this letter to alleviate their fears and confusion, assuring them that their dead relatives would not be excluded from the resurrection at the Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).

To emphasize the above fact, Paul writes that the righteous dead, i.e. “the dead in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16b), will be resurrected before the righteous living are caught up (1 Thessalonians 4:15b; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The disobedient are not mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17. They are briefly mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13b. These “have no hope” (note the similar phrase in Ephesians 2:12 with regard to unbelieving Gentiles). The disobedient will be resurrected at the same time the righteous are.

There will not be two resurrections as some falsely teach. There will be one resurrection with two classes of people present; the obedient (good) and the disobedient (evil). We know this to be true from reading John 5:28-29; cf. Matthew 25:32-33; Matthew 25:46; Acts 24:15).