“So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 ESV
Reflection: why all the warnings in the Bible to keep “awake”?
The beginning of chapter 5, we again find several words in Paul’s writing that have multiple meanings. But, it is not as if we are foreign to this concept of words having multiple meanings. Take for example the word “dead”. In English use, it can mean physically dead, buried, 6 feet under ground. But it can also mean lifeless, yet alive. It can mean quiet, like in dead silence. It can mean boring such as a dead party. It can even mean without initiative or drive. So the meaning of the word of course comes with the context of the writing, so it is critical to read most verses in context so to not be confused or misled.
In the previous paragraph, the end of chapter 4, Paul was mostly addressing the concerns over what happens to those who have already physically died. Paul used the phrase “asleep” for physical death in this paragraph, “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.” I Thessalonians 4:13-15 NKJV.
Now, when we then look at our focus verse today, we come to a different use of “asleep”, as we read “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 ESV. He is clearly not talking about trying to lengthen physical life, but rather not to sleep spiritually. He is therefore talking to and about the Christians who are still physically alive and on the journey with Christ. And in that context, we read “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.” I Thessalonians 5:4-7 NKJV. The word for “awake” used here is grēgoreō which means to watch, metaphorically to give strict attention to, be cautious, active. So Paul is addressing our focus, what we pay attention to, spiritually speaking.
We see here some important associations of sleep, darkness, night and drunkenness. And in contrast, we see awake, light, day and being sober. We have already touched the first contrast of being spiritually asleep or awake. And as Christians, we are also used to hearing the contrasts of night and day, and of darkness and light. But let’s touch briefly on the last contrast of drunkenness and being sober. Is Paul addressing alcohol use for Christians here? Possibly, to some extent. He does say to the church in Ephesus “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18 ESV. However, I think his point is deeper to the Thessalonians, using these terms of being sober more metaphorically. The word used for “sober” is nēphō which means in biblical context to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect. Clearly alcohol use can become a problem for anyone, but we also know that it is not the only reason why we might not be “calm and collected in spirit”. Some get “drunk” on money and greed, some on selfishness, and so on. Religion and self-righteousness can even “lull” some into a drunken state, spiritually speaking.
The idea Paul is sharing when he says “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:7 ESV is not just the obvious, but the deeper idea of spiritual darkness, keeping in mind that Paul’s whole point with this paragraph is to encourage the living saints in Thessaloniki (and us), “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 ESV. And that is the whole point of this second paragraph, to keep spiritually awake in this life, so that we don’t lose focus on what matters, and don’t lose the hope in Christ we have.
We have so much that want to take our time and attention. We are “bombarded” with information, to look here, or look there. We must be keep awake and stay sober. That was also in some of the strongest warnings from Jesus, such as “Therefore, stay awake [grēgoreō], for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24:42 ESV. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9
