1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 is a selection for Gaudete Sunday in Advent (Year B). The context is formed by 5:12 onwards, where Paul begins to give his recommendations, moral in nature, to his readers. vv. 12-13 is conduct towards those who are building-up the faith community. Perhaps these are Paul's collaborators assigned to take care of the Thessalonians in his absence and those from the community itself who are associated with these workers. Vv. 14-15 is conduct towards the weak in faith and for the brother and sister, whoever she/he may be.
Rejoice... Pray ... Give Thanks (16-18). These are the verbs that Paul uses to describe himself in the early part of the letter. In 3:9 he tells the Thessalonians that he rejoices in their account and does not know how to thank God for such joy. In 1:2-3, he describes how he constantly remembers the community praying for them and giving thanks on their account.
The verb "Rejoice" (in the imperative, second person plural) is the leitmotif of "Gaudete Sunday." The rejoicing that is alluded to here is the rejoicing proper to those on whose behalf God has done his mighty work of salvation. The prophets use the verb as characteristic of those who rejoice on the Day of the Lord's vindication. As in the following examples: Isa 12:6 Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is he that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel. Isa 13:3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, and have called my strong ones in my wrath, them that rejoice in my glory. Isa 25:9 And they shall say in that day: Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have patiently waited for him, we shall rejoice and be joyful in his salvation. Isa 29:19 And the meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isa 41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, in the Holy One of Israel thou shalt be joyful. Isa 65:14 Behold my servants shall rejoice, and you shall be confounded: behold my servants shall praise for joyfulness of heart, and you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for grief of spirit. Isa 65:18 But you shall be glad and rejoice for ever in these things, which I create: for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and the people thereof joy. Isa 66:10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her. Jer 31:7 For thus saith the Lord: Rejoice ye in the joy of Jacob, and neigh before the head of the Gentiles: shout ye, and sing, and say: Save, O Lord, thy people, the remnant of Israel. Jer 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, the young men and old men together: and I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them joyful after their sorrow. Joe 2:21 Fear not, O land, be glad, and rejoice: for the Lord hath done great things. Joe 2:23 And you, O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful in the Lord your God: because he hath given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early and the latter rain to come down to you as in the beginning.
Above all, it is the rejoicing of Zion and Jerusalem, vindicated on the Day of the Lord. Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels. Hab 3:18 But I will rejoice in the Lord: and I will joy in God my Salvation Zep 3:14 Give praise, O daughter of Sion: shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. Zec 2:10 Sing praise, and rejoice, O daughter of Sion: for behold I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: saith the Lord. Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.
In the Pauline letters, joy springs from the advance of the gospel and what the Lord is doing in the midst of the Churches. Hence it is understandable that when Paul says "Rejoice" he also says "Give thanks!"
The verb for giving thanks (eucharistein) is the same word from which is derived the word "Eucharist." To rejoice and give thanks are integral elements in the lifestyle of the Christian, for -- as Paul would say -- the Christian is God's poemata, "work of His hands."
The Spirit... prophetic utterances ... test... retain ... refrain (19-22). The first two negative imperatives here are about the charismatic gifts that abounded in the communities where Paul was working. Prophetic utterances after all, are signs of the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days (cf. Peter's initial discourse about the coming of the Spirit in Acts where he quotes from the prophet Joel). Here, "do not quench the Spirit" seems to be in reference to the gifts of prophecy that the community is experiencing. But while Paul practically encourages such gifts, he follows this up with two positive commands: to test (the prophetic utterance) and to retain what is good, that is, useful for faith, hope and love to flourish. Finally, the command to avoid all evil, since it is not compatible with lives led by the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5 and others).
The Concluding Prayer (vv.23-25). Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians is for their preservation until the Day of the Lord which he has referred to in 4:13-5:11. Paul prays that each member of the Thessalonian community be preserved in holiness and blamelessness for the Lordl's coming. The phrase "spirit, soul and body" is an emphasis that Paul adds to "whole and entire". It is not meant to teach anyone an anthropologic principle as some preachers would make us think.
