1Th 5:2-3 | JFB | e4.org | 2. as a thief in the night —The apostles in this image follow the parable of their Lord, expressing how the Lord's coming shall take men by surprise ( ). "The night is wherever there is quiet unconcern" [BENGEL ]. "At midnight" (perhaps figurative: to some parts of the earth it will be literal night), . The thief not only gives no notice of his approach but takes all precaution to prevent the household knowing of it. So the Lord ( ). Signs will precede the coming, to confirm the patient hope of the watchful believer; but the coming itself shall be sudden at last ( ).

‏ 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

2. as a thief in the night—The apostles in this image follow the parable of their Lord, expressing how the Lord's coming shall take men by surprise (Mt 24:43; 2Pe 3:10). "The night is wherever there is quiet unconcern" [BENGEL]. "At midnight" (perhaps figurative: to some parts of the earth it will be literal night), Mt 25:6. The thief not only gives no notice of his approach but takes all precaution to prevent the household knowing of it. So the Lord (Re 16:15). Signs will precede the coming, to confirm the patient hope of the watchful believer; but the coming itself shall be sudden at last (Mt 24:32-36; Lu 21:25-32, 35).

3. they—the men of the world. 1Th 5:5, 6; 1Th 4:13, "others," all the rest of the world save Christians.

Peace— (Jud 18:7, 9, 27, 28; Jer 6:14; Eze 13:10).

then—at the very moment when they least expect it. Compare the case of Belshazzar, Da 5:1-5, 6, 9, 26-28; Herod, Ac 12:21-23.

sudden—"unawares" (Lu 21:34).

as travail—"As the labor pang" comes in an instant on the woman when otherwise engaged (Ps 48:6; Isa 13:8).

shall not escape—Greek, "shall not at all escape." Another awful feature of their ruin: there shall be then no possibility of shunning it however they desire it (Am 9:2, 3; Re 6:15, 16).