Resurrection, but here “them that are fallen asleep.” How “through Jesus”?1009 Either that they fell asleep through Jesus, or that through Jesus will He bring them. The phrase “that fell asleep through Jesus” means the faithful. Here the heretics say, that he is speaking of the baptized. What place then is there for “even so”? For Jesus did not fall asleep through Baptism. But on what account does he say, “them that are fallen asleep”? So that he is discoursing not of a general Resurrection, but of a partial one. Them that are fallen asleep through Jesus, he says, and thus he speaks in many places. Ver. 15. “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that 353 are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.” Speaking concerning the faithful, and them “which are fallen asleep in1010 Christ” (1 Cor. xv. 18.); and again, “the dead shall rise in Christ.” Since his discourse is not concerning the Resurrection only, but both concerning the Resurrection and concerning the honor in glory; all then shall partake of a Resurrection, he says, but not all shall be in glory, only those in Christ. Since therefore he wishes to comfort them, he comforts them not with this only, but also with the abundant honor, and with its speedy arrival, since they knew that. For in proof that he wishes to comfort them with the honor, as he goes on, he says, “And we shall be ever with the Lord”: and “we shall be caught up in the clouds.” But how do the faithful fall asleep in Jesus? It means having Christ within themselves. But the expression, “He shall bring with Him,” shows that they are brought from many places. “This.” Something strange he was about to tell them. On this account he also adds what makes it worthy of credit; “From the word of the Lord,” he says, that is, we speak not of ourselves, but having learnt from Christ, “That we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.” Which also he says in his Epistle to the Corinthians; “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1 Cor. xv. 52.) Here he gives a credibility to the Resurrection by the manner also [in which it will occur]. For because the matter seems to be difficult he says that as it is easy for the living to be taken up, so also for the departed. But in saying “we,” he does not speak of himself, for he was not about to remain until the Resurrection, but he speaks of the faithful. On this account he has added, “We that are left unto the coming of the Lord shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep.” As if he had said, Think not that there is any difficulty. It is God that 1009 [The Greek rendered “in Jesus” is properly “through Jesus,” and stands between “them that fell asleep” and “will bring,” so that it may be understood as connected with either. Modern commentators usually prefer to connect with the participle, and then the natural meaning is that through Jesus death became to them a falling asleep. Comp. Ellicott. The amenders of Chrys.’s text made it “them that fell asleep by faith in Jesus.”—J.A.B.] 1010 [Here Chrys. first quotes accurately from 1 Cor. xv. 18, and then adds from iv. 15 below, there taking “in Christ” with the verb, when the connection requires us to understand, “the dead in Christ shall rise.” Comp. Ellicott on iv. 15, and notice below, at the beginning of Hom. viii., that Chrys. connects as here.—J.A.B.] 622 1 Thessalonians 4:13