1 Thessalonians 4:6 KJV
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
John Gill's notes
"This is commonly understood of transgressing the bounds of justice and equity between men and men; and of cheating and defrauding in trade and business, by increasing or lessening the value and prices of goods by the buyer and seller, by not keeping to the bargain, contract, covenant, or sample, by false weights and measures, and by taking the advantage of the weakness and ignorance of men; all which is aggravated by dealing thus with a brother…"
Albert Barnes commentary
"That no man go beyond ……... This word means, “to make to go over,” as, e. g., a wall or mountain; then, to overpass, to wit, certain limits, to transgress; and then to go too far, i. e., to go beyond right - hence to cheat or defraud. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. The idea of overreaching is that which is implied in its use here.
And defraud - ….., “oppress,” or “overreach.” This word properly means, to have more than another; then to have an advantage; and then to take advantage of any one, to circumvent, defraud, cheat. It is rendered “got an advantage,” …; “defraud,” …; “make a gain,” 2Co_12:17-18. Compare for the use of the adjective, 1Co_5:10-11; 1Co_6:10; Eph_5:5; and the noun, Mar_7:22; Luk_12:15; Rom_1:29; 2Co_9:5; Eph_5:3; Col_3:5; 1Th_2:5; 2Pe_2:3, 2Pe_2:14. It is the word commonly used to denote covetousness. Taking advantage of, is the idea which it conveys here."
This chapter gives us a description of the sanctified believer and asserts that one of the evidences of such sanctification is that this believer will not defraud his brother; he will not take advantage of a brother's weakness in order to gain an advantage over him.
How far it appears to me that we have moved from such a mark today. Christians bite and devour one another for their own gain and often call it the evidence of God's power upon them that they are able to do it.
But God gives this warning (or encouragement depending upon whether you are the one defrauding or being defrauded) "...the Lord is the avenger of all such..." Our purpose must be to reach toward this high ideal, realizing that there will be many who defraud and take advantage of us because we choose to follow Christ rather than build our own universe. Our comfort in our afflictions will be this - we do not need to avenge ourselves. The Lord will right the records in glory, where it will count eternally.
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
John Gill's notes
"This is commonly understood of transgressing the bounds of justice and equity between men and men; and of cheating and defrauding in trade and business, by increasing or lessening the value and prices of goods by the buyer and seller, by not keeping to the bargain, contract, covenant, or sample, by false weights and measures, and by taking the advantage of the weakness and ignorance of men; all which is aggravated by dealing thus with a brother…"
Albert Barnes commentary
"That no man go beyond ……... This word means, “to make to go over,” as, e. g., a wall or mountain; then, to overpass, to wit, certain limits, to transgress; and then to go too far, i. e., to go beyond right - hence to cheat or defraud. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. The idea of overreaching is that which is implied in its use here.
And defraud - ….., “oppress,” or “overreach.” This word properly means, to have more than another; then to have an advantage; and then to take advantage of any one, to circumvent, defraud, cheat. It is rendered “got an advantage,” …; “defraud,” …; “make a gain,” 2Co_12:17-18. Compare for the use of the adjective, 1Co_5:10-11; 1Co_6:10; Eph_5:5; and the noun, Mar_7:22; Luk_12:15; Rom_1:29; 2Co_9:5; Eph_5:3; Col_3:5; 1Th_2:5; 2Pe_2:3, 2Pe_2:14. It is the word commonly used to denote covetousness. Taking advantage of, is the idea which it conveys here."
This chapter gives us a description of the sanctified believer and asserts that one of the evidences of such sanctification is that this believer will not defraud his brother; he will not take advantage of a brother's weakness in order to gain an advantage over him.
How far it appears to me that we have moved from such a mark today. Christians bite and devour one another for their own gain and often call it the evidence of God's power upon them that they are able to do it.
But God gives this warning (or encouragement depending upon whether you are the one defrauding or being defrauded) "...the Lord is the avenger of all such..." Our purpose must be to reach toward this high ideal, realizing that there will be many who defraud and take advantage of us because we choose to follow Christ rather than build our own universe. Our comfort in our afflictions will be this - we do not need to avenge ourselves. The Lord will right the records in glory, where it will count eternally.
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