1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 19 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 19. - Quench not the Spirit. The Spirit is here considered as a flame which may be extinguished (Matthew 3:11). The descent of the Spirit at Pentecost was in the form of cloven tongues like as of fire (Acts 2:3). By the Spirit here is usually understood the miraculous gifts of the Spirit - speaking with tongues or prophesyings; and it is supposed that the apostle here forbids the exercise of these gifts being hindered or checked. In the next verse the gift of prophesying is mentioned. But there is no reason to exclude the ordinary and still more valuable gifts of the Spirit, such as pure thoughts, holy actions, devout affections, which may be effectually quenched by a careless or immoral life. "Quench not the Spirit." Do not those things which are opposed to his influences. Be on your guard against sin, as opposed to the work of the Spirit in the soul. In this sense the admonition is similar to that given by Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" (Ephesians 4:30).

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) Quench not the Spirit.--The mention of prayer and thanksgiving (eucharistia), by which public as well as private worship is intended, leads St. Paul on to the mention of other parts of the service. The gloom and depression to which an antidote is administered in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 had been such as almost to extinguish that fire of enthusiasm which ought to have burst out in prayers, praises, thanksgivings, and "prophecies." The "Spirit" here must not be taken too sharply to mean the Person of the Holy Ghost: the Person of the Holy Ghost maybe grieved (Ephesians 4:30), expelled (Psalm 51:11), neglected (1Timothy 4:14), but (though His working on the individual may be stopped) He can never be extinguished. The word here again (as in 1Thessalonians 1:5) is in that intermediate sense which expresses the effect of the Holy Ghost's personal working upon our spirits. He kindles in us a fire (Matthew 3:11), that is, a consuming ardour and enthusiasm, of love to God and man; which ardour may be damped, quenched, by not giving it free air and play. Gloom (1Thessalonians 5:16), neglect of prayer (1Thessalonians 5:17) which is the very feeding of the flame, discontentment with the answer which God chooses to give to prayer (1Thessalonians 5:18), will in the end reduce us to the condition in which we were before we were confirmed (Romans 8:9). Comp. Ecce Homo, p. 257 (3rd ed.):--"The Apostles in like manner became sensible that their inspiration was liable to intermissions. They regard it as possible to grieve the Divinity who resided within them, and ever. to quench His influence. But neither they nor Christ even for a moment suppose that, if He should take His flight, it is possible to do without Him . . . Christianity is an enthusiasm, or it is nothing." . . .