1 Thessalonians 1:10 – Jesus, Who Rescues Us

10 …and to be waiting for His Son out of the heavens, Whom He rouses from among the dead, Jesus, our Rescuer out of the coming indignation.

Paul first spoke of “His Son,” whom God roused from among the dead. Now he calls Him by His earthly name: Jesus. That is the name of the One who lived and died here on earth. He is called God’s Son because He was begotten by God Himself: first in Mary (Luke 1:35) and later, when God begot Him into new life in His resurrection from among the dead (Acts 13:33).

This Jesus, who Himself was dead and was roused by God, is now the One who is “our Rescuer.” The verb used means to rescue from danger, to pull someone out and bring them to safety. “Rescue” is therefore very concrete. Danger threatens, and the one who is rescued is removed from it and brought to safety.

Paul says that Jesus rescues us. He includes himself and the Thessalonians and is thereby speaking about the ecclesia. How concrete this rescue is, he illustrates in 2 Timothy 4:17 with the same verb: “I am rescued out of the mouth of the lion.” There is danger, and someone is snatched out of it. Here too, a danger is approaching from which the ecclesia is brought to safety. What that danger is, the final words tell us: “the coming indignation.”

Share: