1 Thessalonians 4:13 – Those Who Are Reposing

13 Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are reposing…

With these words, Paul introduces a new subject: what happens to believers who have died? He does not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant about this. In doing so, he uses a revealing expression. He does not simply speak of those who have died, but of those who are reposing. The Greek word literally means sleeping and here refers to the condition of those who have died.

This is entirely consistent with biblical language. Daniel speaks of those sleeping in the dust of the earth who will awaken (Dan. 12:2). When Lazarus has died, Jesus says: “Lazarus, our friend, has found repose, but I am going that I should be awakening him out of sleep” (John 11:11). A little later, He states plainly: “Lazarus died” (John 11:14). Reposing and being dead are thus equated with each other.

Death is not presented in Scripture as a continued existence elsewhere. Ecclesiastes explicitly states that the dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5). They have no consciousness and take no part in what happens under the sun. But sleep is not the end! Someone who is sleeping can be awakened. That is why the biblical expectation is not a continued existence after death, but awakening at the resurrection. This is now where Paul focuses all his attention.

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