1 Thessalonians 4:15

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, etc.] The apostle having something new and extraordinary to deliver, concerning the coming of Christ, the first resurrection, or the resurrection of the saints, the change of the living saints, and the rapture both of the raised and living in the clouds to meet Christ in the air, expresses himself in this manner; either in allusion to the prophets of old, to whom the word of the Lord is said to come, and who usually introduced their prophecies with a “Thus saith the Lord”; or in distinction from his own private sense, sentiment, and opinion of things; signifying, that what he was about to say, was not a fancy and conjecture of his own, the…”

“by the word of the Lord--Greek, "in," that is, in virtue of a direct revelation from the Lord to me. So Kg1 20:35. This is the "mystery," a truth once hidden, now revealed, which Paul shows (Co1 15:51-52). prevent--that is, "anticipate." So far were the early Christians from regarding their departed brethren as anticipating them in entering glory, that they needed to be assured that those who remain to the coming of the Lord "will not anticipate them that are asleep." The "we" means whichever of us are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. The Spirit designed that believers in each successive age should live in continued expectation of the Lord's coming, not knowing but that they…”

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord - By the command or inspired teaching of the Lord. Prof. Bush (Anastasis, p. 265) supposes that the apostle here alludes to what the Saviour says in Matthew 24:30-31, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven,” etc. It is possible that Paul may have designed a general allusion to all that the Lord had said about his coming, but there cannot have been an exclusive reference to that passage, for in what he says here there are several circumstances mentioned to which the Saviour in Matthew does not allude. The probability, therefore, is, that Paul means that the Lord Jesus had made a special communication to him on the…”

“By the word of the Lord - By a particular revelation. We who are left - This intimates the fewness of those who will be then alive, compared to the multitude of the dead. Believers of all ages and nations make up, as it were, one body; in consideration of which, the believers of that age might put themselves in the place, and speak in the person, of them who were to live till the coming of the Lord. Not that St. Paul hereby asserted (though some seem to have imagined so) that the day of the Lord was at hand. 1 Thessalonians 4:16”

“4:15 directly from the Lord: Jesus’ own teaching provided the source of Paul’s assurance for the Thessalonians (see Matt 24:29-31, 40-41) • not . . . ahead: Paul wants the Thessalonians to know that, when the Lord returns, the dead will not be at a disadvantage but will participate equally in the resurrection. • In referring to Jesus’ coming, Paul uses a Greek term (parousia) commonly used to describe the coming of the emperor to a city with great pomp and celebration (see 1 Thes 4:17).”

“by the: Kg1 13:1, Kg1 13:9, Kg1 13:17, Kg1 13:18, Kg1 13:22, Kg1 20:35, Kg1 22:14 which are: Co1 15:51-53; Co2 4:14 prevent: Job 41:11; Psa 88:13, Psa 119:147, Psa 119:148; Mat 17:25 asleep: Th1 4:13 1 Thessalonians 4:16”