John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness , etc.] In a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, blindness, and ignorance, and which is the condition of all men by nature; they are born in darkness, and are brought up in it, and willingly, walk in it; they are covered with it, as the earth was covered with darkness in its first creation; and dwell in it, as the Egyptians did for some days, in thick darkness, darkness which might be felt; their understandings are darkened with respect to the true knowledge of God, the nature of sin, the way of salvation by Christ, the work of the spirit of God upon the soul, and the necessity of it, the Scriptures of truth, and the mysteries of the Gospel; and which is the case of God's elect themselves, while unregenerate: but now these persons were called out of darkness, turned from it, and delivered from the power of it; and therefore knew that the day of the Lord comes as above described, by the metaphors of a thief in the night, and a woman with child, and needed not to be informed about that matter: or that that day should overtake you as a thief ; or seize and lay hold upon you as a thief who comes in the dark, and lays hold upon a person suddenly; but these saints were not in the dark, but in the light, and so could see when the day of the Lord came; and would not be surprised with it, as a man is seized with terror and fright, when laid hold on by a thief; since they would be, or at least should be on their watch, and be looking out for, and hasting to the coming of the day of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - It is needless or useless to ask about the particular time of Christ' coming. Christ did not reveal this to the apostles. There are times an seasons for us to work in, and these are our duty and interest to know and observe; but as to the time when we must give up our account, we know it not, nor is it needful that we should. The coming of Chris will be a great surprise to men. Our Lord himself said so. As the hou of death is the same to each person that the judgment will be to mankind in general, so the same remarks answer for both. Christ' coming will be terrible to the ungodly. Their destruction will overtak them while they dream of happiness, and please themselves with vai amusements. There will be no means to escape the terror or the punishment of that day. This day will be a happy day to the righteous They are not in darkness; they are the children of the light. It is the happy condition of all true Christians. But how many are speaking peac and safety to themselves, over whose heads utter destruction i hovering! Let us endeavour to awaken ourselves and each other, an guard against our spiritual enemies.
Greek Textus Receptus
υμεις 5210 P-2NP δε 1161 CONJ αδελφοι 80 N-VPM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εστε 2075 5748 V-PXI-2P εν 1722 PREP σκοτει 4655 N-DSN ινα 2443 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF ημερα 2250 N-NSF υμας 5209 P-2AP ως 5613 ADV κλεπτης 2812 N-NSM καταλαβη 2638 5632 V-2AAS-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Overtake (katalabh). See on comprehended, John i. 5.A thief (klepthv). Tischendorf, Weiss, and Rev. T. retain this reading. Westcott and Hort read kleptav thieves, but with klepthv in margin. The weight of textual evidence is in favor of the singular.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:4 {As a thief} (hws kleptes). As in verse #2, but A B Bohairic have kleptas (thieves), turning the metaphor round.
