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1 Thessalonians 4:13

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.
Read Chapter 4

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397
But if you again remind me of your grief because he departed so early from life, I certainly do not deny that he died at an untimely age, one whom we would have wished to support with time taken from our own life, that he might live out of our own years who could not complete his own. But I ask whether or not there is any consciousness after death? If there is, he is alive; no, rather, because there is, he now enjoys eternal life. For how does he not possess consciousness whose soul lives and flourishes and will return to the body, and will make that body live again when it has been reunited with it? The apostle cries out, “We would not, brothers, have you ignorant concerning those who are asleep, lest you should grieve, even as others who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so with him God will bring those also who have fallen asleep through Jesus.” Life, therefore, awaits them for whom resurrection awaits. –.
1 min1/15
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
In the Gospel it is written, “And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slept”? If we understand that sleep as caused by the delay of the last judgment, to which Christ is to come to judge, and the fact that because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many grows cold, how shall we put the wise virgins there, when they are rather of those of whom it is said, “But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved”? It says, “they all slept,” because it is not only the foolish who do their good works for the sake of human praise, but also the wise who do them that God may be glorified, who experience that death. Both kinds die. And that death is often spoken of in the Scripture as sleep, as the resurrection is called an awakening. Hence the apostle says, “But I will not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning them that are asleep,” and in another place, “of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.” .
1 min2/15
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
Paul didn’t just say that you may not be saddened, but that you may not be saddened as the heathen are, who do not have any hope. It is unavoidable, after all, that you should be saddened; but when you feel sad, let hope console you.
< 1 min3/15
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
And you should not grieve as the heathen do who have no hope, because we have hope, based on the most assured promise, that as we have not lost our dear ones who have departed from this life but have merely sent them ahead of us, so we also shall depart and shall come to that life where, more than ever, their dearness to us will be proportional to the closeness we shared on earth and where we shall love them without fear of parting. .
< 1 min4/15
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Basil the Great

AD 379
All things are directed by the goodness of the Master. Nothing which happens to us should be received as distressful, although at present it affects our weakness. In fact, even if we are ignorant of the reasons for which each event is applied as a blessing to us from the Master, nevertheless, we ought to be convinced of this—that what happens is assuredly advantageous either for us as a reward for our patience or for the soul that was taken up, lest tarrying too long in this life it should be filled with the evil which exists in this world. For if the hope of Christians were limited to this life, for what reason would the premature separation from the body be considered difficult? If, however, the beginning of true life for those living in God is the release of the soul from these corporeal chains, why do you grieve, even as those who have no hope? Therefore, be encouraged. Do not succumb to your afflictions, but show that you are superior and have risen above them.
1 min5/15
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Caesarius of Arles

AD 542
In the Gospel passage which was read to us concerning the ten virgins, beloved brothers, it is said, “All the virgins trimmed their lamps.” Now the foolish virgins did not have oil ready with their lamps, “While the wise did take oil in their vessels. Then as the bridegroom was long in coming, they all became drowsy and slept. And at midnight a great cry arose, Behold the bridegroom is coming, go forth to meet him! Then all the virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.” When the lamps of the foolish virgins went out, they asked the others who had oil in their vessels to give them some of theirs, but they said, “Lest there may not be enough for us and for you, go rather to those who sell it, and buy some for yourselves. Now while they were gone to buy it, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards there came the other virgins, who said, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ The answer was given to them, ‘I do not know where...
2 mins6/15
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Cyprian of Carthage

AD 258
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which are asleep in Jesus Will God bring with Him.". For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also them which have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."
< 1 min7/15
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Fulgentius of Ruspe

AD 533
There must remain in our heart a distinction between a beneficial and a harmful sadness. The benefit of the distinction is that we see that a spirit given over to eternal things does not collapse because of the loss of temporal solace. Rather it is able to feel a salutary sadness concerning those things in which it considers that it acted either below, or apart from, the standard which it ought to have observed. So Paul teaches that each type of sadness is different, no less in deed than in word. Finally, he shows that in one there is progress toward salvation but in the other an ending in death, saying, “For godly sorrow produces a beneficial repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.”
1 min8/15
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Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604
Still, lest some tribulation should still maintain itself in your soul, I exhort you to rest from sorrow, to cease to be sad. For it is unseemly to addict oneself to weary affliction for those of whom it is to be believed that they have attained to true life by dying. Those have, perhaps, just reason for long continued grief who are unaware of another life and have no trust that there is a passing from this world to a better one. We, however, who know this, who believe it and teach it, should not be too much distressed for those that depart, lest what in others demonstrates affection be to us instead a matter of blame. For it is, as it were, a kind of distrust to be tormented by sadness in opposition to what everyone preaches. It is as the apostle says, “But we would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”
1 min9/15
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Gregory of Nyssa

AD 394
At the time that Basil, great among the saints, left the life of man and went to God, and a common onset of grief descended upon the churches, my sister and teacher was still alive, and I hurried to her to tell her the sad news about our brother…. She, however, like those who are skilled in the equestrian art, first allowed me to be swept along for a little while by the violence of my grief and, after this tried to restrain me, guiding the disorder of my soul with her own ideas as if with a bridle. She [Macrina] quoted the following apostolic saying: “It is not right to grieve for those who are asleep, since we are told that sorrow belongs only to those who have no hope.” And I, with my heart still seething with pain, asked: “How is it possible for me to achieve this attitude, since there is a natural aversion to death in each person, and no one can endure the sight of others dying, and those who are dying themselves flee from it as much as they can?” On the Soul and the Resurrection.
1 min10/15
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
Here Paul now proceeds to start his discourse concerning the resurrection. And why? … [Because] this subject of the resurrection was sufficient to comfort those who were grieving. Indeed that which Paul now teaches about the resurrection makes the resurrection eminently worthy of belief…. To continue to endure misery for the departed is to act like those who have no hope. Hear this, women, as many of you as are fond of wailing, as many as grieve impatiently; by doing so you act just like the heathens. Do you not grieve like a pagan when you beat yourself and tear your cheeks? Why do you lament if you believe that he will rise again, that he has not perished, that the matter is but a slumber or a sleep? You say, on account of his company, his protection, his care of our affairs, and all his other services. When, therefore, you lose a child at an untimely age, who is not yet able to do anything, on what account do you lament? Why do you seek to recall him? He was displaying, you say, goo...
1 min11/15
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
These two things, poverty and despondency, distressed them most, which also pertain to all men. See therefore how he remedies them. But their poverty arose from their goods being taken from them. But if he commands those, whose goods had been taken from them for Christ's sake, to support themselves by working, much more then others. For that they were taken away is manifest from his saying, You became partakers with the churches of God. How partakers with them? And ye took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions. Hebrews 10:34 Here he proceeds now to start his discourse concerning the Resurrection. And why? Had he not discoursed with them upon that point? Yes, but here he glances at some further mystery. What then is this? That we that are alive, he says, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep. The discourse then of the Resurrection was sufficient to comfort him that was grieving. But that which is now said is sufficient also...
15 mins12/15
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
There are many things which from ignorance alone cause us sorrow, so that if we come to understand them well, we banish our grief. This therefore Paul also showing, says, I would not have you ignorant, that you sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. Is it on this account you would not have them ignorant? But wherefore do you not speak of the punishment that is laid up? Ignorant, says he, of the doctrine of the Resurrection. But why? This is manifest from the other, and is admitted. But meanwhile, together with that, there will also be this not inconsiderable gain. For since they did not disbelieve the Resurrection, but nevertheless bewailed, on this account he speaks. And he discourses indeed with those who disbelieve the Resurrection in one way, but with these in another. For it is manifest that they knew, who were enquiring about the times and seasons. 1 Thessalonians 5:1
1 min13/15
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Philoxenus of Mabbug

AD 523
“Brothers, I want you to know about those who sleep: you must not grieve like the rest of humanity, who have lost all hope.” Our resurrection too will take place by the power of the Holy Spirit who is within us. Because the Holy Spirit is in faithful persons when they die, their death cannot be called death, but only sleep. .
< 1 min14/15
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Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord.". I suppose, moreover, that he promises to the Thessalonians the integrity of the whole substance of man. For the consideration of the apostle's declaration must be set before us, who says, "Be not overwhelmed with sadness at the falling asleep of any one, just as the nations are who are without hope.". Whether it will be women thus tricked out whom the angels carry up to meet Christ in the air
1 min15/15
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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

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