For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
All Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Go To 1 Thessalonians 4
John Chrysostom
AD 407
If, however, we are on the alert, these evils that came into life as a result of the sins of our forebears will in no way be able to harm us, going no further than the level of terminology, as they do. While it was the first formed human being who through the Fall brought on the punishment of death and was responsible for spending his life in pain and distress, and it was he who was the cause of servitude, Christ the Lord on the contrary came and permitted all these evils to occur only at the level of terminology, provided we are of the right mind. You see, death is now not death but only carries the name of death—or, rather, even the very name has been abolished. I mean, we no longer call it death, but sleeping and dreaming. Hence Christ himself said, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep.” And Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, said, “About those who are asleep, brethren, I don’t want you to be ignorant.”
