What Does 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Mean?

(19) **Quench not the Spirit.**—The mention of prayer and thanksgiving (*eucharistia*)*, *by which public as well as private worship is intended, leads St. Paul on to the mention of other parts of the service. The gloom and depression to which an antidote is administered in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 had been such as almost to extinguish that fire of enthusiasm which ought to have burst out in prayers, praises, thanksgivings, and “prophecies.” The “Spirit” here must not be taken too sharply to mean the Person of the Holy Ghost: the Person of the Holy Ghost maybe grieved (Ephesians 4:30), expelled (Psalm 51:11), neglected (1Timothy 4:14), but (though His working on the individual may be stopped) *He* can never be extinguished. The word here again (as in 1Thessalonians 1:5) is in that intermediate sense which expresses the *effect* of the Holy Ghost’s personal working upon our spirits. He kindles in us a fire (Matthew 3:11), that is, a consuming ardour and enthusiasm, of love to God and man; which ardour may be damped, quenched, by not giving it free air and play. Gloom (1Thessalonians 5:16), neglect of prayer (1Thessalonians 5:17) which is the very feeding of the flame, discontentment with the answer which God chooses to give to prayer (1Thessalonians 5:18), will in the end reduce us to the condition in which we were before we were confirmed (Romans 8:9). Comp. *Ecce Homo, *p. 257 (3rd ed.):—“The Apostles in like manner became sensible that their inspiration was liable to intermissions. They regard it as possible to grieve the Divinity who resided within them, and ever. to quench His influence. But neither they nor Christ even for a moment suppose that, if He should take His flight, it is possible to do without Him . . . Christianity is an enthusiasm, or it is nothing.”