John Calvin Commentary 1 Thessalonians 5:19

"Quench not the Spirit;" — 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (ASV)

Quench not the Spirit. This metaphor is derived from the power and nature of the Spirit; for as it is the Spirit's proper role to illuminate people's understanding, and as He is for this reason called our light, it is appropriate that we are said to quench Him when we nullify His grace.

Some think that what is said in this clause and the following one is the same. Therefore, according to them, to quench the Spirit is precisely the same as to despise prophesyings. However, since the Spirit is quenched in various ways, I distinguish between these two: one as a general statement and the other as a particular one.

For although contempt of prophesying is a quenching of the Spirit, yet those also quench the Spirit who, instead of stirring up—as they should—more and more through daily progress the sparks that God has kindled in them, by their negligence nullify the gifts of God.

This admonition, therefore, about not quenching the Spirit, has a broader meaning than the one that follows about not despising prophesyings. The meaning of the former is: “Be enlightened by the Spirit of God. See that you do not lose that light through your ingratitude.”

This is an extremely useful admonition. For we see that those who have been once enlightened (Hebrews 6:4), when they reject so precious a gift of God or, shutting their eyes, allow themselves to be carried away by the vanity of the world, are struck with a dreadful blindness, serving as an example to others. We must, therefore, be on our guard against indolence, through which the light of God is choked in us.

Those, however, who infer from this that it is a person's option either to quench or to cherish the light that is presented to them, so that they detract from the efficacy of grace and extol the powers of free will, reason on false grounds.

For although God works efficaciously in His elect, and does not merely present the light to them, but causes them to see, opens the eyes of their heart, and keeps them open, yet as the flesh is always inclined to indolence, it needs to be stirred up by exhortations.

But what God commands through Paul, He Himself accomplishes inwardly. Meanwhile, it is our responsibility to ask the Lord to furnish oil for the lamps He has lit, so that He may keep the wick pure and even increase it.