Bibelkommentare

In this chapter the apostle puts the Thessalonians in mind of the manner of his preaching among them, 1Th 2:1-6. Then of the manner of his conversation among them, 1Th 2:7-12. Afterwards of the success of his ministry, with the effects both on himself and on them (1Th 2:13-16), and then apologizes for his absence, 1Th 2:17-20.

Analysis Of The Chapter

The principal subjects embraced in this chapter are the following:

I. A statement of the conduct of Paul and his fellow-laborers when they first preached the gospel at Thessalonica; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. In this statement, the apostle specifies particularly the following things:

(1) That he and his fellow-laborers had been shamefully treated at Philippi, and had been obliged to encounter much opposition at Thessalonica; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2.

(2) that in their efforts to convert the Thessalonians they had used no deceit, corruption, or grille; 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

(3) that they had not sought the praise of people, and had not used the weight of authority which they might have done as the apostles of Christ; 1 Thessalonians 2:6.

(4) that they had been gentle and mild in all their conversation with them; 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8.

(5) that, in order not to be burdensome, or to subject themselves to the charge of selfishness, they had supported themselves by laboring night and day; 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

(6) that the Thessalonians themselves were witnesses in what a holy and pure manner they had lived when there, and how they had exhorted them to a holy life; 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

II. The apostle refers to the manner in which the Thessalonians had received the truth at first, as undoubtedly the word of God, and not as the word of people; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

III. He reminds them of the fact that they had met with the same opposition from the Jews which the churches in Judea had, for that everywhere the Jews had made the same opposition to the messengers of God, killing the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and forbidding the apostles everywhere to speak to the Gentiles; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.

IV. In the conclusion of the chapter, the apostle expresses the earnest desire which he had to visit them, and the reason why he had not done it. It was because he had been prevented by causes beyond his control, and now his earnest and sincere wish was that he might be permitted to see them - for they were his hope, and joy, and crown; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

It is reasonable to suppose that the statements in this chapter were designed to meet a certain condition of things in the church there, and if so, we may learn something of the difficulties which the Thessalonians had to encounter, and of the objections which were made to Paul and to the gospel. It is often in this way that we can get the best view of the internal condition of a church referred to in the New Testament - not by direct statement respecting difficulties and errors in it, but by the character of the Epistle sent to it. Judging by this rule, we should infer that there were those in Thessalonica who utterly denied the divine origin of the gospel. This general charge, the apostle meets in the first chapter, by showing that the power of the gospel evinced in their conversion, and its effects in their lives, demonstrated it to be of heavenly origin.

In reference to the state of things as referred to in this chapter, we should also infer the following things:

1. That it was represented by some that the apostle and his fellow-laborers sought influence and power; that they were dictatorial and authoritative; that they were indisposed to labor; and were, in fact, impostors. This charge Paul refutes abundantly by his appeal to what they knew of him, and what they had seen of him when he was there: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

2. That the church at Thessalonica met with severe and violent opposition from the Jews who were there; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-17. This appears to have been a formidable opposition; compare Acts 17:5 ff. They would not only be likely to use violence, but it is not improbable that they employed the semblance of argument that might perplex the church. They might represent that they were from the same country as Paul and his fellow-laborers; that they, while pretending to great zeal for religion, were, in fact, apostates, and were engaged in overturning the revealed doctrines of God. It would be easy to represent them as people who, from this cause, were worthy of no confidence, and to urge the fact that those who thus acted in opposition to the religion of their own country, and to the sacred rites of the temple at Jerusalem, could be entitled to no regard. These charges, if they were made, the apostle meets, by assuring the Thessalonians that they were suffering precisely the same things which the churches in Judea did; that the Jews manifested the same spirit there which they did in Thessalonica; that they had killed alike the Lord Jesus and their own undoubted prophets, and that it was a characteristic of them that they were opposed to all other people. Their opposition, therefore, was not to be wondered at, nor was it to be regarded as any argument that the apostles, though Jews, were unworthy of confidence; 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16.

3. It was very probably represented by the enemies of Paul and his fellow-laborers, that they had fled from Thessalonica on the slightest danger, and had no regard for the church there, or they would have remained there in the time of peril, or, at least, that they would have returned to visit them. Their continued absence was probably urged as a proof that they had no concern for them. The apostle meets this by stating that they had been indeed "taken from them" for a little time, but that their hearts were still with them, and by assuring them that he had often endeavored to visit them again, but that "Satan had hindered" him; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20. He had, however, given them the highest proof of interest and affection that he could, for when he was unable to go himself, he had, at great self-denial, sent Timothy to establish them in the faith, and to comfort their hearts; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3. His absence, therefore, should not be urged as a proof that he had no regard for them.

The apostle sets forth how the Gospel was brought and preached to the Thessalonians, in consequence of his being persecuted at Philippi, 1 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:2. The manner in which the apostles preached, the matter of their doctrine, and the tenor of their lives, 1 Thessalonians 2:3-11. He exhorts them to walk worthy of God, 1 Thessalonians 2:12. And commends them for the manner in which they received the Gospel, 1 Thessalonians 2:13. How they suffered from their own countrymen, as the first believers did from the Jews, who endeavored to prevent the apostles from preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. St. Paul's apology for his absence from them; and his earnest desire to see them, founded on his great affection for them, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Thessalonians 2

The apostle in this chapter gives a further account of his ministry among the Thessalonians, of the nature, manner, and success of it, and of his regard to them, and conduct and conversation when with them; and commends their readiness in receiving the Gospel, and excuses his present absence from them. He appeals to them themselves for the truth of it, that his entrance to them, or preaching among them, was not in vain and without success, 1 Thessalonians 2:1 that it was with all boldness and intrepidity of mind, notwithstanding what he had suffered before for it, 1 Thessalonians 2:2 and with all integrity and faithfulness to the trust reposed in him by the Lord, without deceit and guile, or seeking to please men, but God the searcher of hearts, who had committed this trust unto him, 1 Thessalonians 2:3 and that neither then, nor at any other time, he had used flattery, or showed covetousness; which he calls God to witness, 1 Thessalonians 2:5 nor of them or others sought glory and honour, even that which was due unto him by virtue of his office, 1 Thessalonians 2:6 but had showed all gentleness, humanity, and, affection; which he illustrates by the simile of a nurse cherishing her children 1 Thessalonians 2:7 and by the willingness he showed not only to preach the Gospel to them, but to lay down his life for them, had it been necessary; so great was his affection for them, 1 Thessalonians 2:8 and, as a proof of this, he puts them in mind of his labours, both in preaching the word, and in working with his own hands; because he would not be burdensome and chargeable to them, 1 Thessalonians 2:9 and as for his conversation among them, he appeals both to God and them, how holy, just, and unblemished it was, 1 Thessalonians 2:10 and reminds them of his tenderness, diligence, and faithfulness, in exhorting, comforting, and charging them, particularly to walk worthy of God; since he had called them to his kingdom and glory, 1 Thessalonians 2:11 and then he expresses his thankfulness to God for their reception of the worth of the Gospel; not as an human invention, but as of God, which wrought effectually in them, 1 Thessalonians 2:13 the evidence of which were partly their imitation of the churches of Christ in Judea, in doctrine and practice; and partly their suffering the same things they did, of the Jews, 1 Thessalonians 2:14 who are described by their ill usage of, and cruelty to, Christ, their own prophets, and his apostles, by their not pleasing God, and by their opposition to men; an instance of which is given in prohibiting the apostles to preach to the Gentiles, whose end in so doing with respect to the Gentiles, was that they might not be saved; but God's end in suffering them so to do, was with respect to them that they might fill up their iniquity, and so entire wrath and ruin come upon them, as had been foretold, 1 Thessalonians 2:15 and then the apostle concludes the chapter, by expressing his affectionate concern in parting with them, which was not in heart but in body; by declaring his earnest desire and endeavour to see them again; and by observing to them the reason he had not and could not come unto them, because Satan hindered him, 1 Thessalonians 2:17 the cause of his being so desirous to see them, was their being his hope, joy, glory, and crown of rejoicing, both now and hereafter, 1 Thessalonians 2:19.

CHAPTER 2

1 Thessalonians 2:2. προπαθόντες] Elz. has καὶ προπαθόντες. Against A B C D E F G L א, min. plur. vss. and Fathers. Καί is a gloss for the sake of strengthening.—1 Thessalonians 2:3. Elz. has οὔτε ἐν δόλῳ. So also Griesb. Matth. Scholz, Tisch. 2 and 7, Bloomfield, Alford. But it is to be read οὐδὲ ἐν δόλῳ, with Lachm. and Tisch. 1, after A B C D* F G א, min., which also the gradation of the language requires (see exposition).—1 Thessalonians 2:4. Instead of the Receptus τῷ Θεῷ, B C D* א** 67** 114, et al., Clem. Bas. Oecum. require Θεῷ. The article is erased by Tisch. and Alford, bracketed by Lachmann. The omission is not sufficiently attested. Opposed to this omission are the weighty authorities of A D*** E F G K L א**** min. and many Fathers. The article might easily have been omitted, on account of the similarity of sound with the two following words.—1 Thessalonians 2:7. B C* D* F G א* min. vss. (also Vulg. and It.) Orig. (once) Cyr. et al. have νήπιοι, instead of the Receptus ἤπιοι. Received by Lachm. But against the unity of the figure, and arisen from attaching the ν of the preceding word ἐγενήθημεν.—1 Thessalonians 2:8. ὁμειρόμενοι] Elz. has ἱμειρόμενοι. Against A B C D E F G K L א, min. plur. edd. Chrys. (alic.) Damasc. MS. Theophyl. dis. Reiche, I. 1, p. 326 ff., indeed, recognises ὁμειρόμενοι as primitiva scriptura; but he thinks that ἱμειρόμενοι was the word designed to be written by Paul, whilst ὁμειρόμενοι owed its origin to an error in dictation—to a mistake of the amanuensis in hearing or in writing.

γεγένησθε] A B C D E F G L א, min. plur. Bas. al. read ἐγενήθητε. Recommended by Griesbach. Rightly received by Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. Bloomfield, Alford. The Receptus γεγένησθε is a correction, from erroneously imagining εὐδοκοῦμεν to be in the present.—1 Thessalonians 2:9. νυκτός] Elz. Matth. have νυκτὸς γάρ. But γάρ is rightly erased by Griesb. Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. Alford, according to A B D* F G א, 23, 71, et al. perm. Syr. Copt. Arm. Vulg. It. Chrys. (comm.) Theophyl. Ambrosiast. Aug. An explanatory correction.—1 Thessalonians 2:12. Instead of the Receptus μαρτυρούμενοι, B D*** (also D**?) E (?) K L א, min. plur. Chrys. Damasc. Oec. have μαρτυρόμενοι. Rejected by Griesb. Lachm. Tisch. 1. Correctly approved by Matth. Fritzsche (de conform. N. T. critica, quam Lachm. edidit, comment. I., Giessen 1841, p. 38), de Wette, Tisch. 2 and 7, Bloomfield, Alford, and Reiche, as μαρτυρεῖσθαι is everywhere used only in a passive sense (see Meyer on Acts 26:22, and Rinck, lucubr. crit. p. 95), so that μαρτυρούμενοι would be without meaning. Also μαρτυρόμενοι by a careless scribe might easily have been formed into μαρτυρούμενοι, on account of the preceding παραμυθούμενοι, as the similarity of termination gave occasion to the entire omission of καὶ μαρτυρ. in A.

Instead of the Rec. περιπατῆσαι is, with Lachm. Scholz, Tisch. Alford, to be read περιπατεῖν, according to A B D* F G א, min. Recommended to consideration by Griesb.—1 Thessalonians 2:13. Instead of the Receptus διὰ τοῦτο, Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, according to A B א, Copt. Syr. p. al. Theodoret (cd.) Ambrosiast. read καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, which, as the more unusual reading, merits the preference.—1 Thessalonians 2:15. τοὺς προφήτας] Elz. Matth. Bloomfield, Reiche read τοὺς ἰδίους προφήτας. Against A B D* E* F G א, min. vss. (also It. and Vulg.) and Fathers. A gloss from 1 Thessalonians 2:14 for the sake of strengthening.—1 Thessalonians 2:16. ἔφθασεν] Lachm. and Tisch. 1 read ἔφθακεν, which is only attested by B D*, whilst the Receptus has the important authority of A C D** and *** E F G K L א, and as it appears of all min. of Orig. (twice) Chrys. Theodoret, Dam. et al.

Instead of the Receptus ἡ ὀργή, D E F G, Vulg. It. Ambrosiast. Pel. Sedul. have ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ; an explanatory addition.—1 Thessalonians 2:18. Διότι] Elz. Matth. Scholz, Tisch. 2, Bloomfield, Reiche have διό. Against preponderating testimonies (A B D* F G א, al.). Suspected also by Griesbach.—1 Thessalonians 2:19. Ἰησοῦ] Elz. Matth. Scholz have Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Χριστοῦ is doubted by Griesb., correctly erased by Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, according to A B D E K א, min. plur. Syr. utr. al. Theodoret, Damasc. Oec. Ambrosiast. ed.

CONTENTS.

The readers themselves know that the apostle’s entrance among them was not without effect: although he had just been maltreated at Philippi, yet he has the courage to preach the gospel at Thessalonica amid contentions and dangers; for God Himself has called him to preach the gospel. It is accordingly solely and entirely the approval of God which he seeks; impure motives for preaching the gospel, such as vanity, covetousness, desire of honour, are far removed from him; he has, full of love, interested himself for the Thessalonians; he himself day and night worked for his maintenance, that he might not be burdensome to them; he then, in a paternal manner, exhorts and beseeches every one of them to show themselves worthy in their life of the call to eternal blessedness, which had been brought to them (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12). He then thanks God that the Thessalonians had actually received the gospel as the word of God, which it really is, and that it had already been so mighty in them, that they shunned not to endure sufferings for its sake (1 Thessalonians 2:13-16). Hereupon the apostle testifies to his readers how he, full of longing toward them, who are no less than other Christian churches his hope, his praise, and his joy, had wished twice to return to them, but had been hindered by the devil (1 Thessalonians 2:17-20).

1Th 2:1-20.

HIS MANNER OF PREACHING, AND THEIRS OF RECEIVING, THE GOSPEL; HIS DESIRE TO HAVE REVISITED THEM FRUSTRATED BY SATAN.

1. For--confirming

1Th 1:9.

He discusses the manner of his fellow missionaries' preaching among them

(1Th 1:5,

and former part of

1Th 2:9)

at

1Th 2:1-12;

and the Thessalonians' reception of the word (compare

1Th 1:6, 7,

and latter part of

1Th 2:9)

at

1Th 2:13-16.

yourselves--Not only do strangers report it, but you know it to be true [ALFORD] "yourselves."

not in vain--Greek, "not vain," that is, it was full of "power"

(1Th 1:5).

The Greek for "was," expresses rather "hath been and is," implying the permanent and continuing character of his preaching.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you - notes, 1 Thessalonians 1:9. Paul appeals to themselves for proof that they had not come among them as impostors. They had had a full opportunity to see them, and to know what influenced them. Paul frequently appeals to his own life, and to what they, among whom he labored, knew of it, as a full refutation of the slanderous accusations of his enemies; compare notes, 1 Corinthians 4:10-16; 1 Corinthians 9:19-27; 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. Every minister of the gospel ought so to live as to be able, when slanderously attacked, to make such an appeal to his people.

That it was not in vain - κενὴ kenē This word means:

(1) "empty, vain, fruitless," or without success;

(2) that in which there is no truth or reality - "false, fallacious;" Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:8.

Here it seems, from the connection 1 Thessalonians 2:3-5, to be used in the latter sense, as denoting that they were not deceivers. The object does not appear to be so much to show that their ministry was successful, as to meet a charge of their adversaries that they were impostors. Paul tells them that from their own observation they knew that this was not so.