The Divine Lamp

Note: What follows are notes from Bishop Macevilly’s EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLES OF ST PAUL. Text in THIS COLOR represent my additions (if any). For more detailed note than those provided by the Bishop, see my “Notes On 1 Thessalonians” listed under this blogs title. The blue colored links to biblical texts will cause a pop-up box to appear with the cited text according to the Douay-Rheims translation, you merely have to place your mouse on them. The box does allow you to access other translations, including the NAB and the RSV (This feature isn’t working at the present time. At the time the Bishop wrote, providing a paraphrase to the text was quite common among expositors of the Bible. Such paraphrases sometimes introduce elements of Pauline theology into a text which may only be implied, or were only developed in latter letters. Modern paraphrase Bilbes generally attempt something different, and the two should not be confused. The Bishop’s paraphrase is in Boldface.

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Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 here

Notes:

1 Thess 1:4

4. We give thanks to God, knowing your election by God to grace and to his Church here, and to glory hereafter, should you persevere.

The reason why he gives God thanks is, because he knows, from what he says (verse 5), that they are predestined by God; and as this decree, predestining them, together with the spiritual graces bestowed on them in consequence, whereby they were enabled to perform good works (verse 3), were all gratuitous gifts of God, He should, therefore, be thanked for them, and the glory of them referred to Him.

1 Thess 1:5

5. Because our preaching of the gospel among you was not confined to mere words, but was sanctioned by miracles, by the plentiful and abundant diffusion of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and by a multitude of other motives, calculated to convince you of the truth of the doctrine preached, as you yourself know what manner of me we have been among you, having in view your conversion to the faith.

The reasons from which their election was inferred by the Apostle are these, viz., the miracles (”but in power also”); the gifts of the Holy Ghost (”and in the Holy Ghost”); such as tongues, prophecy, &c., which accompanied the preaching of the gospel among them, as well as the multitude of other motives, calculated to produce conviction in their minds, “and in much fullness.” This “fullness,” which may refer either to the strong interior conviction of the truth of the gospel; or, as we have understood it, to the additional motives for producing this conviction, may have been founded on the Apostle’s own conduct, his disinterestedness, his heroism in exposing himself to danger without any hope of temporal compensation, &c. All this, joined to the sanction lent by God himself, was calculated to produce the most firm conviction of the truth of the gospel preached. This conjecture is rendered very probable by the following words-”as you know what manner of men,” &c., which show, that, in the preceding, he was referring to his own conduct among them.

1 Thess 1:6

6. (Nor was this exhibition of zeal on our part without success); for, you became faithful imitators of me and of the Lord. You received the gospel, though attended with much suffering and persecution to you, with the joy of the Holy Ghost.

They were imitators of our Blessed Lord and of St Paul, because our Lord preached his gospel, and submitted to insults and persecutions with joy and gladness, for the salvation of his people; and so did the Apostle.

1 Thess 1:7

7. So that you have become a model, in this respect, to all the faithful, not only of Macedonia, but also of Achaia.

They were a model to their own countrymen; and to those in Achaia, where St Paul then was.

1 Thess 1:8

8. For, from you the word of the Lord has been proclaimed, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place with which you are in communication, has the rumor of your faith in God been spread, so that it is unnecessary for me to say anything regarding it.

The words “spread abroad,” not only mean that the fame of their faith was rumored abroad, but also that it sounded forth in such a way as to serve as an example for imitation with all men, both believers and unbelievers. For, though he preached at Philippi before he preached at Thessalonica; still, his preaching in the latter place was more noted and more successful. “In every place,” must be understood of those places only with which Thessalonica was in communication, owing to its extensive relations of commerce.

1 Thess 1:9

9. For all to whom we converse regarding you, anticipate us in speaking of our advent amongst you, and of the success that attended us, and of your conversion from worshipping inanimate and senseless idols to serve and adore the living and true God.

“To serve the living and true God:” unlike the inanimate blocks you heretofore adored, and “true God,” unlike the false gods of the Pagans, either men ranked among the gods, or demons. Omnes dii gentium daemonia “For all the gods of the Gentiles are demons” (Psalm 96:5 OR, Psalm 95:5, depending on the translation)

1 Thess 1:10

10. And to expect from heaven his Son Jesus (whom he raised from the dead), and by whom we have been delivered from the wrath to come.

10. “Whom he raised from the dead.” This being an act of power, is, by appropriation, ascribed to God the Father. The Apostle refers here to their faith in the second coming of God to judge the world. And although the dead who have long since slept in the Lord will accompany him from heaven; still, they may be said to be expecting him on earth, as their bodies are there. “Who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.” From this the Apostle wishes them to infer, that those thus favored beyond the unbelievers, who remain subject to eternal death, should persevere in this state of security, to which God has gratuitously called them.

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