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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This post deals with the third and last section of the third and final part of Paul’s letter. The reader will recall that part three had the following concentric structure:

A1) Exhortations concerning right and holy conduct (4:1-12)
B) The resurrection of the faithful and Christ’s second coming (4:13-5:11)
A2) Exhortations concerning right order in the community (5:12-28)

1 Thess 5:12-13 Note the parallels with 1 Thess 4:1 (especially clear in the RSV Translation). in 4:1 Paul had exhorted the Thessalonians to live in the manner which they had learned from him. Here he exhorts them to respect those who admonish them. Note the terms Paul uses to describe the leaders: (1) they labor (work) among the Thessalonians just as Paul and his companions had (1 Thess 2:9-12). What the Apostolic missionaries started, the established leaders of the church are to continue doing. We see here the beginnings of Apostolic Succession (CCC 860-862). (2) they are over the Thessalonians in the Lord. This is possibly intended to call to mind the images of motherhood and fatherhood which Paul had applied to himself and his companions in describing their labor among the Thessalonians. (3) They admonish the Thessalonians.

Be at peace among yourselves. This could also read “be at peace with them,” i.e., the leaders.

1 Thess 5:14 in 1 Thess 1:6-7 Paul had noted how the Thessalonians had become his imitators. Here he suggests subtlety that they imitate their leaders by admonishing weaker member in the community. Note especially the reference to the idle. As I noted in my previous post on this letter, idleness was a particular problem with some of Thessalonians ( see my notes on 5:6-7).

1 Thess 5:15 Do good to one another and to all. See Paul’s exhortation not to transgress against a brother in 1 Thess 4:6, and see also 1 Thess 5:11.

1 Thess 5:16 See 1 Thess 1:6.

1 Thess 5:17-18 Recall that part 1 of the letter began and ended with a thanksgiving (see 1 Thess 1:1-10; 2:13-16). Note the emphasis on suffering and affliction in those passages. Had some of the Thessalonians given up praying and giving thanks “in all circumstances” (i.e., because of afflictions)?

1 Thess 5:19-22 In 1 Thess 4:8 Paul had warned that to disregard what he was teaching was to disregard God “Who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” Paul here is calling for spiritual discernment regarding prophecies. What is necessary for such discernment is fidelity to the traditional teaching; prophecies that contradict such teaching are to be rejected (see 2 Thess 2:1-15).

1 Thess 5:23-24 Spirit, Soul, Body “are not three elements that make up a human person. In the Semitic mind, the human person is a unity that can be viewed from three different points of view: one’s relation to God (spirit); one’s principle of life or vitality (the soul), a principle similar to that of all living beings; and one’s body” (Peter F. Ellis. SEVEN PAULINE LETTERS. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1982). By employing all three views Paul gives emphasis to the desire of his prayer: “May God keep you sound and blameless completely.”

1 Thess 5:25 The letter had begun with the missionaries noting how they prayed for the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:2-3); and we’ve just seen another of their prayers in written form (vs 23); now the missionaries ask their converts to return the favor. Several of Paul’s letters make such a request, or at least acknowledge that others were praying for him (Rom 15:30-32; Phil 1:19; Eph 6:18-20).

1 Thess 5:26-28 the holy kiss was probably to be given at the liturgy, when the letter would be read to all the brethren. Concerning the holy kiss see Rom 15:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12. Concerning the public (almost certainly liturgical) reading of Paul’s letters and other Scripture see Col 4:16; 1 Tim 4:13; Rev 1:3; Luke 4:16-21; Acts 13:15;

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Note 2: the subject of this post was originally treated in two separate entries but have been combined here.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 is the second section of the final part (i.e., 4:1-5:28) of the letter.  It deals with the subjects of the resurrection and second coming. Because I’m pressed for time this morning I’ll comment on 4:13-18 and leave the remainder of the section (5:1-11) for another time.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But we would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who fall asleep, that you not grieve like the others who have no hope. Apparently Paul had given them instructions concerning the second coming and the resurrection of the dead but they were in confusion on a certain point: will the dead (Those who fell asleep) not see the glory of the coming of the Lord?  Paul will emphatically assert that they will (vs 15), and that it is a matter of faith (vs 14: Since we believe that Jesus died and rose…).  The living will not precede the dead in returning to the Lord, rather, the dead will precede the living in this matter; Paul is emphatic on  this point (vs. 15 shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. The “shall not” is a double negative in Greek, giving emphasis).

The apocalyptic imagery of verses 16-17 is often interpreted quite literally, but it should be noted that what Paul is here describing is basically the visit of a king to a city.  Josephus give the following description of the Emperor Titus’s entry into Antioch (boldface type represents parallels with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17):

“When the people of Antioch learned that Titus was coming to the city, their joy was such that they could not rest within the city walls until he came.  Instead they went out to meet him, going a distance of more than thirty stadia.  Not only the men went, but a multitude of women also, with the children, and when they saw Titus coming ,they stood on either side of the road saluting him with their hands raised.  They brought him to the city with acclamations of all sorts, and while they applauded him, they did not cease to ask that the Jews be expelled from the city.”  (Quoted in SEVEN PAULINE LETTERS by Peter  F. Ellis).

For more on the over-literal interpretation of this passage see HERE.

In 4:13-18 St Paul dealt with the status of the faithful departed at the coming of our Lord. In 5:1-11 he deals with the suddenness of that coming.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 The first verse echoes what was said in 1 Thess 4:9 concerning love. The two verses together show that the Thessalonians had received previous instructions concerning the subject treated here (as in 1 Thess 4:2 regarding holiness). Ironically, false teachings concerning the coming of Christ-possibly in letter form-caused the Thessalonians problems a latter time, causing Paul to write a second letter to the Church (see 2 Thess 2:1-2), wherein he more forcefully appeals to the traditional faith they received (2 Thess 2:5, 13-15).

Like a thief in the night. It may seem odd that Paul is comparing the coming of Christ to the unexpected and terrifying discovery of a thief in one’s home in the dead of night, but the subject of verses 3&4 makes its usage clear.

1 Thess 5:3-5 A man who gets falling-down-drunk even though he know that a thief is going to break into his house deserves all the terror that event could have. Who in their right mind would not stay alert for such an event? But Christians know full well that Christ will come in judgment, therefore they ought to be prepared for the coming of Christ; a day of destruction upon the lax, but a day of salvation for those who are ready. There will be no terror for those who are the sons of the light and the day. The reference to sons calls to mind the image of motherhood and fatherhood Paul had applied to himself and his co-missionaries in relation to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 2:5-12). Notice that the imagery ends with the words “…we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” Children ought to imitate their holy parents for their own good.

1 Thess 5:6-7 The missionaries had toiled day and night among the Thessalonians (1 Thess 2:9), not sleeping on the job or seeking worldly comforts like lazy drunkards. Unfortunately, some of the Thessalonians, perhaps in a misguided attempt to prepare for the coming of Christ, had given up work (1 Thess 4:11), and become idle (1 Thess 5:14 see also 2 Thess 3:6-11). Not without reason does the Church insist on the sanctity of work (CCC 2427-2428).

1 Thess 5:8 Using military imagery, Paul once again makes reference to the theological virtues (see 1 Thess 1:3 note the reference to work and labor). Christianity is something we live by, not something we lounge in. As in the first usage, hope is mentioned last, giving us an “eschatological order” (i.e., end-time order) to the virtues. This ordering is explained by the following verses.

1 Thess 5:9-11 In 1 Thess 1:10 Paul had spoken of Jesus who “delivers us from the coming wrath.” There he had used the present tense in referring to deliverance, but the future tense in relation to wrath. The moral imperatives and warnings which litter this letter make it quite clear that we cannot presume our salvation as assured. Our current status as righteous is not our final deliverance; it it were, the moral exhortations and warnings would have no meaning, and one can leave the way of righteousness (2 Peter 2:20-22).

Sleep in verse ten refers to the faithful departed. Paul had dealt with the status of those Christians who “sleep” in death in 1 Thess 4:13-18. In the present chapter, sleep had decidedly negative connotations. The dead in Christ (1 Thess 4:16 i.e., the faithful who have fallen asleep in death), will rise to new life, whereas those who take their rest now, not engaging in the “work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope” will essentially endure a second death (see Revelation 2:20, 20:13-15). It will, however, be a sleep without rest (revelation 14:11). It is this which sustains those who keep the commandments of God (Revelation 14:12).

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 is the second section of the final part (i.e., 4:1-5:28) of the letter.  It deals with the subjects of the resurrection and second coming. Because I’m pressed for time this morning I’ll comment on 4:13-18 and leave the remainder of the section (5:1-11) for another time.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But we would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who fall asleep, that you not grieve like the others who have no hope.  Apparently Paul had given them instructions concerning the second coming and the resurrection of the dead but they were in confusion on a certain point: will the dead (Those who fell asleep) not see the glory of the coming of the Lord?  Paul will emphatically assert that they will (vs 15), and that it is a matter of faith (vs 14: Since we believe that Jesus died and rose…).  The living will not precede the dead in returning to the Lord, rather, the dead will precede the living in this matter; Paul is emphatic on  this point (vs. 15 shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.  The “shall not” is a double negative in Greek, giving emphasis).

The apocalyptic imagery of verses 16-17 is often interpreted quite literally, but it should be noted that what Paul is here describing is basically the visit of a king to a city.  Josephus give the following description of the Emperor Titus’s entry into Antioch (boldface type represents parallels with 1 Thess 4:16-17):

“When the people of Antioch learned that Titus was coming to the city, their joy was such that they could not rest within the city walls until he came.  Instead they went out to meet him, going a distance of more than thirty stadia.  Not only the men went, but a multitude of women also, with the children, and when they saw Titus coming ,they stood on either side of the road saluting him with their hands raised.  They brought him to the city with acclamations of all sorts, and while they applauded him, they did not cease to ask that the Jews be expelled from the city.”  (Quoted in SEVEN PAULINE LETTERS by Peter  F. Ellis).

For more on the over-literal interpretation of this passage see HERE.

1 Thess 4:1-12 is the first section to the third and final part of the letter.  Like the previous two parts it has a concentric, parallel structure:

A1) Exhortations concerning right and holy conduct (4:1-12)
B) The resurrection of the faithful and Christ’s second coming (4:13-5:11)
A2) Exhortations concerning right order in the community (5:12-28)

Read 1 Thess 4:1-12

1 Thess 4:1-2  We beseech and exhort you in the Lord.  Here Paul appeals to his authority as an ambassador of Christ (see 2 Cor 5:18-20).  The emphasis and urgency of the exhortation should be seen against the backdrop of the Lord’s second coming.

vs 1 cont.  (we exhort you) that, as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, even as you are so doing, you abound in doing so more and more   “Walk” is a common metaphor for one’s moral life (see my notes on Psalm 1).  The life of the man of God is conceived of as a religious pilgrimage towards final union with Him.  The Thessalonians have already begun that journey and are here encouraged to keep at it with even greater commitment.  That journey began when the missionaries came to their city preaching the word, which they “received in great affliction, with the joy which comes from the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess 1:6).  The word received used here and in 2:13 is paralambano, which is related to the word pradosis, tradition.  Tradition is the handing on or receiving of a teaching delivered either orally, in writing, or by example, and Jesus is at their source, for he Handed on (paradidonai) and revealed what he had received from the Father (see Matt 11:25-27).  The words in verse 2 for you know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus is likewise a reminder of the teaching they have received from the missionaries through Jesus..    But it was not merely through the preaching that they received from the missionaries how they ought to walk; they also received it by the example set by the missionaries (note the reference to imitation in 1:6, and see 1 Thess 2:1-12).  The word abound calls to mind what Paul said in 3:12.

1 Thess 4:3  For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you refrain from fornication The salvific will of God demands a response under grace on our part.  We must embrace holiness.  Fornication includes all forms of illicit sexual activity, but what St Paul has explicitly in mind in verses 4-8 is not entirely clear from the Greek text, as an examination of various translations 1 Thess 4:4-8 shows (see the NAB and the RSV texts, along with the footnote to the text in the NAB).

1 Thess 4:4-7  Peter Ellis, in his book SEVEN PAULINE LETTERS comments on the RSV translation:  “In the Greek, the import of these words is much less clear.  The RSV translates it as here but gives another translation-”How to control his own body”-in a footnote; and the NAB gives a third possible translation: “each of you guarding his member in sanctity.”  The different translations flow from the ambiguity of the Greek, which uses the word “vessel,” a word that could mean “wife” as above, or “body” as in the RSV footnote, or “member” (a euphemism for sexual parts) as in the NAB.  The NAB translation “member” would imply personal unchastity.  The RSV translation “wife” would imply adultery.  No certain solution is possible, but the context, especially in verse 6, would seem to favor the translation “wife,” and the nature of the immorality as adultery.  Underlying such immorality, one may suspect a devil-may-care attitude toward sex in view of the fact that the end of the world was considered near.”  The attitude may seem strange to us, but it is an idea exhibited often down through the centuries (i.e., some Gnostics and the Cathari).

1 Thess 4:8 Therefore he that rejects this rejects not man, but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you.  Paul’s teaching on this matter is not his own and cannot be rejected without rejecting God and the Holy Spirit (and, obviously, Christ) see 1 Thess 1:5; 2:13.

1 Thess 4:9  But concerning love of the brothers you have no need that one write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another  This recalls 1 Thess 3:12.  Paul probably has in mind here the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:34.  The Gospel of God delivered by the missionaries remains at work among them (1 Thess 2:13) and manifests itself in love.

1 Thess 4:10 for indeed you do it towards all the brothers that are in all Macedonia.  But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more.  In 1 Thess 1:7 Paul had noted that the Thessalonians had become a model for believers throughout Macedonia, here we see that it manifested itself in love.  Once again Paul uses the words exhort and abound  as he had in 4:1 (and see 3:12).  The necessity for sanctification and love in virtue of the Lord’s second coming cannot be over emphasized.   The Lord’s return and its implications will be the subject of the second section of part 3 (see 1 Thess 4:13-5:11 and note especially the moral imperatives of 5:5-8, along with the focus on faith, hope, and love).

1 Thess 4:11-12  And that you aspire to be quiet, and tend to you own business, and to labor with your own hands as we instructed you.  That you may walk (i.e., act) in a becoming way towards outsiders, being dependent on no one.  The appeal to previous instruction is essentially an appeal to the traditions they had already received concerning the subjects of this verse.  In their behavior they are to avoid instigating troubles among themselves and outsiders.    Many scholars believe that what Paul  has in mind here  is the fact that some of the Thessalonians had given up working in order to  better prepare themselves for the coming of the Lord.   By doing this they were becoming a burden on others.  By not working to earn their daily bread they were becoming dependent upon the charity of their fellow Christians and friends and relatives who were not members of the Church.  They were also becoming busy bodies.  Paul will have to deal with these issues again in 2 Thess 3:6-16.  In 1 Thess 2:9 Paul explicitly mentions how the missionaries had labored among them so as not to be a burden.  This example was not doubt intended as part of the instructions they had received.

This section closes out part 2 of the letter 2:17-3:13. Part 2 opened with the missionaries talking about their desire to return to the Thessalonians who were described as the “joy” and “hope” of the Evangelists (1 Th 2:17-20). Now we will see that this part closes with another announcement of their desire to return to Thessalonica. It would e good for the reader to recall the outline to section 2:

A1) The missionaries wish to see their converts “face to face” (2:17-20)
B) Timothy is sent to Thessalonica (3:1-8)
A2) The missionaries pray that they might see their converts “face to face” (3:9-13)

Read:
1 Thess 3:9-13

Notes:

1 Th 3:9 For what thanksgiving can we render unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes before our God? The section opens with a rhetorical question which clearly recalls 1 Thess 1:2; 2:13. The question also starts with the Greek conjunctive gar, “for,” thus linking this section with what immediately precedes it (2:17-3:8). English translation cannot bring out adequately the meaning of the question, many people end up thinking that Paul is saying that he and his companions cannot even begin to give appropriate thanks to God for what he has done; but this is not the meaning. The emphasis is on the joy the missionaries feel after having received the report of Timothy (vss3-8) concerning the situation in Thessalonica.

Vs 9 cont. Joy. In 2:19 the missionaries had referred to their converts as their “hope and joy and crown of boasting in the presence of” Jesus “at his coming.” There the reference was eschatological (end time). Missionaries will be judged on how they have fulfilled their obligation to the Gospel and to those who believe in it (Luke 12:42-48). Paul and those with him had hoped that the Thessalonians mere maintaining their stand on the Gospel, thus showing the missionaries as good and faithful servants when Christ returned. Timothy’s news that they were indeed standing firm (vs 8) is cause for their present joy in hope of the coming return of Christ.

1 Th 3:10 Night and Day we pray exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith. Paul began and ended part 1 of the letter (1:1-2:16) with a reference to thanksgiving (1 Th 1:1-10; 2:13-16). His reference to thanksgiving in the previous verse, and his prayer in this section help to unify the letter, though the prayer he actually has in mind here is one of petition, the subject being that God may allow the missionaries to return to Thessalonica to continue what had been left undone. The reference to seeing the face of the converts calls to mind the opening section of part 2, namely 1 Thess 2:17-20 (see the outline above, and the outline of the whole letter HERE).

Vs 10 cont. may perfect that which is lacking in your faith. The missionaries had laid the foundational message of the Gospel down but had been unable to build upon it, their desire is to rectify that situation through another visit to the city. The third part of the letter (4:1-5:28) seeks to present some of what is still lacking in the faith of the converts.

1 Th 3:11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you. In the previous verse Paul had spoken about the missionaries abundant prayer’s that they be able to return to their converts; here he writes out such a prayer .

1 Th 3:12 and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love towards one another, and towards all men, even as we also do towards you The Lord (i.e., Jesus) is asked to bestow a superabundance of faith and love upon the community which was already in possession of these virtues (see 1 Th 1:3; 3:6). In this life the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love can never be possessed to such a degree that we can exhaust them, there is always room for an increase, hence, in a certain sense, our faith will always be lacking because it can always be improved, extended, strengthened.

Vs 12 cont. Towards one another and towards all men. Here St Paul is preparing for the final part of the letter (4:1-5:28), which will focus on moral conduct towards fellow Christians (1 Thess 4:1-10), and towards outsiders (1 Thess 4:11-12).

Vs 12 cont. Even as we also do towards you Here Paul not only reassures the community of his and his companions love for their converts, but also subtly holds himself and the others up as an example for imitation (see 1 Thess 1:6).

1 Th 3:13 To the end He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones Paul is still preparing for the final part of the letter, where holiness of life in preparation for the coming of Christ will be a major subject. Grammatically, this verse is linked to the previous one. To be blameless in holiness entails acting in love towards one another and all men.

As we saw in the last post on this letter, part 2 of the letter (2:17-3:13) exhibits the same concentric structure as the other parts (see introduction).

A1) The missionaries wish to see their converts “face to face” (2:17-20)
B) Timothy is sent to Thessalonica (3:1-8)
A2) The missionaries pray that they might see their converts “face to face” (3:9-13)

text: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8

1. Therefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone;
2. And sent Timothy, our brother and God’s co-worker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;
3. That no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that this is to be our lot.
4. And truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, as you know.
5. For this reason also, when I could no longer forbear, I sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
6. But just at this moment Timothy has come to us from you,  and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, and long to see us, even as we long to see you;
7. for this reason, brethren, we are comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith:
8. for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

Notes:

1. Therefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone.  Therefore serves as a conjunctive, it links what is about to be said with the thoughts expressed in the previous passage (1 Thessalonians 2:17-20).  The thought of that passage may be summarized as follows: (1) the missionaries are bereft of the Thessalonians.  (2) That separation was due to opposition to the Gospel and the hindrance of Satan.  (3) The missionaries joy and hope at the coming of Jesus is at stake.

Thoughts that Satan (1 Thessalonians 2:18), the Tempter (1 Thessalonians 3:5) had jeopardized or destroyed the missionary labor done among the Thessalonians motivated the evangelists to send Timothy back to them (see vs 2).  This action they deemed good, even though it meant a separation among themselves: we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone.  Note that the statement doesn’t just say “left behind,” but also employs the word “alone” for emphasis.  The implication is that Timothy’s absence is a hardship for the other evangelists, but it is good for the sake of the Thessalonians, thus exhibiting the care and love of the missionaries towards their converts (see 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8).

2. And sent Timothy, our brother and God’s co-worker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith.  The term God’s co-worker is a translation of the Greek synergon tou theou found in some manuscripts and early Christian writers.  Other manuscripts read “servant of God” (diakonon tou theou) or similar variants.  As a rule, it is generally advisable to accept the more difficult reading, which has been done here.  The idea is not un-pauline, as a comparison with 1 Corinthians 3:9 shows.  God’s duly constituted ministers are his instruments (vessels),  imbued with his power ( see  Acts of Apostles  9:15;  2 Corinthians 4:7).  They act on His behalf as he works through them (see 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:20).     The purpose of Timothy’s embassy is to establish (sterizo=make stable, firm, strengthen) them in the faith, and to comfort (parakaleo=console, encourage,  admonish) them.  Essentially, he is to continue doing what the missionaries had begun among the Thessalonians (see the similar wording used in 1 Thessalonians 2:12).

3. That no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that this is to be our lot.  The converts had received the word in great affliction (1 Thessalonians 1:6); and suffering (1 Thessalonians 2:14).  Timothy is returning to them to “establish” them (vs 2), so that no man be moved by these afflictions.  No doubt part of his mission was to remind them of the opposition which living out the Gospel brings (this is to be our lot).

4. And truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, as you know.  Builds upon the end of vs 3.

5. For this reason also, when I could no longer forbear, I sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.  Verses 1-3 gave the reasons why all the missionaries decided to send Timothy.  This verse gives Paul’s specific concern that the tempter may have tempted them out of the faith, thus making the labor done among the Thessalonians vain.  While there has been an emphasis on the possible havoc wreaked by opposition to the Gospel, here Paul is concerned with any means the tempter might have used to render the labor vain.  The reference to the missionaries labor calls to mind the work they had done and its effects.  Perhaps Paul is concerned that they had turned back to serving idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9); or that they had come to the conclusion that Paul had been preaching his own word (1 Thessalonians 2:13).  For more on Satan’s temptations against the Gospel see 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 and Mark 4:13-15.

6. But just at this moment Timothy has come to us from you,  and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, and long to see us, even as we long to see you.  This single verse accounts for the joy which permeates this letter.  The faith and love which the converts received and exhibited as a result of the Apostolic labor done among them remains firmly established.  This was such good news that the letter appears to have been written immediately upon Timothy’s return.  The reference to the kindly remembrance of the missionaries y the converts, and of their longing to see the missionaries again perhaps implies that the veracity and integrity of the evangelists was being called into question by the Gospel’s opponents  (see 1 Thessalonians  2:3-9).

7. for this reason, brethren, we are comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith:
  A masterful reversal!  Paul shows himself to be adept at the use of rhetoric (in the good sense).  Timothy had been sent to comfort the Thessalonians in their distress and affliction (vs 2), and the Thessalonian’s adherence to the faith now provides comfort to the missionaries who were distressed and afflicted concerning that adherence.

8. for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.  Recalls 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20.  Being assured of the love and affection of their converts towards them, the evangelists play upon their heartstrings, using that love and affection as a motive for the converts maintaining their standing in the Lord.  Recalls the use of “establish” in verse 2.

As I noted in my introduction and outline to First Thessalonians the entire letter has a three-fold concentric structure, including part two of the letter which we begin looking at today.

Outline Part 2 (2:17-3:13)

A1) The missionaries wish to see their converts “face to face” (2:17-20)
B) Timothy is sent to Thessalonica (3:1-8)
A2) The missionaries pray that they might see their converts “face to face” (3:9-13)

Text: 2:17-20

17. But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in face (i.e., in person) not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:
18. Because we would have fain (i.e., happily) come unto you, I Paul once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? are not even ye (i.e., is it not you) before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
20. For ye are our glory and our joy.

Notes:
17. But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season. The Greek words hemeis de (literally “we but”, however in English translation: “but we”) is used in the New Testament to provide a linking contrast between two groups. Earl Richards, who, as I pointed out in my notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 contends that verses 14-16 of that passage are an interpolation, insists that the phrase provides a contrast with the Thessalonian Christians mentioned in verse 13. It must be noted however, that merely changing focus from one group to another does not constitute a contrast, and that is precisely what hemeis de is meant to do. Richards would reconstruct the passage thus:

• 13. For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 17. But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in face (i.e., in person) endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire: 18. Because we would have fain (i.e., happily) come unto you, I paul once and again; but Satan hindered us. 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? are not even ye (i.e., is it not you) before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Where exactly is the contrast here? Isn’t the real contrast here between those Jews and Gentiles mentioned if verses 14-16 who opposed the preaching of the Gospel and the missionaries? This fits in well with the reference to Satan hindering the missionaries return; for Paul would certainly see opposition to the Gospel as Satanic (see 1 Thess 3:5). It’s obvious that the desire of the missionaries to return, and their eventual sending of Timothy back to Thessalonica, was motivated by the opposition the church is receiving there (see 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5). The contrast is between the missionaries who desire to strengthen the faith of the Thessalonian Christians, and those who are trying to destroy it.

17. cont. Bereaved of you. The Greek word aporphanizo originally referred to an orphan, but the word came to also came to be applied to a parent who had lost a child. In light of 1 Thess 1:11-12 it is probably this second sense that is meant.
17 cont. in face not in heart, (we) endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire. “In face” is a translation of the Greek prosopon. To be present to someone is to see their face, for this reason the word came to denote personal presence.

18. Because we would have fain (i.e., happily) come unto you, I Paul once and again; but Satan hindered us. In light of 1 Thess 2:14-16, and 1 Thess 3:5, it seems likely that what hindered the missionaries was satanic opposition to the Gospel.

19-20. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? are not even ye (i.e., is it not you) before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20. For ye are our glory and our joy. The word before is a translation of the Greek emprosthen, which means “presence.” The word is virtually synonymous with prosopon (face) used in verse 17. Paul’s reward at the second coming (presence) of Christ will be based upon how he has fulfilled his ministry (see Luke 12:42-48). His desire to see the “face” of the Thessalonians is motivated by his parent-like care and concern for them, but also by his hope of Salvation and eternal glory which will be given when Christ manifests his end-time presence (see 2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Note: To see previous posts on this letter go HERE.  Placing your browser on the biblical references colored blue will cause a box to appear containing the cited text.
Today we look at 1 Thess 2:13-16. These verses represent the end of part one of that Epistle, which, you may recall, had the following concentric structure:

A1) Salutation and thanksgiving for the Thessalonians reception of the word (1:1-10)

B) How the Missionaries acted among them (2:1-12)

A2) Another thanksgiving for the Thessalonians reception of the word (2:13-16)

Text 2:13-16
13. And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of God from hearing us, you accepted it no as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe.

14. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus: for you also suffered the same thing from your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;

15. Who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are adversaries to all men;

16. forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up the measure of their sins always: but wrath has come upon them at last.

In the above outline it can be seen that the section labeled “A1″ (1:1-10) parallels that labeled “A2″ (2:13-16), which is the section we are currently examining. Highlighted text in the verses emphasize verbal and thematic parallels with 1:1-10.

Verbal and thematic parallels between 2:13-16 and 1:1-10. The significance of the parallels will be treated in the next section of this post labeled “notes.”
13. And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received the word of God from hearing us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe.

We also thank God without ceasing draws a parallel to 1:2 which reads: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers”.

That, when you received the word of God from hearing us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe. parallels 1:5, which reads: “How our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy spirit, and in much assurance; even as you know what manner of men we showed ourselves towards you for your sake.” The two references to “the word of God” In 2:13 also parallels 1:8-”For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord…“
14. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus: for you also suffered the same thing from your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews, draws a parallel with 1:6-”And you became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.”

15-16. Who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are adversaries to all men; 16. forbidding us to speak to the Gentilesf that they may be saved; to fill up the measure of their sins always: but wrath has come upon them at last. These verses parallel 1:1- “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace.” They also parallel 1:3- “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and teadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” Finally, they parallel 1:8-”For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has gone forth; so that we need not say anything.”

Notes:

1 Thess 2:13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received the word of God from hearing us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe.

Paul’s thanksgiving in 1 Thess 1:1-10, which he described as “constant” (1:2), had focused on “how our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance” (1:5). Now Paul mentions that he prays and thanks God for the readers “without ceasing.” As Paul preached the Gospel to them he did so with power and with assurance (1:5). The ideas expressed in 2:13 are related to this, though the focus is no longer on Paul, but on his addressees. The word which had shown itself powerful in Paul’s preaching ministry has also shown its power in relation to those who heard it, for it “works in you who believe.” The word’s power in Paul’s ministry, and its work in believers, confirms for Paul that what the Thessalonians received when they heard the preaching, was the word of God, and not “the word of man.”

14. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus: for you also suffered the same thing from your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews

Paul’s first reason for his thanksgiving had been motivated by the fact that the Thessalonians had received the word “as it is in truth, the word of God” which works in believers (vs 13). In verse 14 he gives a second reason: the suffering being experienced by them. From a worldly perspective, giving thanks for suffering would seem odd, but this verse recalls 1:6-”And you became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” The context of that passage shows that for Paul, when the Thessalonians received the word with affliction, it was a sign of their election, and that they were not a “second-string” church in comparison to “The churches of God that are in Judea.”

In the New Testament, affliction (Greek: thlipsis) is related to the sufferings of the eschatological (end time) age. The Passion and Death of Jesus was his thlipseis (Col 1:24) and it inaugurated the end time. Those who bear up under this thlipsis (tribulation) are like the good soil on which the seed is sown, rather than like the seed sown on rocky soil. A man who is like rocky ground “receives the word with great joy, but he has no root and only lasts for a short time. When sown and some tribulation or suffering comes because of the word, he falls away.” (see Matt 13:20-21). Due to the nature of the Gospel, especially its moral demands, it will arouse hostility, and lead to persecution: “Then they will hand you over to persecution (thlipsis), and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name” (Matt 24:9). But because we know who Jesus is, and that such suffering is expected, we can, as odd as it seems, have peace: “I have told you this so that you may have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble (thlipsis), but take courage, I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). Christians, and especially missionaries, are called upon to “fill up…that which is lacking of the afflictions (thlipseis) of Christ…for the sake of his body, which is the Church” (Col 1:24). This is part of the Christian’s vocation (see 1 Thess 3:3-4), for “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships (thlipsis) to enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We are thus co-workers in Christ’s sufferings. Because Paul and his fellow missionaries have suffered so much (see 1 Thess 1:2; 2 Corinthians 11:21-28), because they are co-workers with Christ, by his grace (Rom 15:18), they can be imitated, for thy imitate the Lord. So too, the Thessalonians can be said to be imitating “the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus.” inasmuch as they have suffered at the hands of their own countrymen as the Lord had, and the Judean churches were.

15. Who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are adversaries to all men.

Some scholars, in the name of “ecumenism” and on the pretext that this and the following verse have caused anti-semitism, seek to dismiss these verses from the letter, this in spite of the fact that no shred of textual evidence exists for them to do so! If one can excise a text from scripture so casually, merely because it has been abused, how many texts would survive excision? Earl Richards, in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians in the Sacra Pagina Series, claims that a concrete event narrated by Luke in Acts 17 (The Jewish opposition to Paul in Thessalonica) “has been taken up…and transformed, in a fit of passion, presumably, to condemn all Jews as actively conspiring, out of hatred of all non-Jews, against the God-directed mission for the salvation of the Gentiles” (see pgs 123-124). But it should be noted that Paul nowhere speaks of all Jews being culpable, and his language, when considered sanely, cannot bear such a meaning. The Jews he is referring to are those who persecuted the churches in Judea (vs 14), killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, drove out St Paul from Thessalonica, and hinder the preaching of the Gospel. The very description of their actions qualify the meaning of “Jews” in the context, so by what right does Richards insinuate that all Jews are being described? This is nothing more than a cheap attempt to muddy the text in order to justify its cleansing.

The fact is that verbally and thematically, verses 15 and 16 fit nicely into the overall context of part 1 of the letter (1:1-2:16). SOME Jews “killed the Lord Jesus” inasmuch as they conspired to get the Romans to do the actual deed. SOME likewise killed the prophets and drove out the missionaries and hindered the preaching of the Gospel to all men; in this they stand in marked contrast to the Thessalonians who “became imitators of the Lord” and of the missionaries when they “received the word in much affliction” (1 Thess 1:6); and who, after having received it, “sounded it forth throughout Macedonia and Achaia”, and indeed, everywhere (i.e. to all men. See 1 Thess 1:6-8).

16. forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up the measure of their sins always: but wrath has come upon them at last.

The wording of vs 15 gives the sense of an accumulation of sin: “Who killed the Lord Jesus AND the prophets, AND drove us out, AND pleased not God, AND are contrary to all men” It is in these ways that they fill up the measure of their sins. To fill up the measure of sin is an Old Testament phrase (Gen 15:16; Dt 18:23; 2 Mc 6:12-15). ” God has fixed certain moments of history for the punishment of sin and the rewarding of good actions; it is a mark of divine displeasure when this chastisement is postponed (2 Mc 2:6-13). Jews who are hostile to Christ and persecute Christians are left to multiply their sins in view of divine vengence. Wrath has already come upon them: God’s avenging justice is already manifest in his failure to effect their conversion” (Jerome Biblical Commentary 48:18, pg 230).

Earlier, in 1:10, Paul had written that Jesus delivers (present tense) us from the wrath to come (future tense). In 2:16 however, the wrath of God is present. The pagan Thessalonians who accepted the Gospel were delivered from God’s wrath by turning from idols and serving the living and true God (1:9); whereas the Jewish monotheists, who rejected the Gospel have essentially made themselves the equal of idolaters. See Romans 1:18-32 (Gentiles), along with Romans 2:1-29 (Jew and Gentile). Note how the themes of wrath and salvation are connected with how one responds to truth.

The following notes are from Bishop John MacEvilly’s Expostion of the Epistles of St Paul, Volume 2, a public domain work first published in 1891. I have added some of my own notes, indicating them as such by using boldface italics.
Analysis:

In this chapter, the Apostle, after the usual form of Apostolic salutation (vs 1), informs the Thessalonians that he never omits praying for them, whenever he addresses his petitions to God, to whom he returns thanks for His abundant gifts of grace bestowed upon them, as manifested in their faith, their patience, and operative charity. From these gifts, as well as from those displayed in their conversion to the faith, the Apostle infers their election to grace and the segregation from this wicked world; and for this he renders thanks to God (2-6). he commends their constancy in the faith; in this respect, serving as a model not only to Macedonia, but to the entire province of Achaia(7). For, the edifying account of their faith has been spread abroad, both in these places, and in every other place with which they were in communication (8). He exhorts them to persevere in the same firmness and edifying constancy, in the expectation of the coming of Jesus Christ to judge the world.

Text 1:1-2a
1. Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy: to the church of the Thessalonians, in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
2. Grace to you and peace.

Paraphrase: At the time MacEvilly wrote, providing a paraphrase to the text was quite common among scholars. Such paraphrases sometimes introduce elements of Pauline theology into a text which may be only implied, or were only developed in latter letters. Modern paraphrase Bibles generally attempt something different, and the two should not e confused.
1. Paul and Sylvanus (or Silas) and Timothy (greet) the assembly of the faithful at Thessalonica, called to grace here and glory hereafter, by the mercy of God the Father, and through the merits of our Lord Jesus Cjhrist.
2. Grace to you and peace.

Notes:

1. “Sylvanus,” a Latinized form of the name Silas. The same who was chosen by Paul to be the companion of his travels after the departure of Barnabas (acts 15:40). Paul and Sylvanus met Timothy at Lystra, and he was so highly spoken of by the Christians there that St Paul asked him to accompany them on the mission. In chapter 2 of this letter we will see that St Paul sent him back to Thessalonica and his return to Paul from there is what occasioned this letter. The Apostle units him and Timothy with himself in this salutation, because, as sharers in his Apostolic labors at Thessalonica, they were beloved by the Thessalonians. No doubt they also (especially Timothy) had a hand in determining the content of this letter.

2a. “Grace to you and peace,” to which is added in the Greek, “From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” These words are not found, however, in the Vatican Manuscript, nor in other ancient versions, most modern translations omit them.

Text: 1:2b-3
2b We give thanks to God always for you all; making remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing.
3 Being mindful of the work of your faith, and labor, and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God our Father

Paraphrase:
2b We always give thanks to God for the favors bestowed on you all; and we also, in our prayers, petition him for their increase and continuance.
3 Always mindful before God our Father of the works of your lively and operative faith, and of the labors which your charity prompted you to undergo, and of your patient endurance of afflictions and persecutions, under which you were supported by your hopes in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notes:
“Labor and charity.” “And” is not in the Greek text. The words mean, “the labor of your charity;” charity must therefore be operative, and must brave all difficulties. Reference is probably made to their labors, in rescuing himself in the tumult excited against him at Thessalonica (see Acts 17). A more likely explanation is that Paul is preparing to remind them of practices contrary to the faith, such as giving up working and becoming dependent upon others for food. Some apparently were becoming idle (5:6, 14); and had given up work (3:10-12); possibly in a misguided attempt to prepare for the coming of the Lord (2 Thess 3:10-12).

“Before God,” is by some connected with the words “faith,” “labor,” &c.; and then it would express the characters of their faith, labor, &c., and mean the sincere workings of their faith, &c. The connexion in the Paraphrase is more probable. The grammatical structure of the Greek text of verse 3 is rather difficult and ambiguous. “Before God our Father” could be taken as relating to the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love; in such cases, it is necessary to translate “before God &c.,” after the virtues, as in the above translation. In such a case, the meaning would be that the virtues are performed in the sight/presence of God. “Before God &c.,” could also be understood in reference to the missionaries “remembering” of the Thessalonians virtues, with such remembering taking place in the presence/sight of God as they pray. In this case, the words would be placed before the mention of the virtues, as in the above paraphrase.