1 Thessalonians 2:14

For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: FOR. Divine working (1 Thessalonians 2:13) is most of all seen in affliction. FOLLOWERS - Greek, 'imitators.' IN JUDEA. The churches in Judea were naturally the patterns to others, having been the first founded, and that on the very scene of Christ's ministry. Reference to them is specially appropriate here, as the Thessalonians, with Paul and Silas, had experienced, in their city, from Jewish persecutions (Acts 17:5) similar to those which 'the churches in Judea' experienced from Jews in that country....

14_For ye became imitators_. If you are inclined to restrict this to the clause in immediate connection with it, the meaning will be, that the power of God, or of his word, shews itself in their patient endurance, while they sustain persecutions with magnanimity and undaunted courage. I prefer, however, to view it as extending to the whole of the foregoing statement, for he confirms what he has stated, that the Thessalonians had in good earnest embraced the gospel, as being presented to them by God, inasmuch as they courageously endured the assaults which Satan made upon them, and did not refuse to suffer anything rather than leave off obedience to it. And, unquestionably, this is no slight test of faith when Satan, by all his machinations, has no success in moving us away from the fear of God. In the mean time, he prudently provides against a dangerous temptation which might prostrate o...

13-16 We should receive the word of God with affections suitable to its holiness, wisdom, truth, and goodness. The words of men are frail and perishing, like themselves, and sometimes false, foolish, and fickle; but God's word is holy, wise, just, and faithful. Let us receive and regard it accordingly. The word wrought in them, to make them examples to others in faith and good works, and in patience under sufferings, and in trials for the sake of the gospel. Murder and persecution are hateful to God, and no zeal for any thing in religion can excuse it. Nothing tends more to any person or people's filling up the measure of their sins, than opposing the gospel, and hindering the salvation of souls. The pure gospel of Christ is abhorred by many, and the faithful preaching of it is hindered in many ways. But those who forbid the preaching it to sinners, to men dead in sin, do not by this pl...

Verse 14. _YE - BECAME FOLLOWERS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD_] There is not a word here of the _Church of Rome_ being the _model_ after which the other Churches were to be formed; it had no such pre-eminence: this honour belonged to the _Churches of Judea_; it was according to _them_, not the Church at _Rome_, that the Asiatic Churches were modelled. The purest of all the apostolic Churches was that of the _Thessalonians_, and this was formed after the Christian Churches in _Judea_. Had any pre-eminence or authority belonged to the Church of Rome, the apostle would have proposed this as a model to all those which he formed either in Judea, Asia Minor, Greece, or Italy. _YE ALSO HAVE SUFFERED-OF YOUR OWN COUNTRYMEN_] It is worthy of remark that, in almost every case, the _Jews_ were the leaders of all persecutions against the apostles and the infant Church. And what they could not do...

FOR YE, BRETHREN, BECAME FOLLOWERS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD WHICH IN JUDEA ARE IN CHRIST JESUS - Which are united to the Lord Jesus, or which are founded on his truth: that is, which are true churches. Of those churches they became “imitators” - μιμηταὶ mimētai - to wit, in their sufferings. This does not mean that they were founded on the same model; or that they professed to be the followers of those churches, but that they had been treated in the same way, and thus were like them. They had been persecuted in the same manner, and by the same people - the Jews; and they had borne their persecutions with the same spirit. The object of this is to comfort and encourage them, by showing them that others had been treated in the same manner, and that it was to be expected that a true church would be persecuted by the Jews. They ought not, therefore, to consider it as any evidence that they we...

EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—Paul turns from the reports of others to the experience of the readers. They themselves knew that his entrance was not powerless; although maltreated in Philippi, he was emboldened to preach the gospel at Thessalonica. His preaching did not proceed either from delusion on his part or from a desire to delude others. He felt approved by God, and was actuated by no improper motives: he sought neither their praise nor their money; so far from insisting on his apostolic rights, he was gentle among them, and conducted himself with the tenderness of a nursing mother toward her children; and so far from his ministry being a pretext for covetousness, he had labored for his own support; and thus he could confidently appeal to the Thessalonians as witnesses of the blamelessness of his conduct And as his entrance among them was not powerless, so he thanked God that it resulted i...

FOR YE, BRETHREN, BECAME FOLLOWERS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD,.... As of the Lord and of the apostle, 1 Thessalonians 1:6 so of the churches of God that were before them, who were gathered out of the world by the grace of God; and who were united in the fear of God, and assembled together for his worship, to bear a testimony to his truth and ordinances, and for the glory of his name: these they followed in the faith and order of the Gospel, and "became like" them, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render the word; or "equal" to them, were upon an equal foot with them, as the Arabic; that is, in suffering reproach and persecution for the Gospel, as the latter part of the verse shows; and their bearing these with patience, courage, and constancy, was a proof that the word of God had a place, and wrought effectually in them; otherwise they would never have endured such things as they

II. TRUE SERVICE, AS MANIFESTED IN APOSTOLIC MINISTRY CHAPTER 2 _ 1. Apostolic conduct and service 1 Thessalonians 2:1)_ 2. Thanksgiving for the reception of the message and the opposition 1 Thessalonians 2:13) 3. Looking forward to His coming 1 Thessalonians 2:17) 1 Thessalonians 2:1 The apostle now enlarges upon the brief statement in the previous chapter “Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes.” His conduct and character, as well as that of his fellow laborers, corresponded fully with the holy character

PAUL AND THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH. The next two paragraphs describe (_a)_ the effect of Paul's preaching at Thessalonica, (_b)_ his anxiety with regard to the fate of the Church under stress of persecution. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:14. JUDÆ A: _ i.e._ Palestine. We have no details regarding the persecution of the Palestinian Churches apart from the account of the recurring attacks made upon the Church at Jerusalem. 1 Thessalonians 2:16. the wrath is come upon them: this seems to have been a stock phrase, and was probably borrowed by Paul from The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (Levi 6:11). We need not assume, as some scholars do, a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem....

PAUL ON HIS DEFENSE (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)...