1 Thessalonians 2:8

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. SO. 'As a nurse cherisheth, etc., so we were willing,' etc. (Alford). Rather, "So;" i:e., seeing that we have such an affection for you. BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS. [A 'Aleph (') B C Delta G read homeiromenoi (G3655a) for himeiromenoi: from homou eirein]. Literally, connecting one's self with another: closely attached to. WILLING, [ eudokoumen (G2106) is stronger] - 'we were well content:' 'we would gladly have imparted,' etc., 'even our own souls, the center of our being, our lives' [ psuchas (G5590)]; as we showed in what we end...

7-12 Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion, and are most conformable to God's gracious dealing with sinners, in and by the gospel. This is the way to win people. We should not only be faithful to our calling as Christians, but in our particular callings and relations. Our great gospel privilege is, that God has called us to his kingdom and glory. The great gospel duty is, that we walk worthy of God. We should live as becomes those called with such a high and holy calling. Our great business is to honour, serve, and please God, and to seek to be worthy of him....

Verse 8. _BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS OF YOU_] We had such intense love for you that we were not only willing and forward to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to you, but also to give our _own lives_ for your sake, _because ye were dear_, διοτι αγαπητοι ἡμιν, _because ye were beloved by us_. The words used here by the apostle are expressive of the strongest affection and attachment....

SO, BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS OF YOU - The word here rendered “being affectionately desirous” - ὁμειρομενοι homeiromenoi - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means to “long after, to have a strong affection for.” The sense here is, that Paul was so strongly attached to them that he would have been willing to lay down his life for them. WE WERE WILLING TO HAVE IMPARTED UNTO YOU - To have given or communicated; Romans 1:11. NOT THE GOSPEL OF GOD ONLY - To be willing to communicate the knowledge of the gospel was in itself a strong proof of love, even if it were attended with no self-denial or hazard in doing it. We evince a decided love for a man when we tell him of the way of salvation, and urge him to accept o

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...

SO BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS OF YOU,.... Not of theirs but them; not of glory from them, nor a maintenance by them, but of their spiritual and eternal welfare; were as fond of them as a nursing mother is of her children, who, when absent from them but ever so little a while, longs to see them; see 1 Thessalonians 2:17 and 1 Thessalonians 3:1, WE WERE WILLING: took the utmost pleasure, delight, and complacency: TO HAVE IMPARTED UNTO YOU, NOT THE GOSPEL OF GOD ONLY; the sincere milk of the word, which they did freely, fully, and for their spiritual good and profit, without any regard to any advantage of their own: BUT ALSO OUR OWN SOULS, or "lives"; which is the highest expression and strongest proof of love that can be

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'S DEFENCE OF HIS MISSIONARY WORK. Paul had been charged by his opponents with being a wandering sophist making money out of his followers. He rebuts the charge and incidentally gives us a picture of the ideal missionary. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:2. AT PHILIPPI: the reference is to the scourging and imprisonment described in Acts 16:22. 1 Thessalonians 2:3. Our preaching was not the result of mental delusion, nor of an impure character, nor was it with intent to deceive. Each phrase refers to a charge which had been brought against Paul. 1 Thessalonians 2:4. pleasing

You yourselves know, brothers, that our coming among you was not to no effect; but after we had--as you know--already undergone suffering and ill-treatment at Philippi, we were bold in our God to tell you the good news of God, and a sore struggle we had. Our appeal to you did not proceed from any delusion, nor from impure motives, nor was it calculated to deceive; but as we have been deemed worthy by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as if we were seeking to please men, but rather as if we were seeking to please God, who tests our hearts. At no time, as you know, did we use flattering words; at no time did we use our message as a pretext for greed; God is our witness at no time did we seek reputation from men, either from you or from others, although we might well have claimed a place of weight, as apostles of Christ. But we showed ourselves gentle among you, treat...

AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS. Greek. _himeiromai,_ or _homeiromai._ Only here. WILLING. well pleased. UNTO. to. ALSO, &C. = our own lives (App-110.) also. DEAR UNTO. App-185....