1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: The "you" (Greek) is emphatically put first: 'but' (Greek for "and"), what concerns "YOU," whether we come or not, 'may the Lord make you to,' etc. "Increase" or enlarge [ pleonasai (G4121)] has a comparative force: "abound" [ perisseusai (G4052)] a superlative force 'make you full (supplying) "that which is lacking" (1 Thessalonians 3:10), and even abounding.' "The Lord" may here be the Holy Spirit: so the Three of the Trinity will be appealed to (cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:13), as in...

12_And the Lord fill you_. Here we have another prayer — that in the mean time, while his way is obstructed, the Lord, during his absence, may confirm the Thessalonians in holiness, and fill them with love. And from this again we learn in what the perfection of the Christian life consists — in love and pure holiness of heart, flowing from faith. He recommends love mutually cherished _towards each other_, and afterwards _towards all_, for as it is befitting that a commencement should be made with those that are of the _household of faith_, (Galatians 6:10) so our love ought to go forth to the whole human race. Farther, as the nearer connection must be cherished, (563) so we must not overlook those who are farther removed from us, so as to prevent them from holding their proper place. He would have the Thessalonians abound in love

11-13 Prayer is religious worship, and all religious worship is due unto God only. Prayer is to be offered to God as our Father. Prayer is not only to be offered in the name of Christ, but offered up to Christ himself, as our Lord and our Saviour. Let us acknowledge God in all our ways, and he will direct our paths. Mutual love is required of all Christians. And love is of God, and is fulfilling the gospel as well as the law. We need the Spirit's influences in order to our growth in grace; and the way to obtain them, is prayer. Holiness is required of all who would go to heaven; and we must act so that we do not contradict the profession we make of holiness. The Lord Jesus will certainly come in his glory; his saints will come with him. Then the excellence as well as the necessity of holiness will appear; and without this no hearts shall be established at that day, nor shall any avoid co...

Verse 12. _MAKE YOU TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE_] They had already love to each other, so as to unite them in one Christian body; and he prays that they may have an _increase_ and an _abundance_ of it; that they might feel the same love to each other which he felt for them all....

AND THE LORD MAKE YOU TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE - compare notes, 2 Corinthians 9:8. The word “Lord” here probably refers to the Lord Jesus, as this is the name by which he is commonly designated in the New Testament; see the notes on Acts 1:24. If this be so, then this is a petition to the Lord Jesus as the fountain of all grace and goodness....

EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—The apostle, no longer able to repress his longing and anxiety for the Thessalonians, resolved to be left alone at Athens, and sent Timothy for the purpose of exhorting them to endurance amid their persecutions, and to bring him information concerning their condition. Timothy had just rejoined him at Corinth, and the apostle expresses the extreme satisfaction which he felt at the welcome tidings which his messenger had brought of their faith and love; it put new life into him, and comforted him in all his affliction and distress. He prays God that he may be permitted to revisit the Thessalonians, and to supply what was still defective in their faith; and he makes it the object of his earnest supplication that the Lord Jesus would make them so to increase in love and establish them in holiness that they may be blameless at his appearance with all his holy ones....

AND THE LORD MAKE YOU TO INCREASE,.... That is, the Lord the Spirit; so that the object of prayer, addressed by the apostle, is Father, Son, and Spirit, as in Revelation 1:4. The Alexandrian copy reads "God". The Spirit is God, equally with the Father and the Son, and so a fit object of prayer with them, which otherwise he would not be. The request is, that he would cause these saints to increase in number, as the first churches greatly did: and in the gifts of the Spirit, which he divides to men severally as he will; and in his graces, as in faith, in hope, in holiness, in humility, in knowledge, in spiritual joy and strength, an increase in all which is from him: AND ABOUND IN LOVE ONE TOWARDS ANOTHER; for though they were taught of God to love one another, and did do so, and the apostle had had good tidings of their love; yet it was not perfect, there was room for a

III. AFFLICTIONS AND COMFORT CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Timotheus, Paul's messenger 1 Thessalonians 3:1)_ 2. His return with good tidings and the apostle's comfort and joy 1 Thessalonians 3:6) 3. This earnest desire 1 Thessalonians 3:11) 1 Thessalonians 3:1 His longing for the beloved Thessalonians and his solicitude for them became so great that he could no longer forbear and he decided to be left alone in Athens and send Timotheus to Thessalonica. He knew they had great afflictions and that there was danger that they might not endure and then his l

THE MISSION OF TIMOTHY TO THESSALONICA. Paul's distress and anxiety with regard to the fate of the Church led him to send Timothy upon a mission of inquiry. He describes the effect produced upon him by Timothy's reassuring report. 1 THESSALONIANS 3:2. SENT TIMOTHY: in * Acts 17:14 f; Acts 18:5, Silas and Timothy left Paul at Berœ a on the sea-coast and did not rejoin him till after his arrival at Corinth. It is possible, however, that Timothy followed him to Athens and was subsequently despatched to Thessalonica. TO ESTABLISH: the object of Timothy's mission was: (_a)_ to consolidate the Church, (_b)_ to comfort the Christians in the face of persecution....

THE PASTOR AND HIS FLOCK (1 Thessalonians 3:1-10)...