1 Thessalonians 2:17

Ἡμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἀπορφανισθέντες�ʼ ὑμῶν. But we on our part, brothers, torn from you in bereavement—desolati a vobis (Vulg.), orbati vobis (Calvin, &c.)—“sicut parentes filiis absentibus” (Bengel). Ἀπ-ορφανίζομαι (hap. leg. in N. T., only found besides in Æschylus, Choeph. 246) is derived from ὀρφανός (orphan, Lat. orbus; cf. John 14:18; James 1:27), a term applying to the loss of any near relation or friend; it describes here the severing of new-found, and tenderly attached “brothers,” or of parents from children (1 Thessalonians 2:11): similarly in Pindar, ὀρφανὸς ἑταίρων (Isthm. 7. 16), as well as ὀρφανοὶ γενεᾶς (Ol. 9. 92); Hesychius defines ὀρφανός as ὁ γονέων ἐστερημένος καὶ τέκνων. The doubled ἀπο-emphasizes the separation. Ἡμεῖς δέ, in contrast with ὑμεῖς γάρ, 1 Thessalonians 2:14 : the last paragraph has thrown into relief the worth of the Thessalonians as ἀδελφοί.

πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας, προσώπῳ οὐ καρδίᾳ. Mitigating circumstances of the bereavement (cf. John 14:18 ff; John 16:16 ff., &c.): the parting was expected to be brief; while it lasted, there would be no severance of heart. Πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας, ad momentum horœ (Beza); cf. Horace, Sat. i. i. 7 f.: πρὸς καιρόν occurs in 1 Corinthians 7:5; Luke 8:13; πρὸς ὥραν in 2 Corinthians 7:8; Galatians 2:5; Philemon 1:15; John 5:35—the former implying a passing crisis, the latter a brief interval; the combination is unique; see however κατὰ καιροὺς ὡρῶν in Exodus 13:10. The antithesis πρόσωπον … καρδία is found in 2 Corinthians 5:12; it contrasts the apparent and real in the case, the outer aspect with the inner mind of those concerned—aspectu non corde (Vulg.): cf., for a like antithesis in πρόσωπον, Matthew 6:16 ff.; in καρδία, Romans 2:28 f.

περισσοτέρως ἐσπουδάσαμεν τὸ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν ἰδεῖν ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ, made more earnest endeavours to see your face in great longing. The comparative adverb, according to its use elsewhere (2 Corinthians 1:12; Galatians 1:14, &c.), signifies not “the more abundantly” (because of our strong affection, because of the anxious circumstances, or the like), but “more abundantly” (than otherwise, than in ordinary circumstances)—“in no small degree”; it is explained by ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ: the “abundant desire” filling the souls of the Apostles stirred them to an uncommon zeal in the attempt to get back to Thessalonica. Parted from their brethren “in face not in heart,” the writers longed and strove “to see” their “face.” Ἐπιθυμία denotes intent desire, and most often bad desire, lust: cf. for its good sense, Philippians 1:23; Luke 22:15; and for the verb ἐπιθυμέω, Galatians 5:17; 1 Timothy 3:1; Matthew 13:17, &c.