1 Thessalonians 3:6-8

Encouragement Found In Timothy's Report

Almost as soon as Timothy arrived, Paul had begun to write. The news was good because they remained strong in faith and love. Their love for Paul had caused them to long for his coming just as he longed to be with them. They had good thoughts when they remembered him and likely his teaching as well. Such good news had partially relieved Paul at a time when he was oppressed both by physical hardships and mental stress placed upon him by dealing with great wickedness (1 Thessalonians 3:6-7).

Remember, Paul went to Berea after Thessalonica and had a good reception until the trouble making Jews from Thessalonica arrived and stirred up the crowd. He could not sit still in Athens without preaching the gospel to a city filled with idolatry. It seems only a handful obeyed in Athens. He was in Corinth, a city filled with wickedness, when Timothy and Silas rejoined him. The stress brought on by persecution and combatting the effects of idolatry and worldliness was made easier by the good news Timothy brought. During the hard times, it had seemed to Paul that life would just stop. Timothy helped him see that they had stood firm in the Lord. If they would continue to stand, Paul said he would be revitalized (1 Thessalonians 3:8).