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Manly Luscombe Commentary on NT

1 Thessalonians 1:4-7

B. Their reception of the gospel exemplary, 1:4-7

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. beloved...: or, beloved of God, your election.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

discussion questions

4A. Discuss the use of the word "brethren" and "brother" in the New Testament and in our usage today.

A. Do we use the word to describe a relationship or as a title? __________

B. What other words are used in the New Testament to describe Christians?

4B. Election is a biblical teaching.

A. Who "votes" in this election? ___

B. What is decided? ____________

5A. What is included in the term "gospel"? Check which of the following topics are included in preaching the gospel of Christ.

____ Death, burial and resurrection

____ Worship

____ Faith in God, Christ, the Bible

____ The church

____ Plan of salvation

____ Doctrines

5B. Does the Gospel have power today? _______

5C. How important is a proper example? _______

5D. How did you hear the gospel?

____ Radio

____ TV

____ Newspaper

____ Filmstrips

____ Mail

____ Door knocker

____ Preacher

____ Phone

____ Personal invitation

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

discussion questions

6A. Who is your example to follow? __________

Should we follow the example of men? ______

How are we influenced by the example of others? ____

6B. Can you think of people you would NOT follow? _______________________

6C. Have you suffered physical harm or threat of harm because of you faith? ___

How would you react if threatened? ________

6D. WHAT IF: It became illegal to have public gatherings to worship God? _____

7A. Who is watching you? ___________________

7B. How far has the work and faith of this congregation traveled? _______________

7C. If every church member were a church member like me, what kind of church would this church be?

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See also 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Thessalonians 1:4. _KNOWING - YOUR ELECTION OF GOD._] Being assured, from the doctrine which I have delivered to you, and which God has confirmed by various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Sp...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED, YOUR ELECTION OF GOD - The margin here reads, “beloved of God, your election.” The difference depends merely on the pointing, and that which would require the marginal readi...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

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  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THANKSGIVING FOR THE PAST. As in all his epistles except Gal., Paul commences with a paragraph of congratulation, singling out for special praise the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patienc...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

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  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    KNOWING. App-132. BELOVED. App-135. ELECTION. Greek. _ekloge._ See Acts 9:15....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God_ Better, following the A. V. _margin_and R. V., KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED BY GOD, YOUR ELECTION: comp. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "brethren beloved by the L...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    BDG omit, אACKP insert, the article ΤΟΥ before ΘΕΟΥ: cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:4. Possibly the art. is an Alexandrian insertion, due to 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ΕΜΠΡΟΣΘΕΝ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ). See the note next but two;...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    § 2. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonian Church This εὐχαριστία is one long sentence spun out in a continuous thread (cf. Ephesians 1:3-14; and see _Introd._ p. lix.). It affords...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

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  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2191 TRUE PIETY DESCRIBED 1 Thessalonians 1:2. _We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour o...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED, &C.— This Epistle being, as we have observed, directed principally to converted Gentiles, who were once idolaters, the design of these verses is very evident, if we reflect...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT (1 Thessalonians 1:4) 4 KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED OF GOD, YOUR ELECTION, Translation and Paraphrase 4. (Furthermore, our thankfulness comes in) knowing, my brethren beloved by God, that God h...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

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  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

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  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Better, 'Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election, how that,' etc. 'Election,' i.e. to Christian and Church privileges (2 Timothy 2:10)....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

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  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

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  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

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  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The practical evidence of the Spirit in their lives showed that God had willed to enrol them among His chosen people (note the O.T. associations of _beloved by God_ and _election_), just as the same c...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

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  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

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  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Knowing, brethren beloved, your (a) election of God. (a) Literally, "that your election is of God"....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

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  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is a special interest in examining the epistles to the Thessalonians, more particularly the first, because, in point of fact, it was the earliest of the letters of the apostles; and as the first...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4_Knowing, brethren beloved_. The participle _knowing _may apply to Paul as well as to the Thessalonians. Erasmus refers it to the Thessalonians. I prefer to follow Chrysostom, who understands it of P...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle, in declaring (as was his custom) that which he felt respecting them the aspect in which they appeared to his heart and mind, speaks neither of gifts, as to the Corinthians, nor of the gra...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED, YOUR ELECTION OF GOD. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gos...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

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  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    KNOWING-YOUR ELECTION; being chosen of God, of which their reception and treatment of the gospel were evidences....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

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  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

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  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

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  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

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  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

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  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

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  • Sermon Bible Commentary

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  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

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  • Summarized Bible Commentary

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  • The Bible Study New Testament

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  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1 THESSALONIANS 1:4 BROTHERS LOVED BY GOD. God’s love is the ultimate reason for their election (Ephesians 1:4; compare...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1 THESSALONIANS 1:2 Thanksgiving and Encouragement. It is typical for Paul to include a word of thanksgiving near the beginning of his letters ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ 1 Thessalonians 1:3. WORK OF FAITH, AND LABOUR OF LOVE, AND PATIENCE OF HOPE.—The famous three sister-graces familiar to us from St. Paul’s other letters. As Bengel sa...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—Paul, after the address and salutation, testifies that he renders constant thanks to God for the Thessalonians, calling to remembrance their faith, love, and hope, being assured o...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to first Thessalonians. Paul, the apostle, on his second missionary journey had taken Silas with him, who was commended by the church in Jerusalem as one of the leaders. When they got to De...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Election of God. Incorrect. Const. of or by [υ π ο] God with beloved. Eklogh election, in N. T., mostly by Paul. Elsewhere only Acts 9:15, and 2 Peter 1:10. This, and the kindred words, ejklegein to c...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE MODEL CHURCH 1 Thessalonians 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS On this earth we may expect to find no church model in all things. Even the Twelve had a traitor, and yet they were nourished and taught by t...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Knowing your election — Which is through faith, by these plain proofs....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. One special ground and reason assigned, why the apostle's heart was thus extraordinarily carried out in praise and thanksgivings unto God, on the Thessalonians' behalf, and that was t...

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Old Testament