OUTLINE: I. Paul's preaching among the Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 A. His pure motives: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 B. His unselfishness: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 II. The Thessalonians reception of his preaching: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 A. They accepted it as the Word of God: 1 Thessalonians... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YOURSELVES, BRETHREN, KNOW OUR ENTERING IN UNTO YOU, THAT IT HATH NOT BEEN FOUND VAIN” “For yourselves, brethren, know”: Connecting back to 1 Thessalonians 1:9. Morris notes, “Now he says that the Thessalonians needed no other to bear witness, for they themselves knew what had happened. This c... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT HAVING SUFFERED BEFORE AND BEEN SHAMEFULLY TREATED, AS YE KNOW, AT PHILIPPI, WE WAXED BOLD IN OUR GOD TO SPEAK UNTO YOU THE GOSPEL OF GOD IN MUCH CONFLICT” “But”: Before reaching Thessalonica, Paul and his companions had already experienced suffering. Stott notes, “This, then, was the second e... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR OUR EXHORTATION IS NOT OF ERROR, NOR OF UNCLEANNESS, NOR IN GUILE” “Exhortation”: (1 Corinthians 14:3). “Persuasive discourse, calling to one's side, for admonition, encouragement, or comfort” _(Robertson p. 16)._ When Paul calls "preaching" by the title "exhortation", it infers that the gospe... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT EVEN AS WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED OF GOD TO BE INTRUSTED WITH THE GOSPEL, SO WE SPEAK; NOT AS PLEASING MEN, BUT GOD WHO PROVETH OUR HEARTS” “But”: In contrast to unworthy motives and methods. “APPROVED OF GOD”: “We have passed God's scrutiny” (Knox). “ Perfect passive, here the tense for completed... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR NEITHER AT ANY TIME WERE WE FOUND USING WORDS OF FLATTERY, AS YE KNOW, NOR. CLOAK OF COVETOUSNESS, GOD IS WITNESS” “At any time”: “Never once did we try” (Tay). “Cover the whole period. No room is left for exceptions” _(Morris p. 73)._ “WORDS OF FLATTERY”: “Language of flattery” (TCNT). “Flatt... [ Continue Reading ]
“NOR SEEKING GLORY OF MEN, NEITHER FROM YOU NOR FROM OTHERS, WHEN WE MIGHT HAVE CLAIMED AUTHORITY AS APOSTLES OF CHRIST” “Nor seeking glory of men”: The esteem, praise or applaud from men. “In this verse he denies the motive of ambition. as he denied the motive of covetousness in verse five” _(Fie... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT WE WERE GENTLE IN THE MIDST OF YOU, AS WHEN. NURSE CHERISHETH HER OWN CHILDREN” “But”: “Indicates that Paul was charged with being something of. dictator” _(Barclay p. 221)._ “GENTLE”: Affable, mild and kind. “Affable, easy to speak to. They were mild, kind in their dealings” _(Hendriksen p. 6... [ Continue Reading ]
“EVEN SO, BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS OF YOU, WE WERE WELL PLEASED TO IMPART UNTO YOU, NOT THE GOSPEL OF GOD ONLY, BUT ALSO OUR OWN SOULS, BECAUSE YE WERE BECOME VERY DEAR TO US” “Even so”. “Having thus. fond affection for you” (NASV).”BEING AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS OF YOU”: “Loved you dearly” (Ta... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YE REMEMBER, BRETHREN, OUR LABOR AND TRAVAIL: WORKING NIGHT AND DAY, THAT WE MIGHT NOT BURDEN ANY OF YOU, WE PREACHED UNTO YOU THE GOSPEL OF GOD” “For ye remember”: Again the Thessalonians could testify to all of this. “The opening ‘for' shows that the verse gives. further proof of what he has... [ Continue Reading ]
“YE ARE WITNESSES, AND GOD ALSO, HOW HOLILY AND RIGHTEOUSLY AND UNBLAMEABLY WE BEHAVED OURSELVES TOWARD YOU THAT BELIEVE” “Holily and righteously”: Piously and justly. “UNBLAMEABLY”: Faultlessly. They had demonstrated reverence towards God, fairness in their dealings with others, and all the accus... [ Continue Reading ]
“AS YE KNOW HOW WE DEALT WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, AS. FATHER WITH HIS OWN CHILDREN, EXHORTING YOU, AND ENCOURAGING YOU, AND TESTIFYING” “Dealt with each one of you”: Which infers that these three preachers had not merely taught publicly, but also privately (Acts 5:42; Acts 20:20). Can you imagine what... [ Continue Reading ]
“TO THE END THAT YE SHOULD WALK WORTHILY OF GOD, WHO CALLETH YOU INTO HIS OWN KINGDOM AND GLORY” “To the end”: All such teaching, warning and encouragement was directed towards the goal of walking worthily of God. 'YE SHOULD”: Such is. real possibility. “WALK”: Conduct ones entire life. “WORTHILY... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND FOR THIS CAUSE WE ALSO THANK GOD WITHOUT CEASING, THAT, WHEN YE RECEIVED FROM US THE WORD OF THE MESSAGE, EVEN THE WORD OF GOD, YE ACCEPTED IT NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN, BUT, AS IT IS IN TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH ALSO WORKETH IN YOU THAT BELIEVE” “We also thank God without ceasing”: (1 Thess... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YE, BRETHREN, BECAME IMITATORS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD WHICH ARE IN JUDAEA IN CHRIST JESUS: FOR YE ALSO SUFFERED THE SAME THINGS OF YOUR OWN COUNTRYMEN, EVEN AS THEY DID OF THE JEWS” “For”: The connection between verses 13-14, is that when one really embraces the word of God, then they will hol... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHO BOTH KILLED THE LORD JESUS AND THE PROPHETS, AND DROVE OUT US, AND PLEASED NOT GOD, AND ARE CONTRARY TO ALL MEN” “Who”: The Jews in Judea, and Paul had been one of those men who was contrary to all men. “KILLED THE LORD JESUS”: “All attempts (also modern attempts) to mitigate the guilt of the... [ Continue Reading ]
“FORBIDDING US TO SPEAK TO THE GENTILES THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED; TO FILL UP THEIR SINS ALWAYS: BUT THE WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST” “Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved”: “Paul saw this policy as the appalling thing it was” _(Stott p. 56)_ (Matthew 23:13). This... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT WE, BRETHREN, BEING BEREAVED OF YOU FOR. SHORT SEASON, IN PRESENCE NOT IN HEART, ENDEAVORED THE MORE EXCEEDINGLY TO SEE YOUR FACE WITH GREAT DESIRE” “But we”: In contrast to their enemies. “BEREAVED”: “Literally, ‘being orphaned from you'” _(Robertson p. 23). _“The separation was like that be... [ Continue Reading ]
“BECAUSE WE WOULD FAIN HAVE COME UNTO YOU,. PAUL ONCE AND AGAIN; AND SATAN HINDERED US” “Fain”: “We wanted” (Wey). “I PAUL ONCE AND AGAIN”: “Not implying any less desire on the part of his associates, but emphasizing his own” _(Vincent p. 30)._ “More than once” _(Morris p. 95)._ “AND SATAN HINDERED... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR WHAT IS OUR HOPE, OR JOY, OR CROWN OF GLORYING? ARE NOT EVEN YE, BEFORE OUR LORD JESUS AT HIS COMING?” “What”: Or “who” (NASV). '”CROWN OF GLORYING”? “Crown of exultation” (NASV). “When. king or conqueror came on. visit he was given. chaplet of glorying” _(Robertson p. 24)._ “For these missio... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YE ARE OUR GLORY AND OUR JOY” This statement should challenge us. For Paul is saying that these Christians brought him more joy and made him prouder than any material object. Are our brethren more important to us, do they give us more happiness and pride than--our cars, homes, jobs, recreation... [ Continue Reading ]