1 Thessalonians 2:18

“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 us”: Satan is alive and well (1 Peter 5:8). “The word ‘hindered' is. military term, and indicates the obstruction of an enemy's progress by breaking up the road, destroying bridges, etc” (Fields p. 80). We do not know exactly what means or circumstances Satan had used to hinder Paul, was this continuing Jewish opposition? Problems in Corinth which demanded his presence? “William Ramsay suggested that this was the legal ban which the plutarchs of Thessalonica had put on Jason. They took security from Jason and the others before letting them go (Acts 17:9), with severe penalties if Paul were to return (Stott p. 62). The Christian needs to remember that Satan can use us (and others) if we or they are manifesting the wrong attitudes (Matthew 16:23).