I Thessalonians 2:1-16 – Gospel Taught at Thessalonica
- Study Index for 1 THESSALONIANS by Chester McCalley
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1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Serving God
I Thessalonians 2:1-16 – Gospel Taught at Thessalonica
I Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 – Paul and new believers
I Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Timothy’s Report
I Thessalonians 4:1-12 – Christian Conduct of the worthy walk
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – The Parousia
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Day of the Lord
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 – Church Relationships
I Thessalonians 5:23-28 – God of peace
“The Messengers of Truth”
FOCUS ON THE PREACHER 2:1-12
I Thessalonians 2 serves two purposes. First, it presents one of the great spiritual success stories of the New Testament. Paul had arrived in a city of almost a quarter million people where, as far as we know, there was not one single believer. He preached in the synagogue for three weeks; and when he left town, a local church existed.
Why, however, do we find Paul writing to defend his motives and ministry? Why does he need to remind them of the integrity of his message as he does in verse 3? Why does he need to remind them that he is not acting to please men but God as in verse 4? Why does he need to remind them that he did not come to them with a pre- text for greed, and why does he need to call God to witness his truthfulness as in verse 5? The answer leads us to the second fea- ture of the chapter: II Thessalonians 2 is an apology. The Greek word apologia means a defense. A passage defending one’s actions, attitudes, and motivation is called an apologetic.
There were many itinerant preachers in Paul’s day, and their only concern was to feather their own nests. Perhaps a quote given by Leon Morris on page 68 of his commentary will help us appreciate the environment in which Paul worked. “There has probably never been such a variety of religious cults and philosophic systems as in Paul’s day. East and West had united and intermingled to produce an amalgam of real piety, high moral principles, crude superstition and gross license. Oriental mysteries, Greek philosophy, and local godlings compete for favour under the tolerant aegis of Roman indifference. ‘Holy men’ of all creeds and countries, popular philosophers, magicians, astrologers, crack-pots, and cranks, the sincere and the spurious, the righteous and the rogue, swindlers and saints, jostled and clamored for the attention of the credulous and sceptical.” This is why Paul found it necessary to plead his case as an honest minister of Christ.
PAUL’S PERSISTENCE 2:1-2
“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.”
The word for that opens chapter 2 goes back in thought to 1:9, particularly to the words what kind of a reception we had with you. The word reception is eisodos and is a compound of a noun meaning way or road plus a preposition meaning into. The first words of the sentence are you yourselves and stand in the emphatic position.
They mean you believers in contrast to my detractors. Paul’s appeal to his readers’ knowledge does two things. First, it shows his confidence in them. He had no fear that they would believe the lies that were being told about him. Second, it shows his confidence in the facts of the case. The facts concerning his integrity were common knowledge and verything needed to vindicate him.
The words our coming to you show that Paul was the initiator of the relationship. This differs from evangelism that “sets up a tent” and asks the unbeliever to come to it. Paul was aggressive in evange- lism—he went out where the unbeliever was. The preposition to is pros, which emphasizes close contact, like “face to face.’’
How was Paul mistreated at Philippi? Acts 16:16-24 narrates the account of Paul and Silas being dragged into the market place where they were beaten with rods and finally thrown into the inner prison, bound with their feet in stocks. Men serving only them- selves would certainly have been stopped by such treatment, but not so Paul who preached the gospel from pure motives. The word boldness refers to the state of mind from which words flow freely. Mistreatment opened Paul’s lips; it did not close them. In the New Testament, this term is always used in connection with the pro- claiming of the gospel. The attached prepositional phrase, in our God, shows that this boldness is not a natural attribute. If Paul were self-seeking, why would he continue to preach a message that brought him such suffering?
PAUL’S MESSAGE 2:3-6
Paul’s Message Was Truth 2:3
“For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit…”
The Message Came from the Right Source
The words not from error convey this truth. The preposition from is the familiar ek, which indicates source and origin. The Greek uses the preposition with error, impurity, and deceit.
The Message Was Pure
The word impurity is most frequently used of sexual impurity. Most of the Eastern cults practiced sexual impurity as part of their reli- gion. Ritual prostitution was a major feature of many of them.
None of this was part of Christianity.
The Message Was Honest
The word deceit was used of baiting in order to catch fish. Paul did not use gimmicks. The power of God was behind the message, and nothing else was necessary.
Paul’s Message Was a Trust 2:4
“…but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts.”
This verse proves the three points made in verse 3. The message could not be error because he was entrusted with it by God. It could not be impure because it was approved by God; and it could
not be that of a trickster because it aimed at pleasing God, not men.
Paul’s Message Was Pure 2:5
“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness…”
Pure as to Method
The word flattering is a little misleading. In English, flattery involves insincerity and even dishonesty. The word in Greek describes the use of fair and honest words designed to gain one’s own way.
Pure as to Motive
The word pretext is literally cloak. It is used of anything that covers one’s real motives. It is the putting forth of something that is true and plausible but hides one’s true intent.
The word for greed is a compound of two words, to have and more It refers to the desire to have more of something. It is insatiable— when it gets more, it wants much more; and when it gets much more, it wants much more yet. Colossians 3:5 calls it idolatry because it worships the desires of man.
Paul’s Message Was Unencumbered 2:6
“…nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.”
By Desire for Human Praise
The negative nor with the present participle denies this as a practice or habit of seeking human praise. Paul and his fellow missionaries had not used their preaching in order to gain human glory.
By Use of Undue Pressure
We might have asserted our authority is literally having power to be men of weight. By recalling that they were apostles of Christ, he safe- guards the dignity of the great office in which God had placed them.
PAUL’S DEMEANOR 2:7-12
Paul’s Demeanor Described 2:7a
“But we proved to be gentle among you…”
There is a problem as to whether the text reads apion (gentle) or napion (babes). Context seems to argue for gentle since the word babe would introduce a mixed metaphor. How could a babe also be a nursing mother? II Timothy 2:24 says this requirement of gentleness should be present in all servants of Christ. It is translated there as kind.
Paul’s Demeanor Illustrated 2:7b
“…as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.”
The word nursing means to provide food. The verb tenderly cares literally means to keep warm. The words her own show that the nurse is the mother.
Paul’s Demeanor Practiced 2:8
“Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”
The participle translated having fond affection is found only here in the New Testament and is very rare elsewhere. It expresses great depth of feeling. The imperfect tense verb were well-pleased points to what was actually done. The word very dear is the adjective form of the familiar word agapa, the specific Christian quality of love.
Paul’s Demeanor Recalled 2:9
“For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”
This dedication is not something that merely rests on Paul’s word; it is something of which the Thessalonian church is aware. Paul’s ministry was not one of ease and personal prosperity. It could well have been that Paul rose long before dawn to work so that he could have other hours for the preaching of the gospel.
Paul’s Demeanor Reviewed 2: 10-12
In Relationship to Himself 2:10
“You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers…”
Three adverbs are used to describe the conduct of Paul and his associates who preached with him in Thessalonica. The first is hosios, which means devout. It is an inner disposition that honors God. The second is dikaios, which denotes conduct that comes up to the full measure of what is right. The third describes the negative side of things. It is amemptos, which refers to a condition of life over which no just accusation can be made. Paul both believed and behaved the gospel.
In Relationship to the Thessalonians 2:11-12
“…just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and implor- ing each one of you as a father would his own children, 12so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
Paul advances the family metaphor from that of a nursing mother to that of an instructing father. The words each one of you point to the individual and personal encouragement Paul wishes to give.
Paul speaks of men walking worthy of God and then immediately turns to the work of God for men. The two are inseparable—we are to honor Him, and it is His very own calling that makes this possi- ble. He is both the enabler and initiator of the Christian life.
FOCUS ON THE HEARERS 2:13-16
THE WORD WELCOMED 2:13
“And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also per- forms its work in you who believe.”
The Response to the Word 2:13a
The theme of this chapter is the preaching of the gospel in Thessalonica. The divine origin of the message is emphasized in verses 2 and 8 by calling it the gospel of God. The divine authority of the message is a fundamental conviction of Paul. He now underscores their understanding of that fact also. The message was divine in origin, and they responded to it as such.
The authority of Scripture has at least three implications. First, its nature should determine its priority. If we neglect it, we neglect the only infallible source of truth we have. Second, its nature should determine our method. Each word and phrase should be carefully analyzed for precise meaning. Human study should honor divine care. Third, its nature should determine our response. Infallible truth calls for a faith response.
Two words are used to describe the response of the Thessalonians to the word of God. We are told they received it. Usage of this word shows it is almost always used in a physical and objective sense. This contrasts the word accepted, which points to a personal and subjective act. It could well be translated welcomed. The first word points to recognition of what it was, whereas the second indicates approval of what it was.
The Thessalonians distinguished the word of God from the word of man. This is easy to forget because we live and move in a world of human ideas.
The Effect of the Word 2:13b
The phrase performs its work translates the word energeo. Our word energy is related to it. The word is almost always used of supernat- ural activity in the New Testament, and the present tense points to its continuous activity. The participle believe is also present tense. The action of the word matched the attitude of those who heard it. Faith is the condition upon which the word of God works in the believer’s life.
THE PERSECUTION ENSUES 2:14-16
The Identity of the Persecutors 2:14-l5a
“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out.”
The connective for introduces the proof that God’s word was being effective in their lives. The context makes it clear that the area of imitation was suffering. In 1:6 they had imitated the apostles in the area of Christian conduct. Now they join the rest of the churches in the brotherhood of common suffering. Jesus taught that the stony- heart hearers fell away under persecution (Matthew 13:20-21).
Mention of the Judean churches does two things. It shows that persecution was part of the church from the very beginning and that the Thessalonians are not having a unique experience. The persecuted churches are identified in terms of their owner (churches of God), and their position (in Christ Jesus), and their geographical location (in Judea).
The Hostility of the Persecutors 2:15b
“They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men…”
Paul had experienced great hostility from the Jews. He had been driven out of Damascus (Acts 9:23-25) and Jerusalem (Acts 9:29-30). He was also driven out of Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:45-50); at Iconium the Jews persecuted him and drove him out (Acts 14:5-7); and at Lystra they stoned him and left him for dead (Acts 14:19). A few short weeks after his entry into Thessalonica, they forced him to leave.
The Effect of the Persecutors 2:16a
“...hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved...”
The Jews resisted the preaching of the gospel among themselves. Since Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, their resistance to him would be even greater because it implied that God had forsaken Israel. Romans 10:2 tells us that their zeal for God was not guided by knowledge, and their actions toward Paul and the gentile con- verts is evidence.
The Judgment of the Persecutors 2:16b
“…with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”
The infinitive fill up implies a sin quotient and limitation. It is the point at which divine wrath becomes inevitable and fully deserved. After centuries of rejection of truth, their moment had arrived.
The wrath spoken of seems to be future; but if this is so, why is it spoken of as though it were present? The verb has come upon is found in Matthew 12:28 and Luke 11:20 where Jesus speaks of the arrival of the kingdom in similar terminology. The sense of the verb is the arrival at the threshold of judgment, not the actual entering into judgment. Inevitability is the flavor of the expression.
- Study Index for 1 THESSALONIANS by Chester McCalley
-
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Serving God
I Thessalonians 2:1-16 – Gospel Taught at Thessalonica
I Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 – Paul and new believers
I Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Timothy’s Report
I Thessalonians 4:1-12 – Christian Conduct of the worthy walk
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – The Parousia
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Day of the Lord
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 – Church Relationships
I Thessalonians 5:23-28 – God of peace
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