Commentary on 1 Thessalonians

1Th 3:12  and as for you, may the Lord teach you to love one another and all men, with a growing and a glowing love, resembling our love for you.  1Th 3:13  Thus He will build up your characters, so that you will be faultlessly holy in the presence of our God and Father at the Coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.  Notes v.12 The Thessalonian Believers already loved each other sincerely but now Paul prays for an INCREASE and an abundance of it. That they would abound in love. v. 13. May the Lord Strengthen your hearts NIV. Thus He will build up your character WNT. To the end He may establish your hearts KJV. Without the Love of God and Love for your brethren in Christ,   there can be no establishment in the religion of Christ. LOVE produces solidity and continance. He who loves fulfills the law of God and is therefore unblameable as far as holiness is concerned. He is a partaker of the Divine Nature, for GOD IS LOVE. 1 Thess 1:10  and ...

1Thess 3:11  But may our God and Father Himself--and our Lord Jesus--guide us on our way to you; WNT. 3:11 Now may our God and father, Himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. NIV Paul at Athens Notes: This was Paul's continued prayer for the Thessalonians. May God, Himself, even our Father.... " He who is at once our God and our father" clear the way, guide us; direct us. The "Himself" stands in graphic contrast to the "we" of 1 Thess 2:18 "we desire to come but could not because of Satan's Hindrance; but if God "HIMSELF" directs our way to come to you, (as we pray)' no one can hinder Him, Compare 2 Thess 2:16-17  And may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself--and God our Father who has loved us and has given us in His grace eternal consolation and a bright hope--  2Th 2:17  comfort your hearts and make you steadfast in every good work and word.  May God Himself and our Lord Jesus, This is a ...

1Th 3:9  For what thanksgiving on your behalf can we possibly offer to God in return for all the joy which fills our souls before our God for you,  1Th 3:10  while night and day, with intense earnestness, we pray that we may see your faces, and may bring to perfection whatever may be still lacking in your faith?  Notes  This is a return to the Theme of Thanksgiving f or the Thessalonians that was found in 1 Thess 1:2. " We always thank God for you all " . what Thanks giving ... can we possibly offer to God in return for all the Joy.. .... offer in return for : [ antapodidomai] to give back [apo] in return for.   compare 2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; [ antapodidomai]  : Thayer 1) in a good sense, to repay, requite 2) in a bad sense, penalty and vengeance No thanks on our part to God could equal the joy which the news of the Thessalonians walking in ho...

1Th 3:7  for this reason in our distress and trouble we have been comforted about you, brethren, by your faith.  1Th 3:8  For now life is for us life indeed, since you are standing fast in the Lord.   WE have been comforted (encouraged) [parakaleo] to call near, invite, invoke by consolation, beseech, to comfort desire, entreat, to pray. 2Co 1:3  Heartfelt thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ-- the Father who is full of compassion and the God who gives all comfort.  2Co 1:4  He comforts us in our every affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction by means of the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2Co 1:5  For just as we have more than our share of suffering for the Christ, so also through the Christ we have more than our share of comfort.   2Co 7:6  But He who comforts the depressed--even God- - comforted us by the coming of Titu...

1Th 3:6  But now that Timothy has recently come back to us from you, and has brought us the happy tidings of your faith and love, and has told us how you still cherish a constant and affectionate recollection of us, and are longing to see us as we also long to see you-- Notes: But now that Timothy has recently come back to us from you, This verse is the Key to the whole Epistle; everything hinged on Tomothy's arrival in Corith and the News he brought.   and has brought us the happy tidings of your faith and love,  (But now or just now Timothy has come, He announced the Good News of their faith and Love. - And that you maintain a good memory of our visit; - They are not only following Christ but also loyal to the Missionary team. Romans 1 :9; Eph 1:16 and Phil.1:3-4. -They maintained a fond memory of Paul and Silas visit. They followed their model or pattern as disciples. Paul and Timothy These disciples continued to be guided by the exemplary life of his...

T 1Th 3:5  For this reason I also, when I could no longer endure the uncertainty, sent to know the condition of your faith, lest perchance the Tempter might have tempted you and our labour have been lost. Since I knew that you were so liable to be persecuted, and since I feared that some might be turned from the truth by this opposition. Barnes Notes: I sent to Know (eis to gnonai) Aisia Bibi in Jail in Pakistan when I — Greek, “when I also (as well as Timothy, who, Paul delicately implies, was equally anxious respecting them, compare “we,” 1Th_3:1), could no longer contain myself (endure the suspense).” sent to know the condition of your faith. That is, your fidelity. or your steadfastness in the gospel. Barnes. He wanted to know whether they were holding firm or vacillating under the strain of the Persecution. So often Persecution and suffering is designed to turn believers away from the faith. In Malaysia new Converts from Islam are placed in reeducation c...

1Th 3:3  that none of you might be unnerved by your present trials: for you yourselves know that they are our appointed lot. Weymouth N.T. 1Th 3:3  so that these troubles don't disturb any of you. You know that we're destined to suffer persecution. GW Question 1. Why should we be disturbed by the warning of trials for Christians? Paul and Silas had warned the young Church during their three week stay in Acts 17. They were worried that the church had suffered real damage during the time of the Satanic Blockade in 2:18. " Lest you had been shaken" or "disturbed "; 'placed into a confused state by such a smooth talker' Commenatry by Leon Morris. v.3.b for you yourselves know that afflictions are our appointed lot. Question 2.: Why should God allow Christians to undergo severe trials? What a destiny - persecution. What an appointment?  To be harassed, chased, suffer as a Christian. IN Romans 5:3 we read "Sufferings produ...