Chapter Three

The sending of Timothy by the Apostle to the Thessalonians (1–5) and the good news he brings (6), which stir up the herald’s joy and thanksgiving to the Lord (7–9) and further urge him toward meeting with his readers (10–11), for whom complete spiritual progress is requested from God (12–13).

1 Thessalonians 3:1. And for this reason, since I could no longer bear waiting, we chose to remain in Athens alone, 1 Thessalonians 3:2. and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and to encourage you in your faith, 1 Thessalonians 3:3. that no one would be shaken by these tribulations. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 2 Corinthians 1:1. Being unable any longer to endure the separation, Apostle Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica, whom he calls here a “brother” (see 2 Corinthians 1:1; Col 1:1; Phlm 1:1), “God’s servant” (1 Tim 4:6; διάκονος του Θεοΰ — as distinguished from δούλος — refers to one serving in relation to his work) and a “fellow worker” in the gospel. All these titles are given to him not to show the greatness of the loss the Apostle suffered by sending Timothy to Thessalonica, but rather to show the Thessalonians the importance of his mission (2 Cor 8:18; Phil 2:20). The essence of the latter consisted in establishing the Thessalonians and encouraging their faith, so that no one among them would be turned from the path of truth amid those tribulations that came upon them. The Apostle had already spoken to them about these tribulations beforehand. Does the Apostle also mean those tribulations that were to come before the arrival of the “day of the Lord”? 1 Thessalonians 3:4. For we also, when we were with you, told you in advance that we would suffer affliction, as indeed it happened, and you know it. 1 Thessalonians 3:5. For this reason, since I could no longer bear waiting, I sent to find out about your faith, lest the tempter should tempt you and our labor come to nothing. 1 Thessalonians 3:6. But now, since Timothy has come to us from you and brought us the good news of your faith and your love, and that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, just as we long to see you, 1 Thessalonians 3:7. for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and suffering we were comforted about you through your faith; 1 Thessalonians 3:8. for now we truly live, if you stand firm in the Lord. It was especially important for the Apostle to know how matters stood regarding the faith of the Thessalonians, which, as the verb “έπεφασεν” shows, had already been tested by temptation from the tempter—Satan (1 Cor 7:5)—and the Apostle feared unfavorable results might follow (γένηται)—his labor could come to nothing. “In view of the dangers we just described, imagine now our relief,” as the Apostle writes, “when Timothy returned—precisely at this very moment—with the good news of your faith and your love, and with that kind remembrance of us that you continue to hold, as well as your mutual and fervent desire with us to meet again. For us such news was truly a ‘gospel,’ and through your faith we were comforted amid the heavy trials and cares we now face in our work. No news could have helped us more, and it seems to us that we truly come alive again, precisely when we hear that you stand firm in the Lord. We have no words to express our gratitude to God for the joy you fill our hearts with before His face—the joy that finds constant expression in our fervent prayers that not only might we hear about you, but might also see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith” (Milligan. G. op. cit. 39–40). Tribulation—θλίψις—sorrow and suffering caused by people; distress—ανάγκη—external compulsion, either from circumstances or duty (1 Cor 7:26 and others).

1 Thessalonians 3:9. What thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 1 Thessalonians 3:10. praying night and day most earnestly that we may see your face and supply what is lacking in your faith? 1 Thessalonians 3:11. Now may God Himself, even our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you, 1 Thessalonians 3:13. so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. Amen. The Apostle concludes the chapter with a prayer for the Thessalonians, a remarkable feature of which is that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are invoked together. “It is worthy of note,” writes Bishop Lightfoot on this subject, “that this attribution of divine power to our Lord regarding the governance of human affairs is found in the earliest epistles of the Apostle Paul, which are probably the very first writings of the New Testament. This shows that there was never a moment, even in the very earliest period, so far as we know, when the Person of Christ was regarded differently” (Notes, 48). This passage provides striking testimony to the faith of the early Christians in the divinity of Christ (see 2 Thess 2:16). The Apostle prays that God Himself would remove the obstacle set by Satan against the herald, and again open his way to Thessalonica. The prayer of verse 12 is addressed to the Lord Jesus alone. The Apostle asks the Lord to “abound and overflow” the Thessalonians with love, not only for one another, but for all in general. “For the severely persecuted Thessalonians, this broader love was particularly difficult—and necessary; it meant love for enemies, according to Christ’s commandment” (Matt 5:44). In verse 13 is indicated the ultimate goal of the prayer. Love, multiplying and overflowing, will become in the Thessalonians the foundation of justification before the coming Judge, creating in them a “state of holiness” (άγιωσυνη). “This state of holiness is precisely the goal toward which the love, so powerfully working in the Thessalonians now, must grow and move, so that their holiness might give them, at Christ’s coming, praise from God, the foretaste of which will give them unshakeable peace of heart while awaiting this great and terrible event. The Apostle’s thought here takes on that eschatological turn which repeatedly appears throughout our epistle. The words ‘with all His saints’ should be understood as applying equally to the departed saints and to the angels. True, in the New Testament, angels are never simply called οί άγιοι. But this same title is found in the book Acts 8:13; the influence of this book on our epistle is undoubtedly enormous. On the other hand, in the Gospel (Matt 13:41 and following; Matt 25:31; Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26 and 2 Thess 2:7), angels accompany the Lord in His coming; furthermore, in two Gospels—Mark 8:38 and Luke 9:26—the epithet άγιος is applied to them precisely in connection with the coming of Christ.