The Apostle’s Sorrow at Separation and Longing to See Them (1 Thessalonians 2:17–20)

The holy Paul has depicted what he was to the Thessalonians during his sojourn with them — 1 Thess. 2:1–16. Now he depicts what he was and is to them after his departure from them. And here, as there, his aim is the same—to show that his manner of conduct can cast not the slightest shadow upon his preaching, but on the contrary, vindicates its truth and serves to confirm it. Very simply he expresses to all: I seek not what is yours but you yourselves, and you not for my own sake but for yours, that you may appear perfect before the Lord and worthy of the inheritance of His eternal kingdom. The activity of the Apostle in founding the Church of Thessalonica and in his care for it is of the highest dignity.

In this third section of the historical part of the epistle the Apostle witnesses to his exceedingly warm, fatherly, caring love for the Thessalonians: (a) by his grief over separation from them and his desire to see them, 1 Thess. 2:17–20; (b) by his concern for them, which compelled the sending of Timothy to them to strengthen and reassure them and to bring back news of them, 1 Thess. 3:1–5; (c) by his joy upon receiving satisfactory news, his thanksgiving to God for it, and a renewed expression of desire to see them — 1 Thess. 3:6–10; (d) and by his good wishes for them — 1 Thess. 3:11–13.

a) Grief over separation from the Thessalonians and desire to see them (1 Thess. 2:17–20)

If there were anyone capable of thinking about the holy Paul: here he is—he turned us to his side, plunged us through this into tribulations, yet slipped away himself, and has no sorrow for it—such a person could no longer persist in such thoughts once he had been assured of the feelings which the holy Paul experienced after his departure from Thessalonica. Having departed, he felt himself an orphan (1 Thess. 2:17); once and again he made attempts to return to them but could not (1 Thess. 2:18); and all this not from any calculation whatsoever, but solely because his apostolic dignity required it, because in this lies his joy and eternal glory — 1 Thess. 2:19–20.

1 Thess. 2:17. But we, brothers, having been bereaved of you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored more earnestly to see your face with great desire.

“But we”—as for us. He had been speaking before of how the preaching progressed, how the Thessalonians believed and how they began to suffer for faith, to their glory and particular standing before the Lord. He continues, as it were: at that point we were obliged to depart—and this is what was in our hearts.

“Having been bereaved”—this word is used properly of unsettled children who lose their parents; but it applies also to parents who lose their children. The Apostle regards himself as a father bereft of his children. “Having been bereaved”—a tender expression for the state of the soul when separated from the beloved. Having parted from the Thessalonians, the holy Paul feels himself an orphan. We too say: “he looks like an orphan,” or “such an orphaned look.” Throughout this entire chapter the Apostle applies to himself the most intense family feelings: the feelings of a mother (1 Thess. 2:7–8), of a father (1 Thess. 2:11), and here—of an orphan. “First the Apostle likened himself to a mother who nurses and cherishes an infant, then to a father who is tenderly disposed toward his children; now he is like a youth who mourns an untimely orphanhood” (Theodoret). One would have expected to say that they became orphans, deprived of him—their spiritual father—but the holy Paul considers himself bereaved, wishing to show that not so much they as he himself lost through the separation from them. It was not you who became orphaned, but we. As little children who have lost their parents feel the greatest grief—not only from nature but from loneliness—so precisely do we. In this he shows the longing that oppressed him because of the separation from them.

One may suppose, however, that the Apostle used this word not merely to express his own feeling, but also to hint that this feeling tormented him for no other reason than because he had left his spiritual children not yet grown up, not fully educated, not fully established in the principles he had taught them. This is suggested also by the following words: “for a short time.”

This phrase expresses brevity of time — προς καιρον ωρας— for the length of an hour. We say: “for a little while.” But what does the Apostle wish to say? Either that he was parted from them for a short time—when he departed from Thessalonica and became bereaved, he had no intention of remaining long in separation from them; he departed for a short time, only until the disturbance should subside. So in the Russian translation. Or that not much time had yet passed since he became bereaved. “They did not have to wait long, but a short and small amount of time—as if only one hour” (Theodoret). That is, little time had passed since the separation, yet I already miss you. “One cannot say that time raised his grief over the separation to such a degree—but love did. Do you see what love is! He longed for them, having been separated for an hour—and only in outward presence” (Oecumenius). Or that he was separated from the Thessalonians all too soon. So soon was I bereaved of you—I had not had time to speak with you to the full, had not had time to transmit to you all that was needed, when I was obliged to depart from you. Paul complains that through the machinations of the Jews he was so quickly torn away from the Thessalonians, as from children not yet grown and not yet firm. Torn away from you against my will so quickly, without managing to transmit everything to you and to establish you, I therefore desired all the more eagerly to see you again. But might not προς καιρον ωρας mean “according to the circumstances of the time”?

“In presence, not in heart.” “Outwardly I was torn away from you, but in thought I was ceaselessly occupied with you, and my heart was inseparably with you” (Chrysostom). Let no one say that I left and abandoned you. I thought of you constantly, I carried you in my heart. In that there was not even a moment of separation. “I am deprived of the sensory sight of you, but I ceaselessly contemplate you in spirit” (Theodoret).

“Endeavored more earnestly.” “More earnestly”—above every other concern; we cared about nothing as much as about you; everything else was as something peripheral, while the main thing was you (Chrysostom). Or, “more earnestly”—all the more so. Being so quickly torn away from you, we strove all the more to see you. “Endeavored”—we sought out means, devised plans, figured out how this might be arranged.

“To see your face.” Of course, it was not feeling alone that drew the Apostle, but the acute spiritual need of the Thessalonians. But it is also evident that the Thessalonians had bound him to themselves by their sincere faith and love—and he desired to see their faces. “Though he always had them in his heart, he also desired their personal presence. Such is the nature of ardent love—it desires to see and to hear the beloved and to speak with them” (Chrysostom). This is why he added: “with great desire”—it was not only by the reasoning of my mind about the need for my presence with you that I desired to see you; my heart itself drew me to this. “Paul loved as if to the point of ecstasy, and in the feelings of friendship was unrestrained and ungovernable” (Chrysostom). Ambrosiaster writes on this passage: “For their greater instruction he also desired to see their faces. Concerning divine things, not everything can be imparted all at once. There are mysteries in our faith that should not be disclosed immediately, lest they give rise to scandal because of the uncleansed sensory understanding of the hearers. Not everything should be said to all, but the word must be proportioned to the capacity of each. And so the Apostle desired to see them once more, in order to complete the imparting of truth.”

1 Thess. 2:18. Therefore we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

“Therefore”—under such circumstances, impelled by such ardent desire to see you, “we wanted to come.” Before we only devised plans and sought means; now we actually resolved upon it, attempted it, made preparations, and wanted to bring into action what had long been lying on our hearts.

“I, Paul myself.” The holy Paul singles himself out especially because for some time he was indeed alone, without Silas and Timothy. And he now says that at that particular time he was preparing to go to them—perhaps from Athens and from Corinth. Or he says this to show that he personally wanted to come to them, and not through Silas and Timothy, who were there, near the Thessalonians.

In the words “once and again,” some see an indefinite number—in the sense of: more than once we attempted. Others see a definite number, specifically two times; we had a constant concern to see you, and once and again we attempted to come. The Apostle wishes to say that the concern to see them was not momentary but constant, compelling him on more than one occasion to make preparations to visit them.

“And Satan hindered us.” Going earlier to the Romans was hindered for the Apostle by the obligations of his apostleship (Rom. 15:23). To the Corinthians he did not go at one time by the reasoning that it was better for them (2 Cor. 1:15, 23). Into Bithynia the Spirit forbade him to go (Acts 16:6). Here the hinderer is designated as Satan. Having feelings trained to discern both good and evil, the Apostle knew how to distinguish accurately the causes and forces at work in events: in one place God—by the providential arrangement of the course of affairs; in another place the Spirit—by inspirations; in another the dark power—by scheming. Thus, according to the Apostle, Satan has influence over the course of affairs—by God’s permission, of course, for all is from God. But some things are directly arranged by God; others are only permitted by Him. God permits Satan to act because of the freedom given to men. Men freely incline to the suggestions of Satan and, becoming his instruments, carry out his plans. These actions of Satan and evil spirits are mentioned throughout all of Scripture. In the present case, the matter seems small—to come or not to come to Thessalonica; but since through this the kingdom of Christ was to be strengthened, and correspondingly the domain of darkness diminished, Satan raised obstacles to the Apostle’s visit to the newly converted believers—not personally himself, but through the executors of his will, people obedient to him. The Apostle saw the one who was acting from behind the people—and though he believed that God was the nearest helper in preaching, he did not consider it fitting to go contrary to the will of God, lest he be tempting God. God-illumined prudence prompted him to yield for a time to the obstacles raised. And he accomplished what he considered necessary for the Thessalonians by another means—he sent Timothy, and then wrote the epistle. In what precisely this Satanic hindrance consisted is not evident. The holy Chrysostom says these were “sudden and powerful trials.” Theodoret says that the Apostle’s zeal was obstructed by continuous trials that the common enemy is wont to raise; Damascene—that the Apostle was hindered from going to Thessalonica by the tribulations and hardships arising from preaching, which come from Satan, since it was he who stirred up the unbelievers against the Apostle. Ambrosiaster writes: “Satan placed obstacles before the Apostles, that they might not spread the light of truth among men. He stirred up the unbelievers to hinder the Apostles with blows and chains, that they might not speak the word of God. Thus the Jewish elders said to the Apostles: ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?’ (Acts 5:28).”

So all authorities limit themselves to pointing to obstacles, tribulations, and trials in general without specifying them. One may conjecture that the Apostle was held back by the evil intentions of the unbelieving Thessalonian Jews. It is very probable, and in keeping with the spirit of the Jews, that they were already making attempts on his life and laying snares. Their pursuit of the holy Paul even into Berea betrays strong irritation against him. Perhaps in Berea, in their rage, they made plain what they were after; his own people heard it and conveyed it to him. From Berea the Apostle would certainly have returned to Thessalonica, if not for the plots of these enemies. They forced him to flee further to Athens. From Athens the Apostle certainly again yearned to spend time in Thessalonica, but prudence compelled him first to inquire into the state of affairs there—for which purpose the holy Timothy was sent.

For the practical application of this passage of Scripture, we cite the words of the holy Basil the Great concerning these Satanic hindrances. “Can Satan,” he asks, “hinder the intention of a holy person, since it is written: ‘I, Paul, once and again wanted to come to you, and Satan hindered us?’” And he answers: “Of what we do in the Lord, some is accomplished according to the soul’s intention and judgment, while other things are carried out with the help of the body, or by diligence, or by endurance. And Satan cannot hinder what consists in the soul’s intention and judgment. But what is put into execution with the help of bodily activity—to that God often permits some obstacles to be made; for the testing and disclosure of one who encounters the obstacle, either to expose one who has changed a good intention, like those sown on rocky ground, who for a short time received the word ‘with joy,’ but ‘when trouble comes’ quickly fell away (Lk. 8:13; Mt. 13:21); or to reveal one who perseveres in good—now to those zealous for good deeds, such as the Apostle himself, who, having many times intended to go to the Romans and being hindered, as he himself acknowledged, did not abandon that desire until he accomplished what he had purposed; now to the patient, such as Job, who, having suffered so much from the devil compelling him to say something blasphemous or to prove ungrateful before God, did not even in extreme distress depart from pious judgment and sound thoughts about God. For of him it is written: ‘In all this… Job did not sin with his lips before God and did not charge God with wrongdoing’ (Job 1:22).”

1 Thess. 2:19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

The Apostle points to the source of his solicitude for the Thessalonians, assuring them that his concern and love for them are called forth by his apostolic calling and hope. The particle “for” gives the proof. The Apostle expressed his grief for the Thessalonians. Now he says: for how could I have acted otherwise, when you are my hope before the Lord? The holy Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. The conversion of every people is the fulfillment of his calling. At the coming of the Lord it will be shown: these and those and those were converted by the holy Paul. The talents with their increase. And it will be said: enter into the joy of your Lord. This is why the holy Paul values every conversion and watches over those who have been converted! It is connected with his eternal lot and constitutes his calling in this life. Together with this he expresses that in his labors and cares for believers he is guided by no earthly calculations.

To those who, taking advantage of the holy Paul’s quick departure, were disturbing the Thessalonians by saying: “He only brought you grief and abandoned you”—these words are a powerful refutation. The Apostle answers: how could I have done this, when in their faithfulness to the faith lies my eternal glory? Transporting himself in thought before the face of the Lord at His coming and presenting Thessalonica together with himself, the Apostle, on the one hand, assured them: here is the moment until which our bond will last—is it conceivable that such minor accidents as you encountered should break it? On the other hand, he impressed upon them: my future glory and joy are not mine alone but yours as well. Together we shall be gladdened and glorified; therefore keep yourselves faithful to the Lord until His coming.

“For who”—a phrase that leads one to posit the Apostle’s future glory as conditionally dependent on the faithfulness of the Thessalonians; but since it then says “is it not even you?” the Apostle, speaking thus, was not singling them out from among the other converts who would contribute to crowning him with glory at the Second Coming of Christ. Chrysostom says: “Are the Macedonians alone your hope, tell me, blessed Paul? — Not they alone… That is why he added: ‘Is it not even you?’ So this is not flattery, for he did not say simply ‘you,’ but ‘even you,’—together with others.”

And indeed, for him the Philippians too are “joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1), and the Corinthians too are “boasting in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 1:14). Such are all the churches planted and established by him. “Imagine,” says Chrysostom, “as far as you can, the whole Church planted and established by Paul; who would not rejoice over such a multitude of beautiful children?” “Hope, joy, crown of exultation”—different aspects of one and the same moment—that of standing before the Lord at His Second Coming. “Hope”—the foundation of the boldness to dare to stand before Him, rather than falling prostrate and crying “mountains, fall on us”—on what does it rest? On the conscientious, self-sparing fulfillment of the works to which one is called, on the proper use, to the glory of God, of the talents entrusted by the Lord to each one. “Joy” defines the state of heart at the time of standing before the Lord. For the Apostle there will be not fear but joy—from the awareness that his conscience is clear before the Lord in all things. The conscience will testify that everything possible was done without omission or falsity, and will overshadow the heart with well-grounded hope. Hence the gladness of spirit. “Crown of exultation”—the reward that crowns the gladdened heart with a radiant position in the company of the glorified saints and angels. “Crown of exultation”—not something one can especially boast of, but something for which one will especially be praised: a praiseworthy, most glorious crown, brilliant glory. All three of these aspects the Lord expresses in His parable in a single saying: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord” (Mt. 25:21). Theophylact paraphrases the speech of the holy Paul thus: “I hope that on your account I shall be granted great boldness before Christ the Lord and joy, for this very reason—that you are and shall then be for me a crown of exultation, that is, a crown of brilliant glory.”

1 Thess. 2:20. For you are our glory and joy.

The answer to the question posed above is already contained in the question; but the Apostle also expresses it separately, saying, as it were: yes, you—so as to hold the attention longer on the thought expressed and to confirm it. Do not think that in speaking thus I was carried away by a special affection for you, or merely employed a figure of speech. No—in reality it is so, and it cannot be otherwise. Does the Apostle here mean future glory and joy, or present? By the flow of the discourse, the Apostle’s thought remains throughout before the face of the Lord at His coming. But the form of expression is so general that it gives no hint as to time. This is why the commentators do not specify, but speak only in general. “How glorious it is to bring such a church to Christ, and one so well-approved” (Theophylact). Or: “For one appointed to be a teacher, the crown and joy is the progress of his disciples” (Damascene). Or: “The perfecting of the disciples is the joy and crown of the teacher. Teachers shall taste the fruit of their labors. The fruit of a teacher is an obedient disciple. When the good life of the disciple shall prove beneficial to the teacher, then the teacher will taste the fruit of his labors. The progress of disciples in goodness will give the teacher a crown at the Judgment of Christ” (Ambrosiaster).