OLBGrk; 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 3 1 THESSALONIANS 3:1 The apostle showeth that out of his great care for the Thessalonians he had sent Timothy to comfort and strengthen them in the faith, 1 THESSALONIANS 3:6 whose good report of them had been a great consolation to him in his distresses. 1 THESSALON... [ Continue Reading ]
(To see numbers 1 and 2: SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 3:1".) 3. By the description he gives of him in the text: a man dear to him, and as his right hand in the service of the gospel. And his care of them is commended the more by sending so eminent a person to them. 4. From his end in sending him;... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle had mentioned before his great afflictions, and they knew well what he himself had suffered both at Thessalonica and Berea, ACTS 17:1, and therefore might fear they might hereupon be shaken in their faith. And Timothy therefore was sent to comfort and establish them: God could do this wi... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having said that they knew they were appointed to sufferings, tells them here they knew it because he had told them of it. Paul, by some extraordinary instinct or revelation, often foresaw his sufferings, and God more generally told him of them at his first conversion, ACTS 9:16; and he... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here gives a further account of the reason why he sent Timothy to them, which was TO KNOW their FAITH, whether it continued stedfast under all their sufferings and temptations. He feared Satan, whom he calls THE TEMPTER, might have some way or other _tempted_ them, either by false teache... [ Continue Reading ]
We had bfore an account of Timothy's sending, now of his return, wherein we have the message he brought, and the effect thereof upon the apostle. The message may be considered: 1. As to its new coming: BUT NOW WHEN TIMOTHEUS CAME, & c.; so that this Epistle seems to be written presently upon his re... [ Continue Reading ]
He was COMFORTED BY this FAITH of theirs IN ALL his own AFFLICTION AND DISTRESS. The faithfulness and constancy of a people is the great comfort of their teachers. I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN WALK IN TRUTH, 3 JOHN 1:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
The comfort of their faith was so great that it would be as life to him, if they stood fast in it; which he calls a standing FAST IN THE LORD. Life is not only the union of soul and body; comfort is the life of the soul, especially that which springs from Divine causes. And on the contrary, the apos... [ Continue Reading ]
This is another effect of the message Timothy brought, it caused in the apostle great thanksgivings to God. First he rejoiced in their faith, and then gives thanks to God for that joy. The matter of his rejoicing was their faith, but the author and upholder of this faith was God; and in giving thank... [ Continue Reading ]
We have here the last effect of Timothy's message upon the apostle, it put him upon prayer for these Thessalonians; expressed by the assiduity of it, _night and day, _ & c., that is, in a constant course; as we noted before, 1 THESSALONIANS 2:9. And by the fervency of it, EXCEEDINGLY, or excessively... [ Continue Reading ]
Here his prayer is expressed. The person to whom he prays is God himself, personally considered as God the Father, and relatively, when he styles him OUR FATHER: so ought believers to address themselves to God, not absolutely, but as to their Father. So Christ taught his disciples to pray: _Our Fath... [ Continue Reading ]
INCREASE AND ABOUND; these two words denote an increasing and overflowing abundance. This is another thing he prays for; the former respected himself, this respected them. He desired to come to them to perfect that which was lacking in their faith, and he prays now for the abounding and increase of... [ Continue Reading ]
These words some refer only to the verse immediately preceding: by increasing and abounding in love, their hearts would be established UNBLAMABLE IN HOLINESS. Which is true, for that holiness is justly to be suspected, at least is to be blamed, which is without love to men. And love itself is a grea... [ Continue Reading ]