1 Thessalonians 3:8

στηκετε, rather than -ητε: all uncials except א*D, and many good minn. See Expository Note.

8. ὅτι νῦν ζῶμεν ἐὰν ὑμεῖς στἡκετε ἐν κυρίῳ. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. Νῦν is temporal (cf. note on ἄρτι, 1 Thessalonians 3:6)—under these circumstances. Ζῶμεν, “we live indeed!”—in the full sense of the word; “vivimus, hoc est recte valemus” (Calvin); “vivere mihi videor et salvus esse, si res vestræ salvæ sunt” (Estius): cf. 2 Corinthians 6:9, for this rhetorical usage (ἡ ὄντως ζωή in 1 Timothy 6:19 is quite different); also Psalms 71:20; Psalms 119:77, &c., Psalms 138:7. But St Paul is thinking of something beyond his own revived energy; the persistence of Thessalonian faith reveals the vitality of the Gospel itself, the λόγος ἐνεργούμενος ἐν … τοῖς πιστεύουσιν (1 Thessalonians 2:13) ministered by Christ’s servants. They “live” to purpose, in so far as their message lives on in others. 2 Corinthians 4:7-16 supplies a commentary upon this text: ὁ θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν … διὸ οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν; cf. also Philippians 1:21-26; John 4:31-34. St Paul felt as though the defection of the Thessalonians would have killed him. ʼΥμεῖς is emphatic—“if you are standing fast”—since the cause of the Gospel depends in a peculiar sense upon the Thessalonian Church, the point d’appui of the present mission (1 Thessalonians 1:8). Ἐὰν στήκετε has grammatical parallels in ἐὰν οἴδαμεν (1 John 5:15), ὅταν στήκετε (Mark 11:25) &c.; classical sequence in the use of ἐάν (as of εἰ) was not strictly maintained in N.T. Greek; this is true of later Greek generally (Winer-Moulton, p. 369). The indicative (for subjunctive: if -ετε be not an itacistic writing) states the hypothesis more assertively; and ἐὰν στήκετε is a virtual appeal: “You must show that my misgiving was needless; you will go on to justify my confidence.” For ἐν in this connexion, cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; and for στήκω (a late verb based on ἕστηκα), cf. Philippians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 16:13. To “stand fast in the Lord” implies an obediently steadfast faith.