2 Thessalonians 1:11

Wherefore also we pray always for you Rather, To which end also we pray always for you (comp. 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:10), that our God may count you worthy of His calling. God was "calling" the Thessalonians "to His own kingdom and glory," and calling them accordingly to the sanctification of their whole nature, such as would enable them to be presented faultless at the coming of Christ. All this we have learnt from the First Epistle (1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Now a third aspect of this calling is presented, which combines and completes the other two. The Thessalonian believers in Christ are called by the fruit and effect of their faith to crown their Saviour with glory. For that this is, in St Paul's mind, the end of their calling is manifest both from 2 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:12. To exhibit in oneself the honour and worth of the Lord Jesus so as to make others think more highly of Him, to add something to the splendour of His heavenly crown, is a privilege of which we may well pray "that God may count us worthy."

For St Paul's idea of Christian worthiness, comp. 2Th 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:13, and notes; also Luke 20:35; Revelation 3:4, "They shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy."

and fulfil all the good pleasure ofhis goodness, and the work of faith with power Lit., every good pleasure of goodness and work of faith in power. As much as to say, "May God mightily accomplish in you all that goodness would desire and that faith can effect."

The "goodness," like the "faith," must be in the readers, since the two clauses are parallel not "His(God's) goodness," therefore, as in the A. V. The Apostle afterwards tells the Romans how he is persuaded of them that they are "full of all goodness" (Romans 15:14). He thinks quite as highly of the Thessalonians, and believes that their desires are bent in the direction of Christ's glory. Still he is not thinking of theirgoodness so much as of what goodness in itself, goodness as being goodnessmust approve and desire. His prayer resembles the Collect for the days of Easter Week: "That as by Thy special grace preventing us Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect."

For "work of faith" comp. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (note). Goodnessholds to Faith a relation similar to that of Love; it is bonitasand benignitas, an active excellence of disposition. "Goodness," the first "fruit of the Light" in Ephesians 5:9 (R. V.), accompanies Love, the first "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22.

"In power" belongs to the verb "fulfil," denoting the manner and style of God's working in believing men. See 1 Thessalonians 1:5; also Colossians 1:29; Ephesians 3:20, for similar expressions.

The verb "fulfil" applies to will(good pleasure) and workin not quite the same sense. To fulfil the former is to carry it into practice and effect; to fulfil the latter is to perfect what is already commenced.