1 Thessalonians 2:19,20

Text (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and our joy.

Translation and Paraphrase

19.

(We have desired so greatly to see you,) for what is our hope, or joy, or crown in which we rejoice (like an athlete rejoices in his laurel of victory)? Are not even you (Thessalonians our hope, joy, and crown)? (Indeed you are those very things to us, and you will be our crown when we stand) before our Lord Jesus at his coming.

20,

For ye are our glory and joy.

Notes (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

1.

To a gospel preacher like Paul, his converts are his.

(1)

Hope

(2)

Joy

(3)

Crown of rejoicing

(4)

Glory; 1 Thessalonians 2:20

2.

When we stand before Christ at His coming, the souls that we have won, and the work that we have done for Christ, will be our hope, and joy, and glory, and crown, Let us therefore win souls while we have opportunity.

3.

Numerous references in the New Testament teach us that Christians shall be rewarded according to their works. We did not say saved by their works, but rewarded according to their works. 1 Corinthians 3:14: If any man's work shall abide. he shall receive a reward.

This fact partly explains why Paul was so uneasy when he thought that the Thessalonians might have forsaken the faith. If they stood fast for Christ, he would have a reward. If they shrunk back from the Lord, he would suffer loss. 1 Corinthians 3:15. (Of course Paul's concern for them was prompted more by love for them than by self-interest.)

4.

Victorious athletes in Paul's time often received garland crowns as symbols of their victories. They could point to the crowns as objects of pride and proof of victory. Likewise Paul could point to the churches he had established as emblems of victory and tokens of his joy. Philippians 4:1: Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord.

In the absence of his king, Paul had won a crown, the Thessalonians. When he met the king, he would lay his crown before the king's feet.

5.

The fact that the Thessalonians would be Paul's joy and crown in heaven should make it plain once for all that we shall know one another in the future life. Otherwise how could Paul glory in them before Christ at His coming?

6.

To explain how the souls we win will be our glory, we can do no better than to quote Daniel 12:3: They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

7.

This verse mentions the coming of our Lord Jesus. The Greek word translated coming is parousia. It is used here for the first time in the Thessalonian epistles. You should get to know this word as you will often find it in books, even those all written in English.

Parousia literally means a being alongside, and is usually translated coming or presence. It is frequently used in Greek literature to refer to the visit (or coming) of some official or prominent personage. It refers in the New Testament to the coming or arrival of men, such as Stephanas (1 Corinthians 16:17) and Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). It is applied seventeen times to the second coming of Jesus.

Parousia is used twenty-four times in the New Testament. In the King James version it is translated coming twenty-two times and presence twice. It is found in Matthew 24:3; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:37; Matthew 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 7:6-7; 2 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 1:26; Philippians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9; James 5:7-8; 2 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:4; 2 Peter 3:12; 1 John 2:28.

We have given all these detailed facts, so that when we come to this word, parousia, in future verses, you will already know its meaning and uses.

STUDY SUGGESTION

Turn to the Did You Learn? questions following chapter 3 [see Chapter Comments], and see if you can answer questions 1 through 9. These deal with the section, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

(We started the study of chapter three at 1 Thessalonians 2:17. For our reasons for doing this, the outline of chapter three, and the Thinking Through Thessalonians questions over chapter three, turn back to the pages following notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:16.)