1 Thessalonians 1:3

Remembering

(μνημονευοντες). Present active participle of old verb from adjective μνημων (mindful) and so to call to mind, to be mindful of, used either with the accusative as in 1 Thessalonians 2:9 or the genitive as here.Without ceasing

(αδιαλειπτως). Double compound adverb of the Koine (Polybius, Diodorus, Strabo, papyri) from the verbal adjective α-δια-λειπτος (α privative and δια-λειπω, to leave off). In the N.T. alone by Paul and always connected with prayer. Milligan prefers to connect this adverb (amphibolous in position) with the preceding participle ποιουμενο rather than with μνημονευοντες as Revised Version and Westcott and Hort rightly do.Your work of faith

(υμων του εργου της πιστεως). Note article with both εργου and πιστεως (correlation of the article, both abstract substantives). Εργου is genitive case the object of μνημονευοντες as is common with verbs of emotion (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 508f.), though the accusative κοπον occurs in 1 Thessalonians 2:9 according to common Greek idiom allowing either case. Εργου is the general term for work or business, employment, task. Note two genitives with εργου. Hυμων is the usual possessive genitive,your work

, while της πιστεως is the descriptive genitive, marked by, characterized by, faith, "the activity that faith inspires" (Frame). It is interesting to note this sharp conjunction of these two words by Paul. We are justified by faith, but faith produces works (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8) as the Baptist taught and as Jesus taught and as James does in 1 Thessalonians 1:2.Labour of love

(του κοπου της αγαπης). Note article with both substantives. Here again του κοπου is the genitive the object of μνημονευοντες while της αγαπης is the descriptive genitive characterizing the "labour" or "toil" more exactly. Κοπος is from κοπτω, to cut, to lash, to beat the bread, to toil. In Revelation 14:13 the distinction is drawn between κοπου (toil) from which the saints rest and εργα (works, activities) which follow with them into heaven. So here it is the labour that love prompts, assuming gladly the toil. Αγαπη is one of the great words of the N.T. (Milligan) and no certain example has yet been found in the early papyri or the inscriptions. It occurs in the Septuagint in the higher sense as with the sensuous associations. The Epistle of Aristeas calls love (αγαπη) God's gift and Philo uses αγαπη in describing love for God. "When Christianity first began to think and speak in Greek, it took up αγαπη and its group of terms more freely, investing them with the new glow with which the N.T. writings make us familiar, a content which is invariably religious" (Moffatt, Love in the New Testament, p. 40). The New Testament never uses the word ερως (lust).Patience of hope

(της υπομονης της ελπιδος). Note the two articles again and the descriptive genitive της ελπιδος. It is patience marked by hope, "the endurance inspired by hope" (Frame), yes, and sustained by hope in spite of delays and set-backs. Hυπομονη is an old word (υπο, μενω, to remain under), but it "has come like αγαπη to be closely associated with a distinctively Christian virtue" (Milligan). The same order as here (εργου, κοποσ, υπομονη) appears in Revelation 2:2 and Lightfoot considers it" an ascending scale as practical proofs of self-sacrifice." The church in Thessalonica was not old, but already they were called upon to exercise the sanctifying grace of hope (Denney).In our Lord Jesus Christ

(του Κυριου ημων Ιησου Χριστου). The objective genitive with ελπιδος (hope) and so translated by "in" here (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 499f.). Jesus is the object of this hope, the hope of his second coming which is still open to us. Note "Lord Jesus Christ" as in verse 1 Thessalonians 1:1.Before our God and Father

(εμπροσθεν του θεου κα πατρος ημων). The one article with both substantives precisely as in Galatians 1:4, not "before God and our Father," both article and possessive genitive going with both substantives as in 2 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:11; Titus 2:13 (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 785f.). The phrase is probably connected with ελπιδος. Εμπροσθεν in the N.T. occurs only of place, but it is common in the papyri of time. The picture here is the day of judgment when all shall appear before God.