_THE THESSALONIANS ARE GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND, BOTH HOW MINDFUL OF THEM ST. PAUL WAS, AT ALL TIMES, IN THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER, AND ALSO HOW WELL HE WAS PERSUADED OF THE TRUTH AND SINCERITY OF THEIR FAITH AND CONVERSION TO GOD._ _Anno Domini 52._ THE Apostle's design in this Epistle being to furnish... [ Continue Reading ]
_1 THESSALONIANS 1:2_. From this verse to the end of the third chapter we have the chief business of this Epistle; which was to comfort, strengthen, and establish the Christians at Thessalonica, and to persuade them to persevere under all the discouragements which he, their Apostle, or they themselv... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR WORK OF FAITH, &C.— Some translate it, _Your faithful work, and loving labour, and patient hope._ Others join the last clause with the first words of the verse, _Without ceasing remembering in the sight,_ &c. but I prefer the sense which arises from the order of the words in the original; _in t... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED, &C.— This Epistle being, as we have observed, directed principally to converted Gentiles, who were once idolaters, the design of these verses is very evident, if we reflect upon the great controversy of that time, concerning the admission of the Gentiles into the Christian... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT YE WERE ENSAMPLES— Τυπους, _types;_ that is, plans, models, of patterns; and, by a metaphor, it is used for _an example,_ or moral pattern. _Philippi_ and _Berea_ were in _Macedonia; Athens_ and _Corinth_ were in _Achaia._ The Apostle mentions these parts, as he had just been travelling thro... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR FROM YOU SOUNDED OUT THE WORD— It was accounted a great honour for any church, or city, to have the gospel go out from thence. Grotius observes, that many of the Thessalonians were merchants, who travelled through all Greece; and therefore so strange and blessed a piece of news might easily spre... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY THEMSELVES SHEW OF US— "For even our enemies, as well as the Christians, can tell, and do speak of it, not without wonder and astonishment, what uncommon gifts we ourselves had, and communicated unto you, and what a hearty reception we met with on our first arrival.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH DELIVERED US— _Who delivered us._ Doddridge. _INFERENCES.—_What an infinite mercy it is, when the gospel comes to any of our souls, not in words only, but with the impressive power of the Holy Ghost! This is an evident proof of the favour of God, and of our interest in Christ, which can only b... [ Continue Reading ]