1 Thessalonians 4:9

1 Thessalonians 4:9.— St. Paul here commends them for their love to each other; but generally when he commends them, it is to introduce some further advice,—as he does here; for immediately after the commendation, he presses them to abound therein more and more, 1 Thessalonians 4:10. There seem to have been some idle persons and busy bodies among the Christians at Thessalonica, who went about tattling from house to house, and would not work for a subsistence, but were burdensome to their neighbours, and a scandal to Christianity. They seem to have given the Apostle a great deal of trouble and uneasiness; as appears, not only from 1 Thessalonians 4:11 but also from 2 Thessalonians 3:6. 1 Timothy 5:13. However, to take off the harshness of the reproof in the passage before us, he introduces it with the commendation of their love to each other; that they might not be discouraged, as if their Apostle had entirely condemned their conduct. Comp. 1 Corinthians 11 1 Thessalonians 4:2 with 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The phrase of being taught of God, is used Isaiah 54:13. John 6:45 and alluded to in various other parts of scripture. The contentions of the heathen gods could never have taught them this brotherly love; but the example and command of the God of love, of Jesus the Prince of peace, plainly pointed outthis harmony and mutual benevolence, for which the primitiveChristians were remarkable. See Hebrews 13:1. 1 Peter 2:17 and Philemon 1:1.