1 Thessalonians Chapter 3.

1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 3.

            3:1-5.  The mission of Timothy to Thessalonica. Paul speaks of his frustrated efforts to return to them, a church very precious in his eyes (2:17-20). 

See `stego' in Bauer.  'Stego' is (1) to cover, (2) to bear.  Paul can no longer bear to be separated from his brothers.  But he cannot himself return to Thessalonica.  He decided to send Timothy, depriving himself of his one companion, so that he must remain in Athens alone, in days of solitude. 

The word "alone" seems to exclude the presence of Silvanus at Athens.  And "to be left alone," seems to imply that Timothy had been sent from Athens.  This excludes the view that Paul had sent word for Timothy to leave Beraea for Thessalonica.

           

Silvanus must have remained at Beraea to help the Church, whilst Timothy went on to Athens.  Paul sends him back to Thessalonica, and after Silvanus and Timothy rejoin Paul at Corinth.  Such a reconstruction of events does justice to the words, "left alone."  But does this explain the plural of the verbs, - thought good - sent?  See what Neil says.

           

3:2.  Paul gave to Timothy his proper titles or bonds which united him to Paul in the faith.  "Our brother."  His quality as a workman of the work of God - that is the preaching of the Gospel, a fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ.  The Thessalonians already knew Timothy as an authentic representative of the apostle.  This present recommendation, we suppose, was made necessary, because Timothy had played a subordinate role to Paul and Silas, when they were at Thessalonica.

           

3:3.  Masson rejects Frame's definition of `saino'.  It is a question of watching that none among them be shaken in these tribulations.  Some have thought that Paul writes of his own tribulations, the novelty of which may shake the church.  But these two views should not be opposed.  For Paul does not separate his tribulations (2:17) from those of the Thessalonians (1:6; 2:14).  Both are such as Christians, are destined to tribulations.  They ought not to be a stumbling block to their faith, because Christians were taught by the Cross of their Lord, they were destined to face strife, sufferings, temptations, proper to the time of the end, through which they had to pass to enter the Kingdom of God.  

`Peine'- punishment, pain, grief, misery, sorrows, affliction.

           

3:4-5.  Paul had anticipated the Thessalonians, and they knew him well because the occurrence had not been slow to give him reason.  Situated on this plane, the separation of the apostle and the church remote took grave extreme, and we understand that the ignorance in which he found himself of the state of the church was no longer bearable to him.  So that he put an end to this situation, he sent Timothy for news of the faith of the Thessalonians.  Was it firm?  Was it wavering? 

           

`Chanceler', - totter, stagger, waver, hesitate, unsteady, crumbling.  The apostle asks in anguish, (the passage makes a good base for discussing the need of exercise of heart on the part of the pastor).  The apostle is fearful (mepos), because he knew the Tempter was skilful in exploiting their adversities to ruin their faith in their hearts, and with it all, the misery of the servant of God. 

           

3:6-10.  Timothy's return.  3:6.  Timothy on his return journey, seems to have taken Silvanus (at Beraea) with him, and the two joined Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5).  It is natural, that in 1.Thess.3:6 Paul does not mention, that Timothy, who came from leaving the mission in Thessalonica (3:2), and him interested only here.  Paul had written his letter under the impression of this occurrence.  It is all in the play of relations resumed by his messenger between the church of the Thessalonians and himself, and the good news that he has brought to Paul of their faith and their love. 

           

According to certain commentators, `evaggelizesthai', is employed here only in the New Testament., in the profane sense of announcing good news as in the LXX. (1.Sam.31:9; 2.Sam.1:20; 18:19).  It is certain that the verb has here a profane sense, because, Paul does not ever speak of faith without "in Christ," of which He, Christ, is the object.  The good news of faith and the love of the Thessalonians, is very near the good news of Christ (3:2), just as to speak of the word of the Lord is very near the faith which is born of this word (1:8).

           

The Thessalonians believed in Jesus Christ, and loved one another (4:9).  All the fears of the apostle are dissipated; they have not been moved or shaken (3:3). 

`Redouter' - dread, fear.  And if he had dreaded that this forced departure has been evilly interpreted, or exploited against him, on this point also, he is reassured: the affection of the Thessalonians to him continues secure (acquise), and they share in his desire for a prompt meeting again.

           

3:7-8.  But, and this is essential, they have kept the faith, and by this, Paul has been comforted in all his affliction and distress that arose from his concern for them.  To what tribulation does he refer?  Perhaps to those he experienced in Corinth (Acts 18:5).  The consolation from God in the midst of all his conflict of apostleship are of his experiences the most constant ones (2.Cor.1:3; 7:6).  For the present hour, his more great consolation was to know that the work of God was pursued in Thessalonica, and that the Church was standing.  He had feared that the manoeuvres of Satan had destroyed their work, then he would not have lived any more, but now that he knows, they stand firm in their faith, and their obedience to the Lord, he lives.

           

3:9-10.  The thanksgiving will be with the measure of the joy that he experienced before God in the matter.  Reassured now, the apostle shall not multiply any more his endeavours to return himself to the Thessalonians, he shall wait in God to see them again, a thing which he asks from God with the more greater fervour, not only for the joy that he shall experience, but for the profit that he hoped to acquire for his brethren, and remedy the deficiencies of their faith. The missionaries had to abandon them before they had been able to instruct in all Christian truth, and to form them in the new life, to show them all the riches of the grace of Christ and all the breadth of His demand.  The faith of the Thessalonians needed to be made conscious of all that which was given to, and demanded from believers, it had not had the action on their lives that if it had been entire.  It is then to remedy the deficiencies of their faith that Paul shall seek to make straight, the defects of their moral behaviour, and in the second part of the Epistle, we are allowed to observe how he dealt with it.

           

`Partager' - divide, share, to portion, distribute. 

`Poursuivre' - to pursue, chase, seek, sue, prosecute.

`Ampleur' - ampleness, breadth, abundance, wide range.

`Redresser' - straighten, make straight.

`Sereine' - calm, undisturbed, clear, tranquil, happy.

           

3:11-13.  The prayer of the Apostle. A prayer concluded the first part of the Epistle.

            3:11. Here his prayer is perfectly calm, and contrasts with the agonies (angoisses), which follow it.  We recover the two themes indicated in verse 10, that of much desire to see them again, and that of the perfection of the faith of the Thessalonians.

           

The apostle shall wait, for God Himself shall conduct him with them, putting the Thessalonians on his route.  It is in God also that he trusts, the strengthening of his brothers in a life conformed to heir calling, and who can face the imminent judgment of God.  So his prayer has two objects, at first, their progress in love (3:12), then the strengthening of their resolution to be conformed to the demand of the holiness of the Gospel, (3:13). 

           

`Affermissement' - strengthening. 

`Depasser' - to pass, go beyond.  `Croitre' - to grow, increase. 

`Elargissement' - enlarging.

3:12.  The apostle has already recognized that his Thessalonian brethren know the importance of Christian love (1:3; 3:6).  But love if it would continue to exist, ought to continually go beyond itself, to grow and to abound; whether within the church under the form of mutual love, or without in the work among the adversity of all men.  It shall be possible to understand "to all," of all Christians, this love was already an enlarging of love of believers, the one for the other within the community (4:10); it is best to take "to all," of all men, as this is the case elsewhere in the epistles of Paul (Gal.6:10; Rom.12:17).

           

3:13.  "Love one another," is the road to holiness.  It is by their growth in love to one another and to all men, that the Lord shall establish their hearts in holiness, because men who live for others, shall no longer live to themselves but for God.  And the apostle would wish them to be irreproachable in holiness, and that in nothing their consecration to God be distorted when they shall appear before Him.  Once more, the prospect of imminent judgment is a strong motive for moral perfection, because of the motive of consecration to God.

           

The apostle prayed and hoped that God shall recognize for His own, the believers at Thessalonica at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.  Masson prefers to take saints as angels here, but surely, it includes both.  If the reference is to angels, then the word "all" points to the greatness of the Event.  All heavenly hosts shall be there.