Please read the passage indicated above before reading this article, and then keep your Bible open so that you may refer to it as may be necessary from time to time.
The writer takes it for granted that you will comply with this request, and hence he addresses you in the terms he would employ if giving a homely “Bible-talk.”
IN his first chapter the Apostle had alluded to “what manner of men” he and his fellow-workers were among the Thessalonians when they first arrived amongst them with the Gospel, and intimated that the power which had accompanied the message was largely connected with the unblameable character of the messengers. He returns to this subject at the opening of chapter 2.
Paul and his friends found at Thessalonica a door opened of the Lord, and they consequently gained a most effectual entrance into their midst. This was the more striking as they had just come from suffering and shameful treatment at Philippi as recorded in Acts 16. However far from being cowed by this they had such confidence in God that again they boldly spoke forth the Word. The power of If was such that some even of the Jews believed, “and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few” (Acts 17:44And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (Acts 17:4)). Thus did God grant to His Faithful-servants a time of much encouragement after severe suffering and before they were plunged into further troubles in Thessalonica itself. We must remember of course that the violence at Philippi did not mean that but little was accomplished in that city. On the contrary, Paul’s Philippian converts were among the brightest trophies of grace.
The Apostle puts it on record in verse 2 That he preached the gospel “with much contention.” By contention we must not understand heated argument. The expression is literally, “in much agony,” or “conflict.” The New Translation renders it, “with much earnest striving.” Paul preached in an Agony of spiritual conflict that the truth might be effectual in his hearers! No “take it or leave it” gospel was his! He was not the mere theologian or Christian philosopher contented with the truth correctly stated in his lectures; nor was he the dreamy mystic wrapped up in himself and in his own impressions and experiences. He was a man with a message, and burning with zeal, and in agony of mind to effectually convey it to others.
What amazing power this must have given him! He may have been weak as to bodily presence and contemptible as to his powers of utterance— “rude in speech” as he elsewhere says—yet the inward agony of spirit with which he spoke must have made his “rude” words like a whirlwind. Multitudes were converted under them, and still greater multitudes were lashed into fury against him! Where do we see power like this today? We hear Gospel addresses that may be characterized as good, clear, sound, striking, intelligent, eloquent, sweet. But they do not achieve much either in conversions or in stirring up the powers of darkness. Yet the need is as great and the energy of the Holy Spirit is the same. The difference lies in the character and caliber of the messengers.
In verse 3 to 6 we are given a glimpse of what Paul and his helpers were NOT, and thereby we may learn the things that are to be studiously avoided by every servant of God. First of all every element of deceit and unreality must be put away. It has been very rightly said that,
“Thou must be true thyself,
If thou the truth would’st teach.”
Not only so but all thought of pleasing men must be banished. Any service we have had committed to us, however small it be, has been given of God and not by man. Hence to God we are responsible and He tries not only our words and acts but also our hearts. Paul was put in trust with the Gospel in an altogether exceptional measure, but the three words, “PUT IN TRUST” may well be written upon all our hearts. We must never forget that we are trustees.
If we bear it in mind we shall of course avoid the use of flattering words, and the cloak of covetousness, and the seeking of glory from men, of which verse 5 and 6 speak. These three things are exceedingly common in the world. Men naturally seek their own things and hence are ruled by covetousness, though they may disguise it under some kind of cloak. Glory from man is also very dear to the human heart; and, whether they pursue possessions or glory, they find flattering words a useful weapon, for by them they can often curry favor with the influential. All these things were utterly refused by Paul. As a Servant of God, with God for his judge and God for his Witness, they were altogether beneath him.
The positive characteristics of Paul’s ministry come before us in verse 7 to 12, and it is worthy of note that he begins by comparing himself to a nursing mother and ends by comparing himself to a father. We may find it difficult to imagine how this exceedingly forcible man could have been gentle, “as a nurse would cherish her own children,” but so it was. Physical force is usually brutal. Spiritual force is gentle. There was plenty of the former to be seen Thessalonica when “the Jews which believed not, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort... and set all the city on an uproar,” yet it all ended in nothing. Paul’s gentleness, on the contrary, left lasting results. It was the gentleness begotten of an ardent love for these young converts. He cherished them; that is, he kept them warm, and how could he do this except his own love was warm. It was so warmer he was ready to impart to them not the Gospel only but also his own soul or life. He would have laid down his life for them.
However he was not called upon to do that. What he did was to labor with his own hands by night as well as by day in order that, being self-supporting, he might not be any charge upon them. He refers to this again in his second epistle, and from Acts 20:3434Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (Acts 20:34) we glean the astonishing information at he not only met his own needs in this way but also the needs of those that were with him. Elsewhere he speaks of “night and day praying exceedingly,” and we know how abundant were his labors in the gospel. Under these circumstances we may well marvel that this extraordinary man could find any time for his tent-making, but somehow the thing was done and thus he made the Gospel of Christ without charge, although the Lord had ordained as a general rule that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. It is very evident that manual labor is honorable in the sight of God.
To all this the Thessalonians were witnesses. Himself marked by holiness and practical righteousness he had been able to charge them that they should follow in his steps and walk in a way that was worthy of God—the God who had called them that they should be under His authority and enter into His glory.
What has occupied us thus far has been the manner of life that characterized Paul and his fellow-laborers: with verse 13 we turn again to that which marked their converts in Thessalonica. Receiving the Word of God through channels such as these men were, they received it as the Word of God. This verse plainly indicates that the Word of God may be received as the word of men, and that it is not one whit less the Word of God if it be so received. If you happened a to get hold of a camera with a defective lens you would find the subjects of your films strangely, and often grotesquely, distorted. You must not however blame the objects which you photographed. The objects were all right though your subjects proved all wrong. We must learn to distinguish between the objective and the subjective, as the Apostle does here. The objective Word of God was presented to the Thessalonians and the subjective impression made in them was according to truth. Had they received it as the word of men its effect upon them would have been but transitory. Receiving it as the Word of God it operated in them powerfully and produced in them just those effects that had been seen when first the Gospel had been preached in Judæa. Though tested by persecution they stood firm.
The seventeenth of Acts shows us how quickly the storm of persecution burst in Thessalonica. The house of Jason was assaulted and Jason himself and certain other brethren haled before the magistrates; the instigators of the riotous behavior being Jews. The Apostle here shows them that they had only been called upon to suffer like things to the earlier converts in Judaea, and that the Jewish instigators of their troubles were true to type. This leads him to sum up the indictment which now was laid against them.
Of old God’s great controversy with the Jews was on account of their persistent idolatry. Of this the Old Testament prophets are full. The New Testament adds the even greater charge that they “killed the Lord Jesus.” Added to this they drove out the Apostle by their persecutions and, as far as in them lay, forbad the going forth of the Gospel to the Gentiles. They refused to enter the door of salvation themselves and as far as possible they hindered others doing so. How striking is the description of this unhappy people, “They please not God, and are contrary to all men.”!
It is pretty evident that the nations generally are contrary to the Jew. Verse 16 of our chapter shows us the reason why. They themselves are contrary and nationally they lie under the Divine displeasure, hence nothing is right with them, though of course God is still saving out of them “a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:55Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5)) Earlier they had under trial. Even after the death of Christ an offer of mercy had been made to them consequent upon the coming of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Acts 3:17-2617And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:17‑26). — Their official answer was given by the martyrdom of Stephen and by the persecution of Paul who was raised up directly after Stephen’s death to carry the light of salvation to the Gentiles. They, would have slain Paul also had not God intervened in His providence to prevent it (See, Acts 9:2323And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: (Acts 9:23) and 29). As a consequence the wrath long wit held had been definitely loosed against them. They will not have paid, as a nation, the last farthing, till the great tribulation has rolled over there heads. But nothing now can stay God’s dealings against them in wrath.
Against this dark background how beautiful is the picture which verse 17 to 20 present. The Apostle, who was hurried out of their midst under cover of night, was filled with ardent longings towards them. As his spiritual children, begotten of the Gospel, he looked upon them as his hope, and joy and crown of rejoicing. The links that bound them to him were of the tenderest, most spiritual nature. If he looked on, he anticipated having them as his glory and joy at the coming of the Lord. Looking back he recognized how Satan had worked to keep them sundered on earth, as to bodily presence.
This passage plainly indicates that Satan permitted to harass and hinder the servants of the Lord; yet comparing the story with the history recorded in Acts it is very evident that God knows well how to overrule Satan’s hindering work for good. Satan hindered Paul from returning just then to Thessalonica, but God led him to Corinth and He had much people in that city!
Notice also how happily Paul looked forward to reunion with his beloved Thessalonian converts in heaven. His words would have been meaning had he not expected to know them each and all in that day. The saints of God will know one another when they meet at the coming of Christ and in His presence.
But if Paul had been hindered from coming personally—very likely by the violence of the persecution raised against him by Satan—he had sent Timothy to comfort and encourage them. Here again, in opening chapter 3, we see in Paul the marks of a true father in Christ. He was at Athens, a peculiarly hard and difficult city a place where more urgently than in most he felt the need of the support and encouragement afforded by like minded fellow laborer’s, yet would he sacrifice self and be left alone in order that Timothy might shepherd the souls of these young believers, and establish them just when Satan was aiming at their overthrow by means of afflictions. The trial of their with had not come as a surprise for he had forewarned them about it, even though his stay amongst them had been so short.
From this let us learn that it is not right nor wise to hide from the youngest convert that tribulation from the world is the normal lot of the Christian while on earth. There are abundant joys in Christianity, but not of a worldly order. In the world we are to have tribulation, so let us not misrepresent the case, thinking thereby to get more converts. Let the truth be faced and we shall thereby not lose one true convert, though plenty of make-believe ones may be checked—to their own good and our good also. As to tribulation, we all of us have to say in our turn, “it came to pass, and ye know.”
In raising persecution against believers Satan is always aiming at their faith. He would weaken it and destroy it if possible. Notice how, as a consequence, faith is emphasized by Paul in this passage. He sent Timothy to comfort “concerning your faith.” He sent to “know your faith.” Timothy returned and brought “good tidings of your faith,” and as a consequence he was comforted by your faith.” Faith is the eye of the soul. It gives spiritual vision. Paul knew that, as long as the unseen things of faith were real to them, the persecution would only produce spiritual enrichment and invigoration, just as a cold douche which would be hurtful to an invalid is invigorating to a man in full health. Faith is a vital link between the soul and God and if it be weakened, everything about the believer is weakened. Satan knows this right well.
When faith is maintained in the hearts of believers they “stand fast in the Lord,” and this was a great joy to the apostle. It comforted him in all his afflictions. So deeply did he feel about the Thessalonians, exposed as they were to such trials so soon after their conversion, that until he knew how they had been sustained in them he was like a man at the point of death. The good news he got through Timothy brought back to life. This is the figure he uses when he says, “Now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”
Though faith was so brightly, maintained in these Christians, yet there was need that it be perfected, as verse 10 shows. Something was lacking as to it in this sense—that as yet they were unacquainted with the whole circle of truth that had been revealed. What they did see by faith, they saw very clearly; but they did not as yet see all there was to see. The apostle earnestly longed to meet them again and bring before them those parts of God’s truth which as yet they knew not. In this Epistle he reveals to them something of which as yet they were in ignorance, as we shall see when considering chapter 4.
While as yet he was hindered, his desire was that they should increase and abound in love one toward another. God alone is the Object of faith. He is also the Object of love, but love to Him can best be practically expressed by love to those born of Him, as we are reminded in John’s. Epistle. Moreover the Christian should be an overflowing fountain of love toward all men. The Thessalonians were this, and it explains how they became such effectual advertisements of the gospel, as we saw when considering chapter 1. Only they were to increase more and more.
Thus would they be established unblameable in holiness in view of the coming of the Lord. Holiness and love are evidently closely connected. As love is operative in our hearts towards God and His people, so we hate what He hates and are preserved unblameable before Him. The grand goal before us is the coming of the Lord Jesus with all His saints. Mark that preposition “with.” When He comes in His glory we are to be with Him. How we reach His presence above, so as to come forth from heaven in His company when He appears, is not yet plainly indicated in the Epistle; but this verse alone should have assured the Thessalonians, and should assure us, that when He comes not one will be missing. It will be with ALL His saints.
F. B. Hole.