1
Thessalonians 2
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
Paul’s
Ministry
2
For you yourselves know, brethren, that our [a]coming to you was not in vain, 2
but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know,
we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much
[b]opposition. 3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or
[c]by way of deceit; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted
with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who [d]examines our
hearts. 5 For we never came [e]with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a
pretext for greed—God is witness— 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from
you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ [f]we might have
[g]asserted our authority. 7 But we [h]proved to be [i]gentle [j]among you, as
a nursing mother [k]tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an
affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of
God but also our own [l]lives, because you had become [m]very dear to us.
9
For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so
as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10
You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we
[n]behaved toward you [o]believers; 11 just as you know how we were exhorting
and encouraging and [p]imploring each one of you as a father would his own
children, 12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you
into His own kingdom and glory.
13
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of
God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for
what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who
believe. 14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in
Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the
hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both
killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and [q]drove us out. [r]They are not
pleasing to God, [s]but hostile to all men, 16 hindering us from speaking to
the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill
up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them [t]to the utmost.
17
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a [u]short while—in
[v]person, not in [w]spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see
your face. 18 [x]For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, [y]more than once—and
yet Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is
it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His [z]coming? 20 For you
are our glory and joy.
Footnotes:
1
Thessalonians 2:1 Lit entrance
1
Thessalonians 2:2 Or struggle, conflict
1
Thessalonians 2:3 Lit in deceit
1
Thessalonians 2:4 Or approves
1
Thessalonians 2:5 Lit in a word of flattery
1
Thessalonians 2:6 Lit being able to
1
Thessalonians 2:6 Or be burdensome
1
Thessalonians 2:7 Or became gentle
1
Thessalonians 2:7 Three early mss read babes
1
Thessalonians 2:7 Lit in the midst of you
1
Thessalonians 2:7 Or cherishes
1
Thessalonians 2:8 Or souls
1
Thessalonians 2:8 Lit beloved
1
Thessalonians 2:10 Lit became
1
Thessalonians 2:10 Or who believe
1
Thessalonians 2:11 Or testifying to
1
Thessalonians 2:15 Or persecuted us
1
Thessalonians 2:15 Lit and
1
Thessalonians 2:15 Lit and
1
Thessalonians 2:16 Or forever or altogether; lit to the end
1
Thessalonians 2:17 Lit occasion of an hour
1
Thessalonians 2:17 Lit face
1
Thessalonians 2:17 Lit heart
1
Thessalonians 2:18 Or Because
1
Thessalonians 2:18 Lit both once and twice
1
Thessalonians 2:19 Or presence
The Bible Panorama
1
Thessalonians 2
V 1–3: PROBLEMS Paul reminds them of the problems
he suffered at Philippi, which involved cruel and spiteful treatment by others.
That, however, has not stopped his boldness in the gospel.
V 4–5: PLEASINGPaul
reiterates that his aim is not to please men but rather, by taking seriously
the gospel entrusted to him, to please God who tests the heart. At no time does
he flatter men or misuse his position as a preacher of the gospel.
V 6–9: PREACHING Paul’s
preaching is characterised by seeking glory for God, gentleness with his
hearers, concern for those who hear in the church, labour and toil, and being
on duty twenty-four hours a day for the gospel. He earns his own living so as
not to be financially burdensome to them.
V 10–12: PARENTAL His
attitude is parental to the children of God in Thessalonica. He longs to see
his children walking with God and can point to his devout, just, and blameless
witness to encourage them in this.
V 13–14a: POWERFUL It
is the gospel of God working in their hearts that causes the Thessalonians to
imitate the churches of God that follow Christ. There is power in the truth of
God.
V 14b–16: PERSECUTED They,
too, have suffered persecution by those who want to forbid them to share the
gospel with Gentiles, in case they should be saved. God’s wrath is upon such
people, who not only sin, but try to prevent the spread of the gospel.
V 17–20: PASSIONATE Paul has a passion to see them
again, but has been hindered by Satan. They are his ‘glory and joy’ through the
gospel and he looks forward to the day when he will be with them in the
presence of Christ.
The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One
Publications.
Matthew
Henry’s Commentary
1. They were stewards, put in trust with the gospel: and it is required of
a steward that he be faithful. The gospel which Paul preached was not his own,
but the gospel of God. Note, Ministers have a great favour shown them, and
honour put upon them, and trust committed to them. They must not dare to
corrupt the word of God: they must diligently make use of what is entrusted
with them, so as God hath allowed and commanded, knowing they shall be called
to an account, when they must be no longer stewards.
2. Their
design was to please God and not men. God is a God of truth, and requires truth
in the inward parts; and, if sincerity be wanting, all that we do cannot please
God. The gospel of Christ is not accommodated to the fain fancies and lusts of
men, to gratify their appetites and passions; but, on the contrary, it was
designed for the mortifying of their corrupt affections, and delivering them
from the power of fancy, that they might be brought under the power of faith. If I yet pleased men, I should not
be the servant of Christ, Gal. 1:10.
3. They acted
under the consideration of God’s omniscience, as in the sight of him who tries our hearts. This is
indeed the great motive to sincerity, to consider that God not only seeth all
that we do, but knoweth our thoughts afar off, and searcheth the heart. He is
well acquainted with all our aims and designs, as well as our actions. And it
is from this God who trieth our hearts that we must receive our reward. The
evidences of the apostle’s sincerity follow; and they are these:—(1.) He
avoided flattery:Neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, 1 Thess. 2:5.
He and his fellow-labourers
preached Christ and him crucified, and did not aim to gain an interest in men’s
affections for themselves, by glorying, and fawning and wheedling them. No, he
was far from this; nor did he flatter men in their sins; nor tell them, if they
would be of his party, they might live as they listed. He did not flatter them
with fain hopes, nor indulge them in any evil work or way, promising them life,
and so daubing with untempered
mortar.
(2.) He avoided covetousness. He did not make the ministry a cloak, or a covering, forcovetousness,
as God was witness, 1 Thess. 2:5. His design was not to enrich
himself by preaching the gospel; so far from this, he did not stipulate with
them for bread. He was not like the false apostles, who, through covetousness, with feigned
words made merchandise of the
people, 2 Pet. 2:3.
(3.) He avoided ambition and
vain-glory: Nor of men sought
we glory, neither of you nor yet of others, 1 Thess. 2:6. They expected neither people’s
purses nor their caps, neither to be enriched by them nor caressed, and adored,
and called Rabbi by them. This apostle exhorts the Galatians (Gal. 5:26) not
to be desirous of vain glory; his ambition was to obtain that honour which comes from God, John 5:44. He tells them that they might have
used greater authority as apostles, and expected greater esteem, and demanded
maintenance, which is meant by the phrase of being
burdensome, because perhaps some would have thought this too great a burden
for them to bear.
