A Work in Progress Bible Commentary
By: Chip Crush
I
THESSALONIANS
CHAPTER 1
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1Paul, Silas[1] and
Timothy, The
first chapter of 1 Thessalonians is only 10 verses in length. Let’s take a
look: 1) V1-3 – 1Paul, Silas
[or Silvanus] and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 2We
always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We
continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. As
we noted in the introduction, Paul traveled around Asia Minor and Greece
during his second mission trip, converting some Jews and a large number of
Gentiles to Christianity. He experienced persecution in various forms –
violent rioting, imprisonment, mockery, etc. – throughout his trip, and
generally speaking, we could affirm that God purposed that persecution as a
means by which the gospel would spread quickly throughout the world.
Furthermore, persecution of the young church kept it pure, in the sense that
there were limited numbers of false believers within. Do to the lack of
persecution in our churches today, we see a very high number of false
believers, tares mixed in with the wheat. Thus we conclude that legitimate
ministry may not be without hardship, for it is through the hardship that God
works to bring His own unto Himself. And it also follows that in times of
persecution, we serve as witnesses for Jesus. “This understanding,” says
Vincent Cheung, “enables us to maintain a joyful attitude in the face of
persecution, and to combat doubt and discouragement. Men’s endorsement does
not validate a ministry, just as men’s rejection does not disqualify it. Only
the word of God, the standard that has been revealed and established by
divine revelation, is the true and final judge. But even though we speak with
this note of triumph, the pain of persecution is actual and intense in those
who must bear it. Therefore, let us be mindful of the suffering of our fellow
believers, and pray for those who must endure hardship for the sake of the
gospel.” We
see the truth above illustrated for us by the apostle Paul and also by the
congregations to which he wrote. In fact, the Thessalonian church was, as
Vincent Cheung notes, “birthed in persecution and remained in persecution.”
Paul begins this letter with his standard greeting, including a benediction
of grace and peace. His mention that the Thessalonians are “in God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ” reveals the intimacy between Father and Son, as
the Church is “in” both. Some find it interesting that Paul doesn’t elaborate
on his apostleship or calling or authority as he does in other letters. This
may be due to the fact that the letters came to the Thessalonians so soon
after having been with Paul in person; or it may be due to the fact that the
Thessalonian church already knew Paul well enough to not require an
elaboration on his apostleship. Lastly, from v1, we covered in the
introduction that Silas and Timothy were with him and may have even
influenced Paul’s letters, in as much as they differ from Paul’s typical
writing style. In
v2, Paul explains that he prays for the Thessalonian Christians, and
specifically that he thanks God for them. This remark is an exhortation to
perseverance. Cheung says, “Whatever good that is found in them, it is a work
of God, so that Paul does not ask God to thank the Thessalonians for their
much coveted endorsement of the gospel, but he thanks God for causing faith
and holiness in them. A doctrine of human autonomy leaves room for only
half-hearted thanksgiving. Thanksgiving necessitates remembrance of divine
grace, a calling to mind God’s faithfulness and generosity toward us.” In
v3, Paul elaborates that he remembers in his prayers three things about them,
and he mentions faith, hope, and love. Paul is thankful that the
Thessalonians exhibit signs of these three paramount virtues of a genuine and
thriving Christian. First, faith – being sure of what we hope for and certain
of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1) – produces work, or works – practical
acts of service that flow from faith for the benefit of others. James echoes
this sentiment in his epistle. Cheung says, “The works of faith, then, will
include obedience toward biblical commands, compassion for the sick and
needy, eagerness to suffer for righteous reasons, boldness in speech and
action, and enterprising efforts to advance the gospel.” Second,
love prompts labor – relational toil, which often means bearing with the faults
of our brethren in Christ. Cheung says, “Now, there are various wrong motives
for spiritual labor. Some perform ministry work for vainglory, to impress
other men and to be admired by them. Some are taken up by a sense of ambition
– the same kind of ambition that men have for secular careers and
achievements, but applied to ministry work. Others are driven by competition.
Whether there is any need or reason for it, they want to be better than
everyone else, or at least better than some specific individuals that they
have in mind, because the thought of being less successful than they are is
unbearable. In connection with this, there is the motive of spite. It is
possible to pursue what appears to be worthy spiritual projects for no other
reason than malice and revenge. Of course, these wrong motives, and many
others not mentioned, tend to overlap. They are against the spirit of Christ
and must be exorcised from the heart. Love is the only motive for spiritual
labor that is worthy of the gospel. Contrary to the world's opinion and even
most Christian teachings, this love is mainly not an emotion or a feeling,
but a disposition that cares about the things of God, to honor his name and
obey his commands, and that cares about the welfare of other people,
regardless of any emotion or feeling. A person who loves may consistently
experience certain emotions or feelings that seem to accord with such a
disposition, but he thinks and behaves with love – that is, a sacrificial
obedience to God’s law concerning how to relate to God and to people –
whether or not he is experiencing these emotions and feelings. Christian love
drives emotions and feelings, while non-Christian love, which is not love at
all, defines love itself by their emotions and feelings, and then allow love
to fluctuate along with these emotions and feelings… True love is biblical,
intelligent, sacrificial, consistent, and persistent.” Third,
hope inspires endurance – longsuffering, for our faith-produced work and our
love-prompted labor will not instantly solve the world’s problems; only the
return of Jesus, which may not be as imminent as we’d like to believe, can do
that. The world’s hope is not Biblical hope. The former is like a wish or
desire – I hope it doesn’t rain – an aspiration that is beyond one’s control;
but the latter is a certainty for which we wait on God’s faithful timing.
Paul writes elsewhere, “We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope
at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not
yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:23-25). We hope in Jesus
Christ, and though we wait for salvation, we already have it. It is so
certain that oftentimes the Bible speaks of it in the past tense. It’s an
already but not yet reality. This hope inspires endurance, which is
perseverance, or preservation. We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and
the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Cheung concludes, “No
wonder that those who grasp this shout and leap for joy. And no wonder those
who have this hope possess great endurance. It is not a passive quality, but
an active virtue. It energizes us to pursue that which God has ordained for
us to do. As Jesus, ‘who for the joy set before Him endured the cross’ (Hebrews
12:2), so we will consider ‘that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us’ (Romans 8:18)…
Our knowledge of God in the present forms the basis of our hope for the future,
and this hope in turn enhances our comprehension about the present. We are
not only able to interpret any event in the past and present in relation to
Christ’s anticipated and then accomplished redemption, but we are also able
to interpret any past and present event in the light of what we know God has
in store in the future. Unbelievers cannot do this.” 2) V4-6 – 4For we know,
brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, 5because our gospel
came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit
and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6You
became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you
welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. Paul
reveals, beginning in v4, why he is thankful to God for the Thessalonian
believers, why he remembers before God their faith, love, and hope, and the
fruits those virtues exude. It is because God “has chosen” them. Vincent
Cheung says, “It is God who sovereignly chooses the elect, so that Paul says,
‘He has chosen you,’ and not ‘He has approved of your choice.’ If God merely
accepts our choice, then he does not choose us in any real sense of the
term.” In other words, Paul is thankful that God has chosen them; otherwise, Paul
would have to be thankful that they first chose God. But this is not what
Paul says or implies. Paul goes on in the next set of verses to reveal how he
knows that God has chosen them: First,
in v5, Paul knows that God has chosen the Thessalonian believers “because our
gospel came to you not simply [or only] with words.” In other words, the
Thessalonian believers did not just hear the words and consent to their
truth. Their conversion wasn’t merely intellectual assent, although it did
include that. The rhetorical nature of Scripture has in view the importance
of words as such. For example, Acts 20:32 says, “Now I commit you to
God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” God’s word is not to be
belittled, but words can be empty if not understood, appreciated, and
applied. Cheung concludes, “[Paul’s] preaching was not always accompanied by
the power of the Spirit, in the sense that God did not always make his
preaching effective; otherwise, all who heard Paul preach would have been
converted.” But the gospel itself remains infinitely valuable as the wisdom
of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Thus,
Paul saw his gospel come to the Thessalonian believers “not simply with
words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.”
In other words, when Paul preached the words of the gospel, God poured out
Spirit and convicted His own among Paul’s audience, such that they responded
to the gospel in faith, which was of course, worked out as Paul noted
previously (v3). Sanctification was underway in the Thessalonians, and they
were making good progress in it. They were persuaded and assured (by the Holy
Spirit) that the message was true. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 has in mind the
same concept as our passage when in it Paul says, “My message and my
preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration
of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but
on God’s power.” So “your faith” comes from “God’s power,” not through the
will or desire of man (Romans 9:16). And that’s why Paul thanks God
for having chosen the Thessalonian believers. “It is because of ]God] that
you are in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:30). The
final part of v5 reveals that the Thessalonian believers witness how Paul and
his companions lived humble, joyful lives while in Thessalonica, despite
significant persecution (see Acts 15-17). And then in v6, Paul recalls
that the Thessalonian believers “became imitators of” them and of Jesus. And
then he comments that, whereas false believers fall away when times get tough
– consider the parable of the sower; two of the three soils that receive the
seed do not last and produce fruit – true believers rejoice in suffering and
retain their faith thanks to the Holy Spirit. The Thessalonians’ perseverance
is yet another reason for Paul to celebrate and give thanks to God that they
have been chosen by Him. Cheung concludes, “Faith embraces the gospel in
spite of the dangers and consequences. The Thessalonians demonstrated the
genuineness of their conversion by their joy in the face of severe suffering.
Paul would certainly denounce those who compromise the faith that they claim
to affirm because of financial losses, political threats, or pressures from
relatives and friends. On the other hand, ‘No one who has left home or wife
or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will
fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come,
eternal life’ (Luke 18:29-30).” 3) V7-10 – 7And so you
became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The
Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your
faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say
anything about it, 9for they themselves report what kind of
reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve
the living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from heaven,
whom He raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. In
their perseverance through “severe suffering” (v6), other believers witnessed
what Christianity is all about. Thessalonica was a major city in the Roman
Empire; it stood along trade routes in every direction. Thus news got out
quickly to the Roman world, and “not only in Macedonia (the northern province
where Thessalonica was located) and Achaia (the southern province where
Corinth was located).” The Thessalonians’ “faith in God has become known
everywhere.” We never know whom our witness will touch in hard times. Vincent
Cheung notes, “Other Christians readily recognize the powerful effect the
Holy Spirit produced in the Thessalonian converts, so that wherever Paul
travels, he has no need to tell others about them [v8]. Believers everywhere
already know how the Thessalonians have ‘turned to God from idols’” (v9). Calvin
comments here: “For although all do not worship idols, all are nevertheless
addicted to idolatry, and are immersed in blindness and madness. Hence, it is
owing to the kindness of God, that we are exempted from the impostures of the
devil, and every kind of superstition. Some, indeed, he converts earlier,
others later, but as alienation is common to all, it is necessary that we be
converted to God, before we can serve God [Romans 6:20]. From this,
also, we gather the essence and nature of true faith, inasmuch as no one
gives due credit to God but the man, who renouncing the vanity of his own
understanding, embraces and receives the pure worship of God.” Cheung
continues: “True
conversion results from a drastic and permanent transformation at the deepest
level of one’s intellect and personality. God changes the individual’s most
basic commitments, so that he denounces the abominable objects he once served,
and turns to offer true worship to God. This change in a person’s first
principle of thought and conduct generates a rippling effect that transforms
the entire spectrum of his worldview and lifestyle. Thus conversion produces
not only a negative change, in which one turns from idols, but Paul states
that they have also turned ‘to serve the living and true God’ (v9). Moreover,
a biblical system of thought replaces the former unbiblical philosophy. This
new worldview is one in which we ‘wait for [God’s] Son from heaven, whom He
raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath’ (v10).” So Paul points out that genuine faith – a
gift from God – involves works (Ephesians 2:8-10), both of which the
Thessalonians had shown; and he thanks God for that, while at the same time
encouraging them to continued perseverance in the midst of severe trials.
Additionally, genuine faith directs the believer to hope in the second coming
of Jesus Christ; believers acknowledge that God raised Him from the dead, and
this resurrection would be pointless if He weren’t coming back to gather His
own. It is also this second coming of Jesus that will rescue His people from
the coming wrath of God – a major concern of the Thessalonians. It appears
that they may have been moved to faith and repentance by the threat of just
judgment on sin. Thus, we conclude that, as Paul’s typical preaching among
Gentiles (Athens for example) included an emphasis on the just judgment of
God, it is good to consider the wrath of God in order that we might revel in
the mercy shown us by God and praise Him more full for rescuing us through
Jesus Christ. Footnotes1. 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas 2. 1:1 Some early manuscripts you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ Bible text from Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. |