The Hope of the Gospel (Past: Paul's Continued Concern)

 

As we've said before, the Thessalonian letters are rooted in the past, in the past history of Paul. On his second missionary journey, a series of events and divine leading had brought Paul to Macedonia, first to Philippi and then to Thessalonica. There he had preached and people had believed; he had established a thriving church there. But persecution had forced Paul to leave Thessalonica and travel to Berea. Once again, he preached and gained a following and once again, persecution had forced him to flee. Acts 17:15 describes his exit from Berea: “And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.”

So Paul had ended up in Athens. But though he had traveled away from Thessalonica, he was still very much interested in what was happening there. He was absent from them in body but not in spirit. That sets up this passage:

(1 Thessalonians 3:1-13) Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; and sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: that no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

One of the main takeaways from this passage is the depths of Paul's concern for his converts. Paul was a traveling evangelist. He didn't always stay very long in one place (though often not by his own choice), but just because he had moved on that didn't mean he lost interest in them. He didn't cross Thessalonica off his list and move on. He still cared about them. Part of this was probably a normal, human friendship, but it was also a spiritual concern. Paul hated being parted from people he cared about, but he was also worried about how their spiritual life was progressing in his absence.

As we saw before, persecution played a major role in the history of the Thessalonian church. It was because of persecution that Paul ended up Thessalonica in the first place and it was because of persecution that he had left. And seemingly that persecution had continued after Paul had left. This seems to be the main thing worrying Paul.

Verses 3 and 4 talk about afflictions and tribulation. Paul was aware of the tribulation that the Thessalonian church was facing and was concerned. But his concern was not merely sympathy for their suffering. He was concerned because this persecution would give rise to a temptation. In verse 5, Paul says his concern was that the tempter might have tempted them. Paul knew that there was an enemy of their faith who would take every opportunity to try to trip up these Christians.

And persecution, for obvious reasons, would definitely bring some pressure to bear on Christians, some temptation. It would be easy to want to give up to escape the persecution that they were facing. It would be easy to doubt God's care and protection if following Him immediately led to trouble. Speaking of the persecution in verses 3-4, Paul says “we.” This probably means in general all Christians—because all Christians face persecution. But some have suggested that it means specifically Paul and his companions—and that the persecution they faced might be a temptation for their followers—that the Thessalonians might be tempted to doubt that Paul was a true representative of God if he faced so much trouble and tribulation. Would a chosen minister of God be forced to run out of town under the cover of darkness like a common rascal?

They were facing persecution; obviously a bad thing, but it wasn't the main concern Paul had. Persecution, in one sense, isn't bad; at least, it is not the main bad thing. They were facing temptation, but that wasn't the main bad thing. The main bad thing—the thing that Paul was worried about—was that this persecution and the temptation which it afforded would lead to apostasy; that it would lead to their giving up faith.

Their persecutors could oppress them, perhaps beat them, perhaps even kill them. But, ultimately, they could not hurt them. The Devil would try to tempt them; but ultimately, the Devil could not hurt them. The only thing that could hurt them would be if they gave in to the temptation and the persecution. 

Those to whom Hebrews was written were facing persecution as well and the book was written largely to encourage them. The author reminded them of the reward they would receive and told them to hold on to their faith. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:36-38) They had to remain faithful if they wanted to receive their reward; because there was the danger that they might not remain faithful.

And that was the danger Paul was concerned about. In verse 3, he says that he was concerned that they would be “moved” by their afflictions. The word means to move or waver; it is the word used for a dog wagging its tail. Paul didn't want them to be shaken and moved away from their faith. In verse 5, he carries on the thought, saying that if they had fallen into temptation, then his labor would have been in vain. If they had given up their faith, then Paul's work would have been nothing. Paul had preached to them and they had become Christians; but if they rejected Christ because of persecution, then Paul's work would have been all for nothing. It wasn't enough for them to start out well if they didn't continue on to the end of the journey. 

And the thing they had to remember was this wasn't an interruption of the journey.  This wasn't a detour or derailment. This was something to be expected; not only that ought, in theory, to be expected, but which specifically had every reason to suspect.

In verse 4, Paul says that while he was in Thessalonica, he had told them that they would suffer tribulation, and it had happened just as he said. In Greek, this sentence expresses an ongoing action in the past. The NET Bible translates it: “we were telling you in advance that we would suffer affliction.” To me, this implies that this wasn't something Paul happened to mention once or twice in his preaching; this was something he had made a deliberate point to teach them as part of the gospel. Paul knew that this was something that was going to happen and he wanted them to be prepared. 

It was inevitable given what happened in Thessalonica. Given how the Jews had persecuted Paul while he was there, he knew the persecution would continue even after he left. But beyond this, persecution is something all Christians face in some form. They weren't alone. But persecution wasn't simply something that was going to happen. In verse 3, he reminds them of something they knew “That we are appointed therunto.” This was something that God allowed to happen; it was part of God's plan.

So Paul was concerned; concerned about the state of the Thessalonians, afraid that they might, perhaps already had, given way to temptation in the face of persecution. And he didn't simply sit there being concerned. He took action.

As I said, Paul had left Berea and come to Athens, where Timothy and Silas were supposed to meet him. This is debated, but it appears that Silas did not join him—perhaps something came up with required him to stay in Berea or to go to one of the other churches in Macedonia. But Timothy did join Paul. Even though Timothy was, so to speak, the junior member of the team, Paul thought very highly of him and depended on him greatly. Notice how he describes him in verse 2—as a minister, a brother, and a fellow-laborer. Paul depended greatly on Timothy, but he decided to send Timothy to Thessalonica, leaving himself alone.

He sent Timothy to Thessalonica to find out about their state. But it was not just to find information. Paul said that he sent Timothy to establish and comfort them. The word 'establish' means “to set fast.” Beacon compares it to adding supports to a building. Paul wanted them to be firm in their faith; he didn't want them to give up. 

So, while Paul was in Athens, he sent Timothy to check up on and minister to the Thessalonian church. Paul then left Athens and traveled to Corinth, where he established a church and ministered for a long period. While there, we have this record: "And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ." (Acts 18:5) Timothy, after his time in Thessalonica, rejoined Paul at Corinth. (Most likely, Silas had meanwhile remained in Berea and rejoined Timothy on his trip to Corinth.) And when Timothy came, he brought good news.

The Thessalonians were keeping the faith and they also had love for one another. They were doing well, despite their circumstances. The persecution had strengthened the church instead of weakening it.

As we saw in a previous lesson, Paul's enemies seem to have been running a smear campaign against Paul. Paul probably knew or suspected it. But Timothy told him that the church still had a good memory of him and wanted to see him. They were still friends. This brought Paul comfort.

In verse 8, Paul says: “For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”  Clarke paraphrases that: “Your steadfastness in the faith gives me new life and comfort; I now feel that I live to some purpose, as my labour in the Lord is not in vain.” You might say that the Thessalonians' faithfulness gave him a new lease on life. Perhaps connected to the statement in Acts that when Timothy and Silas joined Paul in Corinth, he started preaching with renewed vigor. In Chapter 2, Paul said that the Thessalonians were his hope and joy. He was invigorated to find out that they were doing well. 

A man whose hope is in money would be happy to know his business was doing well. Paul's treasure was his converts. He was thankful to God because of this news and he was praying continually for a chance to return and work with them again.

But it wasn't just a desire to see them or ee with them. He wanted to continue helping them with their faith. He wanted to “perfect that which is lacking in your faith.” They were making good progress, but Paul wanted more. This was always Paul's desire--to see people grow in the faith.

In verse 11, Paul breaks into prayer. First, this a prayer that he might be able to see them again. Second, it is a prayer that they would continue to increase in their love both for each other and for all men. Thirdly, a prayer that they would be established. This was Paul's end goal for his converts: that they would be established, pure, unblameable—so that they could stand before God. Again, we leap forward towards the future. When Christ returns, it will be with His saints, His holy ones. Paul's desire was the Thessalonians would be able to stand as part of that group; that when the rolled is called up yonder they would be there.