1 THESSALONIANS 3

Survey of the chapter
The chapter is in two parts. Verses 1-5 give reasons why the apostle sent Timothy back to the Thessalonians. Verses 6-13 give his response to the report Timothy brought back to him. The whole chapter shows us clearly the great love and concern the apostle had for the believers in Thessalonica, and as such he is a great example to all evangelists, that they should not be so busy moving on that they forget to keep in touch with those they have seen saved.

Structure of the chapter

(a)	Verses 1-5	Concern of the apostle for the Thessalonian believers
(b)	Verses 6-13	Comfort the apostle received from Timothy’s report

(a) Verses 1-5
Concern of the apostle for the Thessalonian believers

3:1
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

Wherefore when we could no longer forbear- this is a strong expression, for the apostle was very concerned for the welfare of the Thessalonian believers, given that he had left them in a hurry because of the persecutions of the Jews. Satan had hindered him from going back, 2:18, but he feels it necessary to get news of the believers by some means.

We thought it good to be left at Athens alone- the apostle is not saying that it was good for him to be alone, but that he is prepared to accept that it is the good will of God that he be temporarily alone whilst Timothy goes back to Thessalonica. The good lay in the desired result, not in the present loneliness.

This is an instance where there seems to be a discrepancy between the history as given in the Book of Acts, and the apostle’s version of events here. The following are Paul’s travel details as given by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles:

1. Because of the opposition of the Jews in Thessalonica, the brethren sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea, Acts 17:10.

2. The Jews from Thessalonica came to Berea and stirred up the people, verse 13.

3. The brethren sent Paul away, “to go as it were to the sea”, verse 14. Timothy and Silas remained at Berea.

4. Those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens, and he gave them a message to take back to Timothy and Silas to come to Athens “with all speed”, verse 15.

5. While Paul waited for them in Athens, he preached in the city, and also on Mar’s Hill, verses 16-34.

6. He left Athens and came to Corinth, Acts 18:1.

7. Silas and Timothy come from Macedonia to Paul at Corinth, verse 5.

There is an apparent difference between Acts 18:5 saying Timothy and Silas came from Macedonia to Paul when he was in Corinth, and the apostle himself saying that he was so concerned about the Thessalonians that he was prepared to be alone in Athens, which he would be if he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica. This implies strongly that Timothy was with him when he made the decision.

A forger would have noticed this, and would have tried to give some explanation for this seeming mistake. The fact that the epistle makes no such attempt is a sign of its genuineness, for the apostle Paul, the true author of the epistle, was unperturbed by the matter, confident that both his account, and Luke’s, were correct.

It is not difficult to reconcile the two accounts as follows:

Silas and Timothy were instructed by the apostle to come to Athens “with all speed”, which we may be confident they did.

When they were all together in Athens, Paul, concerned for the believers he had left so hurriedly, sent Timothy back to Thessalonica, and possibly Silas to Berea. This decision may have been taken when Paul saw that there was not much response to the gospel in Athens, and he planned to go on to Corinth. So Timothy and Silas knew they would need to find him in Corinth when they came back from Macedonia.

At this point, Paul was left at Athens alone, as he says he was.

Timothy and Silas return from Macedonia, (which would include both Thessalonica and Berea), to Paul who is now at Corinth, and Timothy is able to report to Paul on the condition of the saints in Thessalonica.

3:2
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:

And sent Timotheus, our brother, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ- Timothy is well-fitted to be the stand-in for the apostle. He is a brother, and “a brother is born for adversity”, Proverbs 17:17. So he is not only a true believer in the family of God, but one who is a great encouragement to the apostle in the trials he faced. Perhaps Timothy was more Greek-looking, (having a Greek father), than Paul, a Jew, could ever be, and so was not so conspicuous as he went back to Thessalonica.

And minister of God- so he serves God’s interests genuinely as one who met the qualifications of a deacon, 1 Timothy 3:8-13. It is God’s will that ministers be proved, and then minister. In other words, there must be time for the qualifications of a deacon to manifest themselves, and then they may minister.

And our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ- he can be called a fellow-labourer by the apostle, for he was one who preached the same gospel as he did. These are worthy commendations indeed, but there is no reason why they might not be displayed in our day. Those who preach the gospel should do so in such a way that the apostle Paul could be associated with them in it.

To establish you- new converts need to be thoroughly grounded in the truth, and the apostle felt keenly the fact that he was wrenched away from these young believers before he had opportunity to teach them. He is confident, however, that Timothy, whom he has just described as a minister of God, is fully able to do this.

And to comfort you concerning your faith- life was not easy for these young believers, given the hostility of the unbelievers. They not only need to be taught, but also encouraged, (comforted), in the things of God, so that they persevere in the things into which they have been brought.

3:3
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

That no man should be moved by these afflictions- Paul is not content that only some of his converts should make progress. He desired it for all. As he wrote to the Colossians, “to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”, Colossians 1:28.

For yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto- he would have told them the words of the Lord Jesus, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you”, John 15:20. And, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”, John 16:33.

3:4
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 verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation- for the apostle, tribulation was not a theory, but a felt reality. He had experienced it at Thessalonica, so the believers had seen at first hand what was ahead of them.

Even as it came to pass, and ye know- as becomes evident from his second epistle to them, some in Thessalonica were thinking that the Great Tribulation had begun, so fierce was the opposition they faced. He reminds them here that the tribulation had come to pass, so it was a present reality, so could not be the Great Tribulation that awaits the world after the rapture of the saints. They knew this from the apostle when he was with them, so they should not waver in their belief in his absence. It is good when believers flourish even though those who have taught them are no longer available.

3:5
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.

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith- that is, whether they were wavering in their beliefs. It is not possible for a true believer to lose salvation, for it is not of works at all, whether before or after conversion. But it is possible to lose one’s initial enthusiasm for the truths of the faith in the face of the opposition of the enemies of the truth. We may all be reassured by the knowledge that one of the things our Great High Priest is praying about is that our faith fail not, Luke 22:31,32.

Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain- the apostle was very aware of the devices of the enemy of souls. He is exceedingly clever, and his cleverness is combined with subtilty, as we see from his attack on Eve in the Garden. He succeeded in convincing her that his word was to be accepted, rather than God’s. This is always his tactic, although it is presented in many disguises. The great contrast to Eve in the Garden is Christ in the wilderness. He met the temptations of the enemy, not with a phrase such as, “Verily, verily I say unto thee”, which words we could not say, but “It is written”, words we can say. He went on, “Man shall not live by bread alone”, so He met the tempter not just as the Son of God, but as a man, as we have to do.

(b) Verses 6-13
Comfort the apostle received from Timothy’s report

3:6
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:

But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity- now that Timothy has returned from Thessalonica, the anxiety the apostle felt was relieved, for Timothy could report that their faith and charity flourished. There is no mention of hope here, in contrast to 1:3. It seems they were a little confused about future events, which is why so much of the remainder of this epistle, and the second chapter of the second epistle, is taken up with prophetic matters.

And that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you- one of the tests that the apostle John set out for a genuine believer was his reaction to the words of the apostles. He wrote, “We are of God: he that is of God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us”, 1 John 4:6. So John first of all establishes that he and his fellow apostles are of God, (the word “we” is emphatic, thus indicating a special group), and then makes reaction to what he and his fellow-apostles have to say the test, for to reject them is to reject those sent of God with authority. It is heartening, therefore, for the apostle Paul, that his converts are still in harmony with him and his doctrines. They show this by not only having happy memories of the time when Paul first came, but also by wanting to see him again. If they were not true believers that would be the last thing they would want.

3:7
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith- the undimmed faith of the Thessalonians was a great encouragement to the apostle, especially since he suffered much for the sake of the gospel, and had been in a certain amount of distress in his concern for their spiritual welfare.

3:8
For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord- so bound up with the Thessalonians was he, that if they had faltered, he would have wondered whether life was worth living. He had devoted his life to the cause of Christ, and that life involved achieving its goal in the hearts and lives of believers. There was much opposition, but they were standing firm, and the Lordship of Christ was the vital thing that encouraged them. No opposition can succeed against Him and His authority.

3:9
For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God- we see in these expressions what it was that gave the apostle joy. It was not earthly pleasures, but the spiritual pleasure of knowing that souls were going on for God. As the apostle John wrote, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”, 3 John 4. He, and Paul, rejoiced before God; they did not boast of their achievements in the hearing of others, but quietly gave thanks to God.

3:10
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face- he laboured night and day at his tentmaking, and all the while his heart was lifted in thankfulness to God as he prayed that he might be able to visit them again. It is good when a man’s daily occupation leaves him time to think and pray.

And might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? There is always room for improvement in the Christian life. We dare not ever be complacent, and rest on past progress. He prayed for the Colossian believers that they might be “increasing in the knowledge of God”, Colossians 1:10. This is the last phrase of the question he began in verse 9.

3:11
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you- Satan had hindered him from coming earlier, so he prays that Divine Persons may intervene. No doubt the hindering of Satan was used by God to teach the apostle valuable lessons, but he is anticipating here that his prayer that he might see them again is about to be answered. The word “direct” might indicate that he needs guidance as to which way to make his way back to Thessalonica, given the way the Jews pursued him when he left the city. Luke tells us that the brethren sent away Paul from Berea “to go as it were to the sea”, Actas 17:14. It is as if they had to make out they were going one way, but went another, to escape from their pursuers. Paul seems to anticipate that he may have to use this tactic again, and so asks for direction as to the way to take.

3:12
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another- having expressed concern about their faith, he now urges them to grow in love towards one another, (the word increase means to superabound), and in that increased atmosphere of love, let there be an abundance of ways of expressing it.

And toward all men- whilst the love of believers for one another is of a special sort, being the expression of Christ’s love to them, nevertheless all men should be the objects of the Christian’s love. Many a soul has been saved through the loving care and interest that believers have taken in them.

3:13
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.

To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father- it is not so much that by being loving they increase in holiness, but that the increase in holiness God expects of us is furthered and fostered in an atmosphere of love. The standard of holiness is high, being nothing less than total freedom from blame for being unholy. The command of our Father is “Be ye holy; for I am holy”, 1 Peter 1:16.

At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints- again, the second coming of Christ to the earth is the focus of the apostle’s attention. He has the strong desire that the unblameable holiness of the believers might enhance the glory of Christ as He comes with His saints. The apostle seems to have emphasised this coming of the Lord Jesus, rather than His coming for the church, for he later has to explain that coming to them. The Jews charged Paul with preaching “another king, one Jesus”, Acts 17:7. That seems to have been the subject of his teaching of prophetic matters, together with Old Testament scriptures relating to Messiah’s coming reign, 1 Thessalonians 5:1.