1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1-99

ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE

I. (1:1)

Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly of Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.

1. The superscription, which is to be distinguished from the address written “ on the outside or on the cover of the folded letter” (Deissmann, Light, 148), comprises, as in contemporary letters, the name of the writer in the nominative, the people addressed in the dative, and the greeting. Although it is the shortest of extant Pauline superscriptions, it contains the essential points of the more developed forms, not simply the names of writers and recipients but also the divine names God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the characteristically Pauline “ grace and peace.” The Holy Spirit is mentioned in no superscription and in but one benediction (2 Corinthians 13:13).

The inscription ΠΡΟΣΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΙΣ (א BAK, et al.), like the inscriptions and subscriptions in most mss. and like the introductions in some mss., is editorial and seems to presuppose a corpus Paulinum with some such title as ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΙΠΑΥΛΟ For elaborations of this briefest form of inscription (e. g. in DGF with a prefixed ἄρχετα ; in P with a prefixed παύλουἐπιστολη , or in G with a prefixed ἄρχετα and an added πρώτηἐπιστολή ). see von Soden, Schriften des N. T. I, 294 ff. For the influence of contemporary literature upon the general form and many phrases of the Pauline and other N. T. letters, see Deissmann, BS. 187 ff., EB. II, 1323 ff., and Light; Rendel Harris, Exp5 VIII, 161 ff., 401 ff.; Robinson, Ephesians, 275 ff.; Mill. 121 ff.; and Moff.

Introd. 44 ff. Useful selections from contemporary letters may be found in Lietzmann, Griechische Papyri, 1905; Witkowski, Epistulae graecae privatae, 1906; and Mill. Selections from the Greek Papyri, 1910.

Since Silvanus and Timothy were with Paul in Thessalonica when the church was established and with him in Corinth when both our letters were written (Acts 18:5; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:19), it is natural to find the three names associated in the superscription. Paul takes precedence as he is the leading spirit and the letter is his in a peculiar sense; Silvanus, the Silas of Acts, comes next; and Timothy, who was not only a helper but a preacher (2 Corinthians 1:19), as youngest comes last. While the letter is Paul’ s, the exceptionally frequent appearance of “ we” where it is natural to think primarily not of an epistolary plural but of Paul and his companions suggests an intimacy of association in writing which is not true of 1 Cor. where Sosthenes is joined with Paul in the superscription, nor of 2 Cor. Col. Phile. Phil. where Timothy is joined with Paul.

It is generally admitted that “ we” may be used in various senses including that of the epistolary plural (cf. not only Paul (1 Corinthians 9:11 and 9:15), but also Polybius, Josephus, and the papyri); but it is observed with force by Mill. (131-132) that owing to the “ special circumstances under which the two epistles were written, we shall do well to give its full weight to this normal use of the plural in them, and to think of it as including St. Paul’ s two companions along with himself wherever on other grounds this is possible” ; cf. Zahn, Introd. I 209 ff. On the other hand, Dob. thinks that thought the associated authors may be in mind they have no prerogatives whatever (67-68); see Dick, Der schriftstellerische Plural bei Paulus, 1900.

The form Σιλβανό (DG; cf. B in 1 Peter 5:12) is regular in the papyri (Mill.); cf. P. Oxy. 335 (c. 85 a.d.) where Παῦλο sells Σιλβανό the sixth part of a house in the Jewish quarter. Our Silvanus is a Jew and a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37); cf. Schmiedel, EB 4514 ff. Timothy was of mixed Gentile and Jewish blood; whether a Roman citizen or not is unknown; cf. Moff. EB 5074 ff.

The designation ἀπόστολο does not appear in the superscription of the Macedonian letters and Philemon; it appears in that of Gal 1:2 Cor. addressed to communities in which Judaists attacked Paul’ s apostleship (Philippians 3:2 ff. refers to unbelieving Jews as Lipsius, McGiffert, and most recently Dob. (117) insist); in that of Rom., a community not founded by him and not sharing his distinctive views, to which he is presenting his gospel; and in that of Col. Eph., churches founded by his converts whose Christianity he vouches for.

τῇἐκκλησίᾳΘεσσαλονικέω . There is but one Christian group in Thessalonica; it is small numerically, unless πλῆθοςπολυ (Acts 17:4) is to be pressed, but intense in faith (v. 8; cf. Romans 1:8, Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:23); and it assembles perhaps in the house of Jason.

The numerical strength of the church in the house of Prisca and Aquila (1 Corinthians 16:19, Romans 16:5) is computed by Gregory (Canon and Text of the N. T. 524) to be at least fifty. Whether the church in Thess. that Paul addressed was as large as that is quite unknown.

No good reasons have been adduced to show why we have here and in II 1:1 (cf. Colossians 4:16) the nomen gentilicium θεσσαλονικεύ instead of the name of the place (Galatians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1). The view of von Soden (SK 1885, 274) that Paul “ under the influence of the fresh impression of his success thinks of the inhabitants as already as a whole in touch with the church,” is unlikely in the light of the similar τῇΛαοδικέωνἐκκλησίᾳ in Colossians 4:16. Equally obscure is the fact that I, II, Galatians 1:2 Cor. Phile. are addressed to the “ church” or “ churches” while Rom. Col. Eph. are addressed to the saints and brethren.

ἐνθεῷπατρὶκαὶκυρίῳἸ . This phrase, found only here and in II 1:1 and to be attached closely to the preceding as in 2:14, specifies the Christian character of the ἐκκλησί in contrast with the civic assembly of the Gentiles and the theocratic assembly of the Jews (Chrys.). The omission of τῇ after θεσς , which on the analogy of Gal 1:22 might have been retained, serves to accentuate the closeness of the attachment. Both the phrase as a whole and its component parts ἐνθεῷπατρι (II 1:1) and ἐνκυρίῳἸ . Χ (II 1:1, 3:12) are peculiar to our letters.

The ἐ , however, is the ἐ of the characteristic Pauline phrases ἐνΧριστῷἸησου (2:14, 5:18 and often in Paul), ἐνΧριστῷ (4:16 and often in Paul), ἐνκυρίῳ (3:8, 5:12, II 3:4 and often in Paul), ἐνκυρίῳἸησου (4:1, Romans 14:14, Ephesians 1:15, Philippians 2:19), ἐνΧριστῷἸησοῦτῷκυρίῳἡμῶ (1 Corinthians 15:31, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:39, Ephesians 3:11, but not in I, II), ἐνπνεύματ (v. 5; Romans 8:9, Romans 9:1, etc.), and ἐντῷθεῷ (2:2; Colossians 3:3, Ephesians 3:9, but not Romans 2:17, Romans 5:11). The relation of the human and divine indicated by ἐ is local and realistic; the human is in the atmosphere of the divine. There is presupposed the indwelling of God (1 Corinthians 14:25, 2 Corinthians 6:16), Christ (Romans 8:10), or the Spirit (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11) as an energising (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:16, Philippians 2:13) power both ethical and permanent. Hence when a man is in Christ or the Spirit, terms interchangeable as regards the operations, or in God, or when a man is possessed by them (ἔχει Romans 8:19, 1 Corinthians 7:40), he is as such under the control of a divine power that makes for newness of life (cf. ἐνδυνάμειπνεύματο Romans 15:13, Romans 15:19). The divine air which the human breathes is charged, so to speak, with ethical energy.

The new in these phrases with ἐ is neither the realism of the relation nor the grammatical form (cf. ἐνκυρίῳ Habakkuk 3:18; ἐνπνεύματ Ezekiel 11:24, Ezekiel 37:1) but the combination of ἐ with Χριστῷ , a combination due to Paul’ s experience of Christ as Spirit and Lord. For influences on Paul’ s conception, see Gunkel (Die Wirkungen des Geistes, 1888, 100 ff.); Deissmann (Die neutestamentliche Formel in Christo Jesu, 1892); Volz (Der Geist Gottes, 1910, 198 ff.); Reitzenstein (Die hellenistischen Mysterienreligionen, 1910) and a critique of the same in Schweitzer’ s Geschichte der Paulinischen Forschung, 1911, 141-184, especially 170 ff.; Deissmann’ s Paulus, 1911, 87 ff.; and Percy Gardner’ s Religious Experience of St. Paul, 1911. An analogy to Paul’ s phrase is found in ἐνπνεύματιἀκαθάρτῳ (Mark 1:23) and ἔχεινπνεῦμαἀκάθαρτο (Mark 3:30); the man is in the demon because the demon is in the man as an energising (cf. II 2:7, Ephesians 2:2; also II 2:9, 11) force; δαίμονοςγὰροὐσίαἐνέργει (Reitzenstein, Poimandres, 35224).

θεῷπατρι . The omission of the articles indicates that the phrase had long been fixed for Paul (cf. also II 1:2 (BD) Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:3 (BD) Ephesians 6:23, Philippians 2:11). The name Father, inherited by the Master (cf. Bousset, Relig 432 ff.) and put into the central place in his teaching, is confirmed as primary in Paul’ s redemptive experience. It is striking that this name occurs in passages giving fervent expression to his religious life, and that it is joined usually with the name Christ, e. g. in the superscriptions, thanksgivings (1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:3, Colossians 1:3, Colossians 3:17, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 5:20), prayers (3:11, 13, II 2:16, Romans 15:6, Ephesians 6:23), and the like (1 Corinthians 8:6, 15:24, 28, 2 Corinthians 11:31, Romans 6:4, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 4:6). It is probable that as Paul insists that no man can say κύριοςἸησοῦ but in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3), so he would insist that no man can say Ἀββάὁπατή (Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:15) but in the same Spirit. At all events, Paul’ s specifically Christian name of the God of both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 3:29) is “ God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” “ Our Father.”

κυρίῳἸ . Χ . In these words both the primitive (Acts 2:36) and the Pauline convictions about Jesus are summed up: he is Messiah and Lord. The Lordship of Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:3, Romans 10:9), Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 8:6, Romans 13:14, Philippians 2:11), Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:5, Colossians 2:6) is the essence of the Pauline experience; it receives conspicuous emphasis in the second epistle (see on II 2:13). While both ἸησοῦςΧριστό and ΧριστὸςἸησοῦ have already become proper names, the Messianic connotation of Χριστό is not lost (cf. Romans 9:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Philippians 1:15, Ephesians 1:10, etc.). It is Jesus the Messiah who is Lord.

On the divine names in I, II, see Mill. 135-140. Dob., (60-61) explains the placing of Χριστό before Ἰησοῦ (e. g. 2:14, 5:18), to which SH 3ff.) call attention, as due to the ambiguity of the casus obliqui of Ἰησοῦ ; for apart from Romans 8:34, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Colossians 2:6, the order Χ . Ἰ appears only in the formulæ ΧριστοῦἸησου and ἐνΧριστῷἸησου , while Paul writes continually κυρίουἸ . Χ and ἐνκυρίῳἸ . Χ

χάριςὑμῖνκαὶεἰρήν . This phrase, common to all the ten Pauline superscriptions, bears, like the phrase ένΧριστῷ , the stamp of Paul’ s experience. It is likewise the shortest Pauline præ script. χάρι , used here in its widest sense, is the favour of God by which he acquits all sinners, Jews and Gentiles, solely on the principle of faith and grants them freedom from the power of sin and newness of the life in Christ or the Spirit. εἰρήν is the spiritual prosperity enjoyed by the recipients of the divine favour. What is expressed in all the other letters of Paul , namely, that grace and peace come from God the (our) Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, is already implied in ἐνθεῷκτλ There is, however, no reason either here or in Col. for attaching χάρι to the clause with ἐ

In coining, as he apparently does coin, this form of greeting, Paul is less influenced by current epistolary phrases than by his conviction that the blessings of the promised Messianic kingdom (Isaiah 9:5, Psalms 72:3) are realised only through the grace of God in Christ.

It is generally assumed (cf. Fritzsche on Romans 1:7 or Zahn on Galatians 1:3) that the Pauline greeting is suggested both by the Semitic and the Greek.

The influence of the Aramaic in εἰρήν (Ezra 4:17, Ezra 5:7, Dan. 3:31 (98), 6:26; see BDB sub ש ל ם may have been felt ; but it is doubtful (Robinson, Ephesians, 141) whether χάρι has anything to do with χαίρει (James 1:1.Acts 15:23, Acts 23:26), for in some papyri at least , χαίρει is the greeting and χάρι the thanksgiving. On the other hand, cf. 2 Mal 1:1 χαίρει … καὶεἰρήνηνἀγαθή (Nestle, Exp. Times, 1911, vol. XXIII, 94).

The word χάρι is rare in the Prophets and Psalms but frequent in the Wisdom literature. Paul’ s usage has affected Luke and First Peter. The Johannist prefers ἀλήθει to χάριεἴ or (Since in later Gk. the optative tends to disappear) ἔστ is to be supplied, in accordance with Semitic (Dan. 3:98 Lxx 1 Peter 1:2, etc.), not Greek usage. The position of ὑμῖ serves to distinguish both χάρι and εἰρήν (Bl 80:2). It is doubtless “ pedantry to reflect on the fact that the readers as Christians possess already that grace, that hence only an increase of the same could be desired for them” (Dob.). Most editors omit with BGF Orig. Pesh, Arm, f g r, Vulg the usual clause with ἀπο The insertion of the same by א ADKLP, et al., is more explicable than its omission.

II. (1:2-3:10)

In the thanksgiving (1:2-3:10; cf. 1:2, 2:13, 3:9) and closely related prayer (3:11-13) covering the major portion of the letter, Paul reviews his attitude to the church during his visit (1:2-2:16) and during the interval between his enforced departure and the writing of I (2:17-3:10). Though he praises without stint the faith and love of his converts, hardly mentioning the imperfections that exist (3:8, 10), and though his words pulsate with warmest affection, yet a tone of self-defence is heard throughout. The constant appeal to the knowledge or memory of the readers as regards his behaviour (1:5, 2:1-12), the references to oral reports which concern not only them but him (1:9), the insistence on the fact that the writers desired— Paul himself repeatedly— to return (2:17-20), the statement that the writers, Paul especially, had determined to send Timothy (3:1-5), and finally the prayer that the writers may return (3:11)— all serve to intimate that Paul is defending both his conduct during the visit and his failure to return against the allegations, not of the converts, not of Judaizers (for there are none in Thessalonica), not of the Gentile persecutors (2:14), for they are not attacked, but, as the ominous outburst (2:15-16) suggests, of the Jews.

It may be conjectured that the Jews, after Paul’ s departure, were maligning his conduct and misconstruing his failure to return. Indeed they may well have been the real instigators of Gentile persecutions. Though it is unlikely that the converts actually distrusted Paul (3:6), it is not improbable that they were wrought up and worried by the representations of the Jews, especially since Paul did not return. Whether he had heard of the matter before he despatched Timothy is uncertain but altogether probable. That the self-defence arises purely from a suspicion of Paul without any basis of fact (Dob. 106-107) is unlikely. In the light of 2:15-16, the Jews not the Gentiles (cf. Zahn, Introd. I, 217-218) are the accusers.

(1) Visit and Welcome (1:2-10)

Paul thanks God, as he bears in mind the spiritual excellence of the readers, for their election, the certainty of which is inferred from the presence of the Spirit controlling not only the converts who welcomed the gospel in spite of persecutions (vv. 6-10; cf. 2:13-16), but also the preachers themselves (vv. 5, 9a; cf. 2:1-12).

2We thank God always for you all, making mention of you when we pray, 3bearing in mind continually your work resulting from faith, and your activity prompted by love, and your endurance sanctioned by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4because we know, brothers beloved by God, that you have been chosen, 5from the fact that the gospel we preach did not come to you with words only but also with power, and in the Holy Spirit and much conviction,— as you know the kind of men we became to you for your sake; 6and (from the fact that) you became imitators of us and of the Lord, welcoming the Word in the midst of great persecution with the joy that the Holy Spirit gives, 7so that you became a model community to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia: 8for starting from you the Word of the Lord has sounded out not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place your faith in God has gone out, so that we need not utter a word about you, 9for they themselves are reporting about us what kind of visit we paid you, and (about you) how you turned to God leaving behind those idols of yours, for the purpose of serving the living and genuine God 10and of awaiting his Son who comes down out of the heavens, whom he raised from the dead,— Jesus who delivers us from the judgment that is coming.

The epistolary arrangement of I (χάπι 1:1; εὐχαριστοῦμε 1:2-3:10; αὐτὸςδε 3:11-13; ἐρωτῶμε 4:1-5:22; προσεύχεσθ 5:25; ἀσπάσασθ 5:26; χάρι 5:28) may be compared with BGU, 423 (saec. ii, a.d., quoted by Robinson, op. cit. 276): πλεῖσταχαίρειν , εὔχομαι , εὐχαριστω … ὅτι , ἐρωτῶ , ἄσπασαι , ἐρρῶσθαίσεεὔχομαι Some of the phrases in v. 2 ff. may be compared with P. Lond. 42 (saec. ii, b.c., quoted by Deiss. BS 209 ff.): οἱἐνοἴκῳπάντεςσουδιαπαντὸςμνείανποιούμενο … ἐπὶμὲντῷἐρρῶσθαίσεεὐθέωςτοῖςθεοῖςεὐχαρίστου ; with BGU, 632 (saec. ii, a.d., quoted by Robinson, op. cit. 276): μνίανσουποιούμενο ; and with 1 Mac. 12:11.

As in the papyri, so also in Paul’ s letters, there is freedom in the use both of the general epistolary outline and of the separate phrases. In Paul, the simplest thanksgiving is II 1:3, Romans 1:3. This is expanded in I 1:4, Colossians 1:4, Philemon 1:5 by a causal participle without ὅτ ; in 1 Corinthians 1:4 by clauses with ἐπι and ὅτ ; in Philippians 1:3 ff. with two clauses with ἐπι and a causal participle. In Phil. and our letter, the thanksgiving is full, while Gal. has no thanksgiving. In 2 Cor. and Eph., the O. T. εὐλογητὸςὁθεό takes the place of εὐχαριστοῦμε

From Paul’ s usage we may assume that περὶπάντωνὑμῶ is to be taken not with μνείανποιούμενο but with εὐχαριστοῦμε , as the simpler form (1 Corinthians 1:4, Romans 1:8) suggests; that μνημονεύοντε is parallel to and an expansion of μνείανποιούμενοι as δεόμενο (Romans 1:10; contrast Philemon 1:4, Ephesians 1:16) indicates; and that εἰδότε is a causal participle depending on εὐχαριστοῦμε , while ὅτ depends not on the latter but on the former. Doubtful is the reference of ἀδιαλείπτω and ἔμπροσθε ; v. infra.

2. εὐχαριστοῦμενκτλ . Thankfulness is not only felt but is expressed to God, and that too always and for all; in saying πάντων Paul is thinking not of their imperfections (3:10) but of their faith and love and personal affection (3:6).

Inasmuch as Paul always uses the article in the phrase εὐχαριστεῖντῷθεῷ , τῷ is not significant in this case. Born (69) presses the article to mean “ the one God” in contrast to the pagan gods. But quite apart from the lack of definiteness in the use of the article (Bl 46:6), it is to be noted that ὁθεό is more frequent than θεό in Paul; in I the proportion is about three to one, in Romans slightly greater; and in Col. all but two of the twenty-three cases have the article; cf. I 4:6 with Galatians 4:9— Both πάντοτ (except Romans 1:10) and περὶὑμῶ (except Philemon 1:4) follow εὐχαριστεῖ in the initial thanksgivings of Paul. πάντοτ , a late word, is rare in the Lxx (Sap. 11:21, 19:18) but common in Paul (3:6, 5:16, II 1:11, etc.). ἀει occurs a score or more times in the Gk. Bib. (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:11, 2 Corinthians 6:10); ἑκάστοτ but once (2 Peter 1:15).— For περι , we have ὑπέ in Philippians 1:3, Colossians 1:3 (v. l.); the distinction between them is fading away (Moult I, 105).

μνείανποιούμενοικτλ This participial clause defines πάντοτ (cf. Philemon 1:4). ἐπὶτῶνπροσευχῶνἡμῶ = προσευχόμενο (Colossians 1:3); ἐπι = “ in the time of.” Each time that they are engaged in prayer, the writers mention the names of the converts (contrast μνημονεύει v. 3 and μνείανἔχει 3:6) and give thanks for them.

While both ποεῖσθαιμνείανπερίτινο and ποιεῖσθαιμνείαντινό (cf. Job 14:13, Psalms 110:4, Isaiah 32:10) are classic, epistolary usage favours the latter construction. ὑμῶ is to be supplied. Its omission is due both here and Ephesians 1:16 to the περὶὑμῶ ; its retention by CDG, et al., is influenced by Romans 1:10, Philemon 1:4 (cf. I 3:6, Philippians 1:3 and papyri). ἡμῶ instead of μο (Romans 1:10, Ephesians 1:16, Philemon 1:4) is natural, since Silvanus and Timothy are associated with Paul in the thanksgiving.— The distinction between ἐνταῖςπροσευχαῖ (Dan. Lxx 18, 20; Ign. Mag. 14:1 Trall. 13:1 with μνημονεύειν ; cf. Paul in Romans 15:30, Colossians 4:12) and ἐπὶτῶνπροσευχῶ is probably slight; cf. 1 Mac. 12:11.

3. ἀδιαλείπτωςμνημονεύοντε . “ Bearing in mind continually.” This participial clause, parallel to the defining temporal clause μνείανποιούμενο , suggests the immediate ground of the thanksgiving, while the third parallel εἰδότε gives the ultimate ground (Find.). The never-failing memory of the spiritual excellence of the converts prompts the expression of thanks at every season of prayer.

Whether ἀδιαλείπτω is to be taken with μνημονεύοντε (Chrys., Dob., Dibelius, et al.) or with ποιούμενο Wohl., Mill., Moff., et al.) cannot be determined. In view of the freedom of epistolary usage, the analogy of 1 Mac. 12:11, Romans 1:10 P. Lond. 42 is not decisive. ἀδιαλείπτω is used with μνείανποιεῖσθα (Romans 1:9; cf. 1 Mac. 12:12), εὐχαριστεῖ (2:13), and προσεύχεσθα .— Since μνημονεύει with gen. (Galatians 2:10, Colossians 4:18) refers to the thought not to its expression in prayer before God, it is better to take ἔμπροσθενκτλ not with the distant μνημονεύοντε but with the adjacent ἸησοῦΧριστου (Lft., Mill., Dob.), as indeed the position of the clause and the analogy of 3:13 make probable (but see Lillie, ad loc.).

ὐμῶ … Χριστου . The genitives are somewhat bewildering and the interpretations are various. The most favoured solution is that which joins ὑμῶ with ἔργου , κόπου , ὑπομονῆ , and which explains τῆςπίστεως , τῆςἀγάπη , and τῆςἐλπίδο as subjective genitives, and τοῦκυρίο as an objective genitive qualifying ἐλπίδο . The stress is laid not on faith alone but on the work that results from faith; not on love alone but on the toilsome activity prompted by love; not on endurance alone but on the endurance that is inspired by the hope in Christ. The three phrases τὸἔργοντῆςπίστεως , ὁκόποςτῆςἀγάπη , and ἡὑπομονὴτῆςἐλπίδο may be the coinage of Paul; at least they are not found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. (except II 1:11 ἔργονπίστεω ; Hebrews 6:10 reads not τοῦκόπουτῆςἀγάπη but simply τῆςἀγάπη ), or in the Apostolic Fathers.

Lillie notes that Olshausen and Steiger (1832 on 1 Peter 1:2) connect τοῦκυρίο with all three gen. πίστεως , ἀγάπη and ἐλπίδο , a view to which Dob. inclines. But love to God (Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 8:3) or Christ (1 Corinthians 16:22, Ephesians 6:24) is rare in Paul compared with the love of God or Christ for men. On the name ὁκύριοςἡμῶνἸ . Χ (5:9, 23, 28, II 2:1, 14, 16, 3:18), see below on 2:19.

τοῦἔργουτῆςπίστεω . The work of faith is the activity that faith inspires, that is, love in all its manifestations (as in II 1:11).— τοῦκόπουτῆςἀγάπη . “ The toilsome activity prompted by love.” In this unique phrase, minted from the situation, it is uncertain whether Paul has in mind manual labour necessary to support missionary propaganda, or the laborious missionary effort as such (3:5), or both. Love is not to be restricted to φιλαδελφί .— τῆςὑπομονῆςτῆςἐλπίδο . “ The endurance inspired by hope.” This unique phrase differs from ἡἐλπὶςτῆςὑπομονῆ (4 Mac. 17:4) in that the emphasis is upon endurance. Hope, whose object is Christ (Colossians 1:27), is the confident expectation of spiritual prosperity after death, the hope of salvation (5:8), the good hope (II 2:16) originating in Christ, a hope that those who are not in Christ do not share (4:13).

ὑπομονη (II 1:4, 3:5) is frequent in 4 Mac. (e. g. 15:30) in the sense of καρτερί In 1 Clem. 5:7 Paul himself is ὑπομονῆςμέγιστοςὑπογραμμό In II 3:5 the only adequate endurance is that inspired by Christ.

ἔμπροσθενκτλ . Hope in Christ suggests the day of the Lord when all men must appear before God. For the unbeliever, it is a day of destruction (1:10, 5:3, II 1:9), but for the believer, a day of salvation (1:10, 3:13, 5:9), the fruition of hope. The Judge here is not Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) but God (Romans 14:10), and that too the God and Father of us Christians. As in 2:19, 3:13, ἔμπροσθε is attached loosely to the immediately preceding words.

ὁπατή (Romans 6:4, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:14, Colossians 1:2 v. l.), ἀββάὁπατή (Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:15), ὁθεὸςπατή 3:17), θεὸςὁπατή (1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:12 FG), ὁθεὸςκαὶπατή (1 Corinthians 15:24, Ephesians 5:20), ὁθεὸςκαὶπατὴρτοῦκυρίουἡμῶνἸ . Χ 2 Corinthians 11:31 D) do not occur in I, II. We have, however, θεὸςπατή (1:1, II 1:2 (BD) Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:3 (BD) Ephesians 6:23, Philippians 2:11), θεὸςπατὴρἡμῶ (II 1:1, Galatians 1:3 (א A) Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Philemon 1:3), and ὁθεὸςκαὶπατὴρἡμῶ (1:3, 3:11, 13, Galatians 1:4, Philippians 4:20). Unique is II 2:16 whether we read θεὸςὁπατήρἡμῶ (BD) or ὁθεὸςὁπατὴρἡμῶ (א G). Paul does not use ὁθεὸςἡμῶνκαὶπατή or πατὴρθεό (Sir. 23:4).

4. εἰδότε = ὅτιοἴδαμε . The causal participle (cf. Philippians 1:6, Colossians 1:3, Philemon 1:4) introduces the ultimate ground of the thanksgiving, namely, the election of the readers. Of this election Paul is assured both from the fact that (ὅτ v. 5) the gospel which he preached, the gospel through which God calls men unto salvation (II 2:14), came home to them with the power of the Spirit, and from the fact that (sc. ὅτ before ὑμεῖ v. 6) the same Spirit operated in the believers, as could be plainly inferred from the welcome they gave to the Word and its messengers in spite of great persecution. It is significant both that here, as Calvin observes, Paul infers the pretemporal election of the readers from the fruits of the Spirit, and that it is taken for granted that the readers understand what ἐκλογη means, an evidence that this idea formed an integral part of the gospel of God proclaimed in Thessalonica.

ἀδελφοὶἠγαπημένοιὑπὸτοῦθεου . The frequency of ἀδελφοι in I is indicative of Paul’ s love for his converts. This affectionate address is strengthened by “ beloved by God,” a phrase which like “ beloved by the Lord” (II 2:13) is unique in the N. T., though equivalent in sense to ἀγαπητοὶθεου (Romans 1:7). The connection of this phrase with ἐκλογη makes plain that election proceeds from the love of God .

Moses in Sir. 45:1 is ἠγαπημένοςὑπὸθεοῦκαὶἀνθρώπω ; Israel in Baruch 3:37 is ἠγαπ . ὑπ ʼ αὐτου ; and Solomon in Nehemiah 13:26 is ἀγαπώμενοςτῷθεῷ cf. Ep. to Diogn. 4:4 where ἐκλογη and ἠγαπημένουςὑπὸθεου appear together and Ign. Trall. init. of the holy church ἠγαπ . θεῷπατρὶἸ . Χ More frequently we have in this phrase, as in II 2:13, κυρίο ; for example, Benjamin in Deuteronomy 33:12 and Issachar in Test. xii Iss. 1:1 are ἠγαπ . ὑπὸκυρίο ; and Samuel in Sir. 46:13 is ἠγαπ . ὑπὸκυρίουαὐτου See further Colossians 3:12, 1 Corinthians 15:58, etc.— ἀδελφοίμο (Romans 7:4, Romans 7:15:14, 1 Corinthians 1:11, 1 Corinthians 11:33, 1 Corinthians 14:39, Philippians 3:1), ἀδελφοίμουἀγαπητοι (1 Corinthians 15:58, Philippians 4:1), ἀγαπητοι (Romans 12:19, 2 Corinthians 7:1, 2 Corinthians 12:19, Philippians 4:1), ἀγαπητοίμο (1 Corinthians 10:14, Philippians 2:12), do not occur in I, II as forms of address. The simple ἀδελφοι of address occurs about 20 times in 1Cor., 14 in 1 Thess., 10 in Rom., 9 in Gal., 7 in 2 Thess., 6 in Phil., 3 in 2 Cor. and twice in Phile. . But no one of these addresses appears in Col. or Eph. On the Christian use of ἀδελφοί cf.

Harnack, Mission, 2 I, 340 ff.; on the pagan use, Deiss. BS 82 f. and Witk., 38, note 1. It is doubtful whether του before θεου is to be retained (א ACKP) or omitted (BDGL; cf. Weiss., 72).

τὴνἐκλογὴνὑμῶ . “ The election of you,” that is, “ that you have been chosen,” namely, by God, as always in Paul. The eternal choice of God, “ the divine purpose which has worked on the principle of selection” (SH ad Romans 9:11), includes, according to II 2:14, not only the salvation of the readers but also the means by which or the state in which salvation is realised.

The words ἐκλέγεσθα (1 Corinthians 1:27 ff. Ephesians 1:4), ἐκλεκτό (Rom. 16:33), ἐκλεκτοὶθεου (Romans 8:33, Colossians 3:12), and ἐκλογη (Romans 9:11, Romans 9:11:5, Romans 9:7, Romans 9:28) are rare in Paul. ἐκλογη does not occur in the Lxx For its use in Ps. Sol., see the edition of Ryle and James, 1891, 95 f. κλῆσι (II 1:11), καλεῖ (2:12, 4:7, 5:24) is the historical calling mediated by the preaching of the gospel (II 2:14).

5. ὅτ … ἐγενήθ . We infer your election from the fact that (ὅτ = “ because” as in II 3:7, Romans 8:27, 1 Corinthians 2:14) the Spirit was in us who preached (v. 5) and in you who welcomed the Word (vv. 6-10). By saying “ our gospel came” instead of “ we came with the gospel” (2 Corinthians 10:14), Paul puts the emphasis more upon the message as the means of realising God’ s call than upon the bearers of the message. The presence of the Spirit is the central fact in Paul’ s experience and the test of its validity. Hence such passages as Galatians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 12:2, Romans 8:15 and the inevitable 2 Corinthians 13:13.

That ὅτ = quia (Vulg) is the usual view. εἰδότε … ἐκλογὴ … ὅτ = οἴδαμενὅτ (that) ἐκλήθητεὅτ (because), as in Romans 5:4-5, Romans 8:28-29, Philippians 4:15-16. An alternative interpretation takes ὅτ as an object clause further explaining ἐκλογή Since, however, ἐκλογή of the original purpose of God is not exactly the equivalent of the ὅτ clause, ἐκλογή is held to mean “ the manner of your election” and ὅτ “ how that” (Lft., Mill.). In support of this view, 2:1, 1 Corinthians 16:15, 2 Corinthians 12:3-4 should not be adduced, or Romans 11:3 where τὸνκαιρό is resumed by ὥρ On the other hand, 1 Corinthians 1:26, especially if ἐκλήθησα be not supplied, might be considered a parallel, although βλέπετ is not εἰδότε But this alternative view is not “ exegetically satisfactory” (Ell.).— The passive ἐγενήθ = ἐγένετ is frequent in Lxx; in the N. T. it is found chiefly in Paul, Heb. Mt. Of the score or more instances in Paul, eight appear in 1:5-2:14; cf. Bl 20:1.

In Lxx, γίνεσθαιπρό or ἐπι with accus. or ἐ with dat. are frequent as also γίνεσθαιεἰ for nominative (I 3:5; cf. 2:1), but otherwise γίνεσθαιεἰ is rare. It is used with persons (Ezekiel 23:10, Ezekiel 23:2 Mac. 12:5) or things . On γίνεσθα = ἔρχεσθα , cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:3 and the prophetic phrase λόγοςκυρίουἐγενήθπρό In Paul, we expect with persons either πρό (1 Corinthians 2:3, 1 Corinthians 16:10 and here ADG) or ἐ ; εἰ here and Galatians 3:14 may be equivalent to the dative (I 4:8; cf. Bl 39:5; κηρύσσεινεἰ 2:9 where א has dative as in 1 Corinthians 9:27), or to πρός For the interchange of εἰ and πρό with γίνεσθα , cf. Luke 1:44, Acts 10:13, Acts 26:6, Acts 13:32. ἐ = “ with” (2 Corinthians 2:1) or “ clothed with” (1 Corinthians 4:21); cf. Moult I, 61.

τὸεὐαγγέλιονἡμῶ . “ Our gospel” (II 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:3; cf. Romans 2:16, Romans 16:25) is the gospel with which Paul and his associates have been intrusted (2:4) and which they preach (Galatians 2:2). The author of the gospel is God (τὸεὐαγγέλιοντοῦθεου 2:2, 8, 9, Romans 1:1, Romans 1:15:16, 2 Corinthians 11:7) or Christ (τὸεὐαγγέλιοντοῦΧριστου 3:2, Galatians 1:7, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 2 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 9:13, 2 Corinthians 10:14, Romans 15:19, Philippians 1:27; τοῦυἱοῦαὐτου Romans 1:9). “ The gospel” (τὸεὐαγγέλιο 2:4 and frequently in Paul) represents Paul’ s convictions about Christianity, the good news of the grace of God unto salvation proclaimed in the prophets and realised in Christ (Romans 1:2) by whose death and resurrection the Messianic promise is mediated to all believers. Only such elements of this comprehensive gospel are explicitly treated in a given letter as the specific need requires (cf. Dob. 81 f.). Hence, for the purpose of determining the content of the gospel, what is said implicitly may be more important than what is accentuated. For example, the gospel preached in Thessalonica had to do not simply with faith in the living and true God and ethical consecration to him, not simply with the Parousia and Judgment, but also with God’ s election and calling, the significance of the death of Christ (5:9), the new life in Christ or the Spirit, and the attendant spiritual gifts (5:19 ff).

On the origin and meaning of εὐαγγέλιο , see Zahn (Introd. II, 377-379), Mill. (141-144), Dob. (86), and Harnack, Verfassung und Recht, 1910, 199 ff. (also in English). The use of εὐαγγέλιο to designate the good news unto salvation may have originated in Palestinian Christianity. In the Lxx (and Test. xii, Ps. Sol.), the singular does not occur. A papyrus of the third century (a.d.) seems to read ἐπεὶγνώστηςἐγενόμηντοῦεὐαγγελίο (Deiss.

Light, 371). ב ש ר ה = “ good tidings” is rendered in Lxx by εὐαγγελί (2 Reg. 18:20, 27, 4 Reg. 7:9 and (according to Harnack but not Swete) 2 Reg. 18:25); while ב ש ר ה = “ reward for good tidings” (see BDB) is translated by the plural εὐαγγέλι (2 Reg. 4:10, 18:22). For the plural εὐαγγέλι = “ good news” in the Priene inscription, see Deiss. (op. cit. 371).

In Paul’ s usage, the genitive in εὐαγγέλιονθεου is subjective, pointing to the fact that God, ὁἐνεργῶ (Philippians 2:13) in Paul, inspires the message preached (cf. I 2:13); it is ἐντῷθεῷ that the missionaries speak the gospel of God (2:2). Similarly the genitive in εὐαγγέλιονΧριστου is subjective (Zahn; Harnack, 217-218, against Dob.). The indwelling Christ speaks in Paul (2 Corinthians 13:3) and reveals the gospel (Galatians 1:12). Such a view of the genitive does not preclude references to the content of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 6:15) or the employment of κηρύσσεινΧριστό (1 Corinthians 1:23, etc.) or εὐαγγελίζεσθαιαὐτό (Galatians 1:16), for when Paul preaches Christ he preaches not only Christ but the plan of salvation conceived by God, promised by the prophets, and realised in the death and resurrection of Christ (Harnack, op. cit. 235).

Like εὐαγγέλιο but with a distinctively O. T. flavour is the rarer ὁλόγο (1:6, Galatians 6:6, Colossians 4:3), ὁλόγοςτοῦθεου (2:13, 1 Corinthians 14:36, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Philippians 1:14, Colossians 1:25) and ὁλόγοςτοῦκυρίο (1:8, II 3:1 = Χριστου Colossians 3:16); cf. Harnack (op. cit. 245 f.). This word is the word which God or Christ in Paul speaks, a divine not a human oracle (2:13) which comes to Paul as it came to the prophets (cf. Romans 9:6). The content of the word is occasionally specified as truth (2 Corinthians 6:7, Colossians 1:5, Ephesians 1:13), life (Philippians 2:16), the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18), or reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19).— The gospel is also the proclamation (τὸκήρυγμ 1 Corinthians 1:21; μο 1 Corinthians 2:4; ἡμῶ 1 Corinthians 15:14) which Jesus Christ inspires (Romans 16:25); or the testimony which God (1 Corinthians 2:1) or Christ (1 Corinthians 1:6) inspires and which Paul and his associates proclaim (II 1:10; cf. εὐαγγέλιο 1:8).— On the Pauline gospel, see further J.

Weiss, Das ä lteste Evangelium, 1903, 33 ff., and J. L. Schultze, Das Evangelium im ersten Thess. 1907.

λόγῳ … δυνάμε . The stress is laid on the manner of the coming of the gospel: “ clothed not only with a form of words but also,” and significantly, “ with power,” that is, with a reality back of the form, and that too a divine reality as the added ἐνπνεύματιἁγίῳ explains.

Unlike the Corinthians, the Thessalonians did not object to Paul’ s style, for we have not οὐ … ἀλλα (1 Corinthians 2:3 f. 4:19-20 where λόγο and δύναμι are mutually exclusive) but οὐ … μόνο … ἀλλά . δύναμι refers not to the results of power, the charismata in general, or those specifically associated with σημεῖακαὶτέρατ (2 Corinthians 12:12)— in which case we should expect δυνάμει (but cf. II 2:9) or an added phrase — but to the power itself, as the contrast with λόγῳ and the explanatory πνεύματ indicate.— ἐ with πνεύματ as with λόγῳ and δυνάμε is ultimately local; to be clothed with the Spirit is to be in the Spirit. There is no reference to glossolalia in πνεῦμ Furthermore ἐνδυνάμεικαὶἐνπνεύματ is not a hendiadys, though the operation of the Spirit is in its essence δύναμι (1 Corinthians 2:5 of God; 1 Corinthians 5:4, 2 Corinthians 12:9 of Christ; 1 Corinthians 2:4, Romans 15:13, Romans 15:19 of the Spirit; cf. ἐνδυνάμε II 1:11).

καὶπληροφορίᾳπολλῇ . Closely connected with ἐνπνεύματιἁγίῳ (omit ἐ before πληροφορίᾳ with א B and resulting from the indwelling of the Spirit, is the inward assurance, certa multa persuasio (Beza), of the missionaries .

πληροφορί is rare in Gk. Bib. (Colossians 2:2, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 6:10:22; cf. I Clem. 42:3); the verb is less rare (e. g. Ecclesiastes 8:11, Romans 4:21 I Clem. 42:3; and in papyri; cf. Deiss. Light, 82 f.). Of the meanings “ fulness” or “ conviction,” the latter is more appropriate here; see Hammond on Luke 1:1 and Lft. on Colossians 2:2. The phrase ἐνπολλῇ happens to occur in the N. T. only in Paul, the adjective preceding (2:2, 17, Romans 9:22) or following (1:5, 6, 1 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 6:4) the noun.

καθὼςοἴδατεκτλ . “ As you know what sort of men (οἷο = quales; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:20) we became in your eyes for your sakes.” The connection appears to be: “ We preached the gospel in the power of the Spirit and in full persuasion of its divine reality. That means that we preached not for our own selfish interests, as the Jews insinuate, but solely for your advantage, as you know.” The theme of self-defence here struck is elaborated in 2:1-12 where the appeal to the knowledge of the readers in confirmation of Paul’ s statements becomes frequent.

καθὼςοἴδατ (2:2, 5, 3:4), αὐτοὶγὰροἴδατ (2:1, 3:3; 5:2, II 3:7), καθάπεροἴδατ (2:11), οἴδατ (4:2, II 2:6), μνημονεύετ (2:9; II 2:5), μάρτυ (2:5, 10) occur chiefly in the thanksgiving (1:2-3:10), especially 2:1-12. καθώ (13 times in I) is later Gk. for καθα which Paul does not use; cf. καθάπε (2:11, 3:6, 12, 4:5).— The reading ὑμῖ (א AC) has been assumed with WH.; ἐνὑμῖ (BDG) is preferred by Tisch Zim Weiss, Dob. In Romans 10:20, א AC read εὑρέθηντοῖς , ἐγενόμηντοῖ with Isaiah 65:1, while BD insert ἐ in each instance. The ἐ interprets the simple dative; 2:10 is a good parallel, but γίνεσθαιἐνλόγῳ 2:5 is quite different, and 2:7 has ἐνμέσῳ as we should expect after νήπιο The simple ὑμῖ is a dative of reference (2:10), expressing neither advantage nor disadvantage, and importing scarcely more than “ before.” — On δι ʼ ὑμᾶς cf. 1 Corinthians 4:6, 2 Corinthians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 1:24.

6. The sentence is getting to be independent, but ὅτ (v. 5) is still in control: “ and from the fact that you became,” etc. The proof of election is the presence of the Spirit not only in the preachers but also in the hearers who welcomed the word with joy in the midst of great persecution. To be sure, Paul mentions first not the welcome but the imitation. But the two things are inseparable, if we take δεξάμενο as a participle not of antecedent action, “ when you had welcomed,” but of identical action, “ in that you welcomed.” μιμηταὶἡμῶνκτλ . “ Imitators of us and above all of the Lord” (ipsius Domini, Ambst). Paul’ s consciousness of his own integrity (1 Corinthians 4:4), due to the power of Christ in him (Galatians 2:20), permitted him to teach by example (1 Corinthians 11:1) as well as by precept.

As an example not simply of endurance but of joy in persecutions, he could point to himself and especially to Christ. Some knowledge of the life of Jesus on the part of the readers is here presupposed (cf. Galatians 3:1). μετάχαρᾶςπνεύματοςἁγίο . The inward joy which is the accompaniment of external persecution, and which is cogent proof of election, is an enthusiastic happiness (Philippians 1:25) due to the new δύναμι operating in the believers, the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, Romans 14:17) or Christ (Philippians 3:1, Philippians 3:4:4, Philippians 3:10).

Although θλίψι alone is the point of comparison in 2:14, and although Paul, who frequently refers to the sufferings of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1, Philippians 3:10, Romans 8:17), does not elsewhere refer to Christ’ s joy in suffering, yet Chrys. is right in finding the point of comparison here in θλίψιςμετὰχαρᾶ The context alone here as elsewhere ( II 3:7, 9, 1 Corinthians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17, Philippians 4:9, Galatians 4:12) determines the scope of imitation. ἐνθλίψε = ἐνμέσῳθλίψεω ; external persecution (Acts 17:5 ff. and the like) is meant (3:3, 7, II 1:4, 6; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:8), not distress of mind (2 Corinthians 2:4).— δέχεσθαι as the contrast with παραλαμβάνει (2:13) shows, means not simply “ receive,” but “ receive willingly,” “ welcome.” The phrase δέχεσθαιτὸνλόγο (only here and 2:13 in Paul) is used by Luke (Luke 8:13, Acts 8:14, Acts 11:1 and especially 17:11) but not by Lxx; it is equivalent to δέχεσθαιτὸεὐαγγέλιο (2 Corinthians 11:4).— χύχριο is not θεό (A) but Christ, as always in I, II (Mill. 135-140).— B inserts και before πνεύματο conforming to δυνάμεικαὶπνεύματ v. 5— On μετα of accompaniment, cf. 3:13, 5:28, II 1:7, 3:12. 16, 18.— On joy in suffering, cf. 2 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 13:9 and especially 7:4, 8:2.

7. ὥστεγενέσθαικτλ . The actual result of their imitation of Christ and Paul is that the Thessalonians became themselves an example to all the Christians “ in Macedonia and in Achaia,” the two provinces constituting Greece since 142 b.c. In the matter of how one ought to welcome the gospel, the taught have become the teachers. Knowledge of their progress came to Paul not only from Timothy’ s report (3:6) but also from other news that kept coming to him in Corinth (ἀπαγγέλλουσι v. 10).

In the mainly Pauline phrases πάντεςοἱπιστεύοντε (Romans 3:22, Romans 3:4:11; cf. Romans 1:16, Romans 10:4, Acts 13:39), ὑμεῖςοἱπιστεύοντε (2:10, 13; Ephesians 1:19, 1 Peter 2:7), and οἱπιστεύοντε (Galatians 3:22, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:14:22; John 6:47), the present tense is timeless. Paul does not use the aorist (cf. Mark 16:17, Acts 2:44, Acts 4:32, Hebrews 4:3) in these expressions except in II 1:10.— The reading τύπο is necessary in Romans 5:14, Romans 6:17 and certain in II 3:9, Philippians 3:17. τύπο is secure in 1 Corinthians 10:6. On the analogy of II 3:9, Philippians 3:17, Philippians 3:4 Mac. 6:19 τύπο is here to be read with BD. τύπου (א AC) may be due to ὑμᾶ

8-10. The general drift of these verses is clear, but some of the details are obscure. The statement (v. 7) that the readers have become a pattern to all the Christians in Greece may well have surprised the Thessalonians. But the explanation (vv. 8 f.) must have been a greater surprise, for it is added that news of the gospel as proclaimed in Thessalonica and of the Christianity of the readers has spread not only in Greece (v. 7) but everywhere, as if v. 7 had ended with πιστεύουσι The point of vv. 8 f. is not that Paul himself is everywhere extolling the readers, as he probably did (II 1:4), for ἡμᾶ (v. 8) and αὐτοι (v. 9) are designedly contrasted; not that the readers are boasting at home and abroad of their spiritual life, even if they might have boasted of the gospel, for ἀφ ʼ ὑμῶ ; but that other people, believers everywhere, whose names are not given, keep telling Paul in Corinth both about the visit he paid and about the conversion of the Thessalonians. These reports make unnecessary any words from Paul.

Difficulty arises only when we try to make Paul more definite than he is. He does not say who carried the news everywhere, but says only that the gospel which he preached has sounded out and the faith of the converts has gone out. He does not specify the indirect objects of λαλεῖ and ἀπαγγέλλουσιν nor does he define αὐτοι It may perhaps be conjectured that αὐτοι means the believers everywhere, that is, some of them. In this case, the αὐτοι are probably not those who bring the news to Greece and other parts from Thessalonica, but those who make reports to Paul. The indirect object of λαλεῖ may be the αὐτοί that of ἀπαγγέλλουσι , Paul and his associates. λαλεῖ rather than γράφει here suggests oral reports. To be sure, περὶὑμῶ (v. 9 B, et al.) is the easier reading, but περὶἡμῶ prepares better for ὁποίανἔσχομε Paul writes from the standpoint of Corinth where the reports keep coming in; hence not ἀπήγγειλα or ἀπήγγελλο , as if Berœ a or Athens were in mind, but the progressive present ἀπαγγέλλουσιν

8. This verse, formally considered, is without asyndeton, unless recourse is had to the unnecessary expedient of placing a colon after κυρίο or τόπῳ The obscurity lies in the fact (1) that v. 8 explains not solely, as we should expect, why the readers became “ a model to all Christians in Greece,” but also why they became a pattern to all believers everywhere; and in the fact (2) that after τόπῳ , where the sentence might naturally end, a second and, in the argument, a more important subject is introduced, ἡπίστιςὑμῶν which is not synonymous with ὁλόγοςτοῦκυρίου and a second predicate ἐξελήλυθε which is prose for ἐξήχητα Materially considered, this verse is concerned not with the method by which the news of the gospel and of the faith of the readers is brought everywhere, whether by Paul, by travelling Thessalonians, or by other Macedonians (cf. 4:10), but with the fact that the word of the Lord and their faith have actually spread, a fact that makes it unnecessary for Paul himself to say anything about this model community.

It is hardly worth while tampering with an innocent anacoluthon (see Lillie for a conspectus of attempts) whether by conjecturing ᾦ = ἐνᾦ after τόπῳ and translating “ in every place into which your faith has gone forth” ; or by putting a colon after κυρίο (Lü n., Born, Wohl., et. al.), a procedure which introduces a formal asyndeton and hints that the parallel subjects are synonymous. Simpler is it to let the balanced sentence remain untouched (Lft., Schmiedel, et al.), in which case ἐξήχηταικτλ explains only ἐντῇΜακεδονίᾳ … Ἀχαίᾳ (v. 7) and ἡπίστιςκτλ explains πᾶσιντοῖςπιστεύουσι (v. 7).— In ὁλόγοςτοῦκυρίο there is a covert allusion to Paul as a preacher in the Spirit and in much conviction (v. 5), and in ἡπίστι a clear reference to the welcome which the converts gave (v. 6). Each of these points recurs in vv. 9-10 and 2:1-12, 13-16. In passing, be it observed that vv. 2-10 form a single sentence; hence after Ἀχαίᾳ (v. 7) a colon is to be placed and also after λαλεῖντ (v. 8).

ἀθ ʼ ὑμῶνκτλ . “ Starting from you, the word of the Lord (the word that Christ inspires) has sounded forth.” The parallel ἐξελήλυθε and the similar ἢἀθ ʼ ὑμῶνὁλόγοςτοῦθεοῦἐξῆλθε (1 Corinthians 14:36) suggests that ἀπο (which might = ὑπο ; cf. Bl 403) is here local, marking the Thess. “ as the simple terminus a quo of the ἐξηχεῖσθα ” (Ell.).

Whether ἐξήχητα implies the sound either of a trumpet (Chrys.) or of thunder (Lft.) is uncertain; it may mean simply “ has spread.” The word itself is rare in the Gk. Bib. (active in Joe 3:14, Sir. 40:13, middle in 3 Mal 3:2 (Ven.) and here); cf. Luke 4:37 ἦχο with 4:14 φήμ Before Ἀχαίᾳ , ἐντῇ is retained by א CD, et al., a reading perhaps conformed to v. 7 (Weiss); cf. Acts 19:21 where א B omit and AD retain τή before Ἀχαία If with B, et al. ἐντῇ is omitted, then Greece as a whole is contrasted with the rest of the world.— The ἐ with ἐξήχητα and ἐξελήλυθε (cf. Luke 7:17) may be interpreted with the older grammarians to mean “ not only the arrival of the report, but its permanence after its arrival” (Lü n.), as, inded, the perfects of resultant action likewise suggest. Recent grammarians (Bl 411 and Mill.) are inclined not to press the point, in view of the frequency in later Gk. of ἐ for εἰ — After οὐμόνο … ἀλλα , Paul adds και except here and Philippians 2:12; but to insert και here with KL is to fail to observe that the omission is purposed, for ἐνπαντὶτόπῳ includes Macedonia and Achaia (Bl .77:13).— ἐνπαντὶτόπῳ is a pardonable hyperbole (1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 2:14; cf.

Romans 1:8, Colossians 1:6). As Paul is not speaking with geographical accuracy, it is unnecessary to assume that since he left Thessalonica he went beyond Greece or that he has Galatia or Rome in mind.

ἡπίστιςὑμῶνἡπρὸςτὸνθεό . The repetition of the article serves to make clear the object toward which their faith is turned and also to suggest a contrast (Ell.) between their present attitude to God and their past pagan attitude to idols. The phrase is rare in the Greek Bible 16:22) but frequent in Philo (cf. Hatch, Essays, 86 f.).

With πίστι and πιστεύει Paul uses εἰ (Colossians 2:5, Philemon 1:5 v. l.), ἐ (Colossians 1:4, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 1:15), ἐπι (Romans 4:5) and πρό (Philemon 1:5 v. l.). ἡπίστιςὑμῶ (3:2, 5, 6, 7, 10, II 1:3, 4) is frequent in Paul (Romans 1:8, Romans 1:12, etc.) and elsewhere (James 1:3, etc.). ἐξέρχεσθα , a rare word in Paul, is used with εἰ (Romans 10:18) and πρό (2 Corinthians 8:17).

λαλεῖ has to do strictly with the utterance as such, λέγει with the content of the utterance (SH on Romans 3:19), as when we say: “ he speaks well but says nothing.”

On λαλεῖ with accus., cf. 2:2, Philippians 1:14, Romans 15:18 . Observe the parallelism of ὥστ … γά in vv. 7-8, 8-9. On ὥστεμή cf. 1 Corinthians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 3:7. The common χρείανἔχει with infin. only here and 4:9, 5:1 in Paul. The reading ὑμᾶ (B, et al.) for ἡμᾶ is probably conformation to ὑμῶ after πίστις

9. αὐτοὶγάρκτλ There is no need for us missionaries to speak, for they themselves, that is, such believers from Greece and elsewhere as happen to be in Corinth keep reporting (ἀπαγγέλλουσι is a progressive present) to us, first of all and somewhat unexpectedly, about us namely, what kind of a visit we paid you, and then about you, “ how you turned,” etc. It is unnecessary to remark that Paul’ s version of the report need not be literal. As he writes, he has in mind the insinuations of the Jews (v. 5, 2:1-12); hence περὶἡμῶ is put first.

αὐτοι is constructio ad sensum as αὐτοῖ Galatians 2:2. ἀπαγγέλλει (1 Corinthians 14:25) is frequent in Lxx and Luke; ἡμῖ is to be understood. The reading περὶὑμῶ (B) misses the point of contrast between visit and welcome. adnuntiatis (r), which Rendel Harris prefers, is due to the supposed difficulty in περὶἡμῶ (Dob.).— The indirect interrogative ὁποῖο (Galatians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 3:13), which is rare in Gk. Bib., expresses like οἷο (v. 5) the quality of the visit.— εἴσοδο in Lxx is used both of the action (Malachi 3:2) and of the place (Ezekiel 42:9). ἔχεινεἴσοδονπρό appears to be unique in Gk. Bib. (cf. 2:1); the reference is not to a door opening into their hearts (cf. Marc. Aur. 5:19 ἔχειεἴσοδονπρὸςψυχή and Hermas Sim.

IX, 12:6), for that is excluded by 2:1; nor to the favourable reception (which even P. Oxy. 32 peto a te ut habeat introitum ad te does not of necessity suggest), for the welcome is not mentioned until πῶςἐπεστρέψατ (cf. 2:1-12 the visit; 2:13 ff. the welcome); but simply to the act of entering (Acts 13:24, Hebrews 10:19, 2 Peter 1:11). εἴσοδο = παρουσί “ visit” (Philippians 1:26, Philippians 1:3 Malachi 3:17); cf. also εἰσέρχεσθαι , εἰσπορεύεσθαιπρό (Acts 16:40, Acts 28:30).

καὶπῶςἐπεστρέψατεκτλ . “ And” about you they report “ how you turned to God,” etc. πῶ introduces a second object clause parallel to ὁποία In keeping with v. 8, faith in God is singled out as the primary characteristic of the readers, but the idea is expressed not, as we might expect, with ἐπιστεύσατεἐντῷθεῷ but, since Gentile rather than Jewish converts are in mind, with a phrase perhaps suggested by the contrast with idols, ἐπεστρέψατεπρὸςτὸνθεό In facing God, they turned their backs on idols. These εἴδωλ are looked upon as dead (1 Corinthians 12:2) and false, not being what they purport to be. While the idol in itself is nothing (1 Corinthians 10:19), communion with it brings the worshipper under the power of the gods and demons who are conceived as present at the ritual act, or as resident in the idol, or, to the popular mind, as identified with the idol (1 Corinthians 10:20). Unlike these dead and false idols, God is living and genuine, what he purports to be (contrast 1 Corinthians 8:5, Galatians 4:8).

πῶ describes the fact (Rth 2:11, Acts 11:13) rather than the manner , that is, πῶ tends to become ὅτ (Bl 70:2). The ἐπι in ἐπιστρέφει is directive as in Galatians 4:9 πῶςἐπιστρέφετεπάλινἐπιστρέφειν rare in Paul, is frequent in Lxx In the phrase ἐπιστρέφει .… κύριον . the Lxx uses both ἐπί which Luke prefers, and πρό (Luke 17:4, Acts 9:40, 2 Corinthians 3:16). The article in τὸνθεό need not be pressed as Galatians 4:8 indicates.— εἴδωλο (Romans 2:22, 1 Corinthians 8:4, etc.) in the Lxx renders a variety of Hebrew words both proper and opprobrious. For the meaning of these words and for the forms of idolatry mentioned in the Bible, see G. F. Moore, EB 2146 ff.

The polemic against images begins with the prophets of the eighth century. “ With the prophets of the seventh century begins the contemptuous identification of the gods of the heathen with their idols, and in the sixth the trenchant satire upon the folly of making gods of gold and silver, of wood and stone, which runs on through the later Psalms, Wisdom, Baruch, the Jewish Sibyllines, etc., to be taken up again by Christian apologists” (op. cit. 2158). See further Bousset, Relig. 350 ff. and Wendland, Die hellenistische-rö mische Kultur, 142.— θεὸςζῶ (Romans 9:26 = Hosea 1:10, 2 Corinthians 3:3, etc.) is common in Gk. Bib. (Isaiah 37:4, Isaiah 37:17, etc.); ἀληθινό = “ genuine” (Trench, Synonyms, 12 27) appears only here in Paul as a description of God (cf. John 17:3, 1 John 5:20, 2 Chronicles 15:3, 2 Chronicles 15:3 Malachi 2:11, 6:18). The total phrase θεὸςζῶνκαὶἀληθινό seems to be unique in Gk. Bib. (καὶἀληθινῷ Hebrews 9:14 (AP) is a scribal reminiscence of our passage).

10. δουλεύεινκαὶἀναμένει . The positive turning to God, faith toward him, has a twofold purpose, religious consecration to him, a δουλεύεινθεῷ (Romans 6:22) demanding righteousness of life (cf. 4:3 ff.); and a hope, hitherto unknown (4:13), which awaits God’ s Son who comes or comes down (τὸνκαταβαίνοντ 4:16) out of the heavens, to finish his work as rescuer, by freeing believers from the impending judgment.

On the infin. of purpose with ἐπιστρέφει , cf. Revelation 1:12 Sap. 19:2, Ecclesiastes 2:20. Like the Galatians (Galatians 4:8 f.), the readers have exchanged a slavery to idols for a slavery to God. Usually Paul speaks of a slavery to Christ (δουλεύει Romans 12:11, Romans 14:18, Romans 16:18, etc.; δοῦλο Galatians 1:10, Romans 1:1, etc.). δουλεύεινκυρίῳ (Psalms 2:11, Psalms 99:2, Sir. 2:1, etc.) like ἐπιστρέφεινἐπικύριο is a common phrase in the Lxx On the meaning of δοῦλο in Paul, see Zahn on Romans 1:1 (in Zahn’ s Kommentar).

ἀναμένει (classical, Lxx) appears only here in N. T. Paul does not use περιμένει at all (Genesis 49:18, Acts 1:4) or μένει transitively (Isaiah 8:17, Isaiah 8:2 Mac. 7:30, Acts 20:5, Acts 20:23), choosing the stronger ἐκδέχεσθα (1 Corinthians 11:33, 1 Corinthians 16:11) and ἀπεκδέχεσθα (Galatians 5:5, Romans 8:19 ff. 1 Corinthians 1:7, Philippians 3:20). The nearness of the thing expected is suggested by the very idea of waiting (cf. Isaiah 59:11).

τὸνυἱὸναὐτου … Ἰησοῦ The faith of the readers had to do not only with God but with his Son who is to come down out of the heavens, the Messiah of the apocalyptic hope. Specifically Christian is the phrase, explanatory of τὸνυἱόν , ὃνἤγειρενἐκτῶννεκρῶ which intimates not only that the Messiah had lived and died but also that he is now, as ἐγερθείς , κύριο (cf. Romans 4:24, Romans 10:9, Ephesians 1:20). Likewise specifically Christian is the name Jesus; to Paul as to the Christians before him Ἰησοῦ is Χριστό and κύριο (see on 1:1). In the explanatory words τὸνῥυόμενονἡμᾶςκτλ (a timeless participle), the function of Jesus as Messiah is stated negatively as that of deliverance or rescue from the judgment which though future is not far distant.

This is the only mention of Jesus as Son in our letter; the designation does not occur at all in II, Phil. Phil. For ὁυἱὸςαὐτου , cf. Galatians 1:16, Galatians 1:4:4, Galatians 1:6, Romans 1:3, Romans 1:9, Romans 1:5:10, Romans 1:8:29; Romans 8:3 8:32 1 Corinthians 1:9 ; for υἱὸςθεου cf. Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 1:19, Romans 1:4, Ephesians 4:13; ὁυἱό 1 Corinthians 15:28; ὁυἱὸςτῆςἀγάπηςαὐτου (Colossians 1:13).— οὐρανό is rare in Paul compared with the gospels; the singular (11 times) and the plural (10 times) appear to be used interchangeably (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul may have shared the conception of seven heavens (Slav.

En. 8:1 ff. 20:1 ff.; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:2 ff.). ἐκτῶνοὐρανῶ (Mark 1:11 = Matthew 3:17, Psalms 148:1 Sap. 9:10) occurs only here in Paul, who prefers ἐξοὐρανου (Galatians 1:8, 1 Corinthians 15:47, 2 Corinthians 5:2) or ἀπ ʼ οὐρανου (4:16, II 1:10).— Paul prefers ἐγείρει to ἀνιστάνα (4:14, 16, Ephesians 5:14) but ἀνάστασι to ἔγερσι (Matthew 27:53). The phrase ἐγείρεινἐκνεκρῶ is not found in Lxx (but cf. Sir. 48:5). The reading ἐκνεκρῶ (AC) is more usual in Paul than ἐκτῶννεκρῶ (א BD; cf. Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 5:14); see Weiss, 76.— .ῥύεσθα is frequent in Psalms and Isaiah. Paul uses of things (Romans 7:24, 2 Corinthians 1:10, Colossians 1:13) and ἀπο of persons (II 3:2, Romans 15:31) with ῥύεσθα , a point overlooked by CDG which read ἀπο here.

For the historical name Ἰησοῦ , cf. 4:14, Galatians 6:17, Romans 3:26, Romans 3:8:11, 1 Corinthians 12:3, 2 Corinthians 4:5 ff. 2 Corinthians 4:11:4, Philippians 2:10, Ephesians 4:21, and Mill. 135.

ἐκτῆςὀργῆςτῆςἐρχομένη “ From the wrath which is coming.” This phrase seems to occur only here in the Gk. Bib. ἔρχετα , however, is used in a similar way in 5:2, Colossians 3:6 = Ephesians 5:6 (cf. ἔφθασε 2:16 and ἀποκαλύπτετα Romans 1:17 f.). The choice of ἐρΧομέν rather than μέλλους (Matthew 3:7 = Luke 3:7; cf. Ign. Eph. 11:1) may have been determined by the fact that Paul purposes to express not so much the certainty (which the attributive participle present might indicate, GMT. 826) as the nearness of the judgment. Nearness involves certainty but certainty does not necessarily involve nearness. ὀργη (2:16, 5:9, Romans 3:5, Romans 5:9, Romans 9:22, Romans 13:4) is ὀργηθεου (Romans 1:18, Colossians 3:6, Ephesians 5:6), ἡθείαὀργη (4 Mac. 9:32) as expressed in punishment and is equivalent to κρίσι (in Paul only II 1:5), the eschatological judgment, as ἡμέραὀργῆ (Romans 2:5) indicates.

The term ὀργη is Jewish; cf. especially Sir. 5:7. On the phrase ἡμέραὀργῆς , cf. Zephaniah 1:15; on ἡἡμέραὀργῆςκυρίου , cf. Zephaniah 1:18, Zephaniah 2:3, Ezekiel 7:19 (A). On the idea of the day of judgment in the O. T. see Briggs, Messianic Prophecy, 1886, 487 ff. In Paul σωτηρί and ζωη are often contrasted with ὀργη (e. g. 2:16, 5:9, Romans 2:5 ff. Romans 2:5:9).

א Ԡ א (e a p r). Cod. Sinaiticus, saec. iv, now at St. Petersburg. Edited by Tischendorf, its discoverer, in 1862. Photographic reproduction by H. and K. Lake, Oxford, 1911. Contains I and II complete.

B B (e a p r). Cod. Vaticanus, saec. iv, now in the Vatican Library. Photographic reproduction by Cozza-Luzi, Rome, 1889, and by the Milan firm of Hoepli, 1904. Contains I and II complete.

A A (e a p r). Cod. Alexandrinus, saec. v, now in the British Museum. Edited by Woide in 1786. Facsimile by E. M. Thompson, 1879. Contains I and II complete.

K K (a p). Cod. Mosquensis, saec. ix, now at Moscow. Collated by Matthaei, 1782. Contains I and II complete.

D D (p). Cod. Claromontanus, saec. vi, Graeco-Latin, now in the National library at Paris. Edited by Tischendorf in 1852. Contains I and II complete.

G G (p). Cod. Boernerianus, saec. ix, now in the Royal Library at Dresden. “ It is closely related to F, according to some the archetype of F” (Souter). Edited by Matthaei, 1791. Im Lichtdruck nachgebildet, Leipzig (Hiersemann), 1909. Contains I and II complete.

F F (p). Cod. Augiensis, saec. ix, Graeco-Latin, now in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. An exact transcript by Scrivener, 1859. Contains I and II complete.

P P (a p r). Cod. Porphyrianus, saec. ix, now at St. Petersburg. Edited by Tischendorf (1865). Contains I and II except I 3:5 μηκετι — ημειςοι 4:17.

EB The Encyclopæ dia Biblica (London, 1899-1903; ed. J. S. Black and T. K. Cheyne).

Exp The Expositor (London; ed. W. R. Nicoll).

Mill George Milligan.

Moff James Moffatt.

Dob Ernst von Dobschü tz,

SK Studien und Kritiken.

Chrys Chrysostom.

Bousset, W. Bousset, Die Religion des Judentums im neutestamentlichen Zeitalter (19062).

SH Comm. on Romans in ICC. by W. Sanday an A. C. Headlam.

BDB Brown, Driver, Briggs, Heb.-Eng. Lexicon.

Witk St. Witkowski, Epistulæ Privatæ Græ cæ (1906).

Exp. Times The Expository Times (Edinburgh; ed. J. Hastings).

Lxx The Old Testament in Greek (ed. H. B. Swete, 1887-94).

Bl F. Blass, Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch (1896, 19022).

Pesh Syriac Vulgate.

Arm Armenian version.

Vulg Vulgate.

L L (a p). Cod. Angelicus, saec. ix, now in the Angelican Library at Rome. Collated among others by Tischendorf (1843) and Tregelles (1845). Contains I and II complete.

Deiss. A. Deissmann, Bibelstudien (1895).

Born Bornemann.

Moult James Hope Moulton, A Grammar of N. T. Greek, I (1906).

C C (e a p r). Cod. Ephraemi Rescriptus, saec. v, now in the National Library at Paris. The N. T. fragments were edited by Tischendorf in 1843. Contains I 1:2 ευχαριστουμεν — 2:8 εγενηθητε .

Find G. G. Findlay.

Wohl Wohlenberg.

Lft Lightfoot.

Lillie John Lillie, Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians, Translated from the Greek, with Notes (1856).

Ell Ellicott.

Deiss. A. Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East (1910) = Licht vom Osten (19093).

Weiss B. Weiss in TU. XIV, 3 (1896).

WH The New Testament in the Original Greek (1881; I, Text, II, Introduction and Appendix).

Tisch Tischendorf.

Zim F. Zimmer, Der Text der Thessalonicherbriefe (1893).

Ambst Ambrosiaster.

Lü n Lü nemann.

Hatch, E. Hatch, Essays in Biblical Greek (1889).

r r saec. vii, a fragment now in Munich containing Philippians 4:11-23 and 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, discovered and edited by Ziegler, Italafragmente der Paulinishcen Briefe, 1876.