The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  5For hneither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a 2cloak for covetousness—iGod is witness.

  6jNor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when kwe might have lmade demands mas apostles of Christ.

  7But nwe were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

  8So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased oto impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also pour own lives, because you had become dear to us.

  9For you remember, brethren, our qlabor and toil; for laboring night and day, rthat we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. Communities with Christian Churches—ca. A.D. 100

  10sYou are witnesses, and God also, thow devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;

  11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and 3charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,

  12uthat you would walk worthy of God vwho calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

  Their Conversion

  13For this reason we also thank God wwithout ceasing, because when you xreceived the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it ynot as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively zworks in you who believe.

  14For you, brethren, became imitators aof the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For byou also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,

  15cwho killed both the Lord Jesus and dtheir own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God eand are 4contrary to all men,

  16fforbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always gto fill up the measure of their sins; hbut wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

  Longing to See Them

  17But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time iin presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

  18Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but jSatan hindered us.

  19For kwhat is our hope, or joy, or lcrown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the mpresence of our Lord Jesus Christ nat His coming?

  20For you are our glory and joy.

  1 Thessalonians 3

  Concern for Their Faith

  1Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,

  2and sent aTimothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

  3bthat no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that cwe are appointed to this.

  4dFor, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

  5For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, elest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and four labor might be in vain.

  Encouraged by Timothy

  6gBut now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, has we also to see you—

  7therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress iwe were comforted concerning you by your faith.

  8For now we live, if you jstand fast in the Lord.

  9For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,

  10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face kand perfect what is lacking in your faith?

  Prayer for the Church

  11Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ldirect our way to you.

  12And may the Lord make you increase and mabound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

  13so that He may establish nyour hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

  1 Thessalonians 4

  Plea for Purity

  1Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus athat you should abound more and more, bjust as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;

  2for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

  3For this is cthe will of God, dyour sanctification: ethat you should abstain from sexual immorality;

  4fthat each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

  5gnot in passion of lust, hlike the Gentiles iwho do not know God;

  6that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord jis the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.

  7For God did not call us to uncleanness, kbut in holiness.

  8lTherefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, mwho1 has also given us His Holy Spirit.

  A Brotherly and Orderly Life

  9But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for nyou yourselves are taught by God oto love one another;

  10and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, pthat you increase more and more;

  11that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, qto mind your own business, and rto work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

  12sthat you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

  The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

  13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen 2asleep, lest you sorrow tas others uwho have no hope.

  14For vif we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him wthose who 3sleep in Jesus.

  15For this we say to you xby the word of the Lord, that ywe who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are 4asleep.

  16For zthe Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with athe trumpet of God. bAnd the dead in Christ will rise first.

  17cThen we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them din the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus ewe shall always be with the Lord.

  18fTherefore comfort one another with these words.

  1 Thessalonians 5

  The Day of the Lord

  1But concerning athe times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

  2For you yourselves know perfectly that bthe day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

  3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then csudden destruction comes upon them, das labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

  4eBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

  5You are all fsons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

  6gTherefore let us not sleep, as others do, but hlet us watch and be 1sober.

  7For ithose who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk jare drunk at night.

  8But let us who are of the day be sober, kputting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

  9For lGod did not appoint us to wrath, mbut to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

  10nwho died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

  11Therefore 2comfort each other and 3edify one another, just as you also are doing.

  Various Exhortations

  12And we urge you, brethren, oto recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and 4admonish you,

  13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. pBe at peace among yourselves.

  14Now we 5exhort you, brethren, qwarn those who are 6unruly, rcomfort the fainthearted, suphold the weak, tbe patient with all.

  15
uSee that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always vpursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

  16wRejoice always,

  17xpray without ceasing,

  18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

  19yDo not quench the Spirit.

  20zDo not despise prophecies.

  21aTest all things; bhold fast what is good.

  22Abstain from every form of evil.

  Blessing and Admonition

  23Now may cthe God of peace Himself dsanctify7 you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body ebe preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  24He who calls you is ffaithful, who also will gdo it.

  25Brethren, pray for us.

  26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

  27I charge you by the Lord that this 8epistle be read to all the 9holy brethren.

  28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

  1 Thessalonians Commentaries

  1 Thessalonians 1

  1:1 Paul. Biographical details for the former Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:11) can be found in Acts 9:1–30; 11:19—28:31; see note on Rom. 1:1. For autobiographical material, see 2 Cor. 11:16–12:10; Gal. 1:11–2:21; Phil. 3:4–6; and 1 Tim. 1:12–17. Silvanus. A companion of Paul on the second missionary journey (Acts 15–18), later a writer for Peter (1 Pet. 5:12), also called Silas. Timothy. Paul’s most notable disciple (Phil. 2:17–23) who traveled on the second and third missionary journeys and stayed near Paul during his first Roman imprisonment (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; Philem. 1). Later he served in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3) and spent some time in prison (Heb. 13:23). Paul’s first letter to Timothy, while he was ministering in the church at Ephesus, instructed him regarding life in the church (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15). In his second letter, Paul called Timothy to be strong (2 Tim. 2:1) and faithfully preach as he faced death and was about to turn his ministry over to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:1–8). God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Paul’s initial converts were Jewish, he made it unmistakably clear that this “church” was not a Jewish assembly, but rather one which gathered in the name of Jesus, the Son of God (Acts 17:2, 3), who is both Lord God and Messiah. This emphasis on the equality between God and the Lord Jesus is a part of the introduction in all Paul’s epistles (cf. 1 John 2:23).

  1:2 our prayers. Paul and his companions prayed frequently for the entire flock and 3 of those prayers are offered in this letter (1:2, 3; 3:11–13; 5:23, 24).

  1:3 work of faith. The 3-fold combination of faith, hope, and love is a Pauline favorite (5:8; 1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4, 5). Paul refers here to the fulfillment of ministry duties which resulted from these three spiritual attitudes (cf. vv. 9, 10).

  1:4 your election by God. The church is commonly called “the elect” (cf. Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1). In salvation, the initiating will is God’s not man’s (cf. John 1:13; Acts 13:46–48; Rom. 9:15, 16; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:13; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:1, 2; see notes on Eph. 1:4, 5). Man’s will participates in response to God’s promptings as Paul makes clear when he says the Thessalonians received the Word (v. 6) and they turned to God from idols (v. 9). These two responses describe faith and repentance, which God repeatedly calls sinners to do throughout Scripture (e.g., Acts 20:21).

  1:5 our gospel. Paul called his message “our gospel,” because it was for him and all sinners to believe and especially for him to preach. He knew it did not originate with him, but was divinely authored; thus he also called it “the gospel of God” (2:2, 9; Rom. 1:1). Because the person who made forgiveness possible is the Lord Jesus, he also referred to it as “the gospel of Christ” (3:2). word only. It had to come in word (cf. Rom. 10:13–17), and not word only, but in Holy Spirit power (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4, 5) and in confidence (cf. Is. 55:11). what kind of men. The quality of the message was confirmed by the character of the lives of the preachers. Paul’s exemplary life served as an open book for all men to read, establishing the credibility of the power and grace of God essential to making the message of redemption believable to sinners (see note on 2 Cor. 1:12).

  1:6 followers. The Thessalonians had become third generation mimics of Christ. Christ is the first; Paul is the second; and the Thessalonians are the third (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1). joy of the Holy Spirit. Cf. Rom. 14:17. Joy in the midst of suffering evidenced the reality of their salvation, which included the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19).

  1:7 examples. The Gr. word was used to describe a seal that marked wax or a stamp that minted coins. Paul commended the Thessalonians for being model believers leaving their mark on others. Macedonia and Achaia. The two Roman provinces which comprised Greece, Macedonia being to the N and Achaia to the S.

  1:8 sounded forth. The idea is to reverberate. Wherever the Thessalonians went, the gospel given by the word of the Lord was heard. It resulted in a local outreach to Thessalonica, a national outreach to Macedonia and Achaia, and an international outreach to regions beyond. we do not need to say anything. Though it may appear that this church developed such a testimony in only 3 Sabbaths of preaching (cf. Acts 17:2) spanning as little as 15 days, it is better to understand that Paul preached 3 Sabbaths in the synagogue before he had to relocate elsewhere in the city. In all likelihood, Paul spent months not weeks, which accounts for: 1) the two collections he received from Philippi (Phil. 4:16); 2) the time he worked night and day (2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8); and 3) the depth of pastoral care evidenced in the letter (2:7, 8, 11).

  1:9 turned. This word describes what the Bible elsewhere calls repentance (Matt. 3:1, 2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 20:21). Salvation involves a person’s turning from sin and trusting in false gods to Christ. See notes on 2 Cor. 7:8–11. to serve the living and true God. Those converted to Christ abandoned the worship of dead idols to become willing slaves to the living God.

  1:10 to wait. This is a recurring theme in the Thessalonian letters (3:13; 4:15–17; 5:8, 23; 2 Thess. 3:6–13; cf. Acts 1:11; 2 Tim. 4:8; Titus 2:11–13). These passages indicate the imminency of the deliverance; it was something Paul felt could happen in their lifetime. delivers us from the wrath to come. This can mean to evacuate out of a current distress (Rom. 7:24; Col. 1:13) or to exempt from entering into a distress (John 12:27; 2 Cor. 1:10). The wrath can refer either to God’s temporal wrath to come on the earth (Rev. 6:16, 17; 19:15) or to God’s eternal wrath (John 3:36; Rom. 5:9, 10). First Thessalonians 5:9 develops the same idea (see note there). The emphasis in both passages on Christ’s work of salvation from sin favors this being understood as the deliverance from the eternal wrath of God in hell because of salvation.

  1 Thessalonians 2

  2:1 not in vain. Paul’s ministry among the Thessalonians was so fruitful that not only were people saved and a vibrant, reproducing church planted, but the church also grew and flourished even after Paul left (cf. 1:5–8).

  2:2 spitefully treated at Philippi. Paul and Silas had been brutalized in Philippi before coming to Thessalonica (cf. Acts 16:19–24, 37). They suffered physically when beaten (Acts 16:22, 23) and incarcerated (Acts 16:24). They were arrogantly mistreated with false accusations (Acts 16:20, 21) and illegally punished in spite of their Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37). much conflict. Like their treatment in Philippi, Paul’s team was falsely accused of civil treason in Thessalonica (Acts 17:7) and suffered physical intimidation (Acts 17:5, 6).

  2:3 error or uncleanness…deceit. Paul used 3 distinctly different words to affirm the truthfulness of his ministry, each expressing a contrast with what was characteristic of false teachers. He first asserted that “his message” was true and not erroneously false. His “manner of life” was pure, not sexually wicked. His “method of ministry” was authentic, not deceptive (see notes on 2 Cor. 4:2).

  2:4 approved by God. It could be that some false teachers came into the church to discredit Paul’s ministry. This would account for his emphasis in vv. 1–12 on his divine appointment, approval, integrity, and devotion to them. Cf. Acts 9:15; 16:9, 10.r />
  2:5, 6 flattering words. Paul used 3 disclaimers to affirm the purity of his motives for ministry: 1) he denied being a smooth talking preacher who tried to make favorable impressions in order to gain influence for selfish advantage; 2) he did not pretend to be poor and work night and day (cf. v. 9) as a pretense to get rich in the ministry at their expense; and 3) he didn’t use his honored position as an apostle to seek personal glory, only God’s glory (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).

  2:6 apostles of Christ. This plural is designed to include Paul with the 12 for the sake of emphasizing his unique authority. Silvanus and Timothy were “apostles (messengers) of the church” (cf. Rom. 16:7; Phil. 2:25).

  2:7, 8 gentle…as a nursing mother. Paul may have had in mind Moses’ portrayal of himself as a nursing mother to Israel (cf. Num. 11:12). He used the same tender picture with the Corinthians (cf. 2 Cor. 12:14, 15) and the Galatians (cf. Gal. 4:19). Paul’s affection for the Thessalonians was like that felt by a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her child as was Christ who was willing to give up His own life for those who would be born again into the family of God (cf. Matt. 20:28)

  2:9 laboring night and day. Paul explained this in 2 Thess. 3:7–9. He did not ask for any money from the Thessalonians but rather lived on what he earned and what the Philippians sent (Phil. 4:16), so that his motives could not be questioned, unlike the false teachers who always sought money (cf. 1 Pet. 5:2). the gospel of God. Cf. Rom. 1:1. The good news from God which Paul preached included these truths: 1) the authority and truthfulness of Scripture (v. 13); 2) the deity of Christ (Rom. 10:9); 3) the sinfulness of mankind (Rom. 3:23); 4) Christ’s death and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:4, 5); and 5) salvation by God’s grace through man’s faith (Eph. 2:8, 9). Paul’s summary of the gospel is in 1 Cor. 15:1–5.

  1 Thess. 2:9

  Communities with Christian Churches—ca. A.D. 100

  2:10 You are witnesses. Under OT law it took two or more witnesses to verify truth (Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1). Here Paul called on both the Thessalonians and God as witnesses to affirm his holy conduct in the ministry. Cf. 2 Cor. 1:12.