Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Thessalonians 3

Chapter III

Analysis of the Chapter

This chapter is a continuation of the course of thought pursued in the previous chapter. It seems designed to address the same state of feeling in Thessalonica and the same objections that some there urged against the apostle. The objection appears to have been that he really had no attachment to them and no concern for their welfare; that he had fled from them at the slightest danger, and that when the danger had passed, he had not returned but had left them to bear their afflictions alone.

It appears to have been inferred from his long absence that he had no solicitude for their welfare and had brought them into difficulties, which he was now unwilling to help them escape from or to bear. It was important, therefore, for him to remind them of what he had actually done and to state his real feelings toward them. He refers them, therefore, to the following things as proof of his interest in them and his affection for them:

1. He had sent Timothy to them at great personal inconvenience when he could not go himself (1 Thessalonians 3:1–5).
2. He had been greatly comforted by the report Timothy brought of their steadfastness in the faith (1 Thessalonians 3:6–8). Every expression of their attachment to him had gone to his heart, and their faith and charity had been to him in his trials the source of unspeakable consolation. His very life depended, as it were, on their fidelity; and he says he would live and be happy if they stood fast in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 3:8).
3. He expresses again the earnest desire he had to see them; says that it had been to him the subject of unceasing prayer night and day, and beseeches God again now that He would be pleased to direct his way to them (1 Thessalonians 3:9–11).
4. As a proof of affection, the chapter is closed with a fervent prayer that God would cause them to abound more and more in love and would establish their hearts unblameable before Him (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13). The Thessalonians knew the apostle Paul well. They had had abundant proof of his love when he was with them. If his enemies there had succeeded in any degree in causing their affection toward him to become cool, or in exciting suspicions that he was not sincere, their love must have been rekindled, and their suspicions must have been entirely allayed by the expressions of attachment in this chapter. It would not be possible to find language of warmer love, or of deeper interest in the welfare of others, anywhere.

Wherefore (1 Thessalonians 2:18). This particle (dio) is designed here to refer to another proof of his affection for them. One evidence had been referred to in his strong desire to visit them, which he had been unable to accomplish (1 Thessalonians 2:18); and he here refers to another—namely, the fact that he had sent Timothy to them.

We could no longer forbear. That is, when I could not (1 Thessalonians 3:5), for there is every evidence that Paul refers to himself only, though he uses the plural form of the word. There was no one with him at Athens after he had sent Timothy away (Acts 17:15; Acts 18:5). This shows that when, in 1 Thessalonians 2:6, he uses the term apostles in the plural number, he refers to himself only and does not mean to give that name to Timothy and Silas.

If this is so, Timothy and Silas are nowhere called apostles in the New Testament. The word rendered here could forbear (stegontes), properly means to cover or conceal; and then to hide or conceal anger, impatience, weariness, etc.; that is, to hold out against anything, to bear with, to endure.

It is rendered suffer in 1 Corinthians 9:12 and beareth in 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 5. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It means that he could no longer bear up under, hide, or suppress his impatience regarding them, his painful emotions, and his wish to know of their state; and he therefore sent Timothy to them.

We thought it good. I was willing to suffer the inconvenience of parting with him in order to show my concern for you.

To be left at Athens alone. Paul had been brought to Athens from Berea, where he remained until Silas and Timothy could come to him (Acts 17:15). It appears from the statement here that Timothy had joined him there. However, such was his solicitude for the church at Thessalonica that he very soon after sent him there and chose to remain himself alone at Athens.

Why he did not himself return to Thessalonica is not stated. It is evidently implied here that it was a great personal inconvenience for him to part with Timothy in this way and to remain alone at Athens. He showed the strong love he had for the church at Thessalonica by being willing to submit to it. What that inconvenience consisted in, he has not stated, but it is not difficult to understand:

1. He was among total strangers and, when Timothy was gone, without an acquaintance or friend.
2. Timothy's aid was needed to carry out the work he planned. He had requested that Timothy join him as soon as possible when he left Berea (Acts 17:15). He evidently felt it desirable that in preaching the gospel in that city, he should have all the assistance he could obtain. Yet he was willing to forego those comforts and advantages in order to promote the edification of the church at Thessalonica.

* "forbear," "bear"

And sent Timothy. That is, evidently, he sent him from Athens—for this is the fair interpretation of the passage. But in the history in Acts 17, there is no mention that Timothy came to Athens at all, and it may be asked how this statement is reconcilable with the record in the Acts.

It is mentioned there that the brethren sent away Paul [from Berea] to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timothy remained there still. And those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens (Acts 17:14–15). The history further states that after Paul had remained some time at Athens, he went to Corinth, where he was joined by Timothy and Silas, who came to him from Macedonia (Acts 18:5).

But, to reconcile the account in the Acts with the statement before us in the epistle, it is necessary to suppose that Timothy had come to Athens. In reconciling these accounts, we may observe that although the history does not expressly mention Timothy's arrival at Athens, there are circumstances mentioned that make this extremely probable.

1. As soon as Paul reached Athens, he sent a message back to Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, and there is every probability that this request would be obeyed (Acts 17:15).
2. His stay at Athens was so that they might join him there. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him (Acts 17:16).
3. His departure from Athens does not appear to have been in any way hastened or abrupt. He had an opportunity of seeing the city (Acts 17:23). He disputed in the synagogue and in the market daily (Acts 17:17); he held a controversy with the philosophers (Acts 17:18–22); he made converts there (Acts 17:34); and after these things he calmly went to Corinth.
4. The sending back of Timothy to Macedonia, as mentioned in the epistle, is a circumstance that will account for the fact mentioned in Acts 18:5, that Timothy came to him at Corinth, instead of at Athens. He had given directions for him to meet him at Athens (Acts 17:15), but the history mentions only that he met him, after a long delay, at Corinth.

There was no tumult or excitement, and it is not suggested that he was driven away, as in other places, because his life was in danger. There was, therefore, ample time for Timothy to come to him there—for Paul was at liberty to remain as long as he pleased. Since he stayed there for the express purpose of having Timothy and Silas meet him, it is to be presumed that his wish was in this respect accomplished.

This delay, and this change of place when they rejoined each other to work together, can only be accounted for by the supposition that Timothy had come to him at Athens and had been immediately sent back to Macedonia with instructions to join him again at Corinth.

This is one of the "undesigned coincidences" between the history in the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles of Paul, of which Paley (in Horae Paulinae) has made such good use in demonstrating the genuineness of both. "The epistle discloses a fact which is not preserved in the history but which makes what is said in the history more significant, probable, and consistent. The history bears marks of an omission; the epistle furnishes a circumstance which supplies that omission."

Our brother. (See Barnes on Colossians 1:1).

The mention of his being a "brother" is intended to show his interest in the church there. He did not send one whose absence would be no inconvenience to him, or for whom he had no regard. He sent one who was as dear to him as a brother.

And minister of God. This is another circumstance showing his affection for them. He did not send a layman, or one who could not be useful with him or to them; instead, he sent one fully qualified to preach to them and to break to them the Bread of life. One of the richest tokens of affection that can be shown to any people is to send them a faithful minister of God.

And our fellow-laborer in the gospel of Christ. This is a third token of affectionate interest in their welfare. The meaning is, "I did not send one whom I did not want, or who could be of no use here, but one who was a fellow-laborer with me, and whose aid would have been of essential service to me. In parting with him, therefore, for your welfare, I showed a strong attachment to you. I was willing to endure personal inconvenience and additional toil to promote your welfare."

To establish you. This means to strengthen you, to make you firm (Greek: stērixai). This was to be done by presenting considerations that would enable them to maintain their faith steadfastly in their trials.

And to comfort you concerning your faith. It is evident that they were suffering persecution on account of their faith in the Lord Jesus; that is, for their belief in him as a Savior. The object of sending Timothy was to suggest topics of consolation that would sustain them in their trials—namely, that he was the Son of God, that the people of God have been persecuted in all ages, that God was able to support them, and so on.

That no man should be moved. The word rendered moved (sainw) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means to wag, to move to and fro, as of dogs which wag their tails in fondness (Homer, Od.K. 216; Aelian, A.N.x. 7; Ovid, xiv. 258); then to caress, to fawn upon, to flatter; then to move or waver in mind—as from fear; to dread, to tremble. See Passow and Wetstein. Here the sense is, to be so moved or agitated by fear, or by the terror of persecution, as to forsake their religion. The object of sending Timothy was that they might not be thus moved, but that amidst all opposition they might adhere steadfastly to their religion.

These afflictions. (See the notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:14).

For yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. It is not quite certain whether by the word "we" here the apostle refers to himself, to himself and the Thessalonians, or to Christians in general. On any supposition, what he says is true, and any of these interpretations would fit the case. It would be most to the purpose, however, to suppose that he means to state the general idea that all Christians are exposed to persecution and cannot hope to avoid it.

It would then appear that the Thessalonians had partaken only of the common lot. Still, there may have been a special reference to the fact that Paul and his fellow laborers there were subjected to trials; and if this is the reference, then the idea is that the Thessalonians should not be "moved" by their trials, for even their teachers were not exempt.

Even their enemies could not say that the apostle and his co-workers were impostors, for they had persevered in preaching the gospel when they knew that these trials were coming upon them. The phrase we are appointed thereunto means that such was the divine arrangement. No one who professed Christianity could hope to be exempted from trial, for it was the common lot of all believers. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:9; 2 Timothy 3:12.

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before, etc. It is not mentioned in the account in Acts 17 that Paul thus predicted that particular trials would come upon them, but there is no unlikelihood in what is said here. He was with them long enough to discuss a great variety of topics with them, and nothing can be more probable than that, in their circumstances, the subjects of persecution and affliction would be prominent topics of discussion. There was every reason to anticipate that they would meet with opposition on account of their religion, and nothing was more natural than that Paul should endeavor to prepare their minds for it beforehand.

That we should suffer tribulation. This refers to us who preached to you, and perhaps it also includes those to whom they preached.

Even as it came to pass, and ye know, which occurred when Paul, Silas, and Timothy were driven away, and when the church was so much agitated by the opposition of the Jews, Acts 17:5–8.

For this cause. Since I knew that you were so liable to be persecuted, and since I feared that some might be turned from the truth by this opposition.

When I could no longer refrain. (See the comments on 1 Thessalonians 3:1).

I sent to know your faith. That is, your fidelity, or your steadfastness in the gospel.

Lest by some means. Either by allurements to apostasy, set before you by your former heathen friends; or by the arts of false teachers; or by the severity of suffering. Satan has many methods of seducing men from the truth, and Paul was fearful that by some of his arts he might be successful there.

The tempter. Satan; for though the Jews were the immediate actors in those transactions, yet the apostle regarded them as being under the direction of Satan, and as accomplishing his purposes. He was, therefore, the real author of the persecutions which had been excited. He is here called the "Tempter," as he is often (Compare to Matthew 4), and the truths taught are:

1. that Satan is the great author of persecution; and
2. that in a time of persecution—or of trial of any kind—he endeavors to tempt men to swerve from the truth, and to abandon their religion. In persecution, men are tempted to apostatize from God, in order to avoid suffering. In afflictions of other kinds, Satan often tempts the sufferer to murmur and complain; to charge God with harshness, partiality, and severity, and to give vent to expressions that will show that religion has none of its boasted power to support the soul in the day of trial. (Compare to Job 1:9-11.) In all times of affliction, as well as in prosperity, we may be sure that the "Tempter" is not far off, and should be on our guard against his wiles.

And our labour be in vain. By your being turned from the faith. (See the comments on Galatians 4:11).