Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus — The company that sent the First Epistle had not yet broken up. This proves that the Second Epistle was written before the end of the second missionary journey, for after that time we do not read of Silvanus being in the company of St. Paul. The salutation is precisely the same as in the First Epistle, except for the last clause of 2 Thessalonians 1:2, which is wrongly added in that place but stands rightly here.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren — The thanksgiving is regarded as a positive debt incurred, which it would be dishonest not to pay.

Because — This word assigns the reason for saying it was "fitting," and does not simply follow the phrase "thank God." If it did, the words "as it is fitting" would be rather weak, containing nothing more than what is already implied by "we are bound." The best paraphrase would be: "We feel the obligation to give thanks for you; and, in fact, it is only fitting that we should, because..."

Grows exceedingly — This is an enthusiastic word in the original, meaning "is outgrowing all bounds." It is a metaphor from plant or animal growth. This was one of the very points about which St. Paul was anxious the last time he had written, for at that time there were deficiencies in their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:10).

Charity — Here, too, St. Paul remembers what he had said to them in the previous epistle, where he devoted a whole section to the love of the brethren "toward each other." The phrase "of every one of you all" is a very noticeable expression, showing the individual solicitude of the Apostles for their converts. Just as the apostolic instructions were given to each Christian privately (1 Thessalonians 2:11), so news had been brought about how each individual Christian was progressing. The differences that had called for such passages as 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:6–10, and 1 Thessalonians 5:12–14 had apparently all ceased, and mutual love was multiplying.

So that we ourselves — Why was it less likely that St. Paul and his companions would glory in the Thessalonians, compared to other friends or even the Thessalonians themselves? Perhaps it was because praising their own converts seemed like self-praise. A much more probable reason, however, is that the writers had previously felt and expressed misgivings on this point, which aligns better with the thought in 2 Thessalonians 1:3.

Glory in you in the churches of God — This means not only giving thanks to God (which might include outbursts of praise during the public services of "the churches") but also speaking about them to others in places like Corinth. In a similar way, St. Paul "boasted" to the Thessalonians about the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:2).

Your patience and faith — This phrase proved that St. Paul no longer had reason for misgiving, and that the tempter’s efforts to use persecution had not made the apostles' labors to be in vain (see 1 Thessalonians 3:5). In the New Testament, "patience" does not mean meek submissiveness, but heroic endurance. The "faith" mentioned here is nearly equivalent to "hope," except that it introduces the ground of that hope—namely, confidence in the living God. It also includes the idea of faithfulness.

Persecutions and tribulations — The difference between these two words is that while "tribulation" is a general term that does not necessarily imply personal enemies, "persecution" means that a specific group of people was organizing active measures to trouble the Church. They were still "enduring" such persecution when this letter was written.

Which is... — In the fervent eloquence of the original, these connecting words are omitted, and the clause is added in apposition to the words “in all your persecutions.” The effect is similar to using a dash in English: “which you endure—a manifest token.” The indication of God’s righteous judgment comes not so much from the vitality and growth of the Thessalonians’ faith and love, but from the very fact that they were being persecuted. Such persecution was an actual sign of how God's fair judgment would unfold on the last day. We should not place undue stress on the word “righteous,” as if it meant “a token of the righteousness of God’s judgment.” The point is simply to indicate what a fair judge would likely decide.

That you may be counted worthy — This phrase expresses the result not of God’s future judgment, but of the patient suffering that reveals what that judgment will be. The “counting worthy” (or perhaps, the “declaring worthy”) is, in fact, the judgment or sentence itself. It is as if to say, “You suffer in such a way that we can foresee God’s fair verdict: namely, that you will be declared fit to receive God’s kingdom.” (The Greek tense points to a distinct moment when this declaration is made.) In this context, the phrase “counted worthy” has nothing to do with the theological question of merit.

The kingdom of God — This was a prominent feature of the initial preaching at Thessalonica (see Introduction to the First Epistle to the Thessalonians). Are the Thessalonian Christians, then, not yet in the kingdom of God? Yes, but only as its subjects. In the future, they are to be counted worthy not of admission into the kingdom, but of the kingdom itself—that is, to inherit it and become its kings (compare to the parallel argument in 2 Timothy 2:12).

For which you also suffer — Paul was very fond of using “also” in relative clauses. It tightens the connection between the relative and antecedent clauses, bringing out more clearly the vital link between suffering and reigning. They suffer “for the kingdom,” not merely to win it, but on its behalf: in its defense, as a consequence of being its citizens, and to extend its dominion.

Seeing it is — Literally, if it is indeed fair. This is a form of speech common to Paul, used when he argues from a fact he knows his readers will recognize (for example, Romans 8:9). The argument is: “Your persecution is a clear indication of what God’s righteous verdict will be—that He will pronounce you worthy—unless you deny (which you will not) that it is fair to repay the persecutors with tribulation and the persecuted with rest.” The context shows that Paul does not mean that all suffering deserves to be rewarded with bliss, but he does present it as a matter of common fairness that when people have suffered for the kingdom’s sake, God should reward them in the life to come.

With God — Such a system of repayment seems fair to humanity; is it likely to seem less fair in the eyes of God? Holy Scripture consistently declares the power of the human conscience to recognize God’s principles of action: whatever is righteous for people is also righteous for God, and vice versa.