Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1:3

"We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;" — 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (ASV)

As is his practice in every letter but Galatians, Paul begins his remarks by thanking God for the spiritual progress of his addressees. Here his appreciation is marked by a feature found nowhere else except later in this same letter (2:13) —that he was obligated (cf. “we ought”; GK 4053) to express gratitude for what God had done in their lives. His thanksgiving Paul conceived of as his duty to God. Paul felt an intense compulsion to give gratitude to God for what Christ had done and was doing in believers. His own postconversion service was invested as a partial repayment for the personal debt he himself incurred when God gave him salvation (1 Corinthians 9:16–17).

“And rightly so” anticipates Paul’s description of the readers’ sterling performance amid persecutions and supplies a second reason for thanksgiving. Paul habitually gave credit where credit was due. The conduct of his readers “under fire” was so commendable that he could not refraingiving credit again.

So great was Paul’s excitement over their progress that he gives some details: “because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” Faith and love comprehend the total Christian walk (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:13–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 3:17; Ephesians 6:23; 1 Thessalonians 3:6). The absence of “hope” from this combination is not overly significant. “Faith,” an area commended in the first letter (see comment on 1 Thessalonians 1:3), was something that needed improvement (cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:10); apparently it had grown during his absence. “Love” too was a quality he had not only already commended them for (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:9–10) but also prayed to increase (1 Thessalonians 3:12). It is no wonder, then, to find him rejoicing over their growth in faith and love.