John Calvin Commentary 1 Thessalonians 2:14

"For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;" — 1 Thessalonians 2:14 (ASV)

For you became imitators. If you are inclined to restrict this to the clause immediately connected with it, the meaning will be that the power of God, or of his word, shows itself in their patient endurance, as they sustain persecutions with magnanimity and undaunted courage. I prefer, however, to view it as extending to the whole of the foregoing statement, for he confirms what he has stated: that the Thessalonians had sincerely embraced the gospel as presented to them by God, since they courageously endured the assaults Satan made upon them and did not refuse to suffer anything rather than abandon obedience to it. And, unquestionably, this is by no means a minor test of faith when Satan, by all his machinations, has no success in moving us away from the fear of God.

Meanwhile, he prudently guards against a dangerous temptation that might overwhelm or harass them, for they endured severe troubles from that nation which was the only one in the world that gloried in the name of God.

This, I say, might occur to their minds: “If this is the true religion, why do the Jews, who are the sacred people of God, oppose it with such inveterate hostility?” To remove this cause of offense, he, in the first place, shows them that they have this in common with the first Churches that were in Judea: afterwards, he says that the Jews are determined enemies of God and of all sound doctrine.

For although, when he says that they suffered from their own countrymen, this may be explained as referring to others rather than to the Jews, or at least should not be restricted to the Jews exclusively, yet as he further describes their obstinacy and impiety, it is clear that he is referring to these same people from the beginning.

It is probable that at Thessalonica some from that nation were converted to Christ. It appears, however, from the narrative in Acts, that there, no less than in Judea, the Jews were persecutors of the gospel. I therefore understand this to refer indiscriminately to Jews as well as Gentiles, since both endured great conflicts and fierce attacks from their own countrymen.