PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS

Reflections on the Greek Text

1 Thess. 3:1-13

INTRODUCTION

Paul continues to defend his conduct against the accusations of his Jewish opponents.

VERSE BY VERSE ANALYSIS OF THE GREEK

Verse 1

The word order of this verse places stress on the word “alone” (“monoi” pron. MAH-noy). Paul was not simply left alone; he was left alone in a strange place. However, he was willing to be left alone because it meant that 2 of his trusted helpers would be with them! He cared more for the spiritual safety of his Thessalonian friends than he did of his own feelings.

Verse 3

Paul places stress upon “YOU YOURSELVES know that we have been destined for this.” The Jewish opponents were claiming that Paul’s sufferings proved that he was not from God. Paul though doesn’t have to go back and show theologically that Christians should suffer. THEY THEMSELVES know that suffering is the lot of Christians because he had carefully explained this to them when he was with them the first time. All they have to do is think back on the things Paul taught them in order to withstand the attacks of the Jews against Paul.

Verse 5

Paul again places stress on how much HE cared for the Thessalonians: “And when I MYSELF could not longer endure it!” Timothy and Silvanus did not return to Thessalonica and abandon Paul in Athens because THEY were concerned about Paul (although they were). They returned to Thessalonica and abandoned Paul because HE couldn’t stand it any longer not knowing what had happened to them since he left.

Verse 6

The word for gospel in the Greek is “euaggelion” (pron. eu-ahn-GEL-ee-on); it literally means “the good news.”. When Paul writes that Timothy brought him the good news about how much the Thessalonians still loved Paul, he writes that Timothy gospelized or brought to him the gospel, the good news, of their love for him. In other words, this good report was almost like the gospel to Paul! That’s how much he loved them and how much he cared for the way they thought and felt about him.

Verse 7

How much trouble had Paul gone through both in Philippi and in Thessalonica? It was so bad that Paul actually calls it tribulation [“thlipsis” (pron. THLIP-sis)]. It’s the same word John uses for the Great Tribulation in Rev. 1:9. As bad as his tribulation was though, there was something that did bring comfort to his heart—their faithfulness to Jesus Christ! That is how much they meant to him.

Verse 8

Paul emphasizes the word "you" (humeis, pron. "HEW-mice"). "Now we live when YOU, ESPECIALLY YOU, stand firm in the Lord." (Notice that he equates their faithfulness to him with standing firm in the Lord. Our treatment of God's messengers mirrors our treatment of God Himself.)

Verse 10

A great verse to show how much Paul loves the Thessalonians. First he emphasizes how often he prays to see them--NIGHT AND DAY! In other words, ALL THE TIME! That's how much he loves them.

Second he emphasizes how earnestly he prays for them with the Greek word "uperekperissou" (pron. hew-pair-ek-pair-EH-sue). This word is the highest form of comparison possible. No one can be more earnest than he was in the way he prayed to see the Thessalonians.

Why does he want to see the Thessalonians? So that he can complete what is lacking in their faith. The word translated "complete" ("katartisai," pron. ka-tar-TEH-sigh) literally means "to mend," as to mend the net. In other words, there were holes in their faith; Paul needed to mend those holes.

Verse 11

Paul attaches the Greek word "autos" (ow-TOSS) to the word "God" to emphasize that it is to God that he appeals. He is not relying upon anybody else to direct his way back to the Thessalonian church. He is appealing to the great God Himself. That is how much he wants to return to Thessalonica to see them.