1 Thessalonians 3
- Who wrote it
- Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy
- Who it was for
- The church in Thessalonica
- What was happening
- Timothy is sent back, returns with good news, and Paul prays for love and holiness until the Lord comes
What’s happening
When Paul could not endure it any longer, he thought it good to be left behind alone at Athens, and sent Timothy, "our brother and God's servant in the Good News of Christ," to establish them and comfort them concerning their faith, that no one would be moved by these afflictions, for they themselves know that they are appointed to this. When Paul was with them, he told them beforehand that they would suffer affliction, "even as it happened, and you know." For this reason, when he could no longer endure it, he sent to know their faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted them and their labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come from them to Paul and has brought good news of their faith and love, and that they have good memories of Paul, longing to see him as he longs to see them, Paul is comforted about them in all his distress and affliction through their faith; "for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord." What thanks can Paul render to God for them, for all the joy with which he rejoices for their sake before God, as he prays "exceedingly night and day that we may see your face and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith"? He prays that God himself and the Lord Jesus may direct his way to them, and that the Lord may make them "increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you; to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints."
Why the setting matters
This chapter reveals the reason for the letter. Paul had been driven out of Thessalonica after only a few weeks, and he could not rest until he knew whether the church had survived the pressure. Timothy, the younger co-worker, was the one he trusted to go, and Paul's relief at the news is the emotional center of the letter: "now we live." The reference to being "left behind alone at Athens" is the only hint in Paul's own letters of how lonely that stop was (compare Acts 17:16-34). Paul says he told the church beforehand that they would suffer, and that this was part of the Christian path, an idea that runs through the letter and through the New Testament. "The tempter" is Satan, and Paul's fear was that persecution might have led them to give up. The prayer in 3:11-13 is the hinge of the letter: it sums up the first half (a prayer to see them) and looks ahead to the second half (love, holiness, and the coming of the Lord). "With all his saints" is debated: it may mean holy ones (believers) or angels who come with the Lord, as in 2 Thessalonians 1:7.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Sent Timothy because he could not endure not knowing.
Timothy
Sent to strengthen them; came back with good news.
The believers in Thessalonica
Standing firm, loving, and remembered fondly.
Satan
The tempter Paul feared.
The Lord Jesus
Who will come with all his saints.
Talk it through
- Paul says he could not bear not knowing how they were doing. What does that reveal about how he related to churches?
- He tells them suffering is something "we are appointed to." How does that change expectations about the Christian life?
- "Now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord." What do you think Paul means?
- His prayer asks that their love would "increase and abound." Why love, of all things, to pray for?
Read 1 Thessalonians 3
World English Bible
1Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, 2and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, 3that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. 4For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know. 5For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain. 6But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you, 7for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith. 8For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God, 10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you, 13to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources