The Word Made Fresh
1You know that our visit with you was not a failure. 2Although we had already suffered shameful treatment at Philippi, as you well know, we had the courage in God to proclaim the good news to you in the face of strong opposition. 3But our message isn’t based on error or cunning deception. 4God has entrusted us with the gospel, and we don’t speak to please other people. We speak to please God who judges us. 5You know that we never tried to flatter you or use words to hide any greed on our part – God is our witness – 6nor did we want you or anyone else to glorify us, even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands. 7We spoke to you gently, like a mother caring for her little ones. 8Because of our affection for you we chose to share ourselves and the gospel of God, because you had become very dear to us.
9Remember how we labored among you, friends. We worked night and day so as not to burden any of you while we preached God’s good news to you. 10You saw, as did God, how holy and blameless we behaved toward you who are believers. 11You know that we prompted and encouraged each one of you, and we charged you 12to be worthy of God who has called you into his own kingdom and into his own glory.
13We thank God always that you accepted God’s word which you heard from us; you didn’t accept it as human wisdom, but as the word of God at work in all of you who believe. 14You, friends, began to imitate the Judean churches of God in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own fellow citizens the same as they did from the Jews, 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They displeased God and opposed all of humanity 16by keeping us from telling the Gentiles about salvation. That’s how they completely sinned against God, but God’s anger has come upon them fully.
17Since we were taken away from you, friends, for a while – only in person, though, not in our hearts – we tried even harder with deep desire to see you face to face, 18and we wanted to come to you – I, Paul, wanted to come to you again and again – but Satan hindered us. 19After all, you are our reason for hope and joy and boasting before our Lord Jesus when he comes. 20You are our glory! You are our joy!
Commentary
1-8: Paul, as is his style, establishes his “credentials” with them; that is to say, he reminds them that although he had been mistreated by the Philippians he nevertheless proclaimed the gospel to them in Thessalonica, which proves his courage, and also goes some way toward proving his message because he would not risk himself if he were not confident that he was telling the truth. Furthermore, he reminds them that he treated them gently and cared for them deeply.
9-12: In addition, he worked among them without demanding any payment (in contrast to other wandering teachers of the day), and he did not take advantage of anyone but lived an exemplary life among them, encouraging them to do the same.
13-16: Having commended himself, now he commends them: they received Paul’s teaching as being from God. He gives them high praise by comparing them with the churches in Judea; they have persisted and thrived despite being persecuted by their own neighbors, which was what had happened in Judea.
17-20: Finally, remembering how he had been chased out of town by enemies of the gospel, he places them high on his list of all the churches with which he has been associated, and paints a picture of bragging about them to Christ when he returns. This is high praise indeed.
Takeaway
Success or failure in presenting the faith to others is not what it’s all about. Success or failure is not the point; presenting the faith is the point. That’s our job – living in a way that reveals Christ to others.