Bible Commentaries

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: ¹ for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

(1) The will of God, who calls his own on this condition, to bring them to glory by affliction, is a most sure remedy against all afflictions.

² But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also [to see] you:

(2) Because they have to this point gone so well forward, he exhorts them again to make an end of the rest of the journey, seeing that in doing so they will do him their apostle a great pleasure.

For now we ^a live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

(a) For now you cannot otherwise think of me as at rest and in a good state of being, unless you go forward in religion and faith.

Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might ^b perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

(b) Paul was forced through the pressing dealing of the enemies to leave the building which he had just begun: and for that reason he had left Silas and Timothy in Macedonia, and when Timothy came to Athens to him, he sent him back again immediately. So that he desires to see the Thessalonians, that he may thoroughly perfect their faith and religion, that was as yet imperfect.

³ And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you:

(3) Another part of the epistle, in which he speaks of the duties of a Christian life. And he shows that the perfection of a Christian life consists in two things, that is, in charity toward all men, and inward purity of the heart. And the accomplishment of these things is nonetheless deferred to the next coming of Christ, who will then perfect his work by the same grace with which he began it in us.