2 Tessalonicenses 1
William Barclay · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Tessalonicenses 1
Barclay observes that "In the New Testament the Church is always a company of worshipping people who have given their hearts and pledged their lives to Jesus Christ."' It is interesting that in the New Testament the word church never means a building. In contrast ekklesia stresses that we are a people called out of the world (an elect assembly) unto the Lord to represent Him in a fallen world. Spurgeon on in God our Father - What a wonderful expression! The Church is in God as God is in the Church, what a blessed dwelling-place for the people of God in all generations: “in God our Father” God the Father is a family term which only applies to those who have been born again. Without meaning to sound harsh, sadly I hear many people who are clearly not saved referring to God as their Father, but simply put God is not their Father, Satan is their father (John 8:44), for they are still confined to the kingdom of (spiritual) darkness (of which Satan is "king" - Col 1:13+, 1 Jn 5:19+). The apostle John records that although Jesus "came to His own (Jews)…those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but (born) of God. (Jn 1:12-14+, John 3:3-7+ cf other passages on our new family relationship - 1Jn 3:1+, 1Jn 5:1+ Gal 3:26+) Thessalonica in Paul's day was at the zenith of its splendor. Famous hot springs attracted tourists. It possessed a natural harbor situated on the Thermic Gulf which made it one of the world's greatest docking yards. Xerxes the Persian established his naval base at this bay when he invaded Europe. It lay about 100 miles southwest of Philippi and was at that time a more important center than Philippi, a Roman colony, while Thessalonica had a predominantly Grecian culture. This ancient city was located on the great Roman road that went from the Adriatic Sea to the Middle East called the Via Egnatia or Egnatian Way. The main street of city of Thessalonica was actually part of that road. This fact along with the excellent natural harbor were important factors that enabled the spread of the Gospel to all the world. 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NET 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! NLT 2 Thessalonians 1:2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ESV 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NIV 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. GNT 2 Thessalonians 1:2 χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς [ἡμῶν] καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. KJV 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. YLT 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! ASV 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. CSB 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NKJ 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NRS 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NAB 2 Thessalonians 1:2 grace to you and peace from God (our) Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NJB 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. GWN 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours! Ro 1:7 1Co 1:3,8 2 Thessalonians 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ - Grace is the transforming power of God to live a transformed life led by and empowered by His Spirit. When we live life on that "higher plane," the natural "fruit" is peace with God and peace of God. Peace is a right and harmonious relationship among men ("horizontal peace") or between men and God ("vertical peace"), with a sense of total well-being, all of this of course the result of the gift God Himself gives. THOUGHT - Is this not a simple but powerful prayer we should pray for all the saints in Christ Jesus? Have you ever prayed grace and peace for other believers? C H
2 Tessalonicenses 1
Barclay adds that "When Paul took and put together these two great words, grace and peace, charis and eirene, he was doing something very wonderful. He was taking the normal greeting phrases of two great nations and molding them into one."
2 Tessalonicenses 1
Barclay adds that "in contemporary colloquial Greek this word eirene had two interesting usages. It was used of the serenity which a county enjoyed under the just and beneficent government of a good emperor; and it was used of the good order of a town or village. Villages had an official who was called the superintendent of the village’s eirene, the keeper of the public peace. Usually in the New Testament eirene stands for the Hebrew shalom and means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man’s highest good. It is interesting to note that Chara and Eirene both became very common Christian names in the Church. (Daily Study Bible) Saints now have "been justified by faith" and "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ro 5:1+) because they have "been reconciled" (Ro 5:10+) The war between the believer and God is over, and the treaty was written not with pen and ink but with Cross and precious blood, where the Lamb of God paid the price in full (tetelestai in Jn 19:30+) so that believers now can be at rest in Christ (cf Heb 4:10+). Paul writes later in this letter that the "peace of God… shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:7+), referring to the peace that comes from being in unbroken communion or fellowship with God. The first peace is often referred to as peace with God (justification) and the later as the peace of God (fellowship, communion, daily walking with your Savior). Peace with God then is the harmony that exists between the Creator and His creatures who by grace through faith "receive the reconciliation" (Ro 5:11+). ILLUSTRATION of PEACE - Jim Walton was translating the NT for the Muinane people of La Sabana in the jungles of Colombia. But he was having trouble with the word peace. During this time, Fernando, the village chief, was promised a 20-minute plane ride to a location that would have taken him 3 days to travel by walking. The plane was delayed in arriving at La Sabana, so Fernando departed on foot. When the plane finally came, a runner took off to bring Fernando back. But by the time he had returned, the plane had left. Fernando was livid because of the mix-up. He went to Jim and launched into an angry tirade. Fortunately, Walton had taped the chief's diatribe. When he later translated it, he discovered that the chief kept repeating the phrase, I don't have one heart. Jim asked other villagers what having "one heart" meant, and he found that it was like saying, There is nothing between you and the other person. That, Walton realized, was just what he needed to translate the word peace. To have peace with God means that there is nothing--no sin, no guilt, no condemnation--that separates us. And that peace with God is possible only through Christ (Ro 5:1-note). THOUGHT - Do you have "one heart" with God?… with your fellow man (husband, wife, children, co-workers, etc) From God (theos) the Father and the Lord Jesus (Iesous) Christ (Christos) - Note that the Son getting equal billing so to speak with the Father, for clearly BOTH are the source of the grace and peace. The implication is clear - Jesus is God, even as the Father is God! The sum total of God's activity toward his human creatures is found in the word grace; God has given himself to His people bountifully and mercifully in Christ. Nothing is deserved, nothing can be achieved. The sum total of those benefits as they are experienced by the recipients of God's grace is peace, God's shalom, both now and in the ages to come. The peace flows out of the grace, and both together flow from God the Father and were made effective in human history through the Lord Jesus Christ. Spurgeon gives some background on the reason for this letter - In the church of Christ, the teaching has always been that Christ is coming quickly and that teaching must never be withdrawn, for he is coming quickly, as he said to John in the Revelation. At the same time, this teaching has given an opportunity to certain presumptuous people to prophesy that at such and such a time Christ will come. They know nothing about it, and their prophecies are not worth the breath they spend in uttering them. Father (3962) (pater) was not a term generally used for God in the Old Testament and so to be able to call God our Father as Paul does is a privilege believers need to meditate upon (see Primer on Biblical Meditation). We belong to His family and have all the rights of members of His divine family. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus places special emphasis on the Fatherhood of God, addressing Jews who were not accustomed to addressing God in such familiar, intimate terms. THOUGHT - Perhaps you have had a less than ideal earthly father and this experience makes it difficult for you to appreciate (and appropriate) the glorious truths inherent in the fact that the Almighty God Himself is now our Father. Study Jesus' description of the personal care and concern our Father manifests for each of His children (Mt 6:25,2 6+, Mt 6:27, 28, 29+, Mt 6:30, 31, 32+, Mt 6:33, 34+) Lord (2962) (kurios from kúros = might, power in turn from kuróo = give authority) describes the One Who has absolute ownership and sovereign power and authority. In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to some ten times as Savior and some seven hundred times as Lord. When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord always precedes Savior. And even if, as some erroneously contend, Lord were simply a synonym for God, the very term God by definition includes the idea of sovereign authority and lordship. Kurios is used in more than 7000 verses in Old Testament Septuagint (LXX), usually translating the Name "Jehovah". THOUGHT - Lord is not merely a name that composes a title, but signifies a call to action so that every saint should willingly, reverently bow down to Jesus Christ. If Christ is our Lord, we are to live under Him, consciously, continually submitting our wills to him as His loyal, loving bondservants ("love slaves"), always seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Mt 6:33+). According to this practical working "definition" beloved we all need to ask ourselves "Is Jesus Christ my Lord?". "Do I arise each day, acknowledging this is the day the Lord hath made?" (Ps 118:24+) "Do I surrender my will to His will as I begin each day?" (cp Ro 12:1+, Ro 12:2+) Beloved, don't misunderstand. None of us have "arrived" in this area of Jesus as Lord of our lives. And it is precisely for that reason that Peter commands us to continually "grow (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) in the grace (unmerited favor, power to live the supernatural, abundant life in Christ) and knowledge (not just intellectual but transformational) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (2Pe 3:18+) So do not be discouraged. Don't "throw in the towel" as they say. Keep on keeping on, pressing (continually = present tense) "on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Php 3:14+) 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; NET 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. NLT 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. ESV 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. NIV 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. GNT 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, καθὼς ἄξιόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑπεραυξάνει ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καὶ πλεονάζει ἡ ἀγάπη ἑνὸς ἑκάστου πάντων ὑμῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους, KJV 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; YLT 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because increase greatly doth your faith, and abound doth the love of each one of you all, to one another; ASV 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; CSB 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing. NKJ 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, NRS 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. NAB 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater. NJB 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We must always thank God for you, brothers; quite rightly, because your faith is growing so wonderfully and the mutual love that each one of you has for all never stops increasing. GWN 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We always have to thank God for you, brothers and sisters. It's right to do this because your faith is showing remarkable growth and your love for each other is increasing. are: 2Th 2:13 Ro 1:8 1Co 1:4 1Th 1:2,3 3:6,9, as is, Lu 15:32 Php 1:7 2Pe 1:13 your: Job 17:9 Ps 84:7 92:13 Pr 4:18 Isa 40:29-31 Lu 17:5 Joh 15:2 Php 1:9 1Th 4:1,9,10 1Pe 1:22 2Pe 1:5-10 3:18 2 Thessalonians 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THANKING GOD FOR ANSWERS TO PRAYER By far the longest sentence in this letter is 2 Th 1:3-10. We ought - (we owe a constant debt) - Ought is more literally ''owe'' which is literally used of financial debts but of course here speaks of a moral "debt." It pictures the thanksgiving as a debt and present tense indicates it is a lasting obligation. The verb implies a personal obligation but not one which forces us to do something because of outward pressure. We are motivated by the great price God paid to clear the "books" of our enormous, unpayable debt of sin! Paul pictures the giving of thanks as a "debt". Paul feels a sense of obligation to keep on giving thanks to God because of His continued blessings on the saints at Thessalonica. (And so should we dear brother and sister in covenant with Christ!) We owed a debt we could not pay, Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. --Thank You Jesus! We instead of "I" suggests the three men were united in their thanksgiving. Note that the ground of their thanksgiving is the saints at Thessalonica ("you"). Hiebert commenting on the we writes "That Paul should thus include his two co-workers in the thanksgiving is consistent with the fact that all three stood in the same close relation to the Thessalonians. It is further in accord with the consistent use of the plural in this epistle." He goes on to comment that "This expression of his thanks to God is an illustration of Paul's practice of taking his various experiences, whether sad or glad, into the presence of God. All experiences were viewed in relation to Him. Thus he practiced the presence of God in his life.(1 & 2 Thessalonians: BMH Book. 1996) THOUGHT - Do you see all that comes into your life whether sad or glad as allowed by an omnipotent God Who is in control no matter how you feel? Ought (3784)(opheilo from ophéllo = heap up) means to owe something to someone. Literally it speaks of financial indebtedness and thus means to owe money, to be in debt, or to describe that which is due (Mt 18:28, Lk 7:41, 16:5, 7, Philemon 1:18). The verb opheilo was sometimes used to describe "the debt" itself. Figuratively, as in the present passage, opheilo describes a sense of indebtedness to someone for something. Opheilo in most of the NT uses conveys the sense of necessity, duty or to be under obligation (obligation = moral requirement which conveys the binding force of civility, kindness or gratitude, when the performance of a duty cannot be enforced by law). The idea is that one is held or bound by duty, moral obligation or necessity to do something. Opheilo is used again in this letter in 2 Th 2:13 "B ut we should (opheilo) always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord...." D Edmond Hiebert points out that "While Paul often remarks that he gives thanks for his readers, only in this letter does he say “we ought to thank God” (1:3; 2:13)" (1 & 2 Thess) Always to give thanks to God for you brethren (adelphos expresses their spiritual kinship and affection) - Give thanks is first in the Greek sentence for emphasis and present tense signifies their continual gratitude to God for the saints at Thessalonica. Why are they giving thanks? Paul gives two reasons - (1) The faith is growing and (2) their love is spreading. Paul continually models the giving of thanks to God (read 1Co 1:4; 2Co 1:11 Ep 1:16; Col 1:3; 1Th 1:2; 1Ti 1:12; 2Ti 1:3; Phm 4, Acts 28:15, Ro 1:8): Paul had prayed in 1Th 3:10 "that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith" and now he thanked God for the answer because their faith was greatly enlarged." One of the best weapons for fighting Satan is praise.' -- Warren Wiersbe Why did Paul pray? Look at his heart in Php 1:7 "I have you in my heart." Paul was practicing what he preached in 1Th 5:17 (cf 1Th 1:2, 2:13, 3:9, 2Th1:3, 2:13) Not only does prayer change people and situations, but so does praise. Paul was in the habit of breaking into frequent thanksgiving for God's presence in his ministry - 5x in 2Corinthians he breaks into thanksgiving or is concerned with offering thanksgiving (2 Co 1:11; 2:14, 4:15; 8:16; 9:11). Always (3842)(pantote) means at all times and all occasions which indicates that their thanksgiving was continual and regularly repeated, not sporadic or occasional. Give thanks (2168) (eucharisteo from eú = well, + charízomai = to grant, give) means to show oneself grateful, be thankful or give thanks. Thanksgiving is the capacity to appreciate God's goodness to us - even the disagreeable things that happen to us. We come to realize that everything that God allows to come into our lives, He does for our good (Ro 8:28+). The regularly recurring nature of the thanksgiving is implied in the use of the present tense of the verb. It was their practice to give thanks to God "continually, never skipping a single day. A reading of the Pauline epistles makes clear that Paul assigned a high place to thanksgiving in the Christian life. You can always tell a person's values by what he or she appreciates. Paul and his team constantly expressed their gratitude for God's operation in their lives and His work in the lives of the saints at Thessalonica. Rather than being a source of grief these Christians evoked gratitude. In this they served as models for all Christians. Do others give thanks to God for you or do you serve as a source of grief? ILLUSTRATION - Mary Chestnut's father-in-law had the enduring habit of returning thanks after his meals. As he left the table he would invariably say, "I thank God for a good dinner." When asked why he didn't pray prior to eating, he replied “My way is to be sure of a thing before I return thanks for it." Christians never fear that giving thanks involves a gamble. Their experience verifies that nothing will ever be more certain than God's provisions for life. The feeding of the four and five thousand people offers a parable of God's provisions. After everyone had eaten to complete satisfaction, seven and twelve basketsful remained. Left over! Ready to serve to others! That's what Jesus accomplishes with those who commit themselves to him. For the use of Peter's boat, Jesus filled the nets so full of fish they began to tear and the boats nearly to sink. The divine bounty proved so lavish it threatened disaster! If that for the use of a boat, what will God give for the use of a life? As is only fitting - NET = "rightly so." ESV = "as is right." Fitting is axios which literally pictures a scale and what is on one side of the scale brings up the other beam of the scales. Thus on one side was His gratitude to God and on the other was the growth of the saints. In other words his thanksgiving was an appropriate response to their growing faith. Because - Term of explanation. Explains why it is right to always give thanks to God for these saints. Warren