b

17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou a fulfil it.

f

e

d

18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

Amen."

¶ Written 12 from Rome to the Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.

so let it be. Pu. 12 Sent. Co. Ma.

b PHILE. 2 Archippus our fellowsoldier.

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1 TIM. iv. 6, 14: If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

d See on Acts, xiv. 26.

e See on 1 COR. xvi. 21. See on ROM. xii. 15.

* HEB. Xiii. 25: Grace be with you all. Amen.

THE

FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ·

Thessalonians.

THESSALONICA was a famous city in Macedonia, and capital of the kingdom, standing on the Thesmaick sea. Stephen of Byzantium says, it was improved and beautified by Philip, king of Macedon, and called Thessalonica in memory of his victory over the Thessalians. Its old name was Thesma; but Strabo and others affirm that it was named from Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, and daughter of Philip. Here were a number of Jews, who were in possession of a synagogue. (ACTS, xvii. 1, 2, 3, &c.) St. Paul came hither, A. Ď. 50, and, entering the synagogue, according to his custom, he preached to the congregation, out of the Scriptures, three sabbath days successively. Some Jews were converted, and many Gentiles that feared God, and some women of quality. But the

rest of the Jews, hurried away by false zeal, raised a tumult, and came to the house of Jason, to seize Paul and Silas, who lodged there, and to take them before the magistrates: but, finding neither Paul nor Silas, they laid hold of Jason, and others. However, Jason, and the rest, giving security, were set at liberty; and the same night the brethren conducted Paul and Silas out of the city, toward Berea.

St. Paul, leaving Timothy and Silas at Berea, proceeded to Athens, and from thence to Corinth, where, after some months, Silas and Timothy came to him, and informed him of the state of the church of Thessalonica, which persisted in the faith, notwithstanding persecutions and sufferings. They told him also of some among them who afflicted themselves too much for the death of their relations, and who were not sufficiently instructed concerning the coming of our Lord and the future judgment. They reported also that some of them were vain, inquisitive, and restless. On this account it would appear that the apostle wrote this epistle to them, probably in the year 52, and is thought to be the first which the apostle wrote.

The apostle exhorts the Christians to continue steadily in their profession, warns them against those impurities which they had so lately relinquished, and settles some points relating to the resurrection and final judgment. He also instructs them respecting the manner and measure in which Christians should be afflicted for the death of their relations; he reproves their follies with a mildness, tenderness, and prudence, which is truly admirable, mingling with his reprehensions due praise for their estimable qualities, and concludes with some important general instructions.

CHAP. I.

1 The Thessalonians are given to understand both how mindful of them Saint Paul was at all times in thanksgiving, and prayer: 5 and also how well he was persuaded of the truth and sincerity of their faith, and conversion to God.

a

A. D. 54. PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians

CHAP. I.

2 Cor. i. 19: For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 2 THES. i. 1: Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 PET. v. 12: By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly.

ACTS, xvii. 1, &c: Now when they passed through Am

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which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for making mention of you in our prayers; f

е

you all, 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father ;1

i

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.2

k

5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but, also in power, and in the 'Holy Ghost,

1 God our Father. Cr. 2 beloved of God your election. A. V.

phipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews, &c.

See on ROM. i. 7.

d See on Roм. i. 8.

e 1 THES. ii. 13.

f 2 THES. i. 2, 11: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power. See on GAL. v. 6. ROM. xvi. 6: Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on HEB. vi. 10: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

us.

ROM. xii. 12: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

iCOL. iii. 12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God. 2 THES. ii. 13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

ISA. lv. 11: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. MARK, vi. 20: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. See on 1 COR. ii. 4.

12 Cor. vi. 4, 6: Approving ourselves as the ministers of

m

and in much assurance; as manner of men we were 3

sake.

n

'ye know what among you for your

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, P with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is * spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

4

3 after what manner we behaved ourselves. Ma. Cr. ' imitators. Ham. We. Pu.

God-by pureness-by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. GAL. iii. 2, 5: Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you.

m CoL. ii. 2: That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding. HEB. ii. 3: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?

1 THES. ii. 1, 5, 10, 11: 2 THES. iii. 7: For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.

°2 COR. viii. 5: And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 1THES. ii. 14: For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judæa are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews. See on 1 COR. xi. 1.

PACTS, xiii. 52: And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. See on ACTs, v. 41.

9 ROM. X. 18: Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

ROM. i. 8: I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 2 THES. i. 4: So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches

S

9 For they themselves show 5 of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10 And to "wait for his Son from heaven, w whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

6

CHAP. II.

X

1 In what manner the Gospel was brought and preached to the Thessalonians, and in what sort also they received it: 18 a reason is rendered both why Saint Paul was so long absent from them, and also why he was so desirous to see them.

FOR yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain :

2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto

6
report. Rh. proclaim. Ham. delivereth. Co. Ma. Bi. Gen.

of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure,

1 THES. ii. 1.

t1 COR. xii. 2: Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. GAL. iv. 8: Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

"REV. i. 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.

Amén. See on 1 COR. i. 7.

See on ACTS, i. 11.

w See on ACTS, ii. 24.

Even so,

1 THES. v. 9: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. See on MAT. iii. 7.

a1 THES. i. 5. 9.

CHAP. II.

b ACTS, xvi. 12, 22, &c: And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. The multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them, &c.

1:THES. i. 5.