I Thessalonians
Chapter
2
{Verses
1-12: Missionary Work}
{Verse
1: Travel to the Area of the Unbeliever}
1~~For
you, yourselves, brethren,
[gar autos adelphos]
know
with results that last forever
[oida (perfect active indicative)]
our
"entrance"/"coming through the gate into the Way"
[eisodos - to go through a gate - here probably double meaning
both physically coming and spiritually teaching salvation
and the doctrines of Jesus (His Way of living life)]
face
to face with you, [pros humas]
so
that [hoti]
"it
changed to become what it was not before
with
results that last forever" . . .
[ginomai - perfect active indicative]
absolutely
not [ouk] in vain/empty/"void of truth". [kenos]
[Note:
A person called to be a missionary must travel to the area
he
is lead by God to witness. For Paul and his team, that was
Thessalonica. And, this was not in vain for for Paul's team.]
{The
gospel must be presented in spite of opposition}
2~~But,
in contrast, [alla]
having
suffered before
[propascho (aorist active indicative)]
and
having been shamefully "treated"/"talked evilly about",
[kai hubrizo (aorist passive participle)]
just
as you know with results that last forever,
[kathos eido (perfect active indicative)]
in/by/with
[en] Philippi,
we
ourselves "were bold"/"spoke with confidence"
[parrhesiazomai (aorist middle indicative)]
in/by/with
[en] our God [hemon Theos]
to
speak face to face with you
[laleo (aorist active indicative) pros humas]
the
gospel of God [euaggelion Theos]
in/by/with/"in
the the sphere of" much opposition/struggle.
[en polus agon]
[Note: A missionary bringing new ideas, new concepts, new "Gods" to a foreign land is sure to meet strong opposition. This is a spiritual gift that requires much of a person. One must be ARMED before going into spiritual combat. Doctrines in the soul are the weapons.]
{How
Doctrine should NOT be Delivered/Taught}
3~~For
our "persuasive discourse"/entreaty/exhortation . . .
[gar hemon paraklesis - the jubilant presentation of the gospel]
absolutely
not out from error/"wrong opinion"/deceit
[ouk ek plane - Jesus' doctrine must be taught accurately],
nor
out from "impure motives"/carnality
[oude ek akatharsia -make sure your motives are pure and you
are filled with the Spirit - use I John 1:9 habitually],
neither
in/by/with guile/craftiness/deceit/"as a huckster" . . .
[oute en dolos - this term was used for a tavern keeper who
watered down or diluted his wine - serve up pure doctrine and
don't embellish]
{How
the gospel SHOULD be delivered}
4a~~But,
in contrast, [alla]
just
as we received testing to prove worthy -
in
the past with results that last forever
[kathos dokimazo (perfect passive indicative)]
by/under/from
God [hupo Theos] . . .
[Paul
and His Team came ARMED with the Word of God]
4b~~Having
received a deposit/"been entrusted with" the gospel
[pisteuo (aorist passive indicative) euaggelion]
even
so we keep on speaking . . .
[houto laleo (present active indicative)]
absolutely
not as to please men
[ouk hos aresko (present active participle) anthropos]
but,
in contrast, [alla]
[to
please] God . . . [Theos]
[The
One] testing for purpose of determining worthiness"
[dokimazo (present active participle)]
our
hearts/'right lobes'.
[hemon kardia - the "thinking
part of the soul" -
where doctrine is stored in categories of rules/precepts]
[Note:
Compare this with the parable of the "talents" at
Matthew
25:14-30. The one slave does not invest his master's money (the
gospel) for fear he will lose it. Instead he buries it. While hidden,
the gospel earns no interest and the man is not rewarded in heaven.]
[Verse
5-6a: What NOT to do when Evangelizing]
5a~~For
neither did we at any time
[gar oute pote ]
become
what we were not before
[ginomai (aorist passive indicative)]
flatterers
in/by/with words
[kolakeia en logos]
just
as you know with results that last forever,
[kathos oida (perfect active indicative)]
nor
in/by/with a pretext/"pretended cause"/cloak
[oute (oute oute - "neither nor") en prophasis]
of
covetousness/"greedy desire" [pleonexia] . . .
{Note: Covetousness is to greedily desire. Paul did not evangelize using 'Madison Avenue' tricks or with the wrong mental attitude - a good thing done in a wrong way is still wrong.}
5b~~God . . . [is my] witness. [Theos martus]
[Note: Many people (including me) were/are not aware of what it means when God says in the Ten Commandments "not to take His name in vain". It means to make an oath on Someone greater than you (God or His Word) and then lie! Paul was a strong orthodox Jew before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He absolutely would not take an oath as God as his witness, and then lie! His audience knew how strong this statement really was for Paul to make. And, remember, it was only much later that Church leaders recognized certain letters of Paul and others as being "of God" and perfect. Then these letters were included as part of the canon of scripture that I personally accept as the Word of God. I personally do NOT judge other people's choice of what is the True Word. I ONLY know what IS, the Bible does not declare itself as the ONLY book of Truth!]
6a~~Nor
out from men
[oute ek anthropos]
seeking/craving
glory . . .
[zeteo (present active participle) doxa]
neither
from the ultimate source of you . . .
[oute apo humon]
nor
from the ultimate source of others of the same kind.
[oute apo allos]
6b-7~~Having
ourselves the power/ability
[dunamai (present middle/passive participle)]
to
be in/by/with burdensome/heaviness,
[eimi (present infinitive) en baros]
as
the apostles of Christ,
[hos apostolos Christos]
[but
we were not] 7~~
but,
in contrast, [alla]
we
became what were were not before
[ginomai (present passive indicative)]
affable/mild/gentle
[epios]
in/by/with/among
the middle of you, [en epios humon]
even
as a nursing mother
[hos trophos]
"might
cherish with tender loving care"
[thalpo (present active subjunctive)]
her
infant/baby. [heautou teknon]
8~~So/"in
this manner" [houto]
having
ourselves the longing of love [of] you
[himeiromai (present middle participle) humon]
we
kept on being "willing"/"well pleased with"
[eudokeo (imperfect active indicative)]
to
have imparted [unto] you,
[metadidomi (aorist active infinitive) humin]
absolutely
not only the gospel of God,
[ouk monon euaggelion Theos]
but,
in contrast, also/and [alla kai]
[the
doctrine stored in] our own souls . . .
[heautou psuche]
"on
this account that"/because [dioti]
you
were what you were not before with results that last forever . . .
[ginomai (perfect passive indicative)]
precious/"worthy
of love" [agapetos]
[unto]
us. [hemin]
[Note: In life "to Divinely Love" is to share without any regard for reward. Paul already brought to them the gospel. They are saved. Now Paul states his desire to share with his "loved ones" that which he holds in the highest regard - doctrine stored in his soul. He does this from a "right mental attitude"; he is in fellowship; and from his own free will, Paul is applying the Viewpoint of Jesus to experience. Paul had no thought or desire for rewards! A "right thing" (Production of Divine Good) must be done in a "right way" (doctrinally based under the filling and guidance of God the Holy Spirit) to be Divinely Right!]
9a~~For
remember, brethren,
[gar mnemoneuo (present active indicative) adelphos]
our
intense labour united with trouble and toil
[hemon kopos]
and
hard and difficult labor/toil/travail/hardship/distress.
[kai mochthos (used to describe the pain of childbearing)]
9b~~For
laboring ourselves night and day,
[gar ergazomai (present middle/passive participle) nux kai hemera]
"face
to face with"/against/because [pros]
"to
not be chargeable"/"to not be burdensome"
[epibareo (aorist active infinitive) me]
[of/by]
any of you, [tis humon]
we
preached unto/toward you the gospel/"good news" of God.
[kerusso (aorist active indicative) eis humas euaggelion Theos]
[Note: Paul is stating that giving them doctrine was WORK and painful work! Study and teach, study and teach - rinse and repeat!]
10~~You
. . . [are] witnesses . . . [humeis martus]
and
God [also] . . . [kai Theos]
how
we became:
[hos ginomai (aorist passive indicative)]
holy,
[hosios]
{state of mind - correct mental attitude}
and
justly/upright/righteous [kai dikaios]
{filled with the spirit and applying divine viewpoint to experience},
and
unblameably/"no cause for censure" [amemptos]
{means they recovered fellowship if they sinned - I
John 1:9}
[among]
you believing ones -
[humin pisteuo (present active participle)].
11a~~"According
as"/"Just as" [kathaper]
you
know/perceive with results that last forever
[eido (perfect active indicative)]
how
we were encouraging
[hos parakaleo (present active participle)]
and
ourselves were encouraging/comforting.
[kai paramutheomai (present middle/passive participle)]
11b~~[How
we were]
witnessing/"providing
testimony" ourselves
[martureo (present middle participle)]
every
one of you . . .
[hekastos heis humas]
how
a father does his small children.
[how pater heautou teknon]
[Note: This is the common New Testament analogy of what any father is expected to do for his children - explain about life - God, country, family, friends, "others". Explain why people do things. Explain how to live a "good life" and be an honorable person. In other words to teach them right from wrong. Jesus was our example of how to live the More Excellent Righteous Way of God. Paul said he was following Jesus' doctrines and commands us to imitate him. In spiritual terms, a teknon is a baby believer who needs to be taught the basics to mature. Next comes a "young man" or "teenager" who needs to be taught under strict scholastic discipline. Finally is the mature believer or "father". Just as with adults in the physical realm, the mature believer always has more to learn - until he can get as close to Jesus in maturity as possible (Jesus' maturity was the "peak of the mountain"). Jesus is often called a "huios" - the perfect Adult Son of God.]
12~~Toward
[the goal that] [eis]
you
to walk/"move through live"
[humas peripateo (aorist active infinitive)]
worthy
of God . . . [axios Theos]
The
One [God] calling you
[kaleo (present active participle) humas]
{election - our purpose in His plan}
toward/unto
[eis]
His
kingdom and glory.
[heautou basileia kai doxa]
[Note: God never changes. However, we learn that some items are not revealed to us until the time is right. Prior to the 1st Advent, believers were instructed to "Walk in the Righteous Ways of God". Once Christ came, He taught us how to "Walk in the More Excellent Ways of Jesus Christ". These "Ways" were always there, they were just not "emphasized". Followers of Christ now live under a higher law and more is expected of us. To whom much is given, much is expected. Romans 12 thru chapter 13 gives a good list of what to do and then what NOT to do to Walk in the More Excellent Ways of Jesus Christ.]
{Verses
13-14: Positive Response to the Gospel}
13~~This
thing by means of also/and
[touto dia kai - idiom - meaning "for this cause also"]
we
thank God habitually/"with the rapidity of a hacking cough"
[eucharisteo (present active indicative) hemeis theos adialeiptos]
because/since,
[hoti]
receiving
the teaching of
[paralambano (aorist active participle)]
the
Word of God [logos theos]
you
heard face to face with us . . . [akoe para hemon]
you
yourselves received
[dechomai (aorist middle indicative)]
absolutely
not as the word of men,
[out logos anthropos - human viewpoint]
but,
in contrast, [alla]
according
as it is in Truth . . . [kathos esti alethos]
the
Word of God . . . [logos Theos - Divine Viewpoint]
which
Itself effectually worked/energized also/and
[hos energeo (present middle indicative) kai]
in/by/with
[en] you [humin]
the
believing ones.
[pisteuo (present active participle)]
[Be
Imitators of Others Who follow the doctrines of Christ Jesus]
14a~~For
you, brethren,
[gar humeis adelphos (indicates spiritual relationship)]
became
what you were not before
[ginomai (aorist active indicative)]
imitators
of the churches of God . . .
[mimetes ekklesia Theos]
those
in/by/with [en] Judea [Ioudaia]
who
keep on being in/by/with Christ Jesus . . .
[eimi (present participle) en Christos Iesous].
[Note: Paul is very strong on this point as was Jesus. "Mimetes" which the KJV translated "followers" is the word from which we get "mime". "Follow" is ok if you understand what that means. It means that the humanity of Jesus studied and learned and discussed scriptures with others. He grew in the knowledge of Divine Viewpoint and rejected all "viewpoint of men, the world, and of the age" (three ways Paul describes human viewpoint in contrast to Divine Viewpoint). "Christ LIVES through a follower of His Ways when that follower applies Jesus' viewpoint to his "Walk" through life. It is Jesus' thinking and He receives the credit. We are promised reward for our faithfulness.]
14b~~Since
that you also/and
[hoti humeis kai]
"are
in a bad plight"/"suffer sadly" in the same way
[pascho (aorist active indicative) tauta]
by/under
your own countrymen . . .
[hupo idios sumphuletes]
even/and
as they have by/under the Jews.
[kai kathos autos hupo Ioudaios]
[Note: Paul formerly was the GREATEST persecutor of the "followers of the Way of Jesus". Jews who still reject Jesus as Christ are persecuting members of this so-called "cult". Now Greek followers of the Way in Thessalonica are suffering persecution at the hands of their countrymen just as Jesus and His followers did in Judea and still do. The Bible often talks about God "proving the worthiness" of believers as through fire (the analogy being the purification process of impurities from silver). Each believer will be tested in their own way. The test for the mental genius, the superior athlete, the vastly wealthy person, may actually be the more difficult "test". They are tempted to rely on their own great "talent/wealth" instead of on the Thinking/Talent/Wealth of God!]
This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, and Moxxor For Pain Free Living.
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