Глава III

The Apostle Timothy's letter to Thessalonica (1-5) and the good news he brought (6), causing the evangelist to have joy and thanksgiving to the Lord (7-9) and even more encouraging him to meet with the readers (10-11), who ask God for perfect prosperity (12-13). 1 Thessalonians 3:1. And therefore, unable to bear it any longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens, 1 Thessalonians 3:2. and we sent Timothy, our brother and servant of God and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to confirm you and comfort you in your faith, 1 Thessalonians 3:3. so that no one will be shaken in these sorrows: for you yourselves know that this is how we are destined. No longer able to endure separation, Ap. Paul sent to Thess. Timothy, whom he calls here "brother" (see 2 Cor 1:1; Col 1:1; Phil 1:1), "is the servant of God" (1 Tim 4:6; διάκονος του Θεοΰ - in contrast to δούλος - means servant in relation to his work) and “collaborator” in the gospel. All these epithets are given to him not to show the greatness of the loss that Ap. P. suffered in the person of Timothy by sending him to F., but rather to indicate to F. the importance of his mission (2 Cor. 8:18; Phil. 2:20). from the path of truth in the midst of those sorrows that fell on them. Ap. already spoke to them about these sorrows. Doesn’t Ap also mean here those sorrows that were to come before the onset of the “day of the Lord”? 1 Sol.3:4. For even then, as we were with you, we predicted to you that we would suffer, as it happened, and you know. 1 Sol.3:5. Therefore, I, unable to bear it any longer, sent to find out about your faith, so that the tempter would not tempt you and our labor would become in vain. 1 Sol.3:6. Now, when Timothy came to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love, and that you always have a good memory of us, wanting to see us, just as we do you, 1 Sol.3:7. then we, in all our sorrow and need, were comforted by you, brethren, for the sake of your faith; 1 Sol.3:8. for now we are alive as you stand in the Lord. For Ap. It was especially important for P. to know how things stood regarding the faith of the F-ev, which, as the verb shows: “έπεφασεν”, had already been tempted by ό πειράζων - Satan (1 Cor. 7:5) and Ap. feared that unfavorable results might result from this (γένηται) - his work could be nullified. “In view of the fears just mentioned, imagine now our relief,” as Ap wrote. “When Timothy brought back - precisely at this moment - the good news about your faith and love, and about the kind memory of us that you continue to keep, as well as about your mutual ardent desire to meet with us again. For us, such news was truly “good news,” and through your faith we were comforted in the midst of those difficult trials and worries that we now encounter in our work. No message could help us more, and we feel as if we are being made alive again just when we hear that you are standing firm in the Lord. We have no words to express our gratitude to God for the joy with which you fill our hearts in His presence - for the joy that finds constant expression in our fervent prayers that not only we may hear from you, but once again see you face to face and complete the shortcomings of your faith ”(Milligan. G. op. cit. 39-40). Sorrow - θλίψις - grief, suffering caused by people; need - ανάγκη - external compulsion, or circumstances or duty (1 Cor 7:26; 9:16, etc.). 1 Sol.3:9. What gratitude can we give to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice over you before our God, 1 Thessalonians 3:10. praying night and day earnestly to see your face and to complete what was lacking in your faith? 1 Sol.3:11. May our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our path to you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12. May the Lord fill you and fill you with love for each other and in everything that we are filled with for you, 1 Thessalonians 3:13. to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God and our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. Amen. Ap. ends the chapter with a prayer for F., a remarkable feature of which is the fact that in it God the Father and the Lord I. Christ are called together. “This fact is worthy of note,” writes Bishop. Lightfoot that this attribution of divine authority to our Lord regarding the government of human affairs is found in the earliest epistles of St. Paul, which are probably the very first writings of N. 3. This shows that there was no moment at all, even in the earliest times, as far as we know, when the Person of Christ was looked upon differently” (Notes, 48). This passage gives striking proof of the early Christians' belief in the deity of Christ (see 2 Thessalonians 2:16). Ap. He prays that God Himself will remove the obstacle placed by Satan against the evangelist and again open the way for him to F. Prayer 12 v. addressed to the Lord Jesus alone. Ap. He prays to the Lord to “fill” F. with love, not only for each other, but for everyone in general. “For the cruelly persecuted F., this broader love was especially difficult - and necessary; it meant love for enemies, according to the commandment of Christ” (Matthew 5:44). In 13th Art. the ultimate goal of prayer is indicated. Love, multiplying and becoming abundant, will become in F. the basis of justification before the Lord coming to judgment, creating in them a “state of holiness” (άγιωσυνη). “This state of holiness is precisely the goal towards which the love that is now so powerfully active in F. should grow and move, so that their holiness can give them, at the coming of Christ, praise from God, the anticipation of which will give them an unshakable peace of heart in anticipation of this great and terrible event. Thought Ap. here again takes that eschatological turn that occurs every now and then in our message. The words “with all the saints” must be understood as equally applicable to deceased saints and angels. True, in N. 3. angels are never simply called οί άγιοι. But the name also appears in the book. Acts 8:13; The impact of this book on our message is undoubtedly enormous. On the other hand, in the Gospel (Matthew 13:41 et c.; Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26 and 2 Thessalonians 2:7) angels accompany the Lord at His coming; in addition, in two Gospels - Mark 8:38 and Luke 9:26 the epithet άγιος is attached to them precisely in connection with the coming of Christ. You might be interested in: