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1 Thessalonians 3:1. And therefore, unable to bear it any longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens. 1 Thessalonians 3:2. And they 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. “It is no longer tolerable, with good will, to remain alone in Athens, and by the envoy of Timothy, our brother and servant of God and our accomplice in the gospel of Christ, to confirm you and comfort you about your faith, as not a single one will be embarrassed in these sorrows.” Since we encountered obstacles to coming to you, we sent Timothy, who is our brother and to whom the Divine Gospel was entrusted. They sent him not to offer you another teaching, but to confirm you in the previous teaching and console you, so that you courageously endure the machinations of those who oppose you, and do not hesitate and do not retreat from your previous determination. At the same time, it should be noted that the Apostle called the one to whom the Gospel of Christ was entrusted “a servant of God,” teaching thereby that he recognizes the Son as no less than the Father. “You know for yourself that we are lying on this ground.” The Lord Christ foretold this to us from the beginning. Why do we not tolerate anything new, but what He predicted: “Behold... I send you like sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10:16); and: “it is blessed to drive away righteousness for the sake of them: for these are the Kingdom of Heaven,” and much like this. 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. “For when you were behaving, I foretold to you that, like the imams, sorrow would come and be known.” What was predicted is attested to by what actually happened to us. 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. “For this reason, and if I am not patient, I have sent you to understand your faith, lest you be tempted by the tempter, and our labor be in vain.” Therefore, since I could no longer bear the thought that overly troubled me, I sent, wanting to find out whether any harm had happened to you from temptations and whether the work that we had suffered for you had been lost. Thus, having shown his previous concern, he also announces the joy that he felt from the good news brought by the venerable Timothy. 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. “Now Timothy has come to us from you and preached to us your faith and love, and because you have a good memory of us, always wanting to see us, as we do you: for this reason, brothers, we are comforted about you, in all our sorrow and need, by your faith.” The apostle set forth three traits worthy of love: faith, love and remembrance of the teacher. Faith makes it possible to see the firmness of piety, and love - active virtue; Remembrance of the teacher and love for him indicate attachment to the teaching. This, says the Apostle, made us complacent, and we forgot the sorrows inflicted on us, which we suffered for the sake of your faith, that is, for what we preach to you. 1 Sol.3:8. for now we are alive as you stand in the Lord. “As we live today, even though you stand in the Lord.” We recognize your firmness as our life. 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. Night and day, all fervently praying to see your face and to complete what was lacking in your faith? “What thanks can we give to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God. Night and day too much praying to see your face and commit the deprivation of your faith? . The greatness of joy prevails over the singing of the lips, for we are not able to offer to God a song equivalent to the joy that you brought to us. And night and day we beg the Lord to give us the opportunity to see you and strengthen and teach you decent teaching. This is what the words mean: “to commit the deprivation of your faith,” that is, to fulfill what is insufficient. But this benefit is also given to them by the writings. He begins with prayer. 1 Thessalonians 3:11. May our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our path to you. “May God and our Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, correct our path to you,” that is, may He fulfill our desire and destroy the difficulties encountered. And this teaches the equality of the Father and the Son. For the Apostle did not use the preposition διά, but the conjunction καί! (and), letting them know that the Father and the Son build one and the same thing, just as they create the same thing. And that the Economy is one, the additions testify to this. For the Apostle, leaving the face of God and the Father, mentions the one Son and says: 1 Thessalonians 3:12. And may the Lord fill you and fill you with love for each other and for everyone, which 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. “May the Lord increase you and make you abundant in love for each other and for everyone, just as we are for you, so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” The divine Apostle called progress in love the fulfillment of the whole law. Therefore, he prays that the Lord will replenish them in number and make them abundant in love, that is, those who have acquired perfect love, so that they will not lack in it at all and show it not only to each other, but also to all fellow believers, wherever they are. For so we too, says the Apostle, being far from you, are disposed towards you, desiring to strengthen your hearts, so that free from all vice you may now be seen before the God of all and meet the Lord Christ with all the saints. You might be interested in: