Page 20 - Pauline Epistles Student Textbook

longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our
labor would be in vain. (ESV)

Notice in v1 that the apostles could not overcome their ἐπιθυμίᾳ. Therefore, they sent someone to
them, that is Timothy (v2). Being left alone at Athens was not something they preferred due to the
verb which he used like that of being orphaned, καταλειφθῆναι (kataleiphthēnai [“to leave
behind”]). Notice that Timothy is identified here as God’s coworker. Does that mean that Timothy is
the only God’s coworker or God cannot do it alone, hence, in need of someone to help Him do the
work? The answer to both questions is “no” because Paul has already shown in some other passages
that he was the coworker of God (1 Cor. 3:9). It appears that he is just authenticating Timothy to
them so that they can welcome him and his reassuring words just like they would to Paul because
both are coworkers of God. As Wanamaker argued that “Paul attributed considerable status to
Timothy in order to confirm his past work among the Thessalonians on Paul’s behalf and to prepare
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for his possible return to them.”

In v3a, Timothy was sent to strengthen and encourage them in their faith with a purpose of helping
them not to be moved by the afflictions. Believers at Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thess. 4:1-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-
12), just like all other new converts will be faced with difficult situations. Timothy’s purpose for
strengthening and reassuring was not to cease the afflictions, but to encourage the believers to be
strong in faith to God and endure (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3). This was so because of v3b, “we are destined for
this.” I have heard some people praying in order that the persecutions and afflictions should stop. Is
that a biblical prayer? In v4, Paul reminded them of the evidences that show that the apostles are
destined for suffering; they were persecuted, to which the believers at Thessalonica could attest.

Verse 5 appears to suggest the presence of a teacher or some influence which was not in agreement
with what they had previously received from Paul. Further, it strongly suggests a secondary purpose
for the sending of Timothy to them. Notice that he identified that the influence was coming from the
tempter. That passage does not identify that tempter but based on internal evidence (1 Thess. 2:18;
2 Thess. 2:9-12) and other books of the Bible (cf. 1 Cor. 7:5; 2 Cor. 4:4), Satan is in view. It appears
that those afflictions, sufferings, or persecutions, wrought by jealous Jews (in that sense, are viewed
to be agents of Satan), lured them to begin to question their beliefs founded on the apostolic
message. The turning from idols, and therefore, their cessation in their participation to celebrations
that involved the worship of idols in order to begin worshipping the living God (1 Thess. 1:9-10),
obviously made them to be vividly separated from the worldly culture of the Thessalonians. That
could have probably caused some of the Thessalonians to begin to question their beliefs grounded
on the apostolic teaching.

Realization of the Apostles’ Great Longing via Timothy’s Report (1 Thess. 3:6-11)

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and
love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—
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for this reason, brothers in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you
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through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can
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we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most
earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, (ESV)

38 Wanamaker, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Epistles to the
Thessalonians, 128.

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