Page 21 - Pauline Epistles Student Textbook

Timothy was restored to Paul, Silas, and probably Luke in Corinth from Thessalonica (Acts 18:5). He
brought good news to them, namely; the believers at Thessalonica were kindly remembering the
apostles and they longed to see them too just like the apostles (v6; cf. 1 Thess. 2:17). διὰ τοῦτο (dia
touto [v7]) is a phrase with two Greek words of nuanced forms. The former is a preposition of cause
or means depending on the context. The latter is a near demonstrative pronoun. It emphasizes that
something is near or is close to you. When those two are together, they are usually translated as
causal, that is, introducing the reason for the action. In this passage, because of Timothy’s report,
they were comforted or encouraged in their distress and persecutions because of their faith. Where
is the distress and persecution written that Paul states that he was undergoing in subsequence to
their ministry in Thessalonica? It appears that it is not written anywhere. This appears to be a
mental/psychological distress and persecution partly wrought by their longing for the believers at
Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thess. 2:17; 3:5, 7).

In v8, Paul argues based on Timothy’s report, “we are now living.” Notice here that living should not
be read into the text. For example, the apostles’ living does not rely on the standing firm of the
believers at Thessalonica. Instead, that verb should be interpreted metaphorically, meaning that the
well-being (but not life) partly depended on the standing firm of the believers at Thessalonica. The
antidotes for their less longing for them depended on their standing firm in the Lord. Standing firm
in the Lord should be one of the chief goals for every believer. If they were not standing firm, Paul
was going to be somehow distraught. Therefore, that was going to have a huge impact on his past,
current, and future ministry. All those doubters of his apostleship, thus, his ministry, was going to be
justified as correct in their claims that Paul’s appeal was from error and that he was not an apostle (1
Thess. 2:3-5; cf. 2 Cor. 10:11-12; 11:5-6).

Verse 9 is the continuation of the apostles’ joyful response to the standing firm of the believers at
Thessalonica. One of Paul’s arguments is that their object for their thanksgivings is God Himself.
Their thanksgiving was not enough compared to the standing firm in the Lord by the Thessalonian
believers. When were the apostles offering those thanksgivings? When they were praying night and
day for the opportunity to be reunited to them and see them (believers at Thessalonica) face to face.
The purpose for that was that they (the apostles) can supply or complete what was lacking in their
faith (v10). καταρτίσαι (from καταρτίζω [katartizō]) is a Greek verb from which we derive English
words like mending, restoring, set right, make complete, prepare, supply, etc. It is the same verb
used in the gospel according Matthew in reference to the mending of the nets by James, John, and
their father. In Galatians 6:1, the verb means the restoration of the brother in Christ who had lapsed
into sin. In Ephesian 4:12, it means the perfection of what is lacking. In this context, it connotes the
same meaning: the apostles wanted to make complete of what was lacking in the believers at
Thessalonica. They wanted to drill in them more apostolic teachings which they thought was needed
based on Timothy’s report.

In v11, having realized that it was beyond their control to fashion an opportunity to get to
Thessalonica, the apostles (in humility) bowed themselves to the will of God. Notice that they
neither commanded nor decreed, but simply resolved in their hearts under the control of the
apostolic teaching that if it was possible, “may our God do that for us.” The possibility aspect is
wrought by the verb in optative form; κατευθύναι (kateuthunai [from κατευθύνω; kateuthunō]),
meaning to direct. The mood of that tense is optative. “In the optative mood, the speaker presents
the action as possible. It is most frequently used to express wishes.” In v12, Paul’s use of verbs in
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optative tense continues to roll out. The apostles were praying for them that the Lord may make
them increase and abound in love, firstly, for one another and secondly, for all with the results that
their hearts may be established in holiness before God at the Parousia. It is complex to exercise love

39 Harvey, Greek Is Good Grief: Laying the Foundation for Exegesis and Exposition, 21.

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