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1:1
Paul, and
Silvanus, and
Timotheus, unto the church of the
Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in
our prayers; 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and
labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ, in the
sight of God and our Father; 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your
election of God.
1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner
of men we were among you for your sake.
1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received
the word in much
affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and
Achaia.
1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in
Macedonia and
Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward
is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had
unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God; 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
1 Thessalonians
Book: 1 Thessalonians
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The
Faith,
Love, and patience of the
Thessalonians, are
evident tokens of their election which was manifested in the
power with which the
Gospel came to them.
(1-5) Its powerful and
exemplary effects upon their hearts and lives.
(6-10)
1-5 As all good comes from
God,
So No good can be hoped for
By
sinners, but from
God in
Christ. And the best good may be
expected from
God, as our
Father, for the sake of
Christ. We
should pray, not only for ourselves, but for others also;
remembering them without ceasing. Wherever there is a true
Faith, it will work; it will affect both the
Heart and
Life.
Faith Works By Love; it shows itself in
Love to
God, and
Love to
our neighbour. And wherever there is a
Well-grounded
Hope of
eternal
Life, this will appear
By the
Exercise of patience; and
it is a sign of sincerity, when in all we do, we seek to approve
ourselves to
God.
By this we may know our election, if we not
only speak of the things of
God with our lips, but feel their
power in our hearts, mortifying our lusts, weaning us from the
world, and raising us up to heavenly things. Unless the
Spirit
of
God comes with the
Word of God, it will be to us a dead
Letter. Thus they entertained it
By the power of the
Holy Ghost.
They were fully convinced of the
Truth of it,
So as not to be
shaken in mind
By objections and doubts; and they were willing
to leave all for
Christ, and to venture their souls and
Everlasting condition upon the
Truth of the
Gospel Revelation.
6-10 When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned
from their
Carnal pursuits and connections, to believe in and
obey the
Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly,
the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old
Testament waited for the coming of the
Messiah, and believers
now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And
God had
raised him from the dead, which is a full
Assurance unto all men
that he will come to
Judgment. He came to purchase
Salvation,
and will, when he comes again, bring
Salvation with him, full
and final deliverance from that wrath which is yet to come. Let
all, without delay, flee from the wrath to come, and seek
Refuge
in
Christ and his
Salvation.