1 Thessalonians 1:6

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

1 Thessalonians 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Thessalonians 1:6

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord
So far followers of them as they were of Christ, in embracing the Gospel, submitting to the ordinances of it, professing the name of Christ, and suffering for his sake; the Alexandrian copy reads, "of God", and others, "of Christ":

having received the word;
the Gospel, the word of truth, peace, and righteousness, and of salvation by Christ; which they received not as the word of man, but of God; and that

in much affliction;
referring to the uproar made by the baser sort of people, instigated by the unbelieving Jews, and the trouble they gave to Jason and other brethren, mentioned in ( Acts 17:1 Acts 17:5-9 ) and this is a considerable commendation of them, that at a time when others were offended and fell off from hearing the word, and a profession of the Gospel, they should receive it, and that

with much joy of the Holy Ghost;
not with a carnal joy, or with a mere flash of natural affection, as in the stony ground hearers, and in the Jews, who rejoiced for a while in John's ministry, and in Herod, who sometimes heard him gladly; but with a spiritual joy of the Holy Ghost's producing in them, applying the word with power to them, giving them a spiritual gust of it, and pleasure in it, raising in their souls a joy upon the most solid foundation.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 In-Context

4 knowing, brothers [dearly] loved by God, {that he has chosen you},

5 because our gospel did not come to you with word only, but also with power and with the Holy Spirit and with much certainty, just as you know what sort of [people] we became among you for your sake.

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became an example to all those who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia,

8 for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything.