Kehillah in Thessalonika I 3:8

8 For now we have Chayyim if you have a firm standing and remain ne’emanot (faithful) in Hashem.

Kehillah in Thessalonika I 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Thessalonians 3:8

For now we live
Before they were dead men, lifeless, disconsolate, dispirited, carrying about with them the dying of the Lord Jesus, and death working in them, and they, as it were, under the sentence of that, being killed all the day long for Christ's sake; but now, upon this news, in the midst of all their sore trials and troubles, their spirits revived, and they became alive and cheerful; see ( Psalms 22:26 ) ( Isaiah 55:3 ) , it was like life from the dead unto them:

if ye stand fast in the Lord:
or "our Lord", as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read; that is, "in the faith of the Lord", as the Arabic version renders it: they were in the Lord secretly by electing grace, and openly by regenerating grace, and they abode in him; and by persevering grace, they were rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith of him, of his person, office, and grace; they were steady in the exercise of grace upon him, and stood fast in the liberty wherewith he had made them free, and continued steadfastly in the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel; for the "if" here is not expressive of doubting, but of reasoning, "seeing ye stand fast in the Lord"; of which they were assured by Timothy: and this gave them fresh spirit and life amidst the deaths in which they often were.

Kehillah in Thessalonika I 3:8 In-Context

6 But, just now, when Timotiyos has come to us from you and has brought us good news of your [correct orthodox Jewish] Emunah and your ahavah and that you always have zochrim tovim (good memories) of us, yearning to see us, just as we yearn to see you.

7 For this reason, Achim b’Moshiach, in all our tzoros and redifah, we received chozek because of you through your emunah.

8 For now we have Chayyim if you have a firm standing and remain ne’emanot (faithful) in Hashem.

9 For what hodayah are we able to return to Hashem concerning you because of all the simcha with which we rejoice on account of you before Eloheinu,

10 As, yomam valailah, we are davening with all retzinut (earnestness) in order to see your penemer (faces) and to bring to shleimut what is lacking in your [orthodox Jewish] emunah?