1 Tesalonicenses 3:1-11

1 Por lo cual, no pudiendo esperar más, acordamos quedarnos solos en Atenas

2 y enviamos a Timoteo, nuestro hermano, y ministro de Dios, y colaborador nuestro en el Evangelio del Cristo, a confirmaros y exhortaros en vuestra fe

3 para que nadie se mueva en estas tribulaciones; porque vosotros sabéis que nosotros somos puestos para esto

4 Que aun estando con vosotros, os predecíamos que habíamos de pasar tribulaciones, como ha acontecido y lo sabéis

5 Por lo cual, también yo, no esperando más, he enviado a reconocer vuestra fe, no sea que os haya tentado el Tentador, y que nuestro trabajo haya sido en vano

6 Pero volviendo de vosotros a nosotros Timoteo, y haciéndonos saber buenas noticias de vuestra fe y caridad, y que siempre tenéis buena memoria de nosotros, deseando vernos, como también nosotros a vosotros

7 En ello, hermanos, recibimos consolación de vosotros en toda nuestra tribulación y necesidad por causa de vuestra fe

8 porque ahora vivimos nosotros, si vosotros estáis firmes en el Señor

9 Por lo cual, ¿qué acción de gracias podremos dar a Dios por vosotros, por todo el gozo con que nos gozamos a causa de vosotros delante de nuestro Dios

10 orando de noche y de día con grande instancia, que veamos vuestro rostro, y que cumplamos lo que falta a vuestra fe

11 Mas el mismo Dios y Padre nuestro, y el Señor nuestro, Jesús el Cristo, encamine nuestro viaje a vosotros

1 Tesalonicenses 3:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 3

In this chapter the apostle expresses his great love to the Thessalonians, by sending Timothy to then, to establish and comfort them; and declares his satisfaction with the things he brought of them, and concludes the chapter with fervent prayers for them: such was his affection for them, that he chose rather to be left alone at Athens, and send Timothy to them, though so very dear and useful to him, as his characters show, to the end that they might be established and comforted, 1Th 3:2 and not be shaken with the afflictions the apostles met with, seeing these were no other than what God had appointed them to; and besides, they had been apprized of them before hand by the apostle, 1Th 3:3,4 but however, lest Satan should get an advantage of them, the apostle could not be easy without sending to know how things stood with them, 1Th 3:5 next he proceeds to give an account of the success of this mission, and the satisfaction it gave him and his fellow ministers to hear of their faith and charity, their remembrance of them, and desire to see them, 1Th 3:6 which comforted them under their afflictions, made them lively and cheerful, filled them with joy and thankfulness, and put them upon praying to God to see their face, and perfect what was lacking in their faith, 1Th 3:7-10 and then follow the petitions themselves, which are made both to God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that their way might be directed to them, that they might increase and abound in love to one another, and to all men, as they did to them, and that God would establish them in holiness in his sight, at the coming of Christ, 1Th 3:11-13.

Ver 1. \\Wherefore when we could no longer forbear\\ Or "bear", as the word properly signifies; or "bear that", as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, "that desire", as the Arabic version renders it; that ardent and longing desire of seeing them again, expressed in the latter part of the preceding chapter; which was as fire in their bones, and was retained with great pain and uneasiness; but now they could hold it no longer, and like Jeremiah, Jer 20:9 were weary with forbearing, and could not stay; or it was like a burden, which they stood up under as long as they could, even Paul, Silas, and Timothy, but now it became insupportable:

\\we thought it good to be left at Athens alone\\: that is, Paul and Silas, or Paul only, speaking of himself in the plural number; for he seems to have been alone at Athens, at least at last; he considering everything, thought it most fit and advisable when at Athens, where he waited for Silas and Timothy, having ordered them to come thither to him from Berea, Ac 17:14,15 either to send orders to Berea for Timothy to go from thence to Thessalonica, to know the state of affairs there, and Silas elsewhere; or if they came to him to Athens, of which Luke gives no account, he immediately dispatched Timothy to Thessalonica, and Silas to some other part of Macedonia, for from thence they came to him at Corinth, Ac 18:5 such was his desire of knowing how things were at Thessalonica, that he chose rather to be left alone at Athens, disputing with the unbelieving Jews, and Heathen philosophers of the Epicurean and Stoic sects, sustaining all their scoffs and jeers alone; and was content to be without his useful companions, Silas and Timothy, who might have been assisting to him at Athens, in hope of hearing of his dear friends at Thessalonica. 06448-940725-0731-1Th3.2