1Th 2:7 | KingComments | STEP | It is nice to see how each chapter of the letter seems to describe a phase in the growth of the believer from being a baby until his adulthood: 1. In chapter 1 the child has been born. 2. In chapter 2 he is nurtured and raised in the faith. 3. In chapter 3 you see the child standing in faith. 4. In chapter 4 he receives instructions for walking in faith. 5. In chapter 5 there is maturity and the young believer goes to work. . Here we find ourselves in the stage that the child has been born and has to be nourished. It is clear that with a baby you don’t think of exerting authority over him. With a baby only motherly care is fitting. The tenderness with which the great apostle goes to work is impressive. He was just as “a nursing [mother]”, a nurse. That’s what God was for His people in the wilderness, where He had cared for them and nursed them as a nurturer ( ). Also with the Lord Jesus we find those feelings when He speaks about His love for Jerusalem and compares it with that of a hen that spreads her wings over her chicks as a shelter to protect them ( ). Paul had the same motherly feelings for his spiritual children. He reminds them that he was “gentle” or mild, tender, when he was among them. By the way, this character should adorn every servant of the Lord ( ). You also see this gentleness with the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 40 ( ). With a real mother the interest of the child is the most important thing. Her love for the child causes her to act selflessly; she sacrifices herself for that. You see that with the Lord Jesus. He has always sought for the benefit of the other person. Therefore He did not come to be served, but to serve. Paul was His follower in this. . He loved them in such a way that he even wanted to share his own life with them. The meaning of that here is not that he was willing to give his life for the sake of the gospel – although that was surely the case – but that he was fully committed with his whole life to the message that he was bringing. He was willing to live for them, serve them with his life. His whole life – all that he possessed and all of his time – was inextricably connected to the gospel. He not only brought a message, but he also brought himself with it, though in a way that Christ is seen and not he himself. . The only way the gospel can have the effect desired and wrought by God, is if the preacher effaces himself. Parents make great efforts to give their children the right nourishment and education. Thereby their example is of great meaning. The Thessalonians have seen that Paul and his companions were no spongers who wanted to take advantage of their converts. On the contrary. They gave themselves no rest and they did not even allow themselves a normal sleep, in order to provide for themselves. Paul wanted to avoid at any cost that he would give the impression for using his ministry for any financial profit in any way (cf. ). He came to Thessalonica to give and to share, not to be a burden or to enrich himself. The gospel of God is not a matter that imposes burdens, but it liberates from the power of sin and takes away the burden of sins. . Paul refers to his behavior among them. Again he mentions God as a Witness of his behavior. But not only God – they themselves have seen with their own eyes how he had behaved himself toward them. Did they see other things than God saw with him? They could not deny what they had observed, no matter how the enemy tried to damage the ministry or motives of the apostle and to bring him into disrepute in the eyes of the Thessalonians. In the first place they had seen how “devoutly” he had behaved himself. Everything he did was in harmony with God. They also saw that in his dealings with people he had always been “uprightly”. He had never been detrimental to anyone. They finally could not otherwise than testify that he had been “blamelessly”. They could not blame him for anything. He addresses them as “you believers”. It is important to him that they judge his behavior as believers and therefore not according to worldly measures. . Paul first used the picture of the mother who nurses her child. That proves the tenderness of love of the preacher. Now he uses the picture of the father who deals with his children. In that way he complements the picture of the mother. The use of these parental relationships you find only in the letters of Paul. With a father we see more the serious aspects of that same love that the mother has (cf. ; ; ). Paul was a good father to his children. He not only addressed them as a whole, but he had also personal attention for each of them. This is important to every servant of the Lord who proclaims the Word. It is easier to say things from the pulpit than in a personal conversation. After-care is important for the individual. Paul exhorts, encourages and implores the Thessalonians from the father-child relationship. Exhortation is sometimes mistakenly related to the raised finger in the sense of: ‘Watch out, otherwise …!’ But an exhortation is a call for a person, who is running the risk to deviate or already has, to come back to the company of believers. Fathers also encourage their children. They encourage them not to despair in times of hardships, but to persevere. It is about “his own children”. Fathers are often away from home. They sometimes are also occupied with the problems of other people. The danger is that they forget their own children. But their own family is the very first labor field that is given by the Lord. If that is losing out, it will certainly negatively affect the work that is being done for Him. Paul not only exhorts and encourages them, but he also implores them or testifies to them. In that way he brings exhortation and encouragement very close. He does not exhort and encourage from a distance as something that would only apply to them and that it is not something he has any part in. To implore or to testify indicates that he proclaims the truth to them with conviction. Imploring or testifying has to do with a teaching that has proven its value in the practice of life. Each father must teach his children with conviction in the truth of God. A father ought not to say: ‘I cannot do that.’ He has to charge, to declare, the truth meaning to bind the truth severely to the heart of the child. This teaching will of course only have an impact when the children see in the life of the father that he practices that himself. . The goal that Paul wants to achieve, is that they would “walk in a manner worthy of God”. ‘Worthy’ means that it is fitting and in agreement with the holiness and features of God in Whom they have put their trust (cf. ; ; ; ; ). It is important that your walk and behavior as a Christian is in accordance with your confession. I will give an illustration. In the army of Alexander the Great there was a soldier who misbehaved himself. He was brought to Alexander the Great. Alexander asked him for his name. The soldier answered: ‘My name is Alexander.’ Then Alexander the Great responded: ‘Either you change your behavior, or you change your name.’ Consider your high calling. You were first called through the gospel. Now you hear that it has led you to such a high calling, namely God’s own kingdom and glory (cf. ; ; ; ). Here it is written in such a way that God is continually calling out to you: ‘Your way leads to My own kingdom and glory.’ Wouldn’t it mark your everyday life if you become aware of that? Seek to live such a life. Fix your eye on that. This is how you draw the future to yourself and in that way that great future will determine and radiate your way. Now read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 again. Reflection: Which features of God’s motherly and fatherly features do you see in this portion with Paul?

‏ 1 Thessalonians 2:7

Paul’s Conduct Among Them

It is nice to see how each chapter of the letter seems to describe a phase in the growth of the believer from being a baby until his adulthood:

1. In chapter 1 the child has been born.

2. In chapter 2 he is nurtured and raised in the faith.

3. In chapter 3 you see the child standing in faith.

4. In chapter 4 he receives instructions for walking in faith.

5. In chapter 5 there is maturity and the young believer goes to work.

1Thes 2:7. Here we find ourselves in the stage that the child has been born and has to be nourished. It is clear that with a baby you don’t think of exerting authority over him. With a baby only motherly care is fitting. The tenderness with which the great apostle goes to work is impressive. He was just as “a nursing [mother]”, a nurse.

That’s what God was for His people in the wilderness, where He had cared for them and nursed them as a nurturer (Acts 13:18). Also with the Lord Jesus we find those feelings when He speaks about His love for Jerusalem and compares it with that of a hen that spreads her wings over her chicks as a shelter to protect them (Mt 23:37).

Paul had the same motherly feelings for his spiritual children. He reminds them that he was “gentle” or mild, tender, when he was among them. By the way, this character should adorn every servant of the Lord (2Tim 2:24). You also see this gentleness with the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 40 (Isa 40:11).

With a real mother the interest of the child is the most important thing. Her love for the child causes her to act selflessly; she sacrifices herself for that. You see that with the Lord Jesus. He has always sought for the benefit of the other person. Therefore He did not come to be served, but to serve. Paul was His follower in this.

1Thes 2:8. He loved them in such a way that he even wanted to share his own life with them. The meaning of that here is not that he was willing to give his life for the sake of the gospel – although that was surely the case – but that he was fully committed with his whole life to the message that he was bringing. He was willing to live for them, serve them with his life. His whole life – all that he possessed and all of his time – was inextricably connected to the gospel. He not only brought a message, but he also brought himself with it, though in a way that Christ is seen and not he himself.

1Thes 2:9. The only way the gospel can have the effect desired and wrought by God, is if the preacher effaces himself. Parents make great efforts to give their children the right nourishment and education. Thereby their example is of great meaning. The Thessalonians have seen that Paul and his companions were no spongers who wanted to take advantage of their converts. On the contrary.

They gave themselves no rest and they did not even allow themselves a normal sleep, in order to provide for themselves. Paul wanted to avoid at any cost that he would give the impression for using his ministry for any financial profit in any way (cf. 1Cor 9:1-18). He came to Thessalonica to give and to share, not to be a burden or to enrich himself. The gospel of God is not a matter that imposes burdens, but it liberates from the power of sin and takes away the burden of sins.

1Thes 2:10. Paul refers to his behavior among them. Again he mentions God as a Witness of his behavior. But not only God – they themselves have seen with their own eyes how he had behaved himself toward them. Did they see other things than God saw with him? They could not deny what they had observed, no matter how the enemy tried to damage the ministry or motives of the apostle and to bring him into disrepute in the eyes of the Thessalonians.

In the first place they had seen how “devoutly” he had behaved himself. Everything he did was in harmony with God. They also saw that in his dealings with people he had always been “uprightly”. He had never been detrimental to anyone. They finally could not otherwise than testify that he had been “blamelessly”. They could not blame him for anything.

He addresses them as “you believers”. It is important to him that they judge his behavior as believers and therefore not according to worldly measures.

1Thes 2:11. Paul first used the picture of the mother who nurses her child. That proves the tenderness of love of the preacher. Now he uses the picture of the father who deals with his children. In that way he complements the picture of the mother. The use of these parental relationships you find only in the letters of Paul.

With a father we see more the serious aspects of that same love that the mother has (cf. 1Cor 4:14-21; 2Cor 6:13; Gal 4:19). Paul was a good father to his children. He not only addressed them as a whole, but he had also personal attention for each of them. This is important to every servant of the Lord who proclaims the Word. It is easier to say things from the pulpit than in a personal conversation. After-care is important for the individual.

Paul exhorts, encourages and implores the Thessalonians from the father-child relationship. Exhortation is sometimes mistakenly related to the raised finger in the sense of: ‘Watch out, otherwise …!’ But an exhortation is a call for a person, who is running the risk to deviate or already has, to come back to the company of believers.

Fathers also encourage their children. They encourage them not to despair in times of hardships, but to persevere.

It is about “his own children”. Fathers are often away from home. They sometimes are also occupied with the problems of other people. The danger is that they forget their own children. But their own family is the very first labor field that is given by the Lord. If that is losing out, it will certainly negatively affect the work that is being done for Him.

Paul not only exhorts and encourages them, but he also implores them or testifies to them. In that way he brings exhortation and encouragement very close. He does not exhort and encourage from a distance as something that would only apply to them and that it is not something he has any part in. To implore or to testify indicates that he proclaims the truth to them with conviction.

Imploring or testifying has to do with a teaching that has proven its value in the practice of life. Each father must teach his children with conviction in the truth of God. A father ought not to say: ‘I cannot do that.’ He has to charge, to declare, the truth meaning to bind the truth severely to the heart of the child. This teaching will of course only have an impact when the children see in the life of the father that he practices that himself.

1Thes 2:12. The goal that Paul wants to achieve, is that they would “walk in a manner worthy of God”. ‘Worthy’ means that it is fitting and in agreement with the holiness and features of God in Whom they have put their trust (cf. Rom 16:2; Eph 4:1; Phil 1:27; Col 1:10; 3Jn 1:6). It is important that your walk and behavior as a Christian is in accordance with your confession.

I will give an illustration. In the army of Alexander the Great there was a soldier who misbehaved himself. He was brought to Alexander the Great. Alexander asked him for his name. The soldier answered: ‘My name is Alexander.’ Then Alexander the Great responded: ‘Either you change your behavior, or you change your name.’

Consider your high calling. You were first called through the gospel. Now you hear that it has led you to such a high calling, namely God’s own kingdom and glory (cf. Rom 8:28; Phil 3:14; 2Tim 1:9; Heb 3:1). Here it is written in such a way that God is continually calling out to you: ‘Your way leads to My own kingdom and glory.’

Wouldn’t it mark your everyday life if you become aware of that? Seek to live such a life. Fix your eye on that. This is how you draw the future to yourself and in that way that great future will determine and radiate your way.

Now read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 again.

Reflection: Which features of God’s motherly and fatherly features do you see in this portion with Paul?