1Th 2:14-16 | TNotes | STEP | 2:14 The evidence that the Thessalonian believers accepted the word of God was that they suffered persecution (1:6 ). This followed the pattern of the apostles, the churches in Judea (Acts 8:1 ), and Christ himself.

2:14 ^a The evidence that the Thessalonian believers accepted the word of God was that they suffered persecution (1:6 ^b). This followed the pattern of the apostles, the churches in Judea (Acts 8:1 ^c), and Christ himself.
2:15 ^d Paul was not anti-Jewish; out of love for his own people, he prayed for their salvation (Rom 9:1-5 ^e; 10:1 ^f). But he was aware of the role some of the Jews had in the deaths of God’s messengers, including Jesus (1 Kgs 19:10 ^g; Acts 7:52 ^h). Now they had persecuted the apostolic messengers in Thessalonica (Acts 17:10 ⁱ; 2 Cor 11:26 ^j).
2:16 ^k The mission to the Gentiles was one of the most important issues in the early church (Acts 11:18 ^l; 13:46-49 ^m; 28:28 ⁿ; Rom 1:16 ^o).

• Judgment comes when sins pile up to their complete measure (Gen 15:16 ^p; Dan 8:23 ^q; cp. Matt 23:31-36 ^r).