Act 20:33-35, 1Th 2:9-10 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 33. I have coveted . I have not desired. I have not made it an object of my living among you to obtain your property. Thus he says, "I seek not yours, but you." Paul had power to demand support in the ministry as the reward of his labour, . Yet he did not choose to exercise it, lest it should bring the charge of avarice against the ministry, . Paul also had power in another respect. He had a vast influence over the people. The early Christians were disposed to commit their property to the disposal of the apostles. See . The heathen had been accustomed to devote their property to the support of religion. Of this propensity, if the object of Paul had been to make money, he might have availed himself, and have become enriched. Deceivers often thus impose on people for the purpose of amassing wealth; and one of the incidental but striking proofs of the Christian religion is here furnished, in the appeal which the apostle Paul made to his hearers, that this had not been his motive for action. If it had been, how easy would it have been for them to have contradicted him! and who, in such circumstances, would have dared to make such an appeal? The circumstances of the case, therefore, prove that the object of the apostle was not to amass wealth. And this fact is an important proof of the truth of the religion which he defended. What should have induced him to labour and toil in this manner, but a conviction of the truth of Christianity? And if he really believed it was true, it is, in his circumstances, a strong proof that this religion is from heaven. See this proof stated in Faber's "Difficulties of Infidelity," and in Lord Lyttleton's "Letter on the Conversion of St. Paul." Or apparel . Raiment. Changes of raiment among the ancients, as at present among the orientals, constituted an important part of their property, . (c) "I have coveted" .

Acts 20:33-35

Verse 33. I have coveted. I have not desired. I have not made it an object of my living among you to obtain your property. Thus 2Cor 12:14 he says, "I seek not yours, but you." Paul had power to demand support in the ministry as the reward of his labour, 1Cor 9:13,14. Yet he did not choose to exercise it, lest it should bring the charge of avarice against the ministry, 1Cor 9:12,15. Paul also had power in another respect. He had a vast influence over the people. The early Christians were disposed to commit their property to the disposal of the apostles. See Acts 4:34,35,37. The heathen had been accustomed to devote their property to the support of religion. Of this propensity, if the object of Paul had been to make money, he might have availed himself, and have become enriched. Deceivers often thus impose on people for the purpose of amassing wealth; and one of the incidental but striking proofs of the Christian religion is here furnished, in the appeal which the apostle Paul made to his hearers, that this had not been his motive for action. If it had been, how easy would it have been for them to have contradicted him! and who, in such circumstances, would have dared to make such an appeal? The circumstances of the case, therefore, prove that the object of the apostle was not to amass wealth. And this fact is an important proof of the truth of the religion which he defended. What should have induced him to labour and toil in this manner, but a conviction of the truth of Christianity? And if he really believed it was true, it is, in his circumstances, a strong proof that this religion is from heaven. See this proof stated in Faber's "Difficulties of Infidelity," and in Lord Lyttleton's "Letter on the Conversion of St. Paul."

Or apparel. Raiment. Changes of raiment among the ancients, as at present among the orientals, constituted an important part of their property, Mt 6:19.

(c) "I have coveted" 1Sam 12:3, 1Cor 7:12. Verse 34. Yea, ye yourselves know. By your own acquaintance with my manner of life. In Corinth he had lived and laboured with Apollos, Acts 18:3; and he refers elsewhere to the fact that he had supported himself, in part at least, by his own labour, 1Cor 4:12 1Thes 2:9, 2Thes 3:8. We may hence learn that it is no discredit to a minister to labour. Whatever it may be to a people who put him under a necessity to toil for his support, yet the example of Paul shows that a man should rejoice in the privilege of preaching the gospel, even if it is done while he is obliged to resort to labour for his daily bread. It is well when a minister of the gospel can make an appeal to his people like this of Paul, and say, "I have coveted no man's gold, or silver, or apparel." Every minister should so live that he can make this appeal to their own consciences of the sincerity and disinterestedness of his labours from the pulpit; or when called to separate from them as Paul did; or when on a dying bed. Every minister of the gospel, when he comes to lie down to die, will desire to be able to make this appeal, and to leave a solemn testimony there, that it was not for gold, or ease, or fame, that he toiled in the ministerial office. How much more influence can such a man have, than he who has been worldly-minded; who has sought to become rich; and the only memorials of whose life is, that he has sought "the fleece, not the flock," and that he has gained the property, not the souls of men. And every Christian, when he dies, should and will desire to leave a testimony as pure, that he has been disinterested, self-denying, and laborious in the cause of Jesus the Lord.

(d) "yourselves know" Acts 18:3, 1Cor 4:12, 1Thes 2:9, 2Thes 3:8 Verse 35. I have shewed you. I have taught you by instruction and example. I have not merely discoursed about it, but have showed you how to do it.

All things. Or, in respect to all things. In everything that respects preaching and the proper mode of life, I have for three years set you an example, illustrating the design, nature, and duties of the office by my own self-denials and toils.

How that. Or that. οτι. I have showed you that ye should by so labouring support the weak.

So labouring, Labouring as I have done. Setting this example, and ministering in this way to the wants of others.

To support the weak. To provide for the wants of the sick and feeble members of the flock, who are unable to labour for themselves. The weak here denote the poor, the needy, the infirm.

And to remember. To call to mind for encouragement, and with the force of a command.

The words of the Lord Jesus. These words are nowhere recorded by the evangelists. But they did not pretend to record all his sayings and instructions. Comp. Jn 21:25. There is the highest reason to suppose that many of his sayings which are not recorded would be treasured up by those who heard them; would be transmitted to others; and would be regarded as a precious part of his instructions. Paul evidently addresses them as if they had heard this before, and were acquainted with it. Perhaps he had himself reminded them of it. This is one of the Redeemer's most precious sayings; and it seems even to have a peculiar value, from the fact that it is not recorded in the regular and professed histories of his life. It comes to us recovered, as it were, from the great mass of his unrecorded sayings; rescued from that oblivion to which it was hastening if left to mere tradition, and placed in permanent form in the sacred writings by the act of an apostle, who had never seen the Saviour before his crucifixion. It is a precious relic-- a memento of the Saviour--and the effect of it is to make us regret that more of his words were not recovered from an uncertain tradition, and placed in a permanent form by an inspired penman. God, however, who knows what is requisite to guide us, has directed the words which are needful for the welfare of the church, and has preserved by inspiration the doctrines which are adapted to convert and bless man.

It is more blessed to give. It is a higher privilege; it tends more to the happiness of the individual, and of the world. The giver is more blessed or happy than the receiver. This appears,

(1.) because it is a privilege to give to the wants of others; it is a condition for which we should be thankful; when we are in a situation to promote their felicity.

(2.) Because it tends to promote the happiness of the benefactor himself. There is pleasure in the act of giving, when it is done with pure motives. It promotes our own peace; is followed by happiness in the recollection of it; and will be followed by happiness for ever. That is the most truly happy man, who is most benevolent. He is the most miserable, who has never known the luxury of doing good, but who lives to gain all he can, and to hoard all he gains.

(3.) It is blessed in the reward that shall result from it. Those who give from a pure motive, God will bless. They shall be rewarded, not only in the peace which they shall experience in this life, but in the higher bliss of heaven, Mt 25:34-36. We may also remark, that this is a sentiment truly great and noble. It is worthy of the Son of God. It is that on which he himself acted, when he came to give pardon to the guilty, comfort to the disconsolate and the mourner, peace to the anxious sinner, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, life to the dead, and heaven to the guilty and the lost. Acting on this, he gave his own tears to weep over human sorrows and human guilt; he gave his own labours and toils to instruct and save man; he gave his own life a sacrifice for sin on the cross; and he gave his Spirit to awaken and save those for whom he died. Loving to give, he has freely given us all things. Loving to give, he delights in the same character in his followers, and seeks that they who have wealth, and strength, and influence, should be willing to give all to save the world. Imitating his great example, and complying with his command, the church shall yet learn more and more to give its wealth to bless the poor and needy, its sons and its daughters to bear the gospel to the benighted heathen, and its undivided and constant efforts to save a lost world. Here closes this speech of Paul--an address of inimitable tenderness and beauty. Happy would it be if every minister could bid such an adieu to his people, when called to part from them; and happy if, at the close of life, every Christian could leave the world with a like consciousness that he had been faithful in the discharge of his duty. Thus dying, it will be blessed to leave the world; and thus would the example of the saints live in the memory of survivors long after they themselves have ascended to their rest.

(e) "to support the weak" Rom 15:1, Eph 4:28, 1Thes 5:14 (*) "weak" "Infirm" (f) "how he said" Lk 14:12-14

1 Thessalonians 2:9-10

Verse 9. Ye remember, brethren, our labour. Doubtless in the occupation of a tent-maker. Acts 20:34; 1Cor 4:12.

And travail. 2Cor 11:27. The word means wearisome labour.

For labouring night and day. That is, when he was not engaged in preaching the gospel. He appears to have laboured through the week, and to have preached on the Sabbath; or, if engaged in preaching in the day time during the week, he made it up by night labour.

We preached unto you the gospel of God. That is, I supported myself when I preached among you. No one, therefore, could say, that I was disposed to live in idleness; no one that I sought to make myself rich at the expense of others.

(b) "labour and travail" Acts 20:34,35, 1Thes 3:7,8 (++) "travail" "toil" Verse 10. Ye are witnesses. They had a full opportunity of knowing his manner of life.

And God also. 1Thes 2:5.

How holily. Piously--observing all the duties of religion.

And justly. In our intercourse with men. I did them no wrong.

And unblameably. This seems to refer to his duties both to God and man. In reference to all those duties no one could bring a charge against him. Every duty was faithfully performed. This is not a claim to absolute perfection, but it is a claim to consistency of character, and to faithfulness in duty, which every Christian should be enabled to make. Every man, professing religion, should so live as to be able to appeal to all who have had an opportunity of knowing him, as witnesses that he was consistent and faithful, and that there was nothing which could be laid to his charge.