1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5--Paul's Longing to See Them Again

1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5
English Standard Version

Paul's Longing to See Them Again
2:17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

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We spoke last time about how Paul felt that the Thessalonian believers were his spiritual children.  As a spiritual father to them, he longed to see them again, because he was torn away from them before he was ready to leave.  Writing letters back and forth is good but doesn't take the place of seeing them face-to-face.  Paul says that over and over again he has tried to come and visit them, but Satan has hindered them every time.  Paul says the only thing he will have to be proud of (to boast of) at the coming of the Lord Jesus would be the people that he led to the Lord and discipled--no wonder Satan has opposed Paul, because he doesn't want to see more people come to the kingdom of God from the kingdom of darkness.  For this reason, Paul calls his spiritual children his glory and joy (I'm sure many parents feel the same way about their physical children).

Even with all the attacks that Satan threw at them, they knew that someone had to get back to the Thessalonian church, even if Paul wasn't the one that could make it.  So, Paul and likely Silas were left alone in Athens and Timothy was sent back to the Thessalonians, so that he could help to establish that congregation and exhort them so that their faith would be built up.

They were sure the people had heard of the afflictions they were suffering, and some may have questioned if they should believe the gospel that Paul preached if he was afflicted like this (some may have seen it as a sign that God was punishing him, others that they were going to experience the same thing and they weren't sure they wanted that).  Paul tells them that he's known from the beginning that he was destined to suffer for the sake of Christ and the gospel, and that they should not be dissuaded or discouraged by the things happening to Paul and his team because they knew to expect all these types of things, and they were ready and willing to go through them for the sake of the gospel.

Paul doesn't directly link himself to the prophets of the Old Testament here, but in other places he does.  The apostles didn't expect to be treated any different by the Jews or the Gentiles as the prophets--people don't usually like when someone comes into town with a message that they are sinners in need of repentance, even if it is accompanied with a message of how God has made a way of salvation.

Paul could not bear to see them continue to suffer, so he sent those that were responsible for helping to take care of him to help take care of his spiritual children.  He would rather they be taken care of then he be taken care of, even in this time of affliction for him where he probably needed more help.  Paul's concern was that somehow Satan had gotten to these young, immature believers and tempted them in some way to give up the true faith for something that was not the real gospel--something that couldn't save them.  What concern Paul had for these people that he was willing to sacrifice his own physical wellbeing to make sure that their spiritual wellbeing was intact!