AFFIRMING THE AFFLICTED
2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5
NASB
1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your [a]perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
1:4 [a]Or steadfastness
NLT
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,[*] and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 May God our Father[*] and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3 Dear brothers and sisters,[*] we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 4 We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. 5 And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering.
[1:1] Greek Silvanus, the Greek form of the name. [1:2] Some manuscripts read God the Father. [1:3] Greek Brothers.
During the first century, the city of Thessalonica stood as the most populous and prosperous city in Macedonia. It was a port city with both economic and social commerce. Most assume its diversity would have promoted pluralism and tolerance, but it actually resulted in greater pressure on Christians who swore allegiance to Christ alone. One commentator notes, “The capital cities within the Roman Empire were the hardest places for Christians to survive, because of the fanatical intensity of emperor worship in those centers.”[47] Not only that, but much of the time the religious leaders of the Jewish synagogue were opposing the growth of the Christian community. The Jews saw Christians as a heretical sect of Judaism rather than as the fulfillment of Israel’s Old Testament hopes.
The Thessalonians, therefore, faced a two-front spiritual and social battle —from both the Jews and the Gentiles. Besides the abiding effects of these external struggles, the believers also faced a new threat from within. Some false teacher was propagating views concerning the return of Christ and the coming day of the Lord contrary to what Paul had taught them previously and set forth explicitly in 1 Thessalonians. Only a letter from a trusted friend with unquestioned authority, unimpeachable doctrine, and a worthy lifestyle could set the church in Thessalonica back on the straight path.
Enter 2 Thessalonians. In the opening verses of this chapter, that trusted mentor provides some reassurance and affirmation while his readers continue to ask the sometimes-unanswerable question, “Why are we suffering?”
— 1:1-2 —
Second Thessalonians begins with a reminder that ministry is a team effort, not a one-man show. Certainly, Paul’s personal handwritten farewell remarks at the end of the letter indicate that he was the leader of the ministry team and the primary authority behind the letter (3:17-18). However, Paul didn’t hesitate to share the responsibility of the ministry with Silvanus and Timothy. He opens with, “This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy” (1:1, NLT), and he uses the first-person plurals “we,” “us,” and “our” throughout the body of the letter.
By reminding the Thessalonians that Paul, Silas (also referred to as Silvanus in this letter), and Timothy were in this together, Paul set the stage for a more powerful explanation for suffering and the defense of sound doctrine. Paul and Silas themselves had endured suffering and imprisonment for the sake of the gospel —a fact well known to their disciples in Thessalonica who were enduring the same. Also, when it came to confronting the doctrinal errors and their practical implications, it would be clear that Paul wasn’t alone in his understanding of the end times. Silas, as a bona fide prophet (Acts 15:32), also stood behind Paul’s teaching as a divinely ordained authority.
With one spirit and one voice, Paul, Silas, and Timothy addressed the church in Thessalonica —stating twice —both “in” and “from” God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thes. 1:1-2). Not only does this letter have the authority of both apostle and prophet, but it also carries the unimpeachable authority of the Father and the Son![48]
— 1:3-5 —
After the familiar salutation and greeting to his Christian brothers and sisters, Paul makes three statements that reveal strong affirmations in the midst of their afflictions: “We . . . give thanks to God for you” (1:3), “we ourselves speak proudly of you” (1:4), and later, “we pray for you always” (1:11).
In the thick of their suffering at the hands of Jews on one side, Gentiles on the other, and false teachers from within, the last thing the Thessalonians needed from Paul in the first paragraph was criticism . . . or even a sad song of pity. Rather, they needed sustenance for the hard journey through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23:4). They were suffering. The future didn’t look bright. False information was spreading regarding the day of the Lord. Like a viral infection, feelings of confusion, fear, and disillusionment were probably sweeping through the body of Christ in Thessalonica, weakening and disorienting them.
In a context where they were sinking deeper into the depths of hopelessness, Paul gives them a burst of buoyancy to help keep their heads above water. He expresses his gratitude to God for them. Why? Because of the increase in their faith toward God and their ever-growing love for one another (2 Thes. 1:3). Here are two of those three “theological virtues” (1 Cor. 13:13) that played such a prominent part in the previous letter: faith and love.
Paul also informs them that he, Silas, and Timothy take pride in that struggling congregation, like parents beaming at the first steps of a toddler. Yes, they may stumble and fall, bump their little heads, or skin their knees, but they get up and try again, each time getting farther than the last. Because of their “perseverance and faith” amidst all their “persecutions and afflictions” (2 Thes. 1:4), they are the subject of much praise: “Look at those Thessalonians —models of endurance!”
With a genuine pastor’s heart, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to find meaning in faith-stretching trials and love-strengthening challenges. Only with a firm conviction of the goodness and sovereignty of God could Paul urge the Thessalonians to press on in the face of affliction. Paul knew —and the Thessalonians were learning —that God was still at work even in the midst of their suffering.
While this divine perspective gave Paul the motivation to affirm the Thessalonians, foresight granted Paul the insight to affirm them. Paul saw beyond the church’s temporal situation, beyond the immediate. Though they were strong in faith and love, their hope seemed to have waned. But Paul knew that without a proper orientation toward the future, perseverance in the present would lose hope . . . and when hope was lost, faith and love would grow old and cold.
It’s no wonder, then, why Paul mentions a future hope with the very next strokes of his stylus. Their perseverance in persecution is “a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment” so they would be “considered worthy of the kingdom of God” (1:5). The word translated “plain indication,” endeigma [1730], refers to “evidence” or “sign.” Commentators have long scratched their heads wondering how persecution could be a sign of God’s righteous judgment.[49] To most observers, persecution looks like a sign that unrighteousness rather than righteousness reigns.
On the one side, suffering in general is a vivid reminder that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18). Since Genesis 3, God’s general wrath has loomed over creation. Paul describes the present condition of the world under the abiding wrath of God this way: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it” (Rom. 8:20) and “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Rom. 8:22). Thus, the general suffering that all people experience —from sickness to broken bones, from natural disasters to physical death —is part of the “built-in” righteous judgment of God against a fallen, sinful world. It isn’t the kind of divine wrath that targets a particular person for specific sins, but the condition of the cursed and fallen world that will continue until God makes all things new (Rev. 21:5).
However, we should not overlook the fact that much of the suffering that the Thessalonians endured was not caused by a violent rainstorm, a sudden earthquake, a debilitating disease, or the aches and pains of growing old. Rather, they had been specifically targeted by wicked people because of their faith —picked on and persecuted for their hope in Christ. So, the fact that the Thessalonians manifested endurance and faith in the midst of affliction was also a token of the enduring kingdom of God. Like Christ Himself, they could be beaten and bruised, tortured and even killed, but the coming kingdom for which they stood could never be conquered. One day the King of kings will issue a righteous decree of judgment against the wicked and will reward the afflicted. It was for Christ and His kingdom that they were suffering (2 Thes. 1:5). And God would reward them for it.
God —not their persecutors —would ultimately have the last word.
APPLICATION: 2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5
Look, Reach, and Speak
Though our places of worship may be free from political persecution or deceitful heresies, we all experience affliction. Like Paul, we need to respond quickly when those around us are being crushed under the winepress of trials and tribulations. Here are three applicable commands we can act on today.
First, look around. If you look up and down the row where you sit in church and worship Sunday after Sunday, you’ll see a lineup of broken hearts. Yes, they’re covered up by smiling faces, fancy clothes, and a confident “I’m fine” to your “How are you doing?” But none of this can hide the hurting souls around us. The church should be a hospital for hurting hearts. Look around this week for suffering souls you can encourage with affirming words and actions.
Second, reach out. It’s not enough to simply notice those who are in pain and suffering. We need to take steps to come alongside them, bear their burdens with them, and give them strength through our presence. It can take the form of just the right words at just the right time. It can be a pat on the back, a warm embrace, or even just a smile. Whatever the means, we need to step out of our comfortable and predictable everyday lives and prepare to get our clothes wrinkled and our hands dirty. Life can be messy; we need to reach out and touch others with the love of Jesus Christ.
Third, speak up. Not only do we need to take our own and others’ concerns to the Lord in prayer, but we also need to speak life-giving words of encouragement to those in the family of God. We may not be able to answer the profound “Why me?” or “Why now?” questions that nag everybody going through tough times. But we can follow Solomon’s principle: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad” (Prov. 12:25). Commit yourself to speaking a good word to somebody this week and make that person’s heart glad.