Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

AFFIRMATION OF PAUL’S CROWN IN THE THESSALONIANS

1Th 2:13-20 (4/3/11)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

I. THE THESSALONIANS RECEIVED GOD’S WORD, NOT MAN’S (13)

A. The persecutors and false teachers attempted to discredit Paul and his ministry before the Thessalonian believers. Paul responded by writing that the Thessalonians had witnessed his character as he preached and converted them (1Th 2:1-6) and his concern for them as he tenderly ministered to them (1Th 2:7-12). Evidently the persecutors also rumored that Paul had no interest in the Thessalonian’s spiritual welfare. Paul responded to these charges by writing that the salvation and sanctification of the Thessalonians was his crowning joy (1Th 2:13-20).

B. So the conversion and spiritual growth of the Christians in Thessalonica, not only gave evidence that they were true believers, but that Paul’s ministry was credible and proved he was very much interested in their spiritual welfare. In fact, their spiritual growth was his glory and joy (1Th 2:20).

C. Paul gave sincere thanks to God unceasingly that the believers accepted their message, which was the message of the gospel from the Old Testament. They “received” (2 aorist participle fr. paralambanō - and here would suggest an objective reception) Paul’s message as the objective truth of God.

D. We know that initially, the Bereans “were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Act 17:11). But the Thessalonians were also noble in that they also subjectively “accepted” (dechomai - receive, here subjectively) the gospel from the Scriptures not as the word of men, but the word of God.

E. Paul declares that the message of the gospel “really is” the word of God. The word “really” is the common adverb alêthōs that means truly or truth. Its root meaning is “the real state of affairs” or “what it really is.” The gospel in all reality “is” God’s truth because God is its source and it was revealed through God’s Word.

F. Since it is God’s Word, its Divine author (Holy Spirit) uses His Word to do His “continual work” (present tense of energeō) of sanctification in the life of the believer (Joh 17:17; Heb 4:12).

II. THE THESSALONIANS ENDURED SUFFERING (14-16)

A. If the persecutors were reporting that Paul’s ministry was a failure, their allegations were wrong because the believers at Thessalonica became strong believers and endured major suffering (14).

1. First the Thessalonian believers were said to be imitating the Lord (1Th 1:6) and now they were imitating the other churches of God in Christ of Judea, in that they were enduring suffering. Yet they were still in essence imitating the Lord for He endured the ultimate suffering (paschō - undergo suffering - 1Pe 2:20, 21, 23; 3:18).

2. The Thessalonian believers endured suffering by their own “countrymen,” i.e. the Gentiles, even as the Jews were known for their persecution (cp. Act 17:5-8).

B. The Jews in general, not only persecuted the church but originally the Lord Jesus Christ and the prophets (15).

1. When Paul states that the Jews killed the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, he is speaking particularly about those particular generations that were responsible. Though the Jewish people were notorious for killing their own prophets (Mat 23:35; Joh 11:49-53; Act 7:52) and Messiah, this gives no credence to the derogatory term for Jews as “Christ killers.” Those particularly responsible for Christ’s death were the Jews (Joh 18:35 cp. Mat 27:25), the Romans (Mat 27:26; Joh 19:16), all mankind (Rom 4:25), Christ Himself (Joh 19:30; Eph 5:2), and God Himself (Rom 8:32 cp. Act 2:23).

2. These same persecutors drove Paul, Silas, and Timothy out of Thessalonica and Berea (Act 17:10, 13).

3. Their hostility toward men, especially believers in Christ, was not a religious duty which pleased God.

C. The Jewish persecution hindered Paul from sharing the gospel in many places and for lengthy periods of time. However, these men would reap divine retribution (16).

1. One of the main atrocities was that they “hindered” (kōluō - to cut off or prune in a bad sense) Paul from preaching the gospel. Paul was divinely called to preach to the Gentiles, but the Jews had cut the message off and thus hindered the salvation of the Gentiles.

2. Such sinful behavior in the name of God will not to be taken lightly. For such men were filling up (anaplêroō - emphatically to sin to the limit) their sins and the wrath which would come against them, unless they come to Christ (cp. 1Ti 1:13). Though Paul most likely was speaking of God’s wrath against those who reject Christ, it may also have been a reference to the wrath during the Tribulation (BKC).

III. PAUL WAS HINDERED FROM VISITING (17-18)

A. Though the missionaries were persecuted and driven out of Thessalonica, they continued to be with the Thessalonian believers in spirit and desired to revisit them (17).

1. Paul returns to affectionate and familial terms (cp. mother - vs. 7, father - vs. 11) in that they were separated from the Thessalonian believers as “orphans” (aporphanizō - apo & orphanizō - Eng. “orphan”).

2. But because they were no longer with them does not mean “out of sight, out of mind.” Rather the missionaries were still with them in “spirit” (kardia - heart, affection, and morale).

3. Therefore they had a greater degree (perissoterōs) of an urgency (spoudazō - urgency and haste) to see them again.

B. But there was a more powerful force at work behind the persecutors. Paul assigns the source of hindrance to Satan (18).

1. Paul strongly desired (thelō) to visit the Thessalonians on more than one occasion.

2. However “Satan” (satanas - adversary) was behind the negation of the gospel message everywhere (against Christ - Mat 4:10;against the seed of the gospel - Mar 4:15 cp. 2Co 4:4;against the disciples themselves - Luk 22:31-32; against the church - Mat 16:18; Act 5:3; Rev 2:9, 13, 24; 3:9) and prevented Paul from returning.

3. The word for “hindered” is egkoptō means to cut in so as to cut off, impede, or prevent. Satan attempted to cut in on Paul’s plans to share the gospel everywhere.

IV. THE THESSALONIANS WERE PAUL’S CROWN (19-20)

A. Paul concludes that his ministry was a success because of the salvation, sanctification, and suffering of the Thessalonians. Therefore, they were Paul’s proof of ministry as well as his crown (19).

1. Paul’s crown (stephanos - victory wreath of garland given at the Greek at the Greek Olympic games) metaphorically was the spiritual fruit of the Thessalonians. They were the seal of credibility to his character among them in ministry and concern for their spiritual welfare.

2. However, there are a literal future crowns that Paul and the Thessalonians will receive, especially the “crown of rejoicing or exultation,” which celebrates salvation’s victory over Satan and mankind’s persecution of believers.

B. Not only did Paul have tremendous concern for the Thessalonians, but they were his glory and joy (20).

V. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. The message of the gospel is a divine message even when ordinary believers share it.

B. If we want to grow in our lives, it must include sanctification through the Word (1Th 2:13 middle voice fr energeō, Joh 17:17; Heb 4:12).

C. Ministry is about serving others in regard to their salvation and growth in the Word.

D. Be on guard from Satan who attempts to hinder and persecute those in the Lord’s work.

E. Believers, who are persecuted, will receive the “crown of rejoicing” in heaven. Take courage in the Word of God, in the fruit, in your crown, but most of all in the Lord’s pleasure.