Verses 1-12
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 Kings : . Paul’ s Defence of his Missionary Work.— Paul had been charged by his opponents with being a wandering sophist making money out of his followers. He rebuts the charge and incidentally gives us a picture of the ideal missionary.
1 Thessalonians 2:2 . at Philippi: the reference is to the scourging and imprisonment described in Acts 16:22-Matthew :.
1 Thessalonians 2:3. “ Our preaching was not the result of mental delusion, nor of an impure character, nor was it with intent to deceive.” Each phrase refers to a charge which had been brought against Paul.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 . pleasing men: Paul’ s object was not that of the professional sophist, to captivate his audience with a display of rhetoric.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 . gentle: the addition of a single letter to the Greek word meaning “ gentle” makes it mean “ babes” (cf. mg.) . If “ gentle” is right (and the context seems to support it) the verse gives us a beautiful picture of Paul as the gentle apostle caring for his converts “ as a nursing mother cherisheth her children.”
1 Thessalonians 2:9 . working day and night: Paul replies to the charge of covetousness by stating that he earned his livelihood ( cf. Acts 18:3 *, 1 Corinthians 4:12, Ephesians 4:28, p. 768 ).
1 Thessalonians 2:11 . father: a variation of the metaphor used in 7 , where Paul describes himself as a nursing mother.
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