1 Thessalonians 3:5 - Exposition

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear ; no longer repress my anxiety, and endure my want of information concerning you. I sent to know your faith ; to receive information concerning your spiritual condition. Lest by some means the tempter ; a designation of Satan, used also by Matthew 4:3 . Have tempted you, and our labor be in vain ; that is, useless, without result (see on 1 Thessalonians 2:1 ; comp. also Galatians 4:11 , "I am afraid, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain"). The temptation to which the Thessalonians were exposed was that of apostasy from Christianity, through the fear or endurance of persecution. That the tempter had tempted them is probable—it was almost unavoidable; that he had succeeded in his temptation, and had thus rendered the apostle's labors among them useless, was uncertain—a contingency which might possibly have taken place.