In defense of the Apostles of Christ: 1st Thessalonians, Chapter 3

On the separation of Apostle Paul and the Thessalonians:

Apostle Paul and Silas, with Timothy, escaped to Berea in the night. Once there, they reasoned with the Berean Jews and Greeks who ended up being even more noble than the Thessalonians. Because of their readiness to receive the word, a greater amount became believers in Christ Jesus than did in Thessaloniki; so much so, that the unbelieving Jews of the latter, who heard of this change, came to Berea to cause more trouble for the apostles.

Paul, who was labeled the chief opponent of the unbelieving Jews, was sent south, to the coast, to Athens, which is just over 3 miles from the sea. Silas and Timothy remained with the Bereans. Some point after this, Timothy was sent back to Thessaloniki to round out and solidify the foundation laid by Paul.

On Timothy, the brother, minister, and fellow worker in the evangélion of God and Christ:

Timothy, who was Jew/Greek (a type of the Church and body of Christ), became the spiritual son of Apostle Paul, was a fellow minister (diákonon, a menial attendent, likened to a waiter or servant at a table; probably from dióko, meaning to run to catch someone or to run in a race, only to win), co-laborer (synergós, a companion in labor) in the evangélion concerning Christ Jesus. He was sent back to Thessaloniki, to the brethren there, to make sure that they were resolute in the direction they had turned -- turning to the living God, through Christ Jesus, in steadfast devotion. He made sure of this by reiterating and setting up the foundation laid by Paul, who was most likely present there for only a month. He encouraged and admonished them in their faith, comforting them by what they had been suffering by the unbelievers in the city. Paul wanted to make sure, through Timothy, that they understood that suffering persecution was a chief appointment of being not only an apostle, but even a fellow Christian. This will happen if we are Christians; this is a sign to us that our faith is genuine.

Through prophetic utterance, the apostles foretold the coming persecution that they would face by the Thessalonian unbelievers. As they said, so it happened. Finally, Paul, being unable to bear not knowing the outcome of the persecution, and how it effected their faith, sent Timothy to learn what transpired. Paul feared that the tempter had stolen the seed planted and that their labor had been to no avail.

But Timothy, on returning, preached evangelisaménou (good news concerning the enduring faith of the Thessalonians and their love for the apostles, one another and Christ Jesus). The believers there not only preserved a good report and memory of the apostles, but they longed to see them again, just as the apostles also longed. And so, the fear and possibility of a false start for the Thessalonians is passed, as well as the death blow, had the Thessalonians turned back as apostates ("For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.") -- the evidence has reached the ears of Paul, and now in thanksgiving, they rejoice in what was suffered, because the distress was well worth what has resulted in a harvest among the people of Thessaloniki.

Now, Paul asks a rhetorical question: What thanksgiving would be sufficient to the Father in light of all this? He has done a great thing in giving the increase to what was sown. So, the apostles pray constantly that they might be reunited with the brothers, so they might complete the faith of the Thessalonians by adding to them a surplus of apostolic power.

With this, he speaks a blessing! May it happen! By the hand of the Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, may the apostles be lead back to the Thessalonians!

The moves into the bigger and greater blessing:

On the goal of the Christian:

The goal of the apostles, even the goal of the Holy Spirit Himself: that the love shared among the Thessalonians would abound, and then, superabound, to a point of excessive overflow, and that this overflow would reach all people. The apostles have exactly done this, in coming to the Thessalonians, who, at first, were unbelievers, but are now, because of their faith, fellow heirs and believers with the apostles. Just as the apostles treated those receptive, so the Thessalonians should exactly treat one another and all.

In doing this, the Spirit of Truth is able to turn their hearts -- the same Greek word used of Timothy's ministering among the Thessalonians, meaning a resolute turning -- to holy blamelessness, before the face of the Heavenly Father at Christ Jesus' parousía. If this is the goal of the apostles labor, which has proceeded from the Holy Spirit Who is at work in them all, then is must also be the goal of the Thessalonians, and that means that it is the goal of all Christians everywhere, at every time, in every place, until this great and awesome Day compenses.