PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — I Thessalonians
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 43,211 words · 72 reading sections
1 Thessalonians 1:1
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS Thessalonica was a very large, populous, and flourishing city, it was "liberae conditionis", as Pliny says {a}, a free city, and the metropolis of Macedonia; it was formerly called Halis {b}, and had the name of Thessalon…
1,718 wordsSECTION 21 Thessalonians 1:2
1 Thessalonians 1:2 Ver. 2. We give thanks to God always for you all,.... For all the members of this church, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, greater or lesser believers, officers or private Christians; for their being a church, for the gifts bestowed on them, for the graces hereafter mentioned that were wrought in them…
244 wordsSECTION 31 Thessalonians 1:3
1 Thessalonians 1:3 Ver. 3. Remembering without ceasing,.... The phrase "without ceasing", is, by the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, joined to the last clause of the preceding verse; and the remembrance the apostle speaks of is either a distinct thing from the mention made of them in prayer, and suggest…
923 wordsSECTION 41 Thessalonians 1:4
1 Thessalonians 1:4 Ver. 4. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gospel, the outward means of grace, since this was common to them with others, and might be kn…
404 wordsSECTION 51 Thessalonians 1:5
1 Thessalonians 1:5 Ver. 5. For our Gospel came not unto you,.... The apostle calls the Gospel "our Gospel", not because he and his fellow ministers were the authors of it; for in this respect it is solely of God, being the produce of his wisdom and grace, and by the revelation of Jesus Christ, hence he calls it the G…
953 wordsSECTION 61 Thessalonians 1:6
1 Thessalonians 1:6 Ver. 6. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord,.... So far followers of them as they were of Christ, in embracing the Gospel, submitting to the ordinances of it, professing the name of Christ, and suffering for his sake; the Alexandrian copy reads, "of God", and others, "of Christ": having…
244 wordsSECTION 71 Thessalonians 1:7
1 Thessalonians 1:7 Ver. 7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe,.... They were not only followers of Christ and his apostles, whom they took for examples of faith, holiness, courage, meekness, and patience; but they were patterns of good works; and of suffering afflictions to other believers, even to all tha…
176 wordsSECTION 81 Thessalonians 1:8
1 Thessalonians 1:8 Ver. 8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord,.... By which is meant the Gospel, and is so called because it is from the Lord, as the author of it: and it is of the Lord, as the subject of it; and it is by the Lord, as the minister or dispenser of it; and it is owing to the efficacy of his …
704 wordsSECTION 91 Thessalonians 1:9
1 Thessalonians 1:9 Ver. 9. For they themselves show of us,.... Either the above reports of the preaching of the Gospel to the Thessalonians, and of their faith in God; or rather the persons to whom these reports were brought, openly and publicly, and largely declared concerning the apostles, what manner of entering …
487 wordsSECTION 101 Thessalonians 1:10
1 Thessalonians 1:10 Ver. 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven,.... The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the natural, essential, and eternal Son of God; and whoever is truly converted, is not only turned to God the Father, and believes in him; but also believes in, receives, embraces, and professes his Son Jesus Christ; w…
407 wordsSECTION 111 Thessalonians 2:1
1 Thessalonians 2:1 INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 2 The apostle in this chapter gives a further account of his ministry among the Thessalonians, of the nature, manner, and success of it, and of his regard to them, and conduct and conversation when with them; and commends their readiness in receiving the Gospel, and…
998 wordsSECTION 121 Thessalonians 2:2
1 Thessalonians 2:2 Ver. 2. But even after that we had suffered before,.... Before they came to Thessalonica, which they would not have done, had their ministry been a light and empty one in itself, and unprofitable to others; and especially had this been the case, they would never have rashly engaged in it again, and…
729 wordsSECTION 131 Thessalonians 2:3
1 Thessalonians 2:3 Ver. 3. For our exhortation,.... Or "consolation"; for the ministry of the Gospel, which is here meant, consists of doctrines full of comfort to distressed minds, such as free justification by the righteousness of Christ, full pardon by his blood, and complete satisfaction by his sacrifice; as well…
283 wordsSECTION 141 Thessalonians 2:4
1 Thessalonians 2:4 Ver. 4. But as we were allowed of God,.... Or, "approved of God"; not that there were any previous fitness and worthiness in them to be ministers of the word; but such was the good will and pleasure of God, that he from all eternity chose and appointed them to this work; and in his own time by his …
327 wordsSECTION 151 Thessalonians 2:5
1 Thessalonians 2:5 Ver. 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words,.... To introduce them into the affections, and gain the esteem and good will of men; they did not in their ministry deliver such things as flattered men with a good opinion of themselves: they did not preach up the purity of human nature, bu…
928 wordsSECTION 161 Thessalonians 2:6
1 Thessalonians 2:6 Ver. 6. Nor of men sought we glory,.... Honour, esteem, and popular applause; for though there is an honour that is due to the faithful ministers of the word, who are highly to be esteemed for their works' sake, and as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God; and especially there …
478 wordsSECTION 171 Thessalonians 2:7
1 Thessalonians 2:7 Ver. 7. But we were gentle among you,.... Meek and humble, mild and moderate; not using severity, or carrying it in a haughty imperious manner; assuming power and dominion, lording it over God's heritage, and commanding persons to do homage and honour to them, and forcing themselves upon them, and …
358 wordsSECTION 181 Thessalonians 2:8
1 Thessalonians 2:8 Ver. 8. So being affectionately desirous of you,.... Not of theirs but them; not of glory from them, nor a maintenance by them, but of their spiritual and eternal welfare; were as fond of them as a nursing mother is of her children, who, when absent from them but ever so little a while, longs to se…
286 wordsSECTION 191 Thessalonians 2:9
1 Thessalonians 2:9 Ver. 9. For ye remember brethren, our labour and travail,.... The great pains they took, even to weariness. The Vulgate Latin version renders the last word, "weariness"; and the Arabic version, "anxiety"; and the Ethiopic version, "affliction"; it is to be understood both of corporeal and spiritual…
334 wordsSECTION 201 Thessalonians 2:10
1 Thessalonians 2:10 Ver. 10. Ye are witnesses, and God also,.... Not so much to what goes before as to what follows after, relating to their holy walk and conversation among them, the more open part of which they were witness of; and for the more secret part God is appealed to, who is acquainted with the springs of a…
346 wordsSECTION 211 Thessalonians 2:11
1 Thessalonians 2:11 Ver. 11. As you know,.... This is added to the end of the last verse in the Arabic version, and which begins this verse thus, "as one of you, and as a father comforting his sons, so we", &c. but for what is said in the former verse, an appeal is made both to God and to the Thessalonians, so that t…
305 wordsSECTION 221 Thessalonians 2:12
1 Thessalonians 2:12 Ver. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God,.... In imitation of him; not of his perfections, which are inimitable, but of his works; and these not of his power and wisdom, but those of kindness and beneficence, and of righteousness and holiness; and in conformity to his revealed will, which is good…
752 wordsSECTION 231 Thessalonians 2:13
1 Thessalonians 2:13 Ver. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,.... As for their election of God, 1Th 1:4 so for their effectual calling by his grace, to his kingdom and glory, just now mentioned, as well as for their reception of the word of God as such, hereafter expressed; since their having it and …
757 wordsSECTION 241 Thessalonians 2:14
1 Thessalonians 2:14 Ver. 14. For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God,.... As of the Lord and of the apostle, 1Th 1:6 so of the churches of God that were before them, who were gathered out of the world by the grace of God; and who were united in the fear of God, and assembled together for his worship…
337 wordsSECTION 251 Thessalonians 2:15
1 Thessalonians 2:15 Ver. 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus,.... For though Pilate condemned him to death, and the Roman soldiers executed the sentence, yet it was through the malice and envy of the Jews that he was delivered to him, who brought charges against him, and insisted upon the crucifixion of him; and who a…
3,016 wordsSECTION 261 Thessalonians 3:1
1 Thessalonians 3:1 INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 3 In this chapter the apostle expresses his great love to the Thessalonians, by sending Timothy to then, to establish and comfort them; and declares his satisfaction with the things he brought of them, and concludes the chapter with fervent prayers for them: such wa…
633 wordsSECTION 271 Thessalonians 3:2
1 Thessalonians 3:2 Ver. 2. And sent Timotheus our brother,.... In a spiritual relation, having the same heavenly Father, and belonging to the same Jerusalem, which is free, and the mother of us all; of the same household and in the same relation to Christ, the firstborn among many brethren; or their brother in the mi…
798 wordsSECTION 281 Thessalonians 3:3
1 Thessalonians 3:3 Ver. 3. That no man should be moved by these afflictions,.... Which the apostle endured for the sake of preaching the Gospel among them, and which he feared might be a means of troubling their minds, of shaking their faith, and moving them from the hope of the Gospel; for though none of these thing…
235 wordsSECTION 291 Thessalonians 3:4
1 Thessalonians 3:4 Ver. 4. For, verily, when we were with you,.... In presence, in person, as they then were in heart and affection; when they were first among them, and preached the Gospel to them: we told you before; before it came to pass; that we should suffer tribulation: which they might say by virtue of Chri…
212 wordsSECTION 301 Thessalonians 3:5
1 Thessalonians 3:5 Ver. 5. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear,.... Or "bear" the above vehement desire of seeing them, or of hearing from them. Here the apostle speaks in the singular number, and seems to intimate, as if what was said before of the like kind is to be understood singly of him; for these wo…
404 wordsSECTION 311 Thessalonians 3:6
1 Thessalonians 3:6 Ver. 6. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us,.... At Corinth, as appears from Ac 18:5 which shows that this epistle was not written from Athens, as the subscription to it asserts, but from Corinth; for as soon as ever Timothy came from Thessalonica, to the apostle at Corinth, and made the r…
522 wordsSECTION 321 Thessalonians 3:7
1 Thessalonians 3:7 Ver. 7. Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over, you,.... Or "in you", as the Vulgate Latin version; or "from you", as the Arabic; or "by you", as the Syriac; or "for you", as the Ethiopic; that is, on account of them, either by what they had heard was in them, or had heard from them. This gave…
165 wordsSECTION 331 Thessalonians 3:8
1 Thessalonians 3:8 Ver. 8. For now we live,.... Before they were dead men, lifeless, disconsolate, dispirited, carrying about with them the dying of the Lord Jesus, and death working in them, and they, as it were, under the sentence of that, being killed all the day long for Christ's sake; but now, upon this news, in…
239 wordsSECTION 341 Thessalonians 3:9
1 Thessalonians 3:9 Ver. 9. For what thanks can we render to God again or you,.... They had given thanks to God for them before, for their faith, love, and patience; see 1Th 1:2 and now having received a further account of them, they looked upon themselves bound to give fresh thanks to God for them, for the increase o…
271 wordsSECTION 351 Thessalonians 3:10
1 Thessalonians 3:10 Ver. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly,.... This good news, not only comforted their hearts, and revived their spirits, and filled them with joy and thankfulness, but also sent them to the throne of grace to pray without ceasing, continually, night and day, and as often as they went thither, a…
382 wordsSECTION 361 Thessalonians 3:11
1 Thessalonians 3:11 Ver. 11. Now God himself, and our Father,.... The Oriental versions leave out the copulative "and", and read, "God himself, our Father" the first person in the Trinity, who is God himself, truly and properly so; and who is a God that hears prayer; and who is omnipotent, and able to do more than th…
516 wordsSECTION 371 Thessalonians 3:12
1 Thessalonians 3:12 Ver. 12. And the Lord make you to increase,.... That is, the Lord the Spirit; so that the object of prayer, addressed by the apostle, is Father, Son, and Spirit, as in Re 1:4. The Alexandrian copy reads "God". The Spirit is God, equally with the Father and the Son, and so a fit object of prayer wi…
329 wordsSECTION 381 Thessalonians 3:13
1 Thessalonians 3:13 Ver. 13. To the end he may stablish your hearts,.... Which are very unstable and inconstant in their frames, and in the exercise of grace, and have need to be established in the love of God, against the fears of men, the frowns of the world, the temptations of Satan, and in, and with the doctrines…
518 wordsSECTION 391 Thessalonians 4:1
1 Thessalonians 4:1 INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 4 In this chapter the apostle proceeds to exhort in general to the performance of good works, particularly to purity of life, to brotherly love, to quietness, diligence, and industry in the several callings of life, and not to mourn in an excessive and immoderate ma…
1,489 wordsSECTION 401 Thessalonians 4:2
1 Thessalonians 4:2 Ver. 2. For ye know what commandments we gave you,.... When among them; such as those of faith and love, the ordinances of the Gospel, baptism, and the Lord's supper, and all such as relate to the worship and service of God, to the discipline of Christ's house, to their behaviour one towards anothe…
167 wordsSECTION 411 Thessalonians 4:3
1 Thessalonians 4:3 Ver. 3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification,.... Which is another reason to enforce the above exhortation. "Sanctification" is internal or external. Internal sanctification is the work of the Spirit of God, and is a principle of spiritual life in the soul, a divine and spiritual l…
319 wordsSECTION 421 Thessalonians 4:4
1 Thessalonians 4:4 Ver. 4. That everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel,.... By which may be meant, either a man's wife, or his body, and it is not very easy to determine which, for the Jews call both by this name. Sometimes they call {p} a woman Mlwg, which the gloss says is a "vessel" unfinished. It i…
796 wordsSECTION 431 Thessalonians 4:5
1 Thessalonians 4:5 Ver. 5. Not in the lust of concupiscence,.... Or "passion of lust"; for the mere gratifying and indulging of that; for a man so to possess his vessel, is to cherish the sin of concupiscence, the first motions of sin in the heart, by which a man is drawn away, and enticed; to blow up the flame of lu…
292 wordsSECTION 441 Thessalonians 4:6
1 Thessalonians 4:6 Ver. 6. That no man go beyond, and defraud his brother in any matter,.... Or "in this matter", as the Syriac version. This is commonly understood of transgressing the bounds of justice and equity between men and men; and of cheating and defrauding in trade and business, by increasing or lessening t…
603 wordsSECTION 451 Thessalonians 4:7
1 Thessalonians 4:7 Ver. 7. For God hath not called us,.... The Syriac version reads "you". This is another reason to enforce the above exhortations, and to caution them against the above unclean practices, taken from the end of the effectual calling by the efficacious grace of God, which is not unto uncleanness of a…
214 wordsSECTION 461 Thessalonians 4:8
1 Thessalonians 4:8 Ver. 8. He therefore that despiseth,.... The Vulgate Latin adds, "these things"; these exhortations now delivered, the commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the will of God above declared; he that rejects these things with contempt, takes no notice of them, and acts not according to them…
430 wordsSECTION 471 Thessalonians 4:9
1 Thessalonians 4:9 Ver. 9. But as touching brotherly love,.... Another branch of sanctification; which is distinct from love to God and Christ, though it always accompanies it, and from love to all mankind; and is what is peculiar to brethren in a spiritual relation, and ought to be universal, fervent, and sincere, a…
385 wordsSECTION 481 Thessalonians 4:10
1 Thessalonians 4:10 Ver. 10. And indeed ye do it towards all the brethren,.... Whether high or low, rich or poor, bond or free, greater or lesser believers, and whether related in the bonds of nature or not; they exercised this grace of love without respect of persons, to all, and not only to all the brethren in the …
327 wordsSECTION 491 Thessalonians 4:11
1 Thessalonians 4:11 Ver. 11. And that ye study to be quiet,.... To live peaceably in their own families, and to give no disturbance to other families, by talebearing, whispering, and backbiting; to behave with quietness in the neighbourhood, town, or city, they dwell in, and to seek the peace thereof; and to lead a q…
653 wordsSECTION 501 Thessalonians 4:12
1 Thessalonians 4:12 Ver. 12. That ye may walk honestly,.... Decently, in good credit and reputation, providing things honest in the sight of all men, for themselves and families, and honestly paying every man his own; on which account it became them to mind their own business, and work at their trades; otherwise thei…
307 wordsSECTION 511 Thessalonians 4:13
1 Thessalonians 4:13 Ver. 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,.... As they seem to have been, about the state of the pious dead, the rule and measure of mourning for them, the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, the second coming of Christ, and the future happiness of the saints; wherefore the …
682 wordsSECTION 521 Thessalonians 4:14
1 Thessalonians 4:14 Ver. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again,.... As every Christian does, for both the death and resurrection of Christ are fundamental articles of faith; nothing is more certain or more comfortable, and more firmly to be believed, than that Christ died for the sins of his people, a…
3,880 wordsSECTION 531 Thessalonians 5:1
1 Thessalonians 5:1 INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 5 In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning the suddenness of Christ's coming, and the necessity of sobriety and watchfulness, and being on our guard with respect unto it, and then proceeds to exhort to several duties of religion, and closes the epistle with…
766 wordsSECTION 541 Thessalonians 5:2
1 Thessalonians 5:2 Ver. 2. For yourselves know perfectly,.... With great exactness and accuracy, with great clearness and perspicuity, as a certain truth, which was made plain and evident to them, and about which there could be no question; and which perfect knowledge they had, either from the words of Christ, Mt 24:…
308 wordsSECTION 551 Thessalonians 5:3
1 Thessalonians 5:3 Ver. 3. For when they shall say,.... Or men shall say, that is, wicked and ungodly men, persons in a state of unregeneracy: peace and safety; when they shall sing a requiem, to themselves, promise themselves much ease and peace for years to come, and imagine their persons and property to be very s…
338 wordsSECTION 561 Thessalonians 5:4
1 Thessalonians 5:4 Ver. 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,.... In a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, blindness, and ignorance, and which is the condition of all men by nature; they are born in darkness, and are brought up in it, and willingly, walk in it; they are covered with it, as the ea…
306 wordsSECTION 571 Thessalonians 5:5
1 Thessalonians 5:5 Ver. 5. Ye are all children of light,.... Or enlightened persons, whose understandings were enlightened by the spirit of God, to see their lost state by nature, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the insufficiency of their righteousness to justify them before God, the fulness, suitableness, and excel…
380 wordsSECTION 581 Thessalonians 5:6
1 Thessalonians 5:6 Ver. 6. Therefore let us not sleep as do others.... As the rest of the Gentiles, as unconverted persons, who are in a state of darkness, and are children of the night; let us not act that part they do, or be like them; which professors of religion too much are, when they indulge themselves in carna…
483 wordsSECTION 591 Thessalonians 5:7
1 Thessalonians 5:7 Ver. 7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night,.... The night is the usual season for sleep, and sleep is only for such who are in darkness, and are children of the night; and not proper to be indulged by such who are children of the day, and of the light: and they that be drunken, are drunken in…
144 wordsSECTION 601 Thessalonians 5:8
1 Thessalonians 5:8 Ver. 8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober,.... As in body, so in mind; let us cast off the works of darkness, and have no fellowship with them; since the day of grace has passed upon us, the darkness is gone, and the true light shines, let us walk as children of the light, living soberly, ri…
714 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.