The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 23

11,cir mcss!l~c WllS taking effect. The ThessalonillnB thC"msclves hnd the proof of their lu•ing: men who were divinely !lssiskd tow!lrd them, And, llS this Divine :t8sislance wa- grant.ed in their interC"st, it pointed to their being in the number of the elect. ,·. PAtTI, AND BIS HEl,PERS OAME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ELECTION OF THE TIIESSAT.O!OANB BY COJoo'SIDERATION OF TREIB POWER OF IMITATION. "And ye became imitators of ns, llnd of the Lord, having received the Word in much llffliction, with jov of the Holy Ghost." There is ll point of differencs. They preached the Word, or rllther -for a new asp<'ct is brought up-the Lord in them. It was the Lord's message they delivered; they were the instruments of the Lord in its delivery. It was, therefore the Lord as well as they, ~nd more than they, in the pre11.Ching. On the other hand: the 'J'lll•ssaloniam received the ,v ord. This is not inconsistent with what is snid in the Acts of the Apostles in connection with Berrea: "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so." For the meaning there is that the BerO'lln Jews were a nobler class than the Thessalonian Jews, which is no reflection on the The.ssalonian Christians, who, with few exceptions, were Gentile.,. 'l'he testimony of this Epistle is that they were a Church peculiarly receptive of the Word. Allowing for this difference which the sense requires, the imitation is to he restricted to the associated circumstances and spirit. "In much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." It was the Word that gave rise to much affliction. And it is not to be wondered at that, when the light comes into conflict with darkness, this should be the result to those ~ho are associated with the light. In much affliction the three subordinates and the great Superintendent in them drew joy from the Word preached. "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicir.g," said the greatest of the three. In the same affliction the ThessP lonians were imitators, in drawing joy from the Word received. They were not crushed under the affliction, bnt, imbibing the comfort of the Word, tbey rose triumphant over it. In both C8Sell the joy, which was not to he thought of as earthly, pooeeded from the Holy Ghost dwelling within. This was the second thing that pointed to their election. VL THz 'l'HESSALOJoo"I.ANS WERJi IO GOOD DIITATOBS AS TO BECOME All ENSAHPLE TO OTPEB&. "So that ye became an ensample to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia." These were the two Roman divisions of Greece. It is implied that the circumstances of the Grecian Churches were similar. To believe was, more or less, to htc opposed, to be afflicted. The Thessalonians were an encouragement to the oth~r Churches. Philippians, Berreans, Athenians, Corinthians, might all take heart from the manner iu which the Thessalonians triumpht'<i over their affliction. VIL THERE WAB A WIDESPREAD REPORT BEGABDING TiiEBBALONICA WIIICB W.!9 VERY SERVICEABLE. "For from yon hath sounded forth the Word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth ; so that we n,·ed not to speak anything." This shows how the Thessa.lonians could be an ens~mple to so many. There was the condition of publicity. In the language which is used, prominence is given to the Word, and it is characterized, not now as "our g-ospel," but as "the Word of the Lord." From them at Thessalonica the Word of the ,ord had sounded forth. The Word of the Lord sounds forth, not merely when we ;,reach it, but also when, as these 'l'hessalonians did, we receive it and allow it to have ,nfluence upon our lives. P'rom them at 'l'heBsalonica there had been a notable sounding forth. The image employed is that of a trumpet, filling with its clear sound all the surrounding places. Hill and valley, hamlet an,i homestead, are waked with it So the gospel-trumpet had been sounded at Thessalonica, and the result is represented as the filling of all Greece with the clear sound of the gospel. Its wakeful aound had reached the important places, not only in Macedonia, but in Achaia. '!'here is suggested by this what the Church has to do for the world; it has to sound the gospel-trumpet, so that, without any hyperbole, the whole world shall be filled with the clear sound of the gospel. The sounding forth from Thessalonica had reached even to places beyond Greece. And, in giving expression to this, Paul, as he sometimes does, gives a different turn to the sentence. We should have expected it to run so as to be complete: "Not only in Macedonia and AcLaia, but in places beyond." He, however, lays hold on what the Word had notably d,,ue for the Tliessalonians, viz. made them monotheists,given them faith to God-ward, oa:. 1. 1-10.] TH~; 11'IR8T EPISTLE 'fO THI!: Tlll!:SSALUNL-\.NS. lQ