The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 24

and the sentence is made to run: "But In e"lfery place your faith to God-ward is gone forth." "The currency of the reports was probably much promoted by the commercial iuLercuurse between Thessal11uicet and other cities, hoth in Grnece and elsewhere. Wieseler suggests that Aquila and Priscilla, who had lately come from Rome to Corinth (Acts xviii. 2), might have mentioned to the apustle the prevalence of the report even in that more distant city. If this be so, the justice and truth of the apostle's hyperbole ie still more appar.,nt; to be known in Rome wa.s to be known everywhere." This may be true, but still it is to be borne in mind that the sounding forth to distant places is rather ascribed to the vigour with which the gospel-trumpet had been sounded at Thessalonica. By the going forth of their faith there was great service done. In preaching 1he gospel in new places, it was Paul's custom to hold up what it had donl'I fur other places. With regard to Thessalouica, he was placed in au exceptional position. In Berrea, i11 Athens, in Corinth, wherever he went, he needed not to labour in language to create au impression of what the gospel had done for Thessalonica. He needed not to say auythiu:,:, the work bein~ already done for him. VIII. THE TWO POINTS TO WHICH THE REPORT REFERRED. 1. TM entering fi of Paul and hia helpers. " For they themselves reporL concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you." 'fhis has already been particularized. It was sheir gospel coming unto the Thessalonian~, not in woni only, but also in power, and she Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. It was th::it attested by the Thessaloniana. It was the Lord in them preaching the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. Now it is generalized-" what manner of entering in we had unto you." They did not need to enter upon that; the people themselves in the various places came forward with their acknowledgments. This was important to the three ministers; it was a seal to their ministry, it was added influence in the proclamation of the gospel. A minister may well aspire to have such a record. 2. The response of the Theasa- loniam. "And how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God. and to wait for bis Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead." This is an expansion of the previous words," your faith to God-ward." They bad been idolat~rs. This is to be understood of the Thessalonian Church as I!- whole, which points ro its composition. They turned unto God from idols. There is marked their conversion to monotheism. They turned from idols "to serve a living and true God." The old translation is better here: "to serve the living and true God." Idols are dead; their living touch upon the soul can never be felt. 'l'hey turned from dead idols to the living God, the God in whom we live and move and have our being, who giveth to all life and breath and o.ll things. Idols are false and vain, they can do no good to their votaries.. They turned from false and vain idols to the true God, who cannot deceive his worship- pers, who comforts and oheers them, who is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Turning from idols, they made their life a service of this living and true God- not a dead, make-believe service, but characterized, from its object, by life and truth, a waiting on him to carry out his behests. There is marked their conversion to Chris- tianity. They turned from idols to wait for his Son lrom heaven, whom he raised from the dead. They laid hold on the great Christian fact, that God gave op his Son to die for man. They also laid hold ou the other great Christian fact, that God raised him from the dead and raised him to heaven. They further believed, on Divine authority, that God's Son was to come from heaven. Round this their life as a Church very much revolved; they were fascina.ted by its infiueuce. They wa.ited for his Son from heaven; they lived in daily expectation of his coming. While we are not curious ab,, .. t the time ot Christ's coming, let us not lose the influence of the fact of Christ's ~Jming. Let us consider whether we are prepared for his coming. Let us be dead to the charms of the world, dea.d also to its opposition. Let us take comfort, 1111der present troubles, from this coming (John xiv. 1-3). Let us joyfully anticipate she coming (1 Pet. i. 8). We may well learn from the Thessalonians to give this subject greater Jrevalence in our thoughts. Let us, like them, be found in the attitude of expectanoy. Christ's last message to ma.n is this: "Yes, I oome quickly." And she reply which we are expected to make .is this: "Amen: come, Lord Jesus." "Even Jesus, which delivereth us from the wrath to come." This is the first of the three references to the wrath of God in this J.<'irst Epistle to the Thessalollians,, It ill 11,11. element thai is wore largely prevalent in the Second Epistle to the Theee)ooiane I t - natuml that,, 2  ~O TllE l<"I.RST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [cu. 1. 1-10,