The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 72

perso?al att;achment is, if there are not the ma~ks of it in Pan!._ Did he merely gather up Ins feelings and pass on, when he was driven by persecution from Thessalonica? No; the Thessalonians, in the short time, had obtained a place in hiR heart, which was not transient, which they have to this day in heaven. And night and day, when he was sway, they came up before him in his audience with God; and what, going beyond bonndH, he asked was partly this-that he might see their face. He wished to have fellowship with them, soul with soul, such as i~ best promoted by direct personal inter- course. That he embraced so many in his Affection, that he could not give them more time individually, did not make his attachment less truly personal. 2. "And may perfect that which is lacking in your faith." It is tme that Paul had an object beyond seeing their face, and that was that he might the better impart to them spiritual benefit. But is that attaching importance to the person only as a. home for the truth ? If so, then it is what should be true of all affection. The more ardently we love persons, the more should we love them not as mere earthly beings, but rather ae having a heavenly constitution, as those in whom it is fitting that the truth should have a resting-place and home. The more we love to eee their face, the more we should seek to perfect that which is lacking in their faith. Paul meant no reflection on the Thessalonians, who were little more than beginners as believers. • Jt wa.s not to be expected that they bad come up to the full measure of faith. They had stood the tests to which they bad been put., but there might be stronger tests coming. Neither they nor he had come up to the full-measured faith of the Master, who had stood even the forsaking of the Father. Privileged to come among them, he could only hope to be helpful in making up the deficiencies of their faith by a fuller and more earnest exhibition of gospel truth. VIII. PRAYER THROWN INTO FOBM TO BE OVERHEARD BY Gon. Two petitiona corresponding to the two subjects of prayer. l. "Now may our God and Father him- self, and the Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you." Paul prayed to have his way directed unto the Thessalonians. In the same way the servant of Abraham prayed to have his way prospered in the obtaining of a wife for Isaac. We may learn that we are to make even external arrangements subjects of prayer. "Our God and Father him- self . . . direct our way unto you." Satan, with bis misanthropic qualities, twice euc- ceeded in hindering him in his endeavours to proceed to Tbessalonica. He looks a.hove his own feeble endeavours and the binderings of Satan, to God, in his almightiness and fatherliness, himself to direct his way unto the Tbessalonians. "The Lord Jesus direct our way unto you." We may learn that it is right t-0 pray to Christ, though it is more usual to pray to the Father through Christ. The way of his servants, even the external way, is in his sovereign bands. We must not forget that he controls all things in heaven and in earth. In this verse there is a most remarkable enallage of number- two nominatives followed, not by a plural, but by a singular verb. It is one of the most 1triking proofs in Scripture, all the more that it comes in incidentally, of the absolute unity of the Father and the Son. It was made effective use of by Atha.nasius, in his case against Arius. 2. (1) More immediately. "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and to all men, even as we also do toward you." If there is any distinction between the two main verbs here, it is that the first refers more to range, the second to degree. It is implied tha.t the Thessalonians already increased and abounded in love ; still there was room for higher things. "Whether I come or no, the Lord make you to increase and abound in love." They were to increase and abound in love one toward another (within the Christian circle at Thessalonica), and toward all men (the wider Christian circle, and, beyond it, the world lying in wickedness). This is in conformity with what Peter says, that to brotherly kindneu we are to add charity. There is a concentration of our affections in our home. But we are not selfishly to confine them there; rather are we to get there refreshment for a wider circle. So there is a concentration of our affections in the Church or enlarged home. But we are not to make it a close guild; rather, in its refreshing fellow- ship, are we to be fitted for embracing in our affection the whole world. 'The apostle supports his petition by his own example. It is literally," even as we also toward you." And it is better to leave it thus indefinite, that Paul's example ma.y extend over past and present. He was not one who had confined his affections to any narrow circle; but they had gone out toward them in Thessalonica, and were still going out. It ia true that. when the truth finds a home in a person, there is a look beyoad him to ita  70 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THES::!ALONIANS. [ou. m. 1-13.