1 Thessalonians 1:6

1:6-10 When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned from their carnal pursuits and connexions, to believe in and obey the Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old Testament waited for the coming of the Messiah, and believers now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And God had raised him from the dead, which is a full assurance unto all men that he will come to judgment. He came to purchase salvation, and will, when he comes again, bring salvation with him, full and final deliverance from that wrath which is yet to come. Let all, without delay, flee from the wrath to come, and seek refuge in Christ and his salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 . Ye became followers of us — Obedient to our directions, and imitators of our example; and of the Lord also — Both in the holiness of your lives, and in the courage and patience with which you endured those sufferings which lay in the way of your duty; having received the word — When first preached to you; in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost — That is, though attended with persecution, yet with joy, such as only the Holy Ghost could inspire you with. So that ye were ensamples — Patterns to be imitated; to all that believe in Macedonia — Chiefly in Philippi and Berea; and in the more distant province of Achaia — Namely, to the Corinthian converts, who, hearing of their pious and virtuous conduct, were excited to emulation. The apostle mentions Macedonia and Achaia, because he had just been travelling through these parts before he came to Corinth, from whence, as has been observed in the preface, he wrote this epistle. For from you sounded forth the word of the Lord — Was echoed, as it were, from you; not only in your own borders of Macedonia and Achaia — With which you could easily have correspondence; but also in every place — That is, far beyond these countries; your faith to God-ward — The report of your embracing the gospel, and of consequence believing in the living and true God; is spread abroad — Is become notorious; so that we need not to speak any thing — Concerning it.

The apostle does not mean that the Thessalonian brethren sent persons to preach the gospel in the countries here mentioned, but that their relinquishing idolatry had occasioned the preaching of the gospel at Thessalonica to be much talked of in these provinces, and in many other places. Grotius observes, that many of the Thessalonians being merchants, who travelled into foreign countries for the sake of commerce, the news of their fellow-citizens having renounced the worship of the heathen gods must have been spread abroad widely by their means, as the apostle here affirms. And as this was a very extraordinary event, it would naturally occasion much discourse among them to whom it was reported. For they themselves — The faithful, wherever we come; show of us what manner of entering in, &c. — Are able to give an account of the success of our ministry among you, and what entertainment it found with you; and how ye turned to God from idols — In the worship of which ye had been brought up; to serve the living and true God — The epithet living is given to God to distinguish him from the heathen idols, which were destitute of life. And he is called the true God, in opposition to the fictitious deities worshipped by the heathens, who, though some of them may have formerly lived, or are now living, are not true gods; such as demons and the souls of men departed.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 . Μιμηταὶ , imitators [ followers ]) Imitators [ Followers ] become τύποι , types, patterns [ ensamples ], 1 Thessalonians 1:7 .— τοῦ Κυρίου , of the Lord ) Christ, who acted as the apostle[2] of the Father, brought the word from heaven, and taught it under adversities.— ΜΕΤᾺ , with ) Construe this with having received ( δεξάμενοι ). [2] Hebrews 3:1 .—ED.

{4} And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with {c} joy of the Holy Ghost: (4) Another reason, because even to that day they embraced the Gospel with great cheerfulness, insomuch that they were an example to all their neighbours: so that it would be more shameful for them to faint in the middle of the race. (c) With joy which comes from the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 . θλίψει … χαρᾶς , cf. for this paradox of experience, Mazzini’s account of his comrades in the Young Italy movement: “We were often in real want, but we were light-hearted in a way and smiling because we believed in the future”. The gladness of the primitive Christian lay in the certainty of possessing soon that full salvation of which the Spirit at present was the pledge and foretaste. In view of Psalm 51:13-14 it is hardly correct to say, with Gunkel ( Wirkungen des heiligen Geistes , 71), that this connection of joy and the Spirit was entirely foreign to Judaism.

Followers (μιμηταὶ) More literally and better, imitators. Only once outside of Paul's writings, Hebrews 6:12. Comp. 1 Thessalonians 3:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 4:12; Philippians 3:17; Philippians 4:9. And of the Lord Guarding against any possible imputation of self-assertion or conceit. Comp. 1 Corinthians 11:1. Tribulation (θλίψει) See on Matthew 13:21. Referring especially to persecutions at the hands of the Jews (Acts 17:5 ff.), which probably continued after Paul's departure from Thessalonica.

Verse 6. - Now follows the second reason assigned by Paul for his confidence in their election. And ye became followers (or, imitators ) of us, and of the Lord ; of Christ. By becoming imitators of the apostle, they became imitators of Christ. "Be ye followers of me," writes St. Paul to the Corinthians, "even as I also am of Christ" ( 1 Corinthians 11:1 ). The point of imitation did not consist in their cordial reception of the gospel, for that could not apply to Christ; but in their joyful endurance of suffering. Having received the word in much affliction. We learn from the Acts that the unbelieving Jews stirred up the heathen rabble, and raised a persecution against Paul and his associates, in consequence of which they had to depart from Thessalonica ( Acts 17:4-10 ). It would appear that, after the apostle had left the city, the persecution, far from abating, rather increased, and the Gentile inhabitants united with the unbelieving Jews against the Christians; the Thessalonian converts suffered from their own countrymen as well as from the Jews ( 1 Thessalonians 2:14 ). With joy of the Holy Ghost ; that is, not merely spiritual joy, or joy in the Holy Ghost, but joy which proceeds from the Holy Ghost - joy which is produced by him, of which he is the Author. 1 Thessalonians 1:6

(6) And ye became followers. —Not so much a separate reason for believing them elected of God, because of their receptiveness, but an evidence of the power given by God to the preachers for the winning of them. “So much so, that, in spite of persecution, you became Christians with enthusiasm.” Followers.—Not “disciples,” but imitators. The three points in which the Lord and His Apostles were imitated are then expressed—(1) meek reception (Psalm 40:6; Isaiah 1:5); (2) cost what it might; (3) rejoicing all the while (Psalm 22:22; Psalm 45:7). In much affliction.—For examples of troubles in the early days of the Thessalonian Church, see Acts 17:5; Acts 17:8. Holy Ghost is used in the same way as it is in 1Thessalonians 1:5. “Joy which is the natural outcome of a spirit united with the Holy Spirit.”

6. And ye—answering to "For our Gospel," 1Th 1:5. followers—Greek, "imitators." The Thessalonians in their turn became "ensamples" (1Th 1:7) for others to imitate. of the Lord—who was the apostle of the Father, and taught the word, which He brought from heaven, under adversities [Bengel]. This was the point in which they imitated Him and His apostles, joyful witness for the word in much affliction: the second proof of their election of God (1Th 1:4); 1Th 1:5 is the first (see on [2442]1Th 1:5). received the word in much affliction—(1Th 2:14; 3:2-5; Ac 17:5-10). joy of—that is, wrought by "the Holy Ghost." "The oil of gladness" wherewith the Son of God was "anointed above His fellows" (Ps 45:7), is the same oil with which He, by the Spirit, anoints His fellows too (Isa 61:1, 3; Ro 14:17; 1Jo 2:20, 27).