1 Thessalonians 2:4

2:1-6 The apostle had no wordly design in his preaching. Suffering in a good cause should sharpen holy resolution. The gospel of Christ at first met with much opposition; and it was preached with contention, with striving in preaching, and against opposition. And as the matter of the apostle's exhortation was true and pure, the manner of his speaking was without guile. The gospel of Christ is designed for mortifying corrupt affections, and that men may be brought under the power of faith. This is the great motive to sincerity, to consider that God not only sees all we do, but knows our thoughts afar off, and searches the heart. And it is from this God who trieth our hearts, that we must receive our reward. The evidences of the apostle's sincerity were, that he avoided flattery and covetousness. He avoided ambition and vain-glory.

{4} But as we were {c} allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which {d} trieth our hearts. (4) To approve his conscience to God, being free from all flattery and covetousness. (c) There is this difference between the judgments of God and the judgments of men, that when men choose, they give regard to the qualities of those things which stand before them, but God finds the reason of his counsel only in himself. Therefore, it follows that seeing as we are not able to think a good thought, that whoever he first chooses to those callings, he does not find them able but indeed makes them able. And therefore in that we are empowered of God, it depends upon his mercy. (d) Who approves and allows them.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 . “As God, who tests our hearts, has attested our fitness to be entrusted with the gospel,” a characteristic play on the word. The definite commission of the gospel excluded any weak attempt to flatter men’s prejudices or to adapt oneself to their tastes. Hence the thought of the following verse.

We were allowed (δεδοκιμάσμεθα) More correctly, approved. See on 1 Peter 1:7. We came and spoke to you as tested men. Pleasing (ἀρέσκοντες) As being those who seek to please. Comp. Galatians 1:10, and ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι man-pleasers, Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:22. Comp. lxx, Psalm 52:5 : "God hath scattered the bones of men-pleasers." The fourth Psalm of Solomon is entitled: Against the men-pleasers (ἀνθρωπαρέσκοις). Who proveth (δοκιμάζοντι) Word-play with δεδοκιμάσμεθα we were approved.

Verse 4. - But ; in contrast. As ; according as. We were allowed. The old English for "approved." Of God . The word rendered "allowed" signifies tried, tested as gold is tested in the fire, and hence also the result of that trial, "approved." As we were esteemed worthy to be put in trust with the gospel ; entrusted with its publication. Even so ; in this condition of approval and trust. We speak, not as pleasing men, but God, that trieth. The same verb that is rendered "allowed" in the first part of the verse; hence "proverb," or "approveth." Our hearts . Not a general statement, "God who is the Discerner of the heart;" but "our hearts," namely, of us, the publishers of the gospel - Paul and Silas and Timothy; thus appealing to God, as the infallible Judge of their sincerity. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

4. as—according as; even as. allowed—Greek, "We have been approved on trial," "deemed fit." This word corresponds to "God which trieth our hearts" below. This approval as to sincerity depends solely on the grace and mercy of God (Ac 9:15; 1Co 7:25; 2Co 3:5; 1Ti 1:11, 12). not as pleasing—not as persons who seek to please men; characteristic of false teachers (Ga 1:10).

(4) Were allowed. —Rather, have been, and in 1Thessalonians 2:3 is, not “was.” St. Paul is arguing from his habitual practice. “But we speak after the manner of men who remember that God Himself has tried them, and has been satisfied to entrust the gospel to them, making it our business to please, not men, but God who thus tries our hearts” ( 1Corinthians 4:1-2 ). The word translated “allowed” implies examining and approving (as in Luke 14:19 ; 1Timothy 3:10 ; 1Peter 1:7 ; 1John 4:1 ), and is repeated emphatically (trans lated “trieth”): “being examined and approved by God, we study to please Him who constantly examines and approves us, not to court those to whom we are sent.” St. Paul expresses here, as elsewhere, a total disregard of men’s opinions about him ( 1Corinthians 4:3 ; Galatians 1:10 ).

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel: this verse gives the reasons of what the apostle spake in the former about his sincerity. The one is taken from his trust; God intrusted him with the gospel, to preserve it from corruption by error, therefore his exhortation or doctrine was not of error or deceit, but he preached the gospel in simplicity and purity; he did not, he durst not, adulterate or corrupt it, for it was committed to his trust; as he calls the gospel his trust, 1 Timothy 1:11 . And the sense of this great trust kept him also from uncleanness and guile in the discharge of his ministry. And he had this trust by God’s appointment or approbation, God approved of him for this trust, and that upon knowledge and judgment, as the word signifies, dedokimasmeya, and as he speaks, 1 Timothy 1:12 , he judged me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Not so before his conversion, being a persecutor, blasphemer, & c.; but God fitted him by extraordinary revelations, gifts, graces, and made him faithful, and then put him into the ministry, and intrusted him with the gospel. And because he speaks in the plural number, we were allowed of God, & c., therefore Silvanus and Timotheus, yea, and other apostles and ministers, are to be understood as comprehended with him in this trust.

Even so we speak; that is, as men thus approved of by God, and intrusted with the gospel, that we may faithfully discharge our trust, and be able to give a good account of it, as stewards of their trust, 1 Corinthians 4:1,2 . Not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts: this is another reason of their faithfulness and integrity, mentioned in the foregoing verse, which was the sense of God’s omniscience, knowing and trying their hearts. Trying imports more than mere knowing, it is a knowledge upon search and proof, as gold and silver are known by the touchstone. And though God trieth the hearts of all men, yet especially such as are intrusted with the gospel. Or these last words may have a more immediate reference to the foregoing; we speak not as pleasing men, because we know God trieth our hearts. And this confirms what he said before concerning his exhortation, that it was not of deceit, uncleanness, or guile. If it had, he would have so preached as to please men; the opinions, the lusts, the practices of men. In some cases the apostle did seek to please men, 1 Corinthians 10:33 , even as I please all men in all things. But he pleased not men when it stood in competition with his pleasing God; we speak, not as pleasing men, but God. Otherwise the rule takes place with all, Romans 15:2 : Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. Ministers of the gospel are Christ’s servants by office, and, as servants, they are to please their own Master

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel - Compare 1 Timothy 1:11-12 . Since there had been committed to us an office so high and holy, and so much demanding sincerity, fidelity, and honesty, we endeavored to act in all respects in conformity to the trust reposed in us. The gospel is a system of truth and sincerity, and we evinced the same. The gospel is concerned with great realities, and we did not resort to trick and illusion. The office of the ministry is most responsible, and we acted in view of the great account which we must render. The meaning is, that Paul had such a sense of the truth, reality, and importance of the gospel, and of his responsibility, as effectually to keep him from anything like craft or cunning in preaching it. An effectual restrainer from mere management and trick will always be found in a deep conviction of the truth and importance of religion. Artifice and cunning are the usual accompaniments of a bad cause - and, when adopted by a minister of the gospel, will usually, when detected, leave the impression that he feels that he is engaged in such a cause. If an object cannot be secured by sincerity and straight-forward dealing, it is not desirable that it should be secured at all. Even so we speak - In accordance with the nature of the gospel; with the truth and sincerity which such a cause demands. Not as pleasing men - Not in the manner of impostors, who make it their object to please people.