+I. Implies a firm belief in Christ's second coming.+
+II. Habitually endeavouring to be prepared for His second coming.+
+III. Earnestly desiring it.+
+IV. Patiently waiting for it.+--_Bradley._
_The Wrath to come._
+I. It is Divine wrath.+
+II. Unmingled wrath.+--Judgment without mercy; justice without the
least mixture of goodness.
+III. Provoked wrath.+
+IV. Accumulated wrath.+--A wrath we have inflamed and increased by
every act of sin we have committed.
+V. Future wrath.+--The wrath to come; lasting as the holiness of
the Being who inflicts and the guilt of the sinners who endure
it.
+VI. Deliverance from wrath.+--1. _Undeserved._ 2. _Complete._
3. _Eternal.--Ibid._
* * * * * * * *
+CHAPTER II.+
_CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES._
Ver. 1. +Our entrance in . . . was not in vain.+--The word for "vain"
here is the same as that in the first half of "ceno-taph." The
entrance into Thessalonica, we might say colloquially, "had something
in it."
Ver. 2. +Suffered before.+--Previously, that is, to our entrance to
Thessalonica. +And were shamefully entreated.+--The acute sense of
suffering in mind shows how far St. Paul was from Stoicism. It is
this same exquisite sensibility which makes possible the beautiful
courtesy with which, in his letters, we are so familiar. +With much
contention.+--All the watchfulness required by one in the arena and
all the danger incident to a false movement characterised St. Paul's
work.
Ver. 3. +For our exhortation.+--The word reminds us of Christ's word,
"I will send you another Advocate"--"Paraclete." Our advocacy of the
Gospel of Christ was not born of error. +Was not of deceit, nor
uncleanness, nor guile.+--Perhaps we might paraphrase thus: We were
not ourselves mistaken as to the subject-matter of our preaching, we
used no "dirty tricks" in the way of its publication, we baited no
hooks for unwilling souls.
Ver. 4. +As we were allowed of God.+--The original word means "to
approve after testing"--or, as God knows without testing, as it is
applied to Him it simply means--"we were approved of God." +To be put
in trust.+--R.V. "to be intrusted." "'To be put in trust with the
Gospel' is the highest conceivable responsibility; the sense of it is
enough to exclude every base motive and deceitful practice"
(_Findlay_). +Not as pleasing men.+--The vice condemned in slaves is
equally reprehensible if it should appear in the minister of the
Gospel. +But God, which trieth the hearts.+--"Alloweth" and "trieth"
are different forms of the same verb. Like an assayer whose methods
are perfect, God makes manifest what is in man's heart.
Ver. 5. +For neither at any time used we flattering words.+--"His
friends well knew that he was not one to--
"'Crook the pregnant hinges of the knee
Where thrift may follow fawning'" (_Ibid._).
+Nor a cloke of covetousness.+--The same thing perhaps as a mode of
flattering speech. Fulsome flattering is either the mark of a mind
hopelessly abject or the craft of a designing mind. Much fair speech
and the flattering of the lips still lead fools by the nose (Prov.
vii. 21) to where "covetousness" dwells.
Ver. 6. +Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of
others.+--"The motive of ambition--'that last infirmity of noble
minds'--rises above the selfishness just disclaimed; but it is just
as warmly repudiated, for it is equally inconsistent with the
single-mindedness of men devoted to the glory of God. Our Lord finds
in superiority to human praise the mark of a sincere faith (John
v. 44)" (_Ibid._). +When we might have been burdensome.+--A.V.
margin, "used authority." R.V. margin, "claimed honour"--literally in
weight--an ambiguous phrase whose sense is interpreted by ver. 9
(_Ibid._).
Ver. 7. +But we were gentle.+--R.V. margin says, "Most ancient
authorities read babes." Origen and Augustine interpret this to mean,
"Like a nurse amongst her children, talking in baby language to the
babes" (_Ibid._). +As a nurse cherisheth her children.+--The A.V. has
omitted a necessary word of the original which R.V. supplies--"her
_own_ children." The word for "cherisheth" is used in Deut. xxii. 5
(LXX.) of the mother-bird brooding over her nestlings (a figure made
memorable by our Lord's mournful words over Jerusalem). The word
occurs again only in Eph. v. 29.
Ver. 8. + Being affectionately desirous.+--The one Greek word
corresponding to these three "implies the fondness of a mother's
love--yearning over you" (_Ibid._). +We were willing.+--R.V.
"well-pleased." Like Him of whom it is said, "He gives liberally,"
without stint. +Our own souls.+--"Our very selves," for the saving of
which, says our Master, a man may well let the world slip. The
apostle keeps up the maternal figure.
Ver. 9. +Labour and travail.+--The same words occur together at
2 Cor. xi. 27. The former is used some twenty times, the latter only
three in the New Testament. One marks the fatigue of the work, "the
lassitude or weariness which follows on this straining of all his
powers to the utmost" (_Trench_). The other gives prominence to the
hardship or difficulty of the task. +That we might not burden any of
you+ (see ver. 6).--Any support that could have been given would have
been a trifle indeed (1 Cor. ix. 11) as compared with the
self-sacrifice of the apostolic toilers.
Ver. 10. +Ye are witnesses, and God also.+--A solemn reiteration (see
ver. 5). +Holily and justly and unblameably.+--"The holy man has
regard to the sanctities, the righteous man to the duties of life;
but duty is sacred and piety is duty. They cover the whole field of
conduct regarded in turn from the religious and moral standpoint,
while unblameably affixes the seal of approval both by God and man"
(_Findlay_).
Ver. 11. +Exhorted and comforted.+--As the former points to the
stimulation in the apostolic addresses, so the latter to the soothing
element. The noun related to the latter verb is found in Phil. ii. 1,
and is translated by R.V. _"consolation."_ +As a father with his own
children.+--The maternal tenderness is united with the discipline of
a true father.