1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
Body 1b, Paul's Longing
Week 5
 Last revised: 2/04/01
 
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     2.17  JHmei'" dev, ajdelfoiv, ajporfanisqevnte" ajf j uJmw'n pro;" kairo;n w[ra", proswvpw/ ouj kardiva/, perissotevrw" ejspoudavsamen to; provswpon uJmw'n ijdei'n ejn pollh'/ ejpiqumiva/. 2.18 diovti hjqelhvsamen ejlqei'n pro;" uJma'", ejgw; me;n Pau'lo" kai; a[pax kai; div", kai; ejnevkoyen hJma'" oJ Satana'". 2.19 tiv" ga;r hJmw'n ejlpi;" h] cara; h] stevfano" kauchvsew" - h] oujci; kai; uJmei'" - e[mprosqen tou' kurivou hJmw'n  jIhsou' ejn th'/ aujtou' parousiva/:  2.20 uJmei'" gavr ejste hJ dovxa hJmw'n kai; hJ carav.
     3.1 Dio; mhkevti stevgonte" eujdokhvsamen kataleifqh'nai ejn  jAqhvnai" movnoi 3.2 kai; ejpevmyamen Timovqeon, to;n ajdelfo;n hJmw'n kai; sunergo;n tou' qeou' ejn tw'/ eujaggelivw/ tou' Cristou', eij" to; sthrivxai uJma'" kaiparakalevsai uJpe;r th'" pivstew" uJmw'n 3.3 to; mhdevna saivnesqai ejn tai'" qlivyesin tauvtai".  aujtoi; ga;r oi[date o[ti eij" tou'to keivmeqa: 3.4 kai; ga;r o[te pro;" uJma'" h\men, proelevgomen uJmi'n o[ti mevllomen qlivbesqai, kaqw;" kai; ejgevneto kai; oi[date.  3.5 dia; tou'to kajgw; mhkevti stevgwn e[pemya eij" to; gnw'nai th;n pivstin uJmw'n, mhv pw" ejpeivrasen uJma'" oJ peiravzwn kai; eij" keno;n gevnhtai oJ kovpo" hJmw'n.
     3.6  [Arti de; ejlqovnto" Timoqevou pro;" hJma'" ajf j uJmw'n kai; eujaggelisamevnou hJmi'n th;n pivstin kai; th;n ajgavphn uJmw'n kai; o[ti e[cete mneivan hJmw'n ajgaqh;n pavntote, ejpipoqou'nte" hJma'" ijdei'n kaqavper kai; hJmei'" uJma'", 3.7 dia; tou'to pareklhvqhmen, ajdelfoiv, ejf j uJmi'n ejpi; pavsh/ th'/ ajnavgkh/ kai; qlivyei hJmw'n dia; th'" uJmw'n pivstew", 3.8 o[ti nu'n zw'men eja;n uJmei'" sthvkete ejn kurivw/. 3.9 tivna ga;r eujcaristivan dunavmeqa tw'/ qew'/ ajntapodou'nai peri; uJmw'n ejpi; pavsh/ th'/ cara'/ h|/ caivromen di j uJma'" e[mprosqen tou' qeou' hJmw'n, 3.10 nukto;" kai; hJmevra" uJperekperissou' deovmenoi eij" to; ijdei'n uJmw'n to; provswpon kai; katartivsai ta; uJsterhvmata th'" pivstew" uJmw'n.
     3.11 Aujto;" de; oJ qeo;" kai; path;r hJmw'n kai; oJ kuvrio" hJmw'n  jIhsou'" kateuquvnai th;n oJdo;n hJmw'n pro;" uJma'": 3.12 uJma'" de; oJ kuvrio" pleonavsai kai; perisseuvsai th'/ ajgavph/ eij" ajllhvlou" kai; eij" pavnta" kaqavper kai; hJmei'" eij" uJma'", 3.13 eij" to; sthrivxai uJmw'n ta;" kardiva" ajmevmptou" ejn aJgiwsuvnh/ e[mprosqen tou' qeou' kai; patro;" hJmw'n ejn th'/ parousiva/ tou' kurivou hJmw'n  jIhsou' meta; pavntwn tw'n aJgivwn aujtou', ajmhvn.		 New Revised Standard Version:
      2:18 As for us, brothers and sisters [Gk brothers], when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you — in person, not in heart — we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face. 2:18 For we wanted to come to you — certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again — but Satan blocked our way. 2:19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 2:20 Yes, you are our glory and joy!
     3:1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; 3:2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming [Gk lacks proclaiming] the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, 3:3 so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. 3:4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 3:5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.
    3:6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us — just as we long to see you. 3:7 For this reason, brothers and sisters[Gk brothers], during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 3:8 For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 3:9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 3:10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
     3:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 3:13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

1. Determine the genre of the passage.

  1. This section has been labeled "the body closing" by John L. White (The Form and Function of the Body of the Greek Letter. SBL Diss. Series 2 [Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1972]), or "the Apostolic Parousia" by Robert Funk (Language, Hermeneutic, and the Word of God [New York: Harper, 1966], 274 n. 84). Explore the possibilities and draw a conclusion.

    2.  
  2. 3:11-13 is often termed a "wish-prayer"; cf. G.P. Wiles, Paul's Intercessory Prayers. SNTSMS 24 [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1974], 52. How can this genre identification help in the exegesis? How does this prayer connect to the other prayers in the letter?
2. Determine the literary context of the passage.
Using a variety of commentaries etc., identify where this passage fits into the Body of the letter.
3. Determine the time/place references in the passage.
  1. Explore the possible meanings behind the statement in 2:18.
  2. What is the tension regarding Timothy's trip to Thessalonia between 3:1-2 and Acts 17:13-15?
  3. Where is the location implied in 3:6 when Timothy arrived at where Paul was? How does this connect to Acts 18:5?
4. Analyze the internal literary structure of the passage.
The Greek sentences in the text are as follows: (1) vv.17-18; (2) v. 19; (3) v. 20; (4) vv. 1-3a; (5) vv. 3b-4; (6) v. 5; (7) vv. 6-8; (8) vv.9-10; (9) vv. 11-13. Using the paragraph divisions of a variety of translations, commentary outlines etc., identify natural divisions of thought in the passage within the limits of these sentences.
5. Determine the interpretative issues -- both theologically and exegetically -- present in the passage.
  1. Why did Paul make such a "big deal" out of wanting to revisit the Thessalonians?
  2. How do other believers become "hope or joy or crown of boasting" for a Christian leader at the Lord's coming?
  3. What role does persecution play in Christian experience as reflected in this passage?
  4. How could Satan have made Paul's efforts at Thessalonia "useless" (eij" keno;n)?
  5. Does Paul's expressions of confidence in and apprehension over the Thessalonians reflect an instability in the apostle? Modern psychology would tend to suggest so. How does this relate to contemporary pastoral experience?
6. Determine a central theme of the passage
 
7. Develop an exegetical outline of the passage.
 
8.  Develop a short, one page sermon brief from the passage.
 

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