Calvin / McGrath 1 and 2 Thessalonians

1. Auflage 1999
ISBN: 978-1-4335-1702-0
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band 22, 112 Seiten

Reihe: Crossway Classic Commentaries

Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readers For hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth. The Crossway Classic Commentary Series, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness, presents the very best work on individual Bible books for today's believers. Forced out of Thessalonica by the Jews for his effective ministry, Paul wrote to encourage and teach the new believers there. Within his first letter, according to John Calvin, is a brief definition of true Christianity. It is a faith that is full of vigor, employing itself in the labors of love, intent upon the hope of the manifestation of Christ, despising everything else, and armed with an endurance that rises above the wearisomeness of time and worldly temptations. Paul's second epistle then expands upon and clarifies some of his teachings from the first letter. John Calvin delves into the rich meaning of Paul's encouraging words, bringing insight into the historical church, as well as instructing today's pastors on maintaining a healthy church and inspiring believers to grow in their daily walk.

John Calvin (1509-1564) was one of the most influential theologians of the Reformation. Known best for his Institutes of the Christian Religion, he also wrote landmark expositions on most of the books in the Bible.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Calvin, John

McGrath, Alister

Leseproben

1 Thessalonians
Chapter 1

Verse 1

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

1. The brevity of the inscription clearly shows that Paul's teaching had been received with reverence among the Thessalonians, and that without controversy they all rendered to him the honor that he deserved. For when in other letters he designated himself an apostle, he did so for the purpose of claiming for himself authority. Hence the circumstance here, simply making use of his own name without any title of honor, is proof that those to whom he writes voluntarily acknowledged him to be such as he was. The ministers of Satan, it is true, had endeavored to trouble this church also, but it is evident that their machinations were fruitless.

He also associates others along with himself, in common with himself, as the authors of the letter. Nothing further is stated here that has not been explained elsewhere, except that he says, the church ... in God the Father and . . . Christ, by which terms he intimates that there is truly among the Thessalonians a church of God. This mark, therefore, is as it were an approval of a true and lawful church. We may, however, at the same time infer from it that a church is to be sought only where God presides and where Christ reigns, and that, in short, there is no church but that which is founded upon God, is gathered under the auspices of Christ, and is united in his name.

Verses 2-5

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we knew, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

2. We always thank God for all of you. He praises, as he is wont, their faith and other virtues, not so much, however, for the purpose of praising them as to exhort them to perseverance. For it is no small spur to eagerness of pursuit when we reflect that God has adorned us with special endowments, that he may finish what he has begun, and that we have, under his guidance and direction, advanced in the right course in order that we may reach the goal. Just as a vain confidence in those virtues that men foolishly arrogate to themselves puffs them up with pride and makes them careless and indolent for the time to come, so a recognition of the gifts of God humbles pious minds and stirs them up to anxious concern. Hence, instead of congratulations, the apostle makes use of thanksgiving, that he may put them in mind that everything in them that he declares to be worthy of praise is a kindness of God. He also turns immediately to the future in making mention of his prayers.

3. We continually remember. While the adverb continually might be taken in connection with what goes before, it suits better to connect it in this manner. What follows might also be rendered "remembering your work of faith and labor of love."

Paul assigns a reason, however, why he cherishes so strong an affection toward them and prays diligently on their behalf—because he perceived in them those gifts of God that should stir him up to cherish love and respect toward them. And unquestionably, the more anyone excels in piety and other excellencies, so much more ought we to hold him in regard and esteem. For what or who is more worthy of love than God? Hence there is nothing that should tend more to excite our love to individuals than when the Lord manifests himself in them by the gifts of his Spirit. This is the highest commendation of all among the pious, the most sacred bond of connection by which they are more especially bound to each other.

Your work produced by faith. I understand this as meaning the effect of it. This effect, however, may be explained in two ways—passively or actively, either as meaning that faith was in itself a special token of the power and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, inasmuch as he has wrought powerfully in the exciting of it, or as meaning that it afterwards produced its fruits outwardly. I reckon the effect to be in the root of faith rather than in its fruits —"a rare energy of faith has shown itself powerfully in you."

He adds, your labor prompted by love, by which he means that in the cultivation of love they had not scorned trouble or labor. Assuredly, it is known through experience how hard-working love is. That age, however, more especially afforded to believers a manifold sphere of labor if they desired to discharge the offices of love. The church was dreadfully pressed down by a great number of afflictions. Many were stripped of their wealth, many were fugitives from their country, many were destitute of counsel, many were tender and weak. The condition of almost all was involved. So many cases of distress did not allow love to be inactive.

To hope he assigns endurance, as it is always linked with it (see Romans 8:25). So the statement should be explained as meaning that Paul remembers their endurance in hoping for the coming of Christ. From this we may gather a brief definition of true Christianity—it is a faith that is living and full of vigor, so that it spares no labor when assistance is to be given to one's neighbors. On the contrary, all the pious employ themselves diligently in offices of love and lay out their efforts so that, intent upon the hope of the manifestation of Christ, they despise everything else and, armed with endurance, rise above the wearisomeness of length of time as well as above all the temptations of the world.

The clause before our God and Father may be viewed as referring to Paul's remembrance or to the three things spoken about immediately before. I explain it in this way: As he had spoken of his prayers, he declares that as often as he raises his thoughts to the kingdom of God, he at the same time recalls to his remembrance the faith, hope, and endurance of the Thessalonians. As all mere pretense must vanish when people come into the presence of God, this is added in order that the affirmation may have more weight. Further, by this declaration of his goodwill toward them he designed to make them more teachable and prepared to listen.

4. The word know may apply to Paul as well as to the Thessalonians. Erasmus refers it to the Thessalonians. I prefer to follow Chrysostom, who understands it of Paul and of his colleagues, for it is, it appears to me, a more ample confirmation of the previous statement. God himself had testified by many tokens that they were acceptable and dear to him.

He has chosen you. I am not altogether dissatisfied with the interpretation given by Chrysostom—that God had made the Thessalonians illustrious and had established their excellence. Paul, however, had it in view to express something further, for he touches on their calling; as there had appeared in that calling no common marks of God's power, he infers from this that they had been especially called with evidences of a sure election. For the reason is immediately added that it was a bare preaching that had been brought to them, but such as was linked with the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, that it might obtain entire credit among them.

5. When he says, with power, with the Holy Spirit, it is, in my opinion, as if he had said, "in the power of the Holy Spirit," so that the latter term is added to explain the former term. With deep conviction was either in the thing itself or in the disposition of the Thessalonians. I am rather inclined to think that the meaning is, Paul's gospel had been confirmed by-solid proofs, as though God had shown from heaven that he had ratified their calling. When, however, Paul brings forward the proofs by which he had felt assured that the calling of the Thessalonians was altogether from God, he takes occasion at the same time to recommend his ministry, that they may themselves also recognize him and his colleagues as having been raised up by God.

By the term power some understand miracles. I extend it further, as referring to the spiritual energy of right doctrine. God's calling, which is in itself hidden, is manifested when he gathers to himself the lost sheep and joins them to his flock and holds out his hand to those who were wandering and estranged from him. Hence a knowledge of our election must be sought from this source. As, however, the secret counsel of God is a labyrinth to those who disregard his calling, so those act perversely who, under the pretext of faith and calling, darken this first grace, from which faith itself flows. "By faith," they say, "we obtain salvation. There is therefore no eternal predestination of God that distinguishes between us and reprobates." It is as though they said, "Salvation is from faith; there is, therefore, no...