\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 2\\

The apostle in this chapter gives a further account of his ministry
among the Thessalonians, of the nature, manner, and success of it,
and of his regard to them, and conduct and conversation when with
them; and commends their readiness in receiving the Gospel, and
excuses his present absence from them. He appeals to them
themselves for the truth of it, that his entrance to them, or
preaching among them, was not in vain and without success, \\#1Th 2:1\\
that it was with all boldness and intrepidity of mind,
notwithstanding what he had suffered before for it, \\#1Th 2:2\\ and
with all integrity and faithfulness to the trust reposed in him by the
Lord, without deceit and guile, or seeking to please men, but God
the searcher of hearts, who had committed this trust unto him,
\\#1Th 2:3,4\\ and that neither then, nor at any other time, he had
used flattery, or showed covetousness; which he calls God to witness,
\\#1Th 2:5\\ nor of them or others sought glory and honour, even that
which was due unto him by virtue of his office, \\#1Th 2:6\\ but had
showed all gentleness, humanity, and, affection; which he
illustrates by the simile of a nurse cherishing her children
\\#1Th 2:7\\ and by the willingness he showed not only to preach the
Gospel to them, but to lay down his life for them, had it been
necessary; so great was his affection for them, \\#1Th 2:8\\ and, as
a proof of this, he puts them in mind of his labours, both in
preaching the word, and in working with his own hands; because he
would not be burdensome and chargeable to them, \\#1Th 2:9\\ and as
for his conversation among them, he appeals both to God and them, how
holy, just, and unblemished it was, \\#1Th 2:10\\ and reminds them of
his tenderness, diligence, and faithfulness, in exhorting, comforting,
and charging them, particularly to walk worthy of God; since he had
called them to his kingdom and glory, \\#1Th 2:11,12\\ and then he
expresses his thankfulness to God for their reception of the worth
of the Gospel; not as an human invention, but as of God, which
wrought effectually in them, \\#1Th 2:13\\ the evidence of which were
partly their imitation of the churches of Christ in Judea, in
doctrine and practice; and partly their suffering the same things
they did, of the Jews, \\#1Th 2:14\\ who are described by their ill
usage of, and cruelty to, Christ, their own prophets, and his
apostles, by their not pleasing God, and by their opposition to
men; an instance of which is given in prohibiting the apostles to
preach to the Gentiles, whose end in so doing with respect to the
Gentiles, was that they might not be saved; but God's end in
suffering them so to do, was with respect to them that they might
fill up their iniquity, and so entire wrath and ruin come upon them,
as had been foretold, \\#1Th 2:15,16\\ and then the apostle concludes
the chapter, by expressing his affectionate concern in parting with
them, which was not in heart but in body; by declaring his earnest
desire and endeavour to see them again; and by observing to them the
reason he had not and could not come unto them, because Satan
hindered him, \\#1Th 2:17,18\\ the cause of his being so desirous to
see them, was their being his hope, joy, glory, and crown of rejoicing,
both now and hereafter, \\#1Th 2:19,20\\.

\\you\\ The apostle having observed in \\#1Th 1:9\\ that those
persons to whom the report of the Gospel being preached at
Thessalonica, and the success of it there was made, showed everywhere
both what manner of entrance he and his fellow ministers had in that
place, and the conversion of many souls there; he enlarges upon the
latter, and here reassumes the former, and appeals to the
Thessalonians themselves, who must know full well, and better than
others, what an entrance it was; and which is to be understood not
merely of a corporeal entrance into their city and synagogue, but of
their coming among them, by the preaching of the Gospel, as the
ministers of the word and ambassadors of Christ:

\\that it was not in vain\\; it was not a vain show with outward pomp
and splendour, as the public entrances of ambassadors into cities
usually are; but with great meanness, poverty, reproach, and
persecution, having been lately beaten and ill used at Philippi; nor
was it with great swelling words of vanity, with the enticing words
of man's wisdom, to tickle the ear, please the fancy, and work upon
the passions of natural men, in which manner the false teachers
came: but the apostle came not with deceit and guile, with
flattering words or a cloak of covetousness, or with a view to vain
glory and worldly advantage; nor was the message they came with,
from the King of kings, a vain, light, empty, and trifling one; but
solid and substantial, and of the greatest importance; the doctrine
they taught was not comparable to chaff and wind; it was not corrupt
philosophy and vain deceit, the traditions and commandments of men,
but sound doctrine, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ:
nor was it fruitless and without effect; the word did not return
void and empty; but was powerful and efficacious to the conversion
of many souls. Christ was with them both to assist them in their
ministry, and to bless it to the salvation of men; nor was their
coming to Thessalonica an human scheme, a rash enterprise, engaged
in on their own heads, on a slight and empty foundation; but upon
good and solid grounds, by divine direction and counsel;
see \\#Ac 16:9,10\\.
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