\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 THESSALONIANS 3\\

In this chapter the apostle expresses his great love to the
Thessalonians, by sending Timothy to then, to establish and comfort
them; and declares his satisfaction with the things he brought of
them, and concludes the chapter with fervent prayers for them: such
was his affection for them, that he chose rather to be left alone at
Athens, and send Timothy to them, though so very dear and useful to
him, as his characters show, to the end that they might be
established and comforted, \\#1Th 3:2\\ and not be shaken with the
afflictions the apostles met with, seeing these were no other than
what God had appointed them to; and besides, they had been apprized
of them before hand by the apostle, \\#1Th 3:3,4\\ but however, lest
Satan should get an advantage of them, the apostle could not be
easy without sending to know how things stood with them, \\#1Th 3:5\\
next he proceeds to give an account of the success of this mission,
and the satisfaction it gave him and his fellow ministers to hear of
their faith and charity, their remembrance of them, and desire to see
them, \\#1Th 3:6\\ which comforted them under their afflictions, made
them lively and cheerful, filled them with joy and thankfulness, and
put them upon praying to God to see their face, and perfect what was
lacking in their faith, \\#1Th 3:7-10\\ and then follow the
petitions themselves, which are made both to God the Father, and our
Lord Jesus Christ, that their way might be directed to them, that
they might increase and abound in love to one another, and to all
men, as they did to them, and that God would establish them in
holiness in his sight, at the coming of Christ, \\#1Th 3:11-13\\.

Ver 1. \\Wherefore when we could no longer forbear\\ Or
"bear", as the word properly signifies; or "bear that", as the
Ethiopic version reads; that is, "that desire", as the Arabic version
renders it; that ardent and longing desire of seeing them again,
expressed in the latter part of the preceding chapter; which was as
fire in their bones, and was retained with great pain and uneasiness;
but now they could hold it no longer, and like Jeremiah, \\#Jer 20:9\\
were weary with forbearing, and could not stay; or it was like a
burden, which they stood up under as long as they could, even Paul,
Silas, and Timothy, but now it became insupportable:

\\we thought it good to be left at Athens alone\\: that is, Paul
and Silas, or Paul only, speaking of himself in the plural number;
for he seems to have been alone at Athens, at least at last; he
considering everything, thought it most fit and advisable when at
Athens, where he waited for Silas and Timothy, having ordered
them to come thither to him from Berea, \\#Ac 17:14,15\\ either to
send orders to Berea for Timothy to go from thence to Thessalonica,
to know the state of affairs there, and Silas elsewhere; or if they
came to him to Athens, of which Luke gives no account, he immediately
dispatched Timothy to Thessalonica, and Silas to some other part of
Macedonia, for from thence they came to him at Corinth, \\#Ac 18:5\\
such was his desire of knowing how things were at Thessalonica, that
he chose rather to be left alone at Athens, disputing with the
unbelieving Jews, and Heathen philosophers of the Epicurean and
Stoic sects, sustaining all their scoffs and jeers alone; and was
content to be without his useful companions, Silas and Timothy, who
might have been assisting to him at Athens, in hope of hearing of his
dear friends at Thessalonica.
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