“For now we live, etc.]” Before they were dead men, lifeless, disconsolate, dispirited, carrying about with them the dying of the Lord Jesus, and death working in them, and they, as it were, under the sentence of that, being killed all the day long for Christ's sake; but now, upon this news, in the midst of all their sore trials and troubles, their spirits revived, and they became alive and cheerful; (see Psalm 22:26; Isaiah 55:3), it was like life from the dead unto them: “if ye stand fast in the Lord” Or “our Lord”, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read; that is, “in the faith of the Lord”, as the Arabic version renders it: they were in the Lord secretly by electing grace,…

“Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you, etc.]” Or “in you”, as the Vulgate Latin version; or “from you”, as the Arabic; or “by you”, as the Syriac; or “for you”, as the Ethiopic; that is, on account of them, either by what they had heard was in them, or had heard from them. This gave abundant consolation “in all our affliction and distress:” Which they met with at Corinth, where the apostle laboured with his own hands, and ministered to his own, and the necessities of others, and was greatly opposed, reproached, and persecuted; (see Acts 18:3,6,9,10,12), but the news of the good estate and condition the Thessalonians were in, was a great relief and comfort to him, particularly their faith: “by your faith:”…

“But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, etc.]” At Corinth, as appears from (Acts 18:5) which shows that this epistle was not written from Athens, as the subscription to it asserts, but from Corinth; for as soon as ever Timothy came from Thessalonica, to the apostle at Corinth, and made the report to him, he immediately sent them this epistle which is here suggested: “but, now”, etc. just now; “lately”, as the Syriac version renders it, a very little while ago, Timothy was just come: “and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity;” Of their faith, the grace of faith, that it was of the right kind; as far as could be judged, it was the faith of God's elect, like…

“For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, etc.]” Or “bear” the above vehement desire of seeing them, or of hearing from them. Here the apostle speaks in the singular number, and seems to intimate, as if what was said before of the like kind is to be understood singly of him; for these words are a repetition and summary of the foregoing, with some diversity: “I sent to know your faith; how it stood, whether it was staggering” Through these afflictions, or firm; whether it was weak or strong, what was wanting in it; and whether it grew and increased. The Arabic version adds, “and charity”; for of this, as well as of faith, Timothy brought an account, as appears from the following…

“For, verily, when we were with you, etc.]” In presence, in person, as they then were in heart and affection; when they were first among them, and preached the Gospel to them: “we told you before;” Before it came to pass; “that we should suffer tribulation:” Which they might say by virtue of Christ's prediction to all his disciples, that they should have tribulation in the world; and upon its being the common case of God's people, and the usual way through which they enter the kingdom; and the Apostle Paul might foretell this, upon the discovery that was made to him how many things he should suffer for the sake of Christ, and which therefore he always, and in every place expected; and he…

“That no man should be moved by these afflictions, etc.]” Which the apostle endured for the sake of preaching the Gospel among them, and which he feared might be a means of troubling their minds, of shaking their faith, and moving them from the hope of the Gospel; for though none of these things moved him, who was an old soldier of Christ, and used to hardness, and an apostle of Christ; yet these were young converts, and not used to such things, and therefore might be staggered at them, and be offended, as stony ground hearers are; and though the apostle hoped better things of them, yet was he concerned for them, that no one among them might be unhinged by them, or succumb…