Teks -- 1 Thessalonians 3:2 (NET)

3:2 We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and encourage you about your faith,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: 1Th 3:2 - God’ s minister

God’ s minister ( diakonon tou theou ).

See note on Mat 20:26 for this interesting word, here in general sense not technical sense of deacon. Some MSS. have fellow-worker (sunergon ). Already apostle in 1Th 2:7 and now brother, minister (and possibly fellow-worker ).

Vincent: 1Th 3:2 - Our brother

Our brother

Comp. 2Co 1:1; Col 1:1; Phm 1:1; Rom 16:23; 1Co 1:1; 1Co 16:12.

Vincent: 1Th 3:2 - Minister

Minister ( διάκονον )

See on Mat 20:26; see on Mar 9:35. Not in the official sense of deacon which occurs only in the Pastorals. Διάκονος minister and διακονία ministry or service are common expressions of service to Christ or to men. Paul habitually uses them in this way. See Act 1:25; Act 6:4. Διάκονοι is used of ministers of Satan, 2Co 11:15, and διάκονος of the civil magistrate, Rom 13:4. See Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles.

Vincent: 1Th 3:2 - Fellow laborer

Fellow laborer

Omit from text.

Vincent: 1Th 3:2 - To establish

To establish ( στηρίξαι )

See on Luk 22:32; Introd. to Catholic Epistles, Vol. 1, p. 625; see on 1Pe 5:10; see on 2Pe 1:12.

JFB: 1Th 3:2 - minister of God and our fellow labourer

Some oldest manuscripts read, "fellow workman with God"; others, "minister of God." The former is probably genuine, as copyists probably altered it to the latter to avoid the bold phrase, which, however, is sanctioned by 1Co 3:9; 2Co 6:1. The English Version reading is not well supported, and is plainly compounded out of the two other readings. Paul calls Timothy "our brother" here; but in 1Co 4:17, "my son." He speaks thus highly of one so lately ordained, both to impress the Thessalonians with a high respect for the delegate sent to them, and to encourage Timothy, who seems to have been of a timid character (1Ti 4:12; 1Ti 5:23). "Gospel ministers do the work of God with Him, for Him, and under Him" [EDMUNDS].

JFB: 1Th 3:2 - establish

Greek, "confirm." In 2Th 3:3, GOD is said to "stablish": He is the true establisher: ministers are His "instruments."

JFB: 1Th 3:2 - concerning

Greek, "in behalf of," that is, for the furtherance of your faith. The Greek for "comfort" includes also the idea, "exhort." The Thessalonians in their trials needed both (1Th 3:3; compare Act 14:22).

Clarke: 1Th 3:2 - Timotheus, our brother

Timotheus, our brother - It appears that Timothy was but a youth when converted to God; he had now however been some years in the work of God; Paul therefore calls him his brother, being one of the same Christian family, a son of God by adoption: elsewhere he calls him his own son, 1Ti 1:2; and his dearly beloved son, 2Ti 1:2; because he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, and to salvation by Christ, through the apostle’ s instrumentality. See the preface to the First Epistle to Timothy

Clarke: 1Th 3:2 - Minister of God

Minister of God - Employed by God to preach the Gospel; this was God’ s work, and he had appointed Timothy to do it, and to do it at this time in conjunction with St. Paul; and therefore he calls him his fellow laborer. There were no sinecures then; preaching the Gospel was God’ s work; the primitive preachers were his workmen, and labored in this calling. It is the same still, but who works?

Calvin: 1Th 3:2 - Our brother

2.Our brother. He assigns to him these marks of commendation, that he may shew the more clearly how much inclined he was to consult their welfare: for if he had sent them some common person, it could not have afforded them much assistance; and inasmuch as Paul would have done this without inconvenience to himself, he would have given no remarkable proof of his fatherly concern in regard to them. It is, on the other hand, a great thing that he deprives himself of a brother and fellow-laborer, and one to whom, as he declares in Phi 2:20, he found no equal, inasmuch as all aimed at the promotion of their own interests. In the mean time, ⁵⁵⁵ he procures authority for the doctrine which they had received from Timothy, that it may remain the more deeply impressed upon their memory.

It is, however, with good reason that he says that he had sent Timothy with this view — that they might receive a confirmation of their faith from his example. They might be intimidated by unpleasant reports as to persecutions; but Paul’s undaunted constancy was fitted so much the more to animate them, so as to keep them from giving way. And, assuredly, the fellowship which ought to subsist between the saints and members of Christ extends even thus far — that the faith of one is the consolation of others. Thus, when the Thessalonians heard that Paul was going on with indefatigable zeal, and was by strength of faith surmounting all dangers and all difficulties, and that his faith continued everywhere victorious against Satan and the world, this brought them no small consolation. More especially we are, or at least ought to be, stimulated by the examples of those by whom we were instructed in the faith, as is stated in the end of the Epistle to the Hebrews. (Heb 13:7) Paul, accordingly, means that they ought to be fortified by his example, so as not to give way under their afflictions. As, however, they might have been offended if Paul had entertained a fear lest they should all give way under persecutions, (inasmuch as this would have been an evidence of excessive distrust,) he mitigates this harshness by saying — lest any one, or, that no one. There was, however, good reason to fear this, as there are always some weak persons in every society.

TSK: 1Th 3:2 - Timotheus // our brother // to establish

Timotheus : Act 16:1, Act 17:14, Act 17:15, Act 18:5

our brother : Rom 16:21; 1Co 4:17, 1Co 16:10,1Co 16:11, 1Co 16:12; 2Co 1:19, 2Co 2:13, 2Co 8:23; Eph 6:21; Phi 2:19-25; Col 1:7, Col 4:9, Col 4:12

to establish : 1Th 3:13; Act 14:22, Act 14:23, Act 16:5; Eph 6:22; Phi 1:25

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Th 3:2

(To see numbers 1 and 2: See Poole on "1Th 3:1" .)

3. By the description he gives of him in the text: a man dear to him, and as his right hand in the service of the gospel. And his care of them is commended the more by sending so eminent a person to them.

4. From his end in sending him; which was to establish them, that through the fear of suffering, or any temptations, they might not forsake the faith they had received; and to comfort them concerning their faith: the word sometimes signifies to exhort, and the sense is good if we so read it; but because the faith they had embraced presented much matter of comfort to them, therefore our translation; well renders the word.

Gill: 1Th 3:2 - And sent Timotheus our brother // and minister of God // and our fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ // to establish you // and to comfort you concerning your faith

And sent Timotheus our brother,.... In a spiritual relation, having the same heavenly Father, and belonging to the same Jerusalem, which is free, and the mother of us all; of the same household and in the same relation to Christ, the firstborn among many brethren; or their brother in the ministry, who was employed in the same business, and did the same work they did; or he is so called, on account of that strict and intimate friendship which subsisted between them, by virtue of which they stuck as close as brethren, or closer to one another than brethren usually do:

and minister of God; of his making, and not man's; of his calling and sending, and of his blessing and succeeding; and who was a minister of the things of God, of the mysteries of God, of the truths of his Gospel; and who ministered according to the ability God gave him, and was faithful to him:

and our fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ; he was a labourer, and not a loiterer in the Lord's vineyard; one that laboured in the word and doctrine, that studied to show himself a workman, that gave himself wholly to meditation, reading, exhortation, and doctrine, and preached the word in season and out of season and was a fellow labourer with him who laboured more abundantly than any of the apostles; and not in the law, but in the Gospel, even in the Gospel of Christ, of which he is the sum and substance, author and preacher. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions leave out these words, and so do Beza's ancient copy and the Alexandrian manuscript, "and our fellow labourers", reading the latter part of the clause in connection with the former thus, "a minister of God in the Gospel of Christ", as the former of these versions, "in the doctrine of Christ", as the latter. These characters are given of Timothy, partly to show what honour was done the Thessalonians, in sending such a messenger to them; and partly that they might receive him with the greater respect, and treat him according to his character, office, and dignity; and chiefly to observe to them the apostle's great affection for them, in parting with so dear and useful a minister for their good and advantage, as follows:

to establish you; which though the work of God, it is usually done by the ministry of the word; and then is the end of the Gospel ministration answered to the churches, when they are established by it; for notwithstanding the saints are in a stable condition, as in the arms of love, and in the hands of Christ, and in the covenant of grace, and upon the rock of ages, and in a state of regeneration, justification, and adoption, from whence they can never fall totally and finally; yet they are often very unstable in their hearts and frames, in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty, and in their adherence to the cause and interest, Gospel and ordinances of Christ, through the prevalence of corruption, the temptations of Satan, and the reproaches and persecutions of men: and these Thessalonians were young converts, and just planted together as a church; and at their first setting out, sustained a considerable shock of afflictions, which made the apostle concerned for their establishment in the faith which they had received:

and to comfort you concerning your faith. This is another end of the Gospel ministry, to comfort afflicted minds, and distressed consciences; it is the will of God that his people should be spoke comfortably to; the doctrines of the Gospel are calculated for that purpose, and the ministers of it should be Barnabases, sons of consolation. These saints might be in some doubt about the grace of faith, whether it was right or not, or about the doctrine of faith they had received; and therefore Timothy is sent to comfort them under their afflictions, which might have created these doubts, and to remove them, by showing them that their faith was like precious faith with the apostles; and that the doctrine of faith they embraced was the faith once delivered to the saints, and was the true faith of Christ: the words will bear to be rendered, "to exhort you concerning your faith", as the Vulgate Latin version renders them; that is, to exhort you to continue in the faith, to stand fast in it, in the exercise of the grace of faith, and in the doctrine of faith, and in the profession of both. The Syriac version renders it, "to ask", or inquire of you concerning your faith, being willing to know how it stood, since they left them, as in 1Th 3:5.