First Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 2:7a-Paul, Silvanus and Timothy Never Imposed Their Authority on the Thessalonians as Christ’s Apostles Lesson # 23

1 Thessalonians 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness, 6 nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others, 7 although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children. (NET)

1 Thessalonians 2:5 So therefore, each one of us never at any time conducted ourselves with flattering speech as each one of you are well aware of, in fact, nor motivated by greed-God is a witness. 6 Indeed, nor by seeking at any time honor from people, whether from any one of you or from others, 7 although each one of us for our own benefit possess the power to impose our authority as Christ’s apostles. However, on the contrary, each of us conducted ourselves as little children in the midst of each of you. Like a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. (My translation)

1 Thessalonians 2:7 continues the thought which began in 1 Thessalonians 2:5.

As we noted, verse 5 asserts that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy never at any time conducted themselves with flattering speech, nor motivated by greed.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 asserts that they never conducted themselves by seeking honor from people whether from the non-Christian community in Thessalonica or from the Thessalonian Christian community.

Now, 1 Thessalonians 2:7 continues this thought with a concessive clause followed by a strong adversative clause.

The concessive clause asserts that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy possessed the power to impose their authority over the Thessalonians as apostles of Christ.

Thus, they never imposed their authority over the Thessalonians as apostles of Jesus Christ when interacting with them although they possessed the power to do so.

This concessive clause is thus describing or identifying for the reader another means by which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy never conducted themselves when interacting with the Thessalonians.

Therefore, 1 Thessalonians 2:5-7 is teaching that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy never at any time conducted themselves with flatting speech or motivated by greed, and never sought honor from people whether from non-Christian community or the Thessalonian Christian community even though they had the power to impose their authority over them as apostles of Christ.

When this concessive clause identifies these three as “apostles of Christ,” or “Christ’s apostles,” it does not refer to the office of an apostle, which was given by the Lord Jesus Christ to only thirteen men.

Paul replaced Judas Iscariot.

This temporary spiritual gift of apostleship held maximum authority in the church.

It was given to only twelve men and existed exclusively during the pre-canon period of the church age and is no longer existent today since all twelve men have died and went home to be with the Lord (See Matthew 10:2-4).

Now, the term “apostles” in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 is describing Paul, Silvanus and Timothy as receiving authority delegated to them by the Lord Jesus Christ to communicate the gospel to the Thessalonians.

So, the concessive clause in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 is teaching that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy possessed delegated authority from the Lord Jesus Christ to communicate the gospel to the human race.

The Scriptures teach that there are several categories of authority: (1) Christ’s Authority (Philippians 2:8; John 5:26-27; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:10; Ephesians 1:22) (2) Biblical Authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). (3) Angelic Authority (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:16). (4) Apostolic Authority (Luke 9:1; 2 Corinthians 10:8). (5) Pastoral Authority (1 Peter 5:1-3; Hebrews13:17). (6) Spousal Authority (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18). (7) Parental Authority (Deut. 21:18-21; Prov. 1:7-9; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20). (8) Governmental Authority (Rm. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13).

Now, 1 Thessalonians 2:7 is teaching an extremely important principle which instructs those who possess spiritual authority in the church, i.e. the pastor, namely, don’t lord your authority over the body of Christ but rather use this authority to serve the church.

The apostle Peter taught this as well to pastors.

1 Peter 5:1 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: 5:2 Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. 5:3 And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. 5:4 Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away. 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (NET)

The fact that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy did not lord or impose their delegated authority from the Lord over the Thessalonians but rather served the latter reveals the great humility of these men.

Humility is subordinating ones’ self-interest to the best interests of others.

The incarnate Son of God Jesus Christ became a human being and died a substitutionary spiritual and physical death on the cross in the interests of sinful humanity (John 13:1-17).

Humility is expressed by the believer who regards their fellow believer more highly than themselves and subordinates their interests to the best interests of their fellow believer (Philippians 2:3-4).

Philippians 2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. 2:4 Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. (NET)

When a believer regards their fellow believer more highly than themselves, they are imitating the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ who subordinated His interests to the best interests of sinners.

If Christ subordinated His interests to the best interests of all believers by becoming a human being and dying a substitutionary spiritual and physical death on the cross, then the Christian is obligated to operate this way towards their fellow believer.

The believer, who regards their fellow believer more highly than themselves and thus subordinates their interests to the best interests of their fellow believer is not only humble but also has a servant’s mentality.

When this concessive clause in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 asserts that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy never imposed their authority over the Thessalonians even though they possessed the power to do so reveals the gentleness of these men, which by way of definition is power held in reserve.

They possessed the power to exercise their spiritual authority from the Lord to benefit themselves but instead they refrained from doing so in order to serve the Thessalonians instead.

Paul reminded Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:24 that he must be gentle.

Second Timothy 2:24 However, in the interests of the Lord’s slave, he must never be characterized as contentious but rather to be characterized as gentle for the benefit of each and every person, a skillful teacher, patient. (My translation)

After making the assertion in Second Timothy 2:24 that the Lord’s slave must never be characterized as contentious, the apostle makes three assertions about the Lord’s slave which stand in an emphatic contrast with the first assertion in this verse.

In this adversative clause, Paul is teaching that the Lord’s servant should be the direct antithesis of someone who is contentious, which is a characteristic of the Judaizers and the apostate pastors in Ephesus.

The first assertion in the adversative clause is that the Lord’s slave must be characterized as someone who is gentle to each and every person he comes into contact with whether they are Christians or non-Christians.

He is to be gentle to those whom he teaches in the Christian community and when he is evangelizing outside the Christian community.

By being gentle, he means that the pastor-teacher who is the overseer of the local church, must be someone who is free from harshness or sternness, possessing a forbearing nature or in other words, is kind.

By being gentle, he means that the evangelist must be characterized in the same way.