1 Thessalonians 3:2-Paul Sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to Strengthen, Encourage and Exhort Them For the Benefit of Their Faith Lesson # 39

1 Thessalonians 3:1 So when we could bear it no longer, we decided to stay on in Athens alone. 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, 3:3 so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 3:4 For in fact when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we would suffer affliction, and so it has happened, as you well know. 3:5 So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless. (NET)

In 1 Thessalonians 3:2, the apostle Paul informs the Thessalonian Christian community that he sent Timothy to them in order to strengthen them and specifically by exhorting and encouraging them for the benefit of their faith.

This statement presents an addition to the statement in 1 Thessalonians 3:1, which asserts that because Paul could no longer endure that he did not know how the Thessalonians were doing spiritually, he thought it best to be left alone in Athens.

Therefore, a comparison of verses 1 and 2 indicate that in addition to thinking it would be best to be left alone in Athens by Silvanus and Timothy, Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to minister to the spiritual needs of the Thessalonian Christian community.

Based upon Paul’s statements in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 in which he asserts in these verses that he and Silvanus were hindered by Satan from visiting the Thessalonians, it is understandable why he felt an urgent need to send Timothy.

Paul provides a two-fold description of Timothy in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 in that he describes him as “our brother as well as fellow-worker for God.”

The former describes him as a fellow-believer and expresses the spiritual relationship that existed between Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonian Christian community as a result of being regenerated by the Spirit at the moment of justification.

The latter describes Timothy with regards to the propagation of the gospel throughout the Roman Empire.

It therefore describes him as joint-partners with Paul, Silvanus and the Thessalonian Christian community in the advancement of the communication of the Word of God throughout the Roman Empire (cf. Phlp. 1:7).

It indicates that he contributed his time, talent, treasure and truth for the advancement of the communication of the Word of God and for the care of the body of Christ and always denotes undefined work in the ministry.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:2, “the gospel” is translating the articular form of the noun euangelion, which is expressing a monadic idea that indicates that this gospel is one of a kind or unique in the sense that this gospel is unique to God.

The Roman Emperor proclaimed his gospel in the first century A.D., but the articular form of this word is indicating that the gospel proclaimed by Paul, Silvanus and Timothy is the only true gospel.

This word is used with reference to the content of teaching which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy communicated to the Thessalonians when they were unregenerate.

It asserts that Christ died and rose from the dead for them and that through faith in Him they could receive the gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins.

Secondly, it also refers to these three men communicating the gospel or the good news to the Thessalonians after their conversion or justification that they were identified with Christ in His death and resurrection.

This good news also means that by the Thessalonians appropriating this identification with Christ they can experience victory over sin and Satan.

Lastly, the reference to the gospel also speaks of the good news that the Thessalonians will receive rewards from the Lord Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat for faithful service (cf. Col. 1:5, 23).

When Paul asserts that he sent Timothy “to strengthen” the Thessalonians, he means that the purpose of the latter’s visit was to make the Thessalonians more marked by firm determination or resolution with regards to their faith.

It means he wanted Timothy to cause them to become stronger with regards to their faith in the sense of being more firm in this faith and unchanging in their attitude and belief in the gospel.

It means that Paul wanted the Thessalonians more steadfast in their mental attitude reflecting a mental state that is settled and firmly rooted in the truth of the gospel.

The Thessalonians’ faith would be strengthened by Timothy communicating the gospel to them after their justification with regards to the person and work of Jesus Christ as well as their union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father (cf. Rom. 10:17).

This would cause the Thessalonians to become stronger in their faith and stabilized in their relationship with God.

Consequently, this would produce greater obedience and consequently, greater spiritual growth.

When Paul asserts that he sent Timothy to encourage them for the benefit of their faith, he means that he wanted Timothy to cause the Thessalonians to be encouraged either by verbal or non-verbal means for the benefit of their faith.

He wanted Timothy to fill them with courage or strength of purpose suggesting he wanted Timothy to raise their confidence level with regards to their faith.

When Paul speaks of Timothy exhorting the Thessalonians, he also means that he wanted him to authoritatively train them through instruction or in other words, he wanted him to communicate the gospel message to them so as to compel obedience in every area of their lives.

This authoritative training through instruction in the gospel would include teaching, conviction, correcting and training with regards to living out in one’s life the righteousness of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

In other words, Paul wanted Timothy to urge them to accept sound doctrine by faith which results in obedience to sound doctrine which produces godly conduct and character.

This authoritative training through instruction would also involve encouraging and warning of danger.

This purpose clause in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 echoes 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12.

So therefore, a comparison of 1 Thessalonians 3:2 with 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 would reveal to the Thessalonians that Paul sent Timothy to them in order to do the same things that he and Silvanus did when they were with them, namely, to encourage and exhort to live in a manner worthy of God.

Now, when the apostle Paul speaks of the Thessalonians’ faith here in 1 Thessalonians 3:2, he is not referring to justifying-faith since they were already declared justified by the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ or in other words, they were already Christians.

Rather, this faith speaks of their post-justification faith or in other words, their faith they need to exercise in the Word of God after their justification which would enable them to experience their sanctification and salvation and practice the love of God in their lives.

This is indicated by the fact that in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Paul associates their faith with work, which refers to their Christian service.

As we noted in our study of this verse, the Thessalonians’ faith in the Spirit inspired teaching of Paul, Silvanus and Timothy enabled them to perform work, which was produced by the Holy Spirit.

Their faith resulted in their obedience to the Spirit’s commands and prohibitions which were communicated to them by these three men.

Their faith resulted in their experiencing fellowship with the Trinity and with Paul, Silvanus and Timothy.

Therefore, in 1 Thessalonians 3:2, “your faith” speaks of the Thessalonians’ post-conversion faith in the Word of God or in other words, their faith in the Spirit’s teaching that is revealed through the communication of the Word of God.

So, this expression indicates that the Thessalonians’ godly work or service was produced by their faith in the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God, which was communicated to them by Paul, Silvanus and Timothy.