1 Thessalonians 5:13-The Thessalonians Must Hold in High Regard Their Pastors By Means of God’s Love and Because of Their Work

1 Thessalonians 5:12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you. 5:13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (NET)

1 Thessalonians 5:13 contains a request which identifies specifically what is meant by the request in 1 Thessalonians 5:12.

In the former, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy requested that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community hold their pastor-teachers in the highest regard.

The means by which they were to do this was the practice of divine-love.

The reason they were to obey this request was because of the work of their pastors.

Lastly, this verse contains a command which required that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community continue to make it their habit of living in peace with each other.

So as we noted, the request in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 is identifying specifically for the Thessalonians what Paul, Silvanus and Timothy meant by the previous request in 1 Thessalonians 5:12.

The latter contained a request and two epexegetical clauses which explain in greater detail the request.

The request required that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community honor those who make it their habit of working hard among them.

Then, Paul identifies specifically for the Thessalonians who worked hard among and who they were to honor, namely their pastor-teachers.

This is indicated by the accusative masculine plural present middle participle conjugation of the verb proistemi, “preside over.”

Also, this is indicated by nominative masculine plural present active participle form of the verb noutheteō, “admonish.”

Therefore, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are requesting in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community honor their pastor-teachers who exercised their spiritual authority by working hard making it their habit of providing them instruction in the Word of God.

Consequently, this verse is describing a three-fold function of the overseers, i.e. the pastor-teachers and elders in the Thessalonian Christian community.

The three participles in this verse describe these functions.

First, we saw they make it their habit of working hard.

Secondly, they exercise authority over the Thessalonian Christian community.

Thirdly, they make it their habit of providing instruction for this community.

In this verse, the reference to authority with the second participle makes clear that the first participle is describing these overseers, or pastors.

The third participle identifies how they exercise this authority which is by providing instruction for the community.

Therefore, Paul is not describing three different groups of people in this community since all three participles are governed by the same article.

This indicates they are describing a three-fold function of one group of individuals who are identified with the second participle as exercising authority over the Thessalonian Christian community.

Now, in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Paul identifies specifically what is meant by the previous request in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 by requesting that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community hold their pastor-teachers in the highest regard by means of God’s love because of their work.

Therefore, this indicates that when Paul, Silvanus and Timothy request that the Thessalonians honor their pastor-teachers, they mean that they were to hold them in the highest regard by means of the practice of God’s love because of their work.

Like the request in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, the one here in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 is an impassioned emotional request to each member of the Thessalonian Christian community.

This is indicated by the fact that the noun adelphos, “brothers and sisters” which is omitted but implied due to the figure of ellipsis is functioning like it did in verse 12 as a nominative for vocative or nominative of address.

This is used for addressing an individual or group and is thus expressing the fact that the requests in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 are an impassioned plea for the Thessalonians to continue to experience their sanctification and salvation.

As we noted, the practice of divine-love was to be the means by which the Thessalonians held their pastors in the highest regard and thus was also the means by which they were to honor them since the request here in verse 13 is identifying specifically what is meant by the request in verse 12.

The Thessalonians would demonstrate this divine-love for their pastors by obeying their doctrinal instruction which originated from the Lord Jesus Christ who in turn communicated to His apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is indicated by the fact that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples in John 14:15 that by obeying His commandments they would demonstrate their love for Him.

Therefore, by obeying their pastors’ doctrinal instruction, they would be demonstrating not only their love for their pastors but also the Lord since such instruction originated from Him.

The Thessalonians would also demonstrate divine-love when interacting with their pastors by obeying the various one another commands.

Thus, just as they were to demonstrate this love with each other by obeying these various commands, so they were also to do the same in relation to their pastors.

Obeying these commands brings out the reciprocal nature of God’s love.

Now, in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, we noted that the reason why the Thessalonians were to honor their pastors by holding them in the highest regard by means of the practice of divine-love is because of their work.

This reference to work is speaking of course of Christian service performed by the Thessalonian Christian community’s pastor-teachers on behalf of the Lord and them.

Part of this work is described in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 in that this verse asserts that they exercise authority over the Thessalonian Christian community by making it their habit of working hard by regularly providing them with instruction in the Word of God.

The New Testament reveals that the pastor-teacher has four responsibilities that are the means by which he tends and shepherds the flock of God: (1) Study (2 Tim. 2:15) (2) Teach (1 Tim. 4:13) (3) Pray (Acts 6:1-4) (4) Set an Example (Phlp. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7; 1 Pet. 5:3).

Lastly, as we also noted, in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy issued a command to each member of the Thessalonian Christian community which required that they continue to make it their habit of living in peace with each other.

Notice, they were to “continue” obeying this command.

Thus, they were already making it their habit of living in peace with each other.

This is indicated by the fact that throughout First Thessalonians, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy affirm that the Thessalonians were making it their habit of practicing the love of God when interacting with each other (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3; 3:6, 12; 4:9-10).

The practice of divine-love is the means by which they were making it their habit of living in peace with each other.

This peace mentioned in this command in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 is a peace which will be produced in the hearts of the Thessalonians by the teaching of Christ which is communicated by Paul’s Spirit inspired teaching which he communicated to them when he was present with them and communicated in writing in this epistle.

If they continue to obey this teaching, then they will continue to experience this peace of mind.