1 Thessalonians 3:1

(Recapitulation.) “After these things were ended,” it says, “Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem,” saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ( v. 21 .) He no longer speaks here after the manner of a man, or, He purposed to pass through those regions, without tarrying longer. Wherefore does he send away Timothy and Erastus? Of this I suppose he says, “Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone. He sent away,” it says, “two of those who ministered to him” ( 1 Thess. iii. 1 ), both to announce his coming, and to make them more eager. “But he himself tarried awhile in Asia.” ( v. 22 .) Most of all does he pass his time in Asia; and with reason: there, namely, was the tyranny, of the philosophers. (Afterwards) also he came and discoursed to them again. …

Here he shows his great love, seeing that for this purpose he sent him, and this was the cause of his journey; and so when writing to the Thessalonians, he said, “Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, and sent Timothy our brother.” ( 1 Thess. iii. 1, 2 .) And to the Ephesians he sends this very same person, and for the very same cause, “That he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts.” ( Eph. vi. 21, 22 .) See what he saith, not “that ye might know my estate,” but “that I might know yours.” So in no place doth he mention what is his own. He shows that they were in trials too, by the expression, “comfort your hearts.”

Chap. iii. 1, 2 . “Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone.” Instead of saying, “we chose.” “And sent Timothy, our brother and God’s minister and our fellow-worker in the Gospel of Christ.” And this he says, not as extolling Timothy, but honoring them, that he sent them the fellow-worker, and minister of the Gospel. As if he had said, Having withdrawn him from his labors we have sent to you the minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ. “To establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith.”

Having said in his former Epistle that “we pray night and day to see you, and that we could not forbear, but were left in Athens alone,” and that “I sent Timothy” (from 1 Thess. iii. 1, 2, 10 .), by all these expressions he shows the desire which he had to come amongst them. When therefore he had perhaps not had time to go, and to perfect what was lacking in their faith, on this account he adds a second Epistle, filling up by his writings what was wanting of his presence. For that he did not depart, we may conjecture from hence: for he says in this Epistle, “We beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ( 2 Thess. ii. 1 .) For in his first Epistle he said, “Concerning the times and the seasons ye have no need that aught be written unto you.” ( 1 Thess. v. 1 .) So that if he had gone, there would have been no need of his writing. …