1 Paul and Siluanus, and Timotheus, vnto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Iesus Christ: grace be vnto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Iesus Christ.
2 We giue thankes to God alwaies for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3 Remembring without ceasing your worke of faith, and labour of loue, and patience of hope in our Lord Iesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father:
4 Knowing, brethren beloued, your election of God.
5 For our Gospel came not vnto you in word onely: but also in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as yee know what maner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And yee became followers of vs, and of the Lord, hauing receiued the word in much affliction, with ioy of the holy Ghost:
7 So that ye were ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord, not onely in Macedonia & Achaia, but also in euery place your faith to Godward is spred abroad, so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselues shew of vs, what maner of entring in we had vnto you, and how yee turned to God from idols, to serue the liuing, and true God,
10 And to waite for his sonne from heauen whom he raised from the dead, euen Iesus which deliuered vs from the wrath to come.
This epistle is generally considered to have been the first of those written by St. Paul. The occasion seems to have been the good report of the stedfastness of the church at Thessalonica in the faith of the gospel. It is full of affection and confidence, and more consolatory and practical, and less doctrinal, than some of the other epistles.The faith, love, and patience of the Thessalonians, are evident tokens of their election which was manifested in the power with which the gospel came to them. (1-5) Its powerful and exemplary effects upon their hearts and lives. (6-10)1-5 As all good comes from God, so no good can be hoped for by sinners, but from God in Christ. And the best good may be expected from God, as our Father, for the sake of Christ. We should pray, not only for ourselves, but for others also; remembering them without ceasing. Wherever there is a true faith, it will work; it will affect both the heart and life. Faith works by love; it shows itself in love to God, and love to our neighbour. And wherever there is a well-grounded hope of eternal life, this will appear by the exercise of patience; and it is a sign of sincerity, when in all we do, we seek to approve ourselves to God. By this we may know our election, if we not only speak of the things of God with out lips, but feel their power in our hearts, mortifying our lusts, weaning us from the world, and raising us up to heavenly things. Unless the Spirit of God comes with the word of God, it will be to us a dead letter. Thus they entertained it by the power of the Holy Ghost. They were fully convinced of the truth of it, so as not to be shaken in mind by objections and doubts; and they were willing to leave all for Christ, and to venture their souls and everlasting condition upon the truth of the gospel revelation.
6-10 When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned from their carnal pursuits and connexions, to believe in and obey the Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old Testament waited for the coming of the Messiah, and believers now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And God had raised him from the dead, which is a full assurance unto all men that he will come to judgment. He came to purchase salvation, and will, when he comes again, bring salvation with him, full and final deliverance from that wrath which is yet to come. Let all, without delay, flee from the wrath to come, and seek refuge in Christ and his salvation.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.