Deeper Reflection
PAINFULLY SEPARATED BY FORCE FROM THE THESSALONIANS, Paul persisted in making every possible attempt to return to Thessalonica to continue his ministry of building the faith of the new believers, but was not successful (vv.17-18). And his repeated efforts “were made more frustrating by the lack of news about the church there”⁴ that was undergoing persecution. The burning question in Paul’s heart was, “Are they still standing in their faith?” The suspense grew until “we could bear it no longer” (1 Thess 3:1). This is godly anxiety for others.⁵ Paul’s godly anxiety for others was displayed on another occasion. Writing to the Corinthians, he gives a long list of his many sufferings for Christ and the Gospel (2 Cor 11:23-27), which he ends with, “And, besides all this, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?” (2 Cor 11:28-29⁶).Paul’s godly anxiety for the Thessalonians led him to doing what is best with all the constraints and limitations upon him: “we thought it best to be left behind in Athens alone, and we sent Timothy” (1 Thess 3:1-2). Paul gave Timothy a “daring assertion” and an “exalted description”⁷: “God’s co-worker in the gospel of Christ.” Paul was deliberate in using “God’s”, to show that he was sending “a gifted and qualified representative”⁸. When Paul could not return to the Thessalonians himself, he sent the next best person for the task (cf. Phil 2:19-20).

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⁴ John R. W. Stott, Thessalonians, 64 ⁵ G. K. Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (IVP Academic, 2003), 95 ⁶ Reconstruction with ESV and NLT ⁷ John R. W. Stott, Thessalonians, 64 ⁸ John R. W. Stott, Thessalonians, 64