1 Thessalonians 2:2

Contextual Overview

¹You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. ¹ You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. ¹ For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, ¹For you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you was not in vain, ¹You cowboys and cowgirls remember that we didn't just make a social call when we came to work your pastures. ¹ For you yourselves, brothers, are conscious that our coming among you was not without effect: ¹ For ye know yourselves, brethren, our entering in which [we had] to you, that it has not been in vain; ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit with you was not without result. ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you hasn't been found vain, ¹ For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it was not in vain: But even after we had suffered before,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

shamefully: Acts 5:41, Acts 16:12, Acts 16:22-24, Acts 16:37, 2 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 11:36, Hebrews 11:37, Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 12:3, 1 Peter 2:14-16

bold: 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Acts 4:13, Acts 4:20, Acts 4:31, Acts 14:3, Acts 17:2, Acts 17:3, Ephesians 6:19, Ephesians 6:20

much: Acts 6:9, Acts 6:10, Acts 15:1, Acts 15:2, Acts 17:2-9, Acts 17:17, Acts 19:8, Philippians 1:27-30, Colossians 2:1, Jude 1:3

Reciprocal: Proverbs 28:1 - the righteous Proverbs 28:4 - but Jeremiah 1:17 - be not Luke 20:11 - entreated Acts 4:29 - that Acts 8:4 - General Acts 14:7 - General Acts 17:10 - went Acts 18:9 - Be Acts 20:6 - Philippi Acts 20:24 - none Romans 1:1 - the gospel Romans 15:16 - ministering 2 Corinthians 3:12 - plainness 2 Corinthians 7:4 - my boldness 2 Corinthians 8:23 - and fellowhelper Philippians 1:1 - Philippi Philippians 1:14 - waxing Philippians 1:28 - in Philippians 1:30 - which Philippians 4:9 - which 1 Thessalonians 2:9 - the gospel 1 Thessalonians 3:4 - even 1 Timothy 3:13 - great Philemon 1:8 - bold

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God sawe euery thyng that he had made: and beholde, it was exceedyng good. And the euenyng & the mornyng were the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good. There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God seiy alle thingis whiche he made, and tho weren ful goode. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the sixte day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw euery thing that hee had made: and behold, it was very good. And the euening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But even after that we had suffered before,.... Before they came to Thessalonica, which they would not have done, had their ministry been a light and empty one in itself, and unprofitable to others; and especially had this been the case, they would never have rashly engaged in it again, and exposed themselves to fresh sufferings and dangers, as they did:

and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi; being beaten with many stripes, and put into prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks, at the instigation of the masters of the damsel that had a spirit of divination, by whom they got much gain, and which Paul dispossessed; see Acts 16:16

we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention: and which still made it more manifestly appear, that the errand they came upon was a matter of importance, and that they did not proceed on a slight foundation: what they spoke was "the Gospel", salvation by Christ, and not by the works of the law; the pure Gospel, and not a mixed one, free from the mixture of all human doctrines and inventions of men, without any adulteration and inconsistency; the whole of the Gospel, and not a part of it only; they declared the whole counsel of God, and kept back nothing that might be profitable: and this is styled the Gospel of God, to distinguish it from the Gospel of men, or that which the false teachers taught, and which was called the Gospel, though it was not so; and to express the excellency of it, from the author of it, who is God, it being the produce of his wisdom and grace; and from the matter of it, it containing the good will of God to men, setting forth the grace of God in election, redemption, justification, pardon, adoption, regeneration, and glorification, and expressing things relating to the kingdom of God, a meetness for it, and a right unto it; and it being so called shows it to be something divine, a message sent from God to sinful men; and gives a reason why the apostles were so bold to speak it, because it was not of men, but God. The Syriac version renders it the "Gospel of Christ"; see Romans 1:16 and it being so, they "were bold to speak it"; or they spoke it both with liberty of mind, the Spirit of God being with them, and with freedom of speech, a door of utterance being opened for them; as also with great courage and intrepidity, notwithstanding what they had suffered before, and the ill treatment they had met with at Philippi; and though they knew that the Gospel they spoke was contrary to the Jews, was a stumblingblock to them, and they had an inveterate prejudice against it; and was foolishness to the Greeks, and was derided by them, and they were sure to meet with reproach and persecution on account of it: yet they boldly and faithfully preached it, fearing not the face of men, nor their revilings: though it was

with much contention; referring to the tumult raised by the baser sort, who, instigated by others, assaulted Jason and the brethren, where the apostles were, Acts 18:5 or to the disputes which they had with the unbelieving Jews, who contradicted and blasphemed what they said; or to the division the Gospel made, as through the corruption of nature it makes wherever it comes, between the nearest relations and friends, some being for it, and others against it; or this may be expressive of the zeal with which the apostles preached, who earnestly contended for it, as persons in a combat or agony; they fought the good fight of faith valiantly, they endured hardness as good soldiers of Christ, and gave not way to the enemy, no, not for an hour: and all this was "in our God"; or "by the confidence" of our God, as the Syriac version renders it; trusting in him and relying upon him, being assisted by his grace, and strengthened by his power, and receiving much encouragement from a view of him as a covenant God; faith in God as a covenant God, will make a man bold in his cause; see Daniel 3:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But even after that we had suffered before - Before we came among you.

And were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi - Acts 16:19 ff. By being beaten and cast into prison. The shame of the treatment consisted in the fact that it was wholly undeserved; that it was contrary to the laws; and that it was accompanied with circumstances designed to make their punishment as ignominious as possible. The Thessalonians knew of this, and Paul was not disposed to palliate the conduct of the Philippians. What was “shameful treatment” he speaks of as such without hesitation. It is not wrong to call things by their right names, and when we have been abused, it is not necessary that we should attempt to smooth the matter over by saying that it was not so.

We were bold in our God - By humble dependence on the support of our God. It was only his powerful aid that could have enabled them to persevere with ardor and zeal in such a work after such treatment The meaning here is, that they were not deterred from preaching the gospel by the treatment which they had received, but at the very next important town, and on the first opportunity, they proclaimed the same truth, though there was no security that they might not meet with the same persecution there. Paul evidently appeals to this in order to show them that they were not impostors, and that they were not influenced by the hope of ease or of selfish gains. People who were not sincere and earnest in their purposes would have been deterred by such treatment as they had received at Philippi.

With much contention - Amidst much opposition, and where great effort was necessary. The Greek word here used is ἀγώνι agōni (agony), a word referring usually to the Grecian games; notes, Colossians 2:1. It means the course, or place of contest; and then the contest itself, the strife, the combat, the effort for victory; and the apostle here means, that owing to the opposition there, there was need of an effort on his part like the desperate struggles of those who contended for the mastery at the Grecian games; compare notes on 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. The triumph of the gospel there was secured only by an effort of the highest kind, and by overcoming the most formidable opposition.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Thessalonians 2:2. Shamefully entreated - at Philippi — There Paul and Silas had been beaten with many stripes, shut up in the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks. See Acts 16:23, c. and the notes there.

With much contention. — The words εν πολλω αγωνι not only signify, with intense labour and earnestness, but may here mean, exposed to the greatest danger; at the peril of our lives. The Greek phrase quoted by Rosenmuller is to the point, αγων προφασιν ουκ αναμενει, in danger we must not delay-activity and despatch are then indispensably necessary.