1 Thessalonians 2:5

Contextual Overview

¹ Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was not a failure. ¹ For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain; ¹ For ye youre selves knowe brethren of oure entraunce in vnto you howe that it was not in vayne: ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you hasn't been found vain, ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not in vain, ¹ Brothers and sisters, you know our visit to you was not a failure. ¹ For yourselves, brothers, know our entering in to you, that it has not been found vain: ¹ For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it was not in vain: ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. ¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you hasn't been found vain,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

used: Job 17:5, Job 32:21, Job 32:22, Psalms 12:2, Psalms 12:3, Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 26:28, Proverbs 28:23, Isaiah 30:10, Matthew 22:16, 2 Peter 2:18

a cloak: Isaiah 56:11, Jeremiah 6:13, Jeremiah 8:10, Micah 3:5, Malachi 1:10, Matthew 23:14, Acts 20:33, Romans 16:18, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 7:2, 2 Corinthians 12:17, 1 Timothy 3:3, 1 Timothy 3:8, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 5:2, 2 Peter 2:3, 2 Peter 2:14, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11, Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:13

God: Romans 1:9, Romans 9:1, Galatians 1:20

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:59 - nurse Genesis 31:50 - God 1 Samuel 12:3 - whose ox Nehemiah 5:16 - neither bought Psalms 5:9 - they Proverbs 21:26 - coveteth Proverbs 29:5 - that Ezekiel 12:24 - General Luke 20:21 - sayest Luke 20:47 - for 2 Corinthians 1:23 - I call 2 Corinthians 4:5 - we 2 Corinthians 11:10 - the truth 2 Corinthians 11:20 - take 2 Corinthians 11:31 - God 2 Corinthians 12:14 - for I 2 Corinthians 12:16 - being Philippians 1:8 - God Philippians 4:17 - because 1 Thessalonians 2:3 - General 1 Peter 2:16 - a cloak

Cross-References

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made Yahweh God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
The Lord God caused every beautiful tree and every tree that was good for food to grow out of the ground. In the middle of the garden, God put the tree that gives life and also the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.)

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
And [in that garden] the LORD God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
And the Lord God brouyte forth of the erthe ech tre fair in siyt, and swete to ete; also he brouyte forth the tre of lijf in the middis of paradis, and the tre of kunnyng of good and of yuel.

Genesis 2:9
and Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For neither at any time used we flattering words,.... To introduce them into the affections, and gain the esteem and good will of men; they did not in their ministry deliver such things as flattered men with a good opinion of themselves: they did not preach up the purity of human nature, but on the contrary the doctrine of original sin, the imputation of Adam's transgression to his posterity, and the corruption of all human nature; they asserted the universal pollution of it, of all men, and of all the powers and faculties of their souls, that they are all under the power and dominion of sin, are involved in the guilt of it, and are all guilty before God, and liable to everlasting wrath and punishment; and that unless they repented of their sins and believed in Christ, they would perish eternally; thus they dealt roundly and freely with men's consciences, and plainly, openly, and faithfully told them their case as it was: nor did they cry up the power of man's free will, which would have been grateful to Jews and Gentiles; but they declared the reverse, they asserted the weakness and impotency of man, to anything that is spiritually good; and represented him as a weak and strengthless creature, and unable to do anything, even to think a good thought of himself; and ascribed all that a man is, or has, or does, that is good, to the grace and power of God, who works in him both to will and to do: nor did they plead for the sufficiency of man's righteousness to justify him before God, a doctrine very pleasing to human nature; but, on the contrary, they gave out that there was none righteous, no, not one of the sons of Adam, in and of themselves, or by virtue of any righteousness of their own; so far from it that they were full of all unrighteousness, and were not capable of working out a righteousness, or of attaining to the righteousness of the law; that what they did pretend to was not a justifying righteousness, and would give no right and title to eternal glory; and that the righteousness of Christ was the only righteousness, by which a man could be justified from all things, and in which he could be found safe. They did not blend and mix their doctrine to suit with the tastes of different men, but with all sincerity and plainness preached the truth, as it is in Jesus; they did not connive at the sins of men, cry Peace, Peace, when there was none, or sow pillows under their armholes, or promise them life, though they should not return from their wicked way; but they with great freedom inveighed against the sins of men, and exhorted them to repentance and reformation, as well as to faith in Christ for pardon and righteousness; nor did they wink at the sins of professors, or of one another, the Apostle Paul withstood Peter to the face because he was to be blamed; and when they praised men for their gifts and graces, and the exercise of them, they took care to ascribe them to the grace of God, and give him the glory, and prevent men from boasting in themselves; in short, they acted the reverse of the false teachers, who had men's persons in admiration because of advantage, and by good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple; but so did not the apostles of Christ, no, never, not "at any time": when they first came to Thessalonica during their stay there, either in public or in private: and though this was true of any other time and place, yet here must be confined to this, since the apostle appeals to this church for the truth of what he said,

as ye know; for flattering words may be discerned; a flatterer is known by his words; though in general such is the weakness of human nature, that men love to be flattered, though they know they are:

nor a cloak of covetousness; or "an occasion of" it, they did not take the opportunity or advantage by the ministry of the word, to indulge a covetous disposition, or to amass wealth and riches to themselves; or an "excuse" for covetousness, which covetous men are never at a loss to make, always pretending one thing or another to hide and cover their evil; but the apostles made no excuses, nor used any cloak, nor needed any to cover their covetousness, because they had not the thing; they did not pretend one thing and mean another; they did not, as the false apostles did, pretend to serve Christ, preach his Gospel, seek the glory of God and the good of souls, and mean themselves, and design their own worldly advantage; they did not make these a "pretence" for covetousness, they sincerely served Christ, faithfully preached his Gospel, truly sought the glory of God, and were heartily concerned for the good of souls without any mercenary and selfish views; for the truth of which they could appeal to the heart searching and rein-trying God, as the apostle here does, saying,

God is witness; which is properly an oath, a solemn appeal to God; for since covetousness is an internal and secret sin, and may be so coloured and disguised as not easily to be discerned, as flattering words may, the apostle therefore calls God to witness the truth of what he had said.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For neither at any time used we flattering words - see the Job 31:21-22 notes; and on 2 Corinthians 2:17 note. The word here rendered “flattering” - κολακείας kolakeias - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The meaning is, that the apostle did not deal in the language of adulation; he did not praise them for their beauty, wealth, talent, or accomplishments, and conceal from them the painful truths about their guilt and danger. He stated simple truth - not refusing to commend people if truth would admit of it, and never hesitating to declare his honest convictions about their guilt and danger. One of the principal arts of the deceiver on all subjects is flattery; and Paul says, that when preaching to the Thessalonians he had carefully avoided it. He now appeals to that fact as a proof of his own integrity. They knew that he had been faithful to their souls.

Nor a cloke of covetousness - The word rendered “cloke” here - πρόφασει prophasei - means, properly, “what is shown or appears before any one;” i. e., “show, pretence, pretext,” put forth in order to cover one’s real intent; Matthew 22:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47. The meaning here is, that he did not put on a pretence or appearance of piety for the sake of promoting the schemes of covetousness. The evidence of that was not only what they observed of the general spirit of the apostle, but also the fact that when with them he had actually labored with his own hands for a support; 1 Thessalonians 2:9. It is obvious that there were those there, as sometimes there are now, who, under the pretence of great zeal for religion, were really seeking wealth, and it is possible that it may have been alleged against Paul and his fellow-laborers that they were such persons.

God is witness - This is a solemn appeal to God for the truth of what he had said. He refers not only to their own observation, but he calls God himself to witness his sincerity. God knew the truth in the case. There could have been no imposing on him; and the appeal, therefore, is to one who was intimately acquainted with the truth. Learn hence:

(1) That it is right, on important occasions, to appeal to God for the truth of what we say.

(2) We should always so live that we can properly make such an appeal to him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Thessalonians 2:5. Flattering words — Though we proclaimed the Gospel or glad tidings, yet we showed that without holiness none should see the Lord.

Ye know — That while we preached the whole Gospel we never gave any countenance to sin.

For a cloak of covetousness — We did not seek temporal emolument; nor did we preach the Gospel for a cloak to our covetousness: God is witness that we did not; we sought you, not yours. Hear this, ye that preach the Gospel! Can ye call God to witness that in preaching it ye have no end in view by your ministry but his glory in the salvation of souls? Or do ye enter into the priesthood for a morsel of bread, or for what is ominously and impiously called a living, a benefice? In better days your place and office were called a cure of souls; what care have you for the souls of them by whose labours you are in general more than sufficiently supported? Is it your study, your earnest labour, to bring sinners to God; to preach among your heathen parishioners the unsearchable riches of Christ?

But I should speak to the thousands who have no parishes, but who have their chapels, their congregations, pew and seat rents, c., c. Is it for the sake of these that ye have entered or continue in the Gospel ministry? Is God witness that, in all these things, ye have no cloak of covetousness? Happy is the man who can say so, whether he has the provision which the law of the land allows him, or whether he lives on the free-will offerings of the people.

The faithful labourer is worthy of his hire for the ox that treads out the corn should not be muzzled and they that preach the Gospel should live, not riot, by the Gospel. But wo to that man who enters into the labour for the sake of the hire! he knows not Christ; and how can he preach him?