1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Defending His Ministry

We’ve seen plenty of movies, read plenty of books, about charlatan preachers who get a big following but only to “fleece the flock.” No doubt the Thessalonians were hearing from their unbelieving family and friends that their newfound faith was just the product of an insincere charlatan who called himself an apostle of Jesus.

^2:1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, the entrance we had with you, that it was not weak. ² Instead, despite suffering beforehand and being mistreated, as you know, in Philippi, we had boldness by our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid great conflict. ³ Because our preaching is not motivated by delusion, or impurity, or deceit. ⁴ Rather, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not trying to please humans but God who tests our hearts.

Can you imagine being arrested, beaten, and put in stocks and chains for preaching the gospel in Philippi, and then going to the next town, Thessalonica, and hitting it again? As the Expositor’s Bible commentary says,

Still staggering from these injuries and indignities, the two [Paul and Silas] came to Thessalonica. Under such conditions, most people would have refrained from repeating a message that had led to such violent treatment, but not these men. With God’s help, they mustered sufficient courage to declare in this new city their Gospel from God.

Paul says what gave them such boldness was, negatively, the fact that they weren’t preaching a delusion, weren’t misled into falsehood, they weren’t out to satisfy their impure desires, and they weren’t trying to deceive anyone for personal gain. Rather, positively, they had been approved by God as to their behavior and their hearts, as those who preached the true gospel with pure motives. He entrusted the gospel to them.

⁵ For we never spoke words of flattery, as you know, nor were secretly coveting what you had, God is our witness. ⁶ Nor did we seek praise from humans, not you or others, ⁷ though we could have demanded respect from you as Christ’s apostles. Instead, we were gentle among you like a mother nursing her own children.

The Thessalonians knew this about Paul and his team. They didn’t flatter the Thessalonians, as someone out for gain might do, but told them how it was, that they were sinners needing salvation. They didn’t perform to acquire praise, as someone out for gain might do, even though they could have demanded it from them as apostles, but instead acted like nursing mothers, desperately in love with their children and eager to nurture them.

⁸ Filled with this great affection for you, we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives, because you had become beloved to us. ⁹ For remember, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship. Night and day we were working so as not to be a burden to you as we preached to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You and God are witnesses to how holy and righteous and blameless we were before you believers. ¹¹ You also know how, like a father to each of you his children, ¹² we challenged you and encouraged you and charged you to live worthy of the God who calls you to His own kingdom and glory.

Because of their great affection for the Thessalonians, Paul, and his team, were devoting their whole lives to the Thessalonians, so much so, that they labored night and day at making tents to earn enough to continue preaching to this city. And the Thessalonians could testify to how holy and blameless and righteous they behaved. No one brought any claims against them of stealing, controlling, lusting, abusing, or misusing. Unlike a charlatan, they fathered these believers, telling them like it is, challenging them to live holy lives, in anticipation of the great reward, God’s kingdom and glory.

This is how God wants us to preach the gospel.