1 Thessalonians 2:9 - Exposition

For ; a proof or confirmation of this dearness of the Thessalonians to the apostle. Ye remember, brethren ; recalling to their recollection his conduct when he was with them. Our labor and travail . These two terms frequently occur together ( 2 Corinthians 11:27 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:8 ), and can hardly be distinguished; "labor," or" toil," is active, denoting exertion; "travail" is passive, denoting weariness or fatigue, the effect of the exertion. For laboring ; in its strict meaning chiefly used of manual labor. Paul here refers to his working for his own support as a tent-maker. Night and day . Night precedes according to the Jewish mode of reckoning. It does not denote that the apostle made up by labor at night the loss of time during the day which his higher duties, as a preacher of the gospel, occasioned; that he wrought at his trade at night, and preached during the (lay; but the phrase, "night and day," denotes incessantly, continually. Because we would not be chargeable to any of you. Not a proof of the poverty of the Church of Thessalonica; but the reason of this unselfish conduct of the apostle was that no hindrance should arise on his part to the spread of the gospel; that no imputation of selfishness or covetousness should be laid to his charge. As he had done at Thessalonica so the apostle acted in other places. Thus at the time he was writing this Epistle he was working for his support at Corinth ( 1 Corinthians 4:12 ; 2 Corinthians 11:9 ). And such was also his practice at Ephesus; for in his farewell address to the Ephesian elders he could appeal to them: "Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me" ( Acts 20:34 ). We preached unto you the gospel of God. Thus freely, without charge.