1 Thessalonians 3:1

5. St. Paul’s sending Timothy (from Athens?) to visit and confirm his Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

1. Forbear The old Greek word for this signified first to cover, afterward to contain, and finally to contain or restrain one’s self.

Thought it good Note on the noun of this verb, Ephesians 1:5. Alford remarks here that the word does not carry with it any signification of pleasure except so far as we say “it was our pleasure,” referring merely to the resolution of the will. But “pleasure,” in the ordinary English sense of the word, signifying merely emotional agreeableness, never belongs to the words. The Greek term is compounded of ευ , well, or right, and δοκεω , to seem or appear, or to think. Hence, when used in public decrees, it means, such is the right-seeming unto us, the authorities. That right-seeming claims to be the just ground of the decree. It is an absolutely just right-seeming when the authority is an absolutely just one. When such an authority in English uses the phrase, it is our pleasure, as equivalent to the Greek phrase, the word pleasure has not its sense of mere gratification, but of right-seeming; and of decree accordant with that right-seeming. Paul’s right-seeming was the right-seeming of a right-minded thinker.

Left at Athens alone By Timothy. When Paul embarked for Athens from Berea, he sent back command for Silas and Timothy to follow him to Athens. Acts 17:15. This Timothy may have obeyed, and thus St. Paul and Timothy may have been briefly together in Athens. But in time, as here narrated, Paul’s anxiety for his Thessalonians became so great that he concluded to send Timothy back again to them. though he would be thereby left at Athens alone. It does not appear that Silas came to Athens. But both joined St. Paul at Corinth. Acts 18:5.