Homilies on 1 Thessalonians 1.1–1.4

“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” Why is it that, when writing to the Ephesians and having Timothy with him, he did not join him to himself, although he was known and admired among them (“for you know his proven worth,” he says, “how as a son with a father he served with me”; and again, “I have no one like-minded, who will genuinely care for your concerns”), while here he joins him to himself? It seems to me that he was about to send him at once, and it was superfluous to write a letter in the name of one who would all but overtake the letter; for he says, “Him I hope to send immediately.” Here it is not so; rather he had just returned, so that he naturally wrote with him; for “Timothy has just now come to us from you,” he says. But why does he put Silvanus before him, although he bears witness to countless good things in him and sets him before all? Perhaps because Timothy himself asked this out of great humility, and pleaded for it. For when he saw his teacher so humble as to join his disciple to himself, much more would he himself have sought this. “Paul,” he says, “and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians.” Here he sets down nothing about himself, neither “apostle” nor “servant.” It seems to me that, because the men were newly instructed and had not yet had experience of him, he does not set down his rank; besides, the preaching to them was still at its beginning. For since they were probably few and not yet firmly gathered together, he therefore encourages them with the name of “church”; for where much time had passed and the body of the church was large, he does not set this down. But since the name “church” is, for the most part, a name of a multitude, and of a body already assembled together, he therefore calls them so. “In God,” he says, “the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” “To the church,” he says, “of the Thessalonians, which is in God.” See again: “God” is said both of the Father and of the Son. And he says “in God” because there were many assemblies, both Jewish and Greek. Great is the dignity, and nothing is equal to it, if it is in God. May this church too be so called! But I fear that it is far from this title. For if anyone is a slave of sin, he cannot be said to be in God. “Grace to you and peace.” Do you see how the opening of the letter begins at once with praises? “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” To give thanks to God for them is the mark of one who bears witness to their great progress, when not only are they themselves praised, but God is thanked, as the one who has wrought the whole. And he teaches them also to be modest, all but saying that the whole is the work of God’s power. He sets down the thanksgiving on account of their good deeds, and the remembering of them in his prayers as a mark of his love for them. Then, showing that he remembers them not only at the prayers but also apart from the prayers, as he often does: “Unceasingly,” he says, “remembering your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” What is “unceasingly remembering”? Either remembering before our God and Father, or remembering the labour of love that is before our God and Father. He did not simply say “unceasingly remembering,” but “you.” Then again, so that you would not think that even “you” was said lightly, he added, “before our God and Father.” For since none of men praised what was being done, none gave a reward, he adds this too, all but saying: Take courage, you labour before God. What is “your work of faith”? That nothing turned you from your firmness; for this is the work of faith. If you believe, suffer everything; if you do not suffer, you do not believe. For are not the things promised such that the believer would choose to undergo even ten thousand deaths? The kingdom of heaven is set before us, and immortality, and eternal life. The one who believes, then, will suffer everything. So faith is shown through works. Rightly then did he speak so, making clear that you showed it not merely, but through works, through your firmness, through your zeal. “And labour of love.” For what labour is there in simply loving? None. But to love genuinely is great labour. For when, tell me, countless things are stirred up wishing to drag us away from love, and we resist them all, is it not labour? For what did these men not suffer, so as not to fall away from love? Did not those who fought against the preaching come upon Paul’s host, and, not finding him, drag Jason before the city magistrates? Is this a small labour, tell me, when the seeds had not yet taken root, to bear so great a storm, so many trials? “And they took security from him.” “And when he had given security,” it says, “he sent Paul away.” Is this small, tell me? Did he not put himself in danger in his place? This he calls a labour of love, that in this way …

And see: he first speaks of their good deeds, and then of his own, so that he may not seem to boast, nor to love them out of partiality. “And steadfastness,” he says. For that persecution did not happen for a single season, but continually; nor did they wage war on Paul the teacher alone, but also on those who were being made disciples. For if they were so disposed toward those men who worked miracles, who were revered, what do you think they were toward those who lived with them, their fellow citizens, who had suddenly broken away from them? Which indeed he bears witness to in their favour, saying, “You became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea.” “And of hope,” he says, “in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” Well did he say this; for all these things come from faith and hope. So what happened made plain not only their courage, but also that they believed with full assurance in the prizes laid up for them. For this is why God permitted persecutions to arise at once: so that no one might say that the preaching was established casually and by flattery, and so that their fervour might be shown, and that it was not human persuasion but the power of God that persuaded the souls of believers, so as to prepare them even for ten thousand deaths; which would not have happened had not the preaching been fixed deep at once. “[Knowing, brothers beloved] by God, your election, that our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in full assurance, just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” What is it that he says, “You know what kind of men we proved to be among you”? Here he touches on his own good deeds too, but in a veiled way; for he wishes first to go through their praises. What he says is something like this: We knew that you were among the noble and great men, that you were among the elect; therefore we too endure everything for your sake. For “what kind of men we proved to be among you” is the language of one who makes plain that we are ready with great zeal and great earnestness to give up our lives for you; and the thanks for this is not ours but yours, because you were elect. Therefore he says elsewhere too, “And I suffer these things for the elect.” For what would one not suffer for those beloved of God? And having spoken of his own part, he all but says: If you are both beloved and elect, we rightly endure everything. For it was not only praising them that strengthened them, but also reminding them that they themselves too had shown a courage that balanced the zeal of those men. He says at least, “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” Wonderful! How great the praise: the disciples suddenly became teachers! They not only heard the words, but they reached the same summit as Paul. But this is nothing compared with what follows; for see where he leads them up, saying, “You became imitators of the Lord.” How? “Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” Not simply with affliction, but with much. And one can learn this from the Acts of the Apostles, how they stirred up the persecution against them: “And they troubled,” it says, “all the city magistrates, and set the city in an uproar against them.” And one cannot say, “You were afflicted and believed, but grieving”; rather, rejoicing exceedingly. Which the apostles too did: “rejoicing,” it says, “that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name of Christ.” For this is the wonderful thing; although even that is no small thing, to bear afflictions in any way at all; but this already belonged to those who surpassed human nature and had, as it were, a body incapable of suffering. And how did they become imitators of the Lord? Because he too endured many sufferings and did not grieve, but rejoiced; for he came to this willingly. For our sake he emptied himself; he was to be spat upon and struck and crucified; and he so rejoiced in suffering these things as to say to the Father, “Glorify me.” “With joy,” he says, “of the Holy Spirit.” So that no one might say, How do you speak of affliction? How of joy? How can both come together? he added, “with joy of the Holy Spirit.” The affliction is in bodily things, and the joy in spiritual things. How? The things that happened were painful, but what is born from them is no longer so; for the Spirit does not allow it. So it is possible both to suffer and not rejoice, when one suffers for sins; and to be scourged and to be glad, when one suffers for Christ’s sake.

For such is the joy of the Spirit: in place of things that seem grievous it brings forth pleasure. They afflicted you, he says, and persecuted you, but the Spirit did not leave you even in those things; but just as the three youths were bedewed in the fire, so you too in your afflictions. And just as there it was not the nature of the fire to bedew, but of the Spirit whistling through it, so here too it is not the nature of affliction to bring forth joy, but of suffering for Christ’s sake, and of the Spirit who bedews and gives relief through the furnace of trials. “With joy,” he says; not simply, but with much; for this is the mark of the Holy Spirit. “So that you became examples to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.” And yet he came to them later; but you shone so brightly, he says, as to become teachers of those who had been before you. And this is apostolic. For he did not say, “so that you became examples for coming to believe,” but, you became an example to those who already believe; that is, you taught how one must believe in God, you who entered the contests from the very beginning. “And in Achaia,” he says; that is, in Greece. Do you see what zeal is? That it needs no time, nor delay, nor postponement, but it is enough only to present oneself, and everything has been accomplished. So these too, having come later to the preaching, became teachers of those who came first. Let no one therefore despair, even if he has spent much time and accomplished nothing; it is possible for him in a short time to accomplish as much as he did not in all the former time. For if one who had not yet believed shone so brightly at the beginning, much more those who have already believed. Again, let no one who considers this grow careless, having learned that it is possible to regain the whole in a short time; for the future is uncertain, and the day of the Lord is a thief, falling upon us suddenly while we sleep. But if we do not sleep, it will not fall upon us like a thief, nor carry us off unprepared. For if we are watchful and sober, it will no longer fall upon us like a thief, but like a king’s messenger calling us to the good things prepared for us; but if we sleep, it comes upon us like a thief. Let no one then sleep, let no one be idle toward virtue; for this is sleep. Do you not know how, when we sleep, our goods are not safe, how open they are to attack? But when we are awake, we do not need so much guarding. When we sleep, we are often ruined even with much guarding: doors and bars and guards and outer guards, and still the thief got in. Why do I say this? Because if we are watchful we shall not need the help of others; but if we sleep, the help of others will not profit us, but even with it we shall perish. It is good to enjoy the prayer of the saints, but when we ourselves are also active. “And what need have I,” someone says, “of prayer from others, when I am active and do not put myself in need?” Neither do I wish it; but we are always in need, if we think rightly. Paul did not say, “What need have I of prayer?” although those who prayed were not worthy of him, or rather not even his equals; and do you say, “What need have I of prayer?” Peter did not say, “What need have I of prayer?” For “prayer,” it says, “was made earnestly by the church to God for him”; and do you say, “What need have I of prayer?” You need it for this very reason, that you think you need nothing. Even if you become like Paul, you have need of prayer. Do not exalt yourself, lest you be humbled. But as I said, if we ourselves too are active, the prayers made for us also accomplish something. Hear Paul saying, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”; and again, “so that the gift bestowed on us through many persons may be the occasion of thanks by many on our behalf.” And do you say, “What need have I of prayer?” But if we are idle, no one will be able to profit us by praying. What did Jeremiah profit the Jews? Did he not approach God three times, and three times hear, “Do not pray, nor make petition for this people, for I will not hear you”? What did Samuel profit Saul? Did he not mourn for him until his last day, not merely pray? What did he profit the Israelites? Did he not say, “Far be it from me that I should sin by ceasing to pray for you”? Did they not all perish? “Are prayers, then, of no profit?” someone says. They profit, and greatly, but when we too do something; for prayers work with us and help; and one works with and helps the one who is himself working; but if you remain idle, nothing great …

For if prayers had the power to bring us into the kingdom while we were idle, why do not all Greeks become Christians? Do we not pray for the whole world? Did not Paul too do this? Do we not ask that all be converted? Tell me, why do the wicked not become good? Is it not plain that it is because they cannot contribute anything of their own? Prayers then profit greatly when we too bring in our own part. Do you wish to learn how much prayers have profited? Consider Cornelius, Tabitha; and hear Jacob too saying to Laban, “If the fear of my father had not been with me, you would now have sent me away empty”; and hear God again saying, “I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.” But when? In the time of Hezekiah, who was righteous. For if prayers had force even for the very wicked, why did not God say this also when Nebuchadnezzar came, but gave up the city? Because the wickedness had greater force. Again, this same Samuel prayed for the Israelites and succeeded; but when? When they too were pleasing God; then he routed the enemies. “And what need,” someone says, “of prayer from another, when I am pleasing God?” Never say this, man. There is need, and need of much prayer; for hear God saying about the friends of Job, “And he will pray for you, and your sin will be forgiven you”; because they had sinned, but not a great sin. But this same righteous man, who then saved his friends by prayer, in the time of the Jews could not save the Jews as they perished. And so that you may learn this, hear God saying through the prophet, “Though Noah and Job stand, they shall not deliver their sons and their daughters,” because the wickedness prevailed; and again, “Though Moses and Samuel stand.” And see how this is said to the two prophets, since both made petition for them and did not obtain it. For when Ezekiel said, “Alas, O Lord! will you wipe out the remnant of Israel?”, God, making plain that he does this justly, and that it is not out of contempt for him that he does not accept his supplication for them, shows him their sins, all but saying: These things are enough to persuade you that it is not out of contempt for you, but because of their many sins, that I do not accept the petition; yet nevertheless he adds this too: “Though Noah and Job and Daniel stand.” And with reason he says this rather to him, since he was the one who had suffered much. “You told me,” he says, “to eat upon dung, and I ate; you told me, and I shaved myself; you told me, and I lay on one side; you told me to go out through a hole, carried, and I went out; you took my wife, and told me not to mourn, and I did not mourn, but bore it nobly; I have done ten thousand other things for their sake; and I ask you for them, and you are not persuaded?” God, then, showing that he does this not out of contempt for him, says: Even if it be Noah, even Job, even Daniel, and they ask for sons and daughters, I am not persuaded. And to Jeremiah again, who suffered less from God’s commands but more from their wickedness, what does he say? “Or do you not see what these are doing?” Yes, he says, they are doing it; but do it for my sake. Therefore he says to him, “Though Moses stand”: Moses, the first lawgiver, who often rescued them from dangers, who said, “If you will forgive them their sin, forgive; but if not, blot me out too.” If then this man were here now and said these things, he would not obtain it; and so too Samuel, who himself also rescued them, who was admired from his earliest youth. For of the one I said that as a friend with a friend, so I spoke with him, and not in riddles; and of the other I said that in his earliest youth I appeared to him, and opened [the vision] through him. “For the word was precious,” it says, “and there was no distinct vision.” If these then stand, they will profit nothing. And of Noah he says, “Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generation”; and of Job likewise. These then, standing, and Daniel, whom the Chaldeans even thought a god, he says would not be able to rescue their sons and daughters. Knowing these things, then, let us neither despise the prayers of the saints nor throw everything upon them: the latter, so that we may not grow careless and live at random; the former, so that we may not lose great gain. But let us both ask them to pray for us and stretch out their hands, and ourselves hold fast to virtue, so that we may be able to obtain the good things promised to those who love him, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honour, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.