Theophylact of Ohrid, on 1Thess 1:6

“And you became followers of us, and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost:”

“He strengthens them both by praise and by reminding them that they did not fall behind him in dangers. See what praise — to become imitators of the teacher at once, and not only of him, but also of the Lord! How then did they become "imitators of the Lord"? In that He Himself also, having endured great sufferings, rejoiced: for He came voluntarily for this very purpose, so as to say to the Father: "glorify Your Son" (Jn. 17:1). You received the word not simply amid afflictions, but also "amid many," that is, with dangers. And this can be seen in the Acts of the Apostles. Yet this affliction, namely the dangers, you receive with joy. Explaining how one can rejoice in affliction, he said: "with joy of the Holy Spirit." The Spirit did not allow you to suffer: suffering was in them as bodily beings, but joy was supplied by the Spirit. For just as the youths were bedewed in the fire by the refreshing Spirit, so also in dangers the Spirit gladdened you, pointing you to the future recompense. See: one becomes an imitator of the Lord when he endures dangers with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.