Theophylact of Ohrid, on 1Thess 2:17

“But we, brethren, being taken away from you for a short time, in sight, not in heart, have hastened the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.”

“Here the apostle speaks of love. Above he said: "as a father his children" (v. 11) and: "as a nurse" (v. 7), and here "being separated" (in the Slavonic text – "having been orphaned"), which is characteristic of children seeking their parents. This is so that we might understand from this how strongly he loved them. But at the same time he also hints at the sorrow in which he found himself on account of the separation. And it cannot be said, he says, that we remained separated for a long time; on the contrary, for a comparatively short and brief period, so that it could be considered almost as one hour. And moreover, it is not in heart, he says, that we were separated from you, but in face. But even carrying you constantly in our heart, we experience sorrow that we are deprived of the opportunity to see you bodily. Notice also that those who love intensely have a need to see their loved ones in person, from which their love is strengthened even more. Most of all he was eager to see those left behind for a short time. Pay attention to the love: not for any other reason, he says, do I desire to come, but to see your face.”

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