Thomas Aquinas, on 1Thess 3:2

“And we sent Timothy, our brother, and the minister of God in the gospel of Christ, to confirm you and exhort you concerning your faith:”

“And we sent Timothy, who was the one most in accord with the Apostle: "I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for your welfare" (Phil. 2:20). "I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord" (1 Cor. 4:17). Our brother, sustained by charity. "A brother helped by a brother is like a strong city" (Prov. 18:19), and God's servant, for he is an important person in the Church: "Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one" (2 Cor. 11:23). And so Paul sends Timothy to strengthen the Thessalonians and to report to Paul about them. When Paul says to establish you, he shows that Timothy is sent to strengthen them. So Paul first states this, and second the reason for the strengthening is stated (3:3). Paul says, to establish and to exhort you, for the soul of a man is strengthened through encouragement: "Your words have upheld him who was stumbling" (Job 4:4). When you have turned again, strengthen your brethren (Lk. 22:32).”

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