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:

“"Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone. And sent Timothy, our brother and God's minister and our fellow-worker in the Gospel of Christ." Instead of saying, "we chose." And this he says, not as extolling Timothy, but honoring them, that he sent them the fellow-worker, and minister of the Gospel. As if he had said, Having withdrawn him from his labors we have sent to you the minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ. "To establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith."”

“He commemorated the tribulations they had suffered, and the remedy he proposed to offer them; here he shows how he had come to their aid by visiting through Timothy. And first he treats of the sending of the messenger; second, of the report made through him, at *but now*; third, of the effect of the report on the apostle, at *therefore we were comforted*. Likewise the first is divided into three, because first he sets forth the cause why he sent him; second, of what sort he sent; third, the cause on account of which he sent him. He says therefore *wherefore*, that is, because Satan hindered us, yet you are our glory; therefore not enduring the weight of love inclining toward you. Is. 1:14: they have become troublesome to me, etc. Gen. 45:1: he could not restrain himself any longer. *It pleased us*, namely Paul and Silvanus, *to remain at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy*, because he was most fitting for the apostle. Phil. 2:20: I have no one so like-minded, who with sincere affection is solicitous for you. 1 Cor. 4:17: I have sent to you Timothy, who is my most dear and faithful son in the Lord. *Brother*, through charity assisting. Prov. 18:19: a brother who is helped by a brother is like a strong city. *And minister*. It is the dignity of the Church. 2 Cor. 11:23: they are ministers of Christ, and I, etc. He sends him, moreover, to confirm them and to report back to himself. Then when he says *to confirm*, etc., he shows that he is sent to confirm. And first he does this; second, the reason for the confirmation is given, at *for you yourselves*. He says therefore *to confirm you and to exhort you*, because through exhortations a man's spirit is confirmed. Job 4:4: your words have confirmed those who were wavering. Lk. 22:32: and thou, once converted, confirm thy brethren. And you need to be exhorted for your faith, that no one be moved in these tribulations. Ecclus. 10:4: if the spirit of one having power ascend over thee, leave not thy place. There is, moreover, a twofold reason of confirmation. One from divine ordination: *for you yourselves know*, etc., as if to say: thus God willed, that through tribulations you should enter into heaven. Acts 14:22: through many tribulations you must enter into the kingdom of God, and 2 Tim. 3:12: all who wish to live piously in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. By this way Christ went. Lk. ult.: it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise, and thus to enter into his glory. The other reason is on the part of foretelling, because things foreseen strike less. Whence he says *for also when we were with*, etc., that is, because I foretold to you the tribulations which you have suffered in these years, *I sent to know*, etc., namely how firm you were in the faith. Prov. 27:23: diligently know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy flocks. *He who tempts*, namely the Devil. Matt. 4:3: the tempter approaching, Gloss: whose office it is to tempt. But against this: the world and the flesh tempt. Jas. 1:14: everyone is tempted by his own concupiscence, etc. Likewise Gen. 22:1: God tempted Abraham, etc. I answer. To tempt is to take a trial of something. In this it must be considered to what end he wishes to take it, and how. For this happens in two ways: either that he himself may know, or that he may cause another to know. In the first way God does not tempt, for he himself knows what is in man, Jn. 2:25. In the second way thus: for God tempted Abraham, namely that others might know his faith. But in the first way, to tempt happens in two ways, namely that he may promote to good, as a bishop examines those to be promoted; or someone tempts in order to deceive, and this is of the Devil, because namely he inquires into the condition of men, so that according to their diverse conditions he may lead them to the diverse vices to which they are prone. 1 Pet. 5:8: your adversary the Devil, etc. His office therefore is to tempt in order to deceive. The world and the flesh, however, are said to tempt materially, because through those things to which they themselves incline, a trial is taken of a man, whether he be firm toward the commandments of God and toward love. For if concupiscence should conquer, he does not perfectly love God. And likewise when the things of the world either terrify or affect him. *And in vain*, because if you do not resist temptation, your labor would be in vain. Gal. 4:11: I fear for you, lest perhaps I have labored among you without cause. Ez. 18:24: all his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered. It is called *in vain*, however, with respect to the eternal reward; yet the good works done before a sin committed avail for something, because after repentance they revive, and one is disposed more easily to conversion. Then when he says *but now*, etc., he shows how Timothy reported their good things pertaining to God and to the apostle: to God, faith and charity. Gal. 6:15: in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. But faith, also to the apostle; whence he says *and that you have remembrance*. Ecclus. 49:1: the memory of Josias is like the composition of a work made, the work of the perfumer, etc. Prov. 10:7: the memory of the just is with praises, etc. *Desiring to see us, as we also you*. Augustine: hard is the mind which, when it does not wish to bestow love, refused even to return it. Is. 51:2: look unto Abraham your father, etc. Then when he says *therefore we were comforted*, a threefold effect of the report is set forth, namely of spiritual consolation, of thanksgiving, at *for what*, and of multiplied prayer, at *night*. He says therefore: because we have heard such things of you, although temporal necessities and bodily tribulations are pressing, yet *we were comforted*. Ps. 93:19: according to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have gladdened my soul, etc. 2 Cor. 1:3: blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, etc. And this *through your faith*, that is, hearing the firmness of your faith, *because we live*, etc. As if to say: I so love your state, that I reckon myself to live through it. Gen. 45:28: it is enough for me if my son Joseph yet lives. Then when he says *for what*, etc., the second effect of the report made is set forth, namely thanksgiving; as if to say: I am not sufficient to render any worthy thanksgiving to God for you. Mich. 6:6: what worthy thing shall I offer to the Lord, etc. Ps. 115:12: what shall I render to the Lord for all, etc. Thanksgivings are, however, to be referred *in all the joy*, which is altogether not exterior, but *with which we rejoice on account of you*, in conscience, *before our God*, who sees it. Or *before our God*, because it pleases God concerning one's neighbor. 1 Cor. 13:6: rejoices with the truth, etc. Then when he says *night*, etc., the third effect of the report is set forth, and first he sets forth the multiplicity of the prayer, second he shows what he prays for in praying, at *but himself*, etc. He says therefore: we give thanks for things past, yet we do not fail to pray for things future, indeed *night and day*, that is, in adversity and prosperity. Ps. 54:18: evening and morning and at noon I will declare, etc. *What is lacking*, etc. Not indeed those things which were of the necessity of faith, but certain secret things, which the apostle had not yet preached to them in their newness. 1 Cor. 3:1: I could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal, etc. Jn. 16:12: I have many things to say to you, which not, etc. Then when he says *but may God himself*, etc., he shows what he prays for them. And concerning this he first shows what he asks, at *to confirm*. He asks, moreover, two things: one on his own part, that he might be able to go to them. Whence he says *may he himself, God and our Father*, etc. Jn. 20:17: I ascend to my Father and your Father, etc. Prov. 16:1: it is man's part to prepare the mind, but the Lord's to govern the tongue. The other on their part. Whence he says *but you may he multiply*, namely in faith. 2 Kings 24:3: may the Lord add to his people a hundredfold as many as they are, etc. And that merits may be increased. Whence he says *and may he make your charity abound*, which can always increase along the way. Col. 3:14: above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And first, *toward one another*; second, *toward all*. Gal. 6:10: let us work good toward all, but especially toward those of the household of the faith. And he sets an example from himself, saying *as*, etc., as if to say: as I also love you. 2 Cor. 7:3: you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. But to what end does he ask this? *To confirm your hearts without blame*, that is, that no one may be able to complain of you. Lk. 1:6: walking in all the commandments and justifications without blame. *And in holiness before God*, namely who sees the heart. Lk. 1:75: in holiness and justice before him, etc. And this appears *at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ*, that he may find you holy; which coming will be *with all his saints*, that is, may you be in his sight, just as all the saints are before him.”

“And sent Timotheus our brother,.... In a spiritual relation, having the same heavenly Father, and belonging to the same Jerusalem, which is free, and the mother of us all; of the same household and in the same relation to Christ, the firstborn among many brethren; or their brother in the ministry, who was employed in the same business, and did the same work they did; or he is so called, on account of that strict and intimate friendship which subsisted between them, by virtue of which they stuck as close as brethren, or closer to one another than brethren usually do: and minister of God; of his making, and not man's; of his calling and sending, and of his blessing and succeeding; and who was a minister of the things of God, of the mysteries of God, of the truths of his Gospel; and who ministered according to the ability God gave him, and was faithful to him: and our fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ; he was a labourer, and not a loiterer in the Lord's vineyard; one that laboured in the word and doctrine, that studied to show himself a workman, that gave himself wholly to meditation, reading, exhortation, and doctrine, and preached the word in season and out of season and was a fellow labourer with him who laboured more abundantly than any of the apostles; and not in the law, but in the Gospel, even in the Gospel of Christ, of which he is the sum and substance, author and preacher. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions leave out these words, and so do Beza's ancient copy and the Alexandrian manuscript, "and our fellow labourers", reading the latter part of the clause in connection with the former thus, "a minister of God in the Gospel of Christ", as the former of these versions, "in the doctrine of Christ", as the latter. These characters are given of Timothy, partly to show what honour was done the Thessalonians, in sending such a messenger to them; and partly that they might receive him with the greater respect, and treat him according to his character, office, and dignity; and chiefly to observe to them the apostle's great affection for them, in parting with so dear and useful a minister for their good and advantage, as follows: to establish you; which though the work of God, it is usually done by the ministry of the word; and then is the end of the Gospel ministration answered to the churches, when they are established by it; for notwithstanding the saints are in a stable condition, as in the arms of love, and in the hands of Christ, and in the covenant of grace, and upon the rock of ages, and in a state of regeneration, justification, and adoption, from whence they can never fall totally and finally; yet they are often very unstable in their hearts and frames, in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty, and in their adherence to the cause and interest, Gospel and ordinances of Christ, through the prevalence of corruption, the temptations of Satan, and the reproaches and persecutions of men: and these Thessalonians were young converts, and just planted together as a church; and at their first setting out, sustained a considerable shock of afflictions, which made the apostle concerned for their establishment in the faith which they had received: and to comfort you concerning your faith. This is another end of the Gospel ministry, to comfort afflicted minds, and distressed consciences; it is the will of God that his people should be spoke comfortably to; the doctrines of the Gospel are calculated for that purpose, and the ministers of it should be Barnabases, sons of consolation. These saints might be in some doubt about the grace of faith, whether it was right or not, or about the doctrine of faith they had received; and therefore Timothy is sent to comfort them under their afflictions, which might have created these doubts, and to remove them, by showing them that their faith was like precious faith with the apostles; and that the doctrine of faith they embraced was the faith once delivered to the saints, and was the true faith of Christ: the words will bear to be rendered, "to exhort you concerning your faith", as the Vulgate Latin version renders them; that is, to exhort you to continue in the faith, to stand fast in it, in the exercise of the grace of faith, and in the doctrine of faith, and in the profession of both. The Syriac version renders it, "to ask", or inquire of you concerning your faith, being willing to know how it stood, since they left them, as in Th1 3:5.”

“Timotheus, our brother - It appears that Timothy was but a youth when converted to God; he had now however been some years in the work of God; Paul therefore calls him his brother, being one of the same Christian family, a son of God by adoption: elsewhere he calls him his own son, Ti1 1:2; and his dearly beloved son, Ti2 1:2; because he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, and to salvation by Christ, through the apostle's instrumentality. See the preface to the First Epistle to Timothy. Minister of God - Employed by God to preach the Gospel; this was God's work, and he had appointed Timothy to do it, and to do it at this time in conjunction with St. Paul; and therefore he calls him his fellow laborer. There were no sinecures then; preaching the Gospel was God's work; the primitive preachers were his workmen, and labored in this calling. It is the same still, but who works?”

“minister of God and our fellow labourer--Some oldest manuscripts read, "fellow workman with God"; others, "minister of God." The former is probably genuine, as copyists probably altered it to the latter to avoid the bold phrase, which, however, is sanctioned by Co1 3:9; Co2 6:1. The English Version reading is not well supported, and is plainly compounded out of the two other readings. Paul calls Timothy "our brother" here; but in Co1 4:17, "my son." He speaks thus highly of one so lately ordained, both to impress the Thessalonians with a high respect for the delegate sent to them, and to encourage Timothy, who seems to have been of a timid character (Ti1 4:12; Ti1 5:23). "Gospel ministers do the work of God with Him, for Him, and under Him" [EDMUNDS]. establish--Greek, "confirm." In Th2 3:3, GOD is said to "stablish": He is the true establisher: ministers are His "instruments." concerning--Greek, "in behalf of," that is, for the furtherance of your faith. The Greek for "comfort" includes also the idea, "exhort." The Thessalonians in their trials needed both (Th1 3:3; compare Act 14:22).”