Because now we live, if you stand in the Lord.

“"For this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith: for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord." What is comparable to Paul, who thought the salvation of his neighbors was his own, being so affected towards all, as really towards members? He did not require them to be thankful to him for the trials which he suffered for them, but he was thankful to them that they were not moved on account of his trials. As if he had said, that to you rather than to us was injury done by those trials; you were tempted rather than we, you who suffered nothing, rather than we who suffered. Because, he says, Timothy brought us these good tidings, we feel nothing of our sorrows, but were comforted in all our affliction; not in this affliction only. For nothing besides can touch a good teacher, as long as the affairs of his disciples go on to his mind. Through you, he says, we were comforted; you confirmed us. And yet the reverse was the case. For that when suffering they did not yield, but stood manfully, was sufficient to confirm the disciples. But he reverses the whole matter, and turns the encomium over to them. You have anointed us, he says, you have caused us to breathe again; you have not suffered us to feel our trials. And he has not said, we breathe again, nor we are comforted, but what? "Now we live," showing that he thinks nothing is either trial or death, but their stumbling, whereas their advancement was even life. How else could any one have set forth either the sorrow for the weakness of one's disciples, or the joy? He has not said we rejoice, but "we live," the life to come. So that without this we do not even think it life to live. So ought teachers to be affected, so disciples; and there will be nothing at any time amiss.”

“This is why I am admonishing your graces and urging you in the Lord to think lightly, my brothers and sisters, of things present, which you can't carry with you when you die. Be on your guard against sin, on your guard against injustice of all sorts, on your guard against worldly appetites and greed. It is only then, you see, that our profit from you is undiminished and our reward full of joy in the Lord. I mean, we say what has to be said. We preach what has to be preached and absolve ourselves of our debt to the Lord in the Lord's sight. We haven't kept quiet about what we fear, and haven't kept quiet about what we love. So the sword of the Lord's vengeance, upon whomever it may fall, cannot blame the sentinel for failing at his post. Still, we don't want our reward to be assured with all of you being lost, but with all of you being found. The apostle Paul too was sure of his reward, and yet what did he say to the people? "Now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord."”

“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.”

“For now we live,.... Before they were dead men, lifeless, disconsolate, dispirited, carrying about with them the dying of the Lord Jesus, and death working in them, and they, as it were, under the sentence of that, being killed all the day long for Christ's sake; but now, upon this news, in the midst of all their sore trials and troubles, their spirits revived, and they became alive and cheerful; see Psa 22:26, it was like life from the dead unto them: if ye stand fast in the Lord: or "our Lord", as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read; that is, "in the faith of the Lord", as the Arabic version renders it: they were in the Lord secretly by electing grace, and openly by regenerating grace, and they abode in him; and by persevering grace, they were rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith of him, of his person, office, and grace; they were steady in the exercise of grace upon him, and stood fast in the liberty wherewith he had made them free, and continued steadfastly in the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel; for the "if" here is not expressive of doubting, but of reasoning, "seeing ye stand fast in the Lord"; of which they were assured by Timothy: and this gave them fresh spirit and life amidst the deaths in which they often were.”

“We live. That is, we live in joy and comfort, if you stand firm in the faith of Christ, as you ought. (Witham) — The news that you stand steadfast in the Lord, reanimates me under all my sufferings, and as it were raises me to life again from the shadow of death, under which I am placed. O that I could see you, to complete the work of instructing you in the faith, which I have begun.”

“now--as the case is; seeing ye stand fast. we live--we flourish. It revives us in our affliction to hear of your steadfastness (Psa 22:26). if--implying that the vivid joy which the missionaries "now" feel, will continue if the Thessalonians continue steadfast. They still needed exhortation, Th1 3:10; therefore he subjoins the conditional clause, "if ye," &c. (Phi 4:1).”