---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse 1 Thessalonians 3:1. Wherefore, when we could no longer, c.] The apostle was anxious to hear of their state, and as he could obtain no information w"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3"
---

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:1](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/1). ***Wherefore, when we could no longer***, c.] The apostle was anxious to hear of their state, and as he could obtain no information without sending a messenger express, he therefore sent Timothy from Athens choosing rather to be left alone, than to continue any longer in uncertainty relative to their state.

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:2](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/2). ***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*, [1 Timothy 1:2](../../../kjv/1-timothy/1/2); and his *dearly beloved son*, [2 Timothy 1:2](../../../kjv/2-timothy/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 labourer*. There were no *sinecures* then; preaching the Gospel was God's work; the primitive preachers were his *workmen*, and *laboured* in this calling. It is the same still, but who *works*?

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:3](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/3). ***That no man should be moved*** — That is, caused to apostatize from Christianity.
***We are appointed thereunto.*** — εις τουτο κειμεθα. *We are* *exposed to this, we lie open to such, they are unavoidable* in the present state of things; as the Latins say, *sic est sors nostra*, "this is our lot." God *appoints* nothing of this kind, but he *permits* it: for he has made man a *free agent*.

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:4](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/4). ***That we should suffer tribulation*** — I prepared you for it, because I knew that it was according to their nature for wicked men to persecute the followers of God.

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:5](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/5). ***For this cause*** — Knowing that you would be persecuted, and knowing that your apostasy was possible, *I sent to know your* *faith*-whether you continued steadfast in the truth, lest you might have been tempted by Satan to consult your present ease, and abandon the Gospel, for which you suffered persecution.

Verse 6. ***When Timotheus came*** — We have already seen that he and Silas stayed behind at Thessalonica, when Paul was obliged to leave it; for the persecution seems to have been principally directed against him. When Paul came to Athens, he sent pressingly to him and Silas to come to him with all speed to that city. We are not informed that they did come, but it is most likely that they did, and that Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to comfort and build up these new converts. After Paul had sent away Timothy, it is likely he went himself straight to Corinth, and there Timothy soon after met him, with the good news of the steadiness of the Thessalonian Church.
***Your faith and charity*** — The *good tidings* which Timothy brought from Thessalonica consisted of *three* particulars:
1. Their *faith*; they continued steadfast in their belief of the Gospel.
2. Their *charity*; they loved one another, and lived in unity and harmony.
3. They were *affectionately attached* to the apostle; they had *good* *remembrance* of him, and *desired earnestly* to see him.

Verse 7. ***Therefore - we were comforted*** — My afflictions and persecutions seemed trifles when I heard of your perseverance in the faith.

Verse 8. ***For now we live*** — Your steadfastness in the faith gives me new life and comfort; I now feel that I live to some purpose, as my labour in the Lord is not in vain.

Verse 9. ***What thanks can we render to God*** — The high satisfaction and uncommon joy which the apostle felt are strongly depicted in the language he uses. How near his heart did the success of his ministry lie! It was not enough for him that he preached so often, laboured so hard, suffered so much; what were all these if souls were not converted? And what were all conversions, if those who embraced the Gospel did not walk steadily in the way to heaven, and persevere?

Verse 10. ***Night and day praying exceedingly*** — Supplicating God at *all times*; mingling this with all my prayers; υπερεκπερισσου δεομενοι, abounding and superabounding in my entreaties to God to permit me to revisit you. How strong was his affection for this Church!
***Might perfect that which is lacking*** — That I might have the opportunity of giving you the fullest instructions in the doctrine of Christ, that ye might have every thing in the most ample *detail*; so that the great *outlines* of truth which you already know may be *filled up*, that ye may be perfectly fitted to every good word and work.

Verse 11. ***Now God himself and our Father*** — That is: God who is our Father, who has *adopted* us into the *heavenly family*, and called us his *sons* and *daughters*.
***Direct our way*** — As he was employed in God's work he dared not consult his own inclinations, he looked for continual directions from God, *where, when*, and *how* to do his Master's work.

Verse 12. ***Make you to increase and abound in love*** — They had already love to each other, so as to unite them in one Christian body; and he prays that they may have an *increase* and an *abundance* of it; that they might feel the same love to each other which he felt for them all.

Verse [1 Thessalonians 3:13](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/13). ***To the end he may establish your hearts*** — Without *love* to God and man, there can be no establishment in the religion of Christ. It is *love* that produces both *solidity* and *continuance*. And, as *love is the fulfilling of the law*, he who is filled with love is *unblamable in holiness*: for he who has the love of God in him is a partaker of the Divine nature, for *God* is love.
***At the coming of our Lord*** — God is coming to judge the world; every hour that passes on in the general lapse of time is advancing his approach; whatsoever he does is in reference to this great event: and whatsoever *we* do should be in reference to the same. But who in that great day shall give up his accounts with joy? That person only whose heart is established in holiness *before God*; i.e., so as to bear the eye and strict scrutiny of his Judge. Reader, lay this to heart, for thou knowest not what a moment may bring forth. When thy soul departs from thy body it will be the *coming of the Lord* to *thee*.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Clarke's Commentary -  1 Thessalonians 3"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3","name":"Clarke's Commentary -  1 Thessalonians 3","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Verse 1 Thessalonians 3:1. Wherefore, when we could no longer, c.] The apostle was anxious to hear of their state, and as he could obtain no information w","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary","name":"Clarke's Commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians","name":"1 Thessalonians"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-thessalonians/3","name":"3"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```