1 Thessalonians 1:6

1 Thessalonians 1:6

4 knowing, beloved brethren, ^ayour election by God.

5 For ^aour gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, ^band in the Holy Spirit ^cand in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And ^ayou became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, ^bwith joy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

8 For from you the word of the Lord ^ahas sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also ^bin every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.

9 For they themselves declare concerning us ^awhat manner of entry we had to you, ^band how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

10 and ^ato wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us ^bfrom the wrath to come.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Imitators of us and of the Lord (mimhtai hmwn kai tou kuriou). Mimhthv (-thv expresses the agent) is from mimeomai, to imitate and that from mimov (mimic, actor). Old word, more than "followers," in the N.T. only six times (I Thessalonians 1:6; I Thessalonians 2:14; I Corinthians 4:16; I Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; Hebrews 6:12). Again Paul uses ginomai, to become, not eimi, to be. It is a daring thing to expect people to "imitate" the preacher, but Paul adds "and of the Lord," for he only expected or desired "imitation" as he himself imitated the Lord Jesus, as he expressly says in I Corinthians 11:1. The peril of it all is that people so easily and so readily imitate the preacher when he does not imitate the Lord. The fact of the "election" of the Thessalonians was shown by the character of the message given them and by this sincere acceptance of it (Lightfoot).

Having received the word (decamenoi ton logon). First aorist middle participle of dexomai, probably simultaneous action (receiving), not antecedent.

In much affliction (en qliyei pollh). Late word, pressure. Tribulation (Latin tribulum) from qlibw, to press hard on. Christianity has glorified this word. It occurs in some Christian papyrus letters in this same sense. Runs all through the N.T. (II Thessalonians 1:4; Romans 5:3). Paul had his share of them (Colossians 1:24; II Corinthians 2:4) and so he understands how to sympathize with the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians 3:3 f.). They suffered after Paul left Thessalonica (I Thessalonians 2:14).

With joy of the Holy Spirit (meta xarav pneumatov agiou). The Holy Spirit gives the joy in the midst of the tribulations as Paul learned (Romans 5:3). "This paradox of experience" (Moffatt) shines along the pathway of martyrs and saints of Christ.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Thessalonians 1:6:**

2 Corinthians 1:4
Galatians 5:22
1 Thessalonians 1:6
2 Thessalonians 1:4
2 Thessalonians 1:10
2 Timothy 4:2
Hebrews 6:12

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