Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
When we could no longer forbear (mhketi stegontev). Stegw is old verb to cover from stegh, roof (Mark 2:4), to cover with silence, to conceal, to keep off, to endure as here and I Corinthians 9:12; I Corinthians 13:7. In the papyri in this sense (Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary). Mhketi usual negative with participle in the Koin‚ rather than ouketi.
We thought it good (hudokhsamen). Either literary plural as in I Thessalonians 2:18 or Paul and Silas as more likely. If so, both Timothy and Silas came to Athens (Acts 17:15 f.), but Timothy was sent (
we sent, epemyamen, verse I Thessalonians 3:2) right back to Thessalonica and later Paul sent Silas on to Beroea or Thessalonica (verse I Thessalonians 3:5,
I sent, epemya). Then both Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to Corinth (Acts 18:5).
Alone (monoi). Including Silas.
God's minister (diakonon tou qeou). See on Matthew 22:13 for this interesting word, here in general sense not technical sense of deacon. Some MSS. have
fellow-worker (sunergon). Already
apostle in I Thessalonians 2:7 and now
brother, minister (and possibly
fellow-worker).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Thessalonians 3:1:
Acts 17:10
Acts 17:16
1 Corinthians 13:7
1 Thessalonians 1:1
Titus 1:5
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