A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

Paul can’t get back to his friends. He has experienced an opposition that is frustrating him, hindering him from returning. It isn’t just the roadblocks that were being put up by the adversary that was the frustration, serious though they be, but the fact that the young church may be thinking he was a “one and done” type of fella, a flash in the pan, a man that comes into a town, disrupts the status quo and then runs away.

We must remember the times Paul lived in. No cell phone, no internet connections, not even a modern type of snail mail. Communication between parties was rare in the ancient world. So while Paul is being directed by God, and Satan is putting up roadblocks, Paul has time to think about the Thessalonians. Think about how they received him and his team, took the side of truth when the powers of deception came to shut them down. He thought of their possible sense of abandonment. And of how special these folks were in the faith.

He needed them to know that though he was not able to make it back, his heart was overjoyed in hearing of them, of remembering their faith and steadfastness. He speaks of them in the most glowing terms, and as such, wants them to know of his love for them.

Hope

We have spoke of hope in previous studies, and of the different uses of the term depending on the context of the discussion. It has been over 5 years ago, when I stumbled over the Greek term for hope and included it in a 16 part series on faith (Faith – Introduction). I provide the link for my new readers.

One somewhat unorthodox way of understanding a word or thought is to consider the antonym, or a word that presents an opposite thought or concept.

For hope, opposing thoughts or emotions would include despair, fear, disbelief and uncertainty. Paul was not entertaining these thoughts toward the Thessalonians. He had great expectancy, and this is the nature of a great leader, a great minister, a great father.

A great father figure presents an expectation to his children, and with encouragement, discipline and guidance, sees his children enter into those very expectations. Paul’s hope was not merely a warm fuzzy, but included an expectation of good things ahead for the church.

Joy

It is not surprising that joy and hope are closely linked together in the believers life. To continue our exercise in antonym offerings, opposing thoughts of joy would include despair, misery, anguish and gloom.

Note that both hope and joy are the very opposite of despair. Ours is not the life of despair. The Christian life is not looking to the troubles and trials of day to day problems, finding and focusing on the hills we need to climb, but realizing we have such a great salvation that roadblocks, frustrations and hinderances, though causing us concerns, are not the focus of our lives.

The focus of our lives is to be about others, and specifically to focus primarily on One other person. He has provided us the joy of the Lord, for in His sacrificial offering, He showed us the drawing power of joy as He endured the cross.

Hebrews 12:2a looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..

Joy is a powerful motivator, not only in the present but also for the future!

Crown of Boasting

Now this term, at first glance, seems to be out of sync with Paul’s list. Is not boasting linked to pride and pride is one of the seven sinful activities that God hates?

Proverbs 6:16-17 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

That may be an early conclusion but consider the focus of the boasting. In the proverb, Solomon is describing the worthless person, the one who devises wicked plans and sows discord amongst the brothers.

Not so with Paul and the Thessalonians. Two differences for Paul’s use of the term boasting should be considered.

Righteous

Paul’s boasting is related to a people who were not evil. The Thessalonians had become imitators of the Lord (1:6), examples of the faith (1:7), and had turned from idols to the Living God (1:9). A completely different context.

Others

Secondly, Paul was boasting of someone else and not his own accomplishments. There is nothing I like less than to hear someone continually speak of his or her accomplishments. I am of the opinion that any works we perform or seek to accomplish should speak on their own merits. For one to remind others of our accomplishments is offputting.

Although the Lord was specifically speaking of giving in Matthew 6:3, I see a principal that relates to this topic and is applicable throughout our daily lives.

Matthew 6:3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

A similar teaching was provided regarding prayer.

Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

While I am at it, this teaching is also found in relation to fasting.

Matthew 6:18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Keep your deeds between you and God. Boasting or showing off of my achievements provides an instant reward, an instant reward that is fleeting, empty and temporal!

Matthew 6:2 …. that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:5 …that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:16 …they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Paul speaks of the opportunity for believers to boast of other believers, and openly speaks of not commending himself to them

2 Corinthians 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

All of that to say, when Paul speaks of boasting, he is speaking of others, of their faith and the work of God in their lives. To boast of myself is wrong. To boast of others is proper and an expression of love and unity within the church.

It would be wise for us to remember this difference!

Although Paul was not able to come to them as he wanted to, he wanted them to know of his deep love for them, and of a day when One would be coming for them, when the Messiah would have no roadblocks, no frustrations, no impediments in visiting this church. He would arrive in glory and that glory would include the little band of faithful in Thessalonia!

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