Matthew Henry on 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16
Here observe, I. The apostle makes mention of the success of his ministry among these Thessalonians (Th1 2:13), which is expressed,
1. By the manner of their receiving the word of God: When you received the word of God, which you heard of us, you received it, not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God. Where note, (1.) The word of the gospel is preached by men like ourselves, men of like passions and infirmities with others: We have this treasure in earthen vessels. The word of God, which these Thessalonians received, they heard from the apostles. (2.) However, it is in truth the word of God. Such was the word the apostles preached by divine inspiration, and such is that…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Thessalonians 2:16
Forbidding--Greek, "Hindering us from speaking," &c.
to fill up their sins alway--Tending thus "to the filling up (the full measure of, Gen 15:16; Dan 8:23; Mat 23:32) their sins at all times," that is, now as at all former times. Their hindrance of the Gospel preaching to the Gentiles was the last measure added to their continually accumulating iniquity, which made them fully ripe for vengeance.
for--Greek, "but." "But," they shall proceed no further, for (Ti2 3:8) "the" divine "wrath has (so the Greek) come upon (overtaken unexpectedly; the past tense expressing the speedy certainty of the divinely destined stroke) them to the uttermost"; not merely partial wrath, but wrath to its full…
Read the whole note in the consoleAdam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 2:15
Who hath killed the Lord Jesus, etc. - What a finished but just character is this of the Jews!
1. They slew the Lord Jesus, through the most unprincipled and fell malice.
2. They killed their own prophets; there was no time in which the seed of the serpent did not hate and oppose spiritual things, they slew even their own prophets who declared to them the will of God.
3. They persecuted the apostles; showing the same spirit of enmity to the Gospel which they had shown to the law.
4. They did not please God, nor seek to please him; though they pretended that their opposition to the Gospel was through their zeal for God's glory, they were hypocrites of the worst kind.
5. They were contrary to…
