17 But we, brethren, bereaved of you. This excuse has been appropriately
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the heap at last reaches as high as heaven.
For wrath has come. He means that they are in an utterly hopeless state, inasmuch as they are vessels of the Lord's wrath. ``The just vengeance of God presses upon them and pursues them, and will not leave them until they perish --- as is the case with all the reprobate, who rush on headlong to death, to which they are destined.'' The Apostle, however, makes this declaration as to the entire body of the people, in such a manner as not to deprive the elect of hope. For as the greater proportion resisted Christ, he speaks, it is true, of the whole nation generally, but we must keep in view the exception which he himself makes in Romans 11:5, --- that the Lord will always have some seed remaining. We must always keep in view Paul's design --- that believers must carefully avoid the society of those whom the just vengeance of God pursues, until they perish in their blind obstinacy. Wrath, without any additional term, means the judgment of God, as in Romans 4:15, --- the law worketh wrath; also in Romans 12:19, --- neither give place unto wrath
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 17. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
17. Nos vero, fratres, orbati vobis ad tempus horae 720 aspectu, non corde, abundantius studuimus faciem vestram videre in multo desiderio.
18. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
18. Itaque voluimus venire ad vos, ego quidem Paulus, et semel et bis, et obstitit nobis Satan.
19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
19. Quae enim nostra spes, vel gaudium, vel corona gloriationis? annon etiam vos coram Domino nostro Iesu Christo in eius adventu?
20. For ye are our glory and joy. 20. Vos enim estis gloria nostra et gaudium. 17 But we, brethren, bereaved of you. This excuse has been appropriately added, lest the Thessalonians should think that Paul had deserted them while so great an emergency demanded his presence. He has spoken of the persecutions which they endured from their own people: he, in the mean time, whose duty it was above all others to assist them, was absent. He has formerly called himself a father; now, it is not the part of a father to desert his children in the midst of such distresses. He, accordingly, obviates all suspicion of contempt and negligence, by saying, that it was from no want of inclination, but because he had not opportunity. Nor does he say simply, ``I was desirous to come to you, but my way was obstructed;'' but by the peculiar terms that he employs
720"Pour vn moment du temps;" — "For a moment of time."
John Calvin he expresses the intensity of his affection: ``When,'' says he, ``I was bereaved of you.'' 721 By the word bereaved, he declares how sad and distressing a thing it was to him to be absent from them. 722 This is followed by a fuller expression of his feeling of desire --- that it was with difficulty that he could endure their absence for a short time. It is not to be wondered, if length of time should occasion weariness or sadness; but we must have a strong feeling of attachment when we find it difficult to wait even a single hour. Now, by the space of an hour, he means --- a small space of time.
This is followed by a correction --- that he had been separated from them in appearance, not in heart, that they may know that distance of place does not by any means lessen his attachment. At the same time, this might not less appropriately be applied to the Thessalonians, as meaning that they, on their part, had felt united in mind while absent in body; for it was of no small importance for the point in hand that he should state how fully assured he was of their affection towards him in return. He shews, however, more fully his affection, when he says that he endeavored the more abundantly; for he means that his affection was so far from being diminished by his leaving them, that it had been the more inflamed. When he says, we would once and again, he declares that it was not a sudden heat, that quickly cooled, (as we see sometimes happen,) but that he had been steadfast in this purpose, 723 inasmuch as he sought various opportunities.
18 Satan hindered us. Luke relates that Paul was in one instance hindered, (Acts 20:3) inasmuch as the Jews laid an ambush for him in the way. The same thing, or something similar, may have occurred frequently. It is not without good reason, however, that Paul ascribes the whole of this to Satan, for, as he teaches elsewhere, (Ephesians 6:12) we have to wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities of the air, and spiritual wickednesses, etc.
For, whenever the wicked molest us, they fight under Satan's banner, and are his instruments for harassing us. More especially, when our endeavors are directed to the work of the Lord, it is certain that everything that hinders proceeds from Satan; and would to God that this sentiment were deeply impressed upon the minds of all pious persons --- that Satan is continually contriving, by every means, in what way he may hinder or obstruct the edification of the Church! We would assuredly be more careful to resist him; we would take more care to maintain sound doctrine, of which that enemy strives so keenly to deprive us. We would also, whenever the course of the gospel is retarded, know whence
721"The original word is here very emphatical. It is an allusion to that grief, anxiety, and reluctance of heart, with which dying, affectionate parents take leave of their own children, when they are just going to leave them helpless orphans, exposed to the injuries of a merciless and wicked world, or that sorrow of heart with which poor destitute orphans close the eyes of their dying parents." —Benson.—Ed.
722"Le mot Grec signifie l'estat d'vn pere qui a perdu ses enfans, ou des enfans qui ont perdu leur pere;" — "The Greek word denotes the condition of a father that has lost his children, or of children that have lost their father."
723Hujus propositi tenacem. See Hor. Od. 3, 3. 1. — Ed. the hindrance proceeds. He says elsewhere, (Romans 1:13) that God had not permitted him, but both are true: for although Satan does his part, yet God retains supreme authority, so as to open up a way for us, as often as he sees good, against Satan's will, and in spite of his opposition. Paul accordingly says truly that God does not permit, although the hindrance comes from Satan.
19 For what is our hope. He confirms that ardor of desire, of which he had made mention, inasmuch as he has his happiness in a manner treasured up in them. ``Unless I forget myself, I must necessarily desire your presence, for ye are our glory and joy.'' Farther, when he calls them his hope and the crown of his glory, we must not understand this as meaning that he gloried in any one but God alone, but because we are allowed to glory in all God's favors, in their own place, in such a manner that he is always our object of aim, as I have explained more at large in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. 724 We must, however, infer from this, that Christ's ministers will, on the last day, according as they have individually promoted his kingdom, be partakers of glory and triumph. Let them therefore now learn to rejoice and glory in nothing but the prosperous issue of their labors, when they see that the glory of Christ is promoted by their instrumentality. The consequence will be, that they will be actuated by that spirit of affection to the Church with which they ought. The particle also denotes that the Thessalonians were not the only persons in whom Paul triumphed, but that they held a place among many. The causal particle {γάρ}, (for,) which occurs almost immediately afterwards, is employed here not in its strict sense, by way of affirmation---''assuredly you are.''
724"Sur la premiere aux Corinth., chap. 1, d. 31;" — "On 1 Corinthians 1:31."