SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:4
sino por haber sido aprobados de Dios para que se nos encargase el Evangelio, así hablamos; no como los que agradan a los hombres, sino a Dios, el cual prueba nuestros corazones.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 2:4
Verse 4. But as we were allowed of God] kaqwv dedokimasmeqa? As we were accounted worthy to be put in trust-as God put confidence in us, and sent us on his most especial message to mankind, even so we speak, keeping the dignity of our high calling continually in view; and, acting as in the sight of God, we speak not to please or flatter men, though our doctrine is the most consolatory that can be conceived, but to please that God who searcheth the heart, and before whom all our motives are constantly without a veil.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. But as we were allowed of God , etc.] Or, approved of God; not that there were any previous fitness and worthiness in them to be ministers of the word; but such was the good will and pleasure of God, that he from all eternity chose and appointed them to this work; and in his own time by his grace called them to it, and by his gifts qualified them for it, who otherwise were unworthy of it, and insufficient for it: to be put in trust with the Gospel ; which is of great worth and value, a rich treasure, and of the last importance; which to be trusted with is a very great honour; and the discharge of such a trust requires great faithfulness, and which the apostles had: even so we speak ; the Gospel as delivered to them, both as to matter and manner; neither taking from it nor adding to it, nor mixing it with anything of their own, nor disguising it with any artifice: not as pleasing men ; to gain favour and affection, esteem, applause, and honour from them; to escape reproach and persecution, and obtain worldly advantages by dropping, concealing, or blending of truths to make them more agreeable to the taste of natural men: but God, which trieth our hearts ; studying to approve themselves to God, whose Gospel was committed to them, from whom they received gifts to preach it, and to whom they were accountable for all; and who being the searcher of the hearts, and the trier of the reins of the children of men, knows the intentions and designs of men, and the springs of all actions; and sees through all artifices, and from whom nothing can be hidden, and who will, in his own time, bring to light the hidden things of darkness; under a sense of which faithful ministers act, as of sincerity, and as in the sight of an omniscient God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The apostle had no wordly design in his preaching. Suffering in a goo cause should sharpen holy resolution. The gospel of Christ at first me with much opposition; and it was preached with contention, with striving in preaching, and against opposition. And as the matter of the apostle's exhortation was true and pure, the manner of his speaking wa without guile. The gospel of Christ is designed for mortifying corrup affections, and that men may be brought under the power of faith. Thi is the great motive to sincerity, to consider that God not only see all we do, but knows our thoughts afar off, and searches the heart. An it is from this God who trieth our hearts, that we must receive ou reward. The evidences of the apostle's sincerity were, that he avoide flattery and covetousness. He avoided ambition and vain-glory.
Greek Textus Receptus
αλλα 235 καθως 2531 δεδοκιμασμεθα 1381 5769 υπο 5259 του 3588 θεου 2316 πιστευθηναι 4100 5683 το 3588 ευαγγελιον 2098 ουτως 3779 λαλουμεν 2980 5719 ουχ 3756 ως 5613 ανθρωποις 444 αρεσκοντες 700 5723 αλλα 235 τω 3588 θεω 2316 τω 3588 δοκιμαζοντι 1381 5723 τας 3588 καρδιας 2588 ημων 2257
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. We were allowed (dedokimasmeqa). More correctly, approved. See on 1 Pet. i. 7. We came and spoke to you as tested men.
Pleasing (areskontev). As being those who seek to please. Comp. Gal. i. 10, and ajnqrwpareskoi man-pleasers, Eph. vi. 6; Col. iii. 22. Comp. LXX, Psalm lii. 5: "God hath scattered the bones of men-pleasers." The fourth Psalm of Solomon is entitled: Against the men-pleasers (anqrwpareskoiv).
Who proveth (dokimazonti). Word-play with dedokimasmeqa we were approved.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:4 {But even as we have been approved by God} (alla kaqws dedokimasmeqa hupo tou qeou). Perfect passive indicative of dokimazw, old verb to put to the test, but here the tense for completed state means tested and proved and so approved by God. Paul here claims the call of God for his ministry and the seal of God's blessing on his work and also for that of Silas and Timothy. {To be entrusted with the gospel} (pisteuqenai to euaggelion). First aorist passive infinitive of pisteuw, common verb for believing, from pistis (faith), but here to entrust rather than to trust. The accusative of the thing is retained in the passive according to regular Greek idiom as in #1Co 9:17; Ga 2:7; Ro 3:2; 1Ti 1:11; Tit 1:3, though the active had the dative of the person. {So we speak} (houtws laloumen). Simple, yet confident claim of loyalty to God's call and message. Surely this should be the ambition of every preacher of the gospel of God. {Not as pleasing men} (ouc hws anqrwpois areskontes). Dative case with areskw as in #Ga 1:10. Few temptations assail the preacher more strongly than this one to please men, even if God is not pleased, though with the dim hope that God will after all condone or overlook. Nothing but experience will convince some preachers how fickle is popular favor and how often it is at the cost of failure to please God. And yet the preacher wishes to win men to Christ. It is all as subtle as it is deceptive. God tests our hearts (the very verb dokimazw used in the beginning of this verse) and he is the only one whose approval matters in the end of the day (#1Co 4:5).
