SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:3
sin cesar acordndonos de la obra de vuestra fe, y del trabajo y caridad, y del esperar con la esperanza del Seor nuestro, Jess, el Cristo, delante del Dios y Padre nuestro.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Verse 3. Your work of faith] This verse contains a very high character of the believers at Thessalonica. They had FAITH, not speculative and indolent, but true, sound, and operative; their faith worked. They had LOVE, not that gazed at and became enamoured of the perfections of God, but such a love as laboured with faith to fulfill the whole will of God. Faith worked; but love, because it can do more, did more, and therefore laboured - worked energetically, to promote the glory of God and the salvation of men. They had HOPE; not an idle, cold, heartless expectation of future good, from which they felt no excitement, and for which they could give no reason, but such a hope as produced a satisfying expectation of a future life and state of blessedness, the reality of which faith had descried, and love anticipated; a hope, not hasty and impatient to get out of the trials of life and possess the heavenly inheritance, but one that was as willing to endure hardships as to enjoy glory itself, when God might be most honoured by this patient endurance. FAITH worked, LOVE laboured, and HOPE endured patiently. It is not a mark of much grace to be longing to get to heaven because of the troubles and difficulties of the present life; they who love Christ are ever willing to suffer with him; and he may be as much glorified by patient suffering, as by the most active faith or labourious love. There are times in which, through affliction or other hinderances, we cannot do the will of God, but we can suffer it; and in such cases he seeks a heart that bears submissively, suffers patiently, and endures, as seeing him who is invisible, without repining or murmuring. This is as full a proof of Christian perfection as the most intense and ardent love. Meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, are in our present state of more use to ourselves and others, and of more consequence in the sight of God, than all the ecstasies of the spirits of just men made perfect, and than all the raptures of an archangel. That Church or Christian society, the members of which manifest the work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope, is most nearly allied to heaven, and is on the suburbs of glory.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. Remembering without ceasing , etc.] The phrase without ceasing, is, by the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, joined to the last clause of the preceding verse; and the remembrance the apostle speaks of is either a distinct thing from the mention made of them in prayer, and suggests that they bore them on their minds at other times also; or it is the same with it; or rather a reason of their mentioning of them then, because they remembered them, and the following things of theirs: as your work of faith ; by which is meant not the principle of faith, for as such that is God's work, the product of his grace, and the effect of his almighty power; but the operative virtue and exercise of it under the influence of the grace of God: the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it, the work of your faith; and so some copies, and the Syriac version, the works of your faith. The Targumist in ( Habakkuk 1:12) represents God as holy atwnmyh ydbw[b , in works of faith: faith is a working grace, it has a deal of work to do, it has its hands always full, and is employed about many things; it is the grace by which a soul goes to God, as its covenant God, lays hold on him as such, pleads his promises with him, asks favours of him, and is very importunate, and will have no denial; and by which it goes to Christ as at first conversion, afterwards for fresh supplies of grace, out of that fulness of grace that is in him; it receives him and all from him, and through him pardon, righteousness, adoption of children, and an eternal inheritance; and it is that grace which carries back all the glory to God and Christ, and to free grace; it glorifies God, exalts Christ, humbles the creature, and magnifies the grace of God, it has much work to do this way; and it works by love, by acts of love to God, to Christ, and to the saints; and it puts the soul upon a cheerful obedience to every ordinance and command, and hence obedience is styled the obedience of faith; and indeed all good works that are properly so are done in faith, and faith without works is dead; it is greatly engaged against the world and the devil; it is that grace by which Satan is opposed and overcome, and by which the believer gets the victory over the world; so that he is not discouraged by its frowns, and cast down by the trials and afflictions he meets with in it, nor drawn aside by its snares and allurements; something of this kind the apostle had observed and remembered in these believers: he adds, and labour of love ; love is a laborious grace when in lively exercise; love to God and Christ will constrain a believer to engage in, and go through, great hardships, difficulties, toil, and labour, for their sakes; and love to the saints will exert itself, by serving them in things temporal and spiritual, ministering cheerfully and largely to their outward wants, for which reason the same epithet is given to love in ( Hebrews 6:10) as here; regarding and assisting them in their spiritual concerns; praying for them and with them; building them up in their most holy faith; communicating their experiences, and speaking comfortable words unto them; reproving them for sin in love, and with tenderness; restoring them when fallen in a spirit of meekness; and stirring them up to love and good works: love has much toil and labour, not only in performing the several duties of religion, both towards God and man; but in bearing all things, the burdens of fellow Christians; the infirmities of weak believers, forbearing them in love, forgiving their offences, and covering their sins: and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ , or of our Lord Jesus Christ. These persons had a good hope through grace given unto them, and which was founded in Christ Jesus, in his person, blood, and righteousness, and so was as an anchor sure and steadfast; and it had him for its object, it was an hope of interest in him, of being for ever with him, of his, second coming and glorious appearance, and of eternal life and happiness through him; and this was attended with patience, with a patient bearing of reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, for the sake of Christ, and a patient waiting for his coming, his kingdom and glory; and this as well as the others were remembered by the apostle, and his fellow ministers, with great pleasure: and that in the sight of God and our Father ; or before God and our Father; which may be read in connection either with the above graces, which were exercised, not only before men, but before God, and in his sight, who sees not as man seeth, and who cannot be deceived and imposed upon; and so shows that these graces were true and genuine, faith was unfeigned, love was without dissimulation, and hope without hypocrisy: or with the word remembering, as it is in the Syriac version, which reads, remembering before God and our Father; that is, as often as we appear before God, and lift up our hands and our hearts unto him in prayer, we bear you upon our minds before God; and particularly remember your operative faith, laborious love, and patient hope of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - As all good comes from God, so no good can be hoped for by sinners, but from God in Christ. And the best good may be expected from God, as ou Father, for the sake of Christ. We should pray, not only for ourselves but for others also; remembering them without ceasing. Wherever ther is a true faith, it will work; it will affect both the heart and life Faith works by love; it shows itself in love to God, and love to ou neighbour. And wherever there is a well-grounded hope of eternal life this will appear by the exercise of patience; and it is a sign of sincerity, when in all we do, we seek to approve ourselves to God. By this we may know our election, if we not only speak of the things of God with out lips, but feel their power in our hearts, mortifying ou lusts, weaning us from the world, and raising us up to heavenly things Unless the Spirit of God comes with the word of God, it will be to us dead letter. Thus they entertained it by the power of the Holy Ghost They were fully convinced of the truth of it, so as not to be shaken i mind by objections and doubts; and they were willing to leave all for Christ, and to venture their souls and everlasting condition upon the truth of the gospel revelation.
Greek Textus Receptus
αδιαλειπτως 89 μνημονευοντες 3421 5723 υμων 5216 του 3588 εργου 2041 της 3588 πιστεως 4102 και 2532 του 3588 κοπου 2873 της 3588 αγαπης 26 και 2532 της 3588 υπομονης 5281 της 3588 ελπιδος 1680 του 3588 κυριου 2962 ημων 2257 ιησου 2424 χριστου 5547 εμπροσθεν 1715 του 3588 θεου 2316 και 2532 πατρος 3962 ημων 2257
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Without ceasing (adialeiptwv). P o . In LXX see 1 Macc. vii. 11; 2 Macc. iii. 26; ix. 4; viii. 12; xv. 7; 3 Maccvi. 33. Should be construed with making mention, not with remembering, as A.V. and Rev. The salutations of Paul reproduce ordinary conventional forms of greeting. Thus the familiar Greek greeting cairein be joyful, hail, welcome, appears in cariv grace. This was perceived by Theodore of Mopsuestia (350-428 A.D.), who, in his commentary on Ephesians, says that in the preface to that letter Paul does very much as we do when we say "So and so to So and so, greeting" (o deina tw deini cairein). Deissmann gives some interesting parallels from ancient papyri. For instance, a letter dated 172 B.C., from an Egyptian lady to her brother or husband: "Isias to her brother Hephaestion, greeting (cairein). If you are well, and other things happen as you would wish, it would be in accordance with my constant prayer to the gods. I myself am well, and the boy; and all at home make constant remembrance of you. Comp. Rom. i. 9; Eph. i. 16; Philemon 4. Again: "Ammonios to his sister Tachnumi, abundant greeting (ta pleista cairein). Before all things, I pray that you may be in health; and each day I make the act of worship for you." In these specimens the conventional salutations in correspondence include the general greeting (cairein) and the statement that prayer is made for the correspondent's welfare; and the words constant and daily are attached to the act of prayer. It is further to be noticed that many passages of Paul's Epistles give evidence of having been shaped by expressions in letters received by him from the parties he is addressing. In his answer he gives them back their own words, as is common in correspondence. Thus, making mention of you and remembering your work, etc., together with the statement that Timothy reports that you have a good remembrance of us (ch. iii. 6), all together suggest that Paul had before him, when writing to the Thessalonians, a letter which Timothy had brought from them. Other instances will be noted as they occur. 10 Work - labor - patience (eprgou - kopou - upomonhv). Ergon work, may mean either the act, the simple transaction, or the process of dealing with anything, or the result of the dealing, - as a book or a picture is called a work. Kopov labor, from koptein to strike or hew; hence, laborious, painful exertion. Upomonh patience, patient endurance and faithful persistence in toil and suffering. See on 2 Pet. i. 6; Jas. v. 7. The genitives, of faith, love, hope, mark the generating principles of the work and labor and patience, which set their stamp upon each; thus, work which springs from faith, and is characteristic of faith. The phrase patience of hope is found only here; but see Rom. v. 4; viii. 25; xv. 4; 1 Cor. viii. 7; Heb. vii. 11, 12. uJpomonh in LXX, see 1 Chron. xxix. 15; Job xiv. 19; Psalm ix. 18; xxxviii. 7; Jeremiah 1 iv. 8. We have here the great triad of Christian graces, corresponding to 1 Corinthians 8. Hope is prominent throughout the two Epistles. The triad appears, 1 Thess. v. 8; Gal. v. 5, 6; 1 Cor. viii. 13; Eph. iv. 2-5; Col. i. 4, 5; Heb. x. 22-24; 1 Pet. i. 21-22. Comp. 1 Thess. ii. 9; v. 8; 2 Thesselonians iii. 5, 8; 1 Corinthians xv. 10, 58; 2 Cor. xi. 27; Apoc. ii. 2.
In our Lord, etc. (tou kuriou).Lit. of our Lord. For a similar use of the genitive, see John v. 42; 1 John ii. 5, 15; Acts ix. 31; Rom. i. 5;iii. 18, 22, 26, etc. Connect with hope only.
Before our God and Father. Const. with remembering, and comp. ch.ii. 19; iii. 9.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:3 {Remembering} (mnemoneuontes). Present active participle of old verb from adjective mnemwn (mindful) and so to call to mind, to be mindful of, used either with the accusative as in #1Th 2:9 or the genitive as here. {Without ceasing} (adialeiptws). Double compound adverb of the _Koin_ (Polybius, Diodorus, Strabo, papyri) from the verbal adjective a-dia-leiptos (a privative and dia-leipw, to leave off). In the N.T. alone by Paul and always connected with prayer. Milligan prefers to connect this adverb (amphibolous in position) with the preceding participle poioumenoi rather than with mnemoneuontes as Revised Version and Westcott and Hort rightly do. {Your work of faith} (humwn tou ergou tes pistews). Note article with both ergou and pistews (correlation of the article, both abstract substantives). ergou is genitive case the object of mnemoneuontes as is common with verbs of emotion (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 508f.), though the accusative kopon occurs in #1Th 2:9 according to common Greek idiom allowing either case. ergou is the general term for work or business, employment, task. Note two genitives with ergou. humwn is the usual possessive genitive, {your work}, while ts pistews is the descriptive genitive, marked by, characterized by, faith, "the activity that faith inspires" (Frame). It is interesting to note this sharp conjunction of these two words by Paul. We are justified by faith, but faith produces works (#Ro 6-8) as the Baptist taught and as Jesus taught and as James does in #Jas 2. {Labor of love} (tou kopou tes agapes). Note article with both substantives. Here again tou kopou is the genitive the object of mnemoneuontes while ts agapes is the descriptive genitive characterizing the "labor" or "toil" more exactly. kopos is from koptw, to cut, to lash, to beat the bread, to toil. In #Re 14:13 the distinction is drawn between kopou (toil) from which the saints rest and erga (works, activities) which follow with them into heaven. So here it is the labor that love prompts, assuming gladly the toil. agape is one of the great words of the N.T. (Milligan) and no certain example has yet been found in the early papyri or the inscriptions. It occurs in the Septuagint in the higher sense as with the sensuous associations. The epistle of Aristeas calls love (agape) God's gift and Philo uses agape in describing love for God. "When Christianity first began to think and speak in Greek, it took up agape and its group of terms more freely, investing them with the new glow with which the N.T. writings make us familiar, a content which is invariably religious" (Moffatt, _Love in the New Testament_, p. 40). The New Testament never uses the word erws (lust). {Patience of hope} (tes hupomones tes elpidos). Note the two articles again and the descriptive genitive ts elpidos. It is patience marked by hope, "the endurance inspired by hope" (Frame), yes, and sustained by hope in spite of delays and set-backs. hupomone is an old word (hupo, menw, to remain under), but it "has come like agape to be closely associated with a distinctively Christian virtue" (Milligan). The same order as here (ergou, kopos, hupomone) appears in #Re 2:2 and Lightfoot considers it" an ascending scale as practical proofs of self-sacrifice." The church in Thessalonica was not old, but already they were called upon to exercise the sanctifying grace of hope (Denney). {In our Lord Jesus Christ} (tou kuriou hemwn iesou cristou). The objective genitive with elpidos (hope) and so translated by "in" here (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 499f.). Jesus is the object of this hope, the hope of his second coming which is still open to us. Note "Lord Jesus Christ" as in verse #1. {Before our God and Father} (emprosqen tou qeou kai patros hemwn). The one article with both substantives precisely as in #Ga 1:4, not "before God and our Father," both article and possessive genitive going with both substantives as in #2Pe 1:1,11; Tit 2:13 (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 785f.). The phrase is probably connected with elpidos. emprosqen in the N.T. occurs only of place, but it is common in the papyri of time. The picture here is the day of judgment when all shall appear before God.
