SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:17
¶ Mas nosotros, hermanos, privados de vosotros por un poco de tiempo, de vista, no de corazn, tanto ms procuramos con mucho deseo ver vuestro rostro.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 2:17
Verse 17. Being taken from you for a short time] Through the persecution raised by the Jews, see Acts xvii., he was obliged to leave Thessalonica, and yield to a storm that it would have been useless for him to have withstood. Being taken from you-in presence, not in heart] The apostle had compared himself to a parent or nurse, ver. 7, 11; and the people he considered as his most beloved children; here he represents himself as feeling what an affectionate father must feel when torn from his children; for this is the import of the word aporfanisqentev, bereft of children, which we tamely translate being taken from you.
Endeavoured the more abundantly] His separation from them did not destroy his parental feelings, and the manner in which he was obliged to leave them increased his desire to visit them as soon as possible.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. But we, brethren, being taken from you , etc.] Here more properly should begin the third chapter, in which the apostle having before observed the manner of his entrance among these people, the nature of his ministry, the reception the word of God met with among them, and the powerful effect it had upon them, insomuch that they patiently and cheerfully bore persecution for the sake of it; he excuses his not having been with them again as yet, which he knew was proper and necessary, as he was their apostle and spiritual father; and expresses an affectionate concern at his parting with them in the manner he did, which was not his own choice and voluntary act, but was obliged to it, being hurried away at once, at an unawares in the night, by reason of the uproar made in the city by the baser sort of people, instigated by the unbelieving Jews; so that he and his fellow ministers had not the opportunity of taking their leave of them, as they would have done: hence he says, we being taken from you ; they were, as it were, passive in it; they were forced away on a sudden, they did not go of themselves; the word used is very uncommon and emphatical, and may be literally rendered, we being orphanized from you; which represents this parting to be like the separation made by death, between parents and children; when either parents are deprived of their children, or children of their parents, and are left orphans or fatherless; and just in such a destitute and desolate condition were the apostle and his companions in, in their account; nor need it to be wondered at, when they are before compared to a nursing mother and a tender father, as they were to these their spiritual children: and he further observes, that this removal from them, was for a short time , or for the time of an hour; which may either denote the suddenness of it, being as it were at an hour's warning, having no more notice of it than for the space of an hour; or it may express the great affection he and his fellow ministers had for them, insomuch that they could not bear an absence from them, though but for an hour; or it may be said by way of comfort, that this parting was but for a short time, and that in a little while they might hope to see them again; and if not in this life, yet in the future state, when they should meet and never part more, and which would be but in a short time at longest: moreover, this separation was only in presence ; in person, in face, in sight, in body, it was but a corporeal one: not in heart; the apostle's heart was with them, as much as if present; they were always in his mind, and remembered by him, at the throne; he had as it were the images of them continually before him, as parents have of their children when at a distance from them; his heart was after them, and his affections moved strongly towards them: and the effect this distance had on him, and those that were with him, was this, that they endeavoured the more abundantly , he observes, to see your face with great desire ; it made them but the more desirous of seeing them face to face again, and put them upon attempting with more abundant earnestness and diligence to come and see them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-20 - This world is not a place where we are to be always, or long together In heaven holy souls shall meet, and never part more. And though the apostle could not come to them yet, and thought he might never be able to come, yet our Lord Jesus Christ will come; nothing shall hinde that. May God give faithful ministers to all who serve him with their spirit in the gospel of his Son, and send them to all who are i darknes __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ημεις 2249 δε 1161 αδελφοι 80 απορφανισθεντες 642 5685 αφ 575 υμων 5216 προς 4314 καιρον 2540 ωρας 5610 προσωπω 4383 ου 3756 καρδια 2588 περισσοτερως 4056 εσπουδασαμεν 4704 5656 το 3588 προσωπον 4383 υμων 5216 ιδειν 1492 5629 εν 1722 πολλη 4183 επιθυμια 1939
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Being taken from you (aporfanisqentev). N.T.o . o LXX. Rev. better, being bereaved of you. From ojrfanov bereft. See Mark xii. 40, John xiv. 18; Jas. i. 27. The word suggests the intimate personal fellowship of the writer with his readers. The separation was like that between parents and children. Comp. vv. 7, 8.
For a short time (prov kairon wrav). N.T.o . Lit. for the season of an hour. Comp. Lat. horae momentum. Stronger than the usual phrase prov wran for an hour: see 2 Cor. vii. 8; Gal. ii. 5; Philemon 15. Comp. prov kairon for a season, Luke viii. 13; 1 Cor. vii. 5. The more abundantly (perissoterwv). Rev. the more exceedingly. Paul uses this adverb very freely, and outside of his letters it appears only Heb. ii. 1; xiii. 19. He is much given to the use of comparatives, and sometimes heaps them together: see Rom. viii. 37; 2 Cor. vii. 13; iv. 17; Eph. iii. 20; Philip. i. 23.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:17 {Being bereaved of you} (aporfanisqentes af' humwn). First aorist passive participle of the rare compound verb (aporfanizw, in Aeschylus, but nowhere else in N.T.). Literally, {being orphaned from you} (af' humwn, ablative case). Paul changes the figure again (trofos or mother nurse in verse #7, nepios or babe in verse #7, pater or father in verse #11) to {orphan} (orfanos). He refers to the period of separation from them, {for a short season} (pros kairon hwras) for a season of an hour. this idiom only here in N.T., but pros kairon in #Lu 8:13 and pros h"ran in #2Co 7:8. But it has seemed long to Paul. Precisely how long he had been gone we do not know, some months at any rate. {In presence, not in heart} (proswpwi ou kardiai). Locative case. proswpon, old word (pros, oy, in front of the eye, face) for face, look, person. Literally, {in face or person}. His heart was with them, though they no longer saw his face. Heart, originally kardia, is the inner man, the seat of the affections and purposes, not always in contrast with intellect (nous). "Out of sight, not out of mind" (Rutherford). {Endeavored the more exceedingly} (perissoterws espoudasamen). Ingressive aorist active indicative of spoudazw, old word to hasten (from spoude, speudw). {We became zealous}. Comparative adverb perissoterws from perisson, more abundantly than before being orphaned from you. {Your face} (to proswpon humwn). Cf. his {face} above. {With great desire} (en pollei epiqumiai). {In much longing} (epiqumia from epi and qumos, epiqumew, to run after, to yearn after, whether good or bad).
