SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:3
Debemos siempre dar gracias a Dios por vosotros, hermanos, como es digno, por cuanto vuestra fe va creciendo, y la caridad de todos y cada uno de vosotros abunda entre vosotros;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 1:3
Verse 3. Your faith groweth exceedingly] The word uperauxanei signifies to grow luxuriantly, as a good and healthy tree planted in a good soil; and if a fruit tree, bearing an abundance of fruit to compensate the labour of the husbandman. Faith is one of the seeds of the kingdom; this the apostle had sowed and watered, and God gave an abundant increase. Their faith was multiplied, and their love abounded; and this was not the case with some distinguished characters only, it was the case with every one of them.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. We are bound to thank God , &c.] Since all blessings, temporal and spiritual, come from him: and that always: seeing he is ever giving out fresh favours, or continuing former ones; and because those, especially which are of a spiritual nature, always abide, such as faith and love; which the apostle particularly takes notice of, the members of this Church had, and were increasing in them: for it was not for himself, but for them he gives thanks, for you, brethren : who were so, not in a natural or civil relation, but in a spiritual one, being the children of God, and brethren of Christ; and to do this for them, he looked upon himself with others under an obligation: as it is meet ; just, proper, and fitting; it not only becomes the persons who have received mercies from God to be thankful for them; but it is very right for others to join with them in it, and especially the ministers of the Gospel, who are bound, and whom it becomes: it is agreeable to their office and profession to give God the praise and glory of all the grace, and the increase of it, which those, who attend their labours, are favoured with, since this is not of them, but of God; and it was for an increase of grace the apostle here gives thanks, as he judged he was obliged to do, and it was fit he should. Because that your faith groweth exceedingly . Their faith was not a faith of miracles, nor a mere historical faith, or a counterfeit and temporary one, but the faith of God's elect; which is the evidence of things not seen, of an unseen Christ, and the glories of another world; that grace by which a man goes out of himself to Christ for righteousness, life, and salvation; by which he is justified, and by which he lives on Christ, and walks on in him as he has received him. This was theirs; it was not of themselves, the produce of nature, or the fruit of their natural power and free will; but it was the gift of God, and of his operation; a fruit of the Spirit of God, and of which Christ was the author and finisher; and was only theirs, as being given unto them, implanted in them, and exercised by them under the influence of the Spirit of God, and for their use, comfort, and advantage. This was, at first, but like a grain of mustard seed, very small, but gradually increased, and grew exceedingly; and from seeing of Christ, and looking at him, and which at first might be very dim and obscure, it proceeded to going or coming to him; and which might be in a very feeble manner, and was not without being drawn and led, and great encouragements, many invitations, and large assurances; and from thence to a laying hold upon him, though it may be but in a trembling way, and not without being called to stretch forth the hand of faith, and be no more faithless, but believing; and from thence to a leaning and relying on him, trusting in him with all, and for all; and from thence to claiming an interest in him, saying, my Lord, and my God, which is the full assurance of faith; and when it is come to this, it is grown exceedingly, which might be the case of these Thessalonians; which the apostle knew by the aboundings of their love, for faith works by love; and by their patience, firmness, and resolution in suffering for Christ; all which are in proportion to faith, and the growth of it; and for this he gives thanks to God, for faith is a precious thing; and as that itself, so the increase of it is from God, and therefore to him the praise belongs: and the charity of everyone of you towards each other aboundeth ; as their faith in Christ, so their love to one another was increasing, and showed itself in serving one another both in temporals and spirituals; and this was not the case of a few only, or of the greater part, but of everyone of them; which made their communion with one another very comfortable and delightful. For what is more pleasant than for brethren to dwell together in unity?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Where there is the truth of grace, there will be an increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and mor unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace, God must have all the glory. Where faith grows, love will abound, for fait works by love. It shows faith and patience, such as may be proposed a a pattern for others, when trials from God, and persecutions from men quicken the exercise of those graces; for the patience and faith of which the apostle gloried, bore them up, and enabled them to endure all their tribulations.
Greek Textus Receptus
ευχαριστειν 2168 5721 οφειλομεν 3784 5719 τω 3588 θεω 2316 παντοτε 3842 περι 4012 υμων 5216 αδελφοι 80 καθως 2531 αξιον 514 εστιν 2076 5748 οτι 3754 υπεραυξανει 5232 5719 η 3588 πιστις 4102 υμων 5216 και 2532 πλεοναζει 4121 5719 η 3588 αγαπη 26 ενος 1520 εκαστου 1538 παντων 3956 υμων 5216 εις 1519 αλληλους 240
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. We are bound - as it is meet. The accumulation of cognate expressions indicates the apostle's earnestness.
Groweth exceedingly (uperauxanei). N.T.o . See on 1 Thessalonians iii. 10.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:3 {We are bound} (ofeilomen). Paul feels a sense of obligation to keep on giving thanks to God (eucaristein twi qewi, present infinitive with dative case) because of God's continued blessings on the Thessalonians. He uses the same idiom again in #2:13 and nowhere else in his thanksgivings. It is not necessity (dei) that Paul here notes, but a sense of personal obligation as in #1Jo 2:6 (Milligan). {Even as it is meet} (kaqws axion estin). ofeilomen points to the divine, axion to the human side of the obligation (Lightfoot), perhaps to cheer the fainthearted in a possible letter to him in reply to Paul's First Thessalonian epistle (Milligan). this adjective axios is from ag", to drag down the scales, and so weighty, worthy, worthwhile, old word and appropriate here. {For that your faith groweth exceedingly} (hoti huperauxanei he pistis humwn). Causal use of hoti referring to the obligation stated in ofeilomen. The verb huperauxanw is one of Paul's frequent compounds in huper (huper-bainw, #1Th 4:6; huper-ek-teinw, #2Co 10:14; huper-en-tugcanw, #Ro 8:26; huper-nikaw, #Ro 8:37; huper-pleonazw, #1Ti 1:14) and occurs only here in N.T. and rare elsewhere (Galen, Dio Cass.). Figure of the tree of faith growing above (huper) measure. Cf. parable of Jesus about faith-like a grain of mustard seed (#Mt 13:31f.). {Aboundeth} (pleonazei). Same verb in #1Th 3:12, here a fulfilment of the prayer made there. Milligan finds _diffusive_ growth of love in this word because of "each one" (henos hekastou). Frame finds in this fulfilment of the prayer of #1Th 3:12 one proof that II Thessalonians is later than I Thessalonians.
