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"To be carried along", in the Greek sense of the word is very different from the
English expression `to be carried away'. Here faith, hope and understanding play their
part, and in these the Thessalonians found their assurance. Here then in I Thess. 1: 5 and
2: 13, we have the antonyms of the Word, not word `only' and not just as the `word of
men'.
The next set of contrasts deals with the characters of Paul and his helpers, `what
manner of men' they were (I Thess. 1: 5). These we must consider together in our next
article.
No.8. A Study in I Thessalonians.
A Fivefold Picture of "What manner of persons"
the Apostles and his helpers were.
pp. 36 - 40
The antonyms of I Thessalonians fall into three groups:
(1) The Gospel.
(2) The Apostle. (3) The Coming of the Lord.
We have considered the contrasts that are given in I Thess. 1: 5 and 2: 13 regarding
the gospel, and we now turn our attention to the messengers, the Apostle Paul and his
helpers. This sequence is in line with I Thess. 1: 5, which starting with the gospel, ends
with `what manner of men' the preachers of that gospel were. There are five contrasted
terms used by the Apostle to enforce what `manner of men' they were, and we will
endeavour to understand them as a whole in this article.
(1) Not pleasing men but God (I Thess. 2: 4).
The gospel is still in view:
"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;
not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts" (I Thess. 2: 4).
The next occurrence of aresko `to please' is enlightening and somewhat humbling:
"They have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men" (2: 15).
Here, instead of the first statement `please God' being contrasted with `pleasing men'
it is echoed by the parallel term `contrary to all men'.
It is easy to work by a rule of thumb, and by an uncompromising rigidity to produce
the effect of consistency and loyalty. It requires abundant grace to sacrifice apparent
consistency to the higher claims of principle. Had the Apostle been of a lower order, he
would have feared to circumcise Timothy (Acts 16:) after his uncompromising stand
(Acts 15:; Gal. 2:) and he was, most likely, the subject of a good deal of criticism as a