11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make a way for us to come to you;
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who had love for us and has given us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
So that your hearts may be strong and free from all sin before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
So that no one may see that you are going without food, but your Father in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward.
See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was.
Who gave himself for our sins, so that he might make us free from this present evil world, after the purpose of our God and Father:
About his Son who, in the flesh, came from the family of David,
For the nations of the world go in search of all these things: but your Father has knowledge that you have need of them.
The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight;
For if you let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will have forgiveness from your Father in heaven.
But when you make your prayer, go into your private room, and, shutting the door, say a prayer to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward.
A son gives honour to his father, and a servant has fear of his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is the fear of me? says the Lord of armies to you, O priests, who give no value to my name. And you say, How have we not given value to your name?
For you are our father, though Abraham has no knowledge of us, and Israel gives no thought to us: you, O Lord, are our father; from the earliest days you have taken up our cause.
Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the river Ahava, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a straight way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. For I would not, for shame, make request to the king for a band of armed men and horsemen to give us help against those who might make attacks on us on the way: for we had said to the king, The hand of our God is on his servants for good, but his power and his wrath are against all those who are turned away from him. So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.
To the saints and true brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
And will be a Father to you; and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord, the Ruler of all.
Because the Gentiles go in search of all these things: for your Father in heaven has knowledge that you have need of all these things:
So be not like them; because your Father has knowledge of your needs even before you make your requests to him. Let this then be your prayer: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 3
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter the apostle gives further evidence of his love to the Thessalonians, reminding them of his sending Timothy to them, with the mention of his design therein and his inducements so to do (v. 1-5). He acquaints them also with his great satisfaction at the return of Timothy, with good tidings concerning them (v. 6-10). And concludes with fervent prayer for them (v. 11-13).
1Th 3:1-5
In these words the apostle gives an account of his sending Timothy to the Thessalonians. Though he was hindered from going to them himself, yet his love was such that he could not forbear sending Timothy to them. Though Timothy was very useful to him, and he could not well spare him, yet Paul was content, for their good, to be left alone at Athens. Note, Those ministers do not duly value the establishment and welfare of their people who cannot deny themselves in many things for that end. Observe,
1Th 3:6-10
Here we have Paul's great satisfaction upon the return of Timothy with good tidings from the Thessalonians, in which we may observe,
1Th 3:11-13
In these words we have the earnest prayer of the apostle. He desired to be instrumental in the further benefit of the Thessalonians; and the only way to be so while at a distance was by prayer for them, together with his writing or sending to them. He desired that their faith might be perfected, which he could not be the proper cause or author of; for he pretended not to dominion over their faith, nor to have the donation of it, and he therefore concludes with prayer for them. Observe,