Homilies on First Thessalonians

Just as sweet-smelling ointment does not keep its fragrance shut up in itself, but spreads it far away, filling the air with its perfume and bringing it to the senses of nearby people, so also noble and admirable men do not keep their virtue shut up within themselves. By their good reputation they help many people and make them better. That is what happened then also. Therefore he said, "So that you became examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you," he says, "the word of the Lord has sounded out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out." Therefore, you have filled all your neighbors with instruction, and the world with amazement. For that is what he means by the phrase, "in every place." And he did not say, "your faith is reported abroad," but, "has sounded out." Just as every nearby place is filled with the sound of a loud trumpet, so the report of your courage is loud. It sounds out in the same way, and is enough to fill the world and to fall with equal sound on all those around it. For great actions are praised more loudly in the place where they happened. Far away, they are indeed praised, but not as much.

But that was not the case with you. Instead, the sound of your good reputation spread through every part of the earth. And how do we know, someone says, that these words were not an exaggeration? For the nation of the Macedonians, before the coming of Christ, was famous and honored everywhere, even more than the Romans. And people admired the Romans for this reason: they had taken the Macedonians captive. For the deeds of the Macedonian king went beyond all report. He set out from a small city, yet he conquered the world. Therefore the Prophet also saw him as a winged leopard, showing his speed, his force, his fiery nature, and how he suddenly, in a sense, flew over the whole world with the trophies of his victory. And they say that when he heard from a certain philosopher that there were countless worlds, he groaned bitterly because, though they were numberless, he had not conquered even one. So proud and great-souled he was, and so famous everywhere. And along with the fame of the king, the glory of the nation kept pace also. For he was called Alexander the Macedonian. So what happened there was naturally much talked about as well. For nothing that relates to the famous can be hidden. The Macedonians, then, were not inferior to the Romans.

This also came from their eagerness. As if he were speaking about something alive, he uses the words “has gone forth.” Their faith was so eager and powerful. So, “we do not need to say anything,” he says, “for they themselves report what kind of entrance we had among you.” They do not wait to hear it from us. Instead, people who were not present and did not see it go ahead of those who were present and did see your good deeds. Your deeds were made known everywhere so clearly by report. Therefore, we will not need to stir them to equal zeal by telling about your actions. The very things they should have heard from us, they themselves are talking about, getting ahead of us. And yet, in such cases there is often envy. But the greatness of this matter overcame even that, and they become the heralds of your struggles. And though they were left behind, even so they are not silent, but speak before us. And since they are like this, it is not possible for them to disbelieve our report.

What does this mean: "what kind of entrance we had with you"? It means that our coming was full of dangers and countless threats of death, but none of these things disturbed you. Instead, you stayed close to us as if nothing had happened. You received us after all this as if you had suffered no harm, but had received endless good. For this was the second coming. They went to Berœa and were persecuted. Then, when they came after that, the people received them in such a way as though these troubles had been honors to them. So great was their welcome that they were even ready to lay down their lives for them. The phrase, "what kind of entrance we had," is complex. It contains praise both for them and for Paul and his companions. But he himself has turned this into something that benefits them. And how? He says, "you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God." That is, you did it readily. You did it with great eagerness. It did not require much labor to persuade you. "To serve," he says, "a living and true God."

Here he also added an exhortation, which is what someone does when he wants to make his message less offensive. “And to wait for His Son from heaven,” he says, “whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.” “And to wait,” he says, “for His Son from heaven” — for Him who was crucified, Him who was buried. We are to wait for Him from heaven. And how is He from heaven? He is the One “whom He raised from the dead.” You see that all these things are present at the same time: the Resurrection, the Ascension, the second Coming, the Judgment, the reward of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked. “Jesus,” he says, “who delivers us from the wrath to come.” This is at once comfort, exhortation, and encouragement. For if He raised Him from the dead, and He is in heaven, and will come from there, and you believed in Him — for if you had not believed in Him, you would not have suffered so much — this by itself is enough comfort. These people will suffer punishment, as he says in his second epistle, and you will have no small consolation.

And he says to wait for His Son from heaven. The fearful things are happening now, but the good things are in the future, when Christ comes from heaven. See how much hope is needed: the One who was crucified has been raised, He has been taken up into heaven, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you has not been found vain. But after we had suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we became bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.

Your actions also were truly great, yet we did not rely on human speech. But what he says above, he repeats here also: the nature of the preaching was shown from both sides, by the miracles, by the courage of the preachers, and by the zeal and fervor of those who received it. "For you yourselves," he says, "know our coming to you, that it has not been found vain." That is, it was not according to man, nor was it of any ordinary kind. For even though we had just come from great dangers, deaths, and beatings, we immediately entered into more dangers. But, he says, "having suffered before, and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God." Do you see how again he refers everything to God? "To speak to you," he says, "the gospel of God in much conflict." It is not possible to say, "There we were in danger, but here we were not." You yourselves also know how great the danger was, and with how much struggle we were among you. He also says this in his Epistle to the Corinthians: "And I was with you in weakness, and in labor, and in fear, and in much trembling." 1 Corinthians 2:3

Verses 3 and 4. For our encouragement does not come from error, or from uncleanness, or from deceit. Instead, just as God has approved us and trusted us with the gospel, so we speak. We do not speak to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.

Do you see that, as I said, he uses their perseverance as proof that the preaching is divine? For if it were not so, if it were a deception, we would not have endured so many dangers that did not even let us catch our breath. You were in trouble, and we were in trouble. What, then, was the reason? Unless something about the things to come had stirred us up, unless we had been convinced that there is a good hope, we would not have faced suffering with even greater eagerness. For who would choose, for the sake of what we have here, to endure so many sufferings, and to live a life of anxiety and danger? Whom would they persuade? For are not these things by themselves enough to trouble the disciples, when they see their teachers in danger? But that was not your case.

For our appeal, that is, our teaching, does not come from error. The matter, he says, is not deceit or trickery, so that we should give it up. It is not about shameful things, like the tricks of jugglers and sorcerers. And, he says, it is not from uncleanness, or in deceit, or for the sake of any uprising, like what Theudas did. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but God. Do you see that this is not empty glory? "But God," he says, "tests our hearts." We do nothing in order to please men, he says. For for whose sake should we do these things? Then, after praising them, he says, "Not as wanting to please men," nor seeking the honors that come from men. He adds, "But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel." Unless God had seen that we were free from every worldly motive, He would not have chosen us. Therefore, since He approved us, we remain as we are, as people approved by God. From where did He approve us and entrust us with the Gospel? We appeared approved to God, and so we remain. It is proof of our virtue that we have been entrusted with the Gospel. If there had been anything bad in us, God would not have approved us. But the phrase "He approved us" does not here mean an investigation. What we do by testing, He does without testing. That is, as He found us approved and trusted us, so we speak. This is how those who are approved and entrusted as worthy of the Gospel should speak. We speak not to please men. That is, it is not for your sake that we do all these things. Because he had praised them earlier, so that his words might not come under suspicion, he says:

Verses 5 and 6. For we were never found using flattering words, as you know, nor using a cover for greed—God is witness. Nor were we seeking glory from people, either from you or from others, even though as Apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you.

For never at any time, he says, were we found using flattering words. That is, we did not flatter, which is what deceivers do when they want to gain control and rule over others. No one can say that we flattered in order to rule, or that we used flattery for the sake of wealth. About this, which was plain to see, he later calls them as witnesses. “Whether we flattered,” he says, “you know.” But about what was not certain, namely, whether it was done out of greed, he calls God as witness. “Nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have been burdensome, as Apostles of Christ.” That is, we were not seeking honors either, or boasting about ourselves, or demanding an escort of guards. And yet, even if we had done this, it would not have been out of character. For if people sent out by kings are honored, much more should we be. And he did not say that we were dishonored, or that we did not receive honors, because that would have been a reproach to them. Instead, he says that we did not seek those honors. So then, if we did not seek them when we could have sought them, not even when the preaching called for it, how could we do anything for the sake of glory? And yet, even if we had sought them, even in that case there would have been no blame. For it is fitting that those who are sent out from God, like ambassadors now coming from heaven, should receive great honor.

But because we have shown more than enough patience, we do none of these things, so that we may shut the mouths of our opponents. And no one can say that we act this way toward you, but not toward others. For he says the same thing in his Letter to the Corinthians: "For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if he devours you, if he takes advantage of you, if he lifts himself up, if he strikes you in the face." Second Corinthians 11:20. And again: "His bodily presence is weak, and his speech amounts to nothing." Second Corinthians 10:10. And again: "Forgive me this wrong." Second Corinthians 12:13. There too he shows that he was extremely humble because he suffered so many things. But here he also speaks about money, when we might have been a burden to you as Apostles of Christ.

Verses 7 and 8. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children. In the same way, because we loved you deeply, we were glad to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

"But we were gentle," he says. We showed nothing offensive or troublesome, nothing unpleasant or boastful. And the phrase "in the midst of you" is like saying, "We were as one of you," not taking a higher place. "As a nurse cares for her own children." That is how a teacher ought to be. Does a nurse flatter her children so that she may gain glory? Does she ask money from her little children? Is she offensive or burdensome to them? Are nurses not often more patient with them than mothers are? Here he shows his affection. "Even so, being affectionately desirous of you," he says. "We are so closely bound to you," he says, "that we not only take nothing from you, but, if necessary, we would even have shared our own souls with you, and would not have refused." Tell me, then, is this a merely human way of thinking? And who is so foolish as to say such a thing? "We were well pleased to impart to you," he says, "not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls." So this is greater than the other thing. And what is the gain? There is gain from the Gospel, but to give our souls is, in terms of difficulty, a greater thing than that. For simply preaching is not the same as giving one's soul. Preaching is indeed more precious, but the other is harder to do. "We were willing," he says, "if it were possible, even to spend our souls on you." And we would have been willing to do this. For if we had not been willing, we would not have endured the necessity. Since he had praised them, and does praise them, for this reason he says that we do this not by seeking money, or flattering you, or desiring glory. For notice: they had struggled much, and so they ought to be praised and admired in an unusual way, so that they might become more firm. The praise was open to suspicion. For this reason he says all these things, to push away that suspicion. He also mentions the dangers. And again, so that he may not seem to speak of the dangers for that reason, as though he were laboring for them and claiming to be honored because of them, he adds again, since he had to mention the dangers, "Because you had become very dear to us." We would willingly have given our souls for you, because we were deeply attached to you. We do proclaim the Gospel because God commanded it. But we love you so much that, if it were possible, we would even have given our souls.

A person who loves should love in such a way that, if he were even asked for his soul, and if that were possible, he would not refuse it. I do not mean only if he were asked. I mean that he would even run to offer the gift himself. For nothing, nothing can be sweeter than such love. Nothing painful will happen there. Truly, "a faithful friend is the medicine of life." Sirach 6:16 Truly, "a faithful friend is a strong defense." Sirach 6:14 For what will a true friend not do? What pleasure will he not give? What benefit? What safety? Even if you were to name endless treasures, none of them can compare to a true friend. And first let us speak of the great delight of friendship itself. A friend rejoices when he sees his friend, and overflows with joy. He is bound to him in a union of soul that gives unspeakable pleasure. And if he only remembers him, his mind is stirred and carried away.

I am speaking about true friends, people who are of one soul, who would even die for each other, and who love each other deeply. Do not think my argument is proved wrong by thinking about people who barely love each other, who only share meals, and who are friends in name only. If anyone has a friend like the one I am describing, he will admit that my words are true. Even if he sees his friend every day, he is not tired of it. For his friend, he prays for the same things he prays for himself. I know a man who called on holy men for his friend’s sake and begged them to pray first for his friend, and then for himself. A good friend is so precious that, because of him, times and places also become dear to us. For just as shining bodies spread their light to the nearby places, so friends also leave a grace of their own in the places where they have been. And often, when friends were absent, as we stood in those places, we have wept; and remembering the days we spent together, we have sighed. It is not possible to describe in words how great a pleasure friendship with friends gives. Only those who have experienced it know. From a friend we can both ask a favor and receive one without suspicion. When they urge anything on us, then we feel indebted to them; but when they are slow to do this, then we are sad. We have nothing that is not theirs. Often, though we despise everything here, for their sake we are not willing to depart from here; and we long for them more than for the light.

For, truly, a friend is more desirable than light. I mean a real friend. And do not be surprised. It would be better for the sun to go out than for us to be deprived of friends. It is better to live in darkness than to be without friends. And I will tell you why. Many people who see the sun are still in darkness, but those who have many friends can never be without help, even in trouble. I mean spiritual friends, who value nothing more than friendship. Such was Paul. He would willingly have given his own soul, even without being asked. No, he would even have gone down into hell for them. We ought to love with that same burning devotion.

I want to give you an example of friendship. Friends, that is, friends according to Christ, are greater than fathers and sons. Do not tell me about the friends of the present day, because this good thing also has passed away along with others. But think about the time of the Apostles. I am not speaking about the leading men, but about the believers in general. "All," he says, "were of one heart and soul; and not one of them said that anything he possessed was his own... and distribution was made to each, as anyone had need." Acts 4:32-35 At that time there were no such words as mine and yours. This is friendship: when a man does not think of his goods as his own, but as his neighbor's; when he sees his possessions as belonging to another; when he cares for his friend's soul as much as for his own, and the friend does the same.

And where, someone says, is it possible to find such a person? It is because we do not have the will. It is possible. If it were not possible, Christ would not have commanded it. He would not have spoken so much about love. Friendship is a great thing, and how great it is, no one can learn and no speech can describe; only experience itself can teach it. This is what has caused the heresies. This is what makes the Greeks to be Greeks. The one who loves does not want to command or rule. Instead, he would rather be under obligation when he is ruled and commanded. He would rather give a favor than receive one, because he loves, and he feels as if his desire has not yet been satisfied. He is not as pleased when good is done to him as he is when he is doing good. For he wants to put the other person under obligation, rather than be in debt to him. Or rather, he wants both to be indebted to him and to have him indebted to himself. He wants both to give favors and not seem to give them, but instead to be the debtor himself. I think that perhaps many of you do not understand what has been said. He wants to be first in giving benefits, and yet not seem to be first, but rather to be paying back a kindness. This is what God also has done in the case of men. He purposed to give His own Son for us. But so that He might not seem to be giving a favor, but to be indebted to us, He commanded Abraham to offer his son, so that while doing a very great kindness, He might seem to be doing nothing great.

For when there is no love, we both reproach people for the kindnesses we have shown them, and we make small favors seem bigger than they are. But when there is love, we both hide those favors and want to make even great ones seem small, so that we may not seem to have our friend in our debt. Instead, we would seem to be in debt to him, because he is in our debt. I know that most people do not understand what I am saying. The reason is that I am speaking about something that now lives in heaven. So, if I were speaking about some plant growing in India, which no one had ever seen or known, no words could describe it, even if I spoke ten thousand words. In the same way, whatever I say now, I say in vain, because no one will be able to understand me. This is a plant that is planted in heaven. Its branches do not bear heavy clusters of pearls, but a virtuous life, which is far more precious than pearls. What pleasure would you speak of, the shameful or the honorable? The pleasure of friendship is greater than them all, even if you speak of the sweetness of honey. Honey satisfies, but a friend never does, as long as he is truly a friend. No, the desire for him grows more and more, and this pleasure never becomes tiresome. And a friend is sweeter than the present life. So many people, after the death of their friends, have no longer wished to live. With a friend, a person would endure even exile. But without a friend, he would not choose to live even in his own country. With a friend, even poverty is bearable. But without him, both health and riches are unbearable. A friend is another self. I am limited, because I cannot illustrate this with an example. If I did, I would make what has been said seem far less than it should be.

And these things indeed are so here. But from God, the reward of friendship is so great that it cannot be expressed. He gives a reward so that we may love one another, the very thing for which we owe a reward. He says, "Pray, and receive a reward," for that for which we owe a reward, because we ask for good things. He says, "For that which you ask, receive a reward." Fast, and receive a reward. Be virtuous, and receive a reward, though you rather owe a reward. But fathers do the same. When they have made their children virtuous, they then give them a reward besides. For they are debtors, because their children have given them pleasure. So also God acts. He says, "Receive a reward, if you are virtuous, for you delight your Father, and for this I owe you a reward." But if you are evil, not so, for you provoke Him who begot you. Let us not then provoke God, but let us delight Him, so that we may obtain the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory and the strength, world without end. Amen.