I Thessalonians 2:1-8

I Thessalonians 2:1-8 NRSV

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, ² but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. ³ For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. ⁵ As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; ⁶ nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, ⁷ though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. ⁸ So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

In I Thessalonians 2:1-8, Paul offers some autobiography of his team that he intends to use as an example for his readers. He offers the example Paul set before the congregation and defense of his ministry among them. He points out that despite how badly his missionary team was treated in Philippi (Acts 16:11-40), they had courage in God to declare the gospel of God (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ), despite opposition in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-17). He testifies that the message of the gospel that established the congregation came from the desire of the missionary teach to please God who tests their hearts. He testifies that they were gentle among, using an image of his team that suggests the nurturing, loving, selfless, and sacrificial attitude of parents toward their children, a typical image among Hellenistic philosophers. They shared themselves, their time, energy, and health, as well as the gospel of God (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ), testifying that the Thessalonian congregation is dear to them.