1 Thess 2:1-8
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
The centrality of the gospel rooted in love for God and others
#love
#Gospel
Published December 5th, 2016
Notes
Main point summary
Arc
Notes
Paul's aim here is to show them that they (the Thessalonians) know how central the proclamation of the gospel was to him. They didn't come in vain, but rather to preach the gospel with boldness. Why did they have such boldness? Because they have been approved by God seek to please God. And how do they do this? They do this by not coming with flattering words, nor by coming to seek their own glory, but by caring so mu about them and so sharing the gospel with them. And not only the gospel, but their very own selves. The main takeaway here is the centrality of the gospel rooted in love for others. Paul says that they had boldness to preach the gospel. But the boldness wasn't grounded in their own ability, or even their authority as apostles. Rather, it was because they seek to please God. This led them to be bold in their love for others, which included sharing not only the gospel, but their very own selves.
notes
Main point summary
You know how we had boldness to declare the gospel because we seek to please God by not being about us, but about you and the gospel.
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editing
NT
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
esv
For you yourselves know, brothers, 1
that our f coming to you g was not in vain.
But though we had already suffered
and been shamefully treated h at Philippi, as you know,
series
i we had boldness
in our God
ground
j to declare to you the gospel of God
in the midst of much k conflict.
temporal
actionresult
concessive
negativepositive
ideaexplanation
For l our appeal does not spring from
m error
or n impurity
or o any attempt to deceive,
alternative
but just as we have been approved by God
p to be entrusted with the gospel,
actionpurpose
so we speak,
not q to please man,
but to please God r who tests our hearts.
actionmanner
inference
s For we never came with words of flattery, 1
as you know,
nor with a pretext for greed—
t God is witness.
u Nor did we seek glory from people,
whether from you or from others,
v though we could have made w demands as x apostles of Christ.
But we were y gentle 1 among you,
z like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
comparison
So, being affectionately desirous of you,
we were ready to share with you
not only the gospel of God
a but also our own selves,
because you had become very dear to us.
bilateral
You know we had boldness in God to declare the gospel.
For we speak to please God.
For we didn't seek to flatter or for our own glory.
But we were gentle and selfless with you.
You know how we had boldness to declare the gospel because we seek to please God by not being about us, but about you and the gospel.
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