Paul's comfort and thanksgiving for the Thessalonians
Severianus opens his commentary by describing the situation of the Thessalonian Christians and Paul's purpose in writing to them.
The Christians in Thessalonica, the ones from the Gentiles who believed, endured many persecutions under those still being Greeks, and Paul comforts them for these things. He also mentions the resurrection of the dead, comforting them in the losses of their relatives. The thanksgiving to God placed before the opening is a testimony to the piety of the Thessalonians.
Faith rouses a person toward the work of the good, love makes them remain in their labors, and hope makes those who struggle endure with patience. Faith rouses them toward toils, and love makes them remain in their labors.
Paul says, “You know, brothers beloved by God, that the gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power” (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5). He means: we did not only preach the word to you, but we also displayed powers and wonder-workings to you.
On “your faith has gone forth” (1 Thessalonians 1:8), he means: it is spread abroad and noised abroad.
Paul says, “The evils at Philippi did not take away our boldness toward Christ, but when we came to you we preached the word without fear” (1 Thessalonians 2:2).
The gospel through which we comfort the afflicted—that is, the resurrection and the reward-giving in it—is preached not according to error but according to truth (1 Thessalonians 2:3).
On “we were able to be burdensome” (1 Thessalonians 2:6), he means: burdensome and oppressive, because of demanding the honors with which the apostles of Christ ought to be honored.
Greek
1 Thess: Prolog
Πολλοὺς ὑπέμειναν διωγμοὺς οἱ ἐν Θεσσαλονίκῃ Χριστιανοὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν
πιστεύσαντες ὑπὸ τῶν ἔτι Ἑλλήνων ὄντων, ἐφ' οἷς αὐτοὺς παραμυθεῖται. μέμνηται
δὲ καὶ τῆς τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως παραμυθούμενος αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς τῶν οἰκείων
ἀποβολαῖς. ἡ δὲ προτεταγμένη τοῦ προοιμίου εὐχαριστία τῷ θεῷ μαρτυρία ἐστὶ τῆς
τῶν Θεσσαλονικέων εὐλαβείας. 1 Thess 1,3 Ἡ μὲν πίστις ἐγείρει πρὸς ἔργον τοῦ
ἀγαθοῦ, ἡ δὲ ἀγάπη παραμένειν ποιεῖ τοῖς πόνοις, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς ὑπομένειν ποιεῖ μετὰ
μακροθυμίας τοὺς ἀγωνιζομένους. Καὶ ἡ μὲν πίστις ἐγείρει πρὸς καμάτους, ἡ δὲ
ἀγάπη ἐπιμένειν ποιεῖ τοῖς πόνοις. 329 1 Thess 1,4®5 Εἰδότες, φησίν, ἀδελφοὶ
ἠγαπημένοι, ὅτι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον οὐκ ἐγενήθη εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν λόγῳ μόνῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν
δυνάμει. οὐ μόνον, φησίν, ἐκηρύξαμεν ὑμῖν τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ
θαυματουργίας ὑμῖν ἐπεδείξαμεν. 1 Thess 1,8 Ἀντὶ τοῦ διαδίδοται καὶ διαβεβόηται. 1
Thess 2,2 Οὐκ ἀφείλετο ἡμῶν, φησί, τὰ ἐν Φιλίπποις κακὰ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν
παρρησίαν, ἀλλ' ἐλθόντες πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀδεῶς ἐκηρύξαμεν τὸν λόγον. 1 Thess 2,4 Τὸ
εὐαγγέλιον δι' οὗ παρακαλοῦμεν τοὺς θλιβομένους, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ἐν
αὐτῇ μισθαποδοσία οὐ κατὰ πλάνην ἀλλὰ κατ' ἀλήθειαν κηρύττεται. 1 Thess 2,7
Ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπιβαρεῖς καὶ ἐπαχθεῖς διὰ τὸ ἀπαιτεῖν τιμὰς ἃς δεῖ τιμᾶσθαι ἀποστόλους
Χριστοῦ.