Deeper ReflectionBIBLICAL DISCIPLING AND PASTORING PEOPLE ARE A
double-barrelled ministry: By example and by education. In forming
Christ in people’s lives (cf. Gal 4:19), it is example that gives weight to
education. A principle I seek to apply in teaching and preaching is,
“Preach from the heart and out of my life.”
Paul’s spiritual education in disciplemaking has three dimensions.
Instructional dimension: “we exhorted you…encouraged you…charged
you…” (v.12). The Greek word for “exhort” could refer to “command
(appeal, exhort, request, implore) or comfort (encourage, comfort,
cheer up, console)”
18. The word for “encourage” outside of Scripture
“almost always has affective connotations, with the highly nuanced
meanings of ‘advise, encourage, console, comfort, speaking calm words
to, appease and soothe’”
19. It speaks of “encouragement for those whose
stamina is flagging”
20. The word for “charge” refers to authoritative
imploring, requiring, insisting and urging, with strong emotion, that
certain discipleship action be taken.
21 There are overlaps in meaning
for the three terms,
22 which shows that in ministry, there must be a
dynamic combination of exhorting, encouraging and charging, and also
when to wisely give particular emphasis.
Relational dimension: Paul
had a very close relationship with the Thessalonians “like a father with
his own children” (v.11).
Personal dimension: “we exhorted each
one of you” (v.12). Paul paid attention to and spent personal time with
individuals. This was Paul’s style. He did the same with the Ephesians
during his three-year stay with them (Acts 20:31). The relational and
individual dimensions require time, and thus underscore the priority of
intentionally investing time in people.
18 Jeffrey A. D. Weima, 1-2 Thessalonians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2014), 155
19 Jeffrey A. D. Weima, 155
20 Gary G. Shogren, 108
21 Jeffrey A. D. Weima, 155; Gary G. Shogren, 108; Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 2002), 136
22 Gordon D. Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 2009), 82
