Deeper ReflectionTHERE WAS AN INTERESTING IRONY BETWEEN PAUL AND
the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians could not even get a message
out to Paul, who was desperate to get some news about them, and
so had to send Timothy to them (1 Thess 3:1-2). Yet they somehow
managed to circulate the Gospel around Greece, to such an extent that
Paul “did not have to start from scratch in his evangelistic efforts in
those areas”
51 (vv.8-9). This reflects
the power of God at work. For
the most part, Paul had no need to push his churches to do evangelism,
for he was confident that they would continue his missionary activity,
as God’s power at work in his preaching of the Gospel continued to
be active in those who had believed in Christ.
52 Many of the newly
converted Thessalonians were idolatrous pagans. There were “so
many gods and goddesses in Thessalonica that to list them would
have taken up the bulk of the letter!”
53 So, for the Thessalonians to
have “turned to God from idols” was of great significance. Idols are
God-substitutes. Idols in modern secular society are sophisticated,
subtle, pervasive and powerful. There is always, without exception,
something that we seek first and most in life. If what we seek first
and most is not God and the things of God, but something else, that
thing is an idol. Falling short of “Seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness” (Matt 6:33) will inevitably lead to worshipping an idol.
And mostly, we are not conscious of this idolatrous worship.
51 G. K. Beale, 60
52 Gary S. Shogren, 71
53 Gary S. Shogren, 71
