FOR THE
WORD OF THE LORD HAS SOUNDED FORTH FROM YOU NOT ONLY IN MACEDONIA AND
ACHAIA: aph humon gar exechetai (3SRPI) o logos tou kuriou en te
Makedonia kai (en te) Achaia:
(Is 2:3; 52:7; 66:19; Ro 10:14, 15, 16, 17, 18; 1Co 14:36; 2Th 3:1;
Rev 14:6; 22:17)
From you pealed forth the trumpet‑call of that message of our Lord;
and not through Macedonia and Achaia only (Way)
For
(1063)
(gar) signifies an explanation of something previously
stated. It is a good practice when you encounter a "for"
at the beginning of a verse to ask "what is the author explaining?".
What would Paul be explaining in present context? Clearly he is
describing how the Thessalonians became "imitators" and "examples",
the information that follows providing the details.
From you
- These are the first words in the Greek sentence, which gives them an
emphatic meaning.
As F F Bruce writes
Having received the gospel, the Thessalonian Christians had no thought
of keeping it to themselves; by word and life they made it known to
others. From the beginning they functioned as a missionary church.
What
does the phrase "the
Word of the Lord" (the Word of
which the Lord is the Author) refer to in context? Clearly this is a
reference to the Gospel. It can be understood both as that Word of
which the Lord is the Author and as the Word with the Lord as the
object (e.g., "the gospel of God" and the "gospel of Jesus
Christ" are both the Word about God and about Jesus, Who are both
the object or focus of the message). Remember that Thessalonica was on
the
Egnatian Way
(Via Egnatia) which was
built beginning in 145 B.C. and at
its greatest extent connected Byzantium with the Adriatic ports. This
route was Rome's primary artery to the east and Philippi was an
important outpost along the road. The Egnatian Way made it easier for
Rome to move troops throughout the empire and it was the route that
Paul traveled on from Neapolis to Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia and
Thessalonica.
Thus
Thessalonica was a great commercial and political center and as such
would have functioned as a strategic point for disseminating the good
news of salvation available to all who would believe.
The
word of the Lord
is a phrase found 243 times in the OT (Gen. 15:1, 4; Exod. 9:20f; Num.
3:16, 51; 15:31; 24:13; 36:5; Deut. 5:5; 34:5; Jos. 8:8, 27; 1 Sam.
3:1, 7, 21; 15:10, 23, 26; 2 Sam. 7:4; 12:9; 22:31; 24:11; 1 Ki. 2:27;
6:11; 12:24; 13:1f, 5, 9, 17f, 20f, 26, 32; 14:18; 15:29; 16:1, 7, 12,
34; 17:2, 5, 8, 16, 24; 18:1, 31; 19:9; 21:17, 28; 22:5, 19, 38; 2 Ki.
1:17; 3:12; 4:44; 7:1, 16; 9:26, 36; 10:10, 17; 14:25; 20:4, 16, 19;
23:16; 24:2; 1 Chr. 11:3, 10; 12:23; 15:15; 17:3; 22:8; 2 Chr. 11:2,
4; 12:7; 18:4, 18; 30:12; 34:21; 35:6; 36:21f; Ezr. 1:1; Ps. 18:30;
33:4, 6; 105:19; Isa. 1:10; 2:3; 28:13f; 38:4; 39:5, 8; 66:5; Jer.
1:2, 4, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 31; 6:10; 7:2; 8:9; 9:20; 13:2f, 8; 14:1;
16:1; 17:15, 20; 18:5; 19:3; 20:8; 21:11; 22:2, 29; 23:17; 24:4; 25:3;
27:18; 28:12; 29:20, 30; 31:10; 32:6, 8, 26; 33:1, 19, 23; 34:4, 12;
35:12; 36:27; 37:6; 39:15; 42:7, 15; 43:8; 44:24, 26; 46:1; 47:1;
49:34; Ezek. 1:3; 3:16; 6:1, 3; 7:1; 11:14; 12:1, 8, 17, 21, 26;
13:1f; 14:2, 12; 15:1; 16:1, 35; 17:1, 11; 18:1; 20:2, 45, 47; 21:1,
8, 18; 22:1, 17, 23; 23:1; 24:1, 15, 20; 25:1, 3; 26:1; 27:1; 28:1,
11, 20; 29:1, 17; 30:1, 20; 31:1; 32:1, 17; 33:1, 23; 34:1, 7, 9;
35:1; 36:1, 4, 16; 37:4, 15; 38:1; Dan. 9:2; Hos. 1:1; 4:1; Joel 1:1;
Amos 7:16; 8:12; Jon. 1:1; 3:1, 3; Mic. 1:1; 4:2; Zeph. 1:1; 2:5; Hag.
1:1, 3; 2:1, 10, 20; Zech. 1:1, 7; 4:6, 8; 6:9; 7:1, 4, 8; 8:1, 18;
9:1; 11:11; 12:1; Mal. 1:1) but only 13 times in the NT in ESV (Acts
8:25; 11:16; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1Th 1:8; 2Th
3:1; 1Pe 1:25), and in the latter occurrences
is not always a reference to the gospel as it is in the present
passage. Paul uses the phrase with a similar meaning (equivalent to
the gospel) in the his second epistle writing to encourage the saints
in Thessalonica to continue in prayers to God for them (Paul, Silvanus
and Timothy)
that
the word of the Lord
will spread rapidly (keep speeding on
and swiftly running its course toward the goal with all hindrances
removed) and (continually being) be glorified, just as it did also
with you (2Thes 3:1)
In other words, as
the word of the Lord
(the gospel) spread and
produced changed lives, this word would give a proper
opinion of itself and its intrinsic, supernatural power to save dead
men from the "guttermost" to the "uttermost"
Sounded
forth
(1837) (execheo from ex = out + echo
= hold; in Lxx only in Joel 4:14) means literally to sound out (the verb is found in ancient
secular Greek manuscripts describing the sound of a trumpet or the
sound of rolling
thunder), reverberating (continuing as if in a series of echoes) or bouncing off objects (in this case the
hearts and minds of lost men and women) like an echo. The
picture is that of clearly audible, unmistakable proclamation.
The
Thessalonians became a sounding-board from which the gospel
echoed across their world. The idea is, that the
gospel was proclaimed like the sonorous voice of a trumpet echoing
from place to place. Thessalonica was a great model of a genuine
missionary church! They were a reproducing church! Their gospel
message was like ripples in a pool, spreading out in ever widening
circles - Macedonia (home base, their "Jerusalem" cf Acts
1:8)...Achaia (their "Judea and Samaria")... every place
(their "uttermost part of the earth")! What a pattern to emulate.
I really like
how William MacDonald phrases it...
We are not intended to be termini
of our blessings, but channels through which they can flow to others.
God shines in our hearts so that the light might shine out to others
(2 Cor. 4:6, JND translation). If we have really drunk the water of
salvation, then rivers of living water will flow forth to those around
us (John 7:37, 38). (MacDonald, W., &
Farstad,
A.
Believer's Bible Commentary : Old
and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
Note that these saints
at Thessalonica unlike the
self-righteous Pharisees who "tooted their own horn", were
trumpeting forth God's horn of Good News producing a clear, beautiful melody to
those who had ears to hear!
Spurgeon
wrote...
It is the vocation of faith to be a
speaker. When the heart believes, the mouth follows suit and makes
confession. Faith made Noah a preacher, and it caused it to be said of
Abel, "He being dead yet speaketh" (see note
Hebrews 11:4).
A silent faith is a questionable grace. Faith first speaks to Christ
and then for Christ. It hears his voice and then acts as an echo by
repeating it.
Bible
Knowledge Commentary has an interesting description of the
Thessalonian saints noting that...
Paul saw the Thessalonians as
amplifiers or relay stations that not only received the gospel message
but sent it farther on its way with increased power and scope. Paul’s
preaching in Thessalonica had the effect of speaking into a public
address microphone; his words were received and repeated by many
different "speakers" in many remote places where his unaided voice
could not have reached. (Walvoord,
J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible knowledge
commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor
Books).
A similar metaphor is found in God's
command to the prophet Isaiah to
Cry loudly, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their
transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins." (Isa
58:1)
John exiled to the isle of
Patmos declares
I
was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud
voice like the sound of a trumpet. (see note
Revelation 1:10)
The
perfect tense indicates that their message began at a point in
time in the past (their new birth) and continued effects were still
reverberating. It had sounded, and still it sounds, reaching far and
wide with its penetrating tones. It's sound in fact has reverberated
down to our day in their written testimony in this divinely inspired
epistle. Now that's reverberation!
The
perfect tense indicates the abiding effect of the blast;
"the blast hangs on the air as the result of the trumpet having been
blown." This is a good pattern for all
believers to emulate being mindful that our Lord called us to be
the salt (permeating, preserving)
of the earth..." and "the light of the world", letting our "light
shine before men in such a way that they may see (our) good works, and
glorify (our) Father Who is in heaven." (Mt 5:13, 14, 15, 16 -see notes on our call to be
"salt and light" in
Mt 5:13,
5:14-16)
The
Thessalonian saints were not only "receivers" (the Word came to
them, 1Th 1:5-note)
but also were good "transmitters" as demonstrated in this verse. These
ancient saints should challenge every modern believer and local church
to be active, Spirit empowered receivers and transmitters of God’s
Word!
The spread of
the gospel from Thessalonica was the result of vital Christian living
rather than aggressive missionary propaganda. Paul's picture is not
that of an organized missionary campaign on the part of the
Thessalonians aimed at spreading the gospel to the regions beyond. The
amazing joy of the Thessalonian believers under affliction has
amplified the message of the gospel, causing the reports to spread in
all directions.
Dr Warren
Wiersbe has an powerful, convicting note writing that...
election (see discussion of
election in 1Pe 1:1-note)
and evangelism go together. The person who says, "God will save those
He wants to save and He doesn’t need my help!" understands neither
election nor evangelism. In the Bible, election always involves
responsibility. God chose Israel and made them an elect nation so that
they might witness to the Gentiles. In the same way, God has chosen
the church that we might be witnesses today. The fact that we are
God’s elect people does not excuse us from the task of evangelism. On
the contrary, the doctrine of election is one of the greatest
encouragements to evangelism... The same God who ordains the end (the
salvation of the lost) also ordains the means to the end (the
preaching of the Gospel). There is no conflict between divine
sovereignty and human responsibility, even though we cannot reconcile
the two. We need more churches today where the people are enthusiastic
to share the message of salvation with others. As I write this, 2.4
billion people in our world have no visible witness of the Gospel in
their midst, or no church body. In spite of the outreach of radio,
television, and the printing press, we are losing ground in the work
of reaching the lost. Are you an enthusiastic Christian? Is your
church enthusiastic about witnessing? (Wiersbe,
W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)
From
you (aph
humon) is the preposition apo meaning away from and clearly
pictures the fact that they did not keep the good news to themselves
but were fully obedient to the last words of Jesus' in Matthew (Mt
28:18, 19, 20) and Acts (Acts 1:8).
A T Robertson
adds that from
you
pictures the Thessalonian saints
as a sounding board or radio
transmitting station (to use a modern figure). It marks forcibly both
the clear and the persuasive nature of the word of the Lord
Is the word of the Lord
APPLICATION:
Is the word sounding forth from you to the sphere of influence He has
given you?
Let these believers at Thessalonica challenge us all to let our
"trumpet sound forth", echoing the good news of the resurrected
Christ. We cannot imagine how far reaching the affects of such a
"reverberating" witness might be to the glory of the Lord.
You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do
And the words that you say.
Men read what you write,
Whether faithful or true:
Just what is the Gospel
According to you?
Peters
adds that...
Paul was consumed by a burning zeal
for a Christian universalism (Ed note: his desire that none perish but
all come to repentance) which seemed strange to the Greek, arresting
to the Roman, alarming to the Jew, and perplexing to some Christians.
His highest praise goes to the churches whose "faith is spoken of
throughout the whole world," and whose "faith to God-ward is spread
abroad" (Ro 1:9-note;
1Th 1:8). (Peters, George W: The Primacy of
Missions: Bibliotheca Sacra: Volume 119, Issue 476, page 341. Dallas
TX: Dallas Theological Seminary) (Comment: Would he give you this same
"high praise"?
BUT ALSO
IN EVERY PLACE YOUR FAITH TOWARD GOD HAS GONE FORTH: all en panti topo
e pistis humon e pros ton theon exeleluthen (3SRAI):
(Ro 1:8; 2Th 1:4; 3Jn 1:12) (Ex 18:9; 2Co 3:4)
Literally "the faith of you that toward the God"
but in every place your faith which is directed toward God has gone
forth (Wuest)
Your
faith (4102)
(pistis
- see word study) (the faith of you) The repeated article ("the") in the
original Greek makes it clear that their faith is now directed toward
the true God and not toward the idols from which they had turned. The
Thessalonian saints expressed their fidelity toward God, showing that
they had a true belief in God and in the truth which He had revealed
by their changed lives.
Toward
(4314)
is pros, the preposition of direction, indicating forward to,
toward," or "facing," and indicates that their faith was directed
toward and had as its object the God, the one true God whom they
had come to know and serve, in contrast to their former idols. Their
faith had experienced a change of direction, bringing them into a
face‑to‑face relationship with the living God.
Gone
forth (1831)
(exerchomai) means literally to to go out with the use of the
perfect tense
(like "sounded forth" above) indicating that the "going
forth" was a state of completion and was exerting a continuing
effect. This pictures their
faith like travelers having gone out in all directions.
SO THAT WE HAVE NO NEED TO SAY ANYTHING: hoste me chreian echein (PAN)
hemas lalein (PAN) ti:
Say (2980)
anything
in context refers to there being no need for Paul, Silvanus and
Timothy to say nothing of the radically changed lives of the
Thessalonians because the change was so obvious to all in this region.
Would it be true that this same thing could be said of all local
bodies in the universal body of Christ.
The effect of changed
lives shining forth in a pagan culture was also addressed in the
letter to the saints at Philippi, Paul exhorting them to
"Do all
things (how many things?) without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves
to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the
midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as
lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day
of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor
toil in vain." (see notes
Philippians 2:14-16)
Believers
today have no less of a charge to let their lives shine forth.
Holy lives are
just as persuasive as holy words. Let each of us strive according to
His power to be holy as He is holy and all the more as we see the day
of Christ's return drawing nigh.
><> ><> ><>
Our Daily Bread -
To Tell the Truth - When you think of
the term evangelism, what picture flashes onto the wall of your mind? A
large stadium filled with people? A small booklet with a set of diagrams?
A Christian wearing a pin with the symbol of a fish? A zealous believer
playing intellectual chess with a pagan opponent? A salesman convincing a
reluctant person to "try Jesus"?
Evangelism is a 10-letter dirty word to some of us. While we think it's a
dandy idea for others, we're sure it isn't for us. We're not cut out to
sell, nor shrewd enough to play intellectual games with non-Christians.
Evangelism, though, isn't about being a huckster who cons people into
buying what they don't need. It has nothing to do with grabbing people by
the lapels and shoving on them a faith that goes no deeper than the shirt
pocket. What a grim indictment resides in the remark, "You could identify
the people she had witnessed to by their haggard look."
Evangelism is simply sharing with others what we know about Jesus. "We do
not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2Corinthians 4:5). No
tricks. No deception. Speak the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the
truth—in love. Then leave the results with God.—Haddon W. Robinson (Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
It's not our task to
force God's truth
On those who may the truth detest,
But we are asked to share Christ's love
And let God's Spirit do the rest. —D. De Haan
We who know the joy of salvation should not keep it to ourselves.
><> ><> ><>
Our Daily Bread -
LASTING IMPRESSIONS - When American financier John Pierpont Morgan died in 1913, his last will
and testament revealed his genuine faith in Jesus Christ. He had prefaced
his specific bequests with these significant words:
"I commit my soul into the hands of my Savior, in full confidence that
having received it and washed it in His most precious blood He will
present it faultless before the throne of my heavenly Father. And I
entreat my children to maintain and defend, at all hazard, and at any cost
of personal sacrifice, the blessed doctrine of the complete atonement for
sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, once offered, and through that
alone."
Those words must have left a lasting impression on his heirs. Yet as
commendable as it is to leave such a clear witness to one's faith after we
die, it is even more imperative to share our faith in Christ while we are
still alive. The converts in Thessalonica responded to the witness of
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy by imitating their life and witness so that
"the word of the Lord sounded forth" beyond Macedonia and Achaia (1Th.
1:6, 7, 8). Likewise, as we spread the gospel through our words and
actions, we will leave lasting impressions on our world.- Vernon C.
Grounds
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
I love to tell the
story,
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God's own holy Word.- Hankey
Thought for the Day:
A life lived for God leaves a lasting legacy.
><> ><> ><>
Dwight Moody regularly asked
complete strangers about their spiritual life. One day he stopped a
young man and asked, "Are you a Christian?"
"It is none of your business.
"Yes it is."
"Then you must be Dwight L. Moody.
What a splendid reputation to
precede any Christian! What would others say of us if what we were
best known for became public knowledge? If the letters of our life
would form one word to describe us, what would it be? Better still,
rather than describe ourselves, with what one word would others
describe us? Evangelistic was the word that characterized Moody. What
do we say, or do, that as quickly identifies us?
