Introduction to 1 Thessalonians:
The city of Thessalonica (or Salonika) was founded in 297 B.C. and was the chief seaport of ancient Macedonia and an important commercial and military center. After Paul and Silas were forced to leave Philippi, they traveled along the Via Egnatia, the great Roman highway to the East, to Thessalonica (Acts 16:39-17:1) where Paul taught in the synagogue for the Sabbath. The Jews did not take kindly to losing a considerable number of adherents and stirred up the locals to bring them to the city officials and accused them of promoting treasonous ideas (Acts 17:5-10). It was not clear whether Paul jumped bail, but he left quickly at night to Berea. As a result, Paul felt that he did not have enough time to ground the new believers in Thessalonica in doctrine and desired to return there, but was hindered by Satan (1 Thess. 2:17, 18). Consequently, he sent Timothy to complete the work he had begun while he headed to Athens.
1 Thessalonians was likely written by Paul around AD. 50-51 when Timothy returned to him in Corinth (Acts 18:5), bearing good news about the strong faith, love and hope of the church, except that there appeared to be some moral problems (which were not atypical among churches within the Roman empire), and also some erroneous concepts concerning the return of the Lord. So we find that this letter is neatly divided into two parts: Chapters 1-3 which contain words of encouragement, recounting their time in Thessalonica, ending with a benediction in 3:11-13; and chapters 4-5 which address problems likely reported by Timothy.
For more detailed background, you may wish to consult other fine biblical commentaries.
Before our reflection today, apart from reading the above “Introduction”, it is also helpful to read Acts 17:1-10 to get a sense of how the church in Thessalonica was started. If you were those first converts in Thessalonica, what kind of a relationship would you have with Paul, Silas and Timothy—the three greeters of this letter?
(1) Have you noticed that Paul did not address himself as an “apostle” here (as he did, say, in his letters to the Corinthians). What might be the reason?
(2) What emotions might you have (as one of the first converts) while reading this letter?
(3) This letter opens with two thanksgivings: One in 1:2-3, and the other one in 2:13. Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on the first thanksgiving and see whether your life and that of your church (and in that order) are marked by the following:
a. Work produced by faith (i.e. does the way you live have anything to do with faith)?
b. Labor prompted by love (i.e. is any of the ministries you are involved in girded by love—for God and love for the people you serve)?
c. Endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (i.e. if you are not giving up, why? Or, if you are quitting, why?)
(4) With this thanksgiving, what kind of a church in Thessalonica is being portrayed?
(5) How much might it have meant to these Thessalonian believers when Paul reminded them that they were loved by God (1:4)? What would it mean to you?
(6) According to Paul, what was the proof that they had been chosen by God? (1:5)
(7) Does the same proof apply to you? Why or why not?
(8) According to Paul, what did they have in common with him (1:6)?
(9) Do you share the same commonality with Paul and the Thessalonians?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
帖撒羅尼迦前書 — 引言
帖撒羅尼迦城是主前297年所建立的，是當時馬其頓主要的海港和重要的商業兼軍事中心。保羅和西拉被逼離開腓立比後，就沿經Via Egnatia這條羅馬向東的大道來到帖撒羅尼迦(參徒16:39-17:1)。一到這城，保羅就進會堂傳道。猶太人因見不少人信耶穌，特別是原本慕道(即猶太教的道) 的人多有信主，故此聳動合城的人拉他們到公堂。我們不曉得保羅等是否棄保潛逃，但他們終能在夜間急離，前往庇哩亞。故此，保羅深感未能充充足足的以真道來建立帖撒羅尼迦的信徒，總想再到他們當中，卻遭撒但的阻擋(帖前2:17,18) 。因而，他只能差提摩太代勞，自己前往雅典。
帖撒羅尼迦前書相信是保羅在主後50-51年，當提摩太由帖撒羅尼迦回到哥林多見他時所寫的。提摩太給他帶來的主要是好消息，稱讚帖撒羅尼迦信徒的信、望、愛，但同時發現他們中仍有道德方面的問題(是當時羅馬社會的通病) ，也有人對主再來的道理有錯誤的觀念。故此保羅以這書信作回應，在前三章憶述在他們中間的情景以作鼓勵，以3:11-13的祝福詞作結束；然後在餘下的章節就針對相信是提摩太所提出的問題來教導他們。
大家可以參考其他的福音派解經書，對這書信的背景作更詳盡的了解。
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 請先翻開使徒行傳17:1-10, 重溫這教會被建立的情況。若你是在他們開始傳道時信主的，你與這書信開始時向你問候的三人，即保羅、西拉和提摩太，有什麼關係？
(2) 為什麼保羅沒有像寫其他的書信一樣，自稱為使徒呢？
(3) 若你是這教會開始時信主的，你會以什麼的心情來閱讀這書信？
(4) 保羅在這書信中兩次為他們獻上感謝(1:2-3; 2:13) 。請細思第一次的感恩內容，看看你自己和你教會的生命(依此次序) 是否有同樣的生命表現：
a. 信心所作的工夫(即你所行的是否信心的果效？)
b. 愛心所受的勞苦(即你的事奉是否出於愛神、愛人的心？)
c. 盼望基督所存的忍耐(即辭職不再事奉的因由是什麼？)
(5) 保羅這樣為他們感恩，顯出這是一間怎樣的教會？
(6) 保羅稱他們是「被神所愛的弟兄」，對他們有什麼特別意思？
(7) 按1:4-5所言，他們是「蒙揀選」的明證是什麼？
(8) 這也是你蒙揀選的明證嗎？為什麼？
(9) 按1:6所言，他們與保羅有什麼共通之處？
(10) 你是否也與他們和保羅有同樣共通之處？
(11) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自 己的生命中？
“Paul, Silas and Timothy. To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 1:1)
In most of the epistles of the Apostle Paul, he did not hesitate to call himself an “apostle” because that’s who he was and he wrote under such an authority. It had nothing to do with pride or ego, but with the acute awareness of the awesome responsibility entrusted to him, not only in the actual verbal delivery of the Word of God, but also in his writings which served to etch the Word of God for eternity.
So, it is rather unusual and surprising to read the salutation in both his letters to the Thessalonians in which he does not mention his “title” as an “apostle”. Even his other familiar self-address, the “servant of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:1) is absent.
John
Chrysostom does have a point when he says,
“he gives himself no title—not ‘an Apostle’, not ‘a Servant’; I suppose, because the men were newly instructed, and had not yet had any experience of him, and he does not apply the title; and it was as yet the beginning of his preaching to them.” (NAPF, Chrysostom, I Thessalonians, Homily I, p.323)
But I believe it has less to do with their being “newly instructed”, but more to do with their proper understanding of who Paul was and that they already accepted his teaching “not as the word of men, but as it actually is the word of God.” (1 Thess. 2:13). In other words, they were very mature in Christ even in their infancy as Christians.
I am sure, if not for the immaturity of the rest of the churches, especially the church in Corinth and their readiness to succumb to heresies, Paul would rather not use any title at all. This is quite contrary to some servants of God today who would not hesitate to call themselves “apostles” or use other titles to boost their sense of self-importance.
「保羅、西拉、提摩太寫信給帖撒羅尼迦在父神和主耶穌基督裡的教會。願恩惠平安歸與你們！」 (帖前1:1)
保羅在他所寫的其他書信開始時，絕不介意自稱為基督耶穌的使徒，因為他確是以這位份與權柄來寫他的書信。這與驕傲無關，乃是因為他認清楚自己從神所領受的重責，不單是口傳，更是要將神的話書寫下來。
所以，他在寫給帖撒羅尼迦人的兩封信的開始，沒有用「使徒」的自稱，反而是不尋常的。他也沒有用另外一個常用的自稱，就是基督耶穌的僕人(如腓1:1) 。
先賢John Chrysostom就有這樣的見解：「他們沒有給自己任何的名堂—使徒或僕人—相信是因這些帖撒羅尼迦信徒是新受教導的，對他沒有多大交往的認識。他沒有使用任何的名稱，正因他現在才開始向他們傳講。」(VASF, Chrysostom, I Thessalonians, Homily I, p.323)
不過以愚見，這與他們是新受教導的無關，乃因他們已經很清楚保羅是誰和他的行事為人，他們已接受他的教導，「不以為是人的道，乃以為是神的道」( 帖前2:13) 。換句話說，他們雖然信主不久，卻在基督裡屬乎成長的。
我相信，如果其他的教會不是靈命尚未成長，如哥林多教會，不是這樣容易誤信異端的話，保羅也不會使用他的位份與名堂。這正與今天一些神僕有異，公然的標榜自己「使徒」的名堂，或用其他的名銜來自抬身價。
In praising the faith of the Thessalonians, Paul highlights several aspects of their faith that are worth noting and imitating:
(1) They have become a model (or pattern) to the believers in their own region (Achaia) and beyond (Macedonia). In what way(s) can your faith be a model or pattern to those around you?
(2) In what way(s) can your faith NOT be a model or pattern to those around you?
(3) Their faith was such that it was “the Lord’s message” that rang out from them. What was the message that Paul referred to in vv. 9-10?
(4) “Turning from idols to serve the living and true God”: What price did they have to pay according to Acts 17:1-10 (the passage referred to in yesterday’s devotion)?
(5) What idols have you turned away from?
(6) What price did you have to pay, if any?
(7) “To wait for His Son from heaven—Jesus”: Can you think of way(s) that these Thessalonians would have to demonstrate such an attitude of waiting?
(8) In what ways are you demonstrating that your faith is also marked by such a waiting? Or, does your life have any mark of such a waiting? Why or why not?
(9) What kind of wrath have you been rescued from by the Lord? (For the wrath of God, you may want to read Mal. 3:2, Rev. 14:10; 15:1; 16:1, 19 and 19:15)
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
在保羅對他們信心的稱讚中，有幾點是值得我們留意和學習的：
(1) 他們成為本省(亞該亞) 和鄰省(馬其頓) 信徒的榜樣：你的生命可成為你身旁的人的榜樣嗎？
(2) 你的生命在那方面不能成為你身旁的人的榜樣呢？
(3) 1:8可直譯為：「從你們(身上) 發出了神的話…」。按1:9-10所言，從他們身上發出了什麼信息？
(4) 他們「離棄偶像歸向神」要付出什麼代價？
(5) 你離棄了什麼偶像？
(6) 你曾付出了什麼代價？
(7) 「等候祂兒子從天降臨」：你可以想像他們是怎樣顯出這等候的心態呢？
(8) 你自己有沒有這樣的心態？你又是怎樣顯出來的呢？
(9) 你有否想過，你是從神什麼的忿怒中被救出(delivered)的呢？(可參瑪3:2, 啟 14:10; 15:1; 16:1, 19 & 19:15)
(10) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1 Thess. 1:10)
It this day and age, it is really infrequent that the wrath of God is being preached either from the pulpit or shared as we seek to evangelize the non-believers. We choose to talk about joy and peace and the other blessings that come from our belief in God. However, one of the fundamental truths of the good news in Jesus Christ remains that He “rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thess. 1:10).
One of the reasons that we tend to shy away from talking about the wrath of God might have to do with our misunderstanding of God’s wrath. Allow me to share a proper perspective of God’s wrath as explained by Thomas Oden:
“Wrath (orge) differs from passionate anger, which is immediate and strong; wrath is more settled in the long term. The wrath of God suggests the continuing revulsion of the holiness of God against sin. The holy God cannot abide injustice, pride, deception, and willful diminution of the good. God’s righteous wrath is directed against sin…
“His anger, to speak metaphorically, is vented against ‘all godlessness and wickedness’ (Rom. 1:18). Anger is the divine response to persistent, self-chosen human alienation, a response motivated by love. Forgiveness is made a nonevent if this deep sense of alienation is overlooked.
“One cannot think of a serious parental love that makes no effort to protect the child against evil. The parent who is not revulsed by the evil that might overtake the child is not a good parent.
“A remarkable reversal, however, happens in the story of the resistance of the holy God to sin. What happened in Christ was an act of substitution by which God demonstrated that His wrath had been turned aside so as to enable an entirely new relationship with humanity, not yielding to sin, but binding it up so as to make a new start.
“This is quite different from the prevailing forms of conciliatory rituals in the history of religions, wherein, men and women offer sacrifices to try to change a god’s attitude from wrath to friendship…Rather here it is God who is taking the initiative to change the broken relationship with humanity. The picture of a human being placating an angry deity is not characteristic of New Testament teaching. More characteristic is the picture of God’s quiet, costly approach to alienated humanity to overcome sin through sacrificial suffering.”
(Thomas Oden, The Word of Life, 395-6)
「 等候他兒子從天降臨，就是他從死裡復活的─那位救我們脫離將來忿怒的耶穌。」 (帖前1:10)
今時今日，我們在講台上，或個人的傳福音上，都真的少提到神的憤怒，好像一提就不合時宜似的。我們反而著重提到信主的喜樂平安和從神所能得到的正面福氣。但是，能免卻受到神憤怒的審判卻是「福音」基本真理的信息之一(帖前1:10) 。
或許，這現象的其中一個原因，是由於我們對神的忿怒的認識上有差錯。所以容許我和大家分享神學家Thomas Oden給我們對神的忿怒的認識上的澄清：
「憤怒(orge) 與憤怒的情緒有別。後者是立時的、是強烈的；前者是長期穩定的。神的忿怒是出於神聖潔(的本性)對罪的厭惡。聖潔的神不能容納不公、驕橫、欺騙和刻意貶低良善。神公義的忿怒是指向罪惡……
祂的忿怒，以喻意來說，是“顯明在一切不虔不義的人身上” (羅1:18) 。神的忿怒是神對持續、自我選擇(與神) 隔離的人一個神聖的、愛的回應。如果人忽視了這隔離的嚴重性，赦罪就顯得不重要了。
我們不會看重父母親的愛，如果這愛不是盡一切所能來保護孩子不受邪惡所害。凡不對能傷害孩子的邪惡產生厭惡的父母，不是好父母。
但是，在聖潔的神對罪的不接納這事上所產生的解決方法是不簡單的。在基督身上所發生的，是代罪的方法。神(在基督身上所顯) 的忿怒，使它不再臨到世人身上，以至可以叫世人與祂建立全新的關係，叫世人不再降服於罪，而能夠有新的開始。
這與其他盛行的宗教平息他們的神的忿怒所用的方法甚為不同。他們藉著獻祭，試圖改變他們的神的態度，由忿怒變成友好。但(我們的)神在此是祂採取主動來重修與人這破碎的關係。人把神繪成一個忿怒的神靈是與新約的教導相違。較合適的描繪應該是一個安靜、付上了犧牲痛苦的代價來叫拒絕祂的人類能勝過罪惡的神。」
(Thomas Oden, the Word of Life, 395-6)
(1) As you were reading the first 6 verses of this chapter, have you noticed the repetition of words like “not” and “nor”? Try to highlight these or similar words of a negative connotation.
(2) What do you think might be the reason for Paul’s defense?
(3) Why did Paul bring up his suffering and insult in Philippi (Acts 16:11ff), the city they visited prior to Thessalonica? Did his suffering in Philippi have any impact on his endeavor or ministry in Thessalonica?
(4) Paul’s defense was basically about his character. What characteristics, according to Paul, should mark the essence, motive and approach of a man (or woman) “approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel”? (2:3-5)
(5) In particular, what should mark the message of such a person?
(6) What should mark the motive of such a person?
(7) What should mark the approach of this person’s ministry?
(8) What analogy did Paul use in v. 7 to refer to his relationship with the Thessalonian believers?
(9) What marks such a relationship (as a mother) according to v. 8?
(10) What is meant by “not only sharing the gospel but our lives as well”?
(11) What is the difference between sharing the gospel only and sharing both the gospel and our lives?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Wherever Paul went, as we learn from the Acts of Apostles and from his epistles (and even from that of Peter), he encountered fierce opposition from without and within. Although no details are available about who the attackers were in Thessalonica, this passage offers us a glimpse of the criticisms he received.
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 讀到這章首六節經文時，你有否留意到保羅重複的使用「不是」和「沒有」等詞彙？試把這些負面的字都刻畫出來。
(2) 你認為保羅為何要用這些來自辯？
(3) 為何保羅在此特別提到他在腓立比(即到帖撒羅尼迦之前的城市) 的遭遇(參徒16:11ff) ？他在腓立比所受的逼迫有否影響他在帖撒羅尼迦的傳道工夫？
(4) 保羅基本上是為自己的品格自辯：從他的自辯中，他表明了「被神驗中」的人該有什麼品格，特別是在：
a. 「信息內容」(2:3)
b. 「動機」(2:3-5)
c. 「方法」上？(2:3-5)
(5) 保羅在2:7用什麼來形容他的事奉心態？
(6) 這母親心的特點包括什麼(2:7-8) ？
(7) NIV(英譯本) 把3:8部份譯為「分享生命」：分享生命和單單分享福音信息有什麼不同？
(8) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
註：從使徒行傳和保羅一般書信的記載(甚至包括彼得後書) ，我們知道保羅無論到那處，都遭受內外的批評與攻擊。雖然帖撒羅尼迦前書沒有清楚說明保羅遭受的批評是什麼，但從像2:16的經文中，我們可以稍為意會。
“but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” (1 Thess. 2:7)
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul used two analogies to express how he ministered to the Thessalonians: One is like a mother (2:7) and the other one is like a father (2:11). I am not that surprised by the second analogy, but am truly touched by the former.
The mark of a mother, as Paul points out, is gentleness. As I think of a minister of the gospel—of a pastor as a mother, I could not help but search my memory: In all the pastoral recruiting processes of which I have been part, was this one of the criteria or trait that we looked for in a candidate? Honestly, I have to say, no. Academic qualification, yes; giftedness in teaching, preaching and discipleship, yes! But gentleness as a mother? Who wants a motherly like pastor! But surprisingly, that’s what the Apostle was.
And in his motherly gentleness, the Apostle Paul seeks not only to be faithful in the sharing of the Word of God, but the sharing of his life as well (2:8). That’s what a mother does. Apart from teaching her children the way of being a decent human being, her life is marked by sleepless nights caring for her sick children, early mornings waking up to cook for them, the never-ending washing of their clothes, the constant cleaning up of the messes left by the children, and the nightly reading of stories to send them to sleep.
In other words, her entire life is devoted to the children. This is a mother. This is love. That’s what the Apostle Paul was to the church of Thessalonica, and they knew it, they felt it. No wonder the Apostle Paul did not have to address himself as “an Apostle of Christ Jesus” in his opening salutation.
「只在你們中間存心溫柔，如同母親乳養自己的孩子。」( 帖前2:7)
在帖撒羅尼迦前書，保羅用了兩個比喻來表明他事奉這教會信徒的心態：就是如同母親(2:7) 和如同父親(2:11) 一樣。我對保羅用以己如父親的比喻是理所當然的，但用母親的比喻就感到有點的意外。
保羅在此指出，母親的特性是在乎溫柔。提到一個神的僕人應有母親的溫柔，我就不禁回想過去這麼多年，在參與選召教會牧者的過程中，有否以牧者有母親的溫柔為重呢？答案是沒有。誰想召一個姐姐形的牧者(包括女傳道在內—我們情願要女強人嗎) ！但保羅卻指出，他是像母親一樣溫柔的使徒！
而保羅以母親的溫柔，不但忠心與他們分享神的話，更是分享他的生命(見NIV譯本2:8) 。這正是一個母親的生命：不但教導孩子做人，在孩子生病時早她晚不眠；每清早起來準備好早餐；每天不停的洗衣；執拾、打掃孩子弄糟的房間；更是準備床鋪、讀完晚間的故事才得歇息。
意思是說，母親的生命就是這樣全為孩子而擺上的。這就是母親；這就是愛。這就是保羅對帖撒羅尼迦信徒的心。他們是知道的，因為他們能感受得到。無怪，保羅寫信給他們時，什麼名堂也不需用了！
(1) As apostles of Christ, Paul and his companions could have taken financial support from the Thessalonians, but why didn’t they?
(2) Instead, how did they manage to survive?
(3) What was the second analogy Paul used in v. 11 to refer to his relationship with the Thessalonian believers?
(4) What marks such a relationship (as a father) according to v. 12?
(5) How did Paul demonstrate his credentials in urging the believers to live lives worthy of God, according to v. 10?
(6) Can you say the same about your own life? Why or why not?
(7) Now Paul expressed his second thanksgiving about the church in Thessalonica. What was it?
(8) As we listen to the preaching from the pulpit every Sunday, how should we demonstrate that we accept the message “not as the word of men, but as it is the word of God”?
(9) Try to compare the suffering of the churches in Judea (as detailed by Paul) with that of the Thessalonian church. How similar were they? In what way might they be different? How should the Thessalonian church be encouraged, as a result?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 作為基督的使徒，保羅當然配受金錢上的支持，為何他特別沒有接受帖撒羅尼迦人經濟上的支持？
(2) 既沒有本地人的供應，保羅以何事維生？
(3) 保羅在2:11用什麼來形容他事奉的心態？
(4) 這父親心的特點包括什麼(2:12) ？
(5) 在勸導他們行事要對得起那召他們的神時，保羅自己是先如何行事的？(參2:10)
(6) 你能像保羅這樣形容自己的生命嗎？為什麼？
(7) 保羅為這教會所獻上第二次的感恩是關乎什麼的？
(8) 我們在聽道時，應怎樣學效帖撒羅尼迦人的態度？
(9) 試把保羅所形容猶太地信徒所受的逼迫與帖撒羅尼迦信徒所受的相比：有什麼相似和不同之處？
(10) 帖撒羅尼迦信徒是否因此可以得到鼓勵？為什麼？
(11) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“…you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thess. 2:13)
Paul gave thanks for the church of Thessalonians for their work of faith, their labor of love and their endurance of hope (1:3), and also for their attitude in listening to his preaching (2:13). While the former is indeed very admirable, the latter is very foundational to a church that pleases God, because belief or faith comes from hearing (Rom. 10:14). How we hear, therefore determines if faith, love and hope can germinate in our lives. And, the Thessalonian believers had the correct attitude in listening to the preaching of Paul, because they accepted it as the word of God and not as the word of men.
It is what today’s Christians lack in their hearing of preaching today. Many Christians pick and choose whom they would listen to on Sunday to the point that some would demand the church to publish in advance who the speaker will be the following Sunday, so that they could decide whether they would come or go to another church. In essence, they hunger and thirst not after the word of God, but after the word of men.
Over the years, whether as a layman or a minister myself, irrespective of who the preacher is, as long as he “divides the word correctly” (2 Tim. 2:15), I have learned to seize the chance to draw close to God, feel the warmth of the word of God and be nourished. Regardless of whether the preaching is eloquent or not, I am aware that I am in direct contact with the very word of God. The preacher is only the messenger, the word of God remains always the meat, the Word of Life.
I still remember a time when I was still a layman, there appeared to be a misunderstanding by the pastor about me. He appeared to be directing his message against me repeatedly. Although I had learned that I could be over-sensitive, the illustrations were getting so obvious that one elder of the church came and asked me how I could continue to sit there and listen to his “attack”. Honestly, even after being so questioned by the elder, I continued to get a lot out of the pastor’s preaching, because as long as he was dividing the Word correctly, and it happened to be applicable to me, I listened as not the word of men, but the very Word of God.
「為此，我們也不住的感謝神，因你們聽見我們所傳神的道就領受了；不以為是人的道，乃以為是神的道。這道實在是神的，並且運行在你們信主的人心中。」( 帖前2:13)
保羅為帖撒羅尼迦教會先獻上感謝，是因他們的信、望、愛(1:3) 。在這裡，他再為他們獻上感謝，是因為他們聽道的態度(2:13) 。前者當然是值得感恩，但後者就更重要，因為聽道是我們信心的來源(羅10:14) 。我們怎樣聽道就影響我們是否能生發信、望、愛了。帖撒羅尼迦的信徒就有正確的聽道態度，因為他們是以保羅所傳講的是神的道，不是人的話。
這正是今天信徒在聽道上所缺乏的。不少基督徒對主日講員非常揀擇，甚至要求教會預早公佈下周講員的名字，好叫他們決定是否來崇拜，或是到另一間教會去。其實這樣的聽道，不是饑渴追求神的話，乃是追求愛聽人的話。
這麼多年，是神的恩典教導我，不論是作平信徒，或是作傳道，我都以聽道為樂。只要講員是「按正意分解真理的道」(提前2:15) ，就不論講者是誰，動聽與否，我都能藉著神的話去親近神。講者其實是信差而已，聖經的話才是生命之道。
我尚記得在作平信徒的日子，不曉得是什麼原故，有一段的日子，牧者在講臺上的信息好像老是在針對我。當然，我相信是自己敏感而已。但他所舉的例子明顯到一個地步，終於有一長老來問我：「究竟你是怎樣能安坐，聽他講道的呢？」其實，真的：我每主日在聽道時仍領受良多。因為只要講的是按正意分解的真理之道，就一定是我當側耳傾聽的，神的道，不是人的話了。