1 Thessalonians 2 Bible study: Our glory and our joy

"For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain" (2:1) (tap in vain). The next verse goes on, "but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict." (2:2) (tap conflict). The verse says no more of what happened at Philippi (see the honest question). Four times in this chapter the letter tells its readers that they know (2:1, 2:2, 2:5, 2:11), and once it says, "For you remember, brothers" (2:9); Favor's introduction to 1 Thessalonians follows these words through the letter in As you know. Then the letter says what its words were not: "For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception." (2:3). And what they were: "But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts." (2:4) (tap approved, pleasing). It goes on, "For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ." (2:5-6) (tap witness, glory). These notes say no more of the apostles of 2:6 than the verse does.

δόξαdoxasay DOX-ah

Strong's: "glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective)". Here is what almost everyone misses: "nor seeking glory from men" (2:6), "God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory" (2:12), and "For you are our glory and our joy." (2:20). Behind glory each time is this noun, and 1 Thessalonians has it only in these three verses, all in this chapter (counted in RP2018, and in all eight editions TAGNT compares). The WEB's 1 Thessalonians has the word glory nowhere else. Glory not sought from men, God's own Kingdom and glory, and then the readers themselves: "our glory" (2:20). Another letter has it in "Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31). Favor's John 1 studies the word too.