hotcoffee
New Member
1 Thessalonians 3:1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
Everywhere Paul and Silas went there had been problems. By the time this letter was written, Paul was alone in Athens and Silas was in Macedonia. I'm not sure how they were communicating. It doesn't really tell us but I'm pretty sure they were getting news through other traveling Christians.
The three disciples, Paul, Silas, and Timothy, knew that there would be persecution and no doubt they were hearing of problems in Thessalonica. No doubt, when they were spreading the Gospel, they had been careful to relay what Jesus told them about persecution. (John 15:20)
We have seen in these forums how non-Christians can be brutal at times with their comments. During the time when this was written, Christians were beaten or stoned to death. Even now, thinking of Columbine and other such instances, standing up for Christ can indeed mean giving up your very life. Just as the Pharisees and Sadducees used Pilate to crucify Christ, the freedom from religion actions can get violent.
So Paul and Silas asked Timothy [a teenager] to go check on the Thessalonians.
