Chapter III.
(Vers. 1-4.)
(Vers. 1-4.) Therefore, no longer able to endure, we decided it was best to be left alone in Athens: and we sent our brother Timotheus, a minister of God in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you and to encourage you concerning your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this task. For even while we were with you, we predicted that we would suffer affliction, as it has happened, and you know. He expressed the causes mentioned above. Therefore, they wanted to be present among them in order to strengthen their spirits; so that none of them would suffer scandal from the pressures of the apostles, who performed such great signs but were sometimes weakened; thus humiliated, they were subjected to beatings and chains. In order to excuse this matter, Timothy, a suitable teacher, was sent, who would show that the merits of Christians increase from here if they give thanks for suffering for the name of the Lord, from whom they expect the reward for this matter, and at the same time pour out prayers to God, that they may be steadfast. They had predicted that they would undergo such persecution, in order to demonstrate through their knowledge of this matter that they could escape and avoid these injustices, but because there is great hope in them, therefore he says that they willingly endure the inflicted ones.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) Therefore, even I, not tolerating it any longer, sent to know your faith; lest by any means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain. That is why he says this, concerning certain ones, who could be deceived by the cunning of Satan; for in every group there is a strong part and a weak part, for whom he was concerned, lest he should lose the fruit of their faith. And because he could no longer bear not knowing what was happening with them, he sent Timothy, a bishop appointed by him, so that he could have certainty.
(Vers. 6, 7, 8.)
(Verses 6, 7, 8.) Now when Timothy came to us from you and brought us news of your faith and love and reported that you always have good memories of us, longing to see us as we also long to see you, therefore we have been comforted, brothers, in you, in all our distress and affliction, through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. He explains why he writes to them in a joyful tone; for when the messenger arrived and the Apostle learned of their firm devotion in faith and love, he was delighted by their unity and writes to them, confident in the fruit of their faith and good conduct.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verses 9, 10.) For what thanks can we render to God for you, in return for all the joy with which we rejoice on your account before our God, night and day, praying exceedingly, that we may see your face and supply what is lacking in your faith? There is nothing so worthy that it can suffice as a compensation for the salvation of the Gentiles that has been acquired. And since they had advanced in the perseverance of faith and the action of a better life, he desires more and more to see them, so that they may learn those things that pertain to the perfection of a thousand, namely the sacraments of spiritual things, which should not be easily made public; so that they may know who and how immense is He whom they hoped for as their judge. For it is one thing to accept the faith, and another to interpret the faith; for one is a discussion about the nature of the Father and the Son, and another about the persons. The Father is uncreated, but the Son is created: as far as the persons are concerned, they appear to be different, since there is an individual unity of nature; for unity is not in the person, but in the substance. However, the Holy Spirit should not be considered different; for He is considered the third. Therefore, whoever is not in doubt about the second person, also admits the third.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) But may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, guide our way to you. He requests that his journey be arranged in proper order, first by God the Father, for everything is from him; then by the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom everything exists. May the power and providence of the Father and the Son commend his arrival, and may it be pleasing to those who hear him, and may the obstacles of the devil be overcome in order to guide his journey.
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Vers. 12, 13.) May the Lord multiply you and make love abound among you and towards all, just as it does towards us in you, to strengthen your hearts in blameless holiness before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. He desires to multiply their joy, in which He rejoices over them, and to have it overflow to all good works. He wants to find even more in them when He comes, worthy of praise, than what He had heard from Timothy. He wants them to be found blameless with the saints in the love of God the Father, and at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He begins to judge each one on His tribunal. He calls God because of the terror of His majesty: but He calls Him Father because of the goodness by which He deigns to adopt believers as His children, which will be manifested in the coming of the Lord.