First & Second Thessalonians- Everyman's Bible Commentary by Charles C. Ryrie

Author:Charles C. Ryrie
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11

VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES

IN THE CHURCH

5:12–24

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ARE

LED BY LEADERS IN THE CHURCH, 5:12–13

In these two verses Paul describes what leaders should do and the proper response to their leadership by those who are being led. He admonishes the congregation to “appreciate” and “esteem” their leaders and be at peace with each other. Two factors made these admonitions especially important for the Thessalonian church. First, there was the problem caused by those who had stopped working because of their belief in the nearness of the Second Coming. Undoubtedly, the leaders had rebuked them, and the rebuke had not been well received. Therefore, Paul enjoins them to listen to the rulers of the church. Second, all the members of this church were new Christians, and most had been converted about the same time. Some, however, had become officers in the church. It must have been difficult for some to take instruction from those whom they had known all their lives and who had been saved about the same time.

While it is true that in the church all have equal spiritual privileges and blessings, it is not true that all have equal offices or responsibilities, for there are differences of gifts, and among these gifts is the gift of government, which not every believer has (1 Cor. 12:28). If there are those who govern, there are those who are governed. To this latter group Paul says three things: know and appreciate the leaders, esteem them very highly, and be at peace. To know in the fullest sense means to know the function and responsibilities of leaders and to appreciate them. To esteem (v. 13) is to think highly of their leaders. “Esteem” is followed by the same doubly compounded word as in 3:10 and means to esteem the leaders exceedingly highly in love because of their ministry. To be at peace means no schism, and this injunction is broadened to include all.

In these two verses, leaders are described in the plural, which indicates there were several, not just one, in the congregation and argues for a plurality of elders (or leaders, whatever be their label) in a local congregation.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO LEAD, 5:12–13

In these verses, Paul describes the duties of the leaders. He focuses on three things: they labor, they preside, and they admonish the people. It is clear that these are the duties of the same persons because of the single article before the three participles that describe their work. It is not too early in the history of the church to have had officers, for Paul appointed elders as early as the return leg of his first missionary journey (Acts 14:23). In general, these elders were to labor (this is the same word that appears in noun form in 1 Thess. 1:3). It means the kind of work that causes one to grow weary in the doing of it—to toil with effort is the idea. It is a favorite word of Paul’s, used frequently to describe the arduous character of his own ministry (cf.

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