When people in Thessalonica met the apostle Paul they saw something they had never seen before. They saw a plain man with a basic message, who had honest motives, and gentle manners. He was a man seeking God’s honor, not man’s honor. He wanted God’s approval, not man’s approval.
The Thessalonians had met traveling preachers, religious leaders, and philosophers, but never seen one like Paul. When they met Paul they met an authentic Christian leader.
I know many of us as Christian leaders desire to be authentic Christians, but that sometimes can be difficult when we are leaders responsible for shepherding a church. First Thessalonians 2:9–10 tells us about how to be authentic Christian leaders.
I think it’s good to remember that the New Testament letters we read are one side of a conversation. In 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8 Paul has been reminding his readers of his authority and past ministry experience. Paul seems to be defending himself possibly against an accusation that he lacked sincerity and concern for the Thessalonians. Perhaps someone had accused Paul of preaching for personal gain.It’s as if someone was saying he was preaching only for his own personal enrichment.
The Christian Leader’s Work
With that context in mind Paul writes, “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thess 2:9, NASB).[1] When Paul writes, “For you recall, brethren” it is Paul’s request for the readers to remember his visit to them.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:9 we learn about the type of work Paul did. When Paul says, “our labor,” that word “labor” he uses is the Greek word, kopos, which is derived from a verb meaning “to strike.” It means “a blow” that produces an effect. The idea is work that produces weariness.[2] The word “hardship” is translated from the Greek word, mochthos, and it’s a word for difficult labor. It describes labor which is overcoming difficulties.[3] These two words combined together convey burdensome and tiring work that Paul did.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:9 we learn about the context of work in the first-century.It was a Jewish custom that every boy should learn a trade. Even if he was being trained by a Rabbi to be a teacher of Old Testament law, each boy was given a trade of physical labor. This probably was because of economic necessity above any other reason. In Palestine there were no paid teachers. Thus a Rabbi would have another means of income in addition to gifts that were occasionally provided to him.[4]
In 1 Thessalonians 2:9 we learn about the timing of the work. It was work done “night and day.”[5] Paul and his companions worked both during the day and at night. Or they worked before it got light, while the sun was up, and they worked after the sun had set.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:9 we learn about the goal of work. Paul says they tried “not to be a burden to any of you.” In other words, they did not want to place a financial burden on any of the Thessalonians. We learn from other Scriptures that Paul was a tent-maker (Acts 18:2-3) and specifically that while in Thessalonica the church in Philippi gave him financial gifts to sustain him (Phil 4:10-15). Paul’s goal was to “proclaim to you the gospel of God.”That verb for “proclaim” is the Greek word, keryysso. It signifies the action of a herald. A herald passes on the words given to him. He does not give a message that he creates. He does not even elaborate on what he was given. He simply passes on what he has been told.
The Christian Leader’s Walk
Thus far we’ve learned about Paul’s work, now let’s learn about his walk. Paul writes, “You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers” (1 Thess 2:10).
Again we see “you are witnesses” in which Paul is addressing the Thessalonians’ personal experiences that they had with Paul and his companions (Silas and Timothy). He brings in God too, “and so is God.”
Notice the three adverbs that indicate the upright conduct of Paul’s preaching in that city: “devoutly” likely describes their inner convictions, “uprightly” likely describes their behavior in light of God’s objective standard, and “blamelessly” likely describes how their conduct was unapproachable and was able to endure the scrutiny of critics.[6] Those three adverbs describe how Paul and his companions “behaved toward the believers.” There are a few other ways that phrase could be translated such as “in the sight of you believers” or “among you believers” or “in relation to.”[7]
Authentic Christian leadership is something every Christian should have. The picture of an authentic Christian leader will look different for each person based on his or her personality, spiritual gifts, ministry context, and weaknesses. Hopefully Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 2:9–10 tell us about something we all should have in common.
CONGREGATIONAL STUDY GUIDE
- Who was an authentic leader you have known and what was that person like?
- What other Scriptures come to mind when we talk about “authentic leadership”?
- What are some steps you can take personally to be a more authentic leader?
- How can you act toward others in a way that shows you are an authentic leader?
[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
[2] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), 81.
[3] Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, NICNT, 81.
[4] Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, NICNT, 80-81. F.F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, World Biblical Commentary vol. 45 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015), 34, cities Rabban Gamaliel III (3rd century priest) that said it was good for Rabbi’s to study the Law and have a worldly profession.
[5] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 122-124, labels this as a “Genitive of Time (within which or during which).”
[6] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1933), 1 Thess 2:10.
[7] Differences in translation reflect how one should treat the force of the dative case in that phrase.