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.
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John Chrysostom
AD 407
A question lies before us today, which is much disputed, and which is gathered from many sources. But what is this question? For this cause, he says, when I could no longer forbear, I sent Timothy that I might know your faith. What do you say? He, who knew so many things, who heard unutterable words, who ascended even to the third heaven, does not he know, even when he is in Athens? And yet the distance is not great, nor has he been long parted from them. For he says, Being bereaved of you for a short season. He does not know the affairs of the Thessalonians, but is compelled to send Timothy to know their faith, lest, he says, the tempter had tempted you, and our labors should be in vain.
What then is one to say? That the Saints knew not all things. And this one might learn from many instances, both of the early ones, and of those who came after them, as Elisha knew not concerning the woman 2 Kings 4:27; as Elijah said to God, I only am left, and they seek my life. Wherefore he heard from God, I have left me seven thousand men. 1 Kings 19:10 and 18 Samuel again, when he was sent to anoint David; The Lord said to him, Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for God sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
And this comes to pass out of great care on God's part. How, and in what way? For the sake both of the Saints themselves, and of those who believe in them. For as He permits that there should be persecutions, so He permits that they should also be ignorant of many things, that they may be kept humble. On this account also Paul said, There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted over much. 2 Corinthians 12:7 And again, lest others also should have great imaginations concerning them. For if they thought they were gods from their miracles, much more if they had continued always knowing all things. And this again he also says: Lest any man should account of me above that which he sees me to be, or hears from me. 2 Corinthians 12:6 And again hear Peter, when he healed the lame man, saying, Why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk. Acts 3:12 And if even when they were saying and doing these things, and from these few and small miracles, evil imaginations were thus engendered, much more would they have been from great ones.
But for another reason too these things were allowed. For that no one might be able to say it was as being other than men that they performed those excellent actions, and so all should become supine, he shows their infirmity, that from their folly he might cut off every pretext of shamelessness. For this reason he is ignorant, for this reason also, after having purposed, he frequently does not come, that they might perceive there were many things he knew not. Great advantage then came of this. For if there were some yet saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great Acts 8:10, and some, that it is this person, or that; unless these things had been so, what would they not have thought?
But here, however, there seems to be a censure on them. But quite otherwise, it even shows their admirable conduct, and proves the excess of their temptations. How? Attend. For if you first sayest that we are appointed thereunto, and let no man be moved, why again do you send Timothy, fearing that something might happen which you would not wish. This indeed he does from his great love. For those who love suspect even what is safe, from their exceeding warmth. But this is caused by their great temptations. For I said indeed that we are appointed thereunto, but the excess of the temptations alarmed me. Wherefore he has not said, I send him as condemning you, but when I could no longer forbear, which is rather an expression of love.
What means, Lest by any means the tempter had tempted you? Do you see that to be shaken in afflictions proceeds from the devil, and from his seduction? For when he cannot shake us ourselves, he takes another way, and shakes the weaker sort through our means, which argues exceeding infirmity, and such as admits of no excuse; as he did in the case of Job, having stirred up his wife, Speak some word against the Lord, she says, and die. Job 2:9, Septuagint See how he tempted her.
But wherefore has he not said, shaken, but tempted? Because, he says, I only suspected so much, as that you had been tempted. For he does not call his temptation a wavering. For he who admits his attack is shaken. Strange! How great is the affection of Paul! He did not regard afflictions, nor plots against him. For I think that he then remained there, as Luke says, that he abode in Greece three months, when the Jews laid a plot against him. Acts 20:3
His concern therefore was not for his own dangers, but for his disciples. Do you see how he surpassed every natural parent? For we in our afflictions and dangers lose the remembrance of all. But he so feared and trembled for his children, that he sent to them Timothy, whom alone he had for his consolation, his companion and fellow-laborer, and him too in the very midst of dangers.
And our labor, he says, should be in vain. Wherefore! For even if they were turned aside, it was not through your fault, not through your negligence. But nevertheless, though this were the case, I think, from my great love of the brethren, that my labor had been rendered vain.
Lest by any means the tempter had tempted you. But he tempts, not knowing whether he shall overthrow. Does he then, even though he knows not, yet assail us, and do we, who know that we shall completely overcome him, not watch? But that he does attack us, though he knows not, he showed in the case of Job. For that evil demon said to God, Have You not made a hedge about his things within, and his things without? Take away his goods, and surely he will bless You to Your face. Job 1:10-11, Septuagint He makes trial; if he sees anything weak, he makes an attack, if strong, he desists. And our labor, he says, be in vain. Let us all hear, how Paul labored. He does not say work, but labor; he does not say, and you be lost, but our labor. So that even if anything had happened, it would be happening with some reason. But that it did not happen was a great wonder. These things indeed we expected, he says, but the contrary happened. For not only did we receive from you no addition to our affliction but even consolation.
