For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
All Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Go To 1 Thessalonians 2
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Are the Macedonians, tell me, your hope, O blessed Paul? Not these alone, he says. Therefore he has added, Are you not also? For what, he says, is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Observe then the words, which are those of women, inflamed with tenderness, talking to their little children. And crown of glorying, he says. For the name of crown was not sufficient to express the splendor, but also of glorying. Of what fiery warmth is this! Never could either mother, or father, yea if they even met together, and commingled their love, have shown their own affection to be equivalent to that of Paul. My joy and crown, he says, that is, I rejoice in you more than in a crown. For consider how great a thing it is, that an entire Church should be present, planted and rooted by Paul. Who would not rejoice in such a multitude of children, and in the goodness of those children? So that this also is not flattery. For he has not said ye, but ye also together with the others.
