As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
One can’t help but be impressed with the pathos of this chapter. Though Paul was not in Thessalonica long, he had developed a loving relationship with them. This was due largely to the investment he placed in them while there but must have grown through prayer, concern for their suffering and his intense longing to return to them.
He speaks of them as brethren
They shared the same family. They had all been washed in the blood of Christ and born into the family of God.
He speaks of cherishing them as a mother would
Obviously, the simile is pictorial. He was not feminine in any way. Understand the Bible normally as well as literally.
He speaks of exhorting them as a father would
This in no way breaks the point of Matthew 23:9 (KJV) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
It’s another simile.
In a very practical way it does instruct a father’s work to exhort, comfort and charge his children. The strength of a father does tend to comfort. To be wrapped in the strong arms of your dad can support us even in our adult years. I loved getting “bear hugs” from my father. The other two, exhorting and charging, can be sources of contention between a father and his children. There comes a point when a young man especially doesn’t appreciate his dad’s “push,”
Godly humility will help him to see that this is God given work for the father.
To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
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