3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3–4 (ESV)
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. 2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:1–2 (ESV)
23 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)
26 “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (ESV)
The Thessalonian believers possessed an abundantly growing faith and increasing love for one another (2 Thess. 1:3). Therefore, the Holy Spirit prompted the Apostle Paul to boast about their faith and love. Paul boasted of the church not only to them, but also to all the other churches of God. What does it mean to biblically boast?
To boast (ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι; enkauchastai) is a present, middle, infinitive verb. It means “to express an unusually high degree of confidence in someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy.[1] Paul. Silas and Timothy were personally impressed and encouraged by the Thessalonians’ faith and love. They took appropriate pride in the church’s practical holiness and by doing so were implementing the principle found in Proverbs 27:2.
The church displayed their steadfastness and faith while in the midst of persecution (διωγμοῖς; diogmois) and affliction (θλίψεσιν; thlipesin). Persecution refers to harassment while affliction means suffering and distress. These believers in Christ were experiencing harassment and suffering for their love and faith in Christ.
However, while in the midst of this harassment and distress, they endured (ἀνέχεσθε; anechesthe). They were presently, personally and collectively bearing up with and patiently resting in the Lord. They displayed the principles articulated by James and Peter.
2 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4 (ESV)
3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:3–7 (ESV)
“Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians for their faith, love, and hope in his first epistle to them (1 Thess. 1:2–3), and he does the same thing in his second epistle (2 Thess. 1:3–4). Of course, Paul does not use the word hope in today’s passage, but he does speak of the Thessalonian Christians’ “steadfastness” (v. 4), using the same Greek word found in the expression “steadfastness of hope” in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Paul clearly understands that the Thessalonians’ steadfastness amid persecution is grounded in their hope, so we should see Paul thanking God for the faith, hope, and love of the Thessalonians in his second letter to them. As faith, hope, and love are the three cardinal Christian virtues (1 Cor. 13:13), may it be that others can thank God for their presence in our lives as well,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul
“Finally, in today’s passage the Apostle says that he boasted about the Thessalonians for their virtues. This was not unseemly, for the presence of any virtues is possible only by the work of God. By boasting in the Thessalonians, Paul boasts in what the Lord had done in them (1 Thess. 2:13; James 1:18).”
Have a blessed day in the Lord as we all seek to have steadfastness and faith while experiencing trials. May we not boast of ourselves, but of others.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 430.
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