1 Thessalonians 2:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That is, not demanding honors, not indulging vainglory, and not surrounding ourselves with spear-bearers, though if we had done this, we would have done nothing strange. If ambassadors of a king receive honor, much more may we.

He did not say, "we endured dishonor," or, "we did not receive honor," which would have meant reproaching the Thessalonians. Instead he said, "we did not seek it."

Therefore, if we did not seek glory, though we could have sought it and the preaching itself required it, how can we be doing anything for glory?

Yet even if we had sought it, that could not have been charged against us. For those sent by God to men should, in all justice, receive great honor as messengers who have now appeared from heaven.

He did not say, “We endured dishonor,” or, “We did not receive honor,” lest this seem to them a reproach. Rather, he says, “We did not seek honors,” although the preaching truly required this. If we deem royal ambassadors worthy of great honor, much more should we honor the messengers of God. How, then, shall we do anything for glory, when as teachers we desired honors neither from you nor from others?

We do not seek glory when we perform signs or undergo persecution, neither from you, as you yourselves will testify, nor from others. And concerning what happened among others, to which you were not witnesses, God bears witness.

“Nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, though we might have been burdensome, as Apostles of Christ.” We are not lovers of human glory. The Apostle placed this in the middle. What is added belongs to what was said before: “nor under a pretext of greed.” For the words, “though we might have been burdensome, as Apostles of Christ,” are connected with that. They mean that we were commanded to live from the Gospel, yet did not use this right. He said “burdensome,” having in mind those who do not supply what is needed with gladness.

In all good works, do not be moved by the desire for human praise. You ought to be praised for good works, but you must not expect praises for what you do.

Let the human tongue praise you, but desire praise from God alone. Thus, when you do not seek praise from men, God will be praised by your works.

Remember how the Lord forbids us to do our alms under the pretext of human praise, saying: "Take heed that you do not do your alms before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Mt 6:1).

Yet He Himself, on the other hand, affirms: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:16).

b) The Apostle's manner of acting among the Thessalonians was as fearless and direct as it was tender and quiet. "Having previously suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi," the Apostle writes, "we were bold in our God to preach to you the Gospel of God with great struggle."

"We never had before you words of flattery, ... nor a pretext for greed. ... We might have appeared with weight, as Apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, as a nurse tenderly cares for her own children."

"Working night and day, so that we might not burden any of you, we ... exhorted, encouraged, and implored each one of you, as a father does his children, to walk worthily of God" (1 Thess 2:2, 5, 7, 9, 11-12).

Having rejected every possible unworthy motive in preaching the Gospel, the Apostle calls God Himself and the Thessalonians as witnesses that the Apostles had no unworthy aims or methods, such as flattery, greed, or vainglory.

According to Saint Chrysostom, the Apostle speaks as if saying: "We did not flatter, as men do who seek profit or power."

"With respect to flattery, the Apostle named them themselves, the Thessalonians, as witnesses, because flattering words are evident to those who hear them. With respect to greed, he named not only them, but Him Who watches over the whole universe."

"For the purpose for which something is done is often hidden from men." According to Bishop Theophan, "the calling of God as witness also extends to assurance of purity from vainglory."

No, his preaching is not the product of any self-deception, nor is it caused by any impure motives, such as greed. Likewise, its spread is not accomplished by any evil means, έν δόλω.

The Apostle acts in accordance with his high calling (vv. 3-4). The Thessalonians had full opportunity to be convinced for themselves that he never wished to flatter them.

As for greed, from which various teachers of religion so often suffered, the Apostle calls God as witness that he said nothing to the Thessalonians as though he wished to receive money from them, έν προφάαει πλεονεξίας.

The Apostle seeks neither earthly nor human glory, whether from the Thessalonians or from others who might praise him for the conversion of the Thessalonians.

"We do not seek," that is, we were not seekers of human glory either. We acted without demanding honors and without vainglory, not only among you, but everywhere and before all.

"The Apostle did not say, 'we endured dishonor,' or, 'we did not receive honor,' which would have meant reproaching the Thessalonians. Instead he said, 'we did not seek glory'" (Chrysostom).

"Although they were glorified by men, they did not seek glory themselves and did not delight in it" (Oecumenius).

In this the holy Apostles became like the Lord, Who not only did not seek glory from men (Jn 8:50), but did not receive it (Jn 5:41). Love of glory suppresses love of truth (Jn 5:44).