I Thessalonians 5:12
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But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
beseech--"Exhort" is the expression in Th1 5:14; here, "we beseech you," as if it were a personal favor (Paul making the cause of the Thessalonian presbyters, as it were, his own). know--to have a regard and respect for. Recognize their office, and treat them accordingly (compare Co1 16:18) with reverence and with liberality in supplying their needs (Ti1 5:17). The Thessalonian Church having been newly planted, the ministers were necessarily novices (Ti1 3:6), which may have been in part the cause of the people's treating them with less respect. Paul's practice seems to have been to ordain elders in every Church soon after its establishment (Act 14:23). them which labour . . . are over . . . admonish you--not three classes of ministers, but one, as there is but one article common to the three in the Greek. "Labor" expresses their laborious life; "are over you," their pre-eminence as presidents or superintendents ("bishops," that is, overseers, Phi 1:1, "them that have rule over you," literally, leaders, Heb 13:17; "pastors," literally, shepherds, Eph 4:11); "admonish you," one of their leading functions; the Greek is "put in mind," implying not arbitrary authority, but gentle, though faithful, admonition (Ti2 2:14, Ti2 2:24-25; Pe1 5:3). in the Lord--Their presidency over you is in divine things; not in worldly affairs, but in things appertaining to the Lord.
Open source ↗The apostle, having spoken in the end of the foregoing chapter concerning the resurrection, and the second coming of Christ, proceeds to speak concerning the uselessness of enquiring after the particular time of Christ's coming, which would be sudden and terrible to the wicked, but comfortable to the saints (Th1 5:1-5). He then exhorts them to the duties of watchfulness, sobriety, and the exercise of faith, love, and hope, as being suitable to their state (Th1 5:6-10). In the next words he exhorts them to several duties they owed to others, or to one another (Th1 5:11-15), afterwards to several other Christian duties of great importance (Th1 5:16-22), and then concludes this epistle (Th1 5:23-28).
Open source ↗5:12 honor (or know): This may be a call either to honor church leaders or to recognize the emerging leaders in the church (1 Cor 16:15-16). True leaders . . . work hard (1 Tim 4:10; 5:17) and govern to serve (Matt 20:25-28). They preside over, as well as help and protect, the church (Rom 16:1-2; 1 Tim 3:4-5, 12). • give you spiritual guidance: Leaders correct both moral and doctrinal errors (Acts 20:31; 1 Cor 4:14; Col 1:28).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
For they refreshed my spirit and yours as well. Show your appreciation, therefore, to such men.
to submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”