II Thessalonians 1:11

Wherefore--Greek, "With a view to which," namely, His glorification in you as His saints. also--We not only anticipate the coming glorification of our Lord in His saints, but we also pray concerning (so the Greek) YOU. our God--whom we serve. count you worthy--The prominent position of the "You" in the Greek makes it the emphatic word of the sentence. May you be found among the saints whom God shall count worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1)! There is no dignity in us independent of God's calling of us (Ti2 1:9). The calling here is not merely the first actual call, but the whole of God's electing act, originating in His "purpose of grace given us in Christ before the world began," and having its consummation in glory. the good pleasure of, &c.--on the part of God [BENGEL]. faith--on your part. ALFORD refers the former clause, "good pleasure of his goodness," also to man, arguing that the Greek for "goodness" is never applied to God, and translates, "All [that is, every possible] right purpose of goodness." WAHL, "All sweetness of goodness," that is, impart in full to you all the refreshing delights of goodness. I think that, as in the previous and parallel clause, "calling" refers to GOD'S purpose; and as the Greek for "good pleasure" mostly is used of God, we ought to translate, "fulfil (His) every gracious purpose of goodness (on your part)," that is, fully perfect in you all goodness according to His gracious purpose. Thus, "the grace of our God," Th2 1:12, corresponds to God's "good pleasure" here, which confirms the English Version, just as "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" is parallel to "work of faith," as Christ especially is the object of faith. "The work of faith"; Greek, (no article; supply from the previous clause all) work of faith"; faith manifested by wo…

In these verses the apostle again tells the Thessalonians of his earnest and constant prayer for them. He could not be present with them, yet he had a constant remembrance of them; they were much upon his thoughts; he wished them well, and could not express his good-will and good wishes to them better than in earnest constant prayer to God for them: Wherefore also we pray, etc. Note, The believing thoughts and expectation of the second coming of Christ should put us upon prayer to God for ourselves and others. We should watch and pray, so our Saviour directs his disciples (Luk 21:36), Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man. Observe, I. What the apostle prayed for, Th2 1:11. It is a great concern to be well instructed what to pray for; and without divine instruction we know not what to pray for, as without divine assistance we shall not pray in such a manner as we ought. Our prayers should be suitable to our expectations. Thus the apostle prays for them, 1. That God would begin his good work of grace in them; so we may understand this expression: That our God would count you (or, as it might be read, make you) worthy of this calling. We are called with a high and holy calling; we are called to God's kingdom and glory; and no less than the inheritance of the saints is the hope of our calling, nothing less than the enjoyment of that glory and felicity which shall be revealed when Christ Jesus shall be revealed from heaven. Now, if this be our calling, our great concern should be to be worthy of it, or meet and prepared for this glory: and because we have no worthiness of our own, but what is owing purely to the grace of God, we should pray that he would make us worthy, and then count us worthy, of this calling, or th…

1:11-12 Paul assures the Thessalonian believers of God’s promised justice, both for them and their persecutors (1:5-10). Because future deliverance means carrying out present responsibilities, Paul prays that they will be found worthy at Christ’s return. 1:11 enable you to live a life worthy of his call: Paul had previously reminded the Thessalonians that God called them to conduct themselves “in a way that God would consider worthy” (1 Thes 2:12; see also Eph 4:1; Phil 1:27; Col 1:10). • Paul prayed that God would give the Thessalonian Christians power to live and work in a manner that would please God.