323 homilies of St. John Chrysostom, archbishop of constantinople, on the first epistle of St. paul the apostle to the thessalonians. ———————————— Homily I. 1 Thessalonians i. 1–3 “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace.928We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” Wherefore then, when writing to the Ephesians,929 and having Timothy with him, did he not include him with himself (in his salutation), known as he was to them and admired, for he says, “Ye know the proof of him, that as a child serveth the father, so he served with me in the Gospel” (Philip. ii. 22.); and again, “I have no man like-minded who will care truly for your state” (ver. 20.); but here he does associate him with himself? It seems to me, that he was about to send him immediately, and it was superfluous for him to write, who would overtake the letter. For he says, “Him therefore I hope to send forthwith.” (Philip. ii. 23.) But here it was not so; but he had just returned to him, so that he naturally joined in the letter. For he says, “Now when Timothy came from you unto us.” (1 Thess. iii. 6.) But why does he place Silvanus before him,930 though he testifies to his numberless good qualities, and prefers him above all? Perhaps Timothy wished and requested him to do so from his great humility; for when he saw his teacher so humble-minded, as to associate his disciple with himself, he would much the more have desired this, and eagerly sought it. For he says, “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the Church of the Thessalonians.” Here he gives himself no title—not “an Apostle,” not “a Servant”; I suppose, because the men were newly 928 [Some mss. and editions add, “from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ,” as it is added in Text. Rec. of the N.T.—J.A.B.] 929 This mistake cannot be charged on the transcribers, as Timothy is mentioned in Philip. i. 1 [and it is Philippians that he proceeds to quote from.—J.A.B.] 930 [The natural explanation is that Silas was an older man, Timothy being at the time of writing 1 Thess. (prob. A.D. 52) quite young, and indeed still noticeably young a dozen years later (1 Tim. iv. 12.). Chrys. seems to have made no systematic study of the chronology of the Epistles.—J.A.B.] Homilies on First Thessalonians.1 Thessalonians 1:1-3 569 Homilies on First Thessalonians.