4. ἀλλὰκαθὼςδεδοκιμάσμεθακτλ.] ‘ but according as we have been approved by God.’ Δοκιμάζω means originally ‘ put to the test’ (cf. v. 4b, 1 Corinthians 3:13), but in the N.T. generally conveys the added thought that the test has been successfully surmounted (Romans 1:28; Romans 2:18; Romans 14:22), in accordance with the technical use of the word to describe the passing as fit for election to a public office, e.g. Plato Legg. 6:765 c, d οὓςἂνκαὶψῆφοςἡτῶνδοκιμαζόντωνδοκιμάση· ἐὰνδέτιςἀποδοκιμασθῇκτλ., and from the inscriptions such a passage as C.I.A. 3:23, 3:30 ff. νόμοςἐραν[ις]τῶν· [μη]δενὶἐ[ξ]έστω (ε)ἰσι[έν]αι [εἰς] τὴνσεμνοτά[τ]ηνσύνοδοντῶνἐρανιστῶνπ[ρὶ]νἂνδοκιμασθῇ: cf. Magn. 113, 9 ff. ἀνὴρδεδοκιμασμένοςτοῖςθείοιςκριτηρίοιςτῶνΣεβαστῶνἐπίτετῇτέχνῃκτλ. In the LXX. the idea of approval is as a rule wanting, but cf. 2Ma 4:3 διάτινοςτῶνὑπὸτοῦΣίμωνοςδεδοκιμασμένων, ‘ through one of Simon’ s tried (or trusted) followers.’ In the present passage the verb is ahnost = ἀξιοῦν (2 Thessalonians 1:11), though we must beware of finding hero any suggestion of innate fitness on the Apostles’ part (Chrys.: εἰμὴεἶδεπαντὸςἀπηλλαγμένουςβιωτικοῦ, οὐκἂνἡμᾶςεἵλετο). The whole point is that their preaching is to be referred entirely to God as its source, in contrast with the sources previously disowned: they had been, and still were, ‘ entrusted’ with it (‘ nicht befunden … sondern genommen’ Hofmann). πιστευθῆναιτὸεὐαγγέλιον] For this use of πιστεύομαι cf. Romans 3:2, Galatians 2:7, 1 Timothy 1:11, Titus 1:3, and for the construction see WM. p. 287. Πιστεύομαι c. gen. as sometimes in late Gk. (e.g. Polyb. 6:56. 13 πιστευθεὶςταλάντου) does not occur in the N.T. οὕτως] not the antecedent to the following ὡς, but = ‘ in the same manner,’ ‘ in accordance therewith’ with reference to the Divine commission just spoken of; cf. Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 5:28. οὐχὡςἀνθρώποιςἀρέσκοντες] not a mere restatement of the preceding clause in another light according to a favourite Pauline practice (cf. Colossians 1:5 b, 1:6), but an independent clause describing the manner of the Apostles’ preaching in contrast with the charge of ἐνδόλῳ, and rendered more emphatic by the substitution of οὐ for the more regular μή with the participle. On this construction for the statement of a definite fact see Moulton Prolegg. p. 231 f., where it is fully illustrated from the papyri, e.g. P.Oxy. 726, 10 f. (2./a.d.) οὐδυνάμενοςδιʼ ἀ[ς]θένειανπλεῦσαι, ‘ since he is unable through sickness to make the voyage.’ For the general thought cf. Psalms 52. (53.) 6, Pss. Son 4:8 ἀνακαλύψαιὁθεὸςτὰἔργαἀνθρώπωνἀνθρωπαρέσκων. In no case must ἀρέσκοντες be weakened into ‘ seeking to please.’ The statement is absolute, and the verb here betrays something of the idea of actual service in the interests of others (cf. Romans 15:1; Romans 15:3, 1 Corinthians 10:33), which we find associated with it in late Gk. Thus in monumental inscriptions the words ἀρέσαντεςτῇπόλει, τῇπατρίδι &c., are used to describe those who have proved themselves of use to the commonwealth as in O.G.I.S. 646, 12 (Palmyra, 3./a.d.) ἀρέσαντατῇτεαὐτῇβουλῇκαὶτῷδήμῳ. ἀλλὰθεῷτῷδοκιμάζοντικτλ.] Δοκιμάζοντι chosen here with reference to the preceding δεδοκιμάσμεθα (for a similar word-play cf. Jeremiah 6:30) shows a tendency to relapse into its original meaning of ‘ prove,’ ‘ try’ (Beza Deo exploranti, Est. ‘ vtpote cordium nostrorum inspectorem et exploratorem’ ): cf. Jeremiah 11:20 Κύριεκρίνωνδίκαια, δοκιμάζωννεφροὺςκαὶκαρδίας. Καρδία, according to Bibl. usage, is the focus of the personal life, the centre of all, intellectual as well as emotional, that goes to make up the moral character, and is thus equivalent to the inner, hidden man known to God alone, cf. 1 Regn. 16:7, Acts 1:24, Romans 8:27, Revelation 2:23, and see art. ‘ Heart’ in Hastings’ D.B. The use of the plur. here and of ψυχάς (v. 8) cannot be explained by the attraction of the plur. verb, but shows that throughout St Paul is thinking of his fellow-preachers at Thessalonica as well as of himself (Intr. p. 34 f.).