4. εἰδότες ...] ‘ having come to know …,’ a third participial clause, conveying the writers’ assured knowledge (contrast γνῶναι, 3:5) of the Thessalonians’ election, and introducing a description of the signs by which that knowledge has been reached, and is still enjoyed. ἀδελφοὶἠγαπημένοικτλ.] The ordinary address of ἀδελφοί, which is very common in these Epp., and seems always to be used with a certain emphasis attaching to it (Intr. p. 44), is here enriched by the addition of ἠγαπ. ὑπὸ [τοῦ] θεοῦ (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ἠγαπ. ὑπὸΚυρίου), a phrase which in this exact form is not found elsewhere in the N.T. (cf. Jude 1:1 τοῖςἐνθεῷπατρὶἠγαπημένοις), but occurs in the LXX, Sir 45:1 ἠγαπημένονὑπὸ (ἀπὸ à) θεοῦκ. ἀνθρώπων: cf. also its use of Ptolemy in O.G.I.S. 90, 4 al. (2./b.c.— the Rosetta stone) ἠγαπημένουὑπὸτοῦΦθᾶ. To connect ὑπὸ [τοῦ] θεοῦ with τ. ἐκλογὴνὑμ. as in the A.V. is inadmissible both on account of the order of the words, and because in St Paul’ s sense any other ἐκλογή than by God is inconceivable.The use of ἀδελφοί in the N.T. to denote members of the same religious community, fellow-Christians, was probably taken over from Judaism (Acts 2:29; Acts 2:37; Acts 3:17 &c.), and from the practice of the Lord Himself (cf. Matthew 12:48; Matthew 23:8); but it can also be illustrated from the ordinary language of the Apostles’ time. Thus in P.Tor, 1:1, 1:20 (2./b.c.) the members of a society which had to perform a part of the ceremony in embalming bodies are described as ἀδελφοὶοἱτὰςλειτουργίαςἐνταῖςνεκρίαιςπαρεχόμενοι, and in P.Par. 42, 1 &c. (2./b.c.) the same designation is applied to the ‘ fellows’ of a religious corporation established in the Serapeum of Memphis. See further Kenyon British Museum Papyri 1. p. 31, Ramsay C. and B. i. pp. 96 ff., 630, and for the evidence of the inscriptions cf. I.G.S.I. 956 b.According to Harnack, the term, as a mutual designation by Christians of one another, fell into general disuse in the course of the 3rd cent., while, as applied by ecclesiastics to the laity, it came to be confined (much as it now is) to sermons (Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums (1902), pp. 291, 303 (Engl. Tr. 2. pp. 9 f., 31 f.)).τ. ἐκλογὴνὑμῶν] There is nothing in the passage to enable us to decide whether this ἐκλογή is to be carried back to God’ s eternal decree (cf. Ephesians 1:4), or whether it refers only to the actual admission of the Thessalonians into the Church. As however it is clearly stated to be a matter of the writers’ own knowledge (εἰδότες), the thought of the historical call must certainly be included. Th. Mops.: ‘ electi estis (hoc eat, quemadmodum ad fidem accessistis).’Ἐκλογή itself, which is not found in the LXX. (cf. however Aq. Isaiah 22:7, Sm., Th. Isaiah 37:24, and for the verb Isaiah 49:7), occurs elsewhere in the N.T. six times, and always with reference to the Divine choice (Acts 9:15, Romans 9:11; Romans 11:5; Romans 11:7; Romans 11:28, 2 Peter 1:10). For an apparent instance of its use with reference to man’ s choosing see Pss. Sol. 9:7 τὰἔργαἡμῶνἐνἐκλογῇκαὶἐξουσίᾳτῖςψυχῆςἡμῶν (with Ryle and James’ note). The corresponding verb ἐκλέγεσθαι is found in the Pauline Epp. only 1 Corinthians 1:27 f., Ephesians 1:4.