He now, leaving out of view the testimony of other Churches, reminds the Thessalonians of what they had themselves experienced, [1] and explains at large in what way he, and in like manner the two others, his associates, had conducted themselves among them, inasmuch as this was of the greatest importance for confirming their faith. For it is with this view that he declares his integrity -- that the Thessalonians may perceive that they had been called to the faith, not so much by a mortal man, as by God himself. He says, therefore, that his entering in unto them had not been vain, as ambitious persons manifest much show, while they have nothing of solidity; for he employs the word vain here as contrasted with efficacious He proves this by two arguments. The first is, that he had suffered persecution and ignominy at Philippi; the second is, that there was a great conflict prepared at Thessalonica. We know that the minds of men are weakened, nay, are altogether broken down by means of ignominy and persecutions. It was therefore an evidence of a Divine work that Paul, after having been subjected to evils of various kinds and to ignominy, did, as if in a perfectly sound state, shew no hesitation in making an attempt upon a large and opulent city, with the view of subjecting the inhabitants of it to Christ. In this entering in, nothing is seen that savors of vain ostentation. In the second department the same Divine power is beheld, for he does not discharge his duty with applause and favor, but required to maintain a keen conflict. In the mean time he stood firm and undaunted, from which it appears that he was held up [2] by the hand of God; for this is what he means when he says that he was emboldened. And, unquestionably, if all these circumstances are carefully considered, it cannot be denied that God there magnificently displayed his power. As to the history, it is to be found in the sixteenth and seventeenth chapters of the Acts. [Acts 16 17.]

Footnotes

1 - "Veuës et esprouuez;" -- "Seen and experienced."

2 - "Soustenu et fortifié;" -- "Sustained and strengthened."

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you - notes, 1-Thessalonians 1:9. Paul appeals to themselves for proof that they had not come among them as impostors. They had had a full opportunity to see them, and to know what influenced them. Paul frequently appeals to his own life, and to what they, among whom he labored, knew of it, as a full refutation of the slanderous accusations of his enemies; compare notes, 1-Corinthians 4:10-16; 1-Corinthians 9:19-27; 2-Corinthians 6:3-10. Every minister of the gospel ought so to live as to be able, when slanderously attacked, to make such an appeal to his people.
That it was not in vain - κενὴ kenē This word means:
(1) "empty, vain, fruitless," or without success;
(2) that in which there is no truth or reality - "false, fallacious;" Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:8.
Here it seems, from the connection 1-Thessalonians 2:3-5, to be used in the latter sense, as denoting that they were not deceivers. The object does not appear to be so much to show that their ministry was successful, as to meet a charge of their adversaries that they were impostors. Paul tells them that from their own observation they knew that this was not so.

Our entrance in unto you - His first coming to preach the Gospel was particularly owned of the Lord, many of them having been converted under his ministry. This consideration gave him a right to deliver all the following exhortations.

For (1) yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
(1) That which he mentioned before briefly concerning his apostleship, he handles now more at large, and to that end and purpose which we spoke of.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you,.... The apostle having observed in 1-Thessalonians 1:9 that those persons to whom the report of the Gospel being preached at Thessalonica, and the success of it there was made, showed everywhere both what manner of entrance he and his fellow ministers had in that place, and the conversion of many souls there; he enlarges upon the latter, and here reassumes the former, and appeals to the Thessalonians themselves, who must know full well, and better than others, what an entrance it was; and which is to be understood not merely of a corporeal entrance into their city and synagogue, but of their coming among them, by the preaching of the Gospel, as the ministers of the word and ambassadors of Christ:
that it was not in vain; it was not a vain show with outward pomp and splendour, as the public entrances of ambassadors into cities usually are; but with great meanness, poverty, reproach, and persecution, having been lately beaten and ill used at Philippi; nor was it with great swelling words of vanity, with the enticing words of man's wisdom, to tickle the ear, please the fancy, and work upon the passions of natural men, in which manner the false teachers came: but the apostle came not with deceit and guile, with flattering words or a cloak of covetousness, or with a view to vain glory and worldly advantage; nor was the message they came with, from the King of kings, a vain, light, empty, and trifling one; but solid and substantial, and of the greatest importance; the doctrine they taught was not comparable to chaff and wind; it was not corrupt philosophy and vain deceit, the traditions and commandments of men, but sound doctrine, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ: nor was it fruitless and without effect; the word did not return void and empty; but was powerful and efficacious to the conversion of many souls. Christ was with them both to assist them in their ministry, and to bless it to the salvation of men; nor was their coming to Thessalonica an human scheme, a rash enterprise, engaged in on their own heads, on a slight and empty foundation; but upon good and solid grounds, by divine direction and counsel; see Acts 16:9.

The apostle had no wordly design in his preaching. Suffering in a good cause should sharpen holy resolution. The gospel of Christ at first met with much opposition; and it was preached with contention, with striving in preaching, and against opposition. And as the matter of the apostle's exhortation was true and pure, the manner of his speaking was without guile. The gospel of Christ is designed for mortifying corrupt affections, and that men may be brought under the power of faith. This is the great motive to sincerity, to consider that God not only sees all we do, but knows our thoughts afar off, and searches the heart. And it is from this God who trieth our hearts, that we must receive our reward. The evidences of the apostle's sincerity were, that he avoided flattery and covetousness. He avoided ambition and vain-glory.

HIS MANNER OF PREACHING, AND THEIRS OF RECEIVING, THE GOSPEL; HIS DESIRE TO HAVE REVISITED THEM FRUSTRATED BY SATAN. (1Th. 2:1-20)
For--confirming 1-Thessalonians 1:9. He discusses the manner of his fellow missionaries' preaching among them (1-Thessalonians 1:5, and former part of 1-Thessalonians 2:9) at 1-Thessalonians 2:1-12; and the Thessalonians' reception of the word (compare 1-Thessalonians 1:6-7, and latter part of 1-Thessalonians 2:9) at 1-Thessalonians 2:13-16.
yourselves--Not only do strangers report it, but you know it to be true [ALFORD] "yourselves."
not in vain--Greek, "not vain," that is, it was full of "power" (1-Thessalonians 1:5). The Greek for "was," expresses rather "hath been and is," implying the permanent and continuing character of his preaching.

Our entrance . . . was not in vain. The existence of the flourishing church, where none had before existed, was proof of that fact.
Were shamefully treated . . . at Philippi. See Acts 16:19-24. Even after such cruel treatment at the first place in Europe where they preached the gospel, they were no less bold in . . . God to speak . . . the gospel at Thessalonica, the second place they labored, though with much contention. With fierce opposition. See Acts 17:13.
For our exhortation was not of deceit. The message they preached did not spring from deceit, or unclean lives, or guile. It was in all sincerity, and hence they were bold.
So we speak. God had given them the gospel as a trust. They were "stewards of the mysteries of God." They spoke as those faithful to a trust, seeking to please God instead of men.

What was proposed, 1-Thessalonians 1:5-6, is now more largely treated of: concerning Paul and his fellowlabourers, 1-Thessalonians 2:1-12; concerning the Thessalonians, 1-Thessalonians 2:13-16.