¹⁷ But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 

형제들아 우리가 잠시 너희를 떠난 것은 얼굴이요 마음은 아니니 너희 얼굴 보기를 열정으로 더욱 힘썼노라

‘Only’ physically apart, but Paul describes himself as a parent whose child has been taken away from him by force by saying he was ‘orphaned’, which in Greek expression can be said of the parent as well as the child.[1]

¹⁸ For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan blocked our way. 

그러므로 나 바울은 한번 두번 너희에게 가고자 하였으나 사단이 우리를 막았도다

‘For’ works better as ‘because’ rather than ‘therefore’ here, explaining further the intense way he describes how the Thessalonians were taken away from them.  

The actual attempt to come to Thessalonica or the reason they could not is unclear but obvious reason we know of is that related to the angry mob driven by jealousy, which largely belongs to ‘love for money’ – charging/claiming what God has not. Paul goes as far as to, but quite rightly, attributing it to Satan.   

¹⁹ For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 

우리의 소망이나 기쁨이나 자랑의 면류관이 무엇이냐 그의 강림하실 때 우리 주 예수 앞에 너희가 아니냐

Still referring back to v12, the reason they desired so much to come to them in person. Their coming to the Thessalonians and the Lord’s coming back run in parallel in their desire, hope, expectation. He pictures the reunion just as that of a child being reunited to his parents after long absence.

²⁰ Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

너희는 우리의 영광이요 기쁨이니라

In that reunion they, the Thessalonians, will be found to have presented who Paul is and what he is like, just as a child resembles his or her parents’ features that even others can recognise whose child he/she much be. That is the ‘glory’ which proves the bonding between the two parties even in each other’s absence. Joy comes from that holding together, the union though apart. Often it is what the Spirit does to us, though physically we are apart from the Father.  So just as the angry mob is the ‘glory’ of Satan, the Thessalonian believers are glory of the Father and His Spirit, and also of Paul who preached Him. Whose glory are you?

Lord, when you departed us physically you said you woud not leave us as orphans and you would come to us (John 14:18)! You came to us in your Spirit and you will come again in Person too. Until then we want to be your glory, presenting you to the world,  presenting you to the people nearest to me. But Lord you know how easily I can be tossed into being the glory of Satan. O Lord have mercy. I am sifted like wheat! Please pray for me that my faith you have given me may not fail! (Luke 22:31,32) Calm me O Lord. Drive out from me the jealousy and the love for money so that people can see from my face the resemblance that matches me to you, my Father.  

Image: Buttercups shining in the sun, doing much better job than I am. My youngest says they shine like they have put suncream on 🙂

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[1] Fee, Gordon D.. The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. United States: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.