But we became gentle among you, just as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
Truth to Learn
Christian service should demonstrate love and care for others.
Behind the Words
“Gentle” is translated from the Greek word nēpios, which is made up or nē, meaning “not” and epos, which refers to “a spoken word.” Thus, nēpios literally means “one who does not speak.” Its common usage is a reference to “infants,” that is, “those who have not yet learned how to talk.” On many Greek manuscripts, however, this word appears as ēpios, meaning “one who is gentle, easy, or mild.” This seems to make more sense in the reading of this verse.
The words “among you” are from the Greek en mesō humōn, which literally translates to “in the midst of you (plural).” This implies a more intimate interaction between the apostles and the people of Thessalonica.
Trophos is the word translated “nursing mother.” It is derived from the verb trephō, meaning “to nourish, feed, or nurture.” It generally refers to “a nurse, someone who nurses an infant.” In classical Greek it was often used to indicate “a mother.”
“Tenderly cares for” is from the verb thalpō, which literally means “to make warm.” Figuratively, it means “to brood over, to foster, or to cherish.”
The word “children” is translated from the Greek noun teknon. This is based on the verb tiktō which means “to bear a child,” thus teknon refers to “an offspring” or “a child.”
Meaning Explained
In defense against false accusations, Paul has been telling the Christians in Thessalonica what the true intentions of the apostles had been while they ministered there. In the previous verse he said that they didn’t lay heavy burdens on the people to whom they ministered.
In Behind the Words we noted that there is a variation in this verse. Some manuscripts have nēpios (infants) while others have ēpios (gentle ones). Paul says that they were like a nursing mother who tenderly takes care of her children. It doesn’t make sense that he would say the apostles were children in the midst of those people and at the same time say that they were like a mother. So, his message is, instead of laying heavy burdens on the people, he and his co-workers were gentle and treated the Thessalonians with the same tender love and concern that a mother does for her own children.
Paul may have been making a reference to Moses’ complaint when he referred to himself as a nursing mother to Israel:
Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land which You swore to their fathers? (Numbers 11:12)
One of the hallmarks of Paul’s (and Moses’) ministry was that he performed his responsibilities out of his love for God and his concern for the welfare of those to whom he ministered.
Application
All of our service for God should be done out of our love for Him and our desire to gently help others to become more Christ-like. This is the heart of a true servant of God.
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved