Lexical Summary propascho: To suffer beforehand, to endure previously Original Word: προπάσχω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance suffer before. From pro and pascho; to undergo hardship previously -- suffer before. see GREEK pro see GREEK pascho Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4310: προπάσχωπροπάσχω: 2 aorist participle προπαθόντες; to suffer before: 1 Thessalonians 2:2. (Herodotus, Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato, others.) STRONGS NT 4310a: προπάτωρπροπάτωρ, προπατορος, ὁ (πατήρ), a forefather, founder of a family or nation: Romans 4:1 L T Tr WH. (Pindar, Herodotus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Dio Cassius, 44, 37; Lucian, others; Plutarch, consol. ad Apoll. c 10; Josephus, Antiquities 4, 2, 4; b. j. 5, 9, 4; Ev. Nicod. 21. 24. 25f; ecclesiastical writings.) Strong’s Greek 4310 occurs only once in the New Testament. In 1 Thessalonians 2:2 Paul uses it to describe suffering that has already been endured before entering the next stage of ministry. The word therefore gathers the ideas of prior affliction, cumulative hardship, and an experience that becomes part of the missionary’s credentials. Context in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 “After we had already suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2) The participle introduces the letter’s defense of Paul’s integrity. The apostle reminds the Thessalonian believers that his arrival in their city was not an escape from suffering but a continuation of obedience that had begun in Philippi (Acts 16:22-40). That earlier persecution did not silence the message; it sharpened it. Historical Background: Philippi and Thessalonica Philippi Thessalonica The single aorist participle in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 binds these two cities into one narrative of continuous gospel advance. Theology of Prior Suffering 1. Authentication of the messenger The scars acquired in Philippi functioned as visible proof that Paul’s motives were not mercenary (1 Thessalonians 2:3-5). Unlike traveling philosophers or peddlers of religion, he had paid a price before requesting any hearing. 2. Divine empowerment The past suffering is set against the phrase “we were emboldened by our God.” Hardship is not the source of boldness; God is. Yet the memory of endurance becomes a platform on which God builds fresh courage (compare 2 Corinthians 1:8-10). 3. Continuity with Christ Jesus foretold that His servants would be mistreated “because they do not know the One who sent Me” (John 15:21). The prior suffering of the apostolic band places them in the same redemptive pattern displayed in the cross preceding the resurrection (Philippians 3:10). Patterns of Apostolic Ministry • Perseverance under pressure Every major missionary advance in Acts is bracketed by suffering (Iconium, Lystra, Philippi, Corinth, Jerusalem). The single occurrence of 4310 encapsulates this pattern: suffering first, then fresh proclamation. • Refusal to retreat Paul did not interpret previous pain as a closed door but as a reason to continue. The term underlines the forward momentum of the gospel even when history seems to repeat hostile circumstances. • Past suffering as testimony The Thessalonians “became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in great affliction” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). Paul’s earlier endurance became the paradigm they willingly embraced. Implications for the Believer 1. Expectation of ongoing opposition “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Prior hardship is not an anomaly but part of normal discipleship. 2. Memory as fuel for faithfulness Recalling former trials strengthens present resolve. Churches can rehearse their history of God’s faithfulness to meet contemporary challenges (Psalm 77:11). 3. Preparation for future ministry The term suggests that suffering can function as a divine apprenticeship, equipping believers to speak with credibility and sympathy (2 Corinthians 1:4-7). Christological Parallels Jesus Himself “learned obedience from what He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The idea of suffering beforehand (though the Greek verb differs) is mirrored in Isaiah’s Servant who is “despised and rejected” prior to seeing the fruit of His labor (Isaiah 53:3, 11). The single New Testament use of 4310 thus fits a wider biblical motif: God ordains suffering as the pathway to redemptive accomplishment. Related Scriptures Acts 14:22; Acts 16:22-24; Acts 17:2; 2 Corinthians 11:23-28; Philippians 1:29-30; 1 Peter 2:21; Revelation 2:10. Ministry Application Church planters, missionaries, and local shepherds will often discover that the most fertile soil for gospel proclamation is found on the far side of affliction. Remembering prior suffering—personal or corporate—serves to inoculate against discouragement, foster dependence on grace, and remind believers that opposition never negates the advance of the Word. |
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