1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 Paul's Defense

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. [1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NASB]

Paul begins a section in which he defends his ministry. His enemies were spreading lies about him, and he felt obliged to answer them. I don't think this was vanity on Paul's part, or a selfish need to assert himself. Paul was the only source for the gospel message that the Thessalonians had heard. If Paul was discredited, then the gospel would be discredited.

Paul isn't telling them anything new, but is only reminding them of what they, themselves, had witnessed. 

Paul and his associates came to Thessalonica from Philippi, where they had  suffered on account of the gospel. Acts gives this account;

The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. [Acts 16:22-24 NASB]

To be beaten by rods is no small thing. It is by God's grace alone that there were no broken bones or internal injuries. To make matters worse, their feet were put in stocks, making it impossible to find a comfortable position to relieve the pain of the beating. 

When they arrived in Thessalonica, they almost immediately faced opposition from the Jews, who stirred up the rest of the city. 

If Paul were only preaching out of vanity, or personal gain, there is no way he would have endured such hardship.

The gospel wasn't born out of ease and comfort. It wasn't devised by a group of men sitting in a field with flowers and rainbows.

The gospel was born out of suffering. Jesus suffered and died for the sake of humanity. All of the apostle suffered because they told the world what Jesus had done. Almost all of them were martyred for their faith.

A great price was paid for the gospel. Sure, you can go to a store and by a Bible for $20.00. Or you can download a free Bible app from the internet. This does not reflect the true price of the gospel; the blood and suffering of those who gave everything to tell the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Let scholars debate the merits of different codices, or the authorship of the books, or one theological school of thought over another. 

For our own sake, let us simply accept the word of God for what it is: the word of God.

Father, I thank You for Your word. Thank you for the price that was paid to deliver the gospel to me. I pray that You will make me worthy of it.