FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THE SSA LONIANS . IGl 



Vvliiie he was exercising his ministry In that city, Silas and 

 Timothy came to him from Macedonia. Acts 18 : 5. But 

 to reconcile the history with the clause in the epistle which 

 makes St. Paul say, " I thought it good to be left at Athens 

 alone, and to send Timothy unto you,'" it is necessary to sup- 

 pose that Timothy had come up with St. Paul at Athens — 

 a circumstance which the history does not mention. I re- 

 mark, therefore, that although the history does not expressly 

 notice this arrival, yet it contains intimations which render 

 it extremely probable that the fact took place. First, as 

 soon as Paul had reached Athens, he sent a message back to 

 Silas and Timothy, "for to come to him with all speed." 

 Acts 17 : 15. Secondly, his stay at Athens was on purpose 

 that they might join him there. " Now, while Paul waited 

 for them at Athe?is, his spirit was stirred in him." Acts 

 17 : 16. Thirdly, his departure from Athens docs not appear 

 to have been in any sort hastened or abrupt. It is said, 

 " after these things," namely, his disputation with the Jews, 

 his conferences wdth the philosophers, his discourse at Are- 

 opagus, and the gaining of some converts, " he departed from 

 Athens, and came to Corinth." It is not hinted that he 

 quitted Athens before the time that he had intended to leave 

 it ; it is not suggested that he was driven from thence, as 

 he was from many cities, by tumults or persecutions, r-r be- 

 cause his life was no longer safe. Observe then the partic- 

 ulars which the history does notice — that Paul had ordered 

 Timothy to follow him without delay, that he waited at 

 Athens on purpose that Timothy might come up with him, 

 that he stayed there as long as his own choice led him to 

 continue. Laying these circumstances which the history 

 does disclose together, it is highly probable that Timothy 

 3ame to the apostle at Athens ; a fact which the epistle. 

 we have seen, virtually asserts, when it makes Paul send 

 Timothy back from Athens to Thessalonica. The sending 

 back of Timothy iiito Macedonia accounts also for his not 

 coming to Corinth till after Paul had been fixed in that city 

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