1. For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. ³ For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

Paul begins this section of his letter, which we know of as chapter 2, attempting to prove he was sincere when he came preaching the Gospel the year and a half before to their city of Thessalonica.  Because of the continuous persecution and propaganda that followed him, the Apostle Paul felt it necessary to defend his character and ministry because of the insidious attacks made upon him.  Those against him, meaning unbelievers around him, were going around discrediting him by claiming he left Philippi, their city of Thessalonica, and even Berea because he was a self-serving coward (Acts 17:5-6 and Acts 17:3).  The apostle felt strong that it wasn't only his character he was defending, but he knew it mattered for the sake of the Gospel.  If Paul was discredited, then the Gospel message itself would be discredited.

When Paul and Silas arrived in Thessalonica, they carried the fresh wounds from the beatings of the command of the city magristrate in Philippi.  Both of these men were publicly humiliated and painfully had to endure a public flogging and thrown in a dungeon in chains while in Philippi (Acts 16:23-24).

When I was on my Mediterranean trip 10 years ago, I visited the relics of the marketplace in Corinth to witness the marble Bema Judgment pole.  It showed its use of many floggings over the years.  All large cities conducted their courts publicly in the marketplace.  Philippi was no different.  It was here where thousands of people stood for crimes they were accused of committing for all people to witness.  If found guilty, they were then publicly stripped from the waist up and flogged right there as they were tied to the pole.   I stood there touching the pole while imagining the horrors of what the Apostle Paul had to endure while being flogged at the command of the city magistrate in Philippi - the last city he was in before coming to Thessalonica. 

 Only through an act of God were Paul and Silas released from prison and thrown out of Philippi.  Wasn't that proof enough, he thought of his sincerity as he and Silas continued on to share the Gospel in Thessalonica?

Paul the Tent Maker 

⁹ For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

As previous brought out, because Thessalonica was a coastal trade center, many pagan religions passed through or encompassed the city.  As such, various missionaries of these pagan religions came as opportunists, who took whatever they could from their listeners.  This was their livelihood and many became quite wealthy being missionaries for the pagan gods.

        Paul the tent maker

The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, reminded these Thessalonian believers that he covered all his own expenses while in their city by working for his keep.  When he stated that he worked night and day, he meant it.   As a tent maker, he was up before dawn working before he went out to minister during the day.  Then as evening approached, he either picked up or delivered his product to his customers and then continued working late into the night.  He always made sure he paid for his own expenses so he and his team were never dependent upon anyone for support.  As such, the apostle would never be a burden to those he preached to with the Gospel.  Unlike the pagan missionaries, the Apostle Paul would never become wealthy being an apostle for Christ, because his work as a tent maker simply paid for the expenses for him and his team so that he could minister the Gospel to the people.

¹³ For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 

How grateful Paul must have felt, knowing all that he went through to get to Thessalonica, that he had many converts.  They welcomed his message with open arms, receiving it as the truths of God and both Jew and Gentile came to believe Jesus was their Messiah and Savior.

• For the new Jewish believers:  These believers came to believe in Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah as the Scriptures foretold.  As such, they still remained Jewish in every respect, attending their synagogue every week on the Sabbath, but worshipped Jesus as the Son of God who loved them and gave Himself for them.  He sacrificed Himself for them.  They were, however, persecuted by the unbelieving Jews in their congregation who refused the Apostle Paul's message to the synagogue.

• For the new Gentile believers:  When these believers came to believe in Jesus as the Savior, they had much to lose.  They left their pagan gods, and worship of the emperor, often having much persecution from family and friends. 

There was also much friction between the Jewish believers toward the Gentile believers in that the Jewish believers thought they needed to become Jewish, which included circumcision. 

¹⁷ But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸ Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?