6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been
6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.
6 Even though we had some standing as Christ's apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else.
6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
6 As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.
7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
7 But we were gentle
7 We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children.
7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.
(Read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion, and are most conformable to God's gracious dealing with sinners, in and by the gospel. This is the way to win people. We should not only be faithful to our calling as Christians, but in our particular callings and relations. Our great gospel privilege is, that God has called us to his kingdom and glory. The great gospel duty is, that we walk worthy of God. We should live as becomes those called with such a high and holy calling. Our great business is to honour, serve, and please God, and to seek to be worthy of him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 2:6
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6
(Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)
The apostle had no wordly design in his preaching. Suffering in a good cause should sharpen holy resolution. The gospel of Christ at first met with much opposition; and it was preached with contention, with striving in preaching, and against opposition. And as the matter of the apostle's exhortation was true and pure, the manner of his speaking was without guile. The gospel of Christ is designed for mortifying corrupt affections, and that men may be brought under the power of faith. This is the great motive to sincerity, to consider that God not only sees all we do, but knows our thoughts afar off, and searches the heart. And it is from this God who trieth our hearts, that we must receive our reward. The evidences of the apostle's sincerity were, that he avoided flattery and covetousness. He avoided ambition and vain-glory.