保罗无论到何处传福音，都会遭遇或大或小的反对。反对主要来自犹太人，背后则是撒但的势力。两者皆出于嫉妒，如同耶稣在世上传道时所受的嫉妒一样，犹太人和撒但因失去跟随者而心生妒忌。

可能已经有从反对者来的流言在教会内留传为要中伤保罗，因此保罗为自己展开了一连串的辩护。他用了12节的篇幅提出辩护，在帖撒罗尼迦信徒面前作证，说明那些指控皆非事实。 （2:1-12）

魔鬼是谎言之父，它很清楚破坏教会要从领袖下手，它利用人的软弱诋毁传道者，抹黑传道者的动机，造谣中伤他们。最大的迫害往往来自教会内部，这是最令保罗感到痛心的事。这些攻击往往针对传道者的名声而来，保罗深知一但他的名声被诋毁了，信徒对他所传的福音就会丧失信心。

魔鬼擅长使基督徒对传道者心生怀疑，质疑他们服事的动机不单纯。但这种反对力量吓不倒保罗，他告诉帖撒罗尼迦教会用不着太惊讶，因为基督徒受苦反而是蒙基督拣选的证据，是信心的印记、光荣的标志。如果不曾为福音受苦才应该要担心，如果从来没有因跟随耶稣而遭遇困难、树立敌人、付出代价，那才要担心。

对保罗而言，受苦是正常的现象，他愿意被关、被鞭打、被丢石头，然而，一但有任何人为了破坏福音的工作而污蔑他服事的动机不单纯，他必抗辩到底。因为他在乎的不是自己的名声，而是基督的福音是否受到扺诲。

简体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/140/1TH.2.RCUVSS

繁體聖經 | https://www.bible.com/bible/139/1TH.2.RCUV

Paul encountered opposition, big or small, wherever he went to preach the gospel. The opposition primarily came from the Jews, but behind them was the power of Satan. Both were driven by jealousy, just as Jesus faced jealousy when he preached in the world, the Jews and Satan were envious because they lost followers.

There may have been rumours from the opposition circulating within the church to slander Paul, so Paul began a series of defences for himself. He took 12 verses to make his defence, testifying before the Thessalonian believers, explaining that the accusations were untrue. (2:1-12)

The devil is the father of lies, and it knows that to destroy the church, it needs to start with its leaders. It uses people's weaknesses to slander preachers, tarnish their motives, and spread rumours to defame them. The greatest persecution often comes from within the church, which was the most painful thing for Paul. These attacks often targeted the reputation of the preacher, and Paul knew that once his reputation was tarnished, the believers' faith in the gospel he preached would be lost.

The devil is good at making Christians doubt the preachers, questioning their motives. But this opposition force does not scare Paul. He tells the Thessalonian church not to be surprised, for Christians' suffering is evidence of Christ's choice, a mark of faith and a sign of glory. If they have not suffered for the gospel, then they should be worried. If they have never encountered difficulties, made enemies, or paid a price for following Jesus, then they should worry.

For Paul, suffering was a normal thing. He was willing to be imprisoned, whipped, and stoned. However, if anyone defamed his motives to spread the gospel, he would defend himself. Because what mattered to him was not his reputation, but whether the gospel of Christ was preached without hindrance.

Reading the Bible | https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1TH.2.ESV