1 Thessalonians 2:11

Ye know. Compare “ye remember” (see on v. 9).

Exhorted and comforted and charged. These words describe three major aspects of every Christian minister’s work.

As a father. In v. 7 Paul had used the figure of a nursing mother to portray the gentle, loving attitude of the evangelists toward their converts. Now he employs the part a godly father plays in the upbringing of the child as an illustration of their indefatigable work in building up the Christian experience of the young believers. They exhorted all to be faithful, encouraged the fainthearted ones, and solemnly charged and admonished any who showed signs of waywardness. And all this was done in tenderness and love.