The structure of 1 Thessalonians 2:5–12

Does the positive element of the antithetical statement end after we were like young children among you (1 Thessalonians 2:7, NIV) or does it continue to the end of 1 Thessalonians 2:12? If it ends after we were like young children among you, then that statement would be Paul’s answer to all three of the denials in 1 Thessalonians 2:5–6. It would also seem surprisingly short when compared to the negative element of the statement. On the other hand, if the positive element continues to the end of 1 Thessalonians 2:12, it would seem rather long in comparison to the negative element. If this interpretation is chosen, 1 Thessalonians 2:7–12 would also need to relate to 1 Thessalonians 2:5–6 in some way.¹

Fee and Weima, who argue for the above-mentioned structuring of 1 Thessalonians 2:5–7, both understand the positive element of the antithetical statement to end after young children among you.^2,3 However, there are good reasons for understanding the positive element to extend from 1 Thessalonians 2:7b all the way through to 1 Thessalonians 2:12: first, the imagery of the family (young children, mother, father) gives a sense of unity to 1 Thessalonians 2:7–12; second, what is said in connection with each of these family images correlates with the three denials in 1 Thessalonians 2:5–6.

This starts to become clear if we outline the passage like this:

I.         An overview of Paul’s initial ministry in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:1–4)

II.        A detailed description of the ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:5–12)

A.        Negative element: what the ministry was not like (1 Thessalonians 2:5–6)

1.        Paul did not use flattery (1 Thessalonians 2:5a)

2.        Paul was not motivated by greed (1 Thessalonians 2:5b)

3.        Paul did not seek honour from people (1 Thessalonians 2:6)

B.        Positive element: what the ministry was like (but) (1 Thessalonians 2:7–12)

3.        Paul was like a young child (1 Thessalonians 2:7a)

2.        Like a mother caring for her children, Paul worked hard not to be a burden to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 2:7b-1 Thessalonians 2:8–9)

1.        Like a father, Paul urged the Thessalonians to live lives worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:10)

The reverse numbering under point II.B. (3,2,1) indicates that the first item in the positive element (young children imagery) correlates with the third item in the negative element (not seeking honour); the second item in the positive element (mother imagery) correlates with the second item in the negative element (not motivated by greed); and the third item in the positive element (father imagery) correlates with the first element in the negative element (not using flattery). This type of structure is known as a chiastic structure.