1 Thessalonians 2:19
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul asks what his true hope and joy are, and answers that it is these very believers, presented before Christ at His coming.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Mean?
Paul asks a searching question about what he truly treasures, his 'hope,' his 'joy,' his 'crown of rejoicing.' The answer is not gold or reputation but people: 'are not even ye?' These believers themselves are his crown, and he looks ahead to the moment that matters most, standing with them 'in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.'
This reveals what Paul lived for. His prize was not a comfortable life but a church to present to Christ, men and women whose faith would be his joy on the day the Lord returns. The 'crown' here is the victor's wreath, awarded at the finish, and Paul's wreath is woven of redeemed lives. The coming of Christ frames everything; it is the great appointment toward which all his labor runs. To love people for eternity, and to long to greet the Lord together with them, is the deepest motive of true ministry. They are his joy now and will be his glory then.
In the Original Language
parousia (παρουσία), 'coming' -- arrival and presence, the term for the awaited coming of the Lord.