The Apostle as Nurse

The Apostle as Nurse (Deuteronomy 32: 1- 34: 12)

In chapter 2, Paul again ties the experience of persecution to believers’ identity in God and Christ. Paul recounts his and his companions’ struggles in Philippi and quickly asserts that it did not hinder their mission to the Thessalonians. In spite of great opposition, they were emboldened to speak openly and declared the gospel to the Thessalonians (2:1–2). Paul contrasts his motives and practices with that of the popular philosophers and rhetoricians of the era who sought to manipulate and exploit others for their own personal benefit. He is without guile and cares for the community like a nurse (trophos) nurturing her own children…