Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
However, Paul gave himself, not just his message, to the Thessalonians out of love for them, not for personal gain. In this Paul followed the tradition of Jewish rabbis for whom receiving money for teaching the Law was considered shameful. [Note: Morris, The First . . ., pp.80-81.] The measure of his love was the toil and trouble he expended as he worked constantly, probably making tents and other leather articles, so he would not be a burden to them. Paul was by trade a leather-worker. [Note: R. F. Hock, The Social Context of Paul’s Ministry: Tentmaking and Apostleship, p. 21.] This is how he and his companions had heralded the gospel among them (cf. Philippians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:7-11).