Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
The Thessalonians needed comforting encouragement in view of their recent anxiety that false teaching had produced. They also needed God’s grace to enable them to stand firm and do everything as unto the Lord (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-13). Too, they needed it as they continued proclaiming the gospel.