Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
Paul was left by himself at Athens, without his fellow workers, while Timothy went elsewhere to the Thessalonian believers. His solitude there weighed upon him and left him feeling isolated from human fellowship and deeply alone. In that loneliness, as he faced the demanding and difficult work before him, he longed for the sympathy and help of his fellow workers. That work was demanding because the city was devoted to idolatry, and its people were without an informed understanding of God and of His plans for bringing them salvation.
The arrangement was made because Paul and his companions could no longer bear waiting to learn how the Thessalonian believers were doing, so they decided that Paul would remain alone at Athens while Timothy was sent to them. Paul himself longed to visit those believers in person, but since that was not then possible he wrote to them instead.
Paul was left by himself at Athens, without his fellow workers, while Timothy went elsewhere to the Thessalonian believers. His solitude there weighed upon him and left him feeling isolated from human fellowship and deeply alone. In that loneliness, as he faced the demanding and difficult work before him, he longed for the sympathy and help of his fellow workers. That work was demanding because the city was devoted to idolatry, and its people were without an informed understanding of God and of His plans for bringing them salvation.
The arrangement was made because Paul and his companions could no longer bear waiting to learn how the Thessalonian believers were doing, so they decided that Paul would remain alone at Athens while Timothy was sent to them. Paul himself longed to visit those believers in person, but since that was not then possible he wrote to them instead.