ACC ~ 1 Thessalonians 1 v6

THE JOY OF THE SPIRIT. CHRYSOSTOM: “With joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,” Paul says. So that no one can say, “How can you speak of affliction and of joy in the same breath?” he adds, “inspired by the Holy Spirit.” The affliction pertains to the body, and the joy to things spiritual. But how? The things that happened to them were burdensome, but not so the things that sprang up out of them, for the Spirit does not allow it. So then, it is possible for one who suffers not to rejoice when he is suffering for his sins but nevertheless to experience pleasure when he is being beaten and suffers for Christ’s sake. For such is the joy of the Spirit. In return for the things which seem to be burdensome, the Spirit brings delight. They have afflicted you, he says, and persecuted you, but the Spirit did not forsake you even in those circumstances. HOMILIES ON 1 THESSALONIANS 1.

TRUE IMITATION. AMBROSIASTER: Those who, eager to believe, suffer insults and injuries from their fellows, are precisely those who may be called imitators of the apostles and of the Lord himself. He suffered the same things from the Jews, as did the apostles who endured persecution as they pursued their faith in God. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS.

Col