“The reason that we were able to endure so much was our consciousness of the sincerity and purity of our attention.”
Exhortation. — Exhortation is an attempt to make men take a particular line of action. “Our efforts to get men to act as we wish,” St. Paul says, “do not spring from a desire to dupe them,” etc. It is a question whether “of deceit” is the right rendering, or “of error,” “all a mistake.” If the latter, the argument would be that of Paley’s Evidences, i.e., to deduce the truth of the revelation from the sufferings of its prophets. But the points raised in contrast, in 1 Thessalonians 2:4-12, seem to preclude this meaning, which would be more likely to introduce some substantiation of the gospel truths, as in 2 Peter 1:16.
Of uncleanness. — It is possible that the word only means “with impure (or covetous) motives;” but it probably refers to the subtle forms of temptation which often accompany spiritual work. See, for example, the Greek of 1 Timothy 1:5; also 5:1, 2; 2 Timothy 3:4-7.
In guile. — The preposition is changed;” nor yet by the use of tricks;” Not only were their motives sincere and pure, but their manner of dealing straightforward.