Power. — Rather, authority, which is power plus legitimacy, How jealously St. Paul guards the rights of the Apostolate! not for himself, but for the brethren of the Lord and Cephas (1 Corinthians 9:5), perhaps for Silas and Timothy (1 Thessalonians 2:6, Note), and for futurity. The unbounded claims of spiritual fatherhood seem copied from the Roman law of patria potestas. (Comp. Philemon 1:8; Philemon 1:19.)
To make. — Literally, in order that we might give. It was not without thought and design that they had adopted the plan.
An ensample. — The same word as in 1 Thessalonians 1:7. Literally, a model. The argument is a strong à fortiori. Whatever reason these Thessalonians might have for giving up work, St. Paul had the same, and more. He looked for the Advent, as they did; he spent his time in going about among the brethren, as they did; and over and above, he had the apostolic right to maintenance, which they had not. Why should not he have left off work, if they could justify themselves in so doing? If he thought right to work, à fortiori, it must be their duty to work too.