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1Th_2:12. Μαρτύρεσθαι ] (comp. Eph_4:17) in the sense of διαμαρτύρεσθαι (1Ti_5:21; 2Ti_2:14; 2Ti_4:1), earnestly conjuring; comp. also Thucyd. vi. 80: δεόμεθα δὲ καὶ μαρτυρόμεθα ἅμα , and viii. 53: μαρτυρομένων καὶ ἐπιθειαζόντων μὴ κατάγειν , which later passage is peculiarly interesting on this account, because there (as in our verse, see critical notes) most MSS. read the meaningless μαρτυρουμένων . μαρτυρόμενοι strengthens the two former participles.
εἰς τὸ περιπατεῖν ὑμᾶς κ . τ . λ .] contains not the design (de Wette, Koch), also not the design and effect of the exhortation (Schott), but is the object to all three preceding participles. The meaning is: Calling on you, and exhorting, and adjuring you to a walk worthy of God, i.e. to make such a walk yours. But Christians walk ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ (comp. Col_1:10; Eph_4:1; Rom_16:2; Php_1:27; 3Jn_1:6), when they actually prove by their conduct and behaviour that they are mindful of those blessings, which the grace of God has vouchsafed to them, and of the undisturbed blessedness which He promises them in the future.
τοῦ καλοῦντος ] The present occurs, because the call already indeed made to the Thessalonians is uninterruptedly continued, until the completion succeeds to the call and invitation, namely, at Christ’s return. The meaning of Hofmann is wide of the mark: that by the present, the call is indicated as such that would become wholly in vain for those who walk unworthily.
βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν ] not an ἓν διὰ δυοῖν ; to the kingdom of His glory, or to the glory of His kingdom (Turretin, Benson, Bolten, Koppe, Olshausen). Both substantives have the same rank and the same emphasis. Baumgarten-Crusius erroneously distinguishes βασιλεία and δόξα as the earthly and heavenly kingdom of God. Further, δόξα is not the glory of the Messianic kingdom, which is specially brought forward after the general βασιλείαν (de Wette); but God calls the readers to participate in His kingdom (i.e. the Messianic) and in His (God’s) glory, for Christians are destined to enter upon the joint possession of the δόξα which God Himself has; comp. Rom_5:2; Eph_3:19.