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1Th_3:11. Αὐτός ] is not a general introductory subject to which the special designations are annexed as an apposition: “but He, God our Father,” etc. (Luther, de Wette, Hofmann, Riggenbach. According to de Wette, whom Koch and Bisping follow, αὐτός serves for bringing forward the contrast with the petitioner). But the whole designation of the subject Αὐτὸς … Ἰησοῦς is most closely connected: But God Himself, our Father and our Lord Jesus. It has its contrast in reference to κατευθύνειν τὴν ὁδόν . Paul thinks on a κατευθύνειν τὴν ὁδόν , both on his (man’s) side and on the side of God. The first does not conduct certainly to the end, as in reference to it the power of ἐγκόπτειν is given to the devil (comp. 1Th_2:18). Only when the κατευθύνειν is undertaken by God Himself and Christ is its success assured, for then the hindrances of the devil are without power. Thus Paul contrasts simply and naturally God and Christ to himself.
ἡμῶν ] may be referred both to Θεός and to πατήρ (Hofmann, Riggenbach), so that God is called our (the Christians’) God and our Father: but it is best to restrict it to πατήρ , so that God is first considered in His existence as God simply, and then afterwards in reference to us as our Father.
καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ] This addition (comp. 2Th_2:16-17), particularly with the following κατευθύναι , which is to be understood as the third person singular optative aorist, not as the infinitive (see Winer, ed. 5, p. 383), might appear strange. But, according to the Pauline view (comp. Usteri, Lehrbegr. p. 301), Christ, exalted to the right hand of the Father, takes part in the government of the world, and orders everything for the promotion of His kingdom. And, inasmuch as His will is not different from the will of God, but identical with it, the verb in the singular is suitable.
κατευθύναι ] make straight, plain, so in order that it can be trod. Without a figure: may cause it to be realized.
πρὸς ὑμᾶς ] belongs not to τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῶν , but to κατευθύναι .