<p>2:16- see on Mt. 19:14.</p><p><em>Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved- </em>Paul had preached in the synagogue at Thessalonica, and from this he had met Gentiles who attended the synagogue who were impressed with his message. But the Jews had forbidden him to preach; and like Peter, he had refused to be obedient. We also see here the huge and eternal significance of preaching; by speaking to men we can lead them to salvation.&nbsp;</p><p><em>By doing so they fill up the full measure of their sins. But God&rsquo;s wrath comes upon them at last</em>- The Jews forbad or hindered the apostles from preaching to the Gentiles &ldquo;to fill up their sins&hellip; for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost&rdquo; (1 Thess. 2:16). This is quoting from the LXX of Gen. 15:16 about the Amorites. See on Jn. 12:31. The religious Jews are being painted as nothing less than the worst of the Gentiles in God's eyes. This was an argument Stephen had used multiple times in his speech of Acts 7 which Paul would have heard and been convicted by. And he now repeats that same basic argument.</p><p>Not only did the Jews crucify God&rsquo;s Son, but the book of Acts makes it clear that it was Jewish opposition which was the main adversary to Paul&rsquo;s spreading of the Gospel and establishment of the early church (Acts 13:50,51; 14:2,5,619; 17:5&ndash;9,13,14; 18:6,12&ndash;17; 21:27&ndash;36; 23:12&ndash;25). Paul speaks of the Jewish opposition as having &ldquo;killed both the Lord Jesus and the first century Christian prophets, and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins&rdquo; (1 Thess. 2:13&ndash;16). These are strong words, and must be given their full weight in our assessment of the degree to which the Jews were indeed a great &lsquo;Satan&rsquo; to the cause of Christ in the first century. And Paul refers to them like this in :18.</p>