1 Thessalonians 3:12

“And the Lord make you to increase, etc.] That is, the Lord the Spirit; so that the object of prayer, addressed by the apostle, is Father, Son, and Spirit, as in (<660104>Revelation 1:4,5). The Alexandrian copy reads “God”. The Spirit is God, equally with the Father and the Son, and so a fit object of prayer with them, which otherwise he would not be. The request is, that he would cause these saints to increase in number, as the first churches greatly did: and in the gifts of the Spirit, which he divides to men severally as he will; and in his graces, as in faith, in hope, in holiness, in humility, in knowledge, in spiritual joy and strength, an increase in all which is from him: and abound…”

“The "you" in the Greek is emphatically put first; "But" (so the Greek for "and") what concerns "YOU," whether we come or not, "may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love," &c. The Greek for "increase" has a more positive force; that for "abound" a more comparative force, "make you full (supplying 'that which is lacking,' Th1 3:10) and even abound." "The Lord" may here be the Holy Spirit; so the Three Persons of the Trinity will be appealed to (compare Th1 3:13), as in Th2 3:5. So the Holy Ghost is called "the Lord" (Co2 3:17). "Love" is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), and His office is "to stablish in holiness" (Th1 3:13; Pe1 1:2).”

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love - compare notes, 2 Corinthians 9:8. The word “Lord” here probably refers to the Lord Jesus, as this is the name by which he is commonly designated in the New Testament; see the notes on Acts 1:24. If this be so, then this is a petition to the Lord Jesus as the fountain of all grace and goodness. return to 'Top of Page'”

“3:12 A characteristic of this church was their love for one another as members of God’s family (4:9; 2 Thes 1:3-4). Paul prays that their love will grow and overflow toward those outside the Christian community (cp. 1 Thes 5:15; Gal 6:10; 2 Tim 2:24; Titus 3:2) even in the face of persecution.”

“the Lord: Th1 4:10; Psa 115:4; Luk 17:5; Co2 9:10; Jam 1:17; Pe2 3:18 abound: Th1 4:9, Th1 4:10; Phi 1:9; Th2 1:3 love: Th1 5:15; Mat 7:12, Mat 22:39; Rom 13:8; Co1 13:1-13; Gal 5:6, Gal 5:13, Gal 5:14, Gal 5:22; Pe2 1:7; Jo1 3:11-19, Jo1 4:7-16 even: Th1 2:8 1 Thessalonians 3:13”