5:12–13 · Community leadership: After responding to the Thessalonians’ questions (4:9–5:11), the apostles take up a variety of issues, starting with the church’s relationship with their emerging leadership: “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you” (5:12a). In calling the church to respect the new leaders, the apostles literally call the church “to know” them, which means they should “recognize” who the legitimate leaders are (cf. 1 Cor. 16:15–16). What legitimized the Thessalonian leadership was not their status or social rank, as was common in Greek and Roman society, but the hard work they undertook on behalf of the congregation (5:12b; see 1:3; 1 Cor. 3:8; 15:58; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23, 27). They …