What makes 1 Thessalonians unique?
This short letter
provides a close look at the personal relationship Paul had with the
Thessalonian church. More than half the letter is devoted to his
prayers and thanksgiving for their faith. Paul writes like a pastor who
is concerned for his congregation and thankful for the time he has
spent with them. He repeatedly uses phrases like "You know" and "You
remember," and then reminds the Thessalonians what they have learned
from him. This makes it clear that Paul is writing to people who are
already followers of Jesus Christ.
Why was 1 Thessalonians written?
wanted to greet the Thessalonians and thank them for their
faithfulness. He also wanted to let them know that he intended to come
and see them again (3:11). Apparently some of the Thessalonian
followers had questions about what would happen to followers who had
died before Christ came back again (sometimes called the "Second
Coming"), so Paul included an answer to this question (4:13-18). He
followed up his advice by reminding them to be on the lookout for
Christ's return at all times (5:1-11). As in most of his letters, Paul
offers advice about how to live in a way that pleases God (4:1-12).
debate whether or to what extent Paul is writing to defend himself,
perhaps against accusations that he was profiting from his ministry and
neglecting the congregations he had established (see e.g., 2:3, 5,6).
When one takes into account the complex rhetorical techniques of
ancient letter-writers, however, it seems unlikely that this would have
been Paul's primary concern. Regardless of how precisely one chooses to
identify the rhetorical form Paul is using, it is safe to say, in
general, that Paul's intent was to "exhort" or "encourage" and to
"build up" (5:11) the Thessalonian believers. Beverly Roberts Gaventa
summarizes Paul's purpose this way:
Having received the report
of Timothy about the continuing faithfulness of the Thessalonians, Paul
writes to consolidate or confirm that faithfulness. He does so by
recalling the initial visit he and his coworkers made to Thessalonica
and the close personal relationships they established, by celebrating
the response of the Thessalonians to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and by
urging behavior that marks the Christian community as distinctive but
not closed. All of these concerns he locates firmly in the realm of
God's power, a power that brings faith into existence and will sustain
believers until and beyond the return of Jesus Christ. (7)
What's the story behind the scene?
author of ACTS describes the time of Paul's ministry among the
Thessalonians (Acts 17:1-10). Just how long he stayed in Thessalonica
is not clear, but Paul says in this letter that he worked long and hard
to support himself (2:9) while starting the church in Thessalonica.
This suggests that he must have stayed for at least several months.
the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in northern Greece, was
located on a major east-west highway. Many of its people had worshipped
idols before becoming Christians (1:9). But now they were faithful to
the Lord, and because of them the Lord's message had spread everywhere
in the region (1:7, 8). This letter may be the oldest of Paul's letters
found in the New Testament, and may even be the earliest of all the New
How is 1 Thessalonians constructed?
The letter can be outlined in the following way:
The Thessalonians' Faith and Paul's Work (1:1-3:13)
sends greetings to the followers of Christ at Thessalonica. He thanks
them for becoming examples of faithfulness and love for all the
followers throughout Greece. He praises them for turning away from
idols and facing mistreatment because of their faith in Christ. Paul
reminds them about how hard he worked when he was staying with them and
giving them God's message. Although Paul's co-worker, Timothy, has
given Paul good reports of their faith, Paul now hopes to visit them
Christian Living and Christ's Return (4:1-5:22)
reminds the Thessalonians that God wants them to be holy, which means
treating one another with respect and avoiding immoral behavior. He
then explains what will happen when Christ returns, a day Paul
encourages the Thessalonians to be watching for at all times.
Final Greetings (5:23-28)
warm greetings show how much he loved and appreciated the Thessalonian
Christians. He prays that God will help them remain holy until Christ
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