Readings for this week
Monday: Ruth 4
Tuesday: 1st Thessalonians 1
Wednesday: 1st Thessalonians 2
Thursday: 1st Thessalonians 3
Friday: 1st Thessalonians 4
Saturday: 1st Thessalonians 5
Sunday: 2nd Thessalonians 1
Introduction to 1st Thessalonians
Context
of 1st Thessalonians
Author
Paul,
missionary Apostle to the Gentiles.
Date
About
A.D. 50.
Place
of composition
Probably
Corinth or nearby Athens.
Audience
Mostly
Gentile members of a newly founded congregation in Thessalonica, Greece.
Themes
of 1st Thessalonians
The
Parousia and the Resurrection
Apparently,
some Thessalonians believed that Jesus’ reappearance would occur so swiftly
that all persons converted to Christianity would live to see the Second Coming. That
belief was shaken when some believers died before Jesus had reappeared. What
would become of them? Had the dead missed their opportunity to join Christ in
ruling over the world? Paul
explains that the recently dead are not lost but will share in the glory of
Christ’s return.
To
denote Jesus’ arrival from heaven, Paul uses the term Parousia, a Greek word meaning “presence” or “coming,” a word the
Thessalonians associated with the public appearance of a Roman Emperor.
On
Not Calculating “Dates and Times”
Although
he eagerly expects Jesus’ reappearance “soon,” Paul has no patience with those
who try to predict the exact date of the Parousia. He
discourages speculation and notes that calculating “dates and times” is futile
because “the Day of the Lord will come like a thief at midnight.”
Is
Sex Sin?
In
1st Thessalonians 4:3-8, Paul’s exhortation to get a wife in holiness and honor
and not in the passion of desire ‘is not a denial of the role of sexual desire in
marriage. Instead,
it gives advice on how to select a mate, suggesting that one should look beyond
a prospective mate’s physical appeal to broader issues of character.’”
The
Role of the Spirit
Paul
reminds the Thessalonians that the Holy Spirit’s visible activity among them is
also evidence of the world’s impending transformation. Paul
believes that Christian prophets should play a significant role in the
churches, but he is aware that enthusiastic visionaries can cause trouble. Believers
are to distinguish between “good” and “bad” inspirations, avoiding the latter,
but they are not to inhibit charismatic behavior.
Chapter
1
The
letter claims to be written by Paul, Silas, and Timothy. At the beginning is a
brief blessing of grace and peace upon the Thessalonians. Paul then speaks of
his relation to the Thessalonians. First, he gives thanks for the Thessalonians
and commends them before God. Paul then provides evidence of the Thessalonians’
Salvation saying that they have received the Gospel message as a proclamation
in Power, and that they received the joy of the Holy Spirit in the midst of
severe suffering, becoming a model to all believers.
He
then says that it’s hard to brag about them because everyone already knows how
awesome they are because they turned from idols to serve God and wait for his
Son from heaven who was raised from the dead to save us from wrath
Chapter
2
Paul
then gives a defense of his apostleship and discusses the Thessalonians’ conversion.
He mentions how badly they had been treated in Philippi and so they were afraid
to share the Gospel with the Thessalonians, but they realized their goal was
not to please people but to please God.
He
says that they never used flattery or put on a mask to cover up greed or were
looking for praise from people, but instead they were like young children among
them, caring for them like a nursing mother cares for her child. Paul says that
they urged them to live a life worthy of God, who called them into his kingdom
and glory.
Paul
then thanks God because they received the working Word and became imitators of
God’s churches in Judea. He then ironically states that on the other hand the
Jews he tried to work with…
Persecuted
the church
Killed
the Lord Jesus
Killed
the prophets
Drove
out the apostles
Displease
God
Are
hostile to everyone
Try
to prevent the Gospel from reaching the Gentiles
Always
heap up their sins to the limit
And
he adds that the wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Paul
then expresses his desire to visit them again but that Satan has hindered this.
He adds that when Jesus comes the Thessalonians will be the apostles’…
Hope
Joy
Crown
Glory
Chapter
3
He
then explains why they decided to send Timothy to them… so that he could
encourage them and report back about their faith. And he adds that Timothy has
returned to them with a good report which has encouraged them in their
persecution
The
letter then contains a transitional Benediction:
“Now
may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come
to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and
for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so
that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when
our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
Chapter
4
Paul
then discusses the Lord’s return as a motive for sanctification. He tells them
to keep learning how to please God more and more every day, and specifically
tells them not to lust like the pagans who don’t know God, and to not take advantage
of a brother or sister.
Why?
God
will punish all those who commit such sins
God
did not call us to be impure
God
called us to live a holy life
Anyone
who rejects this instruction, rejects God’s Holy Spirit
But
he then says that they don’t need to talk to them about love because God has
taught them to love one another, and they love all of God’s family throughout
Macedonia.
He
urges them…
To
keep loving more and more
To
make it their ambition to lead a quiet life
To
mind their own business
To
work with their hands
Why?
Because
we told you to
So
that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders
So
that you will not be dependent on anybody
Paul
then discusses the imminent return of the Lord. First, he discusses Resurrection,
saying that he doesn’t want them to be uninformed about those who sleep in
death or to grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope.
He
presents the first piece of evidence of the resurrection… the Resurrection of
Christ. He says, ”For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we
believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
He
then presents the second piece of evidence of the resurrection… the New
Revelation given to Paul. He says, “According to the Lord’s word, we tell you
that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will
certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
He
then provides specific details and a succession of eschatological events:
"For
the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God"
"And
the dead in Christ will rise first."
"After
that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
He
says that the result of all this will be living life forever with Christ, and he
says to encourage each other with these words.
Chapter
5
He
states that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and that while
people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly,
as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But he adds that
the Day of the Lord will be no surprise to believers because they are children
of light and that is their responsibility to stay alert. He says not to be like
those who get drunk and pass out but to be sober and to live in the day, putting
on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet
Paul
then speaks of the promises of God. The first promise is that God has appointed
us to escape from wrath through salvation in Jesus. The second promise is resurrection
for all believers. He then offers a final eschatological encouragement,
instructing them to continue building each other up.
Paul
then calls for proper hierarchical relations within the Body, saying to acknowledge
those leaders who…
Work
hard among you
Care
for you in the Lord
Admonish
you
He
says to hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work, and to live
in peace with each other.
Paul
then discusses responsible action toward “imperfect” saints, saying:
Warn
those who are idle and disruptive
Encourage
the disheartened
Help
the weak
Be
patient with everyone
Make
sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong
Always
strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else
He
also calls for reverence toward God, saying that God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus is to…
Rejoice
always
Pray
continually
Give
thanks in all circumstances
He
then speaks about critical receptiveness of prophecy, saying:
Do
not quench the Spirit
Do
not treat prophecies with contempt
But
also to test all prophesy in order to…
Hold
on to what is good
Reject
every kind of evil
Paul
then asks for prayer and instructs that this letter be read to all the brothers
and sisters, and he makes some concluding remarks, including a benediction:
“May
God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole
spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”
