When timothy returned to paul with the good news that the members of the church were standing firm in their new faith, paul wrote the first epistle to the thessalonians. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle, and is addressed to the church in thessalonica, in modernday greece. Since the subject matter of the second letter has a number of thematic similarities to the first, paul probably had received a second report from the city detailing continuing questions or problems regarding the end times. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a.
The book of 1stthessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Upon leaving thessalonica under duress, paul, silas, and timothy travelled to athens by way of berea. The two letters are the th and 14th books of the new testament canon. First thessalonians is a key book for every christian, whether a new believer or seasoned saint. We remember before our god and father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians and sent it to the church. Our sunday evening study is on the books of the bible. The theme of christs coming recurs throughout the epistle, and 1 thessalonians. Doc the first letter to the thessalonians billy c sichone. It seems that paul had at least three purposes in mind when he wrote 1 thessalonians. Paul, silas and timothy, to the church of the thessalonians in god the father and the lord jesus christ. Paul wrote the letter out of deep love and concern for the believers in thessalonica and his desire to continue to. The holy bible book 52 1 thessalonians kjv dramatized.
Thanksgiving for the thessalonians faith we always thank god for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We learn from acts that some of the jews were convinced and followed paul, but many of the new converts to whom he wrote were greeks and leading women. Paul most likely wrote 1 thessalonians from corinth shortly after timothys arrival in order to address these issues. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52. Outline of the book of 1 thessalonians pauls greetings and concerns chapters 12. This would suggest that the letter was written around 51 ad, making 1 thessalonians one of pauls earliest canonical writings. Since the subject matter of the second letter has a number of thematic similarities to the first, paul probably had received a second report from the city detailing continuing questions. Outline of the book of first thesslonians 1 thessalonians 1 1 paul, and silvanus, and timotheus, unto the church of the thessalonians which is in god the father and in the lord jesus christ. The first epistle was penned at corinth by the apostle paul in response to timothys report on the progress of the church they had recently established there 3. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, either of two new testament letters written by saint paul the apostle from corinth, greece, and addressed to the christian community he had founded in thessalonica. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle of the new testament of the. If he did not, then it is hard to decide when the book of ii thessalonians was written.
First thessalonians is the eighth of pauls letters. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. Fee as an amazon associate, if you use the link above, we receive a small percentage from qualifying purchases. Pauls letters to the thessalonians were written from corinth around 50 ad, just after he was with the church in thessalonica. Early church writers are agreed on the matter, with testimonies beginning as early as a. This quiz consists of 10 questions and the results are immediate. Most scholars agree that paul actually wrote seven of the pauline epistles galatians, 1 corinthians, 2 corinthians, romans, philemon, philippians, 1 thessalonians, but that four of the epistles in pauls name are pseudepigraphic ephesians, first timothy, second timothy, and. First thessalonians was written to commend and encourage the thessalonian believers, who were enduring persecution, and to offer consolation concerning their loved ones who had died in christ. Paul, and silvanus, and timotheus, unto the church of the thessalonians which is in god the father. The apostle paul identified himself twice as the author of this letter 1. After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the believers there within just a few months of leaving. Paul hadnt been gone from them long when he made time for his first letter to the thessalonians. More recent challenges to this traditional belief came from scholars such as william wrede in 1903 and alfred loisy in 1933, who challenged the traditional view of the authorship. The book of 1 thessalonians is a letter written from paul to the thessalonian christians to strengthen their faith and give them assurance of christs return aka the second coming.
Paul commends believers for their positive testimony, exhorts them in behalf of the. The authenticity of 1 thessalonians is affirmed as pauline by almost all nt scholars 1. The personal details shared all match what we know of paul from other new testament. Paul was relieved by the good report brought by timothy concerning the situation at thessalonica 1 thessalonians 3. For background on the church at thessalonica, see acts 17. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by paul.
The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, timothy, and silas. External evidence strongly supports pauline authorship geisler, a general introduction to the bible, pp. The believer and the second coming of christ 15 of 32 by stan coffey. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our lord jesus christ. View chuck swindolls chart of first thessalonians, which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses. He wrote it 15 years after he was born again on the road to damascus. First and second thessalonians comprise some of the earliest new testament writings. As we arrive, well look at the city and her history.
Timothy also brought some questions to paul, problems troubling the believers in thessalonica. Interesting facts about 1 thessalonians bible charts. May 07, 2012 it seems that paul had at least three purposes in mind when he wrote 1 thessalonians. The books of first and second thessalonians were both written from corinth. The theme of christs coming recurs throughout the epistle, and 1 thessalonians 4. Paul congratulates the thessalonians on their fidelity to the gospel that he had proclaimed while among them and urges them to remain steadfast in the faith. Second, he desired to correct misinformation about himself and his fellow missionaries that some of his critics in thessalonica were circulating. However, timothy soon returned with a good report, prompting paul to pen 1 thessalonians as a letter of encouragement to the new believers. Believers at thessalonica, but as with all of the epistles it is also for believers of all times. This letter to the church at thessalonica is most likely the first letter paul ever wrote. May god himself, the god of peace, sanctify you through and through. Forced out of thessalonica, paul and his team went to berea. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living.
Paul, and silvanus, and timotheus, unto the church of the thessalonians in god our father and the. Jan 23, 2014 the book of first thessalonians was written by the apostle paul who wrote about half of the new testament. Many of the details in this letter correspond to accounts in acts that place paul in corinth during the time of composition. Introduction to the first epistle to the thessalonians. Apparently it was at corinth that timothy and silas came to him and brought him word concerning the thessalonians see 1 thess. In acts, luke recorded that paul preached for three sabbath days to the jews in the local synagogue acts 17. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle of the new testament of the christian bible. Book of first thessalonians living waters tabernacle. The second epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as second thessalonians or 2 thessalonians is a book from the new testament of the christian bible. When you read 1 and 2 thessalonians, it seems pretty obvious that the apostle paul wrote them because his name is at the beginning of both. Thus, pauls first two letters were written to thessalonica.
First epistle to thessalonians read bible book online. Book of 1 thessalonians explained discover books of the bible. Schmidt published his opinion, pauls authorship of this epistle was questioned. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians to the members of the church in thessalonica. Paul wrote 2 thessalonians from corinth in ad 51 within months of writing the first letter. Thessalonians, first and second, theology of bakers. Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the church in thessalonica. A majority of scholars believe that this was the 2nd of the epistles that paul wrote, however, some believe it was the 1st. Paul the apostle to the thessalonians, abbreviation thessalonians, two new testament letters written by st. Paul wrote these letters in response to timothys report that the thessalonians church was prospering despite intense persecution from factions. Book of second thessalonians overview insight for living.
Grace be unto you, and peace, from god our father, and the lord jesus christ. Paul wanted to check on the state of the thessalonians faith, for fear that false teachers might have infiltrated their number. It seems that some confusion or misinformation about the last days were negatively affecting the church at thessalonica, and paul wrote this letter and another. The opening words of 1 thessalonians identify the authors as the coworkers paul, silvanus identified as silas in the book of acts, and timothy. The theme is the coming of the lord, and each chapter builds on an aspect of the believers life in light of it, tackling such vital subjects as perseverance through suffering. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians bible survey. Introduction to the first epistle of paul to the thessalonians. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible society.
However, some scholars believe the epistle to galatians may have been written by ad 48. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the one in thessalonica. First, he wanted to encourage the christians in thessalonica who were making good progress in their new faith. Check out this summary and commentary and the book of i thessalonians. The three men, in verse one, were only together for a few years, 4951 a. These 1 and 2 thessalonians are considered by many scholars to be the earliest of pauls epistles. This is the holy book of 1 thessalonians, known as the first epistle of paul the apostle to the thessalonians. If paul actually wrote the second letter, it was written shortly after that. The salutation of paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle.
The book of first thessalonians bella vista church of christ. Not only is 1 thessalonians the first of two letters to the church at thessalonica, it is pauls first letter period. Paul studied gods word for at least 10 years before he started his missionary journeys. It is traditionally attributed to paul the apostle, with timothy as a coauthor. Thessalonica was the most populous and prosperous city in the ancient greek. Theologians consider 1 thessalonians to be one of the first books of the new testament written. It follows his visit there on his second missionary journey see.
Watch our overview video on 1 thessalonians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Leaving berea, paul goes to athens, leaving silas and timothy in berea to establish and strengthen this infant church. Both the internal and external evidence points to paul writing this epistle. The letters called epistles from paul to thessalonica, which included i thessalonians and ii thessalonians were probably two of the earliest letters paul had written which was around a. Paul wrote his first letter to the thessalonian church from the city of corinth around ad 51, just a few months after having preached in thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Since it is agreed that paul wrote i thessalonians, the text and style of ii thessalonians can be compared to it. The first letter paul wrote to the thessalonians church was the first letter he wrote to any of the churches. The book of 1st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible.
First thessalonians was undoubtedly written from achaia probably corinth following pauls hasty departure from thessalonica and berea cf. The early church fathers ignatius, polycarp, justin martyr, irenaeus, clement of alexandria, tertullian, hippolytus, origen, eusebius agreed that paul authored this book. Paul had not spent long enough time with the church in thessalonica, and wrote this letter to. Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at athens alone. Its his first letter, or epistle, to the church in the city of thessalonica. The first and second letters to the thessalonians the new international commentary on the new testament gordon d. The first letter 1 thessalonians was written to a community of believers who had been christians for only a short period of time, probably no more than a few months. In the church of thessalonica there were some misunderstandings about the return of christ.
Paul wrote this first epistle in response to their questions, to instruct them further and give them needed comfort. The jews from thessalonica followed paul to berea and caused trouble for him there also. The city of thessalonica has an illustrious heritage. Two letters that paul wrote to the church in thessalonica are preserved in the new testament. Most scholars agree that paul actually wrote seven of the pauline epistles galatians, 1 corinthians, 2 corinthians, romans, philemon, philippians, 1 thessalonians, but that four of the epistles in pauls name are pseudepigraphic ephesians, first timothy, second timothy, and titus and that two other epistles are of. Whoever wrote second thessalonians was quite adamant that he really was the apostle paul 2 thessalonians 3. Though paul was the single inspired author, most of the first person plural pronouns we, us, our, refer to all 3. After only a brief time in the city, dangerous opposition arose from those who thought pauls message was a threat to judaism. First thessalonians was written from corinth in about 51 ad.
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