INTRODUCTION
To the First Epistle to the
Thessalonians
The ancient city of
The city was founded in 315
B.C. by Cassander.
He named it after his wife, the daughter of Philip and the stepsister of
Alexander the Great. The town served as
a Macedonian naval station.
When
The city lay astride the
THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA
Paul first came to
Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. Acts 17:1-10 relates the story.
1. Ministry
in the Synagogue: Now when they had
traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And
according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned
with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to
suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming
to you is the Christ.” (Acts 17:1-3).
Paul
regularly made it his practice to begin ministry in any given city by targeting
the synagogue. This is the place where
the Bible was already being taught. It
was the place where there were people to be found who knew of the Lord. They had heard of the Old Testament promises
of a coming Messiah. What they had not
heard was that Messiah was to suffer and to rise from the dead.
Paul
came to the place where there was some truth already being taught and he built
upon that foundation.
Paul’s
ministry at the synagogue of Thessalonica took place over a period of three
Sabbaths. After this time, he apparently
removed himself from the synagogue and this small, fledgling church began
meeting on its own. Paul mentions in
Philippians 4:16 that, while he was ministering in Thessalonica, the church at
2. Growth
of the Church: And some of them were
persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a great multitude of the
God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. (Acts
17:4).
The
early growth of the church was made up of both Jews as well as Gentiles. Neither was it exclusively a male
church. There were “leading women”
within the church. It was a church made
up of various races and genders.
3. Persecution: But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking
along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in
an uproar; and coming upon the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them
out to the people. 6 And when they did not find them, they began dragging
Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who
have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed
them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is
another king, Jesus.” 8 And they stirred up the crowd and the city
authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and
the others, they released them. 10 And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away
by night to
The
initial persecution of this fledgling church was instigated by the Jews. They didn’t like the gospel and they didn’t
like the fact that Paul had met with initial success in proclaiming the message
that Jesus is the promised Messiah. They
were motivated by jealousy.
A
mob was formed and a scapegoat was found in the person of Jason. We don’t know anything about Jason except for
his name and the fact that he was accused of having received Paul and his
company.
There
is a principle here. When you associate
yourself with the people of Jesus, it will not be long before those who hated
Jesus will also begin to hate you, too.
There is a spiritual war going on and it will not allow you to remain
neutral. You will be called upon to
choose side. To make no decision is to
make a decision.
OCCASION FOR THE EPISTLE
Some time has now passed
since Paul has departed from Thessalonica and he now writes a short letter to
them. It is a letter of encouragement
and he also wishes to correct several problems that have arisen in the church.
1. The
Problem of Persecution: For you,
brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in
Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own
countrymen, even as they did from the Jews (1 Thessalonians 2:14).
2. Encouragement
in Holy Living: For this is the will
of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that
each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in
lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 3:3-5).
3. Establishing
a Christian work ethic: Make it your
ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with
your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave
properly toward outsiders and not be in any need (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
There
were some in the church who, recognizing the giving spirit of Christians, thought that they could quit their jobs and live
off the generosity of other Christians.
4. Comfort
for the Death of Loved Ones: But we do
not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you
may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
The
Christians at Thessalonica lived with an expectancy of the soon return of Jesus. They were looking forward to Jesus coming and
gathering His people to Himself, just as He had promised in the Olivett Discourse (Matthew 24). There was only one problem. There were some who had died. What would happen to them? Would they miss out on the return of Christ
because they had not “endured to the end”?
Would they be lost because they were already dead?
Paul
explains that there will be a resurrection and that those who have died will
actually precede those who are living at the time of Christ’s return.
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