The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, timothy, and silas. Pauls relationship with them and pauls exhortations to them 45. In the church of thessalonica there were some misunderstandings about the return of christ. Watch our overview video on 1 thessalonians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought.
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of god 1 thessalonians 4. It was the first he wrote to european christians, and in it the fundamental things of the christian life are very clearly set forth. Summary of 1 thessalonians 4 paul reminds his audience of the teachings they were given, saying, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please god as, in fact, you are doing 1 thessalonians 4. This summary of the book of 1 thessalonians provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 thessalonians. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from thessalonia to report that the new. The apostle paul identified himself twice as the author of this letter 1. Grace be unto you, and peace, from god our father, and the lord jesus christ 2 we give thanks to god always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our lord. The blessed hope of christ should be a hope which purifies us because we are living our life with that expectancy of his return. It still exists under the name of saloniki, and has a population of from 75,000 to. The thessalonians had grown slack in pursuing holiness 1 thess. 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. Grace be unto you, and peace, from god our father, and the lord jesus christ. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. The book of 1st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul.
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our lord jesus christ, in the sight of god and our father. This is a delightfully revealing letter, showing the heart of the apostle toward these new christians, and also. After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the believers there within just a few months of leaving. They reveal the apostle pauls heart and passion as he seeks to guide this congregation towards health and. Summary of the book of i thessalonians summary of hebrews. Enduring word bible commentary 1 thessalonians chapter 1. It was a great commercial center of pauls time, the inhabitants being greeks, romans and jews. First thessalonians it is generally supposed that pauls first epistle to the thessalonians is the first book of the new testament that was ever written. It is probably one of his earliestknown letters, and one of the oldest.
Check out this summary and commentary and the book of i thessalonians. Practical instructions and encouragement 1 thessalonians 4. Now may the god of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our lord jesus christ comes again. The second major section covers the remainder of the book and. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle, and is addressed to the church in thessalonica, in modernday greece. In acts, luke recorded that paul preached for three sabbath days to the jews in the.
This enrapturement of such a heavenly perspective is a gift of god and it is a. The bible book of first thessalonians 2001 translation. The first epistle to the thessalonians, or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle written by the apostle paul, probably between 5254 a. Greek reads will know how to possess his own vessel. Since paul began his ministry there in the jewish synagogue, it is reasonable to assume that the new church included some jews. How much more so when it comes to the end of the whole world. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul from corinth, greece, about ad 50 and addressed to the christian community he had founded in macedonia. The second missionary journey, first epistle of the apostle paul, jailer, macedonian churches. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the.
Ministering with sensitivity and love 1 thessalonians 5. The thessalonians faith and example 2 d we give thanks to god always for all of you, constantly 1 e mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before f our god and father g your work of faith and labor of h love and i steadfastness of hope in our lord jesus christ. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians story of the. Letters of paul to the thessalonians bible britannica. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the one. The background of the thessalonian church is found in ac 17. This summary of the book of 1 thessalonians provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible. Book of second thessalonians overview insight for living.
Summary of 1 thessalonians 4 paul reminds his audience of the teachings they were given, saying, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please god as, in fact, you are doing 1 thessalonians. The letters first and second thessalonians are traditionally associated with the pauline foundation of the macedonian church at thessalonica. Just because paul visited a city, preached the gospel for weeks or even months, and founded a church by guiding converts to the faith, this did not protect the new church from scheming heretics. Written to the congregation in thessaloniki, greece possibly in aramaic for paul around 52ce by either timothy or sylvanus. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. Aug 11, 2017 the thessalonians faced intense opposition for their faith 2 thess. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the one in thessalonica. First thessalonians provides christians with the clearest biblical passage on the coming rapture. Paul needed to address the three troubles the church in thessalonica faced.
Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living. The first letter of paul to the thessalonians is also the first letter the apostle wrote. This enrapturement of such a heavenly perspective is a gift of god and it is a gift that i pray for. 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. Since paul wrote 1st thessalonians shortly after he left thessalonica 1 th 2. The church in thessalonica still had some misconceptions about the day of the lord. It was written to a struggling, yet vigorous church that was only a few months old, made up of christians who had just come to christ under pauls ministry. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52 however, some scholars believe. Second thessalonians is the ninth of pauls letters. First epistle to thessalonians read the bible online.
Listen to chuck swindolls overview of second thessalonians in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. It is helpful to trace the locations of paul and his companions that relate to the thessalonian correspondence. The key personalities in this book are the apostle. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of first thessalonians in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. Paul then wrote another epistle, 2 thessalonians, to correct certain misunderstandings and further to encourage the church. A few months later, while paul was still in corinth, he received word from thessalonica that his teaching on the day of the lord had been misunderstood by some in the thessalonian church.
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. Summary of the book of 2 thessalonians bible survey. His aim for this letter was to strengthen the christian church in thessalonica by. They reveal the apostle pauls heart and passion as he seeks to guide this congregation towards health and balance. Journey to thessalonica heres the official tourism site for modern day thessaloniki, which is located in greece. It was founded by cassander, king of macedon 315 b. His coming however will be as a thief in the night but we should be watchful and sober 1 thessalonians 5. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a jewish synagogue on three successive sabbath days. Paul, and silvanus, and timotheus, unto the church of the thessalonians which is in god the father and in the lord jesus christ. The book of 2 thessalonians was likely written in ad 5152. To the church of the thessalonians in god the father and the lord jesus christ. Irenaeus quoted 1 thessalonians by namehe wrote around a. A few months later, while paul was still in corinth, he received word from thessalonica that his teaching on the day of the lord had been misunderstood by some in the. It is probably one of his earliestknown letters, and one of the oldest books in the new testament.
Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the church in thessalonica. The thessalonians faced intense opposition for their faith 2 thess. Both lists of canonical books of the nt circulated in rome. Interesting facts about 1 thessalonians bible charts. First thessalonians is the eighth of pauls letters. The first is seen as representing pauls earliest epistolary efforts. The book is a basic book of rejoicing and thanksgiving, six times mentioning joy or rejoicing and three times mentioning thanksgiving. The first is seen as representing pauls earliest epistolary efforts and as providing two successive moments in his long relationship as advisor to that community. In 1 and 2 thessalonians youll learn important truths about christs coming specifically regarding the rapture and the antichrist. First, paul urges them to live a life that pleases the lord 1 thessalonians 4. The second major section covers the remainder of the book and addresses various practical concerns 1 thessalonians 45. Interesting facts about 1 thessalonians barnes bible charts author. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians bible survey. We thank god always for all of you as we mention you constantly in our prayers, 1.