Reference: Thessalonians, First Epistle To The
Hastings
THESSALONIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
1.Occasion and date.
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But they ordered the prisoners to step outside the council, and they conferred together and repeated, "What shall we do with these men? For it is evident to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable wonder-work has been done by them; and we cannot deny it. read more. But to keep it from spreading farther among the people, let us severely threaten them not to say anything at all to anyone else about this person."
The next sabbath almost the whole town turned out to hear God's message. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were completely overcome by their jealousy and began to contradict the statements made by Paul, and even to abuse him. read more. Then Paul and Barnabas courageously spoke out, "God's message had to be spoken to you Jews first, but since you continue to thrust it from you and since you show yourselves unworthy to receive eternal life, now and here we turn to the heathen.
They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
So some of them were convinced, and they joined Paul and Silas; also quite a number of devout Greeks and not a few women of the first rank.
So some of them were convinced, and they joined Paul and Silas; also quite a number of devout Greeks and not a few women of the first rank.
So some of them were convinced, and they joined Paul and Silas; also quite a number of devout Greeks and not a few women of the first rank.
The men who acted as Paul's bodyguard took him all the way to Athens, and then went back with orders for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible. While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred to its depths to see the city completely steeped in idolatry.
By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was wholly absorbed in preaching the message and was enthusiastically assuring the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
For I know that if this earthly tent in which I live is taken down, I have a building in heaven which comes from God, a house not built by human hands but eternal.
For to me living means Christ and dying brings gain. But if to keep on living here means fruit from my labor, I cannot tell which to choose. read more. I am hesitating between two desires, for I long to depart and to be with Christ, for that is far, far better, And yet for your sakes it is very necessary for me to stay on here.
in the hope of attaining, in some measure, the resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead.
But we are citizens of the republic in heaven, from which we are eagerly waiting for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will so change the outward appearance of our lowly bodies that they will be like His glorious body, by the exertion of the power He has to subject everything to Himself.
Let your forbearing spirit be known to everybody. The Lord is near.
Even while I was at Thessalonica you sent money more than once for my needs.
because of your hope of what is laid up for you in heaven. Long ago you heard of this hope through the message of the good news
and you will always be thanking the Father who has qualified you to share the lot of His people in the realm of light. It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of His dearly loved Son,
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Thessalonian church in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: spiritual blessing and peace be to you.
For the people themselves tell us what a welcome you gave us, and how you turned from idols to the true God, to serve the God who lives on and is real, and to wait for the coming from heaven of His Son, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Instead we were little children among you; we were like a mother nursing her children. Because we were yearning for you so tenderly, we were willing, not only to share with you God's good news, but to lay down our very lives too for you, all because you were so dearly loved by us. read more. You remember, brothers, our hard labor and toil. We kept up our habit of working night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you when we preached to you. You can testify, and God too, with what pure, upright, and irreproachable motives I dealt with you who believed; for you know how, as a father deals with his children, we used to encourage you, cheer you on, and charge each of you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into His kingdom and His glory.
For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you too have suffered the same sort of ill-treatment at the hands of your fellow-countrymen as they did at the hands of the Jews,
For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you too have suffered the same sort of ill-treatment at the hands of your fellow-countrymen as they did at the hands of the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and persecuted the prophets and us; and who continue to displease God and show themselves in opposition to all mankind,
who killed the Lord Jesus and persecuted the prophets and us; and who continue to displease God and show themselves in opposition to all mankind, by trying to keep us from speaking to the heathen, so that they may be saved, so as always to fill to the brim the cup of their sins. But at last God's wrath has come upon them.
by trying to keep us from speaking to the heathen, so that they may be saved, so as always to fill to the brim the cup of their sins. But at last God's wrath has come upon them.
by trying to keep us from speaking to the heathen, so that they may be saved, so as always to fill to the brim the cup of their sins. But at last God's wrath has come upon them. Now we, brothers, on our part, when we were separated from you for a little while -- in person but not in heart -- were extremely eager and intensely longing to see you. read more. Because we did want to come to see you; I mean, that I myself, Paul, wanted again and again to come, but Satan prevented it.
So when I could not bear it any longer, I decided to be left behind in Athens alone,
So when I could not bear it any longer, I decided to be left behind in Athens alone, and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
That was why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you and our labor might be lost. But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you,
But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you, this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties, read more. for now I am really living, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus guide my way to you! May the Lord make you increase and overflow in love for one another and for all men, as my love for you does, read more. so that He may strengthen your hearts to be faultless in purity in the sight of God, when our Lord Jesus comes back with all His consecrated ones.
Now, brothers, we ask and beg you, in the face of our union with the Lord Jesus, as you once received from us how you ought to live so as to please God -- as indeed you are living -- to continue to live this life better and better. For you are aware of the instructions which we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. read more. For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality, that each man among you should learn to take his own wife out of pure and honorable motives, not out of evil passions as the heathen do who do not know God; that no one should do wrong and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord takes vengeance for all such things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to a life of immorality, but to one of personal purity. So whoever rejects this teaching is rejecting not man but God who continues to put His Spirit in you. Now as to brotherly love, you have no need of anyone's writing you, for you have yourselves been taught by God to love one another, as you are practicing it toward all the brothers all over Macedonia. We beg you, brothers, to continue to live better and better; also keep up your ambition to live quietly, to practice attending to your own business and to work with your own hands, as we directed you, so that you may live influentially with the outsiders, and not be dependent on anybody. Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep. For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep.
For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise, read more. then those of us who are still living will be caught up along with them on clouds in the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever. So continue encouraging one another with this truth.
But as to times and dates, brothers, you have no need of anyone's writing you, for you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night. read more. When people say, "Such peace and security!" then suddenly destruction falls upon them, like birth pains upon a woman who is about to become a mother, but they shall not escape, no, not at all. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that that day, like a thief, should take you by surprise; for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So let us stop sleeping as others do, but let us stay awake and keep sober. For those who sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunken at night, but let us who belong to the day keep sober, clothed with faith and love for a coat of mail and with the hope of salvation for a helmet. For God appointed us not to reap His wrath but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we still live or sleep we may live in fellowship with Him. So continue encouraging one another and helping one another in character building. We beg you, brothers, to practice showing respect to those who labor among you, who are your leaders in the Lord's work, and who advise you;
We beg you, brothers, to practice showing respect to those who labor among you, who are your leaders in the Lord's work, and who advise you; continue to hold them in the highest esteem for the sake of the work they do. Practice living at peace with one another. read more. We beg you, brothers, continue to warn the shirkers, to cheer the faint-hearted, to hold up the weak, and to be patient with everybody. Take care that none of you ever pays back evil for evil, but always keep looking for ways to show kindness to one another and everybody. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Make it a habit to give thanks for everything, for this is God's will for you through Christ Jesus. Stop stifling the Spirit. Stop treating the messages of prophecy with contempt, but continue to prove all things until you can approve them, and then hold on to what is good. Continue to abstain from every sort of evil. May God Himself, who gave you peace, consecrate your whole being. May you be safely kept, spirit, soul, and body, so as to be blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back. He who calls you is trustworthy and He will do this. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a sacred kiss. I solemnly charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The spiritual blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Smith
Thessalo'nians, First Epistle to the,
was written by the apostle Paul at Corinth, a few months after he had founded the church at Thessalonica, at the close of the year A.D. 62 or the beginning of 53. The Epistles to the Thessalonians, then (for the second followed the first after no long interval), are the earliest of St. Paul's writings --perhaps the earliest written records of Christianity. It is interesting, therefore, to compare the Thessalonian epistles with the later letters, and to note the points of These differences are mainly
1. In the general style of these earlier letters there is greater simplicity and less exuberance of language.
2. The antagonism to St. Paul is not the same. Here the opposition comes from Jews. A period of five years changes the aspect of the controversy. The opponents of St. Paul are then no longer Jews so much as Judaizing Christians.
3. Many of the distinctive doctrines of Christianity were yet not evolved and distinctly enunciated till the needs of the Church drew them out into prominence at a later date. It has often been observed, for instance, that there is in the Epistles to the Thessalonians no mention of the characteristic contrast of "faith and works;" that the word "justification" does not once occur; that the idea of dying with Christ and living with Christ, so frequent in St. Paul's later writings, is absent in these. In the Epistles to the Thessalonians, the gospel preached is that of the coming of Christ, rather than of the cross of Christ. The occasion of this epistle was as follows: St. Paul had twice attempted to re-visit Thessalonica, and both times had been disappointed. Thus prevented from seeing them in person, he had sent Timothy to inquire and report to him as to their condition.
Timothy returned with more favorable tidings, reporting not only their progress in Christian faith and practice, but also their strong attachment to their old teacher.
The First Epistle to the Thessalonians is the outpouring of the apostle's gratitude on receiving this welcome news. At the same time there report of Timothy was not unmixed with alloy. There were certain features in the condition of the Thessalonian church which called for St. Paul's interference and to which he addresses himself in his letter.
1. The very intensity of their Christian faith, dwelling too exclusively on the day of the Lord's coming, had been attended with evil consequences. On the other hand, a theoretical difficulty had been felt. Certain members of the church had died, and there was great anxiety lest they should be excluded from any share in the glories of the Lord's advent. ch.
2. The Thessalonians needed consolation and encouragement under persecution. ch.
3. An unhealthy state of feeling with regard to spiritual gifts was manifesting itself. ch.
4. There was the danger of relapsing into their old heathen profligacy. ch.
Yet notwithstanding all these drawbacks, the condition of the Thessalonian church was highly satisfactory, and the most cordial relations existed between St. Paul and his converts there. This honorable distinction it shares with the other great church of Macedonia, that of Philippi. The epistle is rather practical than doctrinal. The external evidence in favor of the genuineness of the First Epistle to the Thessalonians is chiefly negative, but this is important enough. There is no trace that it was ever disputed at any age or in any section of the Church, or even by any individual till the present century. Toward the close of the second century from Irenaeus downward. we find this epistle directly quoted and ascribed to Paul. The evidence derived from the character of the epistle itself is so strong that it may fairly be called irresistible.
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For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you too have suffered the same sort of ill-treatment at the hands of your fellow-countrymen as they did at the hands of the Jews,
So when I could not bear it any longer, I decided to be left behind in Athens alone, and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that none of you might be deceived amid these difficulties. For you knew yourselves that this is our appointed lot,
so that none of you might be deceived amid these difficulties. For you knew yourselves that this is our appointed lot, for when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were going to be pressed with difficulties, and it took place, as you know.
for when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were going to be pressed with difficulties, and it took place, as you know. That was why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you and our labor might be lost.
That was why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you and our labor might be lost. But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you,
But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you,
But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you, this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties,
this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties, for now I am really living, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
for now I am really living, since you are standing firm in the Lord. For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,
For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God, as night and day I continue to pray with deepest earnestness and keenest eagerness that I may see your faces and round out to completeness what is lacking in your faith?
as night and day I continue to pray with deepest earnestness and keenest eagerness that I may see your faces and round out to completeness what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus guide my way to you! read more. May the Lord make you increase and overflow in love for one another and for all men, as my love for you does, so that He may strengthen your hearts to be faultless in purity in the sight of God, when our Lord Jesus comes back with all His consecrated ones.
that each man among you should learn to take his own wife out of pure and honorable motives, not out of evil passions as the heathen do who do not know God; read more. that no one should do wrong and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord takes vengeance for all such things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to a life of immorality, but to one of personal purity. So whoever rejects this teaching is rejecting not man but God who continues to put His Spirit in you.
Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep. read more. For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise, then those of us who are still living will be caught up along with them on clouds in the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever. So continue encouraging one another with this truth.