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I Thessalonians
{Paul wrote this on his second missionary journey in the South of Greece when Timothy brought him the news that the Church in Thessalonica was very confused on a number of doctrinal issues.
Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia in Greece. It was famous as a wealthy city and had a great seaport.
This epistle is Eschatological (references future things - prophesy) in nature - Second Advent or the rapture. This is the only Pauline epistle without any Old Testament citations and indicates this is probably a pure 'Gentile' church. It is FILLED with doctrine. And, it discusses the oral teaching of the apostles - which had divine authority until the canon was completed.
I
and II Thessalonians are both Eschatological in nature - these were
Paul's first letters. On the third missionary journey, Paul wrote
Galatians, I and II Corinthians and Romans. These epistles are
generally characterized by the doctrine of Soteriology (salvation).
In the first Roman imprisonment, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, and Philemon. The subject was Christology {study of
Christ}. Then he wrote in his second imprisonment I and II Timothy
and Titus. The subject was Ecclesiology (doctrine of the Church).}
Chapter
1
1~~
Paul {Saul Paulus of Tarsus}
and
Silas {Silvanus} and Timothy {Timotheos},
unto
the church of the Thessalonians to your advantage
which
is in God the Father
and
through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace
be unto you,
and
peace,
from
God our Father,
and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
2~~
We keep on giving thanks
to
The God {dative of dignity}
always
for you all,
constantly
making mention of you in our prayers.
3~~
Always remembering without ceasing
your
production from the source of faith,
and
labor of love {filling of the Spirit that produces agape love},
and
patience of hope
in
our Lord Jesus Christ,
in
the sight of God and our Father.
4~~
Knowing {information in frontal lobe from the Word} . . . brethren
{fellow believers} . . .
loved
in the past by God with the result
that
we are loved by God forever -
your
election {His choice of YOU as royal family -election}.
5~~For
our gospel/'good news'
did
not come to you in word only,
but
also in power,
even
the power of the Holy Spirit,
and
full conviction.
Just
as you know what kind of men
we
became among you for your sake.
{Note: Full conviction here means never apologize for being a Christian. Evangelize with the power and confidence that is supplied to you by the Word and God the Holy Spirit.}
{The
EXAMPLE Church - Learn Doctrine - Teach Teachers who teach others-
Verses 6-8}
6-7~~
Having received the word {studying doctrine}
in
the sphere of much pressures {adversity}
accompanied
by the inner happiness {joy}
from
the ultimate source of the Holy Spirit . . .
you
became imitators of us and of the Lord . . .7~~
with
the result that
you
were a 'blueprint' {a pattern or mold to follow}
to
all who believe, to their advantage, in Macedonia and Achaia.
8~~For
. . . from the ultimate source of you
{they taught people who taught people who taught others} . . . you
trumpeted out the word of the Lord
in
the past with results that go on forever . . .
not
only in Macedonia and Achaia but also . . .
in
every place . . .
{they Turned the World upside down - Acts 17:6 - World Wide
Evangelism}
your
faith to God-ward {eyes on the Lord} is spread abroad
so
that we do not have a need to speak any thing.
{Note: Paul taught the Thessalonians doctrine. They taught people who taught people on and on. Paul was now in Corinth and the towns around that area and kept running into believers! He asked them who gave them the word and the line went from this trader to this traveler until the source came back to the Thessalonians and Paul was thrilled with their evangelistic work!}
9~~For
they themselves {the converts from Thessalonica}
keep
on reporting to us
what
manner of entering in {to Christianity}
we
had unto you . . .
and
how you {The Thessalonians}
turned
to God from idols
to
serve the constantly living and true God.
{Note: These converts were reporting that Paul was their spiritual grandfather, great-grandfather, etc.}
10~~And
to wait with eager anticipation for His Son . . .
out
from heaven . . .
Whom
He raised out from the dead . . . even Jesus . . .
Who
delivered us out from the wrath about to come.
{Note: The 'wrath about to come' is the tribulation. God delivers us OUT OF troubles or OUT FROM troubles. Daniel was saved out OF the lion's den but he did go into it. However, here the Church is delivered out from the Tribulation. So, this verse clearly states that the rapture of the church will be before the tribulation starts.}
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