THE SALUTATION

1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

The Authors

Verse 1a: Paul, Silas and Timothy ...

1a In the ancient world, it was customary to begin a letter by first mentioning the name of the author, followed by the name of the recipient of the letter, a greeting, and lastly a wish for the recipient's welfare. Paul Christianizes this custom. He identifies himself along with Silas and Timothy as the authors of this letter. Silas is named before Timothy because Silas was older and more experienced.

The name Paul is a Roman name which means "little." He was formerly known as Saul, a Hebrew name which means "asked for." He is the head of the missionary team. He was the most influential apostle and evangelist in the early church. Since we regard 1 and 2 Thessalonians as Paul's earliest letters, he may not yet have developed the practice of stressing his status and identifying himself as an apostle.

The name Silas is a variant of the longer name Silvanus, which is a Roman name that means "wood" or "woodland." He was a prophet, held in high esteem by the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:32). He first accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey. Paul and Silas were responsible for bringing the Gospel to the Thessalonians during their second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9).

The name Timothy means "honoring God." He was a resident of Lystra. He had a Greek father and a Jewish mother (Acts 16:1). He was a faithful fellow worker with Paul in the Gospel. Paul regards him as a beloved son in the faith. Paul sent Timothy on several critical missions because of the trust and confidence in him. Paul wrote two epistles to Timothy.

Thus three men jointly sent a letter to the believers at Thessalonica. Although Paul associates Silas and Timothy with himself, there is no doubt that the body of the letter is from Paul.

The Recipients

Verse 1b: To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1b This letter was written to the church in Thessalonica, which Paul and Silas had earlier evangelized. Paul began his evangelistic outreach in Thessalonica in a synagogue. He preached there for three Sabbaths As a result of his evangelistic activity, some Jews and Gentiles were converted (Acts 17:1-9).

Thessalonica was located in a strategic location. It was originally called Therma due to the many hot springs adjacent to it. It was renamed in 315 by Cassander, a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He called it after his wife, the half sister of Alexander. It was a busy town with a mixed population of Greeks, Romans, and Jews.

The word "church" means "an assembly" or "a called out company." Although there were many assemblies in Thessalonica, the Church is distinctive in that it belongs to the Father and the Son. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ together constitute the source of the Church's life.

Greeting

Verse 1c: Grace and peace to you.

1c In saluting the faithful brothers and sisters in Thessalonica, Paul combines the Greek (grace) and the Hebrew (peace) form of greetings. God's grace is His free, undeserved favor through Jesus Christ. It means we have moved from God's wrath to a position of favor with Him. The greeting of peace (Shalom, Hebrew) was, and still is, common among Jews. It signifies well-being in the widest sense of the term. God's peace is being in harmony through reconciliation with Him and with others. As Edmond Hiebert said, "The order in the New Testament is always `grace and peace,' never the reverse. No one can experience this peace without first receiving the grace."

Elsewhere, Paul adds to the greeting the phrase "from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (e.g. Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2) or "from God our Father" (Colossians 1:2). Grace and peace come from a heavenly source.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Verses 2,3: We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 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 Lord Jesus Christ.

2 The plural pronoun "we" indicates the association of Silas and Timothy with Paul in thanking God for the Thessalonians. It also reflects that Silas and Timothy may play some role in the writing of the letter.

There are three things Paul and his team do on behalf of the Thessalonian brethren. First, they always thank God for them. They are engaged in habitual thanksgiving according to the will of God. They do this because their faith is productive. Second, they continually mention them in their prayers. They care so deeply about them that they mention them in prayers.

3 Third, they remember them before God. We all need good memories to remember people (their names and needs). The apostolic team remembers three things about the Thessalonians: (1) their work produced by faith, (2) their labor prompted by love, and (3) their endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith involves trusting in the Gospel message and obeying Jesus as master. Here the word faith is related a lifestyle. Faith and works are not at odds. Faith can encourage people and lead them to work. Love is the affection which expresses itself in unselfish care for others and a selfless life of service. It operates in the best interest of others. Hope speaks of the patient endurance the church maintains under persecution. "Faith looks back to a Crucified Saviour. Love looks up to a Crowned Saviour. Hope looks on to a Coming Saviour."

Remembering their faith, love, and hope causes Paul to thank God. The Church of God is a community which is distinguished by faith, love, and hope. This trio of Christian virtues was Paul's favorite. They are best used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13. As John Stott rightly said, "Every Christian without exception is a believer, a lover, and a hoper."

THE IMPACT OF THE GOSPEL

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

Paul's Knowledge of the Thessalonians

Verses 4-6: For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our Gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

4 Paul knows or perceives that the Thessalonian believers are loved and chosen by God. Christians are the elect, loved and chosen by God for His sovereign purpose. God chose us before we chose Him. The popular American evangelist, D. L. Moody, put it like this: "The whosoever-wills are the elect and the whosoever-won'ts are the non-elect."

The fact that God chooses people forms the basis of the doctrine of election. In the OT, God's choice is often associated with the nation of Israel; in the NT He chooses individuals. The doctrine of election has been controversial throughout church history. It teaches that God chose certain people before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). The same Scripture that teaches election also teaches the doctrine of human responsibility or free choice.

5 Though the message of salvation came from God, Paul has so identified with it that he calls it "our Gospel." The Gospel came to them in the power of the Holy Spirit. It was God's power, not Paul's power or words, that was demonstrated in the midst of the Thessalonians. Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8). We are called to the same task of preaching the Gospel in word and life. We must do so in the power of the Holy Spirit, which is available to all believers.

The Gospel not only came to the Thessalonians in power, word, and the Holy Spirit, it came through the lifestyle of Paul and his team. "You know how we lived among you for your sake" indicates that the Thessalonians became aware that Paul, Silas, and Timothy lived what they preached.

6 The evidence of these Thessalonians' election could be noticed in their desire to be like Paul and Christ. They became the imitators of the apostle and his co-workers. They indirectly became imitators of the Lord Jesus Christ. They set out to follow Paul's example and in doing so copied Christ. The Thessalonians see Christianity in action and see it in the conduct of those who brought it.

They welcomed the message with joy. Such a joy under severe suffering can only come from the Holy Spirit. Joy takes the burden out of suffering. As John MacArthur said, "Mere human joy will die under persecution, the joy of the Holy Spirit will transcend it and grow."

Too often Christians go through suffering and become bitter toward God as a result. They feel they have lost touch with God when they lose a loved one or their marriage breaks up. Suffering is part and parcel of our lot in a fallen world. He has a purpose for everything that happens to us.

The Good Testimony of the Thessalonians

Verses 7,8: And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it.

7 As a result of the Thessalonian believers' endurance of persecution, they became a good example for other believers. The imitators themselves became examples for others. The Thessalonians became a role model for all believers in Macedonia and Achaia—the two Roman provinces that made up Greece. Macedonia was the Roman province in the northern part of Greece. Important cities in Macedonia included Thessalonica, Philippi, and Berea. Achaia was the Roman province in southern Greece; it included such prominent cities as Athens and Corinth.

8 From Thessalonica the message of the Lord sounded forth. It rang out from them and echoed throughout Macedonia and Achaia and beyond. It ran everywhere like a rumor. The influence of the city of Thessalonica on the entire surrounding region was enormous. The faith of the Thessalonians themselves has become known everywhere, even beyond the Greek mainland. "Their Christianity was contagious and spreading faster than Paul could travel."

Churches grow when Christians personally evangelize. A good Christian testimony goes a long way in attracting others to Christ. Remember that God has placed you where He has placed nobody else to live and be a blessing for Him there.

The Change in the Thessalonians

Verses 9,10: For they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

9 The change in their lifestyle is manifested in two ways. First, they were serving the living God. For the Thessalonian Christians, salvation meant a decisive break with the past. It meant a complete reversal of allegiance. They turned to God from idols, not from idols to God. They turned to God, tasted him, and found Him so satisfying that they dropped their idols.

Idols are most commonly known as the images that pagans worship and they represented false gods or demons. Today some make idols out of their career, home, cars, achievements, etc. According to Richard Mayhue, "An idol is anything, any attitude, and any belief, or any god that so captures a person's attention and allegiance that God does not have pre-eminence."

Instead of serving lifeless idols that could not talk, hear, smell, or intervene in human affairs (Psalm 115:3-8), they took the radical step of serving a living and true God. This is basically what biblical conversion is all about.

10 Second, they are waiting for Jesus. They are living with the full conviction that Jesus would soon return. Their waiting is based on the promise of Jesus to come back (John 14:3). It is necessary for Paul to remind them that God raised Jesus from the dead. Without the resurrection of Jesus, there would be no Second Coming.

The Christian life is one of service and waiting. As Sam Gordon would say, "In Christian terms, serving is getting busy for Christ on earth, while waiting is looking for our Lord to come from heaven. And yet these two are not strange bedfellows. They are buddies!"

PAUL'S MINISTRY AND MESSAGE

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Paul's Ministry Was Not in Vain

Verses 1,2: You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his Gospel in the face of strong opposition.

The central theme of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 is a defense of Paul's ministry during his past visit to Thessalonica. His opponents come from outside the church. In defending himself, Paul simply let the record speak for itself.

1 The opening "you know" is emphatic and contrasts their knowledge with that of others. Paul reminds his brothers and sisters about his visit. Paul and his associates were accused of just moving around and doing nothing worthwhile. Paul responds to that by saying that his work in Thessalonica, as the Thessalonians can testify, was not in vain. On the contrary, the ministry of Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Thessalonica had a powerful impact; it produced a far- reaching effect on the Thessalonians. Their ministry was definitely not a failure.

2 Paul reminds them of the suffering and mistreatment they went through before arriving at Thessalonica. Before visiting Thessalonica, Paul and Silas visited Philippi, a few miles northeast of Thessalonica, as recorded in Acts 16:11-40.

In Philippi, they were falsely accused, beaten, and imprisoned without due process. In spite of the mistreatment they experienced in Philippi, the apostle ministered the Gospel in Thessalonica. In Thessalonica too he preached in the face of strong opposition. These mistreatments did not deter him. He was bold in his preaching of the Gospel.

Paul's Ministry Was Approved of God

Verses 3-6: For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

3 When the enemy tries destroying the ministers of the Gospel by persecution and does not succeed, he tries damaging their character. As Sam Gordon well said, "If the enemy cannot destroy us by relentless opposition, he will do the next best thing: he will wage an all-out war on our character. He will undermine our integrity so that people begin to question our sincerity."

In this verse, Paul makes three points. First, their preaching was not from error. Paul and his companions were not wrong. Truth is truth. Error is error. We must not water down the truth to please people. Second, their preaching was not from impure or false motives. Paul did not come to Thessalonica out of underhanded motives but with the intention of pleasing God. Third, they are not trying to trick the people. They are not men of dubious character, living a double life. They did not use trickery or deception in their preaching. They disclaim anything of this type as a motive for their missionary activities. They were "preaching a message that is true, with motives that were pure, with methods that were completely honest."

4 Paul's ministry was approved of God. By this we mean that Paul was tested and proved. He was not preaching on his own authority. God entrusted the Gospel to Paul and the great responsibility of preaching it. "For Paul, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!" It was to God alone he must give account.

Paul was therefore not a man-pleaser. As he said elsewhere, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). As well known actor Bill Cosby said, "I don't know the secret of success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."