WHO WROTE:  Paul.

 

 

WHAT TIME PERIOD IS COVERED:  52 A.D. - 68 A.D.?

 

 

WHEN WRITTEN:  This First Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first of all of Paul’s Epistles.  It was in all probability written from Corinth, where he lived for a “long time,” Acts 18:11 & 18 (one year and 6 months), early in the period of his residence there; about the end of 52 A.D.  The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was probably also written from Corinth, and not many months after the first; for “Silvanus and Timotheus,” Second Thessalonians 1:1, were still with Paul.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:  Any Book written by Paul must be classified with this important statement from Peter, that all the writings of Paul are “hard to be understood,” Second Peter 3:16.

 

Something to keep in mind when reading First Thessalonians and Second Thessalonians, is that the Thessalonians were hard to reason with.  For according to Acts 17:11, others “received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”  Whereas, the Thessalonians must not have.  Thus, when studying these two books, keep in mind how simple the teachings of Paul’s are to them, and the reason why he had to deal with such trivial matters, or things and concepts they should have already grasped.  This is how certain denominations get themselves into trouble with such FALSE assumptions such as the word “election” in First Thessalonians 1:4.  See my comments there.

 

First Thessalonians is believed to be possibly the very first written record of Christianity.  However, see my notes on the Book of James.  The reason for this conclusion comes from these analyses:  The opponents of Paul in First Thessalonians are then Jews, while in his later Epistles they are Judaizing Christians.  Many of the distinctive doctrines of Christianity were not yet evolved or distinctly enunciated till the needs of the Church drew them out into prominence at a later date.

 

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 occur even once; that the idea of dying with Christ, and living with Christ, so frequent in Paul’s later writings, is absent in both First and Second Thessalonians; and that in the Epistles to the Thessalonians the Gospel preached is that of the Coming of Christ, rather than of the Cross of Christ, so prominent in his later writings.  Even the two Letters themselves show a moving forward in time, because the First chiefly shows the outpouring of strong personal affection, while the Second shows that of the desire to correct errors in the Church.

 

The authenticity of this Epistle is attested to by Ignatius, in his work, “ad Polycarp,” 1, who, quoting First Thessalonians 5:17, states, “pray without ceasing;” of which Polycarp does also, see his work, “Philippians 4 note.”  Irenaeus, in his work, “adv. Haer.” 5:6, section 1, quotes First Thessalonians 5:23; and again, Irenaeus, in his work,“iii. 7,” section 2, quotes Second Thessalonians 2:8; Clement of Alexandria, in his work, “Paed.” 1:88, quotes First Thessalonians 2:7; Tertullian, in his work, “de Resurr. Carnis,” 24, quotes First Thessalonians 1:9-10 & First Thessalonians 5:1; Caius in Eusebius, in his work, “Ecclesiastes Hist.” vi. 20a and Origen, in his work, “contra Celsus,” 3, also confirm it; Tertullian quotes this Epistle 20 times; and Tertullian, in his work, “de Resurr. Carnis,” chapter 24, quotes Second Thessalonians 2:1-2 as part of Paul’s Epistles; Polycarp, in his work “Ep. ad Philipp.” 11, alludes to First Thessalonians 1:4 & First Thessalonians 3:15; Justin Martyr, in his work, “Dial.Trypho,” 193, section 32, alludes to Second Thessalonians 2:3; Clement of Alexandria quotes Second Thessalonians 3:2 as Paul’s words, in his work, “Strom.” i. 5, section 554; “Paedag.” i. 17.