Teaching Thessalonians 1

To the Thessalonians: circa AD 51

A brief historical background –

This letter was written by Paul, with Timothy (from 1 & 2 Timothy) and Silas (a prophet from the Jerusalem church), it’s probably Paul’s second letter following the letter to the Galatians. Doug already set up the brief description from Acts 17 last week where it mentions Paul comes to the city, preaches in the Synagogue and then is ran out of town.

Thessalonica (or modern Salonica in Northern Greece) was the Capitol of Macedonia– if you’re familiar with ancient Greek history then you may remember that this is where my childhood hero, Alexander the Great was from. Thessalonica is named after Alexander’s sister. At this time Macedonia is under the rule of the Roman Empire, and since Thessalonica sat on an important East-West highway known as the Via Egnatia, it served as a hub for political and commercial activity and Thessalonica became known as the “Mother of Macadonia”. It was a successful metropolitan city and the population of Thessalonica during Paul’s time would have reached 200,000 people (that’s more than Olathe today – 2011 city stats say Olathe is only 120,000 people).

Among Paul’s new converts at this time and the probable Elders of this Church were Jason (who may have hosted the Thessalonican house Church) from Acts 17, Gaius Acts 20, Aristarchus Acts 20 and Segundas Acts 20, they all became Paul’s workers in Macedonia and specifically in Thessalonica. Because of their effective ministry, which we read about last week in Acts 17 – Paul’s team is flushed out of the city. After Thessalonica Paul, Timothy and Silas went to Beria where Timothy and Silas stayed behind to nurture the Churches, and Paul went on to Athens, once Timothy and Silas caught up to Paul now in Corinth, Timothy told Paul how the Thessalonica church was doing. And this letter back to the Thessalonican church is Paul’s response to Timothy’s report.

Topics in the letter include: God’s faithfulness during the persecution of believers, Christ’s return and the end times, and practical advise for Christian-living in an immoral culture.

Read 1:1-5a

Questions:

Question #1 – Who does Paul thank for the Thessalonian church, the wills of the Thessalonians or God? (Vs 2 God) Why? Is God a Calvinist? (No, Calvanism merely explains what Christianity is, believes, and teaches.)

Question #2 – Grace and Peace is a common Pauline opening, on who’s account do we have Grace and Peace with God? (Vs 1 Christ) Why can’t I find Grace and Peace directly through God the Father without going through Jesus? (Theological word: Double imputation – the Gospel.)

Question # 3 – A Synagogue of the Jews (you know God’s People) worship the right God – Yahweh from Exodus 3 so is a Synagogue a Church? (Vs 1 No, Paul defines a Church as being about the worship of both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.) If that’s the case, then how about an Oneness Pentecostal Church that denies the Trinity?

Question # 4 – What 3 things does Paul praise the Thessalonians for that we should emulate? (Vs 2 The Work of Faith, the Labor of Love and Steadfast Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ)

Question # 5 – Does God’s Word say that the Thessalonians used their imaginary free-wills to choose God or did God choose them? (Vs 4 God, also read 1 Thessalonians 5:9 &

2 Thessalonians 2:11-14, the biblical doctrine of Salvation is always and only in this order: Election, Calling, Faith, Sanctification and finally Glorification – this is how all 3 members of the Triune Godhead act in Salvation: the Father Elects, the Son Redeems, the Spirit Regenerates.) Any questions?

Question # 6 – How can I know if I’m Elect? (Vs 5 because you becoming a believer in the God of Scripture shows that the Gospel did not fall on deaf ears but came with power, the conviction of sin, and the Holy Spirit.)