The book of 1 thessalonians is a personal and affectionate letter to the church, pauls own words confirm this, we loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of god but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us 2. This letter was also written from corinth and during the same year. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1. For whatever good this material achieves, to god be. It is probably one of his earliestknown letters, and one of the oldest books in the new testament. It should be noted that the first epistle does not mention any previous letter. In addition, 1 thessalonians is the first letter paul wrote as well. Bible study questions on the book of 1 thessalonians introduction. It would seem most reasonable then, in the absence of any conclusive proof to the contrary, to take 2 thessalonians as following 1 thessalonians.
The book of 2 thessalonians was likely written in ad 5152. To assure the thessalonians of pauls love and to instruct them on the importance of living for christ and properly understanding the ramifications of his return. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international. First epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the bible bible. First and second thessalonians comprise some of the earliest new testament writings. Book of 2 thessalonians, explained scripture by scripture. The main themes that run through 1 thessalonians is living holy and sanctified lives and being selfcontrolled and alert. They thought it had come already so they stopped with. Paul reminds the thessalonians of christs returna tricky passage to interpretbut also reminds them to simply follow christs example while they await his coming. The first letter 1 thessalonians was written to a community of believers. I have focused on the second letter to the thessalonians, which claims to be written by paul but appears to have been written instead by someone else who wanted his readers to think he was paul. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians and sent it to the church.
After only a brief time in the city, dangerous opposition arose from those who thought pauls message was a threat to judaism. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from thessalonia to report that the new. The book of 1 thessalonians kjv audio bible full by.
Gods word is written so souls may please god and have eternal life. Paul wrote his first letter to the thessalonian church from the city of corinth around ad 51, just a few months after having preached in thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Second thessalonians appears to have been written just a few months, possibly a year, after first thessalonians. Pauls ministry in thessalonica 1 12 thessalonians accepted gods word 16 paul longs to see the thessalonians 1720 3. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. This is the holy book of 1 thessalonians, known as the first epistle of paul the apostle to the thessalonians.
It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52. The first letter 1 thessalonians was written to a community of believers who had been christians for only a short period of time, probably no more than a few months. The book of 1 thessalonians read by alexander scourby. The book of 1 thessalonians summary online bible nwt. Check out this summary and commentary and the book of i thessalonians. The roman empire, and the ancient city of thessalonica, have been reduced to rubble.
Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living. Pauls anxious wait in athens 1 5 timothys comforting report 610 prayer for the thessalonians 11 4. First epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the. However, such arguments have not convinced current interpreters. He initially visited thessalonica to establish a congregation after a difficult trip to philippi, where he was mistreated. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a jewish synagogue on three successive sabbath days. Historical allusions in the book fit pauls life as recounted in acts and in his own letters 2. After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the. Since this epistle was certainly written during pauls long stay at corinth acts 18. For since we believe that jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when jesus returns, god will bring back with him the believers who have died. Best commentaries and books on 1 thessalonians logos. Biography of paul both the internal and external evidence points to paul writing this epistle.
Download book of 1 thessalonians powerpoint templates for worship presentations etc. Bible study questions on the book of 1 thessalonians. The account of pauls initial visit to thessalonica is in acts 17. The writing style of 2 thessalonians the bart ehrman blog. Weima begins with the historical background of the letters. The church in thessalonica still had some misconceptions about the day of the lord. The personal details shared all match what we know of paul from other new testament books. In the greek new testament, 2 thessalonians is listed as to the thessalonians. The first epistle to the thessalonians, or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle written by the apostle paul, probably between 5254 a. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52 however, some scholars believe the epistle to galatians may. Please study it with the respect and devotion it deserves. This may well be true of 1 thessalonians, but most new testament scholars say that 2. In my previous two posts i started giving the scholarly argument against the authenticity of 2 thessalonians that is the argument that even though the letter claims to be written by paul, it was in fact written by someone else who wanted you, the reader, to think it was written by paul.
Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible society. Among its 27 books are selected recollections of the life and acts and sayings of. Interesting facts about 1 thessalonians bible charts. The book of 1 st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica. Introduction to the book of 1 thessalonians stories of. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, timothy, and silas.
Two thousand years have passed since paul penned 1 2 thessalonians. It is the shortest letter paul wrote to any church and is characterized by its lack of special salutations and for its general idea of patient waiting for our lord. Since silas is not mentioned, it has been conjectured that he went back to philippi when timothy went to thessalonica see note on 3. Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the church in thessalonica. The letters called epistles from paul to thessalonica, which included i thessalonians and ii thessalonians were probably two of the earliest letters paul had written which was around a. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul. These 1 and 2 thessalonians are considered by many scholars to be the earliest of pauls epistles. Second thessalonians is the ninth of pauls letters. The book of 1 thessalonians christian powerpoint templates. If 1 thessalonians followed 2 then we still need another one, now lost. Not only is 1 thessalonians the first of two letters to the church at thessalonica, it is pauls first letter period. It is then argued that 1 thessalonians was written to the gentile church and 2 thessalonians to the jewish church.
This represents the apostle pauls second canonical correspondence to the fellowship of believers in the city of thessalonica compare 1. The authenticity of 1 thessalonians is affirmed as pauline by almost. The first epistle was penned at corinth by the apostle paul in response to timothys report on the progress of the church they had recently established there 3. This workbook was designed for bible class study, family study, or personal study. Greetings 1 thanks for the thessalonians faith 210 2. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle of the new testament of the christian bible. He provides with an overview of ancient thessalonica and the founding of the thessalonian. A new church was founded there of mixed population and included various prominent macedonian women. In those two posts i recounted what i said about the matter in my trade book, written for a lay audience, forged. Many gentiles in the church had come out of idolatry, which was not a particular problem among the jews of that time 1 thessalonians 1. It is traditionally attributed to paul the apostle, with timothy as a coauthor.
This makes 1 thessalonians one of the earliest new testament books written the gospels, by comparison, were written anywhere from 60. Both 1 thessalonians and 2 thessalonians are traditionally believed to have been written by paul in athens. The book of 1 thessalonians is almost universally considered to be the first of pauls letters, written around 52 ad. A majority still hold to pauls authorship of 2 thessalonians. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. This also makes 1 thessalonians the oldest book in the new testament. Pauls letters to the thessalonians were written from corinth around 50 ad, just after he was with the church in thessalonica.
Paul the apostle wrote both letters to the thessalonians. Of all the surviving letters written by the apostle paul, 1 thessalonians is very likely the first to have been written. The book is clearly written to a group of very new believers who were. Because of its similarity to 1 thessalonians, it must have been written not long after the first letterperhaps about six months. Paul wrote this letter to the church in thessalonica. Letters of paul to the thessalonians bible britannica. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul from corinth, greece, about ad 50 and addressed to the christian community he had founded in macedonia. This would place the writing of the epistle during pauls extended stay at corinth on his second missionary journey cf. The first of pauls two letters written from corinth to the church at thessalonica is dated ca. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by paul. Jeffrey weima provides an indepth look at two of pauls most intriguing letters. This is being aired by permission of the holder litchfield associates, all. The second epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as second thessalonians or 2 thessalonians is a book from the new testament of the christian bible.
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