1 ThessaloniansWeek 1

Overview• Outline of 1 Thessalonians• Plan for this study• Week 1

o Geographyo Historical Context

• Thessalonica• Biblical Context

o About the authors• Paul• Silas• Timothy

o Themeso Conclusions

Outline of 1 ThessaloniansI. Greeting (1:1)II. Personal Thoughts (1:2–3:13)

A. Thanksgiving for the Church (1:2–10)B. Reminders for the Church (2:1–16)C. Concerns for the Church (2:17–3:13)

III. Practical Instructions (4:1–5:22)A. Moral Purity (4:1–8)B. Disciplined Living (4:9–12)C. Death and the Rapture (4:13–18)D. Holy Living and the Day of the Lord (5:1–11)E. Church Relationships (5:12–15)F. Basics of Christian Living (5:16–22)

IV. Benediction (5:23, 24)V. Closing Remarks (5:25–28)

Plan for this StudyWeek 1 – Overview of the Study and Introduction to 1 Thessalonians (1:1)Week 2 – 1:2-10 Thanksgiving for the ChurchWeek 3 – 2:1-16 Reminders for the ChurchWeek 4 – 2:17-3:13 Concerns for the ChurchWeek 5 – 4:1-8 Moral PurityWeek 6 – 4:9-12 Disciplined LivingWeek 7 – 4:13-18 Death and the RaptureWeek 8 – EschatologyWeek 9 – 5:1-11 Holy Living and the Day of the LordWeek 10 – 5:12-15 Church RelationshipsWeek 11 – 5:16-22 Basics of Church LivingWeek 12 – 5:23-28 Paul’s Benediction and Closing RemarksWeek 13 – Review, Conclusions, Application

Geography

Geography

Geography

Thessalonica• City was founded around 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon• City was named it after his wife Thessalonike, a half-sister of Alexander

the Great and princess of Macedon and daughter of Philip II. • Name is Θεσσαλονίκη (IPA: [tʰes.sa.lo.nǐː.kɛː]; from Θεσσαλός,

Thessalos, and Νίκη, Nikē), literally translating to “Thessalian Victory”• Under the kingdom of Macedon the city retained its own autonomy and

parliament• Became the most important city in Macedon.

Historical Context

Inscription reading "To Queen Thessalonike, (Daughter) of Philip", Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.

Thessalonica• Kingdom of Macedon fell in 168 BC• Thessalonica became a free city of the Roman Republic under Mark

Antony in 41 BC• Important trade-hub located on the Via Egnatia, the road connecting

Dyrrhachium with Byzantium, which facilitated trade between Thessaloniki and great centers of commerce such as Rome and Byzantium

• Also at the southern end of the main north-south route through the Balkans along the valleys of the Morava and Axios river valleys, thereby linking the Balkans with the rest of Greece

Historical Context

Thessalonica• Later became the capital of one of the four Roman districts in

Macedonia and the capital of all the Greek provinces in the Roman empire

• The Jews established a synagogue there• First visited by Paul and Silas and Timothy on Paul's second missionary

journey.  • The city is first mentioned in Acts 17:1  • Paul originally stayed 3 Sabbaths, resulting in a number of conversions,

including many Greeks, but after an uproar caused by certain Jews, Paul and Silas were sent away at night to Berea

Historical Context

Thessalonica• Paul’s custom was first to enter the synagogue and reason with the

Jews from the scriptures to show prove to them that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 17:2)

• Next he would go to the gentiles• Both Jews and gentiles were converted in Paul’s first visit to

Thessalonica• Paul was concerned about whether those new believers would be

influenced by the Jews who ran him out of town and fall away

Historical Context

1 Thessalonians AuthorsPaul• Originally a persecutor of the church, first introduced in Acts 7:58• He stood by to watch the coats of those who were stoning Stephen (Acts 7:58)• Paul was in hearty agreement to put Steven to death (Acts 8:1)• He was converted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in Acts 9 on the road to Damascus,

where he planned fierce persecution of believers,• Paul very quickly became a believer and immediately began to proclaim Jesus in the

synagogues (Acts 9:20)• Spent 3 in Arabia years after conversion, before going to Jerusalem• He met with the believers in Jerusalem and was sent to Tarsus.  • 11-14 years are unaccounted for from that time and when Barnabas went to find him in

Tarsus in Acts 11:25.  Both men went back to Antioch and began to preach there, staying a year.

• Paul began his first missionary journey in Acts 13. 

30 40 50 60 7065554535

Death of Christ

Conversion

Jerusalem visit, Tarsus,

SyriaAntioch,

Jerusalem

1st Missionary Journey

2nd Missionary Journey

Antioch

3rd Missionary Journey

Arrest in Jerusalem

Caesarea Prison

Journey to Rome

Rome House Arrest

4th Missionary Journey

Prison in Rome

ArrestPaul’s Death

Acts 9

Jerusalem Council

Acts 11

Acts 13-14

Acts 15

Acts 16-18

Acts 19-21

Acts 22-23

Acts 24-26

Acts 27-28

Acts 28

Galations Ephesians, Philippians, ColossiansPhilemon1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 TimothyTitus

1 Corinthians2 Corinthians

Romans

Historical Context3 years

in Arabia

1 Thessalonians AuthorsSilvanus or Silas• First mentioned in Acts 15:22 as one of the leading men among the

brethren• Was sent to Antioch with Paul and Barnabus after the counsel in

Jerusalem. • He was also a prophet, according to Acts 15:32• Was chosen by Paul in Acts 15:40 to go with him on his second

missionary journey (when they first went to Thessalonica).  This was after Paul disputed with Barnabus about taking Mark with them on the journey and Paul and Barnabas split and went their own ways over the issue of Mark, since Mark had deserted them in Acts 13:13. 

1 Thessalonians AuthorsSilvanus or Silas• Silas was with Paul when they were imprisoned in Acts 16:23 because

Paul had commanded a demon to come out of a slave girl, who's owners were profiting from her prophesying. 

• After being beaten and thrown in jail, Paul and Silas were singing and praising God when an earthquake happened.  Their jailer was going to kill himself, fearin all the prisoners had escaped, but Paul stopped him and he and his family were saved (Acts 16:25-30). 

1 Thessalonians AuthorsTimothy• We are first introduced to Timothy in Acts 16:1 as a disciple.  Paul met him on

his first missionary journey Lystra.  • He was the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a

Greek.  • He was well spoken of and Paul wanted to take him with him.  • Paul circumcised Timothy since he wanted to appeal to the Jews• He went with Paul and Silas on Paul's second missionary journey• Timothy & Silas were split up from Paul after they preached in Thessalonica

and Berea per Acts 17:14.  • The two caught up with Paul in Athens in Acts 18:5 and Timothy was

sent back into Macedonia. 

1 Thessalonians AuthorsTimothy• Timothy was with Paul when he wrote Romans (Ro 16:1), Philippians (Php

1:1), Colossians (Col 1:1), 1 Thessalonians (1Th 1:1), 2 Thessalonians (2Th 1:1), Philemon (Phm 1:1). 

• Timothy and Silas were both with Paul went he preached to the Corinthians (2Co 1:19). 

• Timothy was sent to the Corinthians in 1Co 4:17.• Timothy became a significant leader of the early church and pastored the

church at Ephesus.  • Paul wrote the two pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy to him to provide

further guidance• Timothy was apparently imprisoned later and then released (Heb 13:23).

Themes5 Major Themes: 1) An apologetic theme with the historical correlation between Acts

and 1 Thessalonians2) An ecclesiastical theme with the portrayal of a healthy, growing

church3) A pastoral theme with the example of shepherding activities and

attitudes4) An eschatological theme with the focus on future events as the

church’s hope5) A missionary theme with the emphasis on gospel proclamation

and church planting

Conclusions• The historic accuracy of the bible is unprecedented• We are all called to the same purpose – the Great

Commission• It often takes God’s servants a long time to be developed

before they can fulfil what God has called them to• Our service to God will be met with resistance