1 Thessalonians Study 2009 All Chapters

1 Thessalonians Study

Tod Kennedy, 2009, 2023

Key words are faith and love

Tod Kennedy,

Paul, like a father, commends the persecuted Thessalonian believers for their believing faith, godly love, firm confidence in Jesus, ministry, and Jesus’ future coming to rescue them and judge the ungodly, and encourages them to continue.

Summary. Paul wrote to these embattled and newer Christians to express his affection, thanks, and encouragement about their believing faith, love, and ministry. He instructed them about sanctification, Christian death, Jesus’ return to take dead and living believers to heaven, and that the day of the Lord had not yet happened. He closed this letter with general instructions for daily Christian living.

Contents

Paul in Thessalonica, Outline of Acts 17
Points to emphasize or “So what?” from Acts 17

Summary of Acts 17

Historical background for 1 Thessalonians
Chapter Titles for 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians Expository Teaching

1. Paul in Thessalonica, Outline of Acts 17

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1:1-9).
1. Paul taught from the Scripture in the synagogue that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 17:1-4).
  1. Paul explained and gave evidence that Christ suffered, died, and rose again.
  2. Paul’s evidence demonstrated that Jesus is the Christ.
2. Rejecters of biblical evidence that Jesus is Messiah caused a riot so Paul and Silas went to Berea (Acts 17:5-10).
Paul and Silas in Berea (Acts 17:10-15).
1. Paul taught from the Scripture in the synagogue, and Jews and Greeks searched the Scripture and believed the message (Acts 17:11-12).
2. Rejecters of biblical evidence caused turmoil so Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:13-15).
Paul taught and reasoned in Athens Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 17:16-34).
1. Paul taught Jews and God-fearers in the synagogue and anyone in the market place (Acts 17:16-18).
2. Paul taught and reasoned with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the Areopagus (Acts 17:19-34).
  1. Paul started with the philosophers’ frame of reference and then moved to the biblical view (Acts 17:19-23).
  2. Paul talked about God: creator-owner (Acts 17:24, 26), omnipresent and invisible (Acts 17:24, 27, and 29), source of life (Acts 17:25, 28), creator of the human race (Acts 17:26, 29), and king of history (Acts 17:26, 30).
  3. Paul said that God was patient (Acts 17:30) and will judge mankind based upon a righteous standard and that righteous standard was Jesus, whom God proved was qualified by arising from the dead (Acts 17:30).

2. Points to emphasize or “So what?” from Acts 17

Bible based evangelism is the best method. We explain the Scripture teaching and give biblical evidence for what you say. Paul emphasized that Messiah-Christ must suffer (die), and rise from the dead. The Scripture demonstrated that Jesus is Messiah-Christ (Acts 17.1-4).
Unbelief can express itself by hatred and violence against believers. The Bible’s message divides people (Acts 17.5-8, 13).
When we present the Bible’s message, there will be differing responses. Our ministry is to present the Bible’s message accurately and clearly (Acts 17.32-34). Some listeners will believe the Bible’s message (Acts 17.4, 11-12, 34) and some will not (Acts 17.5, 13, 32).
God designed, revealed, and authorized the Bible message; none of it came from pagan religions (Acts 17.18-21).
God has designed and orchestrated history, including nations and laws, so that mankind may come to God-consciousness, hear the gospel, and have the opportunity to believe the Bible’s message (Acts 17.26-27).
Apologetics, which is a defense of the faith or why we know the faith is true, is often an important part of witnessing about Christ (Acts 17.2, 17).
In Paul’s mind the biblical message of salvation included the Old Testament teaching about Messiah, coupled with the historical death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 17:1-4). To the Athenian philosophers Paul also began with Jesus and the resurrection. This brought immediate questions (17). Paul then followed up for these philosophers who had no biblical frame of reference by explaining in panorama the person of God, and then that God created all things, that God is Lord and owner of heaven and earth, that God is the source of life, that God set the plan for history to help people turn to God, that people are the image of God, that God wants people to repent (change their thinking about God, life, and how to have eternal life), and that there will be a righteous judgment through the resurrected Jesus (17:18-34). From this we see that we need to be prepared, flexible, and should not short cut the biblical message of salvation.

3. Summary of Acts 17

Acts 17.1-4. Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke traveled on the Ignatian Way from Philippi to Thessalonica, a distance of about 100 miles. This famous highway stretched 540 miles and connected Rome to its eastern provinces. When Paul reached Thessalonica, he resumed his practice of going first to the synagogue to teach the Jews that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. This had two advantages: first, the Jews already had a biblical frame of reference about the Messiah, and second, Paul wanted to make sure that the Jews had a clear opportunity to believe in their Messiah (Acts 17.3). The Jews had long awaited their Messiah; He would be their mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2.5; Hebrews 8.6), their king (Luke 19.38; John 1.49), and their priest (Hebrews 2.17; 4.14-15; Hebrews 5.10). Paul’s biblical evangelism received a good response. Many believed in Christ as Savior.
Acts 17.5-6. As happened so often with Paul, he spoke so clearly and with such grace, confidence, and authority that people had a hard time staying neutral. Those who did not receive his message about Jesus the Christ got mad. They aroused the people into a riot and even gathered some “hired rioters” to further inflame the crowd. The trouble makers then went looking for Paul, apparently now staying with a man named Jason, so the crowd gathered at Jason’s house.
Acts 17.7-9. Since the mob did not find Paul, they attacked Jason and forcibly took him to the authorities, to whom the rioters made false accusations—that the missionaries attempted to overthrow Caesar and put Jesus in his place. This was a serious accusation, but Roman law protected those with Roman citizenship; Thessalonica was in the Roman senatorial province of Macedonia. The governing authorities made Jason pay a bond, money to guarantee that Paul would not incite revolution, and then let him go.
Acts 17.10-15. The Thessalonian believers thought it best to get Paul out of town, so they sent him, Silas, Timothy, and probably Luke to Berea. Berea was a Macedonian city about fifty miles west of Thessalonica. The current name is Verria. They went to the synagogue to teach about Jesus the Messiah. Both Jews and Greeks believed the gospel and were given eternal life. They became part of Christ’s spiritual body called the church. They became members of God’s kingdom, and became citizens of heaven. Luke writes that the Bereans compared what Paul said with Scripture in order to determine whether his message was biblically true. This habit of comparing a teacher’s statements with Scripture is one that we all should develop; it is a protection of the priesthood of the believer and encourages us to spend time studying the Bible. You can guess what happened: the Thessalonian Jews found out that the some of the Bereans believed in Messiah-Christ as Savior, so they rushed to Thessalonica and caused more rioting. It was time for Paul to again move on. A group of believers took Paul to Athens. Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. They were to join Paul later at Athens.
Acts 17.16-18. Athens had a history of classical sculpture, literature, oratory, and philosophy. Socrates (469-399 B.C.) and Plato (429-347 B.C.) were natives of Athens. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), and Zeno (335-263 B.C.) moved to Athens. Epicurus founded a school in Athens in 306 B.C. Epicureans believed that the gods were uninterested in man and that pleasure and the tranquil life—freedom from the fear of the gods and of death, freedom from pain and anxiety—were the chief goals for man. Zeno founded the Stoic school in Athens. Stoics believed in rationalism, individualism, pantheism, and duty. Athens was a city full of idol temples and images. Athens was filled with religion but empty of Christ. As Paul waited for Silas and Timothy, he wandered the city and was provoked by the idolatry. In this religious climate he witnessed for Jesus Christ—in the synagogue and in the market—daily. As a result of his witnessing, he got into discussions with the philosophers. Paul was talking about Jesus and the resurrection, both new ideas to the Greek philosophers. The newness of the ideas to the philosophers demonstrates that Christianity did not borrow its foundational doctrines from ancient religions as some claim; Messiah-Jesus, the Savior, and the resurrection were new to the philosophers of Athens. The faith of the Old and New Testament was God designed and unique—they are one and the same faith.
Acts 17.19-31. The philosophers took Paul to the ancient and famous Court of Areopagus (Greek, Hill of Ares; Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera). This is a large rock area northwest of the Acropolis (Greek, edge of the city and 49 feet above sea level). The Areopagus identified the place that city fathers met in early times to discuss concerns of politics and religion. In the time of Pericles (c. 495-425 B.C.) it was even a criminal court. The hill of Ares was 377 feet high. Ares is the Greek god of war. Mars is the Roman god of war and so Mars Hill is the Latin form of Areopagus. There philosophers discussed and debated ideas. The Court was well known, widely respected, and in Paul’s time was accepted as authoritative in religious and moral debate. To this court Paul was invited. They asked him about Jesus and the resurrection. Paul began by observing that the philosophers were a religious group (17.22). He then referred to an altar to an unknown god. These altars could be seen in Athens at that time. He then formed his message around the unknown God: 1. God is the creator and sovereign (17.24-25); 2. God, who began the human race with Adam, planned human history including the different administrations or dispensations so that mankind might come to God-consciousness which means to believe that God exists and go from that belief to faith in the biblical message, the gospel (17.26-27); 3. since God created mankind in his image, we should not reduce God to a metal image—the creator cannot be reduced to an idol (17.28-29); 4. God has moved on from the past dispensation in which the revelation about Christ was partial to the present time when Jesus Christ has been fully revealed; 5. God was patient in the past and the message about Christ is now complete so God wants everyone to repent. Paul goes on to say that an unbeliever thinking about God and Messiah-Jesus may hold off God’s judgment or prepare a person to listen more closely to the gospel. God wants each person to turn from his human viewpoint and sin and set his attention closely to the gospel so that he might understand it, believe it, and be saved (17.30); and 6. that God’s judgment is coming; God will judge the world of mankind through the resurrected Jesus Christ (17.31).
Acts 17.32-24. The response to Paul’s message differed among the listeners. Some sneered at it, some wanted to hear it another time, and some believed and were saved. The parable of the sower taught the same things: when people present the gospel, there will be differing responses.

4. Historical background for 1 Thessalonians

Theme: Paul is unable to revisit this new group of believers who are under satanic attack, therefore he writes this letter to teach, to stabilize, and to encourage them in their Christian Way of Life.
Author: Paul (1 Thessalonians 1.1).
Date: Around AD 51.
Paul wrote from Corinth while on his second missionary trip to believers in Thessalonica
(1 Thessalonians 1.1) and
1. Thessalonica or Thessalonika or Thessaloniki is also known as Salonika or Saloniki.
2. He had visited Thessalonica earlier during this trip. He stayed approximately two weeks and had a very fruitful ministry there (Acts 17.1-4). Many of the new believers were very responsive to Paul’s teaching and authority, but the city also had a group of very antagonistic Jews (Acts 17.5-9). They stirred up mob riots. To escape this rioting the Thessalonian believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea (Acts 17.10). Some of these antagonistic Thessalonians followed Paul to Berea and there caused the same kind of trouble
  (Acts 17.11-13).
3. Because of this outbreak of rioting the believers in Berea sent Paul to Athens by ship
  (Acts 17.14) while Silas and Timothy remained at Berea. After he arrived at Athens Paul sent instructions for Silas and Timothy to follow later (Acts 17.15). They met Paul a short time later in Athens (1 Thessalonians 3.1).
4. Paul stayed a little longer at Athens, but sent Timothy and Silas back to Thessalonica to equip the young church there and to find out how they were doing (1 Thessalonians 3.1-2, 5). They had instructions to rejoin Paul in Corinth. Paul soon left Athens and went on to Corinth (Acts 18.1).
5. When Silas and Timothy completed their mission in Thessalonica they rejoined Paul in Corinth and reported to him about the state of the Thessalonian church (Acts 18.5; 1 Thessalonians 3.6-7).
6. Paul wrote this letter to the young church after he heard the report from Silas and Timothy (1 Thessalonians 3.6-7; 1.1).
Political background: The first century church was under Roman rule. God used Roman rule to protect, to consolidate, to extend, and to test His young church. Thessalonica was the leading city of Macedonia. It was on the Ignatian way. It also was a city that connected the Aegean to the Danube area.
1. Claudius was the Roman emperor at this time. He ruled from A.D. 41-54. The Praetorian Guard found him hiding after his nephew, Gaius Caligula, was assassinated and the guard immediately proclaimed him the emperor. He was 50 at the time. Claudius was liked by the army and the provincials, but disliked by the Roman nobles. He was a learned and scholarly man. His physical appearance was distracting. Claudius was afflicted with a paralysis which caused his head to shake, his mouth to slobber, and his walk to be awkward. Claudius did a good job in provincial and foreign policy. He expanded the empire, built roads, increased provincial business, and promoted law, order, and justice. He valued Roman citizenship. He was not anti-Semitic, but did not want Judaism to spread. Claudius got into trouble with the nobles by giving too much power and privilege to his family and the freedmen. His family also gave him trouble. The final family trouble was that Agrippina, his wife and young Nero’s mother, assassinated him in A.D. 54. (See CAH Vol X, pages 667ff).
2. See the summary of Acts 17 for Areopagus.

5. Chapter Titles for 1 Thessalonians

Chapter 1, The Thessalonians accepted God’s message taught God’s way by Paul and it gave God’s results.
Chapter 2, Paul and his team served God and so they chose to please him, not to please men.
Chapter 3, The Thessalonians’ spiritual growth encouraged Paul.
Chapter 4, Reminder to apply Bible doctrine daily.
Chapter 5, The Day of the Lord, authority orientation, and other commands.

Faith, love, and hope in Christ are key ideas in this book. Faith in 1 Thessalonians mostly refers to believing faith, as also most of the NT uses, such as 1 Timothy 1.13, not as content faith or what is believed or the Christian faith, which is meant a few times in the New Testament, as in Jude 3 and Galatians 1.23.

1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1

The Thessalonians accepted God’s message taught God’s way by Paul and it gave God’s results

A few observations from chapter 1

The letter is to the church at Thessalonica, a city church.
Thanks and prayer are part of Paul’s life.
Work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope characterized the new believers.
“Choice of you” indicates that they are in God’s plan for privilege and opportunity.
The biblical gospel came in word, power, the Holy Spirit, and conviction.
The Thessalonian believers imitated Paul, Silas, Timothy, and the Lord in the way they received the word—in the middle of tribulation yet with the joy of Holy Spirit.
The reports about the Thessalonian believers came in from different places.
The report said that they turned to God, turned from idols, turned to serve living and true God, and wait for the resurrected Jesus.
Jesus the Son of the living God.
Indigenous missions: Paul and his team began the work and then the Thessalonians reached Macedonia, Achaia, other places.
Jesus delivers from coming wrath.

Main points to emphasize in 1 Thessalonians 1

Thank God for the Christian life of other believers when we pray for them.
Christian service is the normal expression of believing faith, love, and hope, even for spiritually young believers.
Believers are elect or chosen ones in Christ based on God’s foreknowledge of faith and therefore believers are secure and privileged.
One’s ministry consists of the accurate message delivered powerfully, through the Holy Spirit, with the conviction that it is true. Here see 1 Peter 4:11.
Let’s imitate the Lord and Paul so that we will be examples or models to other believers.
Telling God’s word to others is expressing our faith.
Jesus Christ will return for believers and therefore He removes us from earth before God’s tribulation wrath strikes.

Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1.1. The Paul team included Silas and Timothy. After their visit to Thessalonica Paul wrote back to the new church. Missionary work and church planting were often done by Paul and his team. He had fellow workers who were different parts of the body of Christ working together. Paul wrote back to the believers. He addressed this particular geographical church. Remember the church has a universal sense, a geographical sense, and a local sense. The relationship and therefore position of each Thessalonian believer was in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace were to be the position and experience of each believer in this new church.
1. For our service we need to keep this in mind. God has given spiritual gifts and placed people in the different parts of Christ’s spiritual body for a purpose.
2. God places each person who believes in Jesus Christ into an unbreakable relationship with Himself and with Jesus. Each is now part of Christ’s spiritual body. This body is the church (ekklesia).
3. See the Bible doctrines of Missions, Church, Positional Truth, Spiritual Gifts, Grace, and Peace.
1 Thessalonians 1.2-3. Paul remembered (mnemoneo, present active participle) those whom he witnessed to and taught. He recalled their service. These memories motivated him to pray (prosucheo, present participle) often for them and to thank (eucharisteo, present active indicative) God for them.
1. Prayer is often motivated by memories of people we know and remember. Our prayer ought to include thanks to God and intercession to God for them and for their ministry. We want God to work in and on behalf of others—especially their Christian lives.
2. See the Bible doctrines of Thanksgiving and Prayer.
1 Thessalonians 1:3. Paul recalled that the Thessalonians’ believing faith was working, their love was laboring, and their hope in Jesus Christ was giving them steadfastness or endurance in their lives.
1. This is high praise. Does our believing faith (pistis) work (ergon), our love (agape) labor (kopos), and our hope (elpis) remain steadfast (hupomone)?
2. See the Bible doctrines of Christian Service or Ministry, Good Works or Divine Good, Love, Faith, and Hope.
1 Thessalonians 1:4. Paul and others knew that the Thessalonian believers were God’s choice (ekloge) people—choice in the sense that they were chosen for privilege, opportunity, and responsibility.
1. Every believer is chosen or elected because they believe the biblical gospel. In practical terms election means that God has selected and secured believers for privileges and opportunities. These privileges and opportunities are only given to those that are related to Him by faith (see Ephesians 1.3-14). People are elect or choice based upon their faith in the biblical gospel and this faith was foreseen by God.
2. See the Bible doctrine of Election (here the word).
1 Thessalonians 1:5. Paul was effective when he brought the biblical gospel and doctrine to the Thessalonians. In word (logos)—he was accurate; he was powerful (dunamis) through his knowledge, training, and ability; the Holy Spirit (pneumati hagioi) filled, led, and energized him; and Paul was convinced (plerophoria) that what he said was God’s truth, and the people recognized this.
1. In our day to day lives our spoken biblical message is most effective when the message is accurate, when we put our knowledge, training, and ability into our witnessing and teaching, when the Holy Spirit directs and targets the message, and when we are convinced that this is God’s message.
2. See Bible doctrines of Biblical Gospel, Revelation-Inspiration-Communication-Illumination, Knowledge of God’s Word, and Ministries of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 1:6. The Thessalonian believers willingly and joyfully (joy, chara) received (dechomai, aorist middle participle) God’s word from Paul even though there was great turmoil and opposition (suffering, thlipsis) to his ministry and to the Thessalonians’ faith response to his ministry. In this way they became (ginomai, aorist passive indicative) imitators (mimetes) of Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Jesus. They became like them.
1. When we willingly and joyfully receive God’s word in the face of intense opposition we are doing what Paul, Silas, Timothy, and the Lord did. This is high praise. Joy is what we all want. It is best and most productive when the Holy Spirit produces it in us.
2. See the Bible doctrines of The Convicting Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Importance of God’s Word, Imitation, Spiritual Growth, Suffering, and Fruit of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 1:7. The result of imitating Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Jesus was that the Thessalonian believers (pisteuo, articular present active participle used as a noun) as a whole became (ginomai, aorist middle infinitive) an example (tupos), an impression from a blow, a mark, a pattern, a model of Christian living to believers living in two provinces. Paul, Silas, and Timothy are only to be imitated when they imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
1. We can also be models of Christian living when we imitate Christ in His relationship to the Father, to the Holy Spirit, to God’s word, to God’s will, and to people. To do that we need to receive God’s word as the Thessalonians did and to put it to its intended purpose.
2. See the Bible doctrines of Christ-likeness and Spiritual Growth.
1 Thessalonians 1:8. The Thessalonian believers responded to Paul’s message and ministry in such a way that they spread (has sounded forth, execheo, perfect passive indicative) the word of God—the biblical gospel and biblical doctrine—even past their own borders. Not only did they say the right words. What they believed combined with the application in their lives—your faith (pistis) toward God—spread widely (has gone forth, exerchomai, perfect active indicative) and greatly influenced people. They took over the job of witnessing and teaching. Paul could depend on them as he went elsewhere, though he would have preferred to stay longer with them.
1. The question remains for us, how do we respond to the biblical message that we hear over and over and seem to be convinced of its truthfulness? Do people see God’s message and kind of life in us? Do we want God to use us to present the biblical message to other people? Do we think about knowing God better? Do we think about applying the doctrine that we know? Could Paul say the same about us that he said about the Thessalonians?
2. See the Bible doctrines of Missions, Spiritual Growth, Faith, Spiritual Enthusiasm, and Ministry.
1 Thessalonians 1:9. People in surrounding geographical areas were reporting (apaggello, present active indicative) what happened in Thessalonica. Namely, that many Thessalonians had turned (epistrepho, aorist active indicative) to God from idols (eidolon). They had been religious, but religion is not the way to relationship with God. They also wanted to serve (douleuo, present active infinitive) the one living (zao, present active participle used as an adjective) and true (alethinos) God. Turning is first of all a change in thinking. The living and true God is the only God. All idols are false. They had come to the realization through Paul’s teaching that Yahweh God is alive. He is no statue or superman. He is the creator, life giver, and judge.
1. What do people report about us. They may say we do not serve stone or wood idols, but do they think we serve other man made things—money, fame, sports, celebrities, work, food, television, or whatever is most important to you?
2. Is our life one of serving God?
3. See the Bible doctrines of God, Faith, Ministry, and Spiritual Gifts.
1 Thessalonians 1:10. Not only did many Thessalonians turn to God in faith and for service, they also understood at least the basics of future things—the doctrine of eschatology. Paul had taught them that Jesus is God’s son and therefore God. Paul taught that God had raised (egeiro, aorist active indicative) Jesus from the dead (nekros), and that Jesus will return from heaven (ouranos). They were waiting (anameno, present active infinitive) for Him. Paul also taught that Jesus is the one who will deliver (ruomai, articular present middle participle use as a noun) the Thessalonian believers from (ek) the coming (erchomai, articular present middle participle) wrath (orge) of God that God will pour out upon the world. From other Scripture we know that this wrath will come upon unbelievers during the tribulation period, also known as the judgment part of the Day of the Lord. With this biblical knowledge they made the application to expectantly wait for God’s Son to come from heaven for them. Paul writes more about this in the rest of the book.
1. We, like the Thessalonians, ought to wait with expectation for Jesus Christ to return for His church. We can be thankful that we will not have to live on earth during the day of God’s wrath. We also know that there is only a short time that we have to serve God. Jesus may come at any time.
2. See the Bible doctrines of Christology, The Rapture (which we might better call the great snatch), Resurrection, Heaven, Tribulation, Day of the Lord, and Faith Application of Bible Doctrine.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul and his team served God and so they chose to please him, not to please men

Some observations from Chapter 2

The ministry in Thessalonica was profitable—not in vain, kenos=empty, fruitless, without purpose or result 1 Corinthians 15:10, 14, 14 (1 Thessalonians 2:1).
Persecution did not stop Paul, Silas, Timothy, Jason, and others from doing God’s work
(1 Thessalonians 2:2).
They were honest in what they said (1 Thessalonians 2:3).
They fulfilled God’s trust (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
Their desire was to please God (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
They did not flatter, seek personal glory, or push his authority unless it was absolutely necessary
(1 Thessalonians 2:5-6).
They were gentle, affectionate (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8).
They taught the biblical gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:8-9).
They gave their lives over completely to God’s service (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
They held jobs so the Thessalonians would not have to pay them (1 Thessalonians 2:9).
Their purpose in service with them was so the Thessalonians could walk worthy of God.
They had a good reputation (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
Some of the Thessalonians became believers in Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
They treated the new believers as a father would his own children (1 Thessalonians 2:11).
They wanted the Thessalonian believers to walk or live worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
Believers are called into God’s kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
The Thessalonians received his word to them as the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
God’s word does its job in those who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The Thessalonian believers suffered for Jesus Christ just like the believers in Judea—Jews persecuted new believers (1 Thessalonians 2:14-15).
The antagonistic Jews of Paul’s day were doing the same to biblical believers as they did to Jesus and the prophets.
Those antagonistic to Jesus did not please God (1 Thessalonians 2:15).
Those antagonistic to Jesus were hostile (enantios opposite, opposing, contrary) to all people
(1 Thessalonians 2:15).
Those are hostile because they hinder God’s people from proclaiming the saving biblical gospel
(1 Thessalonians 2:16).
Those hostile fulfill (anapleroo, to complete, fulfill, finish) their sins=probably do what is natural for them to do (1 Thessalonians 2:16).
God’s wrath is come upon (phthano, to reach beforehand, to overtake) them (1 Thessalonians 2:16).
Paul and his men left the Thessalonians but were eager to return (1 Thessalonians 2:17).
Satan prevented them from returning to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
Satan was the aggressor (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
The Thessalonians will be Paul and his team’s true hope, joy when Jesus comes
(1 Thessalonians 2:19).
The Thessalonian believers are Paul and his team’s glory (doxa) and joy (chara)
(1 Thessalonians 2:20).

Main points to emphasize in 1 Thessalonians 2

Paul and his team put up with much opposition so that they might boldly communicate God’s word to the people of Thessalonica. They were successful in their ministry. The opposition included untrue accusations, mob riot, and charges by the civil government. Let’s not give up when ministry becomes difficult.
They were successful in their ministry because they chose to please God and not people. They were not deceitful, nor did they flatter or falsely praise, nor serve to gain money, nor were they authoritarian (different from authoritative). Let’s make pleasing God a governing principle in our lives.
Paul and his team gently cared for the new believers and, just like a mother, they gave of themselves daily for their care; and just like a father, they appealed and encouraged and cheered up and urged these believers to walk worthy of God. Are you a Christian leader or someone responsible for helping believers grow up? If so, Paul sets the pattern. Care for those you serve. Encourage them. Appeal to them. Cheer them. Urge them to walk worthy of God. Treat them as a loving father and mother would treat their children.

Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:1. The ministry of Paul, Silas, and Timothy was effective.
1. Paul wrote that it was “not in vain” (kenos, empty, fruitless, empty handed, without value, without purpose or result). Kenos is also used in 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 15:10, 14, and 58; Galatians 2:2; Philippians 2:16; and other passages. Mark 12:3 has a concrete use to help us understand the meaning. The ministry accomplished what Paul desired—spreading the biblical gospel, teaching new believers, and the new believers themselves joining beginning a fruitful ministry. This should be the pattern for local churches. We tell the biblical gospel to those who need it; we then teach believers Bible doctrine; and these new believers continue the pattern that has been established. How about our Christian service? Is it in fruitless and without purpose or result? In context Paul spoke to please God (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
2. Even the political-religious uproar and Paul having to be sent away did not change his perspective of his ministry in Thessalonica. Opposition does not predict failure. Opposition does not have to produce discouragement.
1 Thessalonians 2:2. Gross opposition (suffered propascho, to suffer before; mistreated hubrizo, to scoff, insult, treat spitefully) did not make Paul timid or hesitant to continue what God called him to do. In fact, it encouraged him. Boldness is parresiazomai, to speak freely and openly.
1. The gospel of God is the biblical message about Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection (Acts 17:2-5). This tells us what the gospel of God is and what we should be emphasizing. We tell people who Jesus Christ is (identify) and what He did (history).
2. The word for opposition is agon. This first is a gathering, then a place of a contest such as the Greeks at national games, and then a struggle even for life and death. Paul was in a life and death struggle with the forces of darkness. See Ephesians 6:12, “against the world forces of this darkness.”
1 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Paul and his team’s appeal to the Thessalonians was not from sinful motives (1 Thessalonians 2:3), but because he wanted to please God, not men (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
1. 1 Thessalonians 2:3. Their appeal (parklesis, summons, request, exhortation, encouragement) to the Thesslonians was valid. They did not attempt to lie, cheat, or base the ministry on wrong doctrine.
2. 1 Thessalonians 2:4. God examines (present active participle of dokimazo). God’s testing resulting in approval (approved perfect passive indicative of dokimazo) and so entrusted them with the ministry. Note that examines and approved are the same verb (dokimazo, to test, to do an assay and so approve). God who examines hearts examined and approved Paul and his team. The result was that God considered them trustworthy (pisteuo in the aorist passive infinitive, to believe to trust, to put faith in) to travel and evangelize and teach and start churches. How did God know to entrust or delegate the ministry to them? Because He knows everything—even what people think (God is omniscient). He examines and selects certain ones for certain ministries. They wanted to please (aresko to make good, to please, to win favor, to accommodate) God—do what He wanted in the way He wanted. See the doctrines of Good Works and Ministry.
  1. The interpretation is that God read or examined Paul and his team. What were their motives? Did they want to gain favor and fame from people? No. Who did they want to please and gain favor from? Only God. Were they prepared enough? Was the message accurate? Would they endure suffering, attacks, ridicule? God saw the answer. It was yes. He approved them for the job ahead and entrusted what had to be done to them. The results were recorded in Acts and the epistles.
  2. Does this have application to us? I think so. God who is omniscient reads or examines our thoughts, motives, strengths, and weaknesses. This is an examination that we all go through. If He approves us for service, He then entrusts or delegates ministry to us. The primary question in our test whom do we want to please? Note the many times Paul writes about pleasing God. First, Haggai 1:8, Malachi 1:8, 10,
    1 Corinthians 7:32-33, 1 Corinthians 10:5, and 2 Timothy 2:4 record incidents or illustrations of pleasing someone. Some of Paul’s usage of “please” include
    Romans 8:8, 2 Corinthians 5:9, Galatians 1:10, Ephesians 5:10, Colossians 1:10, and 1 Thessalonians 4:1. Peter writes of this in 1 Peter 2:15 and John in 1 John 3:22.
  3. The point is that to pass God’s approval for ministry, He wants us to please Him more than please people. Each of us needs to ask ourselves the question, “whom do I most want to please?”
1 Thessalonians 2:5-12. That they successfully carried out their trust showed in their on the job ministry with the Thessalonians. Though they were serving people, their higher and defining purpose was to serve God. Paul and his team understood the principle of 1 Peter 5:1-4: 1. under Jesus Christ, 2. shepherd the flock, 3. willingly, 4. not for excess gain, 5. eagerly, 6. not as a dictator, 7. as an example.
1. 1 Thessalonians 2:5. They did not flatter people so the pay would be good.
2. 1 Thessalonians 2:6. They did not seek earthly or human glory, praise, or honor.
3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7. They treated the Thessalonian believers with great care, just like a mother does for her young children.
4. 1 Thessalonians 2:8. They did not only impart (metadidomi, to give a part of, to give a share, to distribute) to them correct doctrine, but also their time and energy and experience.
5. 1 Thessalonians 2:9. They worked on the side so they could without charge or offerings proclaim the biblical gospel. These were no easy jobs (labor, hardship, night and day).
6. 1 Thessalonians 2:10. Their personal lives were above reproach.
7. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. They led the new believers to maturity just like a father would his children, by exhorting (paralakeo to summon, invite, appeal, encourage, comfort, exhort) and encouraging (paramutheomai to encourage, speak soothing to, reassure, support, console, cheer up) and imploring (marturomai to call to witness, invoke, give testimony, to urge, to affirm).
8. 1 Thessalonians 2:12. The practical purpose for their ministry was that the Thessalonian believers would walk (preposition eis with the article and the present active infinitive of peripateo, to walk or live) worthy (adverb axios of like value, worthy of, suitably, in synch with) of God. God was the one who is calling them into His kingdom and glory. Believers are in God’s kingdom.
  1. Walk worthy of the vocation – Humility (Ephesians 4.1).
  2. Walk worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1.10).
  3. Walk worthy of God, who called you into His kingdom and glory
    (1 Thessalonians 2.12).
  4. Doctrine of Walking, Doctrine of God’s kingdom.
1 Thessalonians 2:13-16. Paul is thankful that the Thessalonians readily accepted his and his team’s teaching and realized that it was God’s word, not their opinions. God’s word changed these new believers—it did what it was meant to do. What stood out in Paul’s mind was that the Thessalonians, just like the Judean believers, witnessed for Christ and applied the biblical doctrine they learned. As a result they suffered, yet they did not stop speaking out or quit the faith.
1. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Constantly thank God. Constantly is adialeiptos, an adverb that expresses constant or unceasing prayer. Paul was busy, but he expressed his gratefulness to God for His divine direction, building in the faith, and blessing on those to whom he ministered. Are we like Paul—devoted to thanksgiving and requests?
2. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Word (logos) of God.
3. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Which it really is shows Paul’s view of God’s revelation. He was convinced of the source and reliability of God’s revelation.
4. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Performs its work (energeo to be in action, to operate, to effect; present middle indicative).
5. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15. The unbeliever Jews persecuted believers just like their fathers had done. Though these Jews thought that they were pleasing God, they were wrong. How often do we now think we are pleasing God when in fact our viewpoint is not God’s; it is the viewpoint of the world and is wrong.
6. 1 Thessalonians 2:16. Paul was actually hindered (koluo means to prevent, to forbid, to hinder). Though he was prevented from preaching, he continued to find people and ways to preach the saving message. By hindering the gospel, they were adding (fill up, anapleroo, to fill up, to complete, to supply) to their sins. “But wrath has come,” means that God’s judgment has been pronounced upon them. This refers either to the coming destruction and dispersion of the Jews or to God’s judgment of unbelievers in the coming tribulation. “Has come” means judgment has been pronounced. All of this because they rejected Jesus and were trying to prevent others from hearing about him.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20. Though Paul and his team were forced to leave Thessalonica, his affection for them did not decrease and with that his desire to see them face to face again. The great enemy, Satan, hindered (egkapto, to oppose, to check, to hold the breath, use strong measures to prevent something) them.
1. The apostle and his men maintained their affection for these young believers. Paul has said this repeatedly. Yes, there is affection for those in one’s ministry.
2. The spiritual conflict raged against the apostle and his team. Can we expect anything less? No. Satan acts to stop any progress of the gospel and Bible teaching. He will raise political opposition, religious opposition, even family opposition, and opposition by believers.
3. God is the king over all creation. At times He redirects a mission as in Acts 16:6-7. This was to send Paul to areas ready for the gospel (Macedonia). People were saved and grew in Philippi and in Thessalonica and in Berea and later in Athens. At other times He allows Satan to hinder ministry in order to demonstrate dependence on God by believers, as here and as noted in Job 1-2. Either way, God is sovereign.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20. The faithful believers whom Paul served in Thessalonica will be the cause of his reward and happiness at the coming of Jesus for the church (the rapture).

1 Thessalonians chapter 3, The Thessalonians’ spiritual growth encouraged Paul

Some observations from chapter 3

Paul stayed at Athens and sent Timothy to Thessalonica (1-2).
Timothy was to strengthen and encourage them in the faith (2).
Paul did not want the persecution to disrupt their faith (3).
The suffering was because of the spiritual warfare (3-4).
Paul had great concern for the spiritual welfare of the Thessalonians.
He wanted to make sure they were remaining strong in the faith (5).
Satan may have tempted them to reject the faith (5).
Timothy returned to Paul with a good report (6).
Timothy reported about the faith, love, and kind thoughts of the Thessalonians toward Paul (6).
The Thessalonians’ strong faith comforted Paul (7).
Paul and his team were content and happy when the Thessalonians stood firm in faith (8).
Paul and his team thanked God for the joy the Thessalonians brought them by standing strong in faith (9).
They also prayed night and day to be able to revisit the Thessalonians and equip them in their faith (10).
Paul prayed that God would get them to Thessalonica again (11).
Paul prayed that the Lord would increase and spread their love (12).
Paul prayed that the Lord would establish their hearts without blame and in holiness (13).
God the Father wants us to be established without blame and in holiness (13).
Jesus will come again with all the saints (13).

Main points to emphasize in 1 Thessalonians 3

Paul had such a sense of love and ministry for the Thessalonians that he continued to follow their spiritual growth and service. He prayed for them. He sent Timothy to build them in their believing faith. He was encouraged to hear Timothy’s good report about them. He wrote two letters to them which were inspired Scripture. We should have this same sense of love and ministry for those we serve in the Lord.
Paul and those serving with him faced great opposition and persecution because of their active service for the Lord. This did not cause Paul to leave the ministry or to reduce his service. In fact, it seemed to strengthen his resolve to serve. Does opposition and difficulty cause us to rethink and back away from Christian service? It should not.
Paul prayed that he might be allowed to further equip or train these believers so that they would not be deficient in their biblical faith. It was important for him that believers advanced in the faith to a point where application was automatic and so glorified God and blessed people. We have the privilege to pray for others and in these prayers to ask that we may have the privilege of passing on God’s word to them.
God’s love in and through us is that ingredient that makes all the other parts of the Christian life fit. It also prepares us for when Christ returns and then evaluates us at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 3

(3:1-8). Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to strengthen, encourage, report that Paul was doing well, and to find out how these believers were standing strong in their believing faith. Faith in 1 Thessalonians refers to believing faith, as also most of the NT uses such as 1 Timothy 1.13), not as content faith or what is believed or the Christian faith, which is meant a few times in the New Testament (as in Jude 3 and Galatians 1.23).
1. (3:1-2). From Acts 17 we know that Paul, Silas, and Timothy had gone to Berea from Thessalonica (10, 13, 14). Paul then went to Athens and Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea with instructions to join Paul in Athens (14-16). Comparing Acts 17:15 with 1 Thessalonians 3:1 and Acts 18:1 and 5, Silas and Timothy apparently joined Paul in Athens, and then Timothy, possibly with Silas, was sent back to Thessalonica. They rejoined Paul in Corinth. Paul wrote the 1 Thessalonians after receiving Timothy’s report.
2. (3:2). Notice Paul’s commendation of Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker. This is high praise. Philippians 2:19-24, written about 10 years later puts an exclamation mark on Timothy’s ministry.
3. (3:2). Timothy’s job in Thessalonica was to strengthen (sterizo; aorist active infinitive with eis=purpose; to make fast, support, ground, establish, strengthen) and encourage (parakaleo, aorist active infinitive with eis=purpose; to call to one’s side, to encourage) them about their believing faith.
4. (3:3-4). Paul did not want the pressures and persecutions to harm (disturbed=saino, to wag the tail, to ingratiate, to cause to be upset, disturbed, agitated) their faith. Because Satan strongly opposes believers, he will incite much opposition to believers and to their message. This happened to the Thessalonians and to Paul. He had warned them.
5. (3:5). Paul’s great sense of love for these believers caused him to send Timothy. Note that the tempter (Satan) is able to distract and ruin the faith of believers. We need to be aware of this. Ephesians 6 warns us. 1 Peter 5 warns us. Jesus, in John 17, prayed for believers that Satan would not win them over. God provided the spiritual armor (Ephesians 6). Peter tells us to be alert to this roaring lion. We can resist him by remaining strong in the faith—knowing and apply God’s word. Keep our spiritual eyes on Jesus Christ.
6. (3:6). Timothy brought the very encouraging report. “Brought good news” is euaggelizo, to announce good news as in Luke 2:10. He reported about their Christian life. It was strong, supportative, and active. These characteristics provide examples for us in our Christian life toward those who teach and lead us.
  1. Faith (pistis, belief in).
  2. Love (agape) God’s kind of love.
  3. Good memory of Paul and his team (agathos, good, moral, beneficial).
  4. Long to see Paul and his team (epipothew, to yearn for, long for).
7. (3:7). When Paul learned of their growing and active faith he was encouraged. Distress and affliction were more than offset by this good report. Distress (anagke, necessary pressure due to Christian service); affliction (thlipsis, oppression, affliction, tribulation).
  1. When we put time and energy into teaching, encouraging, helping other believers, it is very encouraging to see those people growing in the Lord.
8. (3:8). The stability of these new believers made all Paul’s effort and struggle and suffering worthwhile. From the perspective of those to whom one ministers Paul is saying “Life is worthwhile,” or “this is what life is all about.”
  1. From the larger perspective Paul wrote “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians in 1:21).
  2. What is our perspective about life and about the people to whom we minister?
  3. We are all busy with living. Details, good or bad, often distract us. Is Paul’s perspective reproduced in our lives?
  4. Do we take it as a privilege to live by faith through the Holy Spirit?
  5. Do we take it as a privilege to witness, teach, help, encourage—all for the LORD?
  6. Do we have the heavenly view or the world’s view?
(3:9-10). Paul’s joy at the Thessalonians’ spiritual growth and application produced thanks to God and prayer for further ministry with them so their believing faith will be more complete.
1. (3:9). Spiritual growth and application are goals of the ministry. When that occurs, are we joyful and express thanks to God?
2. (3:10). Persistent prayer was made by Paul asking that he may have the privilege of equipping, preparing, and advancing the Thessalonian believers in their believing faith.
  1. “complete” is the verb katartizo, to adjust, put in order, to restore; to furnish, to equip; aorist active infinitive of purpose. The verb is used in 2 Corinthians 13:11, Hebrews 10:5, Galatians 6:1, Matthew 4:21, Luke 6:40, and here. The noun katartismos is used in Ephesians 4:12, and the noun katartisis is in
    2 Corinthians 13:9. This word group refers to the preparation or equipping for some function.
  2. What does he want to complete or prepare or adjust? “What is lacking (husterma, for example 2 Corinthians 11:9) in your faith.” That lacking refers to deficiencies in believing faith—do they believe God under pressure. Paul wants to teach, train, and adjust their trust in God. This will take some time, but it can be done.
(3:11-13). Paul concludes with two requests directed to the Father and the Son. The first is that he may be taken back to the Thessalonians. The second is that they may abound in love for each other and all people, so that they will stand without blame in holiness at the judgment seat of Christ. The point is that they would be ready for Christ’s evaluation when he returns for believers.
1. Note the importance of love (agape) in the life and ministry of believers. This love is built into the believer by God. It then overflows to believers around you (“one another”) and then to all people. Love for God and then for others brings with it ministry, right attitudes, and right actions. It brings support, encouragement, responsibility, and protection, among other things. See 1 Corinthians 13 for the different aspects of God’s love shed in and through us by the Holy Spirit.
  1. Love is found 287 times in 226 verses in the New Testament. It is important. It is the head of the list in the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to walk in love (Ephesians 5:2). It is mentioned six times in 1 Thessalonians (1:3; 3:6, 12; 4:9; 5:8, 13).
  2. God’s kind of love means that we will do the right thing because of our love for God and our love for others. Love is first wanting God’s will and God’s best for others. Love then thinks and acts in the right ways.
2. At the judgment seat of Christ He will evaluate each of us for our service and reward accordingly. Eternal salvation is not the issue. Everyone who has believed in Jesus Christ for salvation possesses that eternal salvation.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4, Reminder to apply Bible doctrine daily

Some observations from chapter 4

Paul had already taught them to live right to please God (1).
The Thessalonians are doing a good job in their Christian lives (1).
Paul wants them to continue to improve their Christian living (1).
The Lord Jesus gave Paul instructions for the Thessalonians (2).
God wants them to have experiential (Christian life) sanctification (3).
One important area of this sanctification is sexual morality (3).
Each is to honorably control his own body or possibly his wife (4-5).
Do not harm another believer by sex outside of one’s own marriage (6).
Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and other sexual perversions harm other people (6).
Experiential sanctification is God’s will (7).
One who rejects Paul’s instructions about day to day sanctification is rejecting God’s commands (8).
God gives the Holy Spirit to live in all believers, even immoral believers (8).
The Thessalonians practice God’s love toward believers in Macedonia (9-10).
Paul encourages the Thessalonians to excel (over and above) in love (10).
Aspire to live a quiet life and do your own work (11).
This gives a good witness to unbelievers and prevents poverty (12).
Paul wants them to understand about Christian death (13).
Understanding Christian death helps us not grieve like unbelievers grieve (13).
Christian death is called sleeping (13).
Unbelievers have no hope in death (13).
Jesus died and then rose from death (14).
Believers who have died will return to earth with Jesus (14).
The Lord said that we, if alive when Jesus appears, will not go with Jesus ahead of those who have died (14).
The Lord Jesus will come down from heaven (16).
He will be accompanied with a shout (command or summons), the voice of the archangel, and God’s trumpet call (16).
The believers who are already dead will rise first to meet Jesus (16).
Believers living on earth will then be caught up to meet the Lord (17).
Both groups of believers will join in the clouds (17).
The meeting will be in the air—somewhere above earth (16).
Both groups of believers will from then on always be with the Lord (17).
We are to comfort each other by retelling what Paul has just said (18).
God’s word brings comfort when believers think about death (18).

Main points to emphasize in 1 Thessalonians 4

Believers should live in such a way that they please God. This means that we do His will, live by His standards and power, and so honor Him (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
Christian life sanctification is important. An important part of sanctification is sexual morality. Sexual morality requires self control. Sexual immorality harms people—themselves, family, and others. Believers who reject Paul’s teaching about sexual morality are rejecting God
(1 Thessalonians 4:2-8).
God commands all believers to love one another with his kind of love. It is so important that even though the Thessalonians were fulfilling this command, Paul encouraged them to love over and above their present love—to make it more evident. This kind of love is also the foundation for “brotherly love,” the camaraderie and affection that believers can have with each other
(1 Thessalonians 4:9-10).
Seek to live an orderly life, to refrain from disorderly conduct, to pay attention to our responsibilities, and to do our jobs. The outcome will be stability, prosperity, and a good witness
(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
Christian death is not the end. All believers, those who have already died and those alive when the Lord returns in the air, will rejoin each other and meet the Lord when He returns to call us to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
Confident understanding about believers’ death is a great comfort to all believers
(1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 4

Believers should live in such a way that they please God. This means that we do His will, live by His standards and power, and so honor Him (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
1. Paul had already taught them to live right to please God (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
  1. Walk is peripateo used many times for living day to day one step at a time. For example, Galatians 5:16; Romans 6:4; and 8:4, and 2 Corinthians 5:7. See the Doctrine of Walking.
  2. Please God is the verb aresko. This is also used a number of times in this kind of context. For example, Romans 8:8; Philippians 4:1; and Colossians 1:10.
2. The Thessalonians are doing a good job in their Christian lives (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
3. Paul wants them to continue to improve their Christian living (1 Thessalonians 4:1). Excel still more is also in verse 10. Verse 1 refers to walking and pleasing God. Verse 10 refers to loving believers.
Christian life sanctification is important. An important part of sanctification is sexual morality. Sexual morality requires self control. Sexual immorality harms people—themselves, family, and others. Believers who reject Paul’s teaching about sexual morality are not actually rejecting Paul. They are rejecting God. He sets the right standard. He gives the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer. According to 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, sexual immorality is also a sin against one’s own body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit and a place from which to glorify God (1 Thessalonians 4:2-8).
1. The Lord Jesus gave Paul instructions for the Thessalonians (2).
2. God wants them to have experiential (Christian life) sanctification (3). See the doctrine of Sanctification.
  1. Sanctification is hagiasmos. This word means set apartness for God’s use. Sanctification emphasizes the set apart and prepared readiness at any point in time. There are 3 kinds of sanctification.
    1. Position (Acts 26.18; 1 Corinthians 1.2; 1 Corinthians 1:30.
      1 Corinthians 6.11; Ephesians 1.1; 2 Thessalonians 2.13; Hebrews 10.10; 1 Peter 1.2). This occurs at salvation.
    2. Experience – ongoing day to day life (John 17.17; Romans 6.19, 22; 12.1; 2 Corinthians 7.1; 1 Thessalonians 4.3-7; 5.23; Hebrews 12.10, 14;
      1 Peter 1.15). This is the expected Christian life.
    3. Ultimate (Philippians 3.21; 1 John 3.1-2; Jude 24-25). This occurs when we gain our resurrection body and live forever.
3. One important area of this sanctification is sexual morality (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
4. Each is to honorably control his own body or possibly his wife (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5). If this refers to the wife, then 1 Peter 3:7 informs us further. Vessel, skeuos, is used for one’s body in 2 Corinthians 4:7 and Romans 9:22-23.
5. Do not harm another believer by sex outside of one’s own marriage. Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and other sexual perversions harm other people (1 Thessalonians 4:6).
6. Experiential sanctification is God’s will (1 Thessalonians 4:7). See above on sanctification.
7. One who rejects Paul’s instructions about day to day sanctification is rejecting God’s commands (1 Thessalonians 4:8).
8. Verse 8 teaches us that God gives the Holy Spirit to live in all believers, even immoral believers. At faith in Christ each believer is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, baptized with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14 and 4:30; 1 Corinthians 6:18-19).
God commands all believers to love one another with his kind of love. It is so important that even though the Thessalonians were fulfilling this command, Paul encouraged them to love over and above their present love—to make it more evident. This kind of love is also the foundation for “brotherly love”, the camaraderie and affection that believers can have with each other
(1 Thessalonians 4:9-10).
1. The Thessalonians practice brotherly love with believers in Macedonia (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). The noun philadelphia is “love of the brethren.” This word is also used in
  Romans 12:10 and Hebrews 3:1 and others. This is a fond affection for believers because we have Jesus Christ in common (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
2. God had previously taught them (“taught by God” is theodidaktos) to love (agapao) one another. This is a stronger and more reliable kind of love. It comes from God through the Holy Spirit. God taught this through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and through Paul. Based upon this love foundation they also have a fond affection for one another
  (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
3. In verse 9 the verb agapao is used in “to love one another.” This is different than “brotherly love.” Agape love is God’s love produced in believers by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:8 and Galatians 5:23). It is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Because of the “taught by God” sacrificial love, they can solve and even prevent interpersonal problems, protect others, and serve one another (1 Corinthians 13:4-7; 1 Peter 4:8; Galatians 5:13).
4. Paul encourages the Thessalonians to excel (over and above) in agape kind of love to one another (1 Thessalonians 4:10). Excel is perisseuo, to abound, to cause to abound, to overflow.
5. God taught love (agapao) is the basis for brotherly love (philadelphia).
Seek to live an orderly life, to refrain from disorderly conduct, to pay attention to our responsibilities, and to do our jobs. The outcome will be stability, prosperity, and a good witness
(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
1. “Make it your ambition” is philotimeomai, to be ambitious, to strive eagerly, to seek. Believers are to make this a goal of life (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
  1. Quiet life is an orderly life. The verb is hesuchazo, to be quiet, to be at rest, and then to refrain from disturbing activity. The contextual meaning is to live orderly or organized.
  2. “Attend to your own business and work…” is as it says.
  3. Those who organize their lives
    1. Do not disrupt others
    2. Enjoy their lives more
    3. Do not interfere or meddle in the lives of others
    4. Do not put a burden on others
    5. Gain a sense of stability and purpose.
    6. This gives a good witness to unbelievers and prevents poverty
      (1 Thessalonians 4:12).
Christian death is not the end. All believers, those who have already died and those alive when the Lord returns in the air, will rejoin each other and meet the Lord when He returns to call us to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
1. Paul wants them to understand about Christian death (1 Thessalonians 4:4:13). Paul and his team do not want them to be ignorant (agnoeo) about those who are sleeping—meaning died as believers. Christian death is called sleeping because the body will awake, arise, and be changed into a resurrection body. Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.
2. Understanding Christian death helps us not grieve (lupeo) like unbelievers grieve
  (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Grief is a normal human emotion that comes with the loss of a friend, family member, or someone you respect. It is a good emotion when guided by God’s word. Lazarus’ family and even Jesus showed grief at the death of Lazarus and its effect on the family and friends (John 11:33-35).
3. Unbelievers have no hope in death (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The best they can do is wish that maybe something is beyond death. Some have false hope from false doctrines. Others think death is simply the end of existence. Only believers with a strong faith and love relationship with God are able to deal with death and combine it with joy, confidence, and praise of God (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
  1. Apparently the Thessalonians were confused about when the “sleeping” believers would be raised. They may have thought that only living believers would be changed when Jesus came in the air. Paul corrects this.
4. Jesus died and then rose from death (1 Thessalonians 4:14). This is a statement of truth. It is foundational Christology. Jesus arose from physical death. See the Doctrine of the Resurrection of Jesus.
5. Believers who have died will return to earth with Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
  1. “If we believe” (ei gar pisteuo) has a first class “if.” This should better be translated “since we believe.” Paul believes it. Silas and Timothy believe it. The Thessalonians believe it. What they believe dictates how they live.
  2. What they believe is that Jesus died and arose. This makes the resurrection of believers possible and certain. Since Jesus died and arose, when Jesus returns for believers God the Father will bring (ago) with Him (Jesus), those who have fallen asleep, referring to those who have already died (koimao, aorist passive participle, to fall asleep or go to bed). Every church age believer will then get his individual resurrection body.
    1. Paul refers to only those who die in Jesus. This indicates that only church saints will be raptured. Old Testament believers were not in Jesus.
6. The Lord said that we, if alive when Jesus appears, will not go with Jesus ahead of those who have died (1 Thessalonians 4:15). The authority of Jesus stands behind this statement. The living will not go ahead (phthano) of those who have died. The dead will not be left behind. All will be resurrected together.
7. Remember that Christian death does not mean cessation of existence or soul sleep. At physical death a believer goes directly to heaven to be with the Lord. Between this time and resurrection each believer has some kind of temporary body. We do not know the nature of this body. We just know that there must be something to be “present with the Lord” and Paul looks forward to it (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:22-23).
8. The Lord Jesus will come down (katabaino, future middle indicative) from heaven
  (1 Thessalonians 4:16). The order of events will be
  1. He will be accompanied with a shout (keleusma, command or summons),
  2. the voice of the archangel,
  3. and God’s trumpet call.
9. The believers who are already dead will rise first to meet Jesus
  (1 Thessalonians 4:16). The dead in Christ (en christo) will arise (anhistmi, stand up, raise up, rise from the dead, future middle indicative) first.
10. Believers living on earth will then be caught up to meet the Lord
  (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
  1. Together (ama, at the same time, at once, together). Living believers will, together with the sleeping believers, be snatched up (arpazo, snatch away, carry off, seize hastily, grab suddenly; future passive indicative). Arpazo is the Greek word behind the “rapture.”
  2. Both living and dead believers will be snatched up in the clouds. Clouds probably mean that a cloud cover will prevent earth dwellers from seeing much of this.
  3. Both groups of believers will join in the clouds (17).
11. The meeting will be in the air—somewhere above earth (17). The great snatch is for a meeting with the Lord in the air. The words “to meet the Lord” have the preposition “eis” plus the word apantesis (this is the action of going out to meet someone).
12. Both groups of believers will from then on always be with the Lord (17).
Confident understanding about believers’ death is a great comfort to all believers
(1 Thessalonians 4:18)
1. We are to comfort each other by retelling what Paul has just said. “Comfort” is parakaleo in the present active imperative, second person plural. All of us are told to comfort or encourage others with the truth that physical death for believers is not the end. We all have had or will have opportunities to comfort ourselves and others about Christian death.
2. It is a comfort because believers who have already died and believers who are alive at the time will be resurrected and reunited when Jesus returns to take the church to heaven. This anticipated coming event known as the rapture or the great snatch.
3. God’s word brings comfort when believers think about death.

Some Central Doctrines in Chapter 4

Walking (1 Thessalonians 4:1)
Pleasing God (1 Thessalonians 4:1)
Sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:2, 7)
Morality (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
Indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
Importance of God’s word (1 Thessalonians 4:2, 8, 9, 15, 18)
Love (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10)
Orderly and purposeful living (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)
Death (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
Rapture or the great snatch, harpazw (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
Comfort from God’s word (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, The Day of the Lord, authority orientation, and other commands

Some observations from chapter 5

Times and epochs (1).
Day of the Lord (2).
Apparently the Thessalonians had been taught about the times and epochs (2).
The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2).
The unbeliever will be proclaiming “peace and safety,” (3).
The Day of the Lord will come suddenly (3).
The Day of the Lord will come like labor pains come to a woman (3).
Believers are not in darkness (4).
Day of the Lord will not surprise believers (4).
Believers are all sons of light and day, not night or darkness (5).
Be alert and sober, do not sleep (6).
Sleepers and drinkers do it at night (7).
Believers are of the day (8).
Believers are to be sober (8).
Believers have put on the breastplate of faith and love (8).
Believers have put on the helmet, the hope of salvation (8).
God has not destined believers for wrath (9).
God has destined believers for salvation (9).
Salvation is through our Lord Jesus Christ (9).
Jesus died for us (10).
We will live with Him whether we are asleep or awake (10).
We should encourage one another because of this truth (11).
We should build up one another because of this truth (11).
The Thessalonians are encouraging and building up one another (11).
Appreciate those who diligently labor over you (12).
Appreciate those who have charge over you (12).
They labor and have charge in the Lord (12).
They also give instruction (12).
We are to esteem them highly in love (13).
We do this because of their work (13).
We are to live in peace with one another (13).
Admonish the unruly (14).
Encourage the fainthearted (14).
Help the weak (14).
Be patient with everyone (14).
Do not repay evil for evil (15).
Always seek what is good for one another and all people (15).
Rejoice always (16).
Pray without ceasing (17).
Give thanks in everything (18).
Giving thanks is God’s will (18).
God’s will in Christ Jesus (18).
Do not quench the Spirit (19).
Do not despise prophetic utterances (20).
Examine everything (21).
Hold fast to the good (21).
Abstain from every form of evil (22).
God is the God of peace (23).
May God sanctify you entirely (23).
We have spirit, soul, and body (23).
May God preserve all of these without blame (23).
When Jesus Christ comes back (23).
He who calls you is faithful (23).
He also will do this (24).
Pray for us (25).
Greet the brethren (26).
Holy kiss (26).
Read this letter to all the brethren (27).
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (28).
Jesus Christ is Lord (28).
Jesus Christ owns grace (28).

Outline of 1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord is coming (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).
The Day of the Lord is not for church believers and we should live in light of that
(1 Thessalonians 5:4-11).
Commands and encouragements for the Thessalonian believers (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28).

Some main points or biblical principles to emphasize from chapter 5

The Day of the Lord, with all its sudden suffering, will not overtake church believers because it begins with Satan’s spiritual darkness and church believers are sons of light and day
(1 Thessalonians 5.1-5).
Since daylight is the time to be awake, alert, and active and you believers are a part of God’s kingdom of spiritual light (not a part of Satan’s kingdom of spiritual darkness) stay spiritually awake, alert, and active while you can (1 Thessalonians 5.6-11).
Practice authority orientation because authority protects your day to day life so that you may learn doctrine, think love, live in peace, and correctly fill the right need (1 Thessalonians 5.12-15).
Make it a practice to rejoice, pray, thank God, listen to the word and spiritual teaching, examine things, hold tight to truth, and abstain or stay out of trouble, don’t put yourselves in places where you will be in trouble (1 Thessalonians 5.16-22).
God is getting you believers ready to meet your Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5.23-24).
Pray for the absent spiritual Paul and his men; pass his greetings on to the church, and make his Bible teaching available (1 Thessalonians 5.25-28).

Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord is coming (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).
1. Verses 1-3. Paul had taught them about the Day of the Lord and so he did not go into detail like he did in 1 Thessalonians 4 about the rapture. Times and epochs in this context has its primary reference to the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly. Earth dwellers will publicize peace and safety. They will feel secure in their world view.
2. Times (CHRONOS, time, period, season, a period in which some activity takes place) and epochs (KAIROS, time or exact or critical time, season, opportunity, a defined period for an event) is also found in Acts 1:7. In general CHRONOS is a broad period of time and KAIROS is more specific, though it could simply be like our “times and seasons.” Here Paul refers to the course of prophetic history with important events during this longer history. The dispersion and regathering of Israel would be included. Also, the events leading to Jesus glorious return to earth.
3. The Day of the Lord is what is in Paul’s mind. It is the second coming of Jesus to the earth (Joel 3:9–16; Zechariah 14:1–5; Revelation 16:12–16; 19:11–21). This is a period marked by the Lord working dramatically in history. It includes both wrath and blessing—the tribulation and the millennium (Isaiah 13:9–11; Joel 2:28–32; Zephaniah 1:14–18). The Day of the Lord is a phrase used by God’s prophets in the Old Testament to identify an immediate or close in time judgment by God or a future (prophetic) judgment by God.
  1. Historic Day of the Lord—God’s judgment soon to happen, and in our case past history. There were historic days of the Lord; they were judgments that Israel went through.
  2. Prophetic Day of the Lord —God’s judgment in the tribulation period.
  3. Prophetic Day of the Lord —God’s judgment at the end of the millennium and just before the new heavens and the new earth.
  4. The context of each Bible passage determines whether the Day of the Lord is historical or prophetic.
4. Thief in the night means unexpectedly. See Matthew 24:43, Luke 12:39, 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 16:15, and 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4.
5. Verses 2-5 give some characteristics of the coming of the Day of the Lord. It will come like a thief (2). People will have a false sense of security (3). Destruction will come suddenly like labor pains (3). It is a period of spiritual darkness (4-5).
6. Furthermore, jumping to verse 9, God’s wrath will come to the earth dwellers.
The Day of the Lord is not for church believers and we should live in light of that (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11).
1. We pick up the background for this in verses 4-5. We have characteristics of those upon whom this day will not come.
2. They are called brethren (4). They are not in spiritual darkness (4). The day will not suddenly overtake them (KATALAMBANO in the aorist active subjunctive, seize, catch, overtake, gain control of, grasp) like a thief would (4).
3. The brethren are sons of light and day, not darkness (5). In the context the image is of night when the thief comes. Darkness also brings to mind ignorance, sin, and evil (John 1:5, 3:19; Ephesians 5:8, 11; Colossians 1:13; and others). Colossians 1:13
4. Also in this section (4-8) Paul pleads with them.
  1. They are not to sleep spiritually (KATHEUDO), to be alert (GREGOREO, to be watchful, alert), and to be sober (NEPHO, to be well balanced, self-controlled, 6).
    1. These words are used here in the figurative sense. Sleep in verses 5, 6, 7 means here to be spiritually idle, asleep, spiritually lazy, to be carnal (KATHEUDO, to be asleep physically, and figurative to be idle or even dead). Note that sleep in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, and 15 refers to physical death (KOIMAO, literal sleep, and sleep of death). We cannot conclude that chapter 4 and KOIMAO refers to death and that chapter 5 and KATHEUDO refers to spiritual idleness from the words themselves. The context guides us. Chapter 4 is clear. Why would Paul change his word for sleep from a few sentences previous if he meant the same thing—physical death?
5. Verse 9. God has not destined believers for wrath. He has appointed us for deliverance from the Day of the Lord wrath.
  1. Destined (TITHEMI, aorist middle indicative, put place, set, design) brethren for wrath (ORGE, 9).
  2. Wrath in the context of this letter is the Day of the Lord coming suddenly on those not expecting it. Brethren are destined for deliverance. Again, in the context this does not refer to the great white throne or hell. Wrath here refers to the Day of the Lord wrath for people on earth in this time (2, 3, 4).
  3. The conclusion seems to be that in chapter 5 Paul is urging believers (brethren, 4) to live the active normal Christian life while there is time.
    1. Verse 6 contrasts sleep with alertness and soberness.
    2. Verse 7 compares sleeping at night with drunkenness at night. Both in context are illustrating an activity that is bad. Now, physical sleep at night is normal and good.
    3. Verse 8 instructs believers to be sober (balanced) since believers have already put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of salvation—reminiscent of Ephesians 6:13-17.
  4. Verse 9. And the reason we can live this way is because God has not appointed us to his Day of the Lord wrath. Christ’s sacrificial death also purchased our deliverance. He has appointed us to salvation or deliverance from that judgment.
6. Verses 10-11. Believers will live with the Lord whether they are spiritually awake believers (active Holy Spirit led believers) or spiritually idle believers (carnal, walking out of fellowship). With this great promise we have a reason to encourage each other and build each other up.
  1. We are not destined for the Day of the Lord wrath.
  2. We will live with the Lord whether we are idle believers or awake believers.
Commands and encouragements for the Thessalonian believers (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28). I have noted a few doctrines that these verses teach, imply, or relate to.
1. Verses 12-13. Appreciate and respect your spiritual teachers and leaders. This includes live in peace with each other—do not be a trouble maker in the church. See doctrines: deacon, pastor and teacher, teacher, spiritual gifts, authority.
2. Verses 14-15. Live together in such a way to keep the church body healthy. Some will need a warning, others encouragement, others help, and all need to be treated with patience. See doctrines: encouragement, relationships among believers, good works.
3. Verse 16. Rejoice because we are believers and God is working in our lives. Doctrine: rejoice or inner happiness.
4. Verse 17. Prayer is vital. Do it often. Doctrine prayer.
5. Verse 18. Be thankful and give thanks no matter what comes because God is our protector, provider, and guide. Doctrines: divine attributes, thankfulness, testing and suffering, Rx for suffering and testing.
6. Verse 19. Do not quench the Holy Spirit when He guides you through his word and through circumstances that correspond to the Bible. Quenching the Holy Spirit pushes us into living according to the flesh. Doctrines: spirituality, carnality, ministries of the Holy Spirit.
7. Verse 20. Listen to your teachers. Today the gift of prophecy has stopped. Now the communication of the written word is the focus.
8. Verse 21. When you do listen closely, follow what is said in your Bibles. Use biblical discernment. Sometimes Bible teachers can make mistakes. Sometimes they teach false doctrine. Doctrines: knowledge of the word, faith application, revelation, inspiration, illumination, communication.
9. Verse 22. Watch your life. Do not get into questionable practices. Doctrines: sin, doubtful things biblical principles
10. Verse 23. Paul’s benediction. God’s sanctification is necessary for Christian living. Paul desires that we live so that we are ready for Jesus to come for us. This verse teaches that we are body, soul, and human spirit. Doctrines: sanctification, nature of man.
11. Verse 24. God is faithful. He will keep us ready for Jesus’ coming. Doctrine of God’s faithfulness, eternal security.
12. Verse 25. Paul requests prayer. We have reminders daily from life and from the Scripture to pray for each other. Doctrine: Prayer.
13. Verse 26. Paul passes on his apostolic greeting.
14. Verse 27. This letter needs to be read to believers. The word of God is important. Doctrines: importance of God’s word, revelation, inspiration, illumination, communication.
15. Verse 28. Paul wants God’s grace to be with them. He wants them to receive instruction and power for living the Christian life. Doctrine: grace.