HarperCollins Study Bible, page 528
13We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers. 14For you, brothers and sisters,d became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you suffered the same things from your own compatriots as they did from the Jews, 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets,e and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone 16by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins; but God’s wrath has overtaken them at last.f
Paul’s Desire to Visit the Thessalonians Again
17As for us, brothers and sisters,g when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you—in person, not in heart—we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20Yes, you are our glory and joy!
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a Gk brothers
b Other ancient authorities read infants
c Gk brothers
d Gk brothers
e Other ancient authorities read their own prophets
f Or completely or forever
g Gk brothers
2.1–16 Paul’s fidelity to the gospel and concern for the Thessalonians determined his actions while in Thessalonica. He uses rhetorical ethos, language designed to impress the readers with his good character.
2.1 You yourselves know, a tactful invitation to recall Paul’s ministry. See also 1.5; 2.2, 5, 11; 3.4; 4.2.
2.2 On events in Philippi, see Acts 16.11–40. The gospel of God, a revelation about God (see 1.9).
2.3–8 Using the language of philosophers of his day (deceit, impure motives, trickery, v. 3; words of flattery, pretext for greed, v. 5; praise from mortals, v. 6), Paul presents himself as an ideal philosopher whose way of life refutes the idea that he acted out of greed. For parallel language, see Dio Chrysostom, Oration 32.11–21 (to the Alexandrians).
2.3 Appeal, a philosophical term for moral exhortation such as that found in 4.1–5.22.
2.4 To please God is Paul’s fundamental moral criterion in this Letter (see 2.12; 4.1).
2.7 The only explicit reference to Paul’s apostleship in the Letter. Gentle…like a nurse. For more maternal imagery, see Gal 4.19.
2.9 Like many contemporary philosophers, Paul worked to support himself; see Acts 18.3; 1 Cor 9.6–18; 2 Thess 3.7–10.
2.12 Urging and encouraging…and pleading are the opposite of making demands (v. 7). The three synonymous participles stress the importance of Christian life.
2.13–16 The second thanksgiving (see 1.2–3) for the Thessalonians’ faith under opposition.
2.14–16 The authenticity of these verses is sometimes challenged; see Introduction.
2.15 On killing…the prophets (the only reference to the OT in the Letter), see Mt 23.31; Lk 11.49–51; Acts 7.52.
2.16 Filling up the measure of their sins (see also Dan 8.23; 2 Macc 6.14) reflects the apocalyptic concept that history moves in foreordained stages toward the end. God’s wrath. See 1.10. At last. Completely or forever (see text note d) is preferable.
2.17–3.5 Paul expresses his concern for the Thessalonians while absent from them.
2.18 Paul’s frustrated attempts to visit the Thessalonians are part of the apocalyptic struggle between God and Satan; see also Rom 16.20; 2 Cor 2.11; 11.14; 12.7.
2.19 Crown of boasting. The laurel wreath was a symbol of victory or praise. See Phil 2.16; 4.1.
1 Thessalonians 3
1Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; 2and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiminga the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, 3so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. 4In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 5For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long to see you. 7For this reason, brothers and sisters,b during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
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a Gk lacks proclaiming
b Gk brothers
3.5 Tempter, i.e., Satan (see 2.18).
3.6–13 Timothy’s report (see v. 2) leads Paul to an exuberant response.
3.6 On faith and love, see 1.3; Paul reinforces hope in 4.13–18.
3.10 Whatever is lacking in your faith does not imply a rebuke (see 1.8) but refers to the teaching given in 4.1–5.22.
3.11–13 Paul’s prayer, answered by later visits (1 Cor 16.5; 2 Cor 2.13; 7.5), repeats motifs found in 1.3–4.
3.13 Saints (lit. “holy ones”), an OT title for God’s people (see Ex 19.6; Dan 7.18; Psalms of Solomon 17.26) or for angelic beings; here either significance makes sense.
1 Thessalonians 4
A Life Pleasing to God
1Finally, brothers and sisters,a we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; 4that each one of you know how to control your own bodyb in holiness and honor, 5not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sisterc in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 8Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters,d you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisterse throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved,f to do so more and more, 11to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, 12so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.
The Coming of the Lord
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,g about those who have died,h so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.i 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.j 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.
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a Gk brothers
b Or how to take a wife for himself
c Gk brother
d Gk brothers
e Gk brothers
f Gk brothers
g Gk brothers
h Gk fallen asleep
i Gk fallen asleep
j Gk fallen asleep
4.1–5.24 In this second major section of the Letter, Paul gives practical instructions about Christian life in a non-Christian city.
4.1–12 Marriage, human relationships, and civic life—topics often discussed by philosophers—were significant for Christian life in a Greek city.
4.1–2 General introduction to 4.1–5.24.
4.1 Finally, better “therefore,” marks the transition to 4.1–5.24. Urge, or “encourage,” a technical term of ancient ethics, also found in 2.12; 3.2; 4.10; 5.11, 14. Some hold that the entire Letter is a letter of moral encouragement.
4.3 Reference to the will of God anticipates the strong theological emphasis in vv. 6–8. Greco-Roman sexual laxity scandalized Jews (see v. 5), so Paul often warns against fornication (see 1 Cor 5.1; 6.13, 18; Gal 5.19).
4.4 How to control your own body (see 1 Cor 7.2). How to take a wife for himself (text note b; lit. “how to possess a vessel or implement”) is preferable. Both translations are possible, but Paul is discussing relationships here. Holiness and honor. Paul evaluates marital sex positively (see also 1 Cor 7.3–6).
4.6 On wronging…a brother or sister, see Rom 14.13–23; 1 Cor 8.9–13. Paul describes God as an avenger, an OT motif (Ps 94.1), to stress the eschatological significance of what he teaches; see also 1.10; Rom 2.16; 12.19.
4.8 Holy Spirit, mentioned in 1.6; 5.19; not as prominent here as in 1 Corinthians and Romans.
4.9 Love of the brothers and sisters (Greek philadelphia) was a virtue in Epicurean philosophy; Paul uses the term only once more (Rom 12.10). Taught by God, a common Stoic idea. The term is not found elsewhere in the NT.
4.11 Aspire to live quietly corresponds to the Epicurean maxim “Escape notice as you live.” Mind your own affairs, an Epicurean attitude that excluded participation in civic affairs (minding the common affairs). Work with your hands emphasizes self-sufficiency, a major Stoic goal (see 2.9; 1 Cor 4.12; 2 Thess 3.6–12).
4.13–18 Paul describes Jesus’ return in language that has points of contact both with the Roman imperial cult and Jewish apocalyptic expectations.
4.13 No hope reflects a common Greco-Roman view, especially in Epicurean philosophy, that there is no resurrection. A Latin tomb inscription reads: “I was not, I was; I am not; I care not.”
4.15 By the (better “a”) word of the Lord, probably a special revelation from the risen Christ; no such saying of Jesus survives in the Gospels. We who are alive. Paul does not expect to die before Jesus’ coming (see also 1 Cor 15.51–52). Later, however, he seems to reflect on the possibility of death; see 2 Cor 5.1–5; Phil 1.20–23. Coming (Greek parousia; see also 2.19; 3.13; 5.23), a technical term for a ruler’s state visit. Cf. Mt 24.3; 1 Cor 15.23.
4.16 A cry of command, a herald’s call, and a trumpet (see Isa 27.13; Joel 2.1; Zech 9.14) announce the ruler’s arrival. OT texts and ruler cults both use such language.
4.17 Paul identifies Jesus as the Lord (an imperial title) of the universe, whom believers will welcome as city officials would meet and welcome a visiting ruler. Note that the Lord is coming to the earth, not going to heaven.
1 Thessalonians 5
1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters,a you do not need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4But you, beloved,b are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Final Exhortations, Greetings, and Benediction
12But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters,c to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14And we urge you, beloved,d to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. 15See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise the words of prophets,e 21but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22abstain from every form of evil.
23May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept soundf and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
25Beloved,g pray for us.
26Greet all the brothers and sistersh with a holy kiss. 27I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.i
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.j
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a Gk brothers
b Gk brothers
c Gk brothers
d Gk brothers
e Gk despise prophecies
f Or complete
g Gk Brothers
h Gk brothers
i Gk to all the brothers
j Other ancient authorities add Amen
5.1–11 Paul draws out the implications of the hope of Jesus’ coming with repeated calls for vigilance.
5.2 Day of the Lord, the day of judgment. See Isa 2.9–19; Am 5.18–20.
5.3 Roman imperial coins used peace and security as a propaganda legend; see also Jer 6.14; Ezek 13.10. Labor pains. See Isa 13.6–8; Hos 13.13; Rom 8.22.
5.6 Let us not fall asleep. See Mt 25.13; Mk 13.34–37; this exhortation to moral alertness is clarified by keep awake and be sober.
5.8 Imagery of armor (breastplate, helmet) underscores the need to struggle; see also Rom 13.12; 2 Cor 6.7; 10.4; Eph 6.13–17; Phil 1.27–30. On hope, see 1.3; note on 3.6. Paul understands salvation to lie in the future; see Rom 5.9; Phil 2.12; 3.20.
5.10 Who died for us, a terse allusion to Jesus’ death as a sacrifice for sin. See Rom 4.25; 1 Cor 15.3. Paul returns to his earlier use of sleep as a metaphor for death (see 4.13–15, text note d).
5.12–24 Exhortations to good relationships within the Christian community.
5.12 Those who labor among you, i.e., in ad hoc leadership roles. Formal clergy did not yet exist.
5.16–21 These commands may reflect a description of early Christian worship.
5.21 Test everything, i.e., using what is good as a criterion (see also Rom 12.2).
5.23–24 A concluding benediction stresses the faithfulness of God.
5.25–28 The conclusion of the Letter.
5.26 The holy kiss was a part of worship; see Rom 16.16; 1 Cor 16.20; 2 Cor 13.12.
5.27 The Letter is probably to be read in the recipients’ worship assembly.
The Second Letter of Paul to the THESSALONIANS
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THOUGH 2 THESSALONIANS resembles other Letters of the Pauline corpus, especially 1 Thessalonians, questions have been raised about its authorship. The tone seems formal and stilted, especially in contrast to the warmth of 1 Thessalonians, and there are strange hints of forgery (2.2; 3.17), which have no parallel in other Pauline Letters. The second letter reproduces the wording and structure of the first to a remarkable extent, yet presents a radically different perspective on the end time. Scholars disagree over how to interpret this. Some assume that Paul wrote the second letter soon after the first to correct some misunderstandings that had arisen and to address a new crisis in the community. Others assume that an unknown author borrowed Paul’s name and authority and used the model of 1 Thessalonians to construct a pseudonymous letter.
Occasion
ONE OF PAUL’S CONCERNS in writing 1 Thessalonians was to reassure his readers that Jesus’ Second Coming (Greek parousia) could occur at any moment and to urge them to remain vigilant (1 Thess 5.1–11). The situation seems to be one of faltering apocalyptic hope. In 2 Thessalonians the author seeks to refute the view that the day of Jesus’ return had already arrived and to remind the church of the numerous events that must precede it (2.1–12). The situation now seems to be one of keen apocalyptic expectations fueled by persecution (1.4). Indeed, the author of 2 Thessalonians (whether Paul or someone else) may have felt that 1 Thessalonians, with its eager anticipation of the Second Coming, had contributed to the new problem.
