1 Thessalonians 1 · ESV Study Bible

Greeting

1 THESSALONIANS 1 [†]Paul, a Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the b Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

c Grace to you and peace.

2[†] d We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly [1] e mentioning you in our prayers, 3[†]remembering before f our God and Father g your work of faith and labor of h love and i steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4[†]For we know, j brothers [2] loved by God, k that he has chosen you, 5[†]because l our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and m in the Holy Spirit and with full n conviction. You know o what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6[†]And p you became imitators of us q and of the Lord, for r you received the word in much affliction, s with the t joy of the Holy Spirit, 7[†]so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8[†]For not only has the word of the Lord u sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth v everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9[†]For they themselves report concerning us the kind of w reception we had among you, and how x you turned to God y from idols to serve the living and z true God, 10and a to wait for his Son b from heaven, c whom he raised from the dead, Jesus d who delivers us from e the wrath to come.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:9–10 The Greeks from other areas report that the Thessalonians had repented of their idolatrous past, had committed themselves to serve God, and were waiting for Jesus’ second coming—the key traits of genuine Christian conversion. living and true God. In contrast to idols, God is the only real Deity. wait for his Son. This is the first of many references to the second coming in this letter (cf. 2:12, 19–20; 3:13; 4:13–18; 5:1–11, 23–24). whom he raised from the dead. This may anticipate 4:13–18, where Paul affirms the Thessalonians’ hope for the deceased on the foundation of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (4:14). delivers us from the wrath to come. This may anticipate 5:1–11, where Paul emphasizes that the Thessalonians are not destined for wrath at the final judgment.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:7 Macedonia and Achaia were the two Greek provinces of the Roman Empire.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:1 Opening. Paul makes no mention of his apostolic status, perhaps because there are no false teachers challenging it within the Thessalonian church. Silvanus and Timothy were coworkers with Paul during his second missionary journey. Silvanus, or Silas, was a Judean Christian (Acts 15:22) who joined Paul after he separated from Barnabas (Acts 15:39–40). Timothy, of Lystra in south Galatia, was a son of a Jewish mother and Greek father and became partners with Paul when Paul passed through his hometown early on his second journey (see Acts 16:1–4; Introduction to 1 Timothy). Timothy had just returned from a visit to the Thessalonian church (1 Thess. 3:6), and his report is Paul’s major source of information as he writes. While Silas and Timothy are included as co-senders, Paul was clearly the main author (see 2:18; 3:5; 5:27). in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers enjoy a mysterious union with both the Father and the Son and hence are supremely secure and safe from spiritual harm. Grace … and peace. See note on Rom. 1:7.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:3 remembering. Paul may be recalling the events of his mission to Thessalonica, or this may just be standard prayer language. faith … love … hope. A common Pauline triad (cf. 5:8; Rom. 5:2–5; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:5–6; Eph. 4:2–5). The prominent final position here belongs to hope, which seems fitting in a letter so concerned with the end times (1 Thess. 1:10; 2:12, 19–20; 3:13; 4:13–18; 5:1–11, 23–24). work … labor … steadfastness. These are the practical outworking of the Thessalonians’ conversion. The “work” the Thessalonians do is a result or consequence of their “faith.” So, too, their “labor” flows from “love,” and their endurance or “steadfastness” comes from “hope.”

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:5–10 because. Paul grounds his confidence that the Thessalonians are elect in two things: the undeniable authenticity and authority of those preaching the gospel to them (v. 5) and the exemplary nature of the Thessalonians’ response to the gospel (vv. 6–10). First, he appeals to the fact that the missionaries’ preaching (our gospel) was characterized by power (miraculous power, or power in preaching, or both), the Holy Spirit (manifestations of the Spirit’s approving presence), and full conviction (transparent sincerity and integrity, bringing certainty to the hearers’ minds). You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. The genuineness of the gospel was reinforced, as it always should be, by the evident integrity of its preachers.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:4–2:16 Paul’s Confidence in the Election of the Thessalonians. Paul is confident that the Thessalonians are elect because of God’s blessing on the missionaries during the mission and the authenticity of the Thessalonians’ reception of the gospel and subsequent obedience.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:8 not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth. This may refer to evangelistic activities or, more likely, news of the Thessalonians’ newfound faith. Either way, what transpired in Thessalonica resulted in the gospel being proclaimed far and wide, no doubt aided by the fact that Thessalonica was strategically located (see Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background).

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:4 The ultimate reason for Paul’s certainty regarding the Thessalonians’ election is that they are brothers loved by God. God’s love undergirds election (Eph. 1:4–5; cf. Rom. 1:7; 9:13) and is demonstrated by it (Rom. 8:35–39; 11:28). Chosen (lit., “elected,” using Gk. eklogē, “choice, selection, election”) refers to God’s antecedent sovereign act of appointing people for eternal life (see notes on Rom. 10:20–21; Eph. 1:4; 1:5; 1:11). Paul infers from the events of the mission that the Thessalonians were elect and therefore he can reassure them that they are forever secure.

1 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:6 imitators of us. The Thessalonians followed Paul’s example even as Paul followed Christ’s example. for you received the word in much affliction. See Acts 17:5–9; 1 Thess. 2:14. Suffering affliction is normal for those destined to be saved at the end (see Rom. 8:17–18; 1 Pet. 4:12–14). with the joy of the Holy Spirit. The remarkable joy in suffering that characterized the Thessalonian Christians was patterned after the joy of Jesus and Paul.