Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. (1:1–5)

Churches take pride in many things: their large membership roll or attendance, the size of their campus, the design of their buildings, their wealth, their music, the social status of their members, the prominence of their pastor, their political clout, their influence in the community, or their zeal for a particular theological cause. Others celebrate their creativity and freedom from traditional modes of worship, trading theology for psychology, choirs and organs for rock bands, and replacing sermons with skits, musicals, and other forms of entertainment in an effort to create an inoffensive, nonthreatening atmosphere for the unbelievers and nominal Christians in their congregations. They have become the model churches many seek to emulate. (For a critique of the contemporary church growth movement, see John MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel [Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1993].)

Judged by the superficial standards mentioned above, the Thessalonian church certainly had little to commend it. It had no buildings (the earliest known church building dates from the third century A.D.), programs, performers, or publications. It was not a large or wealthy church (most of the early Christians were from the lower social classes; cf. 1 Cor. 1:26); the congregation lacked social and political influence (Christians were despised outcasts in Roman society); nor did they have a famous pastor (the names of the elders are not even mentioned). They could not offer prospective converts the comfortable, entertaining, non-threatening environment of a modern “user-friendly” church but merely “persecutions and afflictions” (1:4). Yet they were a church to which the apostle Paul could write, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting…. We ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God” (2 Thess. 1:3–4). The opening verses of this epistle list several reasons for Paul’s grateful boasting about this church.

Though Paul mentioned his beloved coworkers Silvanus and Timothy in his greeting, he was the sole author of the epistle. As they had been when the church was founded (Acts 17:4; cf. 16:1–3), the three were together when this letter was written. (For more information on the founding of the Thessalonian church, see the Introduction to 1 Thessalonians.) They had been in Corinth for some time, since they were there when 1 Thessalonians was written several months earlier (1 Thess. 1:1).

Only in the Thessalonian epistles does Paul fail to add a title (such as “apostle,” or “bond-servant”) to his name. Evidently, these believers did not question his apostolic authority. In his first letter to them, Paul alluded to attacks against him from outside the church (2:14–16; cf. Acts 17:5–10); but there were apparently no challenges to his authority or integrity from anyone in the church. This absence of the usual formal title gives the introduction a more endearing and intimate tone, which is fitting for this encouraging letter.

Silvanus, known in Acts as Silas, was Paul’s faithful partner in ministry. Like the apostle, he was a Jew who held Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37); so also like Paul he had both a Jewish (Aramaic) name, Silas, and a Roman name, Silvanus. That he was chosen to take the decision of the Jerusalem council to the believers in Antioch (Acts 15:27) confirms his status as one of the “leading men among the brethren” (Acts 15:22). Acts 15:32 notes that he was a prophet, hence a preacher of the gospel. He became Paul’s missionary partner after the apostle split with Barnabas over John Mark (Acts 15:40), and was with Paul in the Philippi-an jail, where he witnessed the jailer’s dramatic conversion after the earthquake (Acts 16:19–34). He ministered with Paul in many other places, including Berea (Acts 17:10) and Corinth (Acts 18:5; 2 Cor. 1:19). Later, he became Peter’s amanuensis and likely carried 1 Peter to its readers (1 Peter 5:12).

Timothy was Paul’s protégé and beloved son in the faith (2 Tim. 1:2; cf. 1 Tim. 1:18). A native of Lystra, a city in Asia Minor, Timothy was the son and grandson of believing Jewish women (2 Tim. 1:5) but had a Gentile father (Acts 16:1). Paul met Timothy on his second missionary journey and was impressed enough with him to add him to his missionary team (Acts 16:1–3). Though Timothy was younger than either Paul or Silas (cf. 1 Tim. 4:12), he quickly became Paul’s most valuable assistant. So great was Paul’s trust in Timothy as a faithful reflection of the apostle that he frequently served as his emissary and representative (1 Thess. 3:2; Acts 19:22; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; Phil. 2:19–24; 1 Tim. 1:3). Paul wrote two inspired epistles to him and mentioned him in eight others.

As noted in the Introduction to 1 Thessalonians, Thessalonica was a city of a quarter of a million people and the capital of Macedonia (the northern region of Greece). A bustling seaport located along the important Roman highway known as the Egnatian Way, the city was a busy center of trade and commerce.

Paul and his companions founded the church on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1–9). Their success in evangelizing the city (Acts 17:4) enraged the unbelieving Jews, and the ensuing uproar forced the missionary team to leave (Acts 17:10, 14). After stops in Berea and Athens, Paul eventually made his way to Corinth, from which he wrote the first letter. A few months later, Paul penned this letter, prompted by a further report about the situation in Thessalonica.

Though the source of that report is unknown, its contents can be deduced from the issues discussed in this epistle. First, the report must have indicated that the persecution the Thessalonians were undergoing had intensified, prompting Paul to exhort them to endurance (1:4–10). Second, despite Paul’s teaching in the first letter (4:13–5:11), he learned that the Thessalonians were still confused about the Rapture and the Day of the Lord. False teachers had prompted the confusion when they produced a forged letter—allegedly from Paul—with which they bolstered their claim that the Day of the Lord had arrived (2:1–2). In response, Paul reiterated that the Day of the Lord had not arrived because its precursors had not yet appeared (2:3–12). Finally, there was information in the report that some, believing Jesus would return very soon, had stopped working and were sponging off the rest of the congregation. Paul sternly rebuked them for their idleness and instructed them to work and provide for their own needs (3:6–15).

Although those issues were serious, and addressed appropriately, Paul did not write only with an authoritative tone. For example, as he concluded the letter, Paul charged them, “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame” (3:14). Yet he immediately tempered that strong exhortation by urging them, “Do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (3:15). The gentle, loving tone Paul adopted in this epistle suggests that the issues reported to him needed clarification and correction but did not threaten the church’s life and testimony.

Nor did those issues keep Paul from being immensely thankful for the strong spiritual character of the church. It was, in reality, a church to be proud of, for five reasons: genuine conversion, increasing faith, growing love, persevering hope, and a kingdom attitude.

GENUINE CONVERSION

in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:1b–2)

The key word in emphasizes the believers’ eternal life with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s simple greeting identifies the church as a regenerate church. It is the same greeting the apostle used in his first letter except for the addition of the personal possessive pronoun our, which emphasizes that God is the Father of believers (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3; 3:11, 13; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3, 4; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; 4:20; Col. 1:2; 2 Thess. 2:16; Philem. 3). But though Paul frequently speaks of believers as being in Christ, only here and in the first verse of the first letter does he describe them as being in God the Father. It is, however, an appropriate reminder of the Father’s care for a church undergoing severe persecution.

The truth that Christians are in personal, spiritual, and eternal union with God is unique to Christianity; adherents of other religions do not speak of being in their god. But the Bible teaches that those who put their faith in Christ “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), sharing eternal life with God through faith and identification with His Son. “I have been crucified with Christ,” Paul wrote, “and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20; cf. John 14:23; Rom. 6:11; 8:1; 12:5; 16:7, 9, 10; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:17;

15:22; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:1–3; 2:10; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2; 3:3; 2 Peter 1:4). Out of that living union flows grace and peace. Those two wonderful words sum up the gospel; grace is God’s unmerited favor to the sinner, and peace is the result of that favor. It is no wonder that they appear in the greetings of all of Paul’s epistles.

That Paul placed the Lord Jesus Christ alongside God the Father without comment or defense clearly affirms Christ’s deity and full equality with the Father. If that were not true, Paul would have needed to explain how believers could be spiritually united with both Christ and the Father. He would also have needed to explain how Jesus, along with the Father, could be the source of grace and peace if He is not God.

Unlike the dead church at Sardis (Rev. 3:1–6) or the nauseatingly lukewarm church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22), the Thessalonian church was a genuinely converted church, as 2:13–14 proves:

INCREASING FAITH

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, (1:3a)

Opheilō (ought) refers to a deep obligation, debt, or responsibility. Paul had no choice but always to give thanks to God for the Thessalonians; he was bound under compulsion to do so. God deservedly received all of the apostle’s gratitude, for His grace alone made the Thessalonians what they were.

What made Paul most grateful was not the size of the Thessalonians’ congregation, buildings, budget, or popularity. The apostle praised God most of all because their faith was greatly enlarged. Huperauxanō (greatly enlarged) is an intense compound word and could be translated “increased beyond measure,” or “grown beyond what could be expected.” Paul’s joy was deeply satisfying, because though confident that their faith was genuine and growing (cf. the discussion of 1 Thess. 1:3 in chapter 1 of this volume), he nevertheless had prayed that God would permit him to “complete what [was] lacking in [their] faith” (1 Thess. 3:10). Timothy’s report (1 Thess. 3:2, 6) revealed that Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians had been answered.

The Thessalonians’ faith had grown not only despite the persecution they were undergoing but also because of it. Persecution destroys false faith. In the parable of the soils, Jesus said, “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matt. 13:20–21). True faith, on the other hand, is indestructible, because the Lord Jesus Christ will not allow it to be destroyed. He warned Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). But though Peter’s faith would be severely shaken (cf. Matt. 26:69–75), it would not be destroyed because, as Jesus went on to say, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32; cf. John 21:18–19). Perhaps reflecting on his own experience, Peter later wrote:

After enduring unspeakable suffering, Job reaffirmed his faith in God:

In Romans 8:35–39 Paul expressed the utter impossibility that even the most severe suffering could destroy genuine saving faith:

Persecution strengthens believers’ faith by driving them to God. Facing a painful, difficult trial, Paul “implored the Lord three times that it might leave [him]” (2 Cor. 12:8). Trouble, distress, affliction, pain, and suffering drive those with genuine faith to a greater dependence on the Lord. That increases their knowledge of Him, which in turn increases their ability to trust Him. Therefore, the psalmist could confidently declare, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word…. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes…. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Ps. 119:67, 71, 75).

The blasphemous notion suggested by some that Christians need to forgive God for allowing them to suffer completely misses the point. According to that view, believers suffer because though God is well meaning, He is unable to work out all of life’s contingencies. Nothing could be further from the truth. For the reasons noted above, suffering is part of God’s wise, loving, perfect, sovereign plan for His children; they “suffer according to the will of God” (1 Peter 4:19). “Consider it all joy, my brethren,” wrote James, “when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4). Peter reminded suffering believers, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).

The Thessalonians’ increasing faith in the face of persecution affirmed their genuine conversion.

GROWING LOVE

and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; (1:3b)

As he had with their faith, Paul commended the church for their love in the first epistle (1 Thess. 1:3; 4:9–10). Yet that did not stop him from praying that “the Lord [would] cause [them] to increase and abound in love for one another” (1 Thess. 3:12). To his great joy, Timothy’s report indicated that the love of each one of the believers toward one another was gaining strength, like a healthy plant. Love permeated the entire congregation despite the persecution.

Love, not as fuzzy sentimentality or emotional feeling but as eager, sacrificial service, marks true believers. In John 13:34–35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” To the Romans Paul wrote, “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5). In 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Paul reminded the Thessalonians, “Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.” John affirmed that “the one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him” (1 John 2:10).

Increasing faith in God and love for others are essential elements of the redeemed nature (2 Cor. 8:7; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:15; 6:23). To Paul’s immense joy and satisfaction, they were evident in this church.

PERSEVERING HOPE

therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. (1:4)

Paul praised them in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 for being strong in hope when he wrote of their “steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.” Yet as he did with their faith and love, Paul desired for their hope to increase. Because of that, he expressed concern in his first letter (3:3–5) that affliction might cause the Thessalonians to lose hope. Timothy’s report that they were standing firm amidst the storm of persecution was for Paul yet another answer to prayer.

The emphatic phrase we ourselves introduces a subtle nuance in the text. The humble Christians were no doubt overwhelmed by the lavish praise Paul gave them in the first epistle (cf. 1 Thess. 1:8). They probably felt unworthy of such grandiose affection from the noble apostle, and may have been uncomfortable accepting the role of a model church. So it was Paul and his companions, knowing they would never do so on their own behalf (cf. Prov. 27:2; 2 Cor. 10:18), who took it upon themselves to speak proudly of them among the churches of God. Further, it was Paul, Silas, and Timothy—three of the leading figures in the early church — who expressed that pride because they were greatly encouraged by the Thessalonians’ spiritual growth and the absence of significant problems in the congregation. Ironically, Paul wrote proudly of the Thessalonians from Corinth, site of the most troubled, spiritually immature of all Paul’s churches.

Specifically, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were thankful for the saints’ perseverance and faith in the midst of all the persecutions and afflictions which they endured. Perseverance (hupomonē) is not resigned, stoic acquiescence but patient, courageous enduring of trouble. The word literally speaks of “remaining under,” or sustaining hope under difficulty. It is not a grim waiting but a joyful hoping. As it does in Romans 3:3, Galatians 5:22, and Titus 2:10, pistis (faith) has the sense of “faithfulness.” Paul was thankful for and proud of how the church remained faithful to the Lord despite the persecutions (hostility from enemies of the gospel) and afflictions (suffering resulting from persecution) they endured. They refused to renounce their faith, let their love grow cold, or abandon their hope.

A KINGDOM ATTITUDE

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. (1:5)

In contrast to the man-centered atmosphere that pervades many churches today, this young church had only a God-centered outlook. Instead of being consumed with personal happiness, fulfillment, comfort, success, or prosperity, they were living out Jesus’ command to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). That perspective enabled them to successfully endure the inevitable persecution that comes to the bold faithful.

That kingdom attitude was a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment. Endeigma (plain indication) refers to evidence or proof; God’s righteous judgment to His chastening so that they would be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed they were suffering (cf. Heb. 12:10). God’s chastening of His own proved they were His children, for “God deals with [believers] as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But [those] without discipline … are illegitimate children and not sons” (Heb. 12:7–8). Their suffering was not, of course, the basis of the Thessalonians’ salvation but the evidence of it. Through His purging, chastening, purifying work in their lives, God prepared them to be worthy of the kingdom, for “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22; cf. 1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Peter 5:10).

Believers can face trials joyfully, knowing that God is equipping them for eternal glory. Leon Morris insightfully observes:

Again, God never evaluates a church based on external features (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7). He is not impressed with innovative, clever repackaging of the gospel to make it more palatable for unbelievers. Nor are a church’s elaborately staged worship services, political awareness, social prominence, or size reasons to boast before God. A church to be proud of is a place where the genuinely converted see their faith increase, their love grow, their hope endure despite persecution, and their focus remain singularly on God’s kingdom.