Best, Ernest. A Commentary on the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians. HNTC. New York: Harper & Row, 1972; reprint, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1987. An outstanding and thorough treatment that on nearly every issue presents and thoughtfully considers all the interpretive options.

Bruce, F. F. 1 & 2 Thessalonians. WBC 45. Waco, Tex.: Word, 1982. An excellent, medium-length comprehensive treatment of the Greek text that reflects Bruce’s penetrating scholarship, wide knowledge of Paul’s other letters, and characteristic thoroughness and attention to detail. Includes a useful excursus on the Antichrist figure.

Elias, Jacob W. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, Pa., and Waterloo, Ont.: Herald, 1995. A solid, responsible contribution from a Mennonite perspective, which is deeply concerned about the significance of the text for the church today.

Holtz, Traugott. Der erste Brief an die Thessalonicher. EKKNT 13. Zürich: Benziger, 1986. This recent German commentary is part of the influential Evangelisch-katholischer commentary series.

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. NCB. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, and London: Marshall Morgan & Scott, 1983. A solid and reliable medium-length commentary that gives an especially detailed treatment of introductory and critical issues, including extensive attention to (and critique of) the influential work of W. Trilling.

Morris, Leon. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians. Rev. ed. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991. A cautious and traditional commentary of moderate length by a careful expositor.

Richard, Earl J. First and Second Thessalonians. Sacra Pagina 11. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1995. A full-length comprehensive critical commentary that takes a fresh and often independent line. Based on the Greek text, but with all Greek transliterated; strong on lexical and grammatical issues.

Rigaux, Béda. Saint Paul: Les Épîtres aux Thessaloniciens. Études biblique. Paris: Gabalda, 1956. Still one of the best treatments of the letters.

Trilling, Wolfgang. Der zweite Brief an die Thessalonicher. EKKNT 14. Zürich: Benziger, and Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1980. A solid commentary based on Trilling’s arguments against the authenticity of 2 Thessalonians (W. Trilling, Untersuchungen zum zweiten Thessalonicherbrief [Leipzig, 1972]; see the Introduction, fn. 10).

Wanamaker, Charles A. The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, and Exeter: Paternoster, 1990. An outstanding full-length commentary on the Greek text that gives particular (and fruitful) attention to the rhetorical aspects of the letters. Written in a South African context, it displays sensitivity to the context of the Thessalonian congregation as a persecuted minority movement and to the challenges Paul faced as he sought to “resocialize” his converts to a genuinely Christian worldview.

Frame, James Everett. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. ICC. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1912. A full-scale treatment of the Greek text, still useful for its close attention to lexical and especially grammatical questions; draws often on patristic commentators (quoted in the original languages) and provides an often comprehensive survey of earlier scholarship.

Lightfoot, J. B. Notes on Epistles of St. Paul From Unpublished Commentaries. London and New York: Macmillan, 1895, pp. 1–136. A relatively brief but penetrating analysis of the Greek text that reflects Lightfoot’s encyclopedic knowledge of the ancient world; his lexical observations still warrant close study.

Milligan, George. St. Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians: The Greek Text with Introduction and Notes. London: Macmillan, 1908. Still worth consulting on points of exegesis, though in some respects extremely dated; most of its best points have been taken up by later commentators.

Aus, Roger. “II Thessalonians.” Pp. 191–221 in I-II Timothy, Titus, II Thessalonians, by A. J. Hultgren and R. Aus. ACNT. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984.

Calvin, John. The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians. Trans. by R. Mackenzie. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961 [1540]. A classic example of the Genevan reformer at work, surprisingly exegetical for one better known for his theology. Relatively brief; always worth reading as a supplement to a full treatment.

Gaventa, Beverly Roberts. First and Second Thessalonians. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Louisville: John Knox, 1998. A relatively brief (133 pages), nontechnical, always thoughtful treatment of the letter, written in full awareness of the difficulties involved in reading an ancient document through modern eyes. Comments and suggestions for application and preaching are brief but suggestive; particularly notable are the “Reflections” on maternal imagery in Paul and on the persistence of evil.

Hendriksen, William. I and II Thessalonians. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1955. Capable exegetical work lies behind his theological discussion; now somewhat dated; uneven in its coverage of issues.

Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Thessalonian Epistles: A Call to Readiness. Chicago: Moody, 1971. A lengthy treatment from a pretribulational perspective.

Juel, Donald H. “I Thessalonians.” Pp. 211–55 in Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, I Thessalonians, by E. Krentz, J. Koenig, and D. H. Juel. ACNT. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1985. Severely hampered by space constraints imposed by the format of the series, but insightful observations (occasionally expressed with epigrammatic clarity) make it worth consulting.

Martin, D. Michael. 1, 2 Thessalonians. NAC 33. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995. Competent, but flat and uneven in its treatment.

Morris, Leon. The Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians: An Introduction and Commentary. Revised ed. TNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984. A short version of his NICNT contribution.

Stott, John R. W. The Gospel and the End of Time: The Message of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. BST. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1991. The best of the nontechnical treatments of the letters by a master evangelical preacher who is also an excellent scholar; it reflects his deep commitment both to Scripture and to the church.

Thomas, Robert L. “1 Thessalonians” and “2 Thessalonians.” Pp. 227–337 in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 11. Ed. by F. E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978. A brief treatment based on the NIV from a dispensational perspective.

Williams, David J. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. NIBC. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1992. A brief but helpful discussion that nearly always touches on the key interpretive issues.

Collins, Raymond F., ed. The Thessalonian Correspondence. BETL 87. Leuven: Leuven Univ. Press and Peeters, 1990. An important and wide-ranging collection of scholarly essays in several languages on nearly all aspects of Thessalonians.

Donfried, Karl P. “The Theology of 1 Thessalonians” and “The Theology of 2 Thessalonians.” Pp. 1–113 in The Theology of the Shorter Pauline Letters, by K. P. Donfried and I. H. Marshall. New Testament Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1993. A sympathetic treatment of each document separately.

Hock, Ronald F. The Social Context of Paul’s Ministry: Tentmaking and Apostleship. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980. An interesting investigation of Paul’s use of the workplace as a place for evangelization and discipleship in light of Greco-Roman attitudes toward work and traveling philosophers.

Jewett, Robert. The Thessalonian Correspondence: Pauline Rhetoric and Millenarian Piety. Foundations and Facets. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986. A comprehensive study of critical issues associated with the Thessalonian correspondence and a major contribution to the rhetorical analysis of the letters. Jewett’s use of the modern sociological category of “millenarian movements” to interpret the Thessalonian situation has not been persuasive.

Malherbe, Abraham J. Paul and the Thessalonians: The Philosophical Tradition of Pastoral Care. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987. A fine study of Paul and his ministry in light of ancient philosophers and their methods.

Plevnik, Joseph. Paul and the Parousia: An Exegetical and Theological Investigation. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1997. A recent thorough study that not only analyzes individual issues or passages, but ends with a useful synthesis of Paul’s teaching.

Trilling, Wolfgang. Untersuchungen zum zweiten Thessalonicherbrief. Leipzig: St. Benno, 1972. A widely influential presentation of the case for understanding 2 Thessalonians as a pseudonymous letter.

Weima, Jeffrey A. D. “ ‘How You Must Walk to Please God’: Holiness and Discipleship in 1 Thessalonians.” Pp. 98–119 in Patterns of Discipleship in the New Testament, ed. Richard N. Longenecker. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. An insightful contribution on an important theme in 1 Thessalonians.