It is traditionally attributed to paul the apostle, with timothy as a coauthor. Paul certainly wrote 1 thessalonians, but does not appear to be the author of 2 thessalonians, which was written to deal with the embarrassment resulting from pauls belief that jesus would return in his own lifetime, yet died disa. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, timothy, and silas. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1. It was after timothy and silvanus rejoined paul in corinth acts 18. Paul and his companions had established the church in thessalonica but were forced to leave by opponents of the gospel. Apparently, silas afterwards traveled from athens to philippi while paul journeyed on along to corinth acts 18. Paul congratulates the thessalonians on their fidelity to the gospel that he had proclaimed while among them and urges them to. Paul undoubtedly had multiple reasons for writing, all coming out of this supreme concern for the flock from which he had been separated. List of new testament authors new testament charts. Every author of the new testament was jewish except for luke. Paul needed to address the three troubles the church in thessalonica faced. Letters of paul to the thessalonians bible britannica. In the church of thessalonica there were some misunderstandings about the return of christ.
Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the church in thessalonica. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of first thessalonians in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. Historical allusions in the book fit pauls life as recounted in acts and in his own letters 2. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle, and is addressed to the church in thessalonica, in modernday greece. In the greek new testament, 2 thessalonians is listed as to the thessalonians. Paul wrote the book of 1 thessalonians to restore relations with the thessalonian christians after persecution drove paul out of the congregation. Book of 2 thessalonians, explained scripture by scripture. If he did not, then it is hard to decide when the book of ii thessalonians was written. The first letter of paul to the thessalonians is also the first letter the apostle wrote. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it joshua 1. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, silas, and timothy.
The salutation of paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle. Thanksgiving for the thessalonians faith we always thank god for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. Second thessalonians was undoubtedly written to deal with the embarrassment resulting from pauls belief that jesus would return in his own lifetime, yet died disappointed. Paul himself thought the end was coming in his lifetime. Learn bible quiz 1 thessalonians with free interactive flashcards. Paul wrote his first letter to the thessalonian church from the city of corinth around ad 51, just a few months after having preached in thessalonica on his second. Paul is the author of the book of 1st thessalonians as he begins paul, silvanus, and timothy, to the church of the thessalonians in god the. First epistle to thessalonians read the bible online. When timothy returned to paul with the good news that the members of the church were standing firm in their new faith, paul wrote the first epistle to the thessalonians. It is then argued that 1 thessalonians was written to the gentile church and 2 thessalonians to the jewish church.
The situation in the church seems to have been much the same. They thought it had come already so they stopped with their work. Check out this summary and commentary and the book of i thessalonians. Now may the god of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our lord jesus christ comes again. Despite persecution, they flourish in their faith and stand strong.
The thessalonian church was still plagued by persecution and misunderstanding at this time, hence this second letter is written just shortly after the first. In 1 thessalonians, paul celebrates the churchs holiness, love and future hope as they remain faithful to jesus. Not only is 1 thessalonians the first of two letters to the. Matthew, peter, and john were among the 12 disciples who walked with christ during his earthly ministry. The implications of including 2 thessalonians among the authentic pauline writings are then examined. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from. The letters called epistles from paul to thessalonica, which included i thessalonians and ii thessalonians were probably two of the earliest letters paul had written which was around a. When you read 1 and 2 thessalonians, it seems pretty obvious that the apostle paul wrote them because his name is at the beginning of both the letters. Second epistle to the thessalonians read the bible online. Paul wrote letters in the bible, romans, 1 corinthians, 2 corinthians, galatians, collisions titus, 1 timothy 2 timothy, 1 philemon philippians, 1 thessalonians, 2 thessalonians and the book. First epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the. The second epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as second thessalonians or 2 thessalonians is a book from the new testament of the christian bible. It was written to a struggling, yet vigorous church that was only a few months old, made up of christians who had just come to christ under pauls ministry. Upon receiving back news about the thessalonian church, paul wrote the second letter perhaps within a few months of the first one.
Author the apostle paul wrote this letter with the assistance of his coworkers silas and timothy. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international. Book of 1 thessalonians outline summary online bible nwt. Two letters that paul wrote to the church in thessalonica are preserved in the new testament.
The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle of the new testament of the christian bible. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the one in thessalonica. Pauls authorship of 2 thessalonians has been questioned more often than that of 1 thessalonians, in spite of the fact that it has more support from early christian writers. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from thessalonia to report that the new. The book of 1 st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Paul wrote this letter to reemphasize the coming return of jesus christ. This is a delightfully revealing letter, showing the heart of the apostle toward these new christians, and also.
Constables notes on 2 thessalonians 3 the date of composition in the early a. The book of 1 thessalonians is a letter written from paul to the thessalonian christians to strengthen their faith and give them assurance of christs return aka the second coming. The first letter 1 thessalonians was written to a community of believers who had been christians for only a short period of time, probably no more than a few months. Who wrote the book of 2 thessalonians in the bible answers. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul from corinth, greece, about ad 50 and addressed to the christian community he had founded in macedonia. The church in thessalonica still had some misconceptions about the day of the lord. Because of its similarity to 1 thessalonians, it must have been written not long after the first letterperhaps about six months. Not only is 1 thessalonians the first of two letters. Thus, pauls primary purpose for writing the epistle was to encourage, comfort, and strengthen the church.
Second thessalonians is the ninth of pauls letters. In 2 thessalonians the personal pronouns we, us, and our, are found, which indicate that silas and timothy agreed with what paul wrote in this second letter to the thessalonians. Choose from 500 different sets of bible quiz 1 thessalonians flashcards on quizlet. These 1 and 2 thessalonians are considered by many scholars to be the earliest of pauls epistles. What is the purpose of the book of 1st thessalonians. Interesting facts about 1 thessalonians bible charts. First thessalonians is the eighth of pauls letters. This letter is his first epistle to the thessalonians. Some few now deem it proved that paul wrote to the south galatians even before he wrote to the thessalonians, cf. Paul wrote the christians in thessalonica because some of them had become disturbed over the death of a number of their fellow believers.
When timothy rejoined paul in corinth, he had good news. Paul wrote this letter to the church in thessalonica. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible. Practical instructions and encouragement 1 thessalonians 4. Watch our overview video on 1 thessalonians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought.
It says not to be troubled by a previous letter written as if by paul, whi. In acts, luke recorded that paul preached for three sabbath days to the jews in the. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international. The book of 2nd thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Paul wrote the second letter to the thessalonians approximately a year or so after the first letter. This discussion seeks to reveal the slender evidential basis of certain classic arguments against the authenticity of the letter, and also to present some fresh reasons why the epistle should be regarded as written by paul. The majority of the thessalonians were continuing to grow and to remain faithful to christ in spite of persecution. Books and articles that equip you for deeply biblical thinking and.
Two epistles to the thessalonians are attributed to paul. We remember before our god and father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our. Nowhere is this more clear than in one of the letters we are sure he wrote, 1 thessalonians. That leaves the books of ephesians, colossians, 2 thessalonians, 1 and 2 timothy, and titus. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends.
Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians bible survey. Timothy s report of conditions in the thessalonian church led paul to write the first letter shortly after he arrived in corinth about a. The first book of thessalonians was written approximately in a. When he returns, the dead who have believed in christ will rise and will join the living to meet the lord in the air 4. In particular, it is suggested that the development in pauls thinking as reflected in 2 thessalonians reveals that his theological formulations developed in response to situations in his fledgling communities. They thought it had come already so they stopped with. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. Some of the thessalonians apparently believed that jesus christ was about to return momentarily and had consequently given up their jobs and had become disorderly. It is helpful to trace the locations of paul and his companions that relate to the thessalonian correspondence. The apostle paul wrote this letter to the people of thessalonica, where he founded a church during his second missionary journey. Summary of the book of 2 thessalonians bible survey. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul from. Paul and his companions had spent only three weeks in thessalonica, but according to the accounts of acts and thessalonians, their ministry had been characterized by enormous success.
Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible society. The book of 2 thessalonians was likely written in ad 5152. Therefore, paul probably wrote 1 thessalonians in a. Mar 22, 2020 whoever wrote second thessalonians was quite adamant that he really was the apostle paul 2 thessalonians 3. Who wrote the book of 2 thessalonians in the bible. If paul actually wrote the second letter, it was written shortly after that. This summary of the book of 2 thessalonians provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 2 thessalonians. First thessalonians was written from corinth in about 51 ad. Paul, silas and timothy, to the church of the thessalonians in god the father and the lord jesus christ. Paul certainly wrote 1 thessalonians, but does not appear to be the author of 2 thessalonians, which was written to deal with the embarrassment resulting from pauls belief that jesus would return in his own lifetime, yet died disappointed. Objections are based on internal factors rather than on the adequacy of the statements of the church fathers. Of the books in the new testament that are attributed to paul, most modern scholars agree that he wrote the books. This represents the apostle pauls second canonical correspondence to the fellowship of believers in. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians and sent it to the church.
Upon leaving thessalonica under duress, paul, silas, and timothy traveled to athens by way of berea. Pauls authorship of 2 thessalonians has been questioned more often than that of 1 thessalonians, in spite of the fact that it. Pauls anxious wait in athens 15 timothys comforting report 610 prayer for the thessalonians 11 4. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52. Paul wrote 2 thessalonians to reassure those terrified that the day of the lord had already come. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. Paul the apostle wrote both letters to the thessalonians. Paul wrote his first letter to the thessalonian church from the city of corinth around ad 51, just a few months after having preached in thessalonica on his second missionary journey. However, many scholars say that only 1 thessalonians was actually written by paul, and that 2 thessalonians was written in his name after.
Since it is agreed that paul wrote i thessalonians, the text and style of ii thessalonians can be compared to it. While christ tarries there is still much to do but having this expectation propels you to do rather than to sleep. Paul wrote 2 thessalonians from corinth in ad 51 within months of writing the first letter. Paul almost certainly wrote his first letter to the thessalonians from corinth, where silas and timothy, co senders of the letters, were reunited with him acts 18. Book summary this book tells us about christ coming with his angels this is the second part of the same event which is known as the day of the lord. Occasion having arrived at athens, paul at once set himself to convert the jews, proselytes and gentiles of that city. Christianity came to thessalonica through paul, timothy, and silas during pauls second missionary journey. Of the books in the new testament that are attributed to paul, most modern scholars agree that he wrote the books known as romans, 1 and 2 corinthians, galatians, philippians, 1 thessalonians and philemon for a grand total of 7. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians story of the.
This summary of the book of 1 thessalonians provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 thessalonians. Later, paul sent timothy back to thessalonica to check on the church there, and timothys report led paul to write this letter. It is thought that there are differences in the vocabulary. A few scholars argued that paul wrote 2 thessalonians before 1 thessalonians. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international bible. And for a couple hundred years, scholars have gone back and forth and debated whether 2 thessalonians was written by paul. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of. Since the subject matter of the second letter has a number of thematic similarities to the first, paul probably had received a second report from the city detailing continuing questions or problems regarding the end times. Book of second thessalonians overview insight for living. Again paul concentrates on clearing up the events leading up to the second coming, and instructs the believers on what must happen before such events can come to pass. Pauls ministry in thessalonica 112 thessalonians accepted gods word 16 paul longs to see the thessalonians 1720 3. Most new testament scholars believe paul the apostle wrote this letter from corinth, although information appended to this work in many. The book of 1st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Summary two letters that paul wrote to the church in thessalonica are.
The arguments employed to establish this view are as follows. Pauls letters to the thessalonians were written from corinth around 50 ad, just after he was with the church in thessalonica. After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the believers there within just a few months of leaving. Now joshua built an altar to the lord god of israel in mount ebal, as moses the servant of the lord had commanded the children of israel, as it is written in the. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians story of the bible. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living.