Chap1_ 1 Thessalonians

OOOOOOOO 1 Thessalonians 1:1 (HCSB)Greeting Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy: To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace.

....Silvanus -this name is also written as Silas- He was with Paul when the Jerusalem church gave instructions for the Gentile believers about sexual immorality, abstaining from sacrificial meats for idols , and anything strangled. Silas was selected as one of those to go with Paul to Antioch [Acts 15]. He also was with Paul in the incident of the exorcism that delivered the slave girl who made predictions and fortune telling. Her pimps?? seeing the loss of income from her dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities [Acts 16]. Silas was there in the initial visit to Thessalonica when a riot started because of Paul’s teaching in the synagogue and they stayed at Jason’s house [Acts17]. After being smuggled out of the city, they went to Berea and when the Jews found out he was there Paul escaped again and left behind Silas and Timothy

.....Father and the Lord Jesus - Note the distinction of blessing in Father and Lord Jesus- the description of the Trinity and deity of Jesus being equal with the Father. Before a word “trinity” was available to describe this mystery.

OOOOOOOO 1 Thessalonians 1:2–6 (NIV84) Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith 2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Paul expresses gratitude for them. He also remembers their work produced by faith, prompted by their endurance inspired by hope in Jesus. Their trust, their love, their hope = all was centered in Jesus Christ. Brings to mind John about the creation = by him, through him, for him.

But they are specifically chosen - up to the task - by God. this is known because the gospel that was giving to them came with Power of the Holy Spirit.

But we know because of not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. Paul’s certainty, coupled with transforming power of the message, and the H.S

They were already being attacked by the Jews and the persecution has continued but they still endure in spite of severe suffering..

...Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian deity came after Alexander and was ...f Egypt developed by the monarch Ptolemy I Soter (r. 305-282 BCE) as part of ...Serapis was a blend of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Apis with the Greek god Zeus (and others) to create a composite deity who would resonate with the multicultural societyhis vision to unite his Egyptian and Greek subjects. Serapis’ cult later spread throughout the Roman Empire until it was banned by the decree of Theodosius in 300a.d.

…Isis The cult of Isis originated in Egypt and went through two major stages. In its older Egyptian version, which was not a mystery religion, Isis was regarded as the goddess of heaven, earth, the sea, and the unseen world below. Consort witith Serapis. Popular because of rituals and promises of immortality

…Dionysus - Greek god of wine, effeminate, party [known as Bacchus with Romans and greeks]

These cults and the Jews were against Christians.

Tacitus, Roman writer , was against Jews for proselytizing so to despise the gods and therefore reject their families and country.

So the cults, the religions, the Jews, and the countries were all against the disruption of Christ.

OOOOOOOO 1 Thessalonians 1:7–8 (ESV) 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 sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

............Acts 16:6–9 (HCSB) Evangelization of Europe 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” = north of Greece, Bulgaria on east, sebia on west [balkan peninsula]

The 1st time that the gospel reached into Europe.

Alexander the Great - 300 yrs earlier- said “his aim was to marry the east to the west” and he declared that God had sent him to unite, pacify, and to reconcile the whole world.

Now Jesus has come not to pacify or reconsile nations, but to reconsile all mankind to god. Colossians 1:19–20 (NIV84) 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Part of Macedonia - sea port on the Aegean Sea-Thessalonica was located at the intersection of two major Roman roads, one leading from Italy eastward (Ignatia Way) and the other from the Danube to the Aegean, then down to Constantinople. The Danube river -2nd largest in Europe- goes from Aegean to Austria, Hungary , into Germany. Thessalonica’s location and use as a port made it a prominent city.

he city was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife Thessalonike, daughter of Philip II of Macedon and sister of Alexander the Great. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire

Paul said you set an example, not only your words, but your faith were aligned and visible to others. Appearance and behavior, words, and your trust - a life of abiding in Christ

OOOOOOOO 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (NIV84) 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Everywhere talks of how you turned to serve God and your patient hope for the return of resurrected Jesus . Like Christians, Muslims believe that Jesus will return. Islamic texts say that Jesus will come back on the Day of Judgment, when he will destroy the ad-dajjal —anti-Christ or imposter.

.... Jews looked at god’s punishments as his wrath - Christians viewed God’s wrath as the final Day of the Lord.