DFD 7-4 - 1 THESSALONIANS 3
1 THESSALONIANS : CHAPTER 3
PASSAGE DESCRIPTION
CITY OF THESSALONICA
There are four unique features of the city of Thessalonica that are important for understanding Paul’s letters to this place:
1. A Strategic Location. Thessalonica enjoys the best natural harbor in the Aegean Sea. The city was located at a juncture of the Via Egnatia (a major east-west Roman highway) and a road north to the Danube. These two geographic features caused Thessalonica to become the most populous (100,000 people) and important (provincial capital) city in Macedonia.
2. A Favored Status. As a reward for siding with the victorious Octavian in the Roman civil wars, Thessalonica was granted the designation “free city.” This favored status resulted in more autonomy over local matters, the right to mint its own coins, tax concessions, and freedom from military occupation.
3. A Unique Political Structure. As a free city, Thessalonica was allowed to keep its traditional city institutions. The lowest level involved the “citizen assembly” (“crowd” in Acts 17:5), and the highest level involved the city council, made up of unique officers called “politarchs” (“city officials” in Acts 17:6, 8).
4. A Religiously Pluralistic Setting. Archaeological and inscriptional evidence indicates the presence of various Greco-Roman deities, such as Dionysus, Asclepius, Aphrodite, Demeter, and Zeus. The Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis were also popular, as was the imperial cult with its worship of the Roman Empire. The city also housed a large Jewish synagogue consisting of “a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women” (Acts 17:4). Most of the Thessalonian church had participated in these various cults before they “turned to God from idols” (1 Thess 1:9).
PAUL AND THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH
Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonians should be read in light of the various events connected with the apostle’s ministry to these believers:
1. Paul, along with Silas and Timothy, departed from Philippi, traveled 90 miles (145 kilometers) along the Via Egnatia, and arrived four or five days later in Thessalonica (2:1–2; Acts 17:1).
2. Paul preached for three Sabbaths in the synagogue; converts included some Jews and even more Gentiles, including women from leading families (Acts 17:2–4).
3. During the week, Paul supported himself by working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3), thereby not only providing the new Christians with an example of self-sufficient work (1 Thess 2:9; 2 Thess 3:7–10) but avoiding potential charges that his ministry was selfishly motivated (1 Thess 2:1–12).
4. Paul’s missionary success aroused opposition. The Jews acted first (they “drove us out,” 2:15) and with the help of “bad characters from the marketplace” started a city riot against the apostle, accusing him of disturbing the peace and violating Caesar’s decrees (Acts 17:5–8).
5. Paul, Silas, and Timothy left Thessalonica to protect the believers and traveled west for two days to Berea (Acts 17:10). But Jews from Thessalonica followed the apostle to Berea and forced him to leave town. Some believers escorted Paul to Athens, likely by sea.
6. Silas and Timothy joined Paul in Athens a short time later only to be sent back to Macedonia: Timothy to Thessalonica (3:1–5) and Silas possibly to Philippi. Paul tried but was prevented from revisiting Thessalonica (2:17–18).
7. Paul traveled from Athens to begin an 18-month ministry in Corinth, where Timothy and Silas rejoined him from Macedonia (Acts 18:5). Timothy gave Paul a largely positive report about the Thessalonian church (1 Thess 3:6–10) but shared four concerns (see Introdution: Purposes) that caused the apostle to write 1 Thessalonians from Corinth in AD 50–51.
8. A short time later Paul received an alarming report from Thessalonica concerning a false claim that “the day of the Lord has already come” (2 Thess 2:2) and informing him that the problem of idle believers had become worse (2 Thess 3:6–15). To respond to these two problems, Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians.
AUTHOR, DATE, AND PLACE OF WRITING
Although Silas and Timothy are listed as co-senders, Paul is the letter’s primary author (note the use of the singular “I” in 2:18; 3:5; 5:27). Pauline authorship is supported by both internal and external evidence: the letter exhibits features typical of the apostle’s writing style, and the early church writers all affirm Paul as the author, with testimonies beginning as early as AD 140 (Marcion). The apostle wrote the letter in AD 50–51 during his 18-month ministry in Corinth. Support for this date comes from the Delphic Inscription, a letter from Emperor Claudius found in Delphi that dates Gallio’s governorship of Achaia to AD 51–52 and thus places Paul in Corinth at the same time (see note on Acts 18:12–17). Except for the possibility of an early date for Galatians (AD 48), 1 Thessalonians is Paul’s earliest canonical letter.
PURPOSES
After Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica (3:1–5), Timothy returned to the apostle with a largely positive report about the Thessalonian church (3:6). Yet Timothy also informed Paul about four concerns that caused the apostle to write 1 Thessalonians:
1. Paul’s Integrity. Non-Christians in Thessalonica accused Paul of impure, selfish motives, causing the apostle in the first half of the letter to defend his ministry and that of his co-workers, Silas and Timothy (2:1–3:10).
2. Persecution. Paul encourages his readers who were being persecuted for their new faith (2:14; 3:1–5).
3. Proper Moral Conduct. Paul exhorts his readers to live a holy life (4:1–12; 5:12–22).
4. Christ’s Return. Paul comforts his readers about the fate of both deceased (4:13–18) and living (5:1–11) believers at Christ’s return.
VERSE-BY-VERSE MEDITATION
3:1 stand it no longer. An uncommon verb (also in v. 5) that refers to substances that do not allow themselves to be penetrated by water, air, light, fire, or anything else. Paul evokes an image in which he is so full of emotion for the Thessalonians that he can no longer stop his deep affection for them from leaking out. left by ourselves in Athens. Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul in Athens from Berea (Acts 17:15) but are sent back to Macedonia: Timothy to Thessalonica (vv. 1–5) and Silas perhaps to Philippi.
3:2 co-worker in God’s service. A strikingly lofty title used to stress Timothy’s credentials; although Paul could not return to Thessalonica personally, he sent Timothy, who is no mere junior apostle but a co-worker of Paul and even of God. to strengthen … you in your faith. Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica specifically to strengthen their faith in the midst of opposition from their fellow citizens (cf. 2:14).
3:3 trials. The hostility aimed at the Thessalonian converts for their new faith (see also 2:2, 14–15; 2 Thess 1:4–7; Acts 17:5–7, 13; 2 Cor 8:1–2). destined. The Christian faith inevitably evokes opposition—a common conviction for Paul (Rom 5:3; 8:17; 2 Cor 4:7–12; 6:3–10; Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 3:12).
3:4 During his mission-founding visit, Paul repeatedly (the verb form expresses the idea of repetition: “we kept telling you”) warned the Thessalonians that they would be persecuted for their faith, and his prophetic words came true. This prophecy-fulfillment argument (“I told you this would happen, and it did”) reestablishes the credibility of Paul and his message.
3:5 stand it no longer. See note on v. 1. tempter. The evil spiritual being whom Paul identifies as “Satan” in 2:18 (see note there). Paul interprets historical events that prevent his return to Thessalonica and the afflictions that his readers endure from their fellow citizens as ultimately part of the spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of evil (cf. Eph 6:12).
3:6 come to us. Timothy rejoins Paul, who has moved on from Athens to Corinth (Acts 18:1–8), where he writes 1 Thessalonians. brought good news. Paul’s verb choice (Greek euangelizō) is noteworthy, since elsewhere in his writings (20 occurrences) this word always refers to preaching the gospel. Paul was so thankful for Timothy’s positive report about the Thessalonians that it was to the apostle like hearing the good news of the gospel. Paul mentions the two specific concerns at work in the first half of the letter (2:1–3:10): (1) faith. What Paul sent Timothy to “strengthen” (3:2) and “find out about” (3:5); afflictions from their fellow citizens are testing their ongoing faith in Christ. (2) love. Their ongoing love for Paul, despite the attacks against his integrity and his inability to return to them.
3:10 Although Timothy’s report about the Thessalonians’ faith and love was very positive, he also shared with Paul some areas of concern. So Paul prays that God will allow him to return to the church and “supply what is lacking.” Since Satan prevents Paul from going back (2:18) and doing this in person, the apostle does it instead by means of a letter: the second half of this letter (4:1–5:22) takes up those matters where their faith is “lacking.”
3:11–13 Transitional Prayers. Paul skillfully moves from the first half of the letter (2:1–3:10) to the second half (4:1–5:22) by means of two prayers. The first prayer (3:11) looks backward to Paul’s defensive concern over his inability to return to the Thessalonians (2:17–3:10). The second prayer (vv. 12–13) looks ahead to three concerns that Paul is about to address: holiness in sexual conduct (4:3–8), love for others (4:9–12), and Christ’s return (4:13–5:11).
3:11 God … and our Lord Jesus. These two subjects occur with a singular verb, suggesting that Paul views these two as essentially a unit and so hints at the full deity of Jesus. clear the way. This request looks backward to the metaphor of 2:18 (see note). Paul prays that God and Jesus will remove the obstacles that Satan is using to block his path back to the Thessalonian church.
3:12 make your love increase and overflow. Foreshadows the discussion of love for others in 4:9–12.
3:13 so that you will be blameless and holy … with all his holy ones. Foreshadows the discussion of holiness in sexual conduct in 4:3–8. when our Lord Jesus comes. Foreshadows the discussion of Christ’s return in 4:13–5:11. holy ones. Either angels or, more likely, believers who have died and will return with Jesus (4:14).