The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians

Thessaloniki Founded in 315 B.C. Named after the sister of Alexander the Great Greece's second largest city Capital of the Macedonian region Church established by St. Paul during his 2 nd missionary trip

Born in Tarsus ~ 40 A.D. meeting with Christ In the desert for 3 years Began to Preach in Damascus, then Jerusalem, then Tarsus 14 years later, he went back to Jerusalem Went with his uncle, Barnabas, to Antioch

1 st Trip ~ A.D. (No Letters) Council of Jerusalem, ~ 50 A.D. 2 nd Trip ~ A.D. (~2 Letters) –…,Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth,… –Companions: Silas & Timothy –Spent ~ a month in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-4)

2 nd Trip ~ A.D. (~2 Letters) –St. Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check on them, and he went ahead to Corinth –Church of Corinth  Problematic –Upon the arrival of Timothy to Corinth, St. Paul sent 1 Thessalonians –A few months later, St. Paul sent 2 Thessalonians

3 rd Trip ~ A.D. (~4 Letters) –Church of Corinth  Problematic From Ephesus, St. Paul sent them “1 Corinthians” answering 10 problems Some started to doubt his “Apostleship”, so he sends “2 Corinthians” defending his Apostolic rights –Heresy of “Judaizers” St. Paul sent “Romans” & “Galatians” to refute this heresy –Supported by the council of Jerusalem, ~ 50 A.D.

Three feasts to celebrate in Jerusalem –Passover –The feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) –The feast of Weeks St. Paul returned to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Weeks –Arrested in the Temple –False charge of bringing a gentile into the Temple –Dragged outside & beaten

On the way to the Roman barracks, St. Paul asked to speak to the people, addressing them in Hebrew, Acts 21 Inside the barracks, St. Paul said “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” Acts 21:25 St. Paul asked to go to Rome Waited 2 years in prison, Acts In Rome, he wrote: “Ephesus”, “Philippians”, “Colossians”, “Philemon”

Free from Prison  St. Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus & Titus in Crete  A great “apostasy” occurs from Christians of Jewish origin:  St. Paul writes to them “Hebrews”  Christ is the Messiah of the Old Testament  Faith is the foundation of Christianity, Hebrews 11

Back to Prison  St. Paul writes his “Farewell” epistle to Timothy  Martyred in Rome by the sword ~ 68 A.D.  St. Peter martyred in Rome by crucifixion ~ 68 A.D.

1 Thessalonians  5 Chapters  Each ending with emphasis on the 2 nd Coming  Theme: Encouragement for Perseverance 2 Thessalonians  3 Chapters  Major emphasis on the 2 nd Coming  Theme: Encouragement for Maturity

1 Thessalonians “Cheer-Up”  Thessalonians' Faith is Alive  “Work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” 1 Thess 1:3  How St. Paul delivered it to them  “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake” 1 Thess 1:5  How they received the Faith  “You became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit” 1 Thess 1:6

1 Thessalonians “Cheer-Up” (Continued)  You are not alone  “Even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict” 1 Thess 2:2  “You also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us” 1 Thess 2:14-15

1 Thessalonians “Cheer-Up” (Continued)  You are doing good  “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus” 1 Thess 2:14  “we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire” 1 Thess 2:17  “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” 1 Thess 2:19  “Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love” 1 Thess 3:6

1 Thessalonians Now What?  “Brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God” 1 Thess 4:1 (NKJV)  “Brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more” 1 Thess 4:1 (NIV)  “Concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you” 1 Thess 4:9

1 Thessalonians Quick summary of “Personal Instructions”  “Abstain from sexual immorality” 1 Thess 4:3  “Each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” 1 Thess 4:4  “no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter” 1 Thess 4:6  “Concerning brotherly love … increase more and more” 1 Thess 4:9-10

1 Thessalonians Quick summary of “Personal Instructions” (Continued)  Focused & Orderly Life  “Aspire to lead a quiet life” 1 Thess 4:11  “Mind your own business” 1 Thess 4:11  “Work with your own hands” 1 Thess 4:11  Be Happy  “Comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing” 1 Thess 5:11

1 Thessalonians Quick summary of “Church Instructions”  “Recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord … esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake” 1 Thess 5:13  “Warn those who are unruly” 1 Thess 5:14  “Comfort the fainthearted, Uphold the weak, Be patient with all” 1 Thess 5:14  “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” 1 Thess 5:15  “Rejoice always” 1 Thess 5:16

1 Thessalonians Quick summary of “Church Instructions” (Continued)  “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thess 5:17  “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thess 5:18  “Do not quench the Spirit” 1 Thess 5:19  “Do not despise prophecies” 1 Thess 5:20  “Test all things; hold fast what is good, Abstain from every form of evil” 1 Thess 5:21- 22

2 Thessalonians  More encouragement to persevere  “Patience and faith in all your persecutions … that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God” 2 Thess 1:4-5  Clear-up misunderstandings about the 2 nd Coming

2 Thessalonians 2  Most Important Chapter on Eschatology  The Day of the Lord  “If anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it” Mark 13:21  “They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” Mark 13:26

2 Thessalonians 2  The Day of the Lord  “That Day will not come unless the falling away comes first” 2 Thess 2:3  “And the man of sin is revealed” 2 Thess 2:3  “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped” 2 Thess 2:4  “He sits as God in the temple of God” 2 Thess 2:4  May or may not be the temple of Solomon  “What is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time” 2 Thess 2:6

2 Thessalonians 2 The Anti-Christ  “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” Matthew 24:24  “As you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come”  “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” 1 John 2:22  “This is the spirit of the Antichrist” 1 John 4:3

Revelation 13 The Anti-Christ  “Beast coming up out of the earth” Rev 13:11  “had two horns like a lamb” Rev 13:11  “spoke like a dragon” Rev 13:11  “exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence” Rev 13:12  “causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” Rev 13:12  “performs great signs” Rev 13:13  “Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” Rev 13:18

2 Thessalonians  “withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us” 2 Thess 3:6  “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” 2 Thess 3:10  “do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” 2 Thess 3:15  “do not grow weary in doing good” 2 Thess 3:13

Summary of the Pauline Epistles  Romans  1 Corinthians  2 Corinthians  Galatians  Ephesians  Philippians  Colossians  1 & 2 Thessalonians  1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon  Hebrews  Christ is our Righteousness  Christ is our Richness  Christ is our Comforter  Christ is our Liberator  Christ is our Life  Christ is our Joy  Christ is our Everything  Christ is our Eternity & Glory  Christ is our Teacher & Example  Christ is our Redemptive Intercessor

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