The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (229 page)

4:3 I am in prison:
Paul is probably writing from Rome, where he lived for two years under house arrest. See introduction:
Date.
 
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4:6 seasoned:
As salt preserves food and enhances its taste, our conversations should be wholesome, edifying, and pure (3:8). This is one way that Christians can live as "the salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13). 
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4:7 Tychicus:
One of Paul's personal envoys, in charge of delivering this epistle and informing the Colossian Church of the apostle's situation back in Rome (2 Tim 4:12; Tit 3:12).
See note on Eph 6:21
. 
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4:9 Onesimus:
A runaway slave who fled to Rome but converted to Christianity during Paul's imprisonment (Philem 10, 16). Paul is sending him back to his master, Philemon, who may have lived in Colossae or one of the nearby cities of Laodicea or Hierapolis. 
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4:10-17
A list of final instructions and personal greetings. Many of these names at the end of Colossians are also listed in Philemon, indicating that the two letters were probably written and delivered at the same time (Philem 2, 10, 23). Traditionally, the
Mark
(Col 4:10) and
Luke
(4:14) here mentioned are identified with the evangelists who wrote the second and third Gospels, respectively. Both men were among Paul's traveling companions (Acts 12:25; 16:10), and both assisted the apostle in the closing years of his life (2 Tim 4:11). 
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4:10 Aristarchus:
A believer from Thessalonica. He was a member of Paul's missionary team (Acts 19:29; 20:4) and traveled with him all the way to Rome (Acts 27:2). 
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4:16 read among you:
Most likely in a liturgical context. Very early on Paul's epistles were recognized as authoritative and even scriptural (2 Pet 3:15-16).
the letter from La-odicea:
The identity of this letter is uncertain. It may be
(1)
a letter that Paul wrote to the La-odicea Church that has not survived or
(2)
another of Paul's epistles that was circulating in the region, possibly Ephesians. In any case, the Colossians are encouraged to exchange letters with the neighboring La-odiceans. See introduction to Ephesians:
Destination.
 
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4:17 fulfil the ministry:
Archippus may have been a pastor in the Colossian Church. 
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4:18 I, Paul, write this:
It was customary for Paul to dictate his letters to scribes, waiting until the end to pen the farewell himself (1 Cor 16:21; 2 Thess 3:17). These handwritten remarks authenticated the letter, much as a signature does today. 
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INTRODUCTION TO

Author
 First Thessalonians is a genuine letter of the Apostle Paul. His name opens the epistle (1:1); tradition from earliest times supports this ascription; and only a few modern scholars have ever questioned its authenticity. Indeed, the letter is covered from beginning to end with the unmistakable fingerprints of Paul's language, style, and character known from his other writings. Internal evidence shows us that Paul is writing as the leader and spokesman of his missionary team, which at this time included Silvanus and Timothy (1:1). This explains why so many of his comments and instructions are formulated in the first person plural ("we"/"us"/"our", 1:2; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; etc).

Date
 It is widely held that 1 Thessalonians is the oldest letter we have from Paul and may be the oldest book in the entire canon of the NT. By coordinating the report in 3:1-5 with the historical record of Acts 17:1-18:5, most scholars agree that Paul must have penned this letter in the winter months of late
A.D.
50 or early 51, soon after Silvanus and Timothy rejoined him in Corinth (Acts 18:5).

Destination
 Thessalonica was a bustling commercial city founded in 316
B.C.
and established by the Romans as the provincial capital of Macedonia (northern Greece) in 146
B.C.
The city was ideally situated for trade, having a port into the Aegean Sea and positioned on the Egnatian Way, an overland highway that linked the eastern and western parts of the Mediterranean. Paganism and idolatry dominated the religious environment in Thessalonica, although it was also home to a Jewish colony with at least one synagogue. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy (1:1) founded the Thessalonian Church in
A.D.
50 on the apostle's second missionary tour (Acts 17:1-9). Initially, they spent several weeks preaching in the synagogue and saw the conversion of Jews, Greeks, and several leading women from the city (Acts 17:4). However, enraged by the missionaries' success, certain Jews from the city incited riots and forced the missionaries out of Thessalonica only weeks (or possibly months) after their arrival, causing them trouble as far as Beroea (Acts 17:5, 13). The community left behind remained a target of local persecution (1 Thess 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess 1:4). A majority of the community were Gentiles who had abandoned idolatry for Christianity (1:9).

Purpose and Themes
 First Thessalonians is a predominantly pastoral letter with a pastoral focus. Paul wrote out of a deep concern for these recent converts who were unexpectedly left alone to withstand the rising tide of persecution and the constant pressures of paganism. Absent in person and eager to return (3:10), Paul sent the epistle in his place to strengthen them through these difficult times (3:3-5), to encourage them to be chaste and charitable (4:1-12), and to console the bereaved among them with the hope of resurrection (4:1314). Expressions of joy, gratitude, and encouragement punctuate the letter as Paul affirms them for their astonishing growth (1:8) in faith, hope, and love (1:3; 3:6; 5:8). There are no rebukes for the Thessalonians, only appeals to stay on the same course (4:1; 5:11).

The substance of the letter, though more personal than theological, is not lacking in doctrinal content. This is evident in Paul's emphasis on eschatology (teaching concerning the end times). At least once in every chapter he mentions the return of Jesus Christ in glory. According to Paul, Christ will come again from heaven to deliver us "from the wrath to come" (1:10) and give us the final "salvation" for which we yearn (5:9). His prayer is that Christ will perfect the "love" of his readers (3:12) and establish them forever in "holiness" at his arrival (3:13; cf. 5:23). The apostle is confident he will be proud of the Thessalonians on that day and expects to wear them like a "crown" before the Lord (2:19). The subject of eschatology has pressing importance for certain readers who are anxious about the fate of their deceased relatives and friends (4:13). Paul assures them that, as God raised Jesus from the dead and carried him into heaven, so too he will raise the righteous at the blast of the final trumpet and escort them into glory (4:14-18). Because the last day will "come like a thief" (5:2), Paul challenges readers to stay awake both morally and spiritually in anticipation of the Second Coming (5:1-11). Otherwise they will be caught unprepared when Jesus returns as Judge to avenge the wicked for their evil deeds (4:6). In Paul's mind, this itinerary for the end of days is revealed to give comfort and hope to the saints struggling on earth (4:18). «

OUTLINE OF THE FIRST LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS

1. Opening Address (
1:1
)

2. Memories of the Past (
1:2-3:13
)

   A. Thanksgiving (
1:2-10
)

   B. Paul's Thessalonian Ministry (
2:1-16
)

   C. The Mission and Report of Timothy (
2:17-3:10
)

   D. Prayer for Sanctification (
3:11-13
)

3. Instructions for the Future (
4:1-5:22
)

   A. An Appeal for Purity (
4:1-8
)

   B. An Appeal for Love and Labor (
4:9-12
)

   C. The Return of Jesus (
4:13-18
)

   D. The Day of the Lord (
5:1-11
)

   E. Final Exhortations (
5:12-22
)

4. Conclusion (
5:23-28
)

THE FIRST LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO THE

Chapters

1
2
3
4
5

Salutation

1
 
Paul
, Silva'nus, and Timothy,
 
*

   To the Church of the Thessalo'nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

The Thessalonians' Faith and Example

2
 
We give thanks
to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
³
remembering
before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁴
For we know, brethren beloved by God, that
he has chosen you
;
⁵
for our gospel came to you not only in word, but
also in power
and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
⁶
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much
affliction, with joy
inspired by the Holy Spirit;
⁷
so that you became an example to all the believers in
Macedonia and in Acha'ia
.
⁸
For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Acha'ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
⁹
For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you
turned to God from idols
, to serve a living and true God,
¹⁰
and to wait for
his Son from heaven
, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica

2
  
For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain;
²
but though we had already suffered and been
shamefully treated at Philip'pi
, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.
³
For our appeal does not spring from
error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile
;
⁴
but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
⁵
For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness;
⁶
nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as
apostles
of Christ.
⁷
But we were gentle
^a
among you,
like a nurse
taking care of her children.
⁸
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

9
 For you remember our
labor and toil
, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God.
¹⁰
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers;
¹¹
for you know how,
like a father
with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you
¹²
to walk in a manner worthy of
God, who calls you
into his own kingdom and glory.

13
 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received
the word of God
which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
¹⁴
For you
, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are
in Judea
; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
¹⁵
who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all men
¹⁶
by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved—so as always to
fill up the measure
of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them
at last
!
^b

Paul's Desire to Visit the Thessalonians Again

17
 But since we were
deprived
of you, brethren, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face;
¹⁸
because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul,
 
*
again and again—but
Satan hindered us
.
¹⁹
For what is our hope or joy or
crown of boasting
before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
²⁰
For you are
our glory and joy
.