A few scholars argued that paul wrote 2 thessalonians before 1 thessalonians. Since paul began his ministry there in the jewish synagogue, it is reasonable to assume that the new church included some jews. In the case of 2 thessalonians, it was initially attributed to paul. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from thessalonia to report that the new. Since paul wrote 1st thessalonians shortly after he left thessalonica 1 th 2. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of. Both lists of canonical books of the nt circulated in rome.
Summary of the book of 2 thessalonians bible survey. Since pauls letter to the churches of galatia was probably written in ca. In acts, luke recorded that paul preached for three sabbath days to the jews in the. How much more so when it comes to the end of the whole world. 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. Summary of the book of 2 thessalonians story of the.
Since this epistle was certainly written during pauls long stay at corinth acts 18. In the church of thessalonica there were some misunderstandings about the return of christ. The recording is dramatized, from the king james bible. 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. Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the church in thessalonica. Paul needed to address the three troubles the church in thessalonica faced. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. In the midst of these trials, they began to wonder whether they were in the day of the lord, a period described at great length in the old testament and concerning which paul had taught them in 1 thessalonians. Second thessalonians appears to have been written just a few months, possibly a year, after first thessalonians. Second thessalonians is the ninth of pauls letters. First epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the. The problem was that they believed christ would return very soon to restore his kingdom and to sustain it forever. This letter is his first epistle to the thessalonians. The book of 1st thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul.
The key personalities of ephesians are the apostle paul and tychicus. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, silas, and timothy. Internally, the vocabulary, style, and doctrinal content support the claims in 2 thessalonians 1. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, timothy, and silas. For since we believe that jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when jesus returns, god will bring back with him the believers who have died. Who wrote the book of 2 thessalonians in the bible answers.
Paul wrote 1 thessalonians from corinth near the end of his second missionary journey. Inasmuch as the situation in the thessalonian church has not changed substantially, pauls purpose in writing is very much the same as in his first letter to them. When he returns, the dead who have believed in christ will rise and will join the living to meet the lord in the air. This represents the apostle pauls second canonical correspondence to the fellowship of believers in. The book of 2 thessalonians was likely written in ad 5152. 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. After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the believers there. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from.
Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international. Paul the apostle wrote both letters to the thessalonians. Upon receiving back news about the thessalonian church, paul wrote the second letter perhaps within a few months of the first one. Introduction to the first epistle of paul to the thessalonians. Pauls main purpose in writing is to encourage and reassure the christians there. The background of the thessalonian church is found in ac 17. It was written shortly after timothy came to athens, or in corinth. Book of 2 thessalonians, explained scripture by scripture. The book of ephesians is a prison epistle letter written while in prison.
After paul started the church in thessalonica, he wrote this first letter to the believers there within just a few months of leaving. Two letters that paul wrote to the church in thessalonica are preserved in the new testament. Letters of paul to the thessalonians bible britannica. The majority of the thessalonians were continuing to grow and to remain faithful to christ in spite of persecution.
First epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the bible bible. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle, and is addressed to the church in thessalonica, in modernday greece. First epistle to thessalonians read the bible online. It was written to encourage believers to walk as fruitful followers of christ and to serve in unity and love in the midst of persecution. Paul and his companions had established the church in thessalonica but were forced to leave by opponents of the gospel. This would place the writing of the epistle during pauls extended stay at corinth on his second missionary journey cf. This is the holy book of 1 thessalonians, known as the first epistle of paul the apostle to the thessalonians. It is generally agreed by scholars that this epistle was written in the early fifties c. If this is correct, 1 thessalonians would be the oldest preserved pauline epistle, although some date galatians earlier. Paul received his inducement to write 1 thessalonians from the reports which timothy brought him from thessalonica acts 18. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians bible survey. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living. The first letter to the thessalonians was probably written by the end of 52 ad, the first of saint pauls letters.
Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international. Casual readers may know something about the rapture passage in 1 thessalonians 4. Paul wrote this letter to the church in thessalonica. I believe the central reason paul wrote the book of 1st thessalonians is to clear up the confusion about the coming of jesus christ. Romans, 1 corinthians, 2 corinthians, galatians, ephesians, philippians, colossians, 1. These 1 and 2 thessalonians are considered by many scholars to be the earliest of pauls epistles.
The other six major divisions of books are the law, the prophets, the writings psalms, the gospels. Summary of the book of 1 thessalonians story 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. Constables notes on 2 thessalonians 3 the date of composition in the early a.
So if paul didnt write it, and his disciples didnt write it either, who did. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. 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 father and the lord jesus christ 1. Paul urges them to go on working quietly while waiting in hope for the return of. Amazingly, seven out of the fourteen books paul wrote were produced from the early spring of 61 to 63 a. The book of 2nd thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. This makes 1 thessalonians one of the earliest new testament books written the gospels, by comparison, were written anywhere from 60. And for a couple hundred years, scholars have gone back and forth and debated whether 2 thessalonians was written by paul. 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. His writings are considered so important that they are one of the seven major sections of gods word. The church in thessalonica still had some misconceptions about the day of the lord.
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. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52 however, some scholars believe. With this in mind paul wrote cautiously to clear up their misconception, wanting to suppress neither their fervent hope in christ nor their enthusiasm for the spread of the gospel. If paul were the author, the books would have had to be written just a few months apart. Pauls letters to the thessalonians were written from corinth around 50 ad, just after he was with the church in thessalonica. The thessalonians were inhabitants of thessalonica, on the road from athens to philippi, and the capital of macedonia. Date both thessalonian epistles were written during pauls second missionary journey, thus making them among the earliest of the new testament. They thought it had come already so they stopped with their work.
They thought it had come already so they stopped with. 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. The apostle paul wrote this letter to the people of thessalonica, where he founded a church during his second missionary journey. Since paul had to leave these new converts sooner than he wanted to, he sent timothy. In addition, 1 thessalonians is the first letter paul wrote as well. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international bible society. Irenaeus quoted 1 thessalonians by namehe wrote around a. It says not to be troubled by a previous letter written as if by paul, whi. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians to the members of the church in thessalonica. In the greek new testament, 2 thessalonians is listed as to the thessalonians. Later, paul sent timothy back to thessalonica to check on the church there, and timothys report led paul to write this letter. Most scholars feel that the gospels were written about this same time or shortly afterward, though some hold that the gospel of matthew, and perhaps of mark, appeared about 43 or 45 a. Paul wrote the book of 1 thessalonians to restore relations with the thessalonian christians after persecution drove paul out of the congregation. 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.
It is helpful to trace the locations of paul and his companions that relate to the thessalonian correspondence. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by paul. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by. What is the purpose of the book of 1st thessalonians. After only a brief time in the city, dangerous opposition arose from those who thought pauls message was a threat to judaism. The background of both the thessalonian epistles indicates that the church was going through a terrible time of persecution. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of first thessalonians in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork.
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