Bible Studies In The Word of God

1st THESSALONIANS 1 

 

Verse 1. The planting of the church in Thessalonica is recorded in Acts 17th chapter, and soon afterward Paul wrote this epistle to it. According to Thayer, Silvanus is another form of the name for Silas, who was chosen to travel with Paul in his second journey (Acts 15:40). When they reached Lystra they met a disciple by the name of Timotheus (same as Timothy), and Paul took him along on this journey. These brethren were with Paul and joined their salutations to his as he composed this epistle to the church of the Thessalonians. God and Christ are not the same person, but they are one in spirit and purpose, and no relation can be had with either that ignores the other; hence the church is said to be in them both.  In their specific relations to the church, God is the Father and Christ is the ruler, that being the meaning of Lord; this is in agreement with Matthew 28:18 and 1 Corinthians 15:24, 25.

Verse 2. Making mention of you in our prayers.  Here is a specific example of direct or personal mention of those for whom we wish to pray to God, and not the unnecessary and indefinite request for Him to “b1ess all for whom we should pray.”

Verse 3. This verse states the reason for thanksgiving as mentioned in the preceding verse. It contains three distinct items in the conduct of the Thessalonians which Paul remembered with thanksgiving. Work of faith. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the work of God.  Hence no work can be done by faith unless the word of God authorizes it.  But there is another item in this phrase that is often overlooked, namely, it must not only be according to the word of God, but it must be put to work in order to please the Lord.  Labor of love. Christians should not only do those things that are authorized by the word of God, but they must love to do them, else their labor will not be acceptable. (See Galatians 5:6.) Patience of hope. The two parts of this phrase cannot exist separately in the life of a Christian. If he does not have any hope for the reward, he will not have the patience to labor for it (Romans 8:24, 25). Likewise, if a man does not have the patience to continue in a faithful life, he will not have a right to hope for the reward promised to the faithful.

Verse 4. Election is from EKLOGE, and Robinson defines it with the words, "choice, election, selection.”  The term refers to those who are selected by the Lord to be the ones upon whom He will bestow the divine blessings. The selection, however, is not made independent of the conduct of man. It is from the same word used in 2 Peter 1:10 where the apostle exhorts the disciples to “make their calling and election sure,” which shows that the selection is determined by their conduct.

Verse 5. Not in word only denotes that it was not the word of Paul as a man only. It was in power (Greek ntfxxms) because the source was the Holy Ghost (or Spirit). With such a foundation for his teaching, Paul could come to the Thessalonians in much assurance. The manner of men refers to the teaching and conduct that was his companions. One motive they had for such conduct is revealed by the words for your sake, and it had the desired effect as the next verse shows.

Verse 6. The original Greek for followers is defined “an imitator” by Thayer, and it is connected with the thoughts in the close of the preceding verse, regarding the conduct of Paul and his companions while in Thessalonica. It is noteworthy that the apostle says they imitated us and the Lord, which is according to his instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:1, to follow him as he followed Christ. Received the word in much affliction; this experience is recorded in Acts 17:5-9. With  joy of the Holy Ghost. The Gospel which these disciples received was given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost (or Spirit), and the joy was due to their assurance that they were suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. (See Acts 5:41.)

Verse 7. The example of righteous living set by Paul did not stop with the people in Thessalonica, for it was taken note of by disciples in other places. Macedonia was the province in which Thessalonica was located, and Achaia was a name given to Greece by the Romans after they got possession of the country.

Verse 8. From you sounded out the word. The effect of a good example is still the subject uppermost in the mind of the apostle. These brethren did not actually preach the word by mouth in all the se areas, but their good lives spread a report for the good cause. That is why Paul says their faith is spread abroad, to such an extent that he did not feel the need of publishing it in those parts.

Verse 9. Manner of entering in is the same as “manner of men” in verse 5, and the meaning is that the teaching and conduct of Paul’s group was reflected by the brethren in different places. This reflection did not consist in indefinite compliments only, but they specified some of the good things that resulted from their example.  Among them was their conversion from idolatry (the Macedonians being Gentiles and worshipers of idols) to the worship of the true God. He was living and not made of wood or stone.

Verse 10. Wait for is from ANAMENO which Thayer defines, “to wait for one,”"then explains it to mean, “to await one whose coming is known or foreseen.” It is true that all people must wait for the coming of Christ in the sense that nothing can be done by them to hasten His coming. The idea is that Christians are waiting with confidence that He will come again.  The interest in Christ’s second coming is in the truth that he overcame death when in this world and thereby provided deliverance from the wrath of God that is to come upon the disobedient. His coming will be the time when those who have accepted this deliverance will be gathered to Him.