Who Are the Thessalonians?

Paul's Arrival and Method (Acts 17:1–3)

• Paul entered the synagogue in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey.

• His audience was primarily Jews and Gentile proselytes.

• He reasoned with them out of the Old Testament Scriptures.

• Paul proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ—the promised Messiah of Israel.

• This was not the full revelation of the mystery or the gospel of grace to the uncircumcised.

Response to the Message (Acts 17:4)

• “Some of them” (Jews of the synagogue) believed.

• A great multitude of “devout Greeks” also believed—Gentiles already aligned with Jewish worship.

• “Not a few of the chief women” believed—likely women associated with the synagogue, though their ethnicity is unspecified.

Opposition and Departure (Acts 17:5–10)

• Hostility forced Paul and Silas to leave the city.

• Jason received them into his house—possibly where the assembly began meeting.

• Paul later returned to the region.

• Aristarchus of Thessalonica accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4) and later to Rome (Acts 27:2).

Summary Conclusions

• The church in Thessalonica was composed of Jews and Jewish converts.

• There is no evidence of pagan Gentile converts in the early Thessalonian church, though some of the “devout Greeks” may have previously come from a pagan background before converting to Judaism.

• Therefore, the recipients were most likely Jews, devout Greeks, and synagogue-aligned women.

When Was the Letter Written?

Chronological Reconstruction

• Acts 17:1–9 – Paul preaches in the synagogue at Thessalonica; many believe; persecution forces him to flee.

• Acts 17:10–15 – Paul travels to Berea, then to Athens; Silas and Timothy remain behind.

• 1 Thessalonians 3:1–2 – While in Athens, Paul sends Timothy back to Thessalonica.

• Acts 18:1 – Paul leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth.

• Acts 18:5 – Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul in Corinth.

• 1 Thessalonians 3:6 – Timothy’s report of their faith and love prompts Paul to write the letter.

Dating the Epistle

• Gallio’s proconsulship in Corinth is dated to A.D. 51–52 (Acts 18:12).

• Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians before this, during his initial 18-month stay in Corinth (Acts 18:11).

• Conclusion: 1 Thessalonians was written from Corinth around A.D. 50–51.

• It is likely Paul’s earliest epistle and possibly the earliest book in the New Testament.

A Note About the “Color-Coded” Edition

Purpose of the System

• Based on 2 Timothy 2:15—rightly dividing the word of truth.

• Emphasizes the distinction between Israel’s prophetic program and the Body of Christ’s mystery program.

Categories of Text

• ▶ Black Text –

• Not applicable today.

• Specific to a time, person, or Israel’s prophetic program.

• ▶ Green Text –

• Not written to us but generally safe in application.

• Useful for wisdom or encouragement, not doctrine.

• ▶ Blue Text –

• Pauline in nature.

• Directly applicable to the Body of Christ.

• Used for doctrine and instruction in this dispensation.

Purpose and Caution

• The system helps avoid doctrinal confusion and supports clarity in Bible study.

• It is a tool to aid right division—not an infallible authority.

• All Scripture is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16), but not all Scripture is written to us for direct obedience.

1 Thessalonians 1:1–4

1 Thessalonians 1:1 – Black

A. The Authors Identified

• Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timotheus (Timothy) are named as the authors.

• All three were known to the Thessalonian assembly and are familiar figures in the New Testament.

B. A Unique Greeting Formula

• Paul uniquely uses the phrase “in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ”—a formula found only in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

• This likely reflects:

• The Jewish composition of the audience.

• Their belief that Jesus is the Messiah.

• The phrase affirms their identity as Jewish believers in Jesus.

C. Standard Pauline Greeting: Grace and Peace

• “Grace be unto you, and peace” appears in all of Paul’s letters to churches.

• In contrast, his letters to individuals (e.g., Timothy, Titus) add “mercy.”

D. Divine Source of the Greeting

• The phrase “from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” is standard in Paul’s letters.

• It emphasizes that grace and peace originate from both Father and Son.

1 Thessalonians 1:2–4 – Black

A. Ongoing Thanksgiving (v. 2)

• Paul and his companions continually thank God for the Thessalonian believers.

• Their prayers are specific and heartfelt, reflecting deep spiritual investment.

B. Three Characteristics of the Believers (v. 3)

1. Work of Faith

• Defined as labor conducted in the sphere of faith—not as faith producing works, but activity performed by believing men and women.

2. Labor of Love

• Service motivated by genuine affection, not obligation.

3. Patience of Hope

• Steadfast endurance fueled by confident expectation in God's promises.

4. Spiritual Anchoring

• These three qualities are rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ and done in the sight of God and our Father.

• Note: Paul reverses the earlier order of names (Jesus before God), a shift possibly rhetorical rather than doctrinal.

C. Statement on Election (v. 4)

1. Common Misinterpretation

• Often wrongly used as a proof text for individual election unto salvation.

• Example: Got Questions Ministries interprets it as God's personal selection of Thessalonian Christians to belong to Him—an example of eisegesis.

2. Proper Context: Jewish Identity

• The Thessalonian believers were Jews and Jewish proselytes, already part of the elect nation of Israel.

• Their “election” is rooted in national covenantal election, not individual predestination.

• Their belief in Jesus as Messiah confirms faith within their elect status—it does not create it.

3. Scriptural Support

• Paul affirms national election in Romans 9:4–5, citing the covenants, adoption, promises, and service of God—all given to Israel.