Historical Background
• Thessalonica was a Roman colony and very
important in the life of the Roman Empire. It was located
100 miles west of Philippi and about 200 miles north of
Athens and was the chief city of Macedonia.
• It was first named Therma because of hot springs in that
area.
• In 316 B.C. Cassander (who succeeded Alexander the
Great) named it in memory of his wife, Thessalonike, a
half sister of Alexander the Great. Thessalonica is still in
existence, and the present-day name is Salonika.
• The church in Thessalonica was a model church. Paul
cited it to the Corinthians as an example (see 1
Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
Authorship and Historical Background
Paul who is
Writer: The letter is written by _______,
Timothy
accompanied by his traveling associates __________
Silas (1:1). Thessalonians is probably Paul’s
and _______
earliest surviving letter.
Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians are known as
eschatological books (from the Greek for the "last
_______________
things“), as they include teaching about the end-times
second ________
coming of Jesus.
and the _________
second
Date: A.D.52 during his _________Missionary
Journey.
Authorship and Historical Background
Corinth (Acts 18:11), during
Where written: _________
his 18 month stay there.
Readers: Young Thessalonians, mainly
Greek
_________
converts established in Thessalonica by
Paul earlier during his Second Missionary Journey
(Acts 17:1-9).
Acts 17:4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great
multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading
women, joined Paul and Silas.
About 1,000 miles into his second
missionary journey, Paul has a
captivating vision one night; he sees a
man pleading with him to leave Turkey
Macedonia
and come to _____________.
He
arrives in Philippi, but stays only a
short time before he is charged with
disturbing
the
peace
____________
_______
________
and is forced to leave town. He
Thessalonica
proceeds on to ______________,
the
capital and largest city of
Macedonia
_____________.
Some 200,000 people live in this
busy port town on the main east-west
route to Asia.
Paul preaches in the synagogue for
3
about ______
weeks before the
Jews realize what his teaching
_______
requires an end to traditional
Judaism. They riot, forcing Paul to
Athens some 200 miles
escape to ________,
south. But not before some Jews
and many non-Jews convert to
Christianity
______________.
Within perhaps a month or two, while
Corinth
Paul is staying in __________,
he
sends his young associate,
Timothy
___________,
to check on the
Thessalonian believers.
He returns with a good report; but, he
also brings word that the people are
persecution and that they
facing _____________,
Second
have questions about the _________
Coming
__________.
Paul decides to
encourage and teach the believers of
letter
Thessalonica by _________.
Outline of 1 Thessalonians
I. Personal Commendation (Chapters 1-3)
A. An edifying hope (chapters 1-2)
1. Works faithfully (1:1-9)
2. Waits patiently (v. 10)
3. Walks worthily (2:1-16)
4. Waits expectantly (vv. 17-20)
B. An enduring hope (chapter 3)
1. Withstands temptation (vv. 1-5)
2. Withholds consternation (vv. 6-13)
II. Personal Exhortation (Chapters 4-5)
A. An edifying hope (chapter 4)
1. Walks purely (vv. 1-12)
2. Waits patiently (vv. 13-18)
B. An escaping hope (chapter 5)
1. Watches soberly (vv. 1-11)
2. Works conscientiously (vv. 12-18)
The Central
Message:
“I pray God
your whole
spirit and soul
and body be
preserved
blameless unto
the coming of
our Lord Jesus
Christ” (5:23b)
Purposes
There are 4 main reasons Paul
wrote 1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the first purpose:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10:
To _____________ their faith and
_______________ their continuance
in it.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 You thus became examples to all who
believe in Macedonia and Achaia (north and south Greece
respectively). You have become a sort of sounding-board from
which the Word of the Lord has rung out, not only in Macedonia
and Achaia but everywhere where the story of your faith in God
has become known. We find we don't have to tell people about it.
They tell us the story of our coming to you: how you turned from
idols to serve the true living God, and how your whole lives now
look forward to the coming of his Son from heaven - the Son
Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and who personally
delivered us from the judgment which hung over our heads.
Purposes
There are 4 main reasons Paul
wrote 1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the first purpose:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10:
commend their faith and
To _____________
encourage
_______________
their continuance
in it.
Purposes
The second main reason Paul
wrote 1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the second purpose:
1 Thessalonians 2:1-20:
To defend his motive and conduct as
an __________ and to assure the
Thessalonian believers of his ______
and concern for them.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - My brothers, you know from your own
experience that our visit to you was no failure. We had, as you also know, been
treated abominably at Philippi, and we came on to you only because God gave
us courage. We came to tell you the Gospel, whatever the opposition might be.
Our message to you is true, our motives are pure, our conduct is absolutely
above board. We speak under the solemn sense of being trusted by God with
the Gospel. We do not aim to please men, but to please God who knows us
through and through. No one could ever say, as again you know, that we used
flattery to conceal greedy motives, and God himself is witness to our honesty.
We made no attempt to win honor from men, either from you or from anybody
else, though I suppose as Christ's own messengers we might have done so.
Our attitude among you was one of tenderness, rather like that of a devoted
nurse among her babies. Because we loved you, it was a joy to us to give you
not only the Gospel of God but our very hearts - so dear did you become to us.
Our struggles and hard work, my brothers, must still be fresh in your minds.
Day and night we worked so that our preaching of the Gospel to you might not
cost you a penny. You are witnesses, as is God himself, that our life among you
believers was honest, straightforward and above criticism. You will remember
how we dealt with each one of you personally, like a father with his own
children, stimulating your faith and courage and giving you instruction. Our only
object was to help you to live lives worthy of the God who has called you to
share the splendor of his kingdom.
Purposes
The second main reason Paul
wrote 1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the second purpose:
1 Thessalonians 2:1-20:
To defend his motive and conduct as
an __________
apostle and to assure the
Thessalonian believers of his ______
love
and concern for them.
Purposes
The third main reason Paul wrote 1
Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the third purpose:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 5:111:
To make clear the truth about the
________ ________ for His church.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - Now we don't want you, my brothers, to be in any doubt
about those who "fall asleep" in death, or to grieve over them like men who have no hope.
After all, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again from death, then we can believe that
God will just as surely bring with Jesus all who are "asleep" in him. Here we have a definite
message from the Lord. It is that those who are still living when he comes will not in any
way precede those who have previously fallen asleep. One word of command, one shout
from the archangel, one blast from the trumpet of God and the Lord himself will come down
from Heaven! Those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then we who are
still living on the earth will be swept up with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And after that we shall be with him for ever. God has given me this message on the
matter, so by all means use it to encourage one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - But as far as times and seasons go, my brothers, you don't
need written instructions. You are well aware that the day of the Lord will come as
unexpectedly as a burglary to a householder. When men are saying "Peace and security"
catastrophe will sweep down upon them as suddenly and inescapably as birth-pangs to a
pregnant woman. But because you, my brothers, are not living in darkness the day cannot
take you completely by surprise. After all, burglary only takes place at night! You are all
sons of light, sons of the day, and none of us belongs to darkness or the night. Let us then
never fall into the sleep that stupefies the rest of the world: let us keep awake, with our wits
about us. Night is the time for sleep and the time when men get drunk, but we men of the
daylight should be alert, with faith and love as our breastplate and the hope of our salvation
as our helmet. For God did not choose us to condemn us, but that we might secure his
salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. He died for us, so that whether we are "awake" or
"asleep" we share his life. So go on cheering and strengthening each other with thoughts
like these, as I have no doubt you have been doing.
Purposes
The third main reason Paul wrote 1
Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the third purpose:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 5:111:
To make clear the truth about the
Lord’s ________
return for His church.
________
Purposes
The fourth main reason Paul wrote
1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the fourth purpose:
1 Thessalonians 4:-3-8 and 5:23-24:
To encourage them to live lives that
were _______ and pleasing to the
Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 - God's plan is to make you holy, and that entails first of all
a clean cut with sexual immorality. Every one of you should learn to control his body,
keeping it pure and treating it with respect, and never regarding it as an instrument for
self-gratification, as do pagans with no knowledge of God. You cannot break this rule
without in some way cheating your fellow-men. And you must remember that God will
punish all who do offend in this matter, and we have warned you how we have seen
this work out in our experience of life. The calling of God is not to impurity but to the
most thorough purity, and anyone who makes light of the matter is not making light of
man's ruling but of God's command. It is not for nothing that the Spirit God gives us is
called the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - May the God of peace make you holy through and
through. May you be kept in soul and mind and body in spotless integrity until the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is utterly faithful and he will finish
what he has set out to do.
Purposes
The fourth main reason Paul wrote
1 Thessalonians.
Read the Scripture reference to
determine the fourth purpose:
1 Thessalonians 4:-3-8 and 5:23-24:
To encourage them to live lives that
holy and pleasing to the
were _______
Lord.
Authorship and Historical Background
A few months after Paul had written his first letter to
the Thessalonians, he decided to write this second
epistle.
Paul had received word that there were those who
misunderstood his first letter.
________________
“forged”
This was partially brought about by some __________
Paul
letter supposedly coming from the hand of _______(2
Thess. 2:2) and the people had “been shaken in
mind
_________”.
Authorship and Historical Background
The negative report came back to Paul that the
Christians were believing the false word that the
rapture
____________
of the Church had already come
persecution
because of the _______________
they were then
suffering.
believers
This caused some of the _____________to
think that
judgment
they were then living in ______________
of the “day of
the Lord.”
Purpose
The main reason for Paul writing
2 Thessalonians…
error in the church at
Was to deal with ________
Thessalonica:
First, he needed to correct the
doctrinal error that the “day of the
___________
Lord (the Tribulation) had already
_______”
come.
Next, he needed to talk about the
discipline of problem believers.
___________
Outline of 2 Thessalonians
I. Persecution of Believers – Chapter 1
II. Prophecy and Correction – Chapter 2
III.Instruction to the Believers – Chapter 3
The Central Message:
“Stand fast, and hold the traditions
which ye have been taught –” (2:15)
Persecution of Believers – Chapter 1
In the midst of severe persecution, the Thessalonian
church was growing and abounding, increasing in faith and
love
example
_______. They were an ____________
to other churches.
Note the word “tribulation” in verses 4 and 6. This should
not be confused with the “tribulation period” but does refer
here to trials and persecution the believers had to endure
(verses 3-6).
1Thess. 1:3-6 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is
fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all
abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous
judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for
which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with
tribulation those who trouble you,
Persecution of Believers – Chapter 1
In verses 7-12, Paul assures us that God will take care of the
ungodly
____________.
We are “to rest” because “the Lord shall be
avenge
revealed from heaven.” He will ___________
those who
Gospel
“know not God” and “obey not the ___________.”
1Thess. 1:7-12 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking
vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when
He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all
those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 Therefore
we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and
fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prophecy and Correction – Chapter 2
Paul starts this great Chapter with a re-emphasis of the
rapture – “The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by
__________
our gathering unto Him.” This is the same emphasis of 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Note the unfortunate translation in verse 2. It should be “day of the
Lord
________.”
The Thessalonian believers had a false report and
they thought the day of the Lord had already come, which would
have meant they missed the rapture.
1Thess. 2:1-4 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and
our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or
troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of
Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not
come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of
perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is
worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
God.
Prophecy and Correction – Chapter 2
In verses 5-8, the personal pronoun “until HE be gone” refers
Holy _______
Spirit operating through every believer
to the _______
who is a temple of the Holy Spirit. So the “man of sin” is
being restrained, hindered, by the presence of the Holy Spirit
Church
in His body, the _________.
He cannot have full control “until He be taken out of the way”
rapture of the Church.
– meaning the __________
1Thess. 2:5-8 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these
things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own
time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now
restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will
be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy
with the brightness of His coming.
Prophecy and Correction – Chapter 2
miracle worker
In verses 9-12, The Anti-Christ will be a __________
wonders
and have power, signs, and lying __________.
God shall
lie who
send strong delusions for those to believe a ______
Gospel
have heard the __________ and “received not the love of
truth that they might be saved.”
9 The
coming of the lawless one is according to the working of
Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous
deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of
the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them
strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be
condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
1Thess. 2:9-12
Prophecy and Correction – Chapter 2
In verses 13-17, we have instruction and a review of what
Christ
__________
has done in our hearts. Notice the steps:
• “Chosen you to salvation”
Sanctification
• “_________________
by the Spirit”
truth
•“Belief of the __________”
(growth)
glory
• “Obtaining the __________”
(see 1 John 3:2)
13 But
we are bound to give thanks to God always for you,
brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for
salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,14 to which He
called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were
taught, whether by word or our epistle. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself,
and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation
and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good
word and work.
1Thess. 2:13-17
Instruction to the Believer– Chapter 3
In this Chapter, Paul passes out some instruction in a firm
command
and loving manner. He uses the word “____________”
4
times (vv. 4, 6, 10, 12). Paul is desiring that “the Word of the
free
Lord may have _________
course” so that the Lord can direct
will
their hearts so they will do the Lord’s ________
(vv. 1-4).
1Thess. 3:4-12 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and
will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God
and into the patience of Christ. 6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the
tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for
we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked
with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we
do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither
shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not
working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through
our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
Instruction to the Believer– Chapter 3
They were to wait patiently for the coming of the Lord (v. 5).
associate with the disorderly,
The believer should not ____________
example Paul had given (vv. 6-7).
but should follow the ___________
In the last section (vv. 8-18, Paul stresses the needs of
work (vv.8-9); no ________,
work
everyday life. They should _____
no
food (v. 10). Paul’s ______________
benediction
_______
is in vv. 16-18.
1Thess. 3:5-18 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the
patience of Christ. 6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which
he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not
disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and
toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have
authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither
shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not
working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through
our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
A Contrast Between 1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
Coming for saints
Rapture (in air)
Nature of Christ’s coming
Nurse’s tenderness
Coming with saints
Revelation (on earth)
Time of Christ’s coming
Father’s discipline
Commendation
Coming of Christ
Condemnation
Coming of Anti-Christ
Another Contrast Between 1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
How the Thessalonians
received the Word of God
Teaches the imminent return
of the Lord
Mentions their progress in faith,
love, and patience
Corrects false teaching about His
coming
Comforts and encourages
the saints
Concerns the Church
Assures coming judgment on
Christ’s foes
Concerns Satan, Anti-Christ, the
world
Present great passage on end time
(2:1-2)
Presents great passage on
end time (4:13-18)
Presents the Day of Christ
(4:13-18)
Presents the Day of the Lord (2:2)
The 2 Phases of the End Time and the Return of Christ
1st Phase (Rapture)
2nd Phase (Revelation)
Christ comes to claim His bride, His
Church
Christ returns with His bride
Christ comes in the air
Christ returns to the earth
The tribulation begins
The millennial kingdom is established
Translation is imminent
A multitude of signs precede
A message of comfort is given
A message of judgment is given
The program for the Church is
emphasized
The program for Israel and the world is
emphasized
Translation is a mystery
Revelation is predicted in both
Testaments
Believers are judged
Gentiles and Israel are judged
Israel’s covenants are not yet fulfilled
All of Israel’s covenants are fulfilled
Believers only are affected
All people are affected
The Church is taken into the Lord’s
presence
Israel is brought into the kingdom