Presentation on Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica.

1. The Legacy of Paul
1 Thessalonians

2. Agenda
• Background
• Audience
• Map
• Political Climate
• Why Write the Letter?
• Major Topics
• Legacy
• Resources
• For Further Study

3. Background
• First New Testament book written:
• Some scholars believe Galatians was first
• Earliest surviving Christian writing
• Between 49-52CE
• Written from Corinth

4. Audience
• Church in Thessalonica:
• Port city on northern shore of Aegean Sea
• Prosperous due to trade
• Capital of Roman province of Macedonia
• Culturally Greek, governed by Greek law
• Strong Jewish population; audience was
NOT Jewish
• Paul does not quote Old Testament

6. Ancient Marketplace in Thessalonica

7. Political Climate 49CE
• Claudius Caesar expelled all Jews from Rome:
• Jews & Christians indistinguishable to Romans
• Jews were often rioting
• Massacre in Temple courts during Passover:
• Governor of Judea (Felix) put armed cohort (480
armed soldiers) in Temple court
• One soldier made offensive gesture toward Temple
• Riot ensued
• 10,000-20,000 Jews suffocated or trampled to
death

8. Why Write the Letter?
• Paul, Timothy & Silvanus (Silas) went to
Thessalonica
• Forced to leave by Jewish community
• Went to Beroea; Silvanus & Timothy stayed
there
• Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica when
Paul arrived in Athens
• Paul went on to Corinth
• Timothy gave a good report on the Church
• Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians reinforcing his
teachings

9. Major Themes
• Return of Christ:
• Parousia: Second Coming of Christ
• Life after death:
• Some in their group had died; Christ had
not returned
• Paul said the dead in Christ would rise
before Christ comes – they will not miss
what they had been awaiting (4:13-5:11)
• Resurrection was of the body – like Christ’s
resurrection body

10. Major Themes - Cont
“The main point of prophecy is not prediction –
but hope. We have a hope which the world does
not have…”
Hayford, Jr. & Hayford, III; Lesson 10.
• Blessed Hope (4:13):
• NOT wishful thinking
• NOT hope in the world
• Refers to the return of Christ & promises of
God

11. Major Themes - Cont
Love (3:12-4:12):
• “Love requires one’s entire being. It is spiritual,
and intellectual, and emotional, and physical.
Love is enduring and longsuffering; it continues
even when faced with rejection.” Hayford &
Hayford, Lesson 9
• Recurring theme of Paul’s writings
• Agapao: unconditional love; love by choice/will
• Agapao is only used when referring to
Christian community

12. Major Themes - Cont
• Love (4:9-12):
• God is Source of Love
• Balance: Live quietly, mind your own
business & have a business to mind (4:11)
• Refers to them as “brothers and sisters” 12
times establishing community & family
• Holy Kiss (5:26): family members at the
time exchanged kisses in greeting; Christ
Followers were to be a family

13. Major Themes - Cont
• Freedom:
• Freedom of today ‘do whatever I want’ is a
perversion
• Freedom in Paul’s time was the “…ability to
make responsible choices.” Hayford, Jr. &
Hayford, III; Lesson 8
• Sexual purity (4:1-8):
• Gentiles needed instruction on sexual morality
• “We Christians hold everything in common
except our wives. You Romans hold nothing in
common except your wives.” Tertullian, 2nd
century, CE

14. Legacy
• Approximate Population of Thessaloniki today:
• 790,900
• 1,000 Jews
• Official Church in Greece: Greek Orthodox
• 97% of population in Greece: Christian

15. Modern Day Thessalonica

16. Resources
• The Harper Collins Study Bible, Harold W.
Attridge, General Editor 1989
• Paul: Messenger of Grace, Kenneth Schenck
• History of the Jews: Internet Archive
https://archive.org/stream/cu31924016930681
#page/n259/mode/2up accessed 5-28-14
• Christianity Under Claudius, F.F. Bruce,
http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/bjrl/clau
dius_bruce.pdf accessed 5-28-14

17. Resources
• Introducing the New Testament, Mark Allan
Powell
• Fearless Faith: Standing Firm in Freedom and
Hope, a Study of Galatians, 1 & 2
Thessalonians, Jack W. Hayford, Jr. with Jack W.
Hayford, III

18. For Further Study
• The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in
the Book of Revelation, Barbara R. Rossing

19. PowerPoint
By Stacey Atkins
This Presentation is the
Intellectual Property of Stacey Atkins
www.SomethingDifferentMinistries.org
Copyright 2014