1 Thessalonians Chapter 1
2021-2. Need to get the MSB chapter into notes in here. And in several of the others.
Here they are: This letter was written by Paul. The church was founded (Acts 17:-9) during Paul's second missionary journey as he traveled with Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy. So I guess that explains it's location in the chronology. MSB also says Paul wrote these letters to Thessalonica from Corinth. This first letter was written in 51 AD. We know this because there is an inscription in the archeology site of the temple of Diana that says Gallio was proconsul in Achaia in AD 51-52. (So I'm guessing Gallio is mentioned in this book? Will watch for that.) This city was once capital of Macedonia, was on a main trade route, was ruled by its own citizens even while under Rome, and had a population as high as 200,000. It was a true metropolis in that day. MSB lists four "Interpretive Challenges" in this book, all eschatological in nature. 1) the coming wrath (1:10; 5:9); 2) Christ's return (2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23); 3) the rapture of the church (4:13-18); and 4) the meaning and time of the Day of the Lord (5:1-11). The rapture and when it will be - pre-, post-, mid- , have always been my attractions to both these Thessalonican letters.
The Chronological Bible puts this between Acts 17 and 18. 17 was Paul at the Areopagus. 18 opens at Corinth. Odd that they think Thessalonica belongs in between those two as I see no hint of it.
Chapter opens with Paul's remembrances of his time there. He seems, at first at least, very complimentary to these people.
Vs. 6 says "you received the word in much affliction". Goes on to say they are a positive example to the whole region. Seems this was a faithful church even in very trying circumstances. Paul talks of their work of faith and labor of love. Lots of effort if works mean nothing at all. Again, they aren't required for salvation, but to say they are not required...? Paul notes that the believers in this church turned away from idols. That was their previous "worship". A good solid church has been established in the middle of idol worship.
2023 - I have been noticing this following in a number of NT books (later...from the 2022 paragraph, it looks like I have noticed this before!):
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, [1Th 1:6 ESV]. I keep seeing this "imitation" theme. The Greek word translated "imitators" is mimetas". Oh my! That's where "mimeograph" comes from! Recognizing THAT connection drives home just what kind of imitation we're talking about! Not as good as the original, surely, but relatable in every way. NO changes made, says just what it used to say. How big a theme is this with Paul? Here are all the uses of "mimetas" in the NT:
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. [1Co 4:16 ESV]
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. [1Co 11:1 ESV]
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [Eph 5:1 ESV]
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, [1Th 1:6 ESV]
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, [1Th 2:14 ESV]
12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. [Heb 6:12 ESV]
They all seem to convey the same message. We are to do as those "better than us" have done. Especially that Hebrews reference. Imitate those in the faith chapter. Do as they did, do as Paul did, do as Jesus did, and as God. Imitate. Copy. Mimic (another obvious English derivative of mimetas! I think there is a big lesson here, and I need to do some more thinking about it! Moving this to
Possible FB post, so I can come back to it.
2022 - All of verse 6:
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, [1Th 1:6 ESV]. This whole concept of imitation shows up many many times in Paul's writings. He is always telling people to be imitators, or he is praising them for being imitators. How are we to understand this? Are we all to seek out some model, some mentor and try to be like that person? This doesn't seem right. Was this just an "imitate apostles" kind of thing? The Greek word is "mimetes". Reminds me of mimeograph machines. The word is used six times in the mGNT, including once in Hebrews, and all the rest in Paul's epistles. Three times it is Paul saying "imitate me". The other three are a bit different. KJV translates it "follower" every time, never imitator. It just seems odd to me that Paul would say "Hey, wanna be a good Christian? Be like me!" Hard to read it any other way though.
2025 - ALL THE BELOW is from 2025. The formatting does not hold up when copied from Word where I worked it all out back into Evernote. Evernote is not very good at detailed formatting - that's why I went over to Word in the first place.
So what I've done is saved the Word file as a PDF, and then pasted the "fixed" PDF into Evernote. How I am going to get this over to my online notes I do not know, but I sure need to try.
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [2Th 1:7-8 KJV].
Look at the details here. First Jesus revealed from heaven. He is not alone, His angels are with him. His angels. There's fire - a lot of fire. The fire is vengeance, it is not called punishment or correction. It is vengeance. It is directed at unbelievers - who not only don't believe in Jesus but not even in God. It is written as a description of a day that will be a GOOD day to those who have been afflicted for the sake of Christ.
What day exactly is Paul referencing? At the rapture, Jesus will appear, but we have no reason at all to believe there will be fire at that time. If you are pre-trib, then all the "action" is yet to come. If you are mid-trib, then the wrath is yet to come. Wrath might fit this description - but only if it is about the protracted period of the last half of week 70. In that case Paul is not talking about an instant but about a period of time. Maybe if we dig deeper...
So what do we know grammatically about "shall be revealed" in verse 7? Interesting, it is not a verb at all. It is a noun. It carries no connotation as to timing AT ALL. In fact, since it is a noun, I don't even know how it could be translated into English.
There are notes in MSB, but not about the grammar. MSB refers to the phrase pretty generically, and says it references two different times when Christ will return as judge. He sees the language as symbolic of judgement. Fire is about judgment. The first part of returning as judge is at the end of TGT. We know he will judge the living at that time. But MSB includes the GWT judgment also. It is true that sinners will be judged at both those judgments, so I cannot argue there. MSB goes on to say, in that footnote for vs 7, that "Angels always accompany Christ in His coming for judgment" and he gives many references. I didn't read them...I think they only accompany him at the end of TGT when he arrives to fight the battle of Armageddon. Hmm....but maybe again at the final battle too, though He does all the fighting there himself and doesn't need an army of angels.
Back to the grammar. In ESV, there is a period at the end of vs 4. The next period is at the end of vs 8. So a very long sentence in vss 5-8. A four verse sentence. I am going to try and figure it out:
2021-2, This verse is mentioned in item 1 above as to the coming wrath:
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. [1Th 1:10 ESV]
This seems to fit very well with my own understanding of the wrath to come. Jesus will come and rapture out the church, just before the wrath of God is released at the sixth seal. To me, the deliverance is of the church, and from wrath on the earth. So I don't see a lot of controversy there. You certainly might, though, if you are all about a pre-trib rapture.