Thessalonians, Epistles to the

{thes-uh-loh'-nee-uhnz} 

The two Epistles to the Thessalonians, books of the New Testament of the BIBLE, 
are believed to be the first of Saint PAUL's letters, written about AD 50 from 
Corinth to his recently founded community of Christians at Thessalonika.  Paul 
reviews his stay with them, expresses concern for their welfare, and encourages 
them in suffering.  Paul also instructs them on the Second Coming of Jesus, 
which he expected imminently at this early stage in his career, and reassures 
them that those already dead will rise and that certain signs will precede the 
end.  Some scholars hold that 2 Thessalonians is by a later disciple of Paul. 

Anthony J. Saldarini 
Copyright 1994 by Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc.

Outline:
I Thessalonians
	(A letter of praise and council, a Defense of his actions, a call to action
I.	Paul's Thanksgiving (ch. 1)
	a.	The Grounds for the Thanksgiving (1:1-4)
	b.	The Genuineness of the Grounds (1:5-10)
II.	Paul's Defense (chs. 2-3)
	a.	The Defense of his Actions (2:1-16)
	b.	The Defense of his Absence (2:17-3:10)
	c.	The Prayer (3:11-13)
III.	Exhortations (chs. 4-5)
	a.	Primarily concerning Personal Life (4:1-12)
	b.	Concerning the Coming of Christ (4:13-5:11)
	c.	Primarily concerning Church Life (5:12-22)
IV.	Conclusion, Prayer, Greetings and Benediction (5:23-28)

II Thessalonians
I.	Introduction (ch. 1)
	a.	Salutation (1:1-2)
	b.	Thanksgiving for Their Faith, Love and Perseverance (1:3-10)
	c.	Intercession for Their Spiritual Progress (1:11-12)
II	Instruction (ch. 2)
	a.	Prophecy regarding the Day of the Lord (2:1-12)
	b.	Thanksgiving for Their Election and Calling  / Position / (2:13-15)
	c.	Prayer for Their Service and Testimony / Practice / (2:16-17)
III	Injunctions (ch. 3)
	a.	Call to Prayer (3:1-3)
	b.	Charge to Discipline for the Disorderly and Lazy (3:4-15)
	c.	Conclusion, Greeting and Benediction. (3:16-18)

How as the church in Thessalonika established? (Acts 16:16, 17:2-10)
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a 
spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:  

What were some of Paul's concerns for this new church? (What concerns would you 
have if you were responsible for establishing a new church?)
(Acts 17:2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath 
days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ 
must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, 
whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 
(Acts 17:4) And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of 
the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 
(Acts 17:5-10) But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them 
certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the 
city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out 
to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren 
unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down 
are come hither also;  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the 
decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king,  one  Jesus.  And they 
troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 
And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who 
coming  thither  went into the synagogue of the Jews.  

To what problem or problems does Paul address himself in these two letters to 
the Thessalonian fellowship?
	a.	A distrust of the apostle himself I(2:1-16)
	b.	Sexual immorality I(4:1-8) Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and 
	exhort  you  by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to 
	walk and to please God,  so  ye would abound more and more. For ye know what 
	commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God,  even  
	your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one 
	of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not 
	in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no 
	 man  go beyond and defraud his brother in  any  matter: because that the Lord 
	  is  the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 
		For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore 
		that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his 
		holy Spirit. 
	c.	Why work I(4:11) And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, 
	and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;   That ye may walk honestly 
	toward them that are without, and  that  ye may have lack of nothing. 
II(3:6-14) No work = No eat.
	d.	What might have created the impression that Christ would come so soon?
	e.	Internal division I(5:12-13) And we beseech you, brethren, to know them 
	which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;  And to 
	esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.  And  be at peace among 
	yourselves.
	f.	The second comming I(4:13- 5:2) But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
	brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others 
	which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so 
	them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto 
	you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive  and  remain unto the 
	coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord 
	himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, 
	and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we 
	which are alive  and  remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, 
	to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  But of 
	the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  
	For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in 
	the night. 
II(2:1-3) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
and  by  our gathering together unto him,  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, 
or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as 
that the day of Christ is at hand.  Let no man deceive you by any means: for  
that day shall not com  , except there come a falling away first, and that man 
of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who oppose and exalteth himself above 
all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the 
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

(Dan 7:25) And he shall speak  great  words against the most High, and shall 
wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and 
they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 

(Mt. 24)
		
What is the difference between:  acknowledging the validity of "end times" .vs. 
becoming totally preoccupied with such concerns?  (The Prophesy Club)

What is your reaction to the statement:  "Preoccupation with 'end times' can, 
and often does, divert a people's attention from an authentic servant ministry 
in the time present."

Can you think of any examples where an "undue concern over times and seasons" 
has been absolutely destructive of the church's mission?

What positive direction did Paul give to the new church? (II Thess. 1:1-9) 
Perseverance in faith

What bearing do these things have on our church?