You can learn of the background of this book by reading Acts 17:1-91Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3Opening 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. 4And 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. 5But 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. 6And 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; 7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. (Acts 17:1‑9). In the first letter (Epistle) we are constantly struck with the freshness of the hope these new believers had in Christ. And at the same time, they were being persecuted terribly. Does it seem strange that these two things, joyful hope and persecutions could be had at the same time? Paul himself constantly had both, and rarely was without them. So he shared their joys.
V.2-4 Faith, love and hope. A glorious life we have, happy we are if we live in them.
V.5-10 But the Christian life isn’t just contemplation — it is living it out! The faithful way in which these believers were living was known in many places.
V.9-10 Positive change had come into their life. There are 3 things here: (1) they had turned to God from idols. (2) They were waiting for His Son from heaven. (3) He had saved them from God’s anger and judgment which is to come on this world. Doesn’t that make all our difficulties and sorrows seem so small?