The Purpose of the Epistle
The establishment of the assembly in Thessalonica resulted from Paul's missionary labours in that region (Acts 17:1-9). (Thessalonica is about one hundred miles from Philippi.) Paul’s practice was to stay in the area where he preached to establish the new believers who had been converted through his labours, but on this occasion he was forced to break off his work there and take flight on account of the persecutions that arose in that city against the gospel (Acts 17:10; 1 Thess. 2:17). It appears that Paul and his co-workers were only there with them "three Sabbath days"—about three weeks. This left these new converts in need of spiritual help and instruction.
Paul had tried to come back to them more than once, but “Satan hindered” him (chap. 2:18). When Paul got to Athens, he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to minister to them (chap. 3:1-2). When Timothy returned, Paul had moved on to Corinth and they met up there (1 Thess. 3:6; Acts 18:5). Upon reconnecting with Paul, Timothy apprised him of the spiritual state and needs of the Thessalonians—indicating that they were still “lacking” (chap. 3:10) in the Christian faith, whereupon Paul wrote this letter. At the time of his writing it (circa 52 A. D.), they had been believers for only a few months. This is Paul’s first inspired epistle.
Hence, the assembly had a mixture in it of Jews and Gentiles who had believed. Acts 17:4 states that "some of them" believed. Since this was a scene in "a synagogue," it is clear that these were Jews. But then it adds, "and of the devout Greeks a great multitude." These Gentiles were proselytes to the Jewish faith, but when they heard God’s glad tidings preached by Paul, they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gentile believers formed the majority of the saints at Thessalonica. "Jason" (Acts 17:6) and "Aristarchus and Secundus" (Acts 20:4) were some of these converts. Whereas, on the other hand, only "some" of the Jews believed.
A Guide for the Care of New Converts
Being faced with the situation of having to care for new converts, we might wonder what sort of things should be brought before new-born souls to help them on in the path of faith. We believe that the answer is found in this epistle. Paul's comments to the Thessalonians are directed toward meeting this need, and as a result, the epistle acts as a guide for all who care for new believers. W. Scott said, “The epistle is principally occupied with the development of the early and fresh affections in the newly converted saints at Thessalonica” (Bible Handbook, New Testament, p. 259).
The burden of the Apostle Paul in this letter is that these new converts in Thessalonica would go on for the Lord in their newfound Christian faith. Even though Timothy had been sent back to Thessalonica by Paul for the purpose of helping them in the faith (chap. 3:2), it was evident that that work was not complete (chap. 3:10). Paul, therefore, takes nothing for granted, as he writes this letter to them. The epistle deals with the very first elements that are needed in Christian life, and affords us with valuable instruction on how we are to instruct and care for new converts to the faith. Paul's theme throughout the epistle was to encourage the Thessalonian believers to follow the Lord in view of His coming again. The things that he brings before them are the very things we need to bring before newly saved persons. The epistle, therefore, acts as a guidebook for all who have the care of new converts.
As long as the Church is on earth and the gospel of the grace and glory of God is preached, people will get saved, and there will be a need for caring for new believers. This epistle, therefore, fills a very useful place in the New Testament canon of Scripture.
In looking over the contents of the epistle, we do not find the Apostle giving these new converts truth concerning the believer's standing "in Christ" and the great blessings that we have in Him, as he does in some of his other epistles. Nor do we find him unfolding the truth of the "mystery," as he does in his epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians (Eph. 1:8-10; 3:2-9; 5:32; Col. 1:25-28). Instead, we see Paul addressing things that are more elementary—things that new converts need before any real doctrinal instruction can be given. He addresses things that pertain to their practical walk with the Lord. The great tenets of the faith are surely needed to "establish" souls (Rom. 16:25), but the new convert needs to have his life in some moral order first, so that he can walk in communion with the Lord, and thus, be in a state to grow spiritually. Once this is in place in a person's life, those precious truths can be added with profit. This shows us that it does little good to engage the intellect of believers with doctrinal truth when their lives are not in order.
We see this order in Acts 11. The brethren in Jerusalem had heard that there were some new converts at Antioch and in seeking to help them they sent forth Barnabas—who was known to have a line of practical and devotional ministry—who, upon arriving there, "exhorted" them to "cleave to the Lord" with "purpose of heart" (Acts 11:22-24). Then, after he had spent some time working with them along those lines, Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul (Paul) and brought him to Antioch where they "taught" the saints the truth (Acts 11:25).
Hence, in this epistle, Paul focuses on the simplest things having to do with the believer’s devotion to Christ and the moral standards of Christian living. He is seen in this epistle as a "nurse" and as a "father" in the faith in a pastoral role (1 Thess. 2:7, 11), rather than as a teacher and an instructor. It is also significant that in seeking to be a help to these new converts, we do not read of Paul giving them any self-help programs, but rather, basic encouragement, counsel, and exhortation.
Paul's Three-fold Concern For the Thessalonians
Paul's concern for the Thessalonians was three-fold:
• Firstly, that their personal lives would be in accord with the holiness of God, as demonstrated by himself and the others who worked with him.
• Secondly, that they would be able to stand against the fierce persecution hurled at them by the enemies of the gospel.
• Thirdly, that the coming of the Lord, in relation to the saints who had departed, would be better understood and that their lives would be lived in view of its imminence.
The Lord's Coming—Two Phases
It is significant that the Lord's coming is mentioned at the close of each chapter in the first epistle, and thus, it emphasizes the major theme of the epistle. Paul called the Lord's coming for His saints (the Rapture) "the blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). This hope has been given to the Church, not just as a matter of doctrine and fact, but because of its practical effect. There is nothing so sanctifying to the soul than living in a conscious sense of the imminence of His coming. When the nearness of it takes hold of a person's soul, it will alter the course of his life. By mentioning the Lord's coming in every chapter, the Apostle Paul desired to keep the reality of it before their souls because he knew that it would produce positive, practical effects in their lives.
However, the enemy sought to take away this very truth away from them—or at least to cloud their minds with wrong ideas about it. Satan surely doesn't want to see those positive, practical effects in believers, and he works overtime to take the imminence of the Lord's coming away from us and to get us occupied with things around us on earth. The Thessalonians had begun with this expectancy of the Lord's coming. Paul mentions this in chapter 1:3, stating the "patience of hope," along with "work of faith," and "labour of love," as that which should mark normal Christianity. But somehow something had dimmed that bright hope before their souls. Paul alludes to this in chapter 3:6, where he mentions the two other things ("faith and love"), but not hope. This indicates that they had lost something in connection with the hope, and it was no longer before them as it had been when they were first saved. Hence, Paul sought to "perfect that which was lacking in their faith" by instructing them more perfectly as to the hope (1 Thess. 3:10).
Two Parts of the Epistle
The epistle has two main parts:
• Chapters 1-3—Paul's personal observations and desires for the Thessalonian believers.
• Chapters 4-5—Paul's practical exhortations to the Thessalonian believers.
The Progression of Spiritual Growth in the Epistle
There is a progression of growth that Paul follows in his comments to the Thessalonians:
• Chapter 1—Born of God and saved.
• Chapter 2—Nursed and fathered.
• Chapter 3—Standing established on their feet.
• Chapter 4—Walking, working, and waiting.
• Chapter 5—Serving one another.