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2 Thessalonians Chapter 1:1–12 Greetings 1.1. From Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. At this time of his ministry Paul was accompanied by Silvanus, or Silas, an eminent member of the early Christian Church, described, under that name, in Acts, but as Silvanus, in Paul's epistles. He first appears as one of the leaders of the church at Jerusalem (Act 15:22), holding the office of an inspired teacher (Act 15:32) Timothy whom Paul calls “my own son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2) was also with them. He addresses the letter to the church, or the company of believers, who had fellowship together in Thessalonica. From the very beginning when Paul first went to this city to preach the Gospel there was opposition and those who accepted Christ as Saviour were persecuted (Acts 17: 1 - 9) This persecution had continued up to the present time when Paul wrote his letters to them.
1.2. Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Paul uses his normal greeting to the church. Grace, this embraces not only the unmerited favour of God but also the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life. Peace, that is “heart peace”, peace with God accomplished through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ who reconciles us to God the peace of being justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). The author and source of this grace and peace is "God our Father and His Son,
Jesus Christ".
Commendation 1.3 - 4. We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.