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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.
Paul and his companions can do no other than give thanks to God for the spiritual progress that the Thessalonian Christians had made since they had first believed. They are under an obligation to credit God with the work of grace that He was doing in their lives as one who owes a debt is liable to repay it. There are four areas of growth that causes them to be so thankful. Their Faith; they had not just grown in faith but had excelled. This covers their growth in the knowledge of God, their reliance upon Christ as their Saviour and their stability in Him. The word faith is a New Testament word occuring many times throughout the gospels, Acts and throughout all the epistles except 2 and 3 John but only four times in Revelation. It is only used twice in the Old Testimony directly by God to the Israelites as being children without faith (Deut.32.20) and by the prophet Habakkuk (Hab. 2:4). Their Love; in answer to Paul's prayer and the command of the Lord Jesus Christ their love for one another continually increases (1 Thes. 3: 12, John 15: 12). This was so outstanding that it caused them to make it known in other churches with pride (that is their boast is in the work of grace the Lord is doing in them and their submission to Him). This spiritual growth is attributed to the persecution and tribulations they were suffering (1 Thes. 2: 14). Their Patience - cheerful steadfast hope in keeping the faith (James 1: 3, Rom. 12: 12). Their Endurence - they were bearing up courageously, carrying on in spite of the difficulties.
1.5. This is evidence of God's righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering. This persecution and tribulation is positive proof to the world of God's "righteous judgement" in that it points to the future glory that awaits those who believe and the judgement that will come upon their persecutors. By their steadfast endurance in keeping the faith in persecution they will be accounted worthy in that day when they appear with Christ in Glory (Rom. 8: 18).
Coming Judgement 1.6. For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, God who is righteous and does all things that are just and upright will bring tribulation and distress upon those who oppress and persecute His people (Rev. 6: 10) for He shall avenge His own (Rom. 12: 19). 1.7. and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels. Until that time Paul gives the Thessalonians the assuring of that coming day of rest (Heb. 4: 9 -10, Rev. 14. 13) which they shall share together in at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1.8. With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. In the "Day of the Lord", the "Judgement Day" (2 Pet. 3:7 & 10) Christ will come with a mighty army of angels and will act in justice by taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who refuse to accept the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1.9. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the
glory of his strength,
Unbelievers will have to pay the penalty of eternal destruction; this will not be complete annihilation but a perpetual punishment and an unalterable separation from God (Rev. 20: 15).
Coming Glory 1.10. when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed — and you did in fact believe our testimony. When the Lord comes in that Day Christ will be glorified in His people for they willl be to His "praise and glory" because of the work of grace done in their lives and the upholding and keeping power of the Lord ( 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 1:5). He will be highly honored among those who believed through the faithfulness of those who proclaimed the Gospel message to them.
1.11. And in this regard we pray for you always, that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, With this in mind Paul assures them that their continual prayer for the Thessalonian believers is that God will count them worthy of such honor and glory to which He has called them to and that His plan and purpose for their lives will be complete. They will be changed from glory to glory and into the image of His Son according to His power (2 Cor. 3: 18, Rom. 8: 29). 1.12. that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our
God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The purpose of all this is that the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified and become more glorious in and through those who are His own. Not by works of righteousness that they have done but by His grace along. There will be nothing to boast about in that day for they will acknowledge Jesus Christ as the founder and the one who will bring it to maturity and perfection (Heb. 12:2). © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2016 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org