Reflections on Paul: 1 Thessalonians

Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is full of hope and encouragement. We read about Paul and Silas’ preaching in Thessalonica in Acts 17. Paul is said to have gone into the synagogue and show through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.(3) They had some Jewish converts and a large amount of Gentile converts.(4) But the Jews, that did not appreciate Paul and Silas’s teaching, stirred up trouble,(5) roughed up the man they were staying with(6-9) which caused Paul and Silas to leave at night.(10) The Jews did not stop, but when they found out that Paul and Silas were teaching in Berea went there and stirred up trouble again.(13)

In the first section of the letter (1-3) Paul praises them for their steadfast belief and in the process reiterates the way in which he and Silas ministered to the community while they were in Thessalonica. (1-2) In this section Paul claims that he was fearful that they might have withered under the pressure of persecution (3.1-5) and that is why they sent Timothy to check up on things. (3.2) Timothy returned with a good report (3.6) and Paul thanked God for the news. (3.7-10). The rest of the chapter (3.11-13) serves as a sort of doxology, but the letter does not end at this point. Paul goes on to answer questions that were probably brought to him by Timothy from the Church. Paul addresses living according to the will of God (4.1-12) and then moves on to a passage that is often misunderstood. Apparently the Church in Thessalonica expressed concern about what happened to those that feel asleep before the return of Jesus. Paul comforts them talking about the glorious return of Christ (4.13-18) and then encourage them to always be ready. (5.1-11) Paul closes the letter with some final words of instruction on how to live as the people of God. (5.12-28)

Against the background of Acts 17 Paul’s thankfulness that the Church had not given into persecution comes to life. Paul knew first hand the vigour with which the Jews in Thessalonica went after him and Silas when they were there. Even though Paul is quite thankful that the Church is doing well and striving to hold fast to the teachings that Paul laid down for them, while he was there, he encourages them to keep on taking step forward. Paul writes, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all the holy ones.” (3.12-13) He adds, “And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.” (4.10) Likewise he comments, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (5.11) Just because the Thessalonians are doing well in the Lord that does not mean that they have nothing to improve on.

Present day followers of Jesus can hear a message from God in these words. As a body of believers we must never get tired of loving and encouraging others. And we must not think that we have already arrived, in the sense that we have no room for improvement, because our love and care for others can always increase through the spirit of the Lord Jesus the Christ.

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