(1 Thessalonians Part 1): Written to the believers in Thessalonica who were made up of mostly Gentiles, but some Jews believed also. There are two themes that are found in Thessalonians. This is what is called an eschatological letter. ESKATOS means last days.
We study the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians, and we study the second coming of Christ in 2 Thessalonians. He's dealing with last days issues.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 - Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Silvanus is known as Silas. In Acts 15:22 he is called Silas. He's one of the leaders from the church in Jerusalem that goes with Paul back to Antioch. Silas was a Roman citizen just like Paul was, though he was Jewish. Silvanus is his Latin name (his Roman name), and Silas is his Greek name.
Paul always presents his letter as Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace (CHARIS) is the Greek greeting, and peace (SHALOM)is the Jewish greeting. And so, he's greeting both the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
1 Thessalonians 3:3 - That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
The word moved is the word SEISMOS where we get our word for the earthquakes. Paul says that Timothy is coming to establish you and comfort you in the faith so that no man should be moved by these afflictions.
The only way a believer is going to stand strong in the storm of life is to put their faith and trust in Christ and just stand and trust Him. There are no principles to practice. There are no formulas to pray. It's trusting Christ.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 - For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
The word "if" is what is called a Third-Class Condition. It's not yet fulfilled. I mean, this is Paul saying we'll live if we get a report back saying that we're trusting the Lord. If we're not standing firm, we lose heart. He's just like a parent ministering to his kids!
1 Thessalonians 3:10 - Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
The word perfect is KATARTIDZO. It's a medical term for the mending of broken bones. We saw it used in Matthew Chapter 4 where the fishermen were mending their nets. In Ephesians Chapter 4, we see that God puts those in the ministry in the body of Christ, and the first thing is for the mending of the saints, KATARTIDZO.
People need to be mended. There's a difference between being saved and being mended. The very first day that Christ comes into my life, I'm saved. Ten years from now I'll be just as saved as I am today. It's forever. It's throughout eternity. But along with it, I carry in the cortex of my brain all of my former life, all of my experiences, good and bad. The experiences of my sins are recorded in the cortex of my brain.
That's why so many believers have such a tough time functioning in this life and in the body of Christ, because they've been saved but they have never been mended.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 - So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
The word dear is the word AGAPE (AGAPETOI). You will be love to us. We had an Agape love for you. Not only were we ready to preach the gospel to you, but even to sacrifice our own lives so that you could hear the gospel.
1 Thessalonians 2:12 - That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
The word worthy (AXIOS) means to live a life that matches who you are. AXIOS was the balance scales down at the marketplace. In those days, the heavier the item, the more expensive it is. You put the item on one side of the scale, and you had to put money on the other side until the scales evened out, and that's how much the item is worth. It's called worthy. It's called equal, matching.
So, he's basically saying may your walk match your profession, your confession of faith. If you belong to Christ, then live your life as one who belongs to Christ, like a father would exhort his child.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 - For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
For you, brethren, you became followers, and again that's the word MIMETAI, imitators. You became imitators of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
1 Thessalonians 2:2 - But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
But even after we had suffered before, we were shamefully entreated, which is HUBRISCO, the word for insulted, as you know in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much conflict. It says contention in this verse. It's the word AGONA. It's an athletic term for the agony that an athlete goes through while participating in the contest. So, he says you know that even before we got to you, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict, even there!
1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
For our exhortation, or encouragement was not of deceit, and that's the Greek word PLANE for the word error. We get our word planet from this Greek word. It means to wander. When we came to encourage you, it was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor of guile: That would be our word for deception.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 - But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
It reads, "But as we were allowed of God," but the original language is much better to understand the full impact. The original language reads as we were approved by God. The word allowed is the word put to the test and to approve somebody after testing. Paul mentioned that about some of the disciples that he had encouraged others to listen to. In some of his letters he called them those that had been tested.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 - But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
He says but we were gentle. The word gentle means to be like a babe. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse nurses her children:
1 Thessalonians 1:3 - Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
I'll point out the technicalities to you because these are important. Notice that in each of these three phrases, it says of faith, of love, and of hope. It shows that each one of these is producing the very thing that's before it. Faith is producing the work. Love is producing the labor. And hope is producing the patience. This is the work of faith. Work does not produce faith, but faith produces works. This is one of Paul's triads, faith, hope, and love.
The word faith itself in Greek means persuasion. So, the believers in the early church, they lived by a persuasion that other people couldn't see. It was invisible to the human. It's spiritual. And the word hope in Greek, ELPIDZO, has to do with constant expectancy. It doesn't mean to wish or hope that something happens. It is confidence that you know it's going to happen.
So, your work of faith, your labor of love, and patience of hope, and in the King James text, it says in the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Greek text says of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say that faith, love, and hope is of the Lord. It belongs to Him.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 - And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
The word followers is the Greek word MIMETAI which is where we get our word mimic or mime from. You became mimics. The reason why I emphasize the point is that some people think that Paul is using the word for copying. Paul didn't call on them to copy him. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, he said it again, be ye followers, or imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. It's the same word MIMETAI.
(1 Thessalonians Part 1): Written to the believers in Thessalonica who were made up of mostly Gentiles, but some Jews believed also. There are two themes that are found in Thessalonians. This is what is called an eschatological letter. ESKATOS means last days.
We study the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians, and we study the second coming of Christ in 2 Thessalonians. He's dealing with last days issues.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 - Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Silvanus is known as Silas. In Acts 15:22 he is called Silas. He's one of the leaders from the church in Jerusalem that goes with Paul back to Antioch. Silas was a Roman citizen just like Paul was, though he was Jewish. Silvanus is his Latin name (his Roman name), and Silas is his Greek name.
Paul always presents his letter as Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace (CHARIS) is the Greek greeting, and peace (SHALOM)is the Jewish greeting. And so, he's greeting both the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
1 Thessalonians 3:3 - That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
The word moved is the word SEISMOS where we get our word for the earthquakes. Paul says that Timothy is coming to establish you and comfort you in the faith so that no man should be moved by these afflictions.
The only way a believer is going to stand strong in the storm of life is to put their faith and trust in Christ and just stand and trust Him. There are no principles to practice. There are no formulas to pray. It's trusting Christ.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 - For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
The word "if" is what is called a Third-Class Condition. It's not yet fulfilled. I mean, this is Paul saying we'll live if we get a report back saying that we're trusting the Lord. If we're not standing firm, we lose heart. He's just like a parent ministering to his kids!
1 Thessalonians 3:10 - Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
The word perfect is KATARTIDZO. It's a medical term for the mending of broken bones. We saw it used in Matthew Chapter 4 where the fishermen were mending their nets. In Ephesians Chapter 4, we see that God puts those in the ministry in the body of Christ, and the first thing is for the mending of the saints, KATARTIDZO.
People need to be mended. There's a difference between being saved and being mended. The very first day that Christ comes into my life, I'm saved. Ten years from now I'll be just as saved as I am today. It's forever. It's throughout eternity. But along with it, I carry in the cortex of my brain all of my former life, all of my experiences, good and bad. The experiences of my sins are recorded in the cortex of my brain.
That's why so many believers have such a tough time functioning in this life and in the body of Christ, because they've been saved but they have never been mended.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 - So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
The word dear is the word AGAPE (AGAPETOI). You will be love to us. We had an Agape love for you. Not only were we ready to preach the gospel to you, but even to sacrifice our own lives so that you could hear the gospel.
1 Thessalonians 2:12 - That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
The word worthy (AXIOS) means to live a life that matches who you are. AXIOS was the balance scales down at the marketplace. In those days, the heavier the item, the more expensive it is. You put the item on one side of the scale, and you had to put money on the other side until the scales evened out, and that's how much the item is worth. It's called worthy. It's called equal, matching.
So, he's basically saying may your walk match your profession, your confession of faith. If you belong to Christ, then live your life as one who belongs to Christ, like a father would exhort his child.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 - For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
For you, brethren, you became followers, and again that's the word MIMETAI, imitators. You became imitators of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
1 Thessalonians 2:2 - But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
But even after we had suffered before, we were shamefully entreated, which is HUBRISCO, the word for insulted, as you know in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much conflict. It says contention in this verse. It's the word AGONA. It's an athletic term for the agony that an athlete goes through while participating in the contest. So, he says you know that even before we got to you, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict, even there!
1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
For our exhortation, or encouragement was not of deceit, and that's the Greek word PLANE for the word error. We get our word planet from this Greek word. It means to wander. When we came to encourage you, it was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor of guile: That would be our word for deception.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 - But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
It reads, "But as we were allowed of God," but the original language is much better to understand the full impact. The original language reads as we were approved by God. The word allowed is the word put to the test and to approve somebody after testing. Paul mentioned that about some of the disciples that he had encouraged others to listen to. In some of his letters he called them those that had been tested.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 - But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
He says but we were gentle. The word gentle means to be like a babe. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse nurses her children:
1 Thessalonians 1:3 - Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
I'll point out the technicalities to you because these are important. Notice that in each of these three phrases, it says of faith, of love, and of hope. It shows that each one of these is producing the very thing that's before it. Faith is producing the work. Love is producing the labor. And hope is producing the patience. This is the work of faith. Work does not produce faith, but faith produces works. This is one of Paul's triads, faith, hope, and love.
The word faith itself in Greek means persuasion. So, the believers in the early church, they lived by a persuasion that other people couldn't see. It was invisible to the human. It's spiritual. And the word hope in Greek, ELPIDZO, has to do with constant expectancy. It doesn't mean to wish or hope that something happens. It is confidence that you know it's going to happen.
So, your work of faith, your labor of love, and patience of hope, and in the King James text, it says in the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Greek text says of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say that faith, love, and hope is of the Lord. It belongs to Him.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 - And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
The word followers is the Greek word MIMETAI which is where we get our word mimic or mime from. You became mimics. The reason why I emphasize the point is that some people think that Paul is using the word for copying. Paul didn't call on them to copy him. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, he said it again, be ye followers, or imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. It's the same word MIMETAI.
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