The Heart Of Paul’s Theology: Paul And The ThessaloniansSample

First Three Sections: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians begins very much like his first. The salutation is short and direct, and it indicates that the letter was written to the church in Thessalonica. And just as with 1 Thessalonians, the salutation explains that the letter comes not just from Paul, but also from Silas and Timothy. Now again, Silas and Timothy were not infallible and did not write with apostolic authority. Nevertheless, Paul’s authorship insures that everything in the letter is true and his authority requires us to obey and believe everything that the letter teaches. In fact, as we look at the letter’s short closing, it’s clear that Paul is really the primary author. We can discern this because Paul, and only Paul, physically signed the letter in order to authenticate it against counterfeits. 

In the second section, consisting of 1:3-10, Paul once again reported his thanksgivings for the Thessalonians’ faith and love, especially in the face of persecution. Although he had to write to them a second time to address some of the same problems he had confronted in his first letter, Paul was still deeply impressed with the Thessalonians. He also encouraged them by telling them again how exemplary their faith was, and how he had boasted to other churches about their perseverance. Consider his words in 2 Thessalonians 1:4:

In the churches of God, we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring (2 Thessalonians 1:4).

In the third section, found in 1:11-12, Paul explained that he constantly prayed for the Thessalonians, and that they were not alone in their struggles. He, Timothy, and Silas prayed day in and day out that God would work powerfully in them to make sure that they were faithful and fruitful in their service to Christ.