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First Epistle to the Thessalonians

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1 Thessalonians 1:3–2:1 on Papyrus 65 (recto; c. AD 250)[1]
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The First Epistle to the Thessalonians[a] is a Pauline epistle of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle, and is addressed to the church in Thessalonica, in modern-day Greece.

1 Thessalonians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the early Christian community in Thessalonica within the Roman Empire. Paul had visited the city, preached the gospel, and gained converts, many of whom were likely Gentiles since the letter mentions they had “turned from idols.” It is usually dated around 49–51 AD during Paul’s stay in Corinth, making it one of the earliest, if not the earliest, surviving Christian texts. Some early manuscripts, however, suggest it may have been written from Athens after Timothy returned with news about the Thessalonian church.

The original manuscript has not survived, but several early copies remain, including Papyrus 46 (around AD 200), Papyrus 65 (3rd century), and major codices such as Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and Alexandrinus. Most scholars regard the letter as authentically Pauline because its style and theology align with his other writings, and its authorship is affirmed by 2 Thessalonians, though certain passages such as 2:13-16 and 5:1-11 are debated.

The letter emphasizes encouragement, ethical guidance, and hope rather than theological disputes. Paul expresses gratitude for the Thessalonians’ faith and love, reminding them of his honorable conduct and efforts not to burden them financially during his visit. He instructs them on living harmoniously, coping with grief, and preparing for Christ’s imminent return, reassuring faith in the resurrection of the dead.[4]

Background and audience

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Thessalonica is a city on the Thermaic Gulf, which at the time of Paul was within the Roman Empire. Paul visited Thessalonica and preached to the local population, winning converts who became a Christian community.[5] There is debate as to whether or not Paul's converts were originally Jewish. The Acts of the Apostles describes Paul preaching in a Jewish synagogue and persuading people who were already Jewish that Jesus was the Messiah,[6] but in 1 Thessalonians itself Paul says that the converts had turned from idols, suggesting that they were not Jewish before Paul arrived.[5][7]

Most New Testament scholars believe Paul wrote this letter from Corinth only months after he left Thessalonica,[5] although information appended to this work in many early manuscripts (e.g., Codices Alexandrinus, Mosquensis, and Angelicus) state that Paul wrote it in Athens[8] after Timothy had returned from Macedonia with news of the state of the church in Thessalonica.[9][10]

Oldest surviving manuscripts

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The original manuscript of this letter is lost, as are over a century of copies. The text of the surviving manuscripts varies. The oldest surviving manuscripts that contain some or all of this book include:

Composition

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Date

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It is widely agreed that 1 Thessalonians is one of the first books of the New Testament to be written, and the earliest extant Christian text.[5] A majority of modern New Testament scholars date 1 Thessalonians to 49–51 AD,[11] during Paul's 18-month stay in Corinth coinciding with his second missionary journey.[12] The reference to proconsul Gallio in the inscription provides an important marker for developing a chronology of the life of Apostle Paul, since he presides over the trial of Paul in Achaea mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 18:12-17).[13][14]

1 Thessalonians does not focus on justification by faith or questions of Jewish–Gentile relations, themes that are covered in all other letters. Because of this, some scholars see this as an indication that this letter was written before the Epistle to the Galatians, where Paul's positions on these matters were formed and elucidated.[15]

Authenticity

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The first page of the epistle in Minuscule 699 gives its title as προς θεσσαλονικεις, "To the Thessalonians."

The majority of New Testament scholars hold 1 Thessalonians to be authentic, although a number of scholars in the mid-19th century contested its authenticity, most notably Clement Schrader and F.C. Baur.[16] 1 Thessalonians matches other accepted Pauline letters, both in style and in content, and its authorship is also affirmed by 2 Thessalonians.[17]

Integrity

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The authenticity of 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16 has been extensively discussed. Though an interpolation hypothesis was proposed in the past based mostly on internal arguments on the text such as anti-Semitic, grammatical, or time period approximation concerns,[18][19][20][21][22] in the past 30 years, the scholarly consensus view is that the passage is authentically Pauline for multiple reasons such as:[23][24][25][26][27] there is no manuscript evidence of these verses missing and no alternative placement either, rhetorical connection between verse 13 and 14 makes it clear that these verses are not out of place, Paul in other letters such as Romans believed God's wrath was being manifested in the present, Paul was writing to Thessalonians (which included non-Jews) when he wrote about "Jews" in this letter, and Paul wrote in a diverse fashion not in a censored modern-anachronistic fashion.

It is also sometimes suggested that 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 is a post-Pauline insertion that has many features of Lukan language and theology that serves as an apologetic correction to Paul's imminent expectation of the Second Coming in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.[28] Some scholars, such as Schmithals,[29] Eckhart,[30] Demke[31] and Munro,[32] have developed complicated theories involving redaction and interpolation in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

Contents

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Outline

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  1. (1:1-10) Salutation and thanksgiving[33]
  2. (2:1-20) Past interactions with the church[34]
  3. (3:1-13) Regarding Timothy's visit[35]
  4. (4:1-5:25) Specific issues within the church[36]
    1. (4:1-12) Relationships among Christians[37]
    2. (4:13-18) Mourning those who have died[38]
    3. (5:1-11) Preparing for God's arrival[39]
    4. (5:12-25) How Christians should behave[40]
  5. (5:26-28) Closing salutation[41]

Text

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Paul, speaking for himself, Silas, and Timothy, gives thanks for the news about the Thessalonians' faith and love; he reminds them of the kind of life he had lived while he was with them. Paul stresses how honorably he conducted himself, reminding them that he had worked to earn his keep, taking great pains not to burden anyone. He did this, he says, even though he could have used his status as an apostle to impose upon them.

Paul goes on to explain that the dead will be resurrected prior to those still living, and both groups will greet the Lord in the air.[42] Paul believed at the time of composition that he would be among the living who would experience the Second Coming,[43] though he would go on to consider the possibility of death prior to Jesus’ return later in life. Hays argues for a contingent eschatology in the Pauline epistles where God withholds judgment to give time for repentance,[44] also found in Jesus and the Synoptics.[45]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The book is sometimes called the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, or simply 1 Thessalonians.[2] It is most commonly abbreviated as "1 Thess."[3]

References

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  1. ^ Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023.
  2. ^ ESV Pew Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. 2018. p. 986. ISBN 978-1-4335-6343-0. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "Bible Book Abbreviations". Logos Bible Software. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  4. ^ Allison, Dale (2025). Interpreting Jesus. Eerdmans. p. 610. ISBN 978-0802879196.
  5. ^ a b c d Esler, Philip (2001). "71. 1 Thessalonians". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-875500-5.
  6. ^ Acts 17:1–9
  7. ^ 1 Thessalonians 1:9
  8. ^ Ernest Best 1972, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (New York: Harper & Row), p. 7
  9. ^ Acts 18:5; 1 Thes. 3:6
  10. ^ Public Domain One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). "Thessalonians, Epistles to the". Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.
  11. ^ "Introduction to the Book of 1 Thessalonians". ESV Study Bible. Crossway. 2008. ISBN 978-1433502415.
  12. ^ Acts 18:1–18
  13. ^ A. Köstenberger, The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament, 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 page 400
  14. ^ The Cambridge Companion to St Paul by James D. G. Dunn (Nov 10, 2003) Cambridge Univ Press ISBN 0521786940 page 20
  15. ^ Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, Anchor Bible, 1997. pp. 456–66.
  16. ^ Best, Thessalonians, pp. 22–29.
  17. ^ "The only possible reference to a previous missive is in 2:15…" Raymond E. Brown 1997, An Introduction to the New Testament, Anchor Bible, p. 590.
  18. ^ Abraham J. Malherbe, “Hellenistic Moralists and the New Testament”, in; Aufstieg und Nieder- gang der Römischen Welt: Geschichte und Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung, eds. H. Temporini and W. Haase (Berlin and New York: W. de Gruyter, 1992), 2:290.
  19. ^ Pearson, p. 88
  20. ^ Birger A. Pearson 1971, "1 Thessalonians 2:13–16 A Deutero Pauline Interpolation", Harvard Theological Review, 64, pp. 79–94
  21. ^ CollegeVille Bible Commentary, p. 1155
  22. ^ Schmidt, D. 1983, "I Thess 2:13–16: Linguistic Evidence for an Interpolation," JBL 102: 269–79.
  23. ^ Johnson, Andrew (2016). 1 and 2 Thessalonians. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 0802825524. With regard to the interpolation hypothesis, along with almost all other English commentaries, my position is that these verses are authentically Pauline.
  24. ^ Brookins, Timothy A. (2021-11-16). First and Second Thessalonians (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament). Baker Academic. ISBN 978-1-4934-3215-8. On taking 1 Thess. 2:13–16 as an "interpolation." Originating in the mid- nineteenth century, the interpolation theory was adopted by many interpreters throughout the twentieth century. The most extensive case for this view was presented by B. A. Pearson in a 1971 article titled "1 Thessalonians 2:13–16: A Deutero-Pauline Interpolation," which many scholars found convincing. Although several points have been adduced in favor of the interpolation theory, strong responses can be made to each of them (for a recent overview of arguments, see Jensen 2019). Thus, the authenticity of the passage has continued to find defenders over the last two centuries, and in the last thirty years the common opinion has swung decisively in favor of authenticity (Gupta 2019, 118, whose summary statement is confirmed by a survey of the scholarship).
  25. ^ Gupta, Nijay K. (2019). 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Academic. ISBN 0310518717. Though labeling 2:13–16 (or 2:14–16) as an interpolation would certainly alleviate some of the tension felt by what seem to be anti-Jewish statements made in 1 Thessalonians, the vast majority of scholars in the last thirty years have largely rejected the argument that these verses came from someone other than Paul...As noted above, almost all interpreters of 1 Thessalonians in the last thirty years have found the interpolation theories of Pearson and Schmidt wanting. Some, like Murrell (and to some degree Wortham), have attempted to paint a more realistic, human portait of Paul, one where the apostle could have conceivably penned these words. Other scholars have tried to mitigate the impact of Paul's words through various avenues of study. Few scholars today who have studied Paul's letters carefully would conclude that he was "anti-Semitic," even if 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16 is still considered an uncomfortable text.
  26. ^ Ehrman, Bart (2012). Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. HarperOne. pp. 123–124. ISBN 9780062206442.
  27. ^ Jensen, Matthew (October 2019). "The (In)authenticity of 1 Thessalonians 2.13-16: A Review of Arguments". Currents in Biblical Research. 18 (1): 59–79. doi:10.1177/1476993X19860671. Given the scholarly consensus to include these verses rather than exclude them, there are fewer arguments for their presence in the text of 1 Thessalonians. Bockmuehl (2001: 7) goes so far as to state that the 'burden of proof' is on the 'advocates of unattested variants' (see also Collins 1984: 124-25, 135; Walker 1987). Consequently, there are even fewer direct responses to arguments for the authenticity of these verses from those who understand the verses as an interpolation.
  28. ^ G. Friedrich, "1. Thessalonicher 5,1–11, der apologetische Einschub eines Spaeteren," ZTK 70 (1973) 289.
  29. ^ Schmithals, W. 1972, Paul and the Gnostics Transl. by J. Steely (Nashville: Abingdon Press), 123–218
  30. ^ K. G. Eckart 1961, "Der zweite echte Brief des Apostels Paulus an die Thessalonicher," ZThK, 30–44
  31. ^ Theologie und Literarkritik im 1. Thessalonicherbrief
  32. ^ The Later Stratum in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Authority in Paul and Peter: The Identification of a Pastoral Stratum in the Pauline Corpus and 1 Peter.
  33. ^ 1 Thes. 1:1–10
  34. ^ 1 Thes. 2:1–20
  35. ^ 1 Thes. 3:1–13
  36. ^ 1 Thes. 4:1–5:25
  37. ^ 1 Thes. 4:1–12
  38. ^ 1 Thes. 4:13–18
  39. ^ 1 Thes. 5:1–11
  40. ^ 1 Thes. 5:12–25
  41. ^ 1 Thes. 5:26–28
  42. ^ 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
  43. ^ Malherbe, Abraham (2000). The Letters to the Thessalonians, Volume 32B: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Yale University Press. p. 270.
  44. ^ Hays, Christopher (2016). When the Son of Man Didn’t Come: A Constructive Proposal on the Delay of the Parousia. Fortress Press. pp. 19–20, 90–95. ISBN 978-1451465549.
  45. ^ Allison, Dale (2025). Interpreting Jesus. Eerdmans. pp. 60–71, 92. ISBN 978-0802879196.
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