Chapter One
Greeting
1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Almost identical to the opening greeting in 1 Thessalonians. Paul once again identifies that Silas and Timothy are co-writers and again refers to them with the unique identification as being a church in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, followed by the blessing of grace and peace. But here adds the source of that blessing being from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Giving God Thanks
1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
Paul proceeds to recognize them by offering God thanks for them. Here he writes that they (Paul, Silas, and Timothy) ought always to give thanks to God for them (the believers in Thessalonica). The word ‘ought’ in the English can imply that while something should be done, in fact may not being done, but the Greek opheilomen refers to an obligation, something they are indebted to do. In this scenario because their faith has been growing in abundance, and as a result, they boast about how their steadfastness and faith have endured through intense persecution to other churches of God.
Paul also noted that their love for each other and for others has been increasing (see 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 4:9-10). Increasing faith in God and love for others are indicators of a healthy relationship with Jesus (see also 2 Corinthians 8:7; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 1:15; 6:23). Seeing the church respond by growing in faith and love in the time of persecution must have been a source of joy for Paul.
Judgment at Christ’s Return
1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—
Observing the church holding steady and growing in their faith and love, all while facing such persecution and affliction, demonstrated that they were worthy of the kingdom of God. This is a hard lesson that most believers don’t want to hear about or learn. But first we need to understand that neither facing persecution nor increasing one’s love is required to obtain worthiness, Jesus did that. The lesson is that by the believers in Thessalonica persevering their persecution all while growing in faith and love, indicates that they were truly following Jesus, as the enemy would not have been so aggressive in the attack. In other words, they did everything right! It may be hard for some to understand but it is true, believers can face trials joyfully as they understand that God is equipping them for His glory.
To us the fact of suffering seems to deny, rather than to prove, that God is working out his righteous purpose. But two things must be said here. One is that the New Testament does not look on suffering in quite the same way as do most modern people. To us suffering is an evil in itself, something to be avoided at all costs. Now while the New Testament does not gloss over this aspect of suffering it does not lose sight either of the fact that in the good providence of God suffering is often the means of working out God’s eternal purpose.14 It develops in the sufferer qualities of character. It teaches valuable lessons. Suffering is not thought of as something that may possibly be avoided by the Christian. For believers it is inevitable. They are appointed to it (1 Thess. 3:3). They must live out their lives and develop their Christian character in a world dominated by non-Christian ideas. Their faith is accordingly not some fragile thing, to be kept in a kind of spiritual cotton wool, insulated from all shocks. It is robust. It is to be manifested in the fires of trouble and in the furnace of affliction. Furthermore, not only is it to be manifested there, but, in part at any rate, it is to be fashioned in such places. The very troubles and afflictions that the world heaps on believers become, under God, the means of making those believers what they ought to be. When we have come to regard suffering in this light, it is not to be thought of as evidence that God has forsaken his people, but as evidence that God is with them. Paul can rejoice that in his flesh he fills up “what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church” (Col. 1:24). Such suffering is a vivid token of the presence of God.[1]
1:6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Paul notes that God considers it just (Greek dikaion, righteous, that which is right) to repay those who were afflicting the believers in Thessalonica with affliction (Greek thlipsin, tribulation, suffering, persecution, that which causes pain). Paul is confirming a critical lesson of the Bible, that it is a righteous thing for God to judge sin and condemn sinners, because as a holy God He cannot ignore sin, it must be judged. But in addition to the certain judgment, Paul tells us that God will offer relief to those who were afflicted when Jesus is revealed (Greek apokalypsei, uncovered, to take out of hiding, unveiling, disclosure) from heaven, fulfilling what the angels said at His ascension, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11, ESV) The next phrase rendered here in verse seven as, “with his mighty angels” is widely translated, as the literal translation would be something like “with the angels of the power of Him.” With ‘power’ (Greek dynameōs) being a genitive noun, it could modify either the “angels” or “Him,” the result would be either powerful angels (which they are) or angels which belong to His power, essentially both of those interpretations would be accurate. Paul then adds that when Jesus is revealed He will be: 1) from heaven, 2) with angels of His power, and 3) in flaming fire. Here again there is some debate regarding the interpretation due to the Greek wording, will Jesus appear in a flame of fire (see Exodus 3:2; Isaiah 66:15; Revelation 1:13-14) or is this fire a means of destruction that inflicts vengeance. And again, both interpretations may be accurate as Jesus will indeed inflict vengeance on those that have refused God’s plan of salvation (see Isaiah 34:8; 35:4; 61:2; 63:4; Daniel 9:24-27; Hosea 9:7; Luke 21:22).
Paul lists two groups of people that Jesus will inflict vengeance on: “those who do not know God” and “those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” Some interpret the first group to refer to Gentiles that refuse to acknowledge the existence of God and the second group referring to any Jew who knows of God, but rejected the gospel message. However, the context does not infer or imply any connection to the Jews. Those who do not know God are not people who have never heard about God, but those who have chosen to remain ignorant, similar to what Paul wrote in his epistle to the church in Rome, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:28, ESV) And those who do not obey the gospel are individuals who did not accept Jesus as their Savior.
1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
Referring to both of the people groups from verse eight who refused God’s plan for their salvation, Paul notes that they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His might (see Matthew 7:23; 25:41; Luke 13:27; Revelation 22:15, see also Considerations below). When that day arrives Jesus will be glorified in “His saints,” this will be a time when Jesus will be glorified through believers, likely in a manner that has never been seen before by human eyes. Remember, all believers are called to bring glory to God (see 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Philippians 1:11; 1 Peter 4:11). And on that day Jesus will be marveled (Greek thaumasthēnai, wonder, admiration, astonishment, to be amazed) at by all believers because of their testimony to the believers in Thessalonica was believed. Paul is reminding them that they would be there among the glorified believers.
1:11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so 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.
Paul, returning to the subject of being worthy (see verse five, remember it is God who makes us worthy, that is not done by us), notes that he and his fellow workers pray for them continuously, that God would make them worthy of His calling (able to stand firm in their faith) and give them the ability to accomplish all the good things their faith has prompted them to do. So that the name of Jesus may be glorified in them (Jesus is to be seen through the words and actions of believers) and them in Him (when a believer fully trusts God under all circumstances, including persecution, they become witnesses to the glory of God). All made possible by the grace of God and Jesus.
Considerations
Away from the Presence of Jesus
Paul explains in verse nine that the punishment of eternal destruction has two elements that most readers fail to see. We see that by saying “no” to Jesus has eternal consequences and ramifications. The Bible teaches that all people have an eternal component, our spirit/soul, and if we believe in Jesus we will be given new glorified bodies for our spirit/soul and will live with Him forever. But if someone rejects Jesus, Paul here tells us that they will receive the punishment of eternal destruction, and as if destruction is not enough punishment, they will also be away from the presence of Jesus and the glory of His might. If Jesus is the creator of all things and is holding all things together (see Colossians 1:16-17) then what would it be like without Him? Perhaps total darkness, no light, although there wouldn’t be anything to see because everything we know and can relate to came from Him and all of that would be gone too! Which would you prefer, a total void of all things including light, or Jesus?
Worthy of His Calling
Paul refers to the believers in verse five that they “may be considered worthy” (Greek kataxiōthēnai, to consider something of comparable merit or worth) and then later in verse eleven, “that our God may make you worthy” (Greek axiōsē, to esteem, count, or reckon worthy or deserving, to regard as worthy). Without Jesus to sanctify and cleanse us we are not worthy of His calling. Our worthiness lies in being vessels that reflect His glory and even to do that we need His power. All glory belongs to Jesus, not us! And as such by being in Him lasting endurance against persecution is possible.
The Second Coming Revisited
The revealing of Jesus will occur at His second coming, not in the air when He came in the clouds to gather all living believers, but on earth at the conclusion of the Tribulation period. Those who are still alive and have rejected Jesus will choose to battle Him unsuccessfully before His millennial reign on earth (see Revelation 19:11-20:10).
⇐Previous (Introduction) Next⇒
[1] Morris, L. (1991). The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (pp. 196–197). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.