I Thessalonians 2:13-20

I Thessalonians 2:13-20

I.        V. 13-16

A.      V. 13

i.         The message preached by Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy was from God, it was not their own.  Multiple messengers, but one message.

ii.       It is “the word” that is at work, or active in their lives

iii.       “accept” lays more emphasis on the action of the hearers

B.      V. 14

i.         Paul often instructs Christians to imitate, but here he says they have already become imitators

ii.       The church’s geographical location is in Judea, but its actual location is in Christ Jesus

iii.      It was the Jewish Zealots who were probably the source of the Judaizing faction we see in Galatians

·         Paul himself could have been one of the Jewish, or Judean, persecutors

iv.      Clearly identifies the persecutors of the Thessalonians, at least the ones Paul is referring to in this instance, as being gentiles

v.       They did not deliberately seek to imitate the Judean churches, but it happened because of circumstances

vi.      Since church simply means “the called out”, or “called together”, “in Christ Jesus” specifies those Paul is referring to as Christian churches, not synagogues

·         “In Christ Jesus” ties together the diverse Thessalonians and Judeans

vii.    That the Thessalonians so doggedly held to their new faith, shows that they had sincerely adopted the Christian worldview, that to them it “made more sense”

C.      V. 15

i.         It would be more accurate to describe Paul’s language as anti-Judaism than anti-Semitic

ii.       “the Jews” is a restrictive clause

iii.      “kill” is a general term reflecting the role of the Sanhedrin in Jesus’ death

iv.      Pagan critiques of Jews were socially driven, Paul’s was theological

v.       Cf. I Kings 19.10-14; II Chronicles 36.15; Jeremiah 2.7-8; Ezekiel 14.9-11; 34; Matthew 23:31-36; Hebrews 11.32-38

vi.      Elsewhere, Paul expresses his love for the Jewish people (cf. Romans 9:1-3)

·         Hard to paint Paul as being anti-Semitic since his policy was to go to the Jews first.

D.      V. 16

i.         The being blocked from proclaiming the gospel to the gentiles anticipates Satan blocking them from returning to the Thessalonians

ii.       Their sins are heaped up because they become an active barrier to others receiving the gospel

iii.      God’s anger or wrath on Israel was an OT theme

·         The governor of Judea at the time of Paul’s writing was Cumanus (r. 48-52 AD).  During his rule, thousands of Jewish pilgrims were butchered during the Passover of 49 or 50 AD, and internecine war almost erupted between Jews and Samaritans.  In fact, the high priests and some other Jewish leaders were sent to Rome in chains

·         Claudius’ banishment of Jews from Rome in 49 AD.  Cf. Aquila and Priscilla arriving from Rome in Acts 18:1-3

·         Or was the wrath of God is about to come on the Jews mentioned by Paul?

II.      V. 17-20

A.      V. 17

i.         Paul and Silas were “orphaned”, or “torn away” from them.  In the ancient world, orphan could apply to parents separated from their children, as well as children separated from their parents

ii.       Implies that this letter comes fairly soon after Paul’s stay in Thessalonica

iii.      Paul’s desire was partially motivated by the forced separation from the Thessalonians

iv.      Separation is in person, but not in heart

B.      V. 18

i.         How was Satan involved?  Is it a reference to their prior experience in Thessalonica and Berea? 

ii.       Paul’s references to Satan occur in letters to Corinth or written from Corinth

·         Cf. I Corinthians 16:12; II Corinthians 2:11; 11:13-15; also I Thessalonians 3:5

iii.      Satan couldn’t stop Jesus at the cross, but he can stop the message of God’s victory

C.      V. 19

i.         The Thessalonians are their joy and their hope, similar to how parents view their children

·         Paul doesn’t have hope for them, they are his hope

·         Cf. I Corinthians 1:29-31 & Jeremiah 9:23-24

ii.       Crown is not the mark of royalty, but rather the crown, or wreath bestowed on those victories in the races or games held in Paul’s day.  A sign of victory and achievement, not power or royalty. 

·         Crown=stephanos

·         Cf. Proverbs 16:31

·         Cf. Philippians 4:1

iii.      Could its use with the Thessalonians be an acknowledgement of Thessalonica’s relationship with the emperor, as the term would be used to refer to any visit he made to the city

·         “in the year 69 of the first parousia of the god Hadrian in Greece”- an inscription from Tegea dated 192-193 AD

·         Cf. I Corinthians 15:23 for the only use of parousia  outside of the Thessalonian letters

D.      V. 20

i.         “Glory” becomes a substitute for “crown”, because “crown” implies an ending.