In spite of strong opposition, Christianity grew rapidly. Starting from the city of Jerusalem, it soon spread throughout the Roman Empire. One of the men responsible for this rapid growth was the Apostle Paul. Paul was not always a follower of Jesus. On the contrary he was, at first, bitterly opposed to Christianity and did everything he could to destroy it. After Jesus appeared to him in a vision, however, Paul realized he was mistaken and became a follower of Christ. After his conversion he began to preach the faith he had once tried to destroy. Traveling from city to city, Paul proclaimed the good news that through Jesus Christ people could be forgiven of their sins and reconciled to God. He then organized the converts into congregations so that the believers could study God’s word and worship together and give one another support and encouragement. He also trained other men to provide leadership to the converts and to carry on the work of evangelism. Two of these men were Silvanus, more commonly known as Silas, and Timothy. After establishing a congregation in one place, Paul would move on to another city. He did not, however, abandon the congregations which he had previously begun. He not only visited them from time to time, but was also inspired by Christ to write them letters of encouragement and instruction. Two of these letters were written to the church at Thessalonica. At the time at which Paul wrote, this city, which was named after the half-sister of Alexander the Great, was about 300 years old and was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. The city is still in existence today, and is located in the country now known as Greece.
Paul’s efforts to evangelize the city of Thessalonica met with initial success. A large number of people were converted to Christ. In a short while, however, the Jewish residents of the city became jealous and started a riot in protest. In order to calm the situation down, the believers, some of whom the crowd had dragged before the authorities and had been forced to post bond, sent Paul and his companions to a neighboring city. Naturally, this chain of events caused Paul a great deal of distress and anxiety. Would the new believers, who had not had time to mature in their faith, be able to remain faithful in the face of the pressure which was being brought to bear upon them? How much of what they had been taught would they be able to remember?
Paul desperately wanted to return to complete the work which he had begun in Thessalonica, but was prevented from doing so. Finally, when it became clear that he would not be able to go personally, he sent Timothy to find out what the condition of the believers was. Were they still strong in their faith? Had they succumbed to the persecution which was directed against them? Timothy brought back a very encouraging report and the inspired letter which we know as 1st Thessalonians was written as a result. The letter begins with these words:
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly [that is, the church] of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1:1)
Humility is one of the characteristics of a truly great person of God. Though Paul had been personally selected by Christ as an Apostle, he was always willing to acknowledge the work of others. Though Paul is writing by to the Thessalonians by inspiration, he includes the names of Silas and Timothy, his fellow-workers, in his greeting.
The letter is addressed to the church. The word ‘church’ literally means the ‘called out ones.’ This term was used by the Greeks to refer to various types of political or religious assemblies. Paul makes it clear whom he is addressing, however, when he specifies that the church is “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:”
Why do the followers of Christ call God, ‘Father?’ There are several reasons, but one of them is that God brings the followers of Christ into a family relationship with each other and with Himself. He treats them as His children. As Paul states elsewhere in this letter, one of the roles of a father is to encourage, comfort and to urge his children to live worthy lives. This is how God treats the followers of Christ. Many people think of God as a harsh and judgmental taskmaster, but from a Christian’s point of view, God’s primary characteristic is His love.
Paul refers to Jesus as ‘Lord.’ By right, the name ‘Lord’ belongs to God. One measure of God’s esteem for Jesus is that He has given Him His own name. As Scripture says in another place, “…God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) Have I brought glory to God by confessing that Jesus is Lord?
We often use words without thinking about what they mean. This is true of many people when they call Jesus the ‘Christ.’ The title, ‘Christ,’ means ‘Anointed One.’ In other words, someone who is formally appointed to perform a particular role. God has anointed Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King. If we are going to call Jesus the ‘Christ,’ then we must also accept Him in the roles to which He has been appointed. The work of a prophet is to proclaim God’s word. Do I listen to what Jesus has said on God’s behalf? One of the responsibilities of a priest is to offer sacrifices for sin. Have I accepted the sacrifice Jesus has made for me? Another work of a priest is to petition God for others. Do I pray to God in Jesus’ name? The responsibility of a king is to rule. Do I obey Jesus’ commands?
Paul ends his salutation by asking that the followers of Christ at Thessalonica receive grace and peace. Grace is usually defined as the undeserved kindness or favor of God, but it also refers to the God-given power which enables one to live for Christ and to become like Him. This is important in considering what is meant by the word ‘peace.’ It is obvious that by ‘peace’ Paul does not mean the absence of trouble or hardship. Later he writes about the “much affliction” (NIV, “severe suffering”) (1:6) which the believers at Thessalonica had experienced. It is grace which enables one to live for Christ in spite of suffering. Peace is the contentment and assurance which God gives regardless of difficult and painful circumstances.