Thanksgiving for faith
Their faith sounded forth in Macedonia and Achaia; a template of Christian growth (ch. 1).
New Testament · Book 52 of 66
1 Thessalonians
Paul's earliest letter. Thanksgiving for a young church's faith, and plain teaching on holy living and the return of Christ.
5
Chapters
Earliest
Pauline letter
Return
Of Christ
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Thanksgiving Rising to the Return
Paul's earliest letter. Thanksgiving for a young church's faith gives way to plain teaching on holy living and the Lord's descent.
Ch. 1
Their faith sounded forth
Ch. 2
Paul's ministry remembered
Ch. 3
Timothy's report; joy
Ch. 4
Sanctification · the descent
Ch. 5
The day of the Lord · exhortations
The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout (4:16).
- Author
- Paul, with Silvanus and Timothy (1:1)
- Date
- c. AD 50–51, from Corinth
- Audience
- The young church at Thessalonica, recently planted (Acts 17)
- Position
- New Testament · Book 52 of 66
Structure
- Thanksgiving and remembrance1–3
Their faith, love, hope; Paul's ministry, separation, Timothy's mission, joy at his report.
- Holy living and the return4
Sanctification; brotherly love; the Lord's descent and the gathering of the saints.
- Day of the Lord and final exhortations5
Thief in the night; children of light; rejoice, pray, give thanks; the Spirit not quenched.
Section pages
Each section is one focused part of 1 Thessalonians — purpose, key movements, key verses, Christ-in-this-section. Roughly five minutes each.
Themes
Sexual holiness
This is the will of God, your sanctification — that ye abstain from fornication (ch. 4).
Return of Christ
The Lord himself shall descend with a shout; the dead raised, the living caught up (ch. 4).
Day of the Lord
As a thief in the night; but ye, brethren, are children of the day (ch. 5).