Chapter Fifty-eight:
Paul writes 1 Thessalonians
ACTS 18:1-18; First Epistle to Thessalonica NO CHURCH FOUNDED IN ATHENS After all that had happened to Paul in Athens he departed from there and went to Corinth. Paul was not able to start a church in Athens, only to convert a relatively few to accepting Jesus as Savior and Messiah and to walk in the way of the Lord. What was it about Athens that netted only a few converts (putting aside the foundation that it is God's doing and calling in the first place, to bring anyone to repentance and conversion). Athens was quite the city for massive heathen worship of false gods, and for human philosophy. The city was named after the patron goddess Athena, and the capital of the important Greek state of Attica, which became the cultural center of the ancient pre-Christian world. It grew up around the 512-foot-high Acro-polis and was connected with its seaport Piraeus by long walls in the days of its glory. The city was captured by the Romans in 146 B.C. and was under Roman rule when Paul came to it. They were well known for going about in the marketplace asking "What news?" They were a "religious" lot of people as we have seen from Paul's remarks. It is recorded by some historians that the people of Athens surpassed all other states in the attention that they paid to the worship of gods. So the city was crowded in every direction with temples, altars, and other sacred buildings. Mars' Hill or the Areopagus was at the west approach to the Acropolis. As we have seen Paul preached there to the devotees of three current at the time, philosophies - Platonism, Stoicism, and Epicureanism (see your Encyclopedias for information on those philosophies). Paul made use of his Hellenistic culture by quoting from a familiar verse taken from an invocation to Zeus, written by a minor Cilician poet, Aratus (312-245 B.C.). Paul may have visited the great music hall or Odeion of Pericles (cf.1 Cor.13:1) and the great Tower and Waterclock of Andronicus (cf.5:16). He may also have visited the "keramikos" or pottery-making section of the city, which was famous (cf.Rom.9:21). The aforementioned facts of history were taken from the "New Unger's Bible Dictionary " - Moody Press. Now we can see from a human point of view why it may have been so difficult for Paul to convert people to the Gospel of Christ, for the city was deeply entrenched in much pagan god worship and humanistic philosophies. Paul moved on to Corinth. Now Corinth itself was quite the city. Corinth was Greece's most splendid commercial city. Its strategic situation made it the mecca of trade between the East and the West. The city derived rich income from transport of cargo across the narrow isthmus, about five miles in width. The Romans completely destroyed the city in 146 B.C. But Julias Caesar restored it in 46 B.C. It grew so rapidly that it was made Achia's capital (from "the New Unger's Bible Dictionary" - Moody Press). From "Barnes' Notes on the New Testament" we learn this: "...the city of Corinth was built at the foot of a high hill, on the top of which stood a citadel....The circumference of the city proper was about forty stadia, or five miles....The city of Corinth, thus became the mart of Asia, and Europe, covered the sea with its ships, and formed a navy to protect its commerce.....Its population and wealth was thus increased by the influx of foreigners.....It was the mart of the world. Wealth flowed into it from all quarters. Luxury, amusements, and dissipation, were the natural consequences, until it became the most gay and dissolute city of its time....There was another cause which contributed to its character of dissoluteness and corruption. I refer to its religion. The principal deity worshipped in the city was Venus....Her shrine appeared above those of other gods; and it was enjoined by law, that one thousand beautiful females should officiate as courtesans, or public prostitutes, before the altar of the goddess of love....the effect of this on the morals of the city can be easily understood. It became the most gay, dissipated, corrupt, and ultimately the most effeminate and feeble portion of Greece....Though Corinth was thus dissipated and licentious in its character, yet it was also distinguished for its refinement and learning. Every part of literature was cultivated there.....By the Romans, the whole of Greece was divided into two provinces, Nacedonia and Achaia. Of the latter, Corinth was the capital; and this was its condition when it was visited by Paul...." Paul had quite the task ahead of him, if he wanted to establish a church in this city of Corinth, but as we shall see, he succeeded, and succeeded in a mighty way, and those who came after him added to the increase of the membership of the congregation. But we shall also find that they had many serious problems which Paul had to correct later in his epistles to them. But we are getting ahead of our story. Back to when Paul first went there and Acts chapter 18. Just about immediately Paul found a Jew in the city by the name of Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently moved there with his wife Prescilla. They had left Rome when Claudius the Roman king of the time, commanded all Jews to leave Rome. Paul was naturally drawn to Aquila and Prescilla because they and him were of the same secular trade, they were all tentmakers. He then abode or lodged with them. As usual Paul was in the synagogue teaching and preaching about Jesus as the Christ. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was stirred even more to forcefully testify to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ or Messiah. We are often lifted up when our closest friends of the same mind are with us, the encouragement to do God's work is contagious, and so it seemed to be for Paul when his Gospel companions and fellow ministers arrived to be with him once more. Yes, as before, there were those Jews who were against Paul's teaching, and got so angry they started to blaspheme, and argue among themselves. Paul then shook his clothes (a common practice to tell people you were out of patience and through with them) and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I know what is correct, and I an clean from sin. I will from now on put by efforts into going to the Gentiles." This is the mark in time that established Paul as MAINLY a teacher and preacher to none Jews. We are not told in so many words but we can safely assume from the context of the chapter, that Aquila and Priscilla were converted to the Christian Gospel in some way before Paul came to Corinth, or that Paul himself was the instrument to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul left the synagogue after turning his back on the unbelieving Jews and entered the house of one called Justus, a man that worshipped God, whose house was actually joined to the synagogue. We are told also that Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord and so did all his household, as well as many of the Corinthians, who heard the Gospel message. They believed and were baptized. So it was that the Corinthian Church of God was formed. One night the Lord came to Paul in a vision saying, "Paul, be not afraid, but speak, and do not hold your tongue, for I am with you, and this time no man is going to hurt you in any physical way; for I have decided to call many people to accepting me in this city." Was Paul ever overjoyed at this revelation. He was like a child with a brand new toy that he'd desired for ages and now had obtained. He continued in Corinth for about one year and six months, teaching the word of God among the people. The time came that a new governor by the name of Gallio was over the region of Achaia. Some of the unbelieving Jews thought that they perhaps had a "political religious" governor who would side with them, or it may have been they had been told by the leader of the synagogue that Gallio would side with them against Paul. Which ever way it was those Jews brought Paul before the judgment court of this new governor of Achaia. They accused Paul of "persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law." Paul was about to make his defense. But Gallio turned to his accuses and said, "Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of someone involved with genuine wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would be obliged to have to hear what you say. But since this is merely a question of words and names and things that concern your Jewish laws, then you look after it, I refuse to get involved in this kind of judgement. So get out of here!" The Jewish mob on leaving, grabbed hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue and beat him up, right in the courtroom, but Gallio just pretended he saw nothing, and paid no attention to their actions. We can again assume two reasons for the mob beating up this Jewish synagogue leader. Either he was initially on their side and had persuaded them that Gallio would listen to them and even judge in favor of condemning Paul, or he was on Paul's side and they thought he had some "influence" with Gallio to throw them all out on their ear. Which ever way it was, the Jewish mob beat him up right in front of Gallio, who simply paid no attention. Paul continued to stay in Corinth for some time after that event in his life. We are not told for how long he remained in Corinth, but he finally said goodbye to the Christians there, and sailed for the coast of Syria, taking Prescilla and Aquila with him (Acts 18:1-18). THE TWO LETTERS TO THE CHRISTIANS AT THESSALONICA While living in Corinth, it is thought by most scholars, that Paul wrote his two letters to the Christian brethren in Thessalonica. We shall then look in an over all way, with a basic commentary, the contents of Paul's letters of First and Second Thessalonians. Here is an introduction to 1 Thessalonians from the "New King James Bible - Personal Study Edition" published by Nelson, 1990 and 1995. AUTHOR AND DATE On his second missionary journey, as related in Acts 17:1-9, Paul and his companions came to Thessalonica. There they went into the synagogue and, three Sabbaths, "reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ... saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ'" (Acts 17:2,3). Paul's stay at Thessalonica was brief, at most only a few months. From there he went to Berea (Acts 17:10), on to Athens (Acts 17:15), and then to Corinth (Acts 18:1). From Athens Paul sent Timothy to encourage the Thessalonians. When Timothy returned to him at Corinth, the apostle was overjoyed at the news of the strong faith of the Thessalonians. From Corinth he wrote the first Thessalonian letter in late A.D. 50 or early 51. The second letter was written several months later. First Thessalonians is one of the earliest of Paul's letters and thus also of the New Testament books.... Paul was joined in writing 1 Thessalonians by his missionary companions, Silvanus (the Silas of Acts 15:22) and Timothy. BACKGROUND Thessalonica, now called Salonika, was an ancient Greek city, the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. Paul began his ministry there in the Jewish synagogue. However, the church that resulted included not only Jews, but also a number of devout Greeks and many leading women. These Greeks had been attracted previously to the Jewish monotheistic faith but had not submitted completely to its ritual - particularly circumcision. Many Jews of Thessalonica did not become believers, and the synagogue rulers eventually rejected Paul and drove him from the town (Acts 17:1-10). PURPOSE The majority of the people in the Thessalonian church had been converted from idolatry (1:9) and lives of gross immorality. From this past they had turned to Christ. Paul had not had time in Thessalonica to instruct his converts as thoroughly as he would have liked. Thus, in this letter he wanted to express his joy at their steadfastness, encourage them in the midst of suffering, instruct them in the way of holiness, and correct misconceptions about the Lord's return. CONTENTS In this letter Paul emphasizes the "Second Coming" of the Lord Jesus and the "second blessing" of full sanctification in the life of the believer. Mention is made of the "Second Coming" at the end of each chapter. Paul prays for their sanctification and tells them now to five holy lives. The apostle begins by describing the thorough conversion of the Thessalonians (1:1-10). The change in their lives was well known throughout the churches (1:7-10). Then he reminds them of his conduct: he had preached to them from pure motives and demonstrated his love for them (2:1-12). They had suffered for their faith (2:13-16). How he desired to see them (2:17-20)! Because of his anxiety for the church, he had sent to then Timothy (3:1-6), who later returned bringing good news of their steadfastness (3:6-10). Paul begins his instruction by praying for their sanctification (3:11-13). Next comes admonition on two aspects of the life of holiness - sexual purity and brotherly love (4:12). The apostle then turns to the subject of Christ's return. They need net fear. At the Lord's return Christians who have died will be united with those still alive (4:13-18). The Christian's task is to watch and be always ready for that great event (5:1-11). Next are important instructions for daily life (5:12-22). Paul concludes with a prayer for their sanctification (5:23,21), followed by greetings and a benediction (5:25-28). ................................................ PAUL WRITES 2 THESSALONIANS
From the "New King James Bible - Personal Study Edition" -
Nelson publishes, 1990, 1995, here is the introduction to this
epistle of Paul's.
AUTHOR AND DATE
Paul was joined in writing 2 Thessalonians by his missionary
companions, Salvanus and Timothy, just as he had been in writing
1 Thessalonians. This second letter was written from Corinth a
short time after 1 Thessalonians, probably late in A.D.51. See
Introduction to 1 Thessalonians: Author and Date.
BACKGROUND
Several issues found in 1 Thessalonians were still very much
alive: the suffering of Christians (2 Thess. 1:3-12; 1 Thess.
2:14-16), idleness (2 Thess. 3:615; 1 Thess. 4:9-12), and the
Lord's return (2 Thess. 2:1-12; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11). See
Introduction to 1 Thessalonians: Background.
PURPOSE
This letter was written to encourage the Thessalonians in their
suffering, to help them better understand the Lord's return, and
to instruct them in a life of responsible industry.
CONTENTS
Paul rejoices that the Thessalonians have endured in spite of
their suffering (1:3,4). Such endurance is a sign of God's
righteousness. When Christ returns, Christians will be given
"rest;" and the ungodly who persecuted them will be finally
judged (1:5-12). Christ has not yet returned; Christians must not
be disturbed thinking that they have missed His coming (2:1,2).
Before His return, a great rebellion will occur led by a person
who will claim to take the place of God (2:3-7). But Christ will
come and utterly destroy him and his followers (2:8-12). For the
present Christians must "stand fast" upon the teaching they
have received (2:13-17), pray for the spread of the gospel
(3:1-5), and live lives of responsibility, industry, and
helpfulness (3:6-15).................................................... |
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