TEACHING 2: 1st Thessalonians 2
Welcome to the 2nd teaching for our discipleship hour/ inductive study on Thessalonians. Here is a brief summary of chapter 2. Questions are located at the bottom of this post so you can enjoy studying this in a group or on your own. Also check out this video from Drive Thru History about Thessalonica.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Cc6fRbadk
Also check out Drive Thru History’s BLOG post for more info.
https://drivethruhistoryadventures.com/thessalonica-thessalonike/
Modern day Thessolonica with ancient ruins in the foreground. Notice that it is still a major place of commerce with the ships out in the Agean Sea.
In chapter 2 Paul takes some time to give a bit of a defense for his ministry and motives. 1 Thes. 2:1-16 defend his actions as an apostle (leader of the church worldwide) and 1 Thes. 2:17- the end of the chapter give a defense for Paul's absence from the church. Why did he leave them? Acts 17 teaches us that Thessolonica was in an “uproar” and Paul and his companions had to slip away in the night for safety.
Mixed in with his defense of himself and his ministry, Paul also encourages them that he loves them, and is for them. "Because we loved you so much..." is his reasoning for their continued work for this church. His ministry isn't "Paul" focused! It is focused on the Thessalonians, which Paul knows pleases the Lord.
It is likely that false teachers were trying to discredit Paul, or that human nature kicked in and after a long absence people started to wonder if Paul was the “real deal” or not. Paul says “you yourselves know” many times to remind them that they already know Paul and his team are genuine. They show fruit and produce fruit in ministry. They are enduring hardship for the church. Ministers who are in ministry for the wrong reasons will run when ministry gets hard. Paul shows that he will endure hardship for the cause of the gospel and because of a love for the people. In fact, he says that he will endure many conflicts, and be in agony, for them.
Ancient mosaic of the Apostle Paul.
Paul states in 2:5 that he hasn’t tried to flatter them. He is what he is. He really loves them, and really loves the Lord. It's not for fame or for money that he leads them. In fact, to ward off criticism that he is in it for the money he works as a tentmaker to provide an income, keeping the pressure off of this young church having to support his life and ministry. A common practice of rabbis in Jesus’s day. Paul practiced this bi-vocational ministry throughout his whole career.
Thessolonica
Paul in 2:7, even claims that he has cherished the people like a mother cherishes a nursing child. While the child or the church could be seen as a burden, a frustration that is time-consuming and needy, Paul chooses to cherish them in love. He goes on in chapter two to give another parent reference, claiming that he cares for the people in 2:10-12 like a father cares for his kids. In Hebrew society that meant a father would do three things 1. exhort their kids, 2. comfort their kids, and 3. charge their kids. Paul does all of these things for the church in Thessalonica. Paul cherishes them like a mother and leads them like a father. Paul closes out chapter two by encouraging the believers that God’s wrath is overflowing against their persecutors and God will bring justice and peace in the end.
1 Thessalonians written on papyrus dating from 200-300 AD.
1 Thessalonians 2
2 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians
17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Acts 17 Paul in Thessolonica (extra reading/study)
17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
INDUCTIVE STUDY PROMPTS
Read the passage. Let’s get into God’s word! (Acts 17 for extra reading)
Write down how the passage made you feel. One word, like convicted, happy, anxious, melancholy, etc. Let’s make this passage personal!
Write down a word or phrase or idea in the scripture that jumped out at you. Let’s let the Holy Spirit work through His word!
Leader asks some/all to share their feeling and their word/phrase/idea, then asks what from their life does that person associate with that feeling and word/phrase/idea. (example from studying Psalm 23) Might be remembering visiting grandpa’s sheep farm and sadness of loss of him, or pain of strained family relationships, or joy remembering grandma and grandpa’s good Christian marriage. Let’s talk about it from our life experience!
Leader asks if there is anything that he/she/group can pray for that person in relation to all that was shared. Let’s pray!
Leader takes notes and remembers to follow up with that person the following week to see how things are going. Let’s be consistent/remember/challenge each other!