Where were first and second thessalonians written answers. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international bible society. It appears to have been written shortly after 1 thessalonians, in response to certain reports that had come to the apostle regarding the thessalonians progress 3. It is traditionally attributed to paul the apostle, with timothy as a coauthor. If the date is as suggested above then this second epistle was also written from corinth. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international bible. This represents the apostle pauls second canonical correspondence to the fellowship of believers in. What is the purpose of the book of 2nd thessalonians. Because of its similarity to 1 thessalonians, it must have been written not long after the first letter perhaps about six months. In his second epistle to the thessalonians, paul wrote words of counsel and clarification to members of the church who misunderstood. If it was truly written before the destruction of the temple, then the prophecy of the antichrist sitting in the temple and declaring himself to be god as a sign of the second coming of jesus would have been debunked. Summary two letters that paul wrote to the church in thessalonica are. The first letter of paul to the thessalonians is also the first letter the apostle wrote. Paul, worried about his friends and their troubles with false teachers, wrote this second letter to the believers at thessalonica in the hope of encouraging their young but burgeoning faith.
Nevertheless, many in modern scholarship hold to the authenticity of pauline authorship for 2 thessalonians1 c. What is the purpose of the book of 1st thessalonians. However, such arguments have not convinced current interpreters. Landscape the bustling seaport city of thessalonica was the capital of macedonia, located along the egnatian way the most important trade route in the roman empire, running from. Some had given up work to wait for the coming of the lord. Biography of paul both the internal and external evidence points to paul writing this epistle. The recording is dramatized, from the king james bible. They reveal the apostle pauls heart and passion as he seeks to guide this congregation towards health and balance. Far and away the largest theological contribution of both 1 and 2 thessalonians lies in what they say about eschatology. Mar 17, 2020 second thessalonians was undoubtedly written to deal with the embarrassment resulting from pauls belief that jesus would return in his own lifetime, yet died disappointed.
Since the subject matter of the second letter has a number of thematic. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica. Intro to 1 thessalonians biblica the international. The account of pauls founding of the church at thessalonica is. They are included in the body of the text so the reader can see them as he reads the book without having to page over to a separate outline. A bible study looking at the book of second thessalonians. The letters called epistles from paul to thessalonica, which included i thessalonians and ii thessalonians were probably two of the earliest letters paul had written which was around a. Obviously paul wrote the book of 2nd thessalonians. Both 1 thessalonians and 2 thessalonians are traditionally believed to have been written by paul in athens. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our lord jesus christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. In the greek new testament, 2 thessalonians is listed as to the thessalonians. Paul is the author of the book of 1st thessalonians as he begins paul, silvanus, and timothy, to the church of the thessalonians in god the father and the lord jesus christ 1. For since we believe that jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when jesus returns, god will bring back with him the believers who have died. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Read and study 2 thessalonians, including book summary, with the versebyverse bible commentary. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a. May 17, 20 the first book of thessalonians was written approximately in a. Timothy and silassilvanus who were the apostles companions on his second missionary journey. Because of its similarity to 1 thessalonians, it must have been written not long after the first letterperhaps about six months.
Paul was still in corinth and unable to leave his work there. To the church of the thessalonians in god our father and the lord jesus christ. In further support of this is the fact that paul, silvanus and timothy 1. While 1 thessalonians emphasized the return of christ for his church in what we call the rapture, 2 thessalonians emphasizes the return of christ to the earth the second time, when he returns in judgment and sets up his kingdom here upon this earth. The people were getting confused about the coming of the lord and day of the lord. The book of 1 thessalonians was written in approximately a. The holy bible book 53 2 thessalonians kjv dramatized.
This may well be true of 1 thessalonians, but most new testament scholars say that 2. Pauls second letter to the thessalonians is a follow up to the first. Second epistle to the thessalonians encyclopedia of the. Nov 18, 2012 this is the holy book of 2 thessalonians, known as the second epistle of paul the apostle to the thessalonians. Why did paul write 2nd thessalonians see purpose of the epistle to encourage them in their steadfastness under persecution.
The book of 2 thessalonians 2 thessalonians is the. The main reason it has been questioned is simply because the language of 2nd thessalonians differs from pauls other letters in a few ways. Second thessalonians is widely regarded as pseudonymous. This is the holy book of 2 thessalonians, known as the second epistle of paul the apostle to the thessalonians. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading 2nd thessalonians. Headings throughout the following book of 2 thessalonians. For 2 thessalonians, this date is also generally acknowledged, though there is some dissent. Book of first thessalonians overview insight for living. Letters of paul to the thessalonians bible britannica. It was written to a struggling, yet vigorous church that was only a few months old, made up of christians who had just come to christ under pauls ministry. A majority still hold to pauls authorship of 2 thessalonians. This may well be true of 1 thessalonians, but most. The personal details shared all match what we know of paul from other new testament books.
Inasmuch as the situation in the thessalonian church has not changed substantially, pauls purpose in writing is very much the same as in his first letter to them. Paul wrote 1 thessalonians and sent it to the church. After paul learned of the news about the thessalonians progress following the first letter, paul probably wrote 2 thessalonians. Second thessalonians distinguishes itself by the detailed teaching it presents on the end times. This allows only a very small time window for the letters to be written from 50 to 51 a. It says not to be troubled by a previous letter written as if by paul, whi. Paul wrote this epistle to the thessalonians to answer, among other issues, questions concerning the day of the lord. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by paul. The headings and subheadings make up an outline of the book. A bible study looking at the book of first thessalonians.
The letter is more focused on problems in the church and may reflect the receipt of later news from the thessalonians. What length of time had passed between the writing of the two epistles. Paul wrote the second letter to the thessalonians approximately a year or so after the first letter. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul. They thought it had come already so they stopped with their work. Intro to 2 thessalonians biblica the international. Some have suggested that paul penned this letter from ephesus acts 18. Further, this letter is noteworthy for pauls toughmindedness in predicting judgment on the ungodly and in rebuking church members who behave and think incorrectly. False teachers had been presenting fake letters as if from paul and telling the thessalonian believers that the day of the lord had already come. It is likely the first of pauls letters, probably written by the end of ad 52 however, some scholars believe.
Nov 18, 2015 the author obviously paul wrote the book of 2nd thessalonians, probably near ad 52 and almost immediately after 1st thessalonians because the church had more questions about jesus second coming. We learn from the book of acts that during pauls stay in the city of thessalonica, he preached in a jewish synagogue on three successive sabbath days. The same three, paul, silvanus, and timothy sent the letter. In contrast to the warm emotional tone of 1 thessalonians, 2 thessalonians includes some blunt commands as paul addresses bad behavior and bad thinking. Everyone would like to have some insight into what their future holds. The key personalities in this book are the apostle paul, silas, and timothy. The first epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as first thessalonians or 1 thessalonians, is a pauline epistle of the new testament of the christian bible. The book of 2 thessalonians was likely written in ad 5152. Check out this summary and commentary and the book of i thessalonians.
In the church of thessalonica there were some misunderstandings about the return of christ. The first letter 1 thessalonians was written to a community of believers who had been christians for only a short period of time, probably no more than a few months. Second thessalonians was undoubtedly written to deal with the embarrassment resulting from pauls belief that jesus would return in his own lifetime, yet died disappointed. Over a quarter of 1 thessalonians and nearly half of 2 thessalonians deal with problems and issues regarding the parousia or coming of christ from heaven. The author obviously paul wrote the book of 2nd thessalonians, probably near ad 52 and almost immediately after 1st thessalonians because the church had more questions about jesus second coming.
If paul sent 1 thessalonians at the beginning of his stay in corinth, he may well have sent 2 thessalonians within eighteen months of the first letter or towards the end of his stay at corinth c. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle, and is addressed to the church in thessalonica, in modernday greece. He writes in the introduction to this 1959 book about the authenticity of i thessalonians, this letter claims to be from paul 1. If paul were the author, the books would have had to be written just a few months apart. Book of second thessalonians overview insight for living. The book of 2 thessalonians was written shortly after the book of 1 thessalonians, probably within a few months. Letters of paul to the thessalonians, two new testament letters written by paul from corinth, greece, about ad 50 and addressed to the christian community he had founded in macedonia. Book of second thessalonians overview insight for living ministries. The church in thessalonica still had some misconceptions about the day of the lord. The first book of thessalonians was written approximately in a.
To help believers understand that jesus is coming back and to keep faithful in a world of ever increasing apostasy. First thessalonians provides christians with the clearest biblical passage on the coming rapture of believers, an event that will inaugurate the sevenyear tribulation. How much more so when it comes to the end of the whole world. He also wrote the commentary on the first and second epistles to the thessalonians the gospel according to john in this series.
The second epistle to the thessalonians, commonly referred to as second thessalonians or 2 thessalonians is a book from the new testament of the christian bible. What two letters were written to this congregation. The first letter was written after timothy, his coworker, returned from thessalonia to report that the new. This dating of 1 thessalonians has been widely accepted by scholars of all persuasions with little dissent. Though only three chapters in length, almost of the book repeats what is said in 1 thessalonians.
For the history of thessalonica see introduction to 1 thessalonians. This summary of the book of 2 thessalonians provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 2 thessalonians. The apostle paul with silvanus silas and timothy a. The second epistle to the thessalonians begins with almost the same wording as the first epistle. The book of 2 nd thessalonians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Second thessalonians is the ninth of pauls letters. Paul wrote 2 thessalonians from corinth in ad 51 within months of writing the first letter. The author of the book of second thessalonians is the apostle paul. The first and second epistles to the thessalonians kindle. The situation in the church seems to have been much the same. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was written by.