1 Thessalonians 1:1

Text (1 Thessalonians 1:1)

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace,

Translation and Paraphrase

1.

Paul, and Silvanus (who is also called Silas), and Timothy (send greetings) to the congregation of Thessalonians (who are) in God (our) Father, (in his family, favor, and fellowship,) and (in) the Lord Jesus, the anointed one. (May the) favor (of God) and peace (come) to you.

Notes (1 Thessalonians 1:1)

1.

While three men, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, sent this epistle (or letter), it is plain that Paul is the main writer, This is evident by such verses as 1 Thessalonians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5-6.

2.

The very names of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy stir up mental pictures of heroic courage and hard service. These men had the faith, the determination, and the vision of victory that we need. They did the Lord's will, not fearing the consequences, even as we must do it in our generation.

3.

Paul does not assert his apostleship at the beginning of this letter, as he does in some of his later ones. See Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; etc. The Thessalonians had no question about the genuineness of Paul's apostleship, and the false brethren who tried to force the Gentiles to keep the law of Moses had not, at that time, done so much to undermine Paul's authority as they later did.

4.

All three of these men (Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) had been in Thessalonica together, and were well known there. It is worthy of note that although Paul had greater gifts and knowledge than Silvanus or Timothy, he had no feelings of superiority and assumes no titles of preeminence. He places their names on an equal with his own at the beginning of this letter.

5.

Silvanus is the man who is uniformly called Silas in the book of Acts. In the epistles he is always called Silvanus. He was a Jew by race. Acts 16:20. He was a Roman citizen. Acts 16:37. He was a prophet. Acts 15:32. Silas and Judas bore the letter from the conference in Jerusalem to the churches in Syria and Cilicia. Acts 15:22-23; Acts 15:27. Paul chose Silas as his helper on his second missionary trip after the dispute with Barnabas. Acts 15:37-40. References to Silas during Paul's second missionary trip are Acts 16:19; Acts 16:25; Acts 16:29; Acts 17:4; Acts 17:10; Acts 17:14-15. Silas was with Paul in Corinth at the time when Paul sent this first letter to the Thessalonians. Acts 18:5. He was also with Paul there when Paul sent the second Thessalonian letter a few months later. 2 Thessalonians 1:1. Most interpreters think that the Silvanus mentioned in 1 Peter 5:12 is the same Silvanus who was with Paul on his second missionary trip.

6.

Timotheus is the same man who is usually called Timothy. Timotheus is just the Latin spelling of his name. Timothy grew up in Lystra. He joined Paul and Silas there during the early part of Paul's second missionary trip. Acts 16:1-4. He continued with Paul during his third trip, and in Rome, and afterwards. He was a loyal constant, beloved, and effective helper to Paul.

7.

The long title, church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, is not a name for the church, but rather a description of it. The term church (Gr., ekklesia) simply means a called-out assembly, and the Thesalonians were familiar with the term. (See Introductory Section VI, paragraph 6.) But the assembly to which Paul was writing was not a civil or political or earthly assembly, but the assembly which was in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that they were in God the Father made them separate from the idolatrous Gentiles. The fact that they were in the Lord Jesus Christ separated them from the unbelieving Jews.

8.

The words in italics in the Bible text throughout the Bible in the King James and American Standard versions do NOT indicate that these words are to be specially emphasized. Rather, the italics indicate that these words are not in the Greek New Testament (and you know that the New Testament was written in Greek), but have been supplied into the English translation to make it smoother and more readable. Sometimes these words in italics are helpful, and sometimes they are not. This verse would be just as clear without them.

9.

The Thessalonian church was in Godand in the Lord Jesus Christ, This description of the church in Thessalonica emphasizes the new relationships of the Thessalonian disciples. A similar description is given of the churches in Judea. Galatians 1:22.

The fact that Paul speaks about God being our Father in this verse shows the kinship which Paul felt with the Thessalonian Christians. We are all brothers in Christ, because God is our common father.

10.

The phrase in the Lord Jesus Christ, used in this verse, is a favorite of Paul. The phrase in Christ, and similar ones, often is found in his writings. Note 2 Corinthians 5:17: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. See also Romans 16:7, and others. To be in Christ, is to be in his church, in his favor, in his fellowship, and actually in his very person. See Ephesians 5:30.

NoteThe term LORD from Acts 2:36 onward refers to Jesus. God is the Father. Jesus is Lord. Acts 10:36.

11.

The word Christ means the anointed one. We have rendered it that way in our translation. The Greek word Christ means the same as the Hebrew word Messiah, and in English, both mean the anointed one. In the Old Testament times kings, priests, etc., were installed into their offices by anointing, that is, by pouring sweet oil upon their heads. See 1 Samuel 16:13. Jesus, our anointed one (or Christ), was anointed with the Holy Spirit. See Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9; Matthew 3:16.

12.

This letter, like every one of Paul's epistles except Hebrews, begins with a request for grace to be with them. See Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; etc. Grace means favor, especially unmerited favor, Christians are saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8. They need God's grace to sustain them after they are saved. Hebrews 4:16.

The word Grace was often used by the Greeks as a form of greeting. But they could not use it with the rich connotation of God's favor that Christians do.

13.

Paul's request that they might have Peace is a Hebrew greeting. (Shalom!) See Luke 10:5. This was a meaningful request to these brethren who were suffering persecutions. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-6.

14.

The words from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ are omitted by the American Stan, Version, Nestle's Gr. N.T., Westcott and Hort's Gr. N.T., the Latin version, and others. They are found in the Sinaitic and Alexandrian manuscripts of the N.T. and some later ones. But it is probably correct to omit them, and we have done so in our translation.