First Thessalonians Lecture

Introduction

• Earliest Christian Source
  • 50 CE (~20 years after crucifixion of Christ)
• Thessaloniki - a trade post because of major roads and water
• Timothy & Silas (companions of Paul during his 2nd missionary journey)
  • The three of them opened a leather shop and had theological discussions with customers (Paul says this started the church in Thessaloniki)
• Paul was forced to leave, but we don’t know why
• Timothy was able to make his way back later on
• Purpose of letter: pastoral care
  • “Hang in there through persecution”

Themes

• Encouragement
  • They are not alone in the persecution, and they are doing a good job
  • Persecution may be from the synagogue (logical guess since Paul did not have luck there and was forced away)
  • May have been persecuted by citizens of Thessaloniki because of their beliefs
    • May have been taxed, ostracized, thrown in prison, etc.
• Sexual Morality
  • Predominately Gentile population/church
  • Different sexual morality than Jews
• Work
  • Be dependent on no one
  • Maybe because of laziness
  • OR the fact that Paul was studying eschatology (study of the end times/death), so Thessalonians thought that Jesus was coming back so quickly that they didn’t need a job

Eschatology

• Will the deceased miss out on the parousia (second coming)?
  • Dead meet Christ first, then believers
• Paul’s Eschatology:
  • Present Evil Age
  • Transition (WHERE CHRISTIANS ARE)
  • We have seen many of the miracles, but are still sort of in the present evil age
  • Age to Come
• Soul sleep - when someone died, their soul went to sleep and they would wake up when Jesus comes again (Early Christian Belief)

Is this the rapture?

• Rapture - faithful meet Jesus in the air and tribulation happens to wicked on Earth
• J N Darby - Created the idea of rapture
  • Left the Anglican Church because the world was getting more and more angry with the church
  • Read 1 Thessalonians and his interpretation is the rapture
• Rapture has only been around for about 150 years
• 1st Century Custom - people would wait and meet the guest on the road when someone was expecting someone and escort them to the reception at home
• Postmillennialism - Jesus is waiting on the church to do its job, so it’s taking awhile
  • Things need to be “good enough” for Jesus to come again
  • Augustin thought that the millennial meant 1,000 year preparation for the coming of Jesus
• Premillennialism - people are raptured to Heaven
  • Created by Darby
  • People can fall into the trap of neglecting the Earth and responsibilities here and now, because they believe they will leave with God and the earth will burn up

Critical Issues

Anti-Semitism of Paul in 2:14-16

• Interpretations:
  • Added by a later editor and kept in
  • Polemical hyperbole - fiery words used in a fit of anger
• Verses Had Tragic Consequences
  • Anti-Semitism happens very quickly in church because the Jews are “cursed” because they killed Jesus
  • Ex. Myth: “Blood Libel” - Jews would kidnap Christian children and sacrifice them to use their blood to make matzah bread and consume it for a worship ritual
    • Christian soldiers would kill entire Jewish villages because of these early rumors