Presently, I am examining Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians in the context of the epistles’ eschatological theme. Paul was thrust out of Thessalonica, due to the backlash the Jewish authorities made against the Gospel, which Paul began to preach in the synagogue, as the fulfillment of the promises the Lord had made to the Jewish people. According to Luke, the reaction to the Gospel was becoming quite violent, and the gentile authorities were pressured to expel Paul, which they did (Acts 17:1-10). So, while he was in Athens, Paul sent Silas and /or Timothy to Thessalonica twice both to comfort the brethren there and to understand the state of the new church during its time of trouble. Paul was unable to return to the city in person, because of his expulsion (1Thessalonians 2:18). By law he couldn’t reenter Thessalonica, until the official terms those governors who expelled him expired, and city rulers usually officiated for one year.
Keep in mind that Paul was in Athens, when he wrote both epistles to the Thessalonians. A few months may have passed, since he was expelled from the city, but no more. I believe 2Thessalonians was written first, and what we call Paul’s first epistle was written second. I have several reasons for this conclusion. First, Paul mentions in what we call his first epistle that he would have visited them twice but the enemy had prevented that eventuality (1Thessalonians 2:18). The enemy in this case was the Jewish authorities there who had convinced the gentile city governor to expel him.
Secondly, Paul’s desire and availability to visit Thessalonica was only a few short months after his expulsion, so how can we identify those two times? If the second letter was written first, and what we call the first was written second, then both occasions when Paul would have visited them were the occasions of the letters, but if the letters were written as named then we have no idea when Paul would have visited the Thessalonians prior to his “first” letter. Thirdly, it seems Paul found out that his enemies had written at least one false letter to the brethren at Thessalonica and that letter pertained to the Day of the Lord, which is the main theme of both of Paul’s epistles (2Thessalonians 2:1-2). If Paul’s “first” letter was written first, why doesn’t he mention how his letters can be identified in that salutation? Why does he wait for his “second” letter to tell them how they can identify a letter from him (cp. 2Thessalonians 3:17)?
The point is that the persecution at Thessalonica was ongoing and took many forms, confusion was one of those forms, which may also be behind the great concern the believers had over the loss of their loved ones. Paul told them to expect persecution (1Thessalonians 3:3-4; cp. Acts 14:22). It is important to remember audience relevance, when we read these epistles. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, not to folks living 2000 years later. It was the Thessalonians of the first century AD who were being persecuted. It was they who received forged letters, as though they were from Paul. It was they who were being troubled and pressure from the outside was causing much of their confusion. Who would persecute with a letter? Would the Romans? Let’s be real here. The Romans gathered up the Christians in Rome cir. 64 AD and tied them to poles, setting them on fire to light the streets and gardens at night. Romans don’t persecute with letters, but the Jewish authorities would. Audience relevance is important to understand who the persecutors were. This is the context in which Paul had to answer questions regarding the coming of the Lord.
When the Roman governors of Judea were told about a messianic figure who stirred up the people, they sent out their armies and destroyed both the leader and all those who came to see what he would do. Josephus mentions them in his histories.[1] Romans didn’t use letters to persecute folks. They took a more violent approach with their enemies. The Jewish authorities, on the other hand, couldn’t use public violence in Thessalonica without fear of reprisals against them from the city and / or Roman authorities. The Jews would use letters to persecute and confuse their enemies. Audience relevance is important.
The point is, Paul wrote about persecution that believers in Thessalonica had to endure, and this persecution was largely non-violent in nature, and it concerned pressure concerning the Day of the Lord. Once we mention the Day of the Lord, we use a subject that points to insider information. In other words, why would we expect Romans to know about the Day of the Lord, and have such detailed knowledge that they could confuse believing Jews about the promises of their own religion? Therefore, if the persecutors were Jews and not gentiles, then the wrath of God (2Thessalonians 1:3-10) would be upon Jews, not gentiles. During the first century AD, the wrath of God wasn’t upon gentiles, but it was upon the Jews, who were the persecutors of Jesus’ disciples. Nevertheless, the believing Jews would be saved from that wrath (1Thessalonians 1:10), and all these things occurred at the return of Jesus in 70 AD, when he judged Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, thus ending the Old Covenant (i.e. the end of the age).
____________________________________________________________
[1] For example see: Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews 20.8.6 (167-172).
Smoodock's Blog 