Luke tells us in Acts 16:9 that Paul went to Macedonia in response to a call: "come over to Macedonia and help us." He, along with Silas, Timothy and Luke, first arrived at Philippi. Not long after their arrival, they were arrested on false charges, flogged and imprisoned. After an earthquake, the jailer, his family and staff were converted and Paul and Silas were released.
Not long afterwards they headed southwest about 100 miles to Thessalonica. Luke tell us in Acts 17:1-9 that a great revival broke out following their conversion which spread like a wildfire. A powerful church was established with an unprecedented world outreach.
Therssalonica was the chief seaport of Greece. The main Roman road from Rome to the Orient to Istanbul (Turkey) passed through this port city. It was called the Egnatian Way. This put them in direct contact with many other important cities by land and by sea.
Of further interest is that this city of some 200,000 was an ethnic mixture of Greeks, Romans, Oriental and Jews. In 42 BC the city received the status of a "free city" from Anthony and Octavian because the people helped them defeat Brutus and Cassius. "Free City" simply meant that they did not have Roman troops in their city, they minted their own currency and had their own senate and public assembly to govern over them. Today, Thessalonica is an important Industrial and commercial city in modern Greece.
Paul wrote Thessalonians in about 51AD from Corinth which was either his first or second epistle (Galatians may have been written a year or so earlier). The imminent return of Christ is one of the central themes of I Thessalonians. During the next few weeks I want to share some insights found in each chapter that is applicable and needful for the revitalization of today's Church in the light of His imminent return.
2 comments:
I certainly don't want to be argumentative, brother , but it is hardly reasonable to state that "the imminent return of Christ is the central theme of 1Thessalonians." ...for sure it is a theme , however,the central theme would have to be the establishing and strengthening of a young church in a stormy setting (1 Thessalonians 3:2, 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:17; 3:3). In neither epistle does Paul fight any grave errors in the church. It is about the heartbeat of Paul the pastor as he identifies with a young congregation taking its first steps in faith. Granted 1 Thessalonians 5 is all about Christ's return but remember there are 4 other chanters.
Hi Bruce: Thanks for your note. If you will re-check the article, I did add that the imminent return of Christ is "one of the central themes" of I Thess. Thanks for pointing that out. Having said that, I do disagree with your assertion that it is only relagated to the 5th chapter. If you will look at I Thess.1:9-10;2:19-20;3:12-13;4:13-18;5:1-10,23-24)Paul deals with 5 basic issues in the light of Christ's imminent return. I will share my reasons in coming days. God bless you and keep digging! (John 8:32)
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