1 thessalonians dr. rick griffith singapore bible college biblestudydownloads.com

1 Thessalonians

Dr. Rick Griffith • Singapore Bible College • Biblestudydownloads.com

1 Thessalonians

Although Paul appeared to be writing about and addressing 5 different issues in his letter, there is one topic which he repeatedly mentions: the Rapture.

--> Exhortations on the Rapture of believers to meet the Lord as end markers ending each

chapter:1:10 – “…and to wait for his Son from heaven…”2:19 – “…in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he

comes…”3:13 – “…when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy

ones.”4:16-18 – “…we who are still alive and are left will be

caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…”

5:23 – “…at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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What common theme(s) do you find at the end of all five chapters?

“To the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8)Acts 9 13 14 15 16 18 21 27 28

Fall 49

TheCouncil

May 57-Aug 59

Trials

Spring 68

Expansion of Church

35 48 49 50 52 53 57 60 62 67 68 95

Apr 48-Sep 49

1Galatia

Spr 53-May 57

3Asia

Feb 60-Mar 62

1Rome

Aut 67-Spr 68

2Rome

38124

39-41

Spr 62-Fall 67

4Spain

NT Overview (Paul's Letters)

Gal 1 Thess

Matt Luke JohnMarkActs

Gospels & Acts

Pauline Epistles

Pauline

Apr 50-Sep 52

2Aegean

Summer 35-37

DamascusAntioch

Rome

Journeys1234Imprisonments

1) Background• The city of Thessalonica• Authorship• When the epistle was written• Length of Paul's stay

2) Content• Paul's Purpose in Writing

3) Review

• Unifying theme

4) Application

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(now called Salonica or Thessaloniki)

• Founded by the Macedonian General Cassander in 315 BC

• Named after his wife, Thessalonike, daughter of Philip II and half sister of Alexander the Great• In 167 BC, it became capital of one of the 4 districts of Macedonia

• In 146 BC, it was made a province and became the seat of provincial administration• From 42 BC, it was declared a free city, governed by its own politarchs

A model of ancient Thessalonica

• Knitted together 26 villages

• Main seaport and naval base of Macedonia

• Major gateway into Macedonia via port and Via Egnatia.

• The Egnatian Way (Via Egnatia) ran through the city NW to SE- Major land route across the region- extended for 493 miles [790 km]

• Port city at the Thermaic Gulf

Joint authorship of Paul, Silas and Timothy?

Some have pointed out that verse 1 suggests joint authorship: “Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonica...”

But there is a lack of strong evidence.

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3-Week Stay

FOR: Paul preached for 3 Sabbaths in the synagogue (Acts 17:2).

AGAINST: Luke's writing of Acts accurate and reliable but selected only some materials according to his focus.3-Month Stay (Nov 50-Jan 51)FOR: Enough time for Paul to establish a church (1 Thess 1:1) with its own leaders (1 Thess 5:12).

FOR: Possible to set up a church in such a short time but would lack sufficient teaching time that gave rise to tension with leaders (1 Thess 5:12).

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Book Chart1 Thessalonians: Preparation for the RaptureInnocence of Greed Principles for Growth

Chapters 1–3 Chapters 4–5

Personal Practical

Silence Slanders Strengthen Stand

Historical Hortatory

Reflections Exhortations

Looking Back Looking Forward

Commendation1:1-10

Conduct2:1-16

Concern2:17–3:13

Love4:1-12

Eschatology4:13–5:11

Church Life5:12-28

“You're great!”

“I'm innocent!”

“I care for you”

“Please God”

“Be comforted but

watchful”

“Live holy”

Corinth

Early Summer AD 51 (on second missionary journey)

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The Suzuki Method

How can we strengthen others?

Some Geographical Perspective

139

Thessalonica

Down with Paul!

Throw him in jail!

What to do?...

I'm so proud of them! I must

write to encourage them!

205

Written in Corinth after hearing Tim's report

•Three ways we can encourage

others...

Thessalonica

Berea

Athens

Corinth

Black I. Go in person

(2:17-20).


But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us” (1 Thess 2:17-18 NIV)

Paul Tried to Go in Person

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the

presence of our Lord Jesus when he

comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed,

you are our glory and joy” (1 Thess 2:19-20 NIV)

Paul's greatest blessing = People!

The best way to show people how valuable they are

is in person

SINGAPORE BIBLE COLLEGE


(2:17-20).


II. Bring others into their lives (3:1-9).


Paul sent Timothy to strengthen the church (3:1-5)

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.

Paul sent Timothy to strengthen the church (3:1-5)

4In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

Paul was encouraged (3:6-9)6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your

faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see

you. 7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence

of our God because of you?

6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your

faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see

you. 7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence

of our God because of you?

Send others when you can't go

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(2:17-20).


II. Bring others into their lives (3:1-9).


A. Minister with others as peers (3:1-2a).B. Minister as a partner with God (3:2b).C. Minister as an encourager during

other's trials (3:2c-4).D. Minister face-to-face in person (3:5).E. Send others when you can't go in

person (3:6-9).

Since Paul could not personally go back to Thessalonica due to

opposition, he was concerned that the believers might not have

received enough teaching. Thus he sent Timothy to check on their

progress.

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III. Pray for them (3:10-13).

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.


III. Pray for them (3:10-13).

12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.


Main Idea:Strengthen others to

show you care for them

• Visits: Go in person (2:17-20)

How?

• Co-laborers: Bring others (3:1-9)

• Prayer: Pray for them (3:10-13)

Encouragement

How dare these slanderers! I must defend my ministry in my letter to the

church.

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I better exhort the believers to

persevere in their faith.

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Exhortation

Also called the gift of encouragement

Exhortation?

"Be ye kind" like the Bible says or

I'll hit you over the head!

Q40

“While the teacher communicates facts and truths of the Word of God, the

exhorter is able to encourage the hearer to act upon that which he has heard.

The teacher gives the what of the Scripture, while the exhorter gives the

how” (Swindoll, “Spiritual Gifts,” 4)

Defining “Exhorting”

What are exhorters like?

• Action steps• Application• Optimism• Believes in you

The saga continued....

Looks like I must clarify some of their queries in the letter also.

205

Encoura-

gement to grow

Concern 2:17-3:13

Exhortation to

Persevere

Clarifica-tion to queries

Instruc-tions to godly living

Commen-dation1:1-10

Conduct 2:1-16

Defence against

opponents

Love

4:1-12

Eschatology 4:13-

5:11

Church Life

5:12-28

203

I must include some instructions in the

letter on how to lead a healthy

church life.

205

A less held view is that Paul wrote to combat the early Jewish-Christian Gnosticism (W. Lutgert).

Walter Schmithals also contended that the Gnostic teachers opposed Paul on two counts:

a) Paul was speaking without the power of the Spirit.b) Paul was speaking with deception and error.

Proponents of this view hold that Paul wrote against beliefs of the Jewish Gnostics:a) A “realized eschatology”b) Resurrection is not an objective event but a spiritual event

Although Paul appeared to be writing about and addressing 5 different issues in his letter, there is one topic which he repeatedly mentions: the Rapture.

--> Exhortations on the Rapture of believers to meet the Lord as end markers ending each

chapter:1:10 – “…and to wait for his Son from heaven…”

2:19 – “…in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes…”

3:13 – “…when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

4:16-18 – “…we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the

air…”5:23 – “…at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

205

The Rapture

The Rapture

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the

archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their

graves. 17Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the

clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18So encourage each other

with these words” (1 Thess. 4:16-18 NLT).

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Second

=

Advent

Premillennialism

ALL 5 RAPTURE

VIEWS ARE

PREMILLENNIAL

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Israel

Church Age

Second Coming

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Dispensationalism208

339e

When will the Rapture occur?

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“Pre-Trib” Rapture208

Why Am I Pretrib?

1. Believers will be kept from (evk) this “hour,” or time period (Rev. 3:10)

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“Pre-Trib” Rapture

1. “I will keep you from (e,k) the hour of testing that will come

upon the whole world, to test

those who dwell upon the earth”

(Rev. 3:10)

Second Coming

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Greek Prepositions

e,k ek

ei;j eis

dia, dia

“into”

“through”

“from, out of, away from”

peri peri“around”

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Second Coming

ei;j eis

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(Rev. 3:10)

e,k ek

dia,

dia“into”

“through”


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sphere of “the evil

one”

The Only Other NT Occurrence of “Keep From” (thre,w e,k)

1. “I do not ask you to take them out of (e,k) the world, but to keep them from (e,k) the evil one”

(John 17:15)e,k ek


Not kept in Satan's sphereparallels

not kept in Tribulation Period

The idea of being taken out of the world relates to being removed from the world

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Second Coming




(Rev. 3:10)

Each time this “phrase occurs… the enemies of the church are always in mind”

- Mounce, 120

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Why Am I Pretrib?

1. Believers will be kept from (evk) this “hour,” or time period (Rev. 3:10)

2. The Tribulation tests unbelievers (3:10) under God's wrath (6:16-17)

3. The Holy Spirit's work of restraining evil will be absent (2 Thess. 2:6-7).

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pnue/ma (“Spirit” = neuter noun but used of a person)

o` kate,cwn (“he who restrains” = masculine, 2:7 = a person)

to. kate,con (“what restrains” = neuter, 2:6 = gospel preaching)

Why Am I Pretrib?

4. The church is never mentioned in the Tribulation chapters (Rev. 4–19) except as the “tabernacle of God” in heaven (13:6; cf. Eph. 2:21-22)

5. The Church will never come under God's wrath (John 5:24, Rom. 5:9; 8:1; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9). Persecution and wrath are completely different!

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Second Coming

5. The Church will never come under God's wrath:• John 5:24• Rom. 5:9; 8:1• 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9• Rev. 6:15-17• Rev. 11:18• Rev. 14:10, 19

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Why Am I Pretrib?

6. The Rapture is imminent (“can happen at any time”), so it must also be pretribulational:

a. “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2)

b. “I will come back and take you to be with me” (John 14:3) = “I am coming” in immediate future without signs

c. James 5:8-9; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 1:6-7; 1 John 2:28; 3:2-3; Rev. 22:10, 12

209

Stages of the Second Coming 210

The Rapture The Revelation1 Pretribulational (Rev. 3:10) Posttribulational (Rev. 19:11-21)

2 Christ will come in the air (1 Thess. 4:16)

Christ will come to the earth, His feet touching the Mt. of Olives (Zech 14:4)

3 A coming for the saints (John 14:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:15-17)

A coming with the saints (Matt. 25:31; 1 Thess. 3:13; Rev. 19:14)

4 Saints (dead and alive) will be caught up (“raptured”) from the earth to meet the Lord in the air and taken to heaven (1 Thess. 4:16-17)

Saints already on earth will remain on the earth (no Rapture) to be ushered into the Millennium (Acts 15:16; Rev. 5:10; cf. Matt. 6:10; chap. 24)

5 Produces comfort and hope (1 Thess. 4:18)

Produces fear and judgment (Matt. 24:27-31; Luke 21:20-28; Rev. 6:15-17)

Stages of the Second ComingThe Rapture The Revelation

6 Mystery truth revealed only in the New Testament age (1 Cor. 15:51)

Central in OT prophecy but clarified in the NT (Jer. 30:7; Zech 14:1-3; Matt. 24:30; Col. 3:4)

7 Bodies of church saints glorified (1 Cor. 15:51-58; Phil. 3:20-21) and brought to heaven for seven years (1 Thess. 4:17)

Bodies of tribulation saints left in mortal state to continue to live on the earth in the millennium (Matt. 25:31-34)

8 Imminent, no signs needed (1 Thess. 4:16)

Not imminent but preceded by spectacular signs in the heavens and on the earth (Matt. 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-28; Acts 2:19-21; Rev. 1:7; chs. 6-19)

9 Primary purpose is deliverance of the saints from this world (1 Thess. 1:10)

Primary purpose is judgment of unbelieving (Matt. 25:31-46)

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10

Invisible and private as only believers see Christ and since God sends a powerful delusion through the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:11)

Visible and public since “every eye shall see Him” (Rev. 1:7)

11 Fulfills a promise to the Church where Jew-Gentile distinctions do not exist (1 Thess. 4:15; cf. John 14:1-3; Eph. 2:11-16)

Fulfills promises to Israel of covenants made in the Old Testament (Gen. 12:1-3; Ps. 89; Isa. 11:11-14; cf. Rom. 11:26-27)

12

Evil begins to increase (2 Thess. 2:1-12)

Evil is suppressed (2 Thess. 1:7; Ps. 37:9-10)

13

Church removed (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

Satan removed (Rev. 20:1-3)

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14

Christ shown as Head of the Church and all things (Eph. 1:10, 22; 4:15; Col. 1:18; 2:10)

Christ vindicated as Messiah to Israel (Zech. 14:3-4; cf. Acts 1:6 with v. 11)

15

Judgment seat of Christ for believers (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13)

Judgment of Israel and Gentiles (Ezek. 20:34-38; Matt. 25; Zech. 14:4; cf. p. 160)

16

The Lord is at hand (Phil. 4:5) The kingdom is at hand (Matt. 24:14)

17

Nature subsequently ruined (Rev. 6–16)

Nature subsequently restored (Rom. 8:19-22; Isa. 11:6-9; 35:9; 65:25)

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“Mid-Trib” Rapture

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Second ComingRaptures

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“Partial” Rapture

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“Post-Trib” Rapture

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Why Am I Not Posttrib?

8. If posttrib, then sheep would already be separated from goats (Matt. 25:31-46).

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9. Some people in the millennium will die (Isa. 65:20), but a posttrib rapture gives a glorified body to all believers; therefore, some people must trust Christ in the Tribulation and enter the Millennium in their mortal bodies.

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Pre-WrathRaptureGreatTribu-lation

7 years

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“Prewrath” Rapture

God'sWrath(Day

of Lord)

Begin-ning of Sor-rows

Because you have kept my word of patience

I will keep you from the hour (here)

Rapture & Day of Lord

follow testing

208

“We will rise to meet Him”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

The Second Coming

Marriage Backgrounds in

Jewish LiteratureMarriage depicts

Christ's love for the church (Eph. 5)

The order of marriage customs parallels

church eschatology

The First Century Wedding Procession

The procession parallels Christ's return for His Bride, the Church

Bride's House

Groom's House

415

Marriage & the Church Timeline

Election

God the Father

chose those to be saved(Eph. 1:5,

11)

Purchase

Christ paid the Father His blood to redeem the church

(1 Pet. 1:18)

SignNew

covenant began with the cup of the Supper

(Luke 22:20)

Our JobHoliness for Christ

during church age

(2 Cor. 11:2)

Christ's Job

Preparing heaven for

churchuntil He returns

(John 14:1-3)

RaptureChrist brings

church to heaven

at unexpected time w/ shout

(1 Thess. 4:14-18)

Wedding

Church cleansed &presented unspotted

(rewarded) in heaven

(Eph. 5:26)

Supper to Come

Church unites with Christ & glorifies Him for imparting righteousness (Rev. 19:7-9)

Second Coming

& SupperSaints & Christ return to earth to reign (Rev. 19:11-20:6)

Choice(Shiddukhin)Father chose a bride for

his son(Tobit 4.12-13; 7.9-13; Ecclesiast.

7.23; Sirach 7.25; Mishna Kiddushin

2.1)

Purchase

(Mohar)Groom

paid bride's

father gold & silver or

serviceas dowry

(Tobit 8.21; Jub.

28.2)

Sign(Ketubah)Marriage covenant

began with contract &

cup of betrothal

(Tobit 7.14-15; Kidd.

2.2; Ketuboth

1.2)

Bride's Job

(Kedeshet)Maintained

virginity (set apart

for groom) one year (Mishna Sotah 1.1,

5; 5.1; Sirach 42.10)

Groom's Job

(Huppah)Prepared

bridal chamber and place

in home ofhis father(1 Macc. 3.56; 2 Enoch 61.2)

Procession

(Nissuim)Groom

unexpectedly arrived, called

bride & escorted her to his

father's house(Adam & Eve 22.3; 4 Ezra

6.23)

Wedding(Sheva Brachot

= 7 Nuptial blessings)

bride washed,adorned,

presented by groom as

beautiful virgin (Tobit 7.13) &

declared married

Wedding SupperIntercourse

(Mishna Ketuboth 1.1; 3 Macc.

1.19; 4.6) began a 7-14 day feast (Tobit 8.19-20;

9.6); guests given white linen &

groom praised for beauty given to

the bride

Married LifeBride & groom lived in society to serve God together (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6)

9th ed. 22-May-03

(Separation of Church & Christ)Millennium

Church Age Tribulation

(Separation of Bride & Groom)Betrothal Period

415

Sistine Chapel

The Invitation in Revelation 19:7-9

7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself

ready.”

8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen,

bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous

acts of the saints.9 Then he said to me,

“Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the

marriage supper of the Lamb.' ” And he said to me,

“These are true words of God.”

NASB Updated 1995

415

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(Wedding) (Supper)

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The Marriage & Supper Contrasts (19:7-9)

Symbols Wedding Feast

Verse 7 9

Tense Aorist (past) Present

Involvement Church as Bride Israel as Guests

Time Period Tribulation Millennium

Place Heaven Earth

Characteristics Procession, Wedding

Friends invited to Wedding Feast

Explanation Bride/Church brought to Father's house

Bride/Church introduced to friends/Israel

Scripture Rom. 7:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:17; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:27

Isa. 25:6-8; Matt. 8:11; 26:29; Luke 12:35-37

416

We will join him in the clouds

When and where was 1 Thessalonians written from?

Answer: AD 51 from Corinth

204

What are the two views about Paul's length of stay in Thessalonica?

Answer: One view is 3 weeks whereas the other is 3 months.

205

What are the two possible unifying themes of this epistle and which is the more common?

Answer: Combating Gnosticism or Preparing for the Rapture

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•PREACH the gospel strategically.

This letter impacts us positively:

203

•TEACH the whole counsel of God systematically.

203

•DISCIPLE (PASTOR) new believers skilfully.

203

LIVE AS IF THE RAPTURE IS TODAY,

PLAN AS IF THE RAPTURE IS IN THE NEXT CENTURY.

203

Alvin

SolomonJimaia

Kam Kheun

1 Thessalonians

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