Bible Commentaries
1 Thessalonians 1

Verses 1-10

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 . Thanksgiving for the Past.— As in all his epistles except Gal., Paul commences with a paragraph of congratulation, singling out for special praise “ the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope” exhibited by the Thessalonians, and describing them as a “ model Church.”

1 Thessalonians 1:1 . Silvanus: the Silas of Acts. He and Timothy were the constant companions of Paul during the second missionary journey.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 . work of faith, etc.: note the combination of the three great Pauline words— faith, hope, and love ( cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13). This sentence is a kind of hall-mark setting the stamp of genuineness upon the epistle. Note also the combination of works and faith in the phrase “ work of faith” ( cf. Galatians 5:6).— labour of love: toil of love.— patience of hope: the endurance or the constancy of hope; the hope that never fails or flags.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 . having received . . . in affliction: a reference to the persecution organised by “ certain vile fellows of the rabble” ( Acts 17:5-9 *).

1 Thessalonians 1:7 . an ensample: a model. The phrase “ model Church” is applied only to Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 . sounded forth: reverberated. No details have been preserved with regard to this missionary activity.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 . from idols: this phrase indicates that the Church was mainly composed of Gentiles who had been converted from paganism.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 . The two principal items of their faith are: ( a) to serve a living and true God, ( b) to wait for the Parousia of Christ.— the wrath to come: the impending judgment which is to fall on the world at the Parousia.