1Th 1 | Scofield

1 Thessalonians 1

Book Introduction - 1 Thessalonians

WRITER: The apostle Paul (1 Thessalonians 1:1)

DATE: The Epistle was written from Corinth, A.D. 54, shortly after Paul's departure from Thessalonica (Ac16:, 17.), and is the earliest of his letters.

THEME: The theme of the Epistle is threefold:

To confirm young disciples in the foundational truths already taught them;
To exhort them to go on to holiness;
To comfort them concerning those who had fallen asleep. The second coming of Christ is prominent throughout. The Epistle is incidentally most interesting as showing the richness in doctrine of the primitive evangelism. During a mission of about one month the apostle had taught all the great doctrines of the Christian faith.

The divisions of the Epistle are sufficiently indicated by the Chapters.

The model church, and the three tenses of the Christian life1:1-10
The model servant and his reward2:1-20
The model brother, and the believer's sanctification3:1-13
The model walk, and the believer's hope, 4:1-18
The model walk, and the day of Jehovah, 5:1-28

work of faith

Lit. operative faith, and laborious love, and hope-filled patience. how ye turned

The tenses of the believer's life here indicated are logical and give the true order. They occur also in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. The "work of faith" is to "turn to God from idols" (cf) John 6:28,29 the "labour of love" is to "serve the living and true God"; and the "patience of hope" is to "wait for his Son from heaven" (cf) ; Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Luke 12:36-48; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20,21. Paul repeats this threefold sequence in Titus 2:11-13.