Background on 1 & 2 Thessalonians

Thessalonica: the City

Paul stoped at Thessalonica on his second missionary journey, along with Silas, and others. After entering the city, they immediately began preaching in the Jewish synagogues. Many Jewish and Greeks were converted. Offending others in the city, they were snuck away to the city of Berea, several miles to the Southwest of Thessalonica.

This is the last time we know they visited Thessalonica. They certainly didn’t get to say goodbye the way they wanted.  This may very well be one of the reasons Paul elects to write them only a short time after they’d been together.

This map is used by permission. http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/JBPhillips.htm

1 & 2 Thessalonians: the Letters

1 & 2 Thessalonians were written in relative closeness to each other. Paul left Thessalonica for Berea. In Berea, he was agitated by the Thessalonians who followed him there to disrupt his work. This sent him to Athens, where apparently he got word from Timothy that they had some questions. It appears he writes to them from Athens. These are his earliest letters, written about 52-53 AD. The second letter follows closely after the first.

Both letters begin with encouragement. This is Paul’s reason for writing. The young church, just months old at this point, is struggling with their new-found faith, in need of encouragement, and in the midst of persecution. Paul reminds them that it is their faith, love, prayer, and endurance that will see them through.