Finally, the commnnity.life is regulated ; the members ot tlM
I. THESSALOXIANS
I. THESSALONIAXS
Ch irch (ifuit, T.'2) are to pay due honour to those in authority, gnd thi'y (Cuitt vM) are to keep discipline and be lonp-suffering. Joy, pra,ver9, and thanksgiving are to be constant; and spiritual uLteraiicea are not to be discouraged but tested (vv.l'-J-— ).
The Epistie ends with a prayer to the God of peace for their complete preservation ; witn a request for their prayers ; a com- mand to greet one another with the holy kiss ; a solemn charge by I'aul himbelf that the i:pistle be read to all the members of the Church, and a simple benediction (vv.'-s>-28^
iv. Value. — The value of the Epistle is two- fold : it represents most closely St. Paul's preach- ing to the heathen world, and therefore is to be compared with the speeches at Lystra and at Athens (cf. Sabatier, L'Apitre Paul'', pp. 8G-101); St. Paul's antagonists were Jews defending na- tional prejudices ; Judaizing Chri.sti.-ms are perhaps alluded to in 'J", but quite incidentally : and also it is not only the earliest of St. Paul's Epistles, but possibly the earliest extant specimen of Chris- tian literature.
It shows us St. Paul as the missionary, in the absence of any special controversy ; as the consoler and the pro/j/ict. We see his self-denial for the sake of others (i"'* ; cf. 1 Co 9-11); his intense Rvmpathy with his converts and dependence on tlieir sympathy (^"-i'-" S'-'") ; his power of self- adaptation (2' i-^irtoi iy(£vfi8ri)j.ev ; cf. 1 Co O**) ; his sensitiveness to the opinions of others ; his asser- tion of the purity of his own motives (2'"°) ; his appeal to his own conduct as an example (1°) ; his insistence on sjiiritual progress, based upon a hearty recognition of the good already achieved ( I- 4'- '" .'>"); his indignation with those who thwart God's work (216 46J . 1,13 sense of union with Christ (4') ; his prayerfulness (1' 3""" 5^) ; his gratefulness (1" 3'). This is exactly the character which reappears, in- tensified by controversy, in 2 Corinthians.
The witness to the organization and faith of the Church is equally interesting. The local Church forms one congregation (!'). The only otlicial title that occurs is airbaToKok, which is apparently used to include Silvanus and Timothy as well as St. Paul ; these apostles hold a position of superiority (iv /3dpei(?) 2"), including the right to be maintained there as in other Churches (2") ; they speak gener- ally in a tone of entreaty (4'" o'--''') ; once St. Paul, separating himself from the others, uses the lan- guage of solemn autliority (5"). Put, under tlie apostles, there are already ollicers who preside — probably both for discipline and for worship (5'-"'"). There are meetings with the holy kiss, the symbol of brotherhood (o^), and with prophetic utterances (5"- ") ; probably at such a meeting the letter would be read (5-''). There is a link of sympatliy and charity between them and otlier Churches (1' 2" 4'").
'i'he faith of the Church is directed to God (I'), a God of life and truth (1") and judgment ; a Pather, who has called them and marked them out for sal- vation (4' 5"). Christ is thought of mainly in His future capacity as Judge. Christian life is a wait- ing for Him (l'°). Christians have to be always watchful (.")'■'-) i He may come at any moment, and will come to inllict punishment on sin, as well as to give joy to His followers (4° 2" ; r; irapovala of Christ 8 coming, four times in 1 Thess., twice in 2 Thess., once only elsewhere in St. Paul). Put Clirist is more than this : His death was the means of salvation in the past (5") ; He is now 6 xi/piot, i H1//J10S inJ-Civ, tlie UT language about .lehovah being applied to Him (5-) ; He is God's Son (l'°) ; He is united with the Father as the mystic source of life both for the living and the dead (1' 2" 4"). He is the object of prayer, working with the Father in bestowing eartlily as well as spiritual blessings (3" /(arei/flwoi, " S'"-**). Tlie Holy Siurit is given to all Christians to enable them to conquer evil (4") ; it gives them joy under persecution ( l'- •), and inspires the utterances of the prophets (5'"). This
Epistle gives us the fullest division of human nature into spirit, soul, and body (5^). The pic- ture of the Christian life has all th ) freshness and glow of early days. It is true thftt it needs steadying and disciplining, but it is strong and radiant. The converts welcome the good news ; they put it to active proof ; the message is handed on, as by a trumpet note, to others ; they imitate their teachers and become objects of imitation to others ; they are taught of God ; there is mutual ali'ection and confidence between teachers and taught ; there is an atmosphere of love, of joj-, of life ; they live ' en plein jour.' [For the theology cf. Weiss, Biblical Iheology, pt. iii. § 1, cap. i. ; Lechler, Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Times, pt. ii. § 2, cap. i. ; The Speaker^s Commen- tarij, iii. pp. 691-701].