3. Contents of the Epistles. — (i.) I Thessa- lonians. — After the opening salutation (1'), whicli represents a combination of the conven- tional Greek and Hebrew greetings of the period (x<i/3i! Kal elpjirq), the Epistle falls into two sections.
(a) Narrative and personal (1--8"). — (1) Tlianks- giving for the Thessalonians' steadfastness under trial and progress in the faith, which have made them a pattern for all Christians throughout Macedonia and Achaia. Their new strength springs from the fact that they have become servants of a God who is living and real (P-^").
(2) Surely they can have no doubts about the apostles' motives, when they recall their freedom from all self-seeking, their solicitude for individuals, the persecution they had suffered, the labour and privation necessitated by their voluntary indepen- dence. Pupils themselves bear witness that their teachers' attitude was that of a father exhorting his children to walk worthily of God (2'"'-).
(3) The children have responded nobly. The message of power they received has inspired them bravely to endure persecution at the hands of their countrymen, even as the Jewish Cliristians had already done in Judasa (2'^''*).
(4) Driven from Thessalonica, the apostles have longed to return. More than once Paul planned to do so, but in vain. Unable to bear suspense, he and Silas sent Timothy from Athens to learn how they fared.* The good news he brought back has put new life into the apostles. In spite of persecu- tion, the Thessalonians have remained steadfast. The apostles therefore pour out their hearts in thanksgiving to God, and in new longing to revisit and strengthen their spiritual children (2i'-3"'). May God soon grant them their desire, and lead their converts still further in the way of holiness (3"-'^).
(6) Hortatory and doctrinal. — (1) So far they have done well. They must not relax their efforts. The Christian watchword is progress. Christian progress will involve complete severance from the impurity of pagan life. They who wilfully sin against the body, the dwelling-place of the Spirit, lay themselves open to the vengeance of God (4'-«).
(2) Brotherly love, already a manifest token of Divine guidance in them, must be maintained. One mark of its presence will be such quiet per- formance of daily duties as will be an example to heathen neighbours (4''''2).
(3) Let no one be anxious about departed friends. Christians are one with Christ. Those who sleep will awake and have their place along with the living at His coming (4'-"'*). When He will come no man can tell. Christians must so live as to be prepared for His coming at any time (5''").
(4) Finally, they must remember their duty of obedience to those in authority and of mutual help and forbearance to each other. Joy, prayer, thanksgiving are the basis of the Christian life. Peculiar spiritual gifts are to be neither discour- aged nor over-estimated : that which is good must
and on the reading ei'AaTo u^as o fieb? a.na.p\y\v ti^ trtarr]ptav (21'''). Its author is inspired by a desire to accept the autlien- ticity of 2 Thess., although he thinks that its difference in tone from 1 Thess. makes it incredible that the two Epistles were written to the same people about the same time.
* (cd-ytu eire^i/za (35) may perhaps imply that St. Paul sent a seconiV messenger on his own account.
THESSALONIAKS, EPISTLES TO
THESSALOKIANS, EPISTLES TO 571
be lielil fast ; all that bears the image of evil must
be rejected (5'-"-'-').
The Epistle ends with a prayer for their complete sanctilioation, a re<iuest for tlicir intercessions, a coniinaiul to circulate the Epistle itself, and a final benediction (o-'"-").
(ii.) 2 TllKSSALONlANS.— (1) The salutation (!••') leads up to a thanksgiving for the readers' spiritual progress, especially for their endurance nnder per- secution. Such constancy is a proof of what awaits them at the Final Judgment (I-"''). The Final Judgment is then described in a rliythmical passage based on OT phrases (l"''"), perliaps an adaptation of a primitive Christian hj-nin (IJorneniann, Die Thcssalonifhcrhric/c, pp. 3-29, 336). May thej' be made worthy to set forth tlie glorj' of the name of the Lord Je.sus in that day (l'""'").
(2) But let llieni not be misled. That day is not yet, whatever mistaken teachers may say, even tliough they claim the support of tlie Apostle's letter (2^"^). Do they not remember the Apostle's teaching ? A mystery of lawlessness is at work in the world, but as yet it is kept in check. First must come the removal of the restr.-iiuing power, the great apostasy, the climax of lawlessness in the person of the man of lawlessness and the time of his temporary success. Then, and not before then, will Christ come in victory to destroy tlie ' man of lawlessness' and his followers (2'"'-). Tlianks be to God who has delivered the readers from such a fate : let them hold fast those things which they liave received, and may God strengthen and keep them steadfast (2'3-i?).
(3) Let them pray for their teachers, who have full confidence in their sincerity. God grant them love and patience (3''°).
(4) Idle and unruly brethren are to be shunned. Such conduct is opposed both to the teaching and to the example of the apostles. The Christian must be self-supporting or be cut off from the com- munity (3"'"). Rlay God's own peace rest on them all (3"*). The Epistle closes with a salutation in Paul's own handwriting.