Yet, notwithstanding all these drawbacks, the condi- tion of the Thessalonian Church was highly satisfac- tory, and the most cordial relations existed between Paul and his converts there. This honorable distinc- tion it shares with the other great Church of Macedo- nia, that of Philippi. At all times, and amid every change of circumstance, it is to his Macedonian church- es that the apostle turns for sympathy and support. A period of nearly ten years is interposed between the First Epistle to the Thessalonians and the Epistle to the Phi- lippians, anil yet no two of his letters more closely re- semble each other in this respect. In both he drops his official title of apostle in the opening salutation, thus appealing rather to their affection than to his own authority ; in both he commences the body of his letter with hearty and unqualified commendation of his con- verts; and in both the same spirit of confidence and warm affection breathes throughout.
VI. Contents. — The design of this epistle thus being to comfort the Thessalonians under trial, and to encour- age them to the patient and consistent profession of Christianity, the letter itself is rather practical than doctrinal. It was suggested more by personal feeling
than by any urgent need, which might have formed a centre of thought, and impressed a distinct character on the whole. Under these circumstances, we need not expect to trace unity of purpose, or a continuous argu- ment, and anj' analysis must be more or less artificial. The body of the epistle, however, may conveniently be divided into two parts, the former of which, extending over the first three chapters, is chieflj' taken up with a retrospect of the apostle's relation to his Thessalonian converts, and an explanation of his present circum- stances and feelings; while the latter, comprising the 4th and 5th chapters, contains some seasonable exhorta- tions. At the close of each of these divisions is a prayer commencing with the same words, "May God himself," etc.. and expressed in somewhat similar language. The epistle may therefore be tabulated as follows :
Salutation (i, 1).
I. Narrative portion (i, 2-iii, 13).
1. The apiistle gratefully records their conversion to
the Gospel and their progress in the faith (i,2-10).
2. He reminds them how pure and blameless his life
and ministry among them had been (ii, 1-12).
3. He repeats his thanksgiving for their c<niversion,
dwelling especially on the persecutions which they had endured (ii, 13-16).
4. He describes his own suspense and anxiety, the
consequent mission of Timothy to Thessalonica, and the encouraging report which he brought back (ii, IT-iii, 10)'.
5. The apostle's prayer for the Thessalonians (iii, Il-
ls).
II. Hortatory portion (iv, 1-v, 24).
1. Warning against impnrity (iv, 1-S).
2. Exh(n-tation to brotherlvlove aud sobriety of con-
duct (iv, y-12).
3. Touching the advent of the Lord (iv, 13-v, 11).
a. The dead shall have their place in the resurrec-
tion (iv, 13-lS).
b. The lime, however, is uncertain (v, 1-3).
c. Therefore all mii.st be watchful (v, 4-11).
4. Exhortation to orderly living and the due perform-
ance of social duties (v, 12-15).
5. Injunctions relating to prayer and spiritual mat-
ters generally (v, 16-22).
6. The apostle's prai/cr for the Thessalonians (v, 23,
24). The epistle closes with personal injunctions and a ben- ediction (v, 25-28).
VII. Commentaries. — The following are the special excgetical helps on both the epistles to the Thessaloni- ans exclusively; to the most important of them we pre- fix an asterisk: V^^WWch, Commenturius (Argent. 1545; Basil. 1546. 8vo) ; Weller, Commentarius [includ. Phil.] (Norib. 1561, 8vo); Major, Enanritio (Vitemb. 1563, 8vo); Musculas, Commentarius [includ. other ep.] (Ba- sil. 1564, 1578, 1595, fol.) ; Aretius, Commentarius [in- clud. Phil, and Col.] (Morg. 1580, 8vo); * Jewell, Ex- position (Lond. 1583, 12mo; 1811, 8vo; also in Latin, and in Works) ; Zanchius, Commentarius [includ. Phil, and Col.] (Neost. 1595, fol.; also in 0pp.); *Kollock, Cominentarius (Edinb. 1598; Herb. 1601, 8vo) ; also ^ec^!*?-^^ (Edinb. 1606,4to); Hunnius, /J,t;;(wiVio (Francof. 1603, 8vo); Steuart [Rom. Cath.], Commentarius (In- golst. 1609, 4to) ; Crell \iiocm.'\, Commentarius [from Pet. Mocov's notes] (Hacov. 1636, 8vo; also in 0pp.'); Ferguson, Exposition {Lond. 1674, 8vo); Schmid, Para- phrasis [includ. other ep. ] (Hamb. 1691, 1696, 1704, 4to) ; Landresen, ErUdrunr/ (Frankf. 1707, 4to); Streso, Medi- tatien (Amst. 1710, 8vo) ; Turrctin, Commentarius (Basil. 1739, 8vo; also in 0pp.) ; Chandler, Notes [includ. (ial.] (Lond. 1777, 4to) ; Krause, ErkJaruny [includ. Phil.] (Frankf. 1790) ; Schleiermacher, Notes (Berol. 1823, 8 vo) ; *Pelt, Commentarius (Gryph. 1830, 8vo) ; Schott, Com- mentarius (Lips. 1834, 8vo) ; Tafel, Historia Thessalo- nicensium (Tiib. 1835, 8vo) ; Sumner, Lectu7-es (Lond. 1850, 2 vols, 12mo); Lillie, Version (N. Y. 1^56, 4to); also Lectures (ibid. 1870, 8vo); *Ellicott, Commentary (Lond. 1858, 1862, 1866, 8vo); Edmunds, Commentary (ibid. 1858, 8vo) ; Headland, Notes (ibid. 1866, 8vo) : *Eadie, Commentary (ibid. 1877, 8vo). See Epistle.
On the first epistle alone there are the following: ?ic\Atet, Exposition (Lond. 1629, 4to) ; 'M&Tl\n, Analy- sis (Greening. 1669, 12mo); Van Alphen, Verklaering
TIIESSALONIANS
348
TPIESSALONIANS
rUtrecbt, 1741, 4to) ; Phillips, Expltination (Lond. 1751, 4tot; I{iir<ccrli(iiiili, />? A ir/iimen/o, etc. (L. B. 18-25, 8vo); Koch, Comnii'iildr (Hcrl. 1848, 1855, 8vo); Pater- snn. Commentary [incliul. .lames and 1 John] (Edinb. 1857, 8vo). See Commkntahy.
THESSALOXIANS, Skcond Epistle to the, fol- lows immediately after the tirst in all the texts and versions of the New Test.