THESSALONICA
351
THESSALONICA
day, or whether other elements did not also combine with this to complete the idea, it is impossible to say; but we may presume that he had at least a dim and general anticipation of the more distant future, and at least of the final earthly catastrophe which the Divine Spirit intimates in this striking prediction. Moreover, at this distance of time and with our imperfect informa- tion, we cannot hope to explain the exact bearing of all the details in the picture. But, following the guid- ance of history, we seem justified in adopting this as a probable, though only a partial, explanation of a very difficult passage. See Kkvelation, Book of.
V. Contents. — This epistle, in the range of subject as well as in style and general character, closely resembles the first ; and the remarks made on that epistle apply, for the most part, e(iually well to this. The structure, also, is somewhat similar, the main body of the epistle being divided into two parts in the same way, and each part closing with a prayer (ii, 10, 17 ; iii, ItJ; both com- mencing with aiVof ^'t o Kvpioc;). The following is a tabular summary :
The opening salutation (i, 1, 2).
I. A general expression of thankfulness and interest, leading up to the difficulty about the Lord's advent (i, 3-ii, IT).
1. The apostle pours forth his thanksgivinff for their
progress in the faith ; he encourages them to be patient under persecution, reminding them of the judgment to come, and prays that they may be prepared to meet it (i, 3-12).
2. He is thus led to correct tlie erroneous idea that the
judgment is imminent, pointing out that much must happen first (ii, 1-1'2).
3. He repeats his tlianksgiving and exhortation, and
concludes this portion with a. prayer (ii, 13-17).
II. Direct exhortation (iii, 1-lG).
1. He ur<,'es them to pray for him, and confidently an-
ticipates their proirress in tlie faith (iii, 1-5).
2. He reproves the idle, disorderly, and disobedient,
and charges the faithful to withdraw from such (iii, 6-15)' This portion again closes with a, prayer (iii, 16). The epistle ends with a special direction and benedic- tion (iii, 17, 18).
VI. Commentaries. — The following exegetical helps are on the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians exclu- sively : Hoffmann, Commentarius [includ.Tit.] (Francof. 1545, 8vo); Bradshaw, Exposition (Lond. H)20, 4to) ; Jackson, Exposition (ibid. 1G21, 4to) ; Reiche, Authen- fice, etc. (Gott. 1829, 4to) ; Sclater, Exposition (Lond. 1629, 4to). See Ei'IStle.
Thessaloni'ca (QtaaaXovlKr], in classical writers also 9f(T(7aXoi'iKf(a and OeTTaXoviic)]), a large and im- portant town of Macedonia, visited by Paul on several occasiiin^, and the seat of a Church to which two of his letters were addressed. (In the present article we largely make use of that in Smith's Diet, of Gr. and Rom. Geography^
I. Name. — Two legendary names which Thessalonica is said to have borne in early times are Einathia (Zo- nar. Hist, xii, 26) and Halia (Steph. B. s. v.), the latter probably having ref- erence to the mari- time position of the town. During the first period of its au- thentic history, it was known under the name of T/ierma {Qip- ^a, ^-Esch.; Bepftri, Herod. ,Thucyd.; Hgp- /lot, Malelas, Chro- nog. p. 190, ed. Bonn), derived, in common with the designation of the gulf (Ther- maicus Sinus), from the hot salt -springs which are found on various parts of this
coast, and one of which especially is described by Po- cocke as being at a distance of four English miles from the modern city (see Scylax, p. 278, ed. (iail). Three stories are told of the origin of the name Thessalonica. The first (and by far the most probable) is given by Strabo (vii, Epit. 10), who says that Therma was rebuilt by Oassander, and called after his wife Thessalonica, the daughter of Philip; the second is found in Steph. B. (s. v.), who says that its new name was a memorial of a victory obtained by Philip over the Thessalians (see Const. Porphyrog. De Them, ii, 51. ed. Bonn) ; the third is in the Etym. Miign. (s. v.), where it is stated that Philip himself gave the name in honor of his daughter. Whichever of these stories is true, the new name of Thessalonica, and the new eminence connected with the name, are distinctly associated with the Mace- donian period, and not at all with the earlier passages of true Greek history. The name thus given became permanent. Through the Roman and Byzantine pe- riods it remained unaltered. In the Middle Ages the Italians gave it the form of Salonichi or Saloniki, which is still frequent. In Latin chronicles we find Salonicia. In German poems of the 13th century the name ap- pears, with a Teutonic termination, as Solnek. The un- educated Greeks of the present day call the place ^aXo- t'lKi], the Turks Selanik.
II. Situation. — This is well described by Pliny (iv, 10) as" medio flexu litoris [sinus Thermaici]." The gulf ex- tends about thirtv leagues in a north-westerly direction from the group of the Thessalian islands, and then turns to the north-east, forming a noble basin between Capes Vardiir and Kaniburnu. On the edge of this basin is the city, partly on the level shore and partly on the slope of a hill, in 40° 38' 47" N. lat., and 22° 57' 22" E.long. The present appearance of the city, as seen from the sea, is described by Leake, Holland, and other travellers as very imposing. It rises in the form of a crescent up the declivity, and is surrounded b}' lofty whitened walls with towers at intervals. On the east and west sides of the city ravines ascend from the shore and converge towards the highest point, on which is the citadel called "ETTrrtTr/'pyioj', like that of Constantinople. The port is still convenient for large ships, and the anchorage in front of the town is good. These circumstances in the situation of Thessalonica were evidently favorable for commanding the trade of the Macedonian sea. Its re- lations to the inland districts were equally advantageous. With one of the two great levels of Macedonia, viz. the plain of the "wide-flowing Axius" (Homer, II. ii, 849), to the north of the range of Olympus, it was immediately connected. With the other, the plain of the Strymon and Lake Cercinitis, it communicated by a pass across the neck of the Chalcidic peninsula. Its distance from Pella, as given by the Itineraries, is twenty-seven miles, and from Amphipolis (with intermediate stations ; see Acts xvii, 1) sixty-seven miles. It is still the chief cen- tre of the trade of the district. It contains a population of 60,000 or 70,000, and (though Adrianople may possibly