THESSALONIANS, EPISTLES TO THE. Fl RST EPISTLE. —The authenticity and canonical authority of this epistle have been from the earliest ages admitted ; nor have these points ever been called in question, either in ancient or modem times, by those who have received any of St. Paul's epistles. Besides two probable quotations from it by Polycarp (Lardner, ii. 96, 8vo ed.), it is cer tainly cited, and cited as the production of the apostle Paul, by Irenmus (v. 6, sec. I), by Clement of Alexandria (Pam'. i. sec. 19, p. to9, ed. Potter), by Tertullian (De Resur. Carnis, c. 24), by Caius (ap. Euseb. Hz:rt. Eccles. vi. 20), by Origen (Cont. Gels. lib. iii.), and by others of the ecclesiastical writers (Lardner, locc.) This epistle has generally been regarded as the first written by St. Paul of those now extant. In the Acts of the Apostles (xvii. 5, seq.) we are told that the apostle, after preaching the gospel with success at Thessalonica, had to flee from that city in conse quence of the malice of the Jews ; that he thence betook himself to Berea, in company with Silas ; that, driven by the same influence from Berea, he journeyed to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy (the latter of whom had probably preceded him to Berea) behind him ; and tbat, after remaining in that city for some thne, he went to Corinth, where he was joined by Timothy and Silas. It appears also from this epistle (iii. 1, 2, 5), that whilst at Athens he had commissioned Timothy to visit the infant church at Thessalonica ; and from Acts xvii. 15, 16, we learn that he expected to be joined by Timothy and Silas in that city. Whether this ex pected meeting ever took place there, is a matter involved in much uncertainty. Michaelis, Eich horn, De Wette, Koppe, Pelt, and others, are of opinion that, at least as respects Timothy, it did take place ; and they infer that St. Paul again re manded him to Thessalonica, and that he made a second journey along with Silas to join the apostle at Corinth. Hug, on the other hand, supposes only one journey—viz. from Thessalonica to Co rinth ; and understands the apostle, in Thess. I , 2, ag intimating, not that hc had sent Timothy from Athens to Thessalonica, but that he had pre vented his coming to Athens by sending him from Berea to Thessalonica. Between these two opi nions there is nothing to enable us to judge with certainty, unless we attach weight to the expression of Luke, that St. Paul had desired the presence of Timothy and. Silas in Athens d/s. rdxtora, as speedily as possible.' His desiring them to follow him thus, without loss of time, favours the con clusion that they did rejoin him in Athens, and were thence sent to Thessalonica.
• But whatever view we adopt on this point, it seems indisputable that this epistle was not written until the apostle met Timothy and Silas at Corinth. The ancient subscription, indeed, testifies that it was written at Athens ; but that this could not be the case is clear from the epistle itself. 1. In ch. i. 7, 8, Paul says that the Thessalonians had become ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia : for from you (says lie) sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God ward is spread abroad.' Now, for such an exten.
sive diffusion of the fame of the Thessalonian Christians, and of the gospel by them, a much longer period of time must have elapsed than is allowed by the supposition that St. Paul wrote this epistle whilst at Athens ; and besides, his reference particularly to Achaia seems prompted by the cir cumstance of his being, at the time he wrote, in Achaia, of which Corinth was the chief city. 2.
His language in ch. iii. I, 2, favours the opinion that it was not from Athens, but after he had left Athens, that he wrote this epistle ; it.is hardly the turn which one living at Athens at the time would have given his words. 3. Is it likely that, during the short time St. Paul was in Athens, before writing this epistle (supposing him to have written it there), he should have over and again' purposed to revisit the Thessalonians, but have been hindered ? And yet such purposes he had entertained before writing this epistle, as we learn from ch. ii. IS ; and this greatly favours the later date. 4. Before the apostle wrote this epistle, Timothy had come to him from Thessalonica with good tidings concerning the faith and charity of the Christians there (iii. 6). But had Timothy followed St. Paul to Athens from Berea, what tidings could lie have brought the apostle from Thessalonica, except such hearsay reports as would inform the apostle of nothing he did not already know ? From these considerations, it fol lows that this epistle was not written from Athens. It must, however, have been written very soon after his arrival at Corinth ; for, at the time of his writ ing, Timothy had just arrived from Thessalonica (dprt TtyoOlou, iii. 6), and St. Paul liad not been long in Corinth before Timothy and Silas joined him there (Acts xvii. 1-5). Michaelis con tends for a later date, but his arguments are desti tute of weight. Before the apostle could learn that the fame of the Thessalonian church had spread through Achaia, and far beyond, it was not neces sary, as Michaelis supposes, that he should have made several extensive journeys from Corinth ; for as that city, from its mercantile importance, was the resort of persons from all parts of the commercial world, the apostle had abundant means of gather ing this information even during a brief residence there. As little is it necessary- to resort to the supposition that when St. Paul says that over and vain Satan had hindered him from fulfilling his intention of visiting Thessalonica, he must refer to shipwrecks or some such misfortunes (as Michaelis suggests) ; for Satan has many ways of hindering men from such purposes, besides accidents in travelling.
The design of this epistle is to comfort the Thes salonians under trial, and to encourage them to the patient and consistent profession of Christianity. The epistle may be conveniently divided into two parts. The former of these, which comprises the first three chapters, is occupied with statements chiefly of a retrospective character : it details the apostle's experience among the Thessalonians, his confidence in them, his deep regard for them, and his efforts and prayers on their behalf. The latter part of the epistle (iv. v.) is, for the most part, of a hortatory character : it contains the apostle's ad monitions to the Thessalonians to walk according to their profession ; to avoid sensuality, dishonesty, and pride ; to cultivate brotherly love, to attend diligently to the duties of life, to take the comfort which the prospect of Christ's second coming was calculated to convey, but not to allow that to seduce them into indolence or idle speculations ; to render due respect to their spiritual superiors ; and, by attention to a number ol duties which the apostle specifies, to prove themselves worthy of the good opinion he entertained of them. He concludes the epistle by offering fervent supplication on their behalf, and the usual apostolic benediction.