Page 88 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he
shall not eat." Just as it sounds, it is a good reminder to us that nothing comes on a silver plate in this
world. The providence of God does not mean we should sit idle and wait.

Some of the Thessalonian believers had stopped working and were, by choice, depending on others to
provide for their physical needs (2 Thess 3:10–12). Paul was convinced that they were making a serious
mistake and needed to be corrected—not as enemies, but as loved ones (2 Thess 3:15). What do you think
of his method? Is it applicable in other contexts

Atmosphere

1 Thessalonians
In Acts 17 we find that Paul’s visit to Thessalonica was characterized by violence and chaos because of
the jealousy of the Jews toward Paul’s ministry over there, hence it was short lived. So while Paul was in
Corinth, he decided to send Timothy to go and observe church’s growth of the recent converts from
Gentile background. Through Timothy’s encouraging report, Paul decides to write the first letter to them
(1 Thess. 3:1-6). The purpose of the letter was to communicate thanksgiving, exhortation, and
instruction to new believers in the midst of persecution so they might excel still more (1 Thess. 4:1, 10)
and be blameless at Christ’s coming (3:13; 5:23).

2 Thessalonians
Paul decided to write the second letter to the Thessalonian Church because some unknown intruders
(enemies of Paul) forged a letter in the name of Paul just so as to deceive the church concerning the
doctrine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Highlights: key passages; key words and phrases, often indicated by repetition.
Key Passages:

1 Thessalonians
I. Thanks to the Thessalonians (1:2-10)
II. Defense of Paul’s Apostleship and the Thessalonians’ Conversion (2:1-16)
III. Paul’s Desire to Visit (2:17–3:10)
IV. Transitional Benediction (3:11-13)
V. Proper Horizontal Relations within the Body (4:1-12)
VI. The Imminent Return of the Lord (4:13–5:11)
VII. Proper Hierarchical Relations within the Body (5:12-22)

2 Thessalonians
i. Comfort in Affliction (1:3-12)
ii. Correction Concerning the Day of the Lord (2:1-12)
iii. Reminder Concerning their Destiny (2:13-17)
iv. Exhortations Concerning Practical Matters (3:1-15)

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