Page 10 - Pauline Epistles Student Textbook

Study Section 2: Expression of Gratitude to God

2.1. Connect.

In Luke 17:11-19 we read the story of how Jesus healed the ten men with leprosy. In
those days, a person with leprosy was outcast from the general public. It was an
awful disease that rotted away the body extremities and eventually led to sure death.
There was no cure. These men asked Jesus for mercy. Jesus told them to go show
themselves to the priests and on the journey, all ten were healed but one came back
to where Jesus was and praised God, thanking Jesus for healing him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus
asked, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Only one man was thankful enough to
return to Jesus and express his gratitude. He was truly thankful.

Today, as the thankful Samaritan, we want to learn how to give thanks to God for all He has done for
us.

2.2 Objectives;

1. The student should be able to describe the importance of giving thanks.

2. The student should be able to explain for what the apostles gave thanks.

2.2. Expression of Gratitude to God for two Grounds; (1) Work Produced by Faith, Labor
Prompted by Love, and Endurance Inspired by Hope in Our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) Election.
Results from those two Grounds; (1) Became Imitators, and (2) Became Models (1 Thess.
2:1-10).

Salutation (1:1-2)

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of
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you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, (ESV)

Three names are listed to begin the letter to the church. Paul is a Greek name meaning “little.”
Originally named Saul, his name was changed to Paul shortly after his encounter with Jesus Christ on
the road to Damascus (Acts 22:7, 13, 26:14). Absent is the title “apostle” which he used as a title in
all his other Epistles to churches except 2 Thessalonians and Philippians. The church at Thessalonica
never challenged Paul’s apostleship so he did not seem to feel it necessary to use the title.

The second name was that of Silvanus probably a Roman transliteration of the Jewish name given to
the Greek name Silas. In Acts, Luke uses Silas, but Paul always refers to him as Silvanus. He was
most likely a Jew by birth, a gifted prophet, and highly esteemed among Jewish Christians in
Jerusalem (Acts 15:22, 32). He, as Paul, was a Roman citizen which is extremely significant as a
member of the 2 missionary journey party. After they journeyed to Corinth, we find no further
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word of Silas’s connection with Paul. In his journey with Paul, he endured cruel beatings,
imprisonment, and pursuit by angry mobs (Acts 16:23-25; 17:5). Silas was known for his absolute
reliability and his faithfulness in risking his life in the service of Christ.

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