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opening of both canonical books (1 Thess.. 1:1; 2 Thess.. 1:1), as Carson and Moo argued, suggests “close
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associations with the Thessalonians.” However, it is Paul’s voice which is heard in the letter. Some from
st
“Tübingen and Dutch schools” disputed Pauline authorship because 1 Thessalonians appears to be “un-theological
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in content” and does not attack “legalism.” Paul’s emphasis in the book is to discuss in detail the doctrine of
eschatology (1 Thess.. 4:13—5:11; cf. 2 Thess.. 2:1-17).
The fact that there is nothing written in the epistle about legalism strongly suggests that legalism was not

an issue among the newly found church.
In some other translations, the names Silas and Silvanus are often used interchangeably. Tenney suggests

that Silas (Σιλ�ας [Silas]) is the contraction of Silouanos (Σιλουανός [Silouanos]) who was a famous member “of the
Jerusalem church (Acts 15:22, 23) and companion of Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 15—18).

“Silvanus,” however, “could be the Latinized form of Silas.” He was sent to Antioch from Jerusalem together with
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Judas called Barsabbas as leading men among brothers (Acts 15:21-23) to deliver the letter of verdict concerning

authenticity of Gentiles’ salvation “through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:11). Both Judas and Silas returned
to Jerusalem (Acts 15:33). Silas, it appears, went back to Antioch and was commissioned by Paul (Acts 15:40) to

come with him during his missionary journeys (Acts15:36—18:22).

Background History
In the company of two co-workers and one special person, Silas, Timothy, and Luke (Acts 16:3, [“we”11],

29; 17:14), Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia who said “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts
16:9). Paul and his companions immediately obeyed and went to Macedonia. Along the way souls were won for

Christ (Acts 16:13, 15, 30-34). In Thessalonica, some Jews and a large number of God-fearing Greeks were
persuaded and joined Paul and Silas. But some jealous Jews instigated an attack which forced Paul to go to Berea

where many came to believe in the Scriptures (Acts 17:12). After another attack in Berea instigated by Jews from

Thessalonica, Paul was sent as far as Athens
and instructed that Silas and Timothy should rejoin
him there (Acts 17:13, 15-16). While waiting for them,

Paul proclaimed the good news in Areopagus and

“some men joined him and believed . . . Dionysius . . .
and a woman named Damaris and others with them”
(Acts 17:19, 34).

nd
10 D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2 ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2005), 535.

11 Merrill C. Tenney, ed., The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 5: Q-Z (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976),
722-23.

12 Tenney, The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, 423-33.
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