1 Thessalonians 1
New Catholic Bible
Salutation
Chapter 1
Address and Greeting. 1 Paul, Silvanus,[a] and Timothy to the Church of Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace.
Evangelization Is the Work of the Spirit[b]
A Model for All Believers.[c] 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers. 3 We constantly remember before our God and Father your work of faith and your labor of love and your perseverance in hope[d] in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Brethren, beloved by God, we know that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel[e] came to you not merely in words alone but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with profound conviction. And you are fully aware what sort of people we proved to be when we were among you for your sake.
6 And you in turn became imitators[f] of us and of the Lord, for despite great suffering you received the word with joy in the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.[g]
8 Not only has the word of the Lord rung forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but also your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore, we do not have the need to speak about it. 9 For the people themselves report what kind of reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and await his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who will deliver us from the wrath that is to come.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Silvanus: the Roman form of the Hebrew name “Silas”; this man, along with Timothy, was a fellow worker with Paul in the Macedonian apostolate (see Acts 16–18). Church: ekklesia in Greek, it was originally used of the People of God in the Old Testament; it designates here the Messianic gathering convoked by Jesus. The term Church is further defined as those who are “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Being in union with these two persons of the Deity means a new sphere of life, on an infinitely higher plane. Grace and peace: i.e., Messianic blessings that find their basis in both persons, the Father and Jesus Christ, Lord, as the basis for the community’s existence.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2 This is a magnificent passage in which Paul describes his experience as a missionary in an important pagan city. He has had faith in the efficacy of the Gospel and its universal power. He has not hesitated to seek out pagans, those who were once thought to be excluded from God’s kingdom. The Spirit of Pentecost breathes everywhere.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2 In the announcement of the Gospel and the success of his preaching, Paul recognizes the work of the Spirit. He rejoices at the vitality of this young Church. It is God who gives her the power to break away from the pagan life. What a radical change of life conversion entails for the converts! It means turning away from idols, i.e., from all that deceives, and toward the true God to serve him and to await the coming of Jesus Christ. In this very first passage of Christian literature the three divine Persons are named; also listed are the three characteristic virtues of the Christian life: faith, hope, and love. Behind the term wrath in v. 10 there is a whole theology of history (see Rom 1:18—4:25): all human beings are sinners; sin degrades and destroys the person who rejects love and justice. Punishment is a manifestation of God who judges. But by redeeming humanity from sin, Jesus has delivered it from the wrath; he takes away sin and death and gives life—this is the Christian certainty.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Faith . . . love . . . hope: together with 1 Thes 5:8, this is the earliest mention of the three so-called theological virtues (see 1 Cor 13:13). The accent here is on eschatological hope in accord with the Letter’s emphasis on the Second Coming of Christ (see 1 Thes 1:10; 2:12, 19; 3:13; 4:13—5:11; 5:23).
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Our gospel: this is the Gospel of God the Father (1 Thes 2:8) who originated it and of Christ (1 Thes 3:2) who brought it forth by his atoning death. Paul, Silas, and Timothy had received it through faith and preached it to others. Power: a power residing in the Gospel itself (see Rom 1:16) and also coming from the Holy Spirit (see Rom 15:13, 18f; 1 Cor 2:4f), which delivered the Thessalonians from spiritual bondage.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Imitators: all Christians are to imitate God (see Eph 5:1) and Christ (see 1 Cor 11:1) as well as their spiritual leaders (see 2 Thes 3:7, 9; 1 Tim 4:12; Tit 2:7; 1 Pet 5:3) and their fellow Christians (see 1 Thes 2:14; 1 Cor 4:6; 11:1), for all believers are one in Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:7 In Macedonia and Achaia: the two Roman provinces in Greece. The phrase amounts to saying “in all Greece.”
