First read Paul’s entire letter of 1 Thessalonians. Attached pdfs. and links. Please only use the pdf and the links. From 1 Thessalonians, identify 3 total examples of Paul’s writing style from the following list: emotion, earthy language/metaphors, imitation. Provide chapter and verse, and type out the full quote. So for example you could provide one example of each type or two of one type and one of another type, etc.Paul expressing emotion and state what emotion it is. Here is an example: 1 Thess 2.17 But since we were bereft of you, brothers and sisters, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face. Emotion of longing.Paul using earthy language or metaphors: Example: 1 Thes 5.2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Paul using imitation. See the lecture, imitation is modeling, following in the example of another. Example: 1 Thes 1.6 And you became imitators of us and of the LordNew Testament Reading: 1 ThessaloniansAs you read through 1 Thessalonians, make a note of key elements of Paul’s writing style, particularly emotion and earthy language or metaphors (this is described in the lectures).1 Thessalonians chapter 1 LinkLinks to an external site.1 Thessalonians chapter 2 LinkLinks to an external site.1 Thessalonians chapter 3 LinkLinks to an external site.1 Thessalonians chapter 4 LinkLinks to an external site.1 Thessalonians chapter 5 LinkLinks to an external site.
Introduction
to Paul’s Epistles
The word “epistle” is Greek and means letter,
as in correspondence.
According to tradition,
Paul wrote 14 letters in the New Testament.
13 bear his name. The Letter to the Hebrews does not.
The order of these letters in the New Testament:
Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews.
Paul’s 13 letters are placed into 3 categories by scholars
based on the following 3 criteria:
1. Content
2. Language
3. Style
The 3 categories are:
1. The Undisputed Pauline Letters
2. The Deutero-Pauline Letters
3. The Trito-Pauline/ Pastoral Epistles
Undisputed Letters of Paul
Deutero-Pauline Letters
Trito-Pauline/Pastoral Epistles
1 Thessalonians
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Philippians
Philemon
Galatians
Romans
Ephesians
Colossians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
General differences between the 3 categories of letters:
1. Paul expresses more emotion than the Deutero and Trito Pauline letters.
2. Paul uses informal language compared to both.
3. Paul expresses equality among people including women and slaves.
The Deutero-Pauline letters do not. The Trito Pauline letters show a
development of church hierarchy that did not exist in Paul’s time.
4. Paul uses shorter sentences (in Greek).
The Deutero Pauline letters have very long sentences.
5. Paul’s theology is different (what he says about God, Jesus, and how to be a Christian).
The Deutero-Pauline and Pastorals are considered pseudepigraphic by most scholars.
It is easy to see the differences in content, language, and style
when the letters are analyzed.
Pseudepigraphy is writings that bear a false name.
It was common in the ancient world.
Students would put their teacher’s name on writings:
such as Plato or Pythagoras.
The physician Galen had to write a book showing how
his writings could be distinguished from forgeries.
The name of a well-known person on a letter gave the letter more authority.
Before Paul was a Christian, his name was Saul and he was a Jewish Pharisee who
persecuted Christians. Then he met the risen Jesus on the Road to Damascus.
Acts 9.1-25 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the
disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the
synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men
and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going
along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around
him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do
you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am
Jesus, who you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city and you will be
told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless
because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and
though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand
and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and
neither ate nor drank.
After this,
Paul stayed in Damascus, Syria for a while and preached about Jesus.
Then he went to Arabia and prayed for 3 years.
He then went on missionary journeys preaching about Jesus.
At first he preached in the Jewish synagogues in his travels, explaining how
Jesus was the expected Jewish messiah and spreading the word of God.
He then reached out to non-Jews (called Gentiles in the Bible).
His home base was Antioch, Syria and he traveled along the
Mediterranean Sea throughout Turkey and Greece.
Paul would start churches and then move on to another city
and start a church there. Before the 4th century, churches met in houses.
He also miraculously healed people according to Luke in the Book of Acts.
According to Luke in the book of Acts, Paul went on 3 missionary journeys
Paul however does not describe 3 missionary journeys.
1st missionary Journey as described in the book of Acts 13 and 14:
• From Antioch in Syria
• to Seleucia, Cyprus, Perga in Pamphlia, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium
• Lystra and Derbe in Lycaconia (Turkey)
• Back to Antioch in Syria.
Paul’s 2nd missionary journey, according to Acts 15 – 18
• From Antioch, Syria to Jerusalem 15.4f the Jerusalem Conference
• Back to Antioch, then Cilicia,
• Derba and Lystra
• Phyrgia and Galatia
• Troas to Philippi in Macedonia
• then to Thessalonica and Athens
• Corinth (staying in Corinth 1 ½ years)
• Traveled to Ephesus
• Caesarea, then Jerusalem,
• then Antioch in Syria.
Cities visited on Paul’s 3rd missionary journey according to Luke.
• From Antioch
• to Ephesus (stays for 2+ years)
• Troas and Philippi
• Thessalonica
• Corinth
• Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos,
• Miletus, Cos, Rhodes
• Tyre
• Caesarea
• Jerusalem
Not all cities are listed
Paul’s letters in the New Testament do not have dates on them.
In order to figure out the date and the order of Paul’s letters,
we will consult the Book of Acts and Paul’s Letters.
1. In Acts 18.11,12, it states that Paul was in Corinth Greece
“teaching the word of God” among the Corinthians
when Gallio was governor of the region of Achaia.
Paul was there for 1 ½ years.
According to the Delphic inscription,
on a monument in Delphi, Greece
Gallio was governor of Achaia from 51 CE to 52 CE.
It doesn’t actually say 51-52 because they used a different calendar, you have to do the math.
Paul first met Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth, Greece
just as they arrived from Rome. They had left Rome due to the
Edict of Emperor Claudius. Claudius ordered all Jews (including
Christians) to leave Rome due to their fighting. This occurred in 50 CE.
Acts 18.1-3 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,
who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,
because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.
Paul went to see them, and because he was of the same trade,
he stayed with them, and they worked together –
by trade they were tentmakers.
Therefore,
Paul was in Corinth in the year 50 CE
and he stayed for 1 ½ years (according to Acts 18).
2. When did Paul have his conversion experience on the Road to Damascus?
We can get clues in Luke 9 and 2 Corinthians 11.
After his conversion, he preached in Damascus according to Luke 9
and caused conflict among those who did not believe him.
According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 11.32-33 “the governor under
King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me,
but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall,
and escaped his hands.”
King Aretas ruled from 9 to 40 CE.
Jesus was executed around 30 CE.
So Paul’s conversion was sometime between 30 – 40 CE.
To narrow it down further, read Galatians 1.15-21
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me
through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me [this is his conversion
on the Road to Damascus] in order that I might preach him among the
Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to
those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I
returned to Damascus.
Then after 3 years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with
him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s
brother…Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia …
2.1 Then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking
Titus along with me [This will be the Jerusalem Conference of Acts 15.4]
Paul states, that just after his conversion,
• He went to Arabia for 3 years
• Then to Jerusalem for 15 days
• Syria and Cilicia and many other places – 14 years
• Then to Jerusalem (with Barnabas and Titus for the Jerusalem conference)
• So, 17 years after his conversion, Paul was at the Jerusalem conference.
After the Jerusalem conference,
• Paul went to several places including Macedonia and Corinth
• According to Duling and Perrin, he wrote Galatians possibly from Macedonia
• All this takes about a year.
• So we add one more year to the total.
According to Paul in Galatians and doing the math
There was a total of 18 years from the Road to Damascus to Corinth.
We know he was in Corinth in the year 50 CE to start the church there.
So, 50 minus 18 is 32.
Therefore,
Paul’s conversion on the Road to Damascus was in 32 CE.
According to Acts 18,
Paul stayed in Corinth for 1 ½ years.
So he was in Corinth from approximately 50 to 52 CE.
According to Acts 19.1-10,
Paul then went to Ephesus
and stayed there for 2 years and 3 months.
Therefore, Paul was in Ephesus from approximately 52 to 55 CE.
According to Acts 18.19; 19.1-11, 20.1
after Ephesus,
Paul went to Macedonia,
then onto Jerusalem
for his final visit,
then he was arrested.
So we add approximately one more year
for travel time to go to Jerusalem in 56 CE.
In Jerusalem
Paul was imprisoned.
Being a Roman citizen,
Paul appealed to Caesar.
So, he was taken to Rome
for trial and imprisoned there.
Paul was executed under Emperor Nero according to Eusebius,
a 4th century historian of the Church, or under the “prefects”
just after Nero according to Clement, bishop of Rome.
The date of his execution would be somewhere between 64 to 68.
32 CE – Conversion on the Road to Damascus
3 years in Arabia
14 years in Syria and Cilicia
49 CE – Jerusalem Conference
50 CE – Corinth
52 – 55 CE – Ephesus
56 CE – Jerusalem imprisonment
57 CE – Rome imprisonment
Therefore, Paul’s letters were written
in the 50’s of the 1st century.
The Chronological order of Paul’s letters:
based on the content in Acts and Paul’s letters
1. 1 Thessalonians written from Corinth
2. 1 Corinthians written from the church in Ephesus
3. 2 Corinthians written from the church in Ephesus
4. Philippians written from prison in Ephesus
5. Philemon written from prison in Ephesus
6. Galatians (placed before Romans due to subject matter, possibly from Macedonia)
7. Romans is his last letter because he states he is on his way to Rome
So why are they put in the wrong order in the New Testament?
Size matters.
The longest letters are put first.
The form of letters in ancient Greek society followed a set pattern:
1. Salutation (sender, recipient, greeting) [Dear Mom, its me your daughter. Hi]
2. Thanksgiving [I am so thankful that I can go to this college far away]
3. Body [Classes are great here. In Biology we learned …]
4. Ethical exhortations and instructions [Please remember to feed my cat.]
5. Closing (peace, greetings, kiss, benediction) [Give grandma a kiss]
Paul will follow this set pattern in his letters.
We will go through Paul’s letters from the earliest to the latest.
Lecture by Prof. J. Corey, Ph.D., Victor Valley College
1 Thessalonians
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Background to Paul’s letter to the Church at Thessalonica:
Paul, Silas (Silvanus) and Timothy
went to Thessalonica to the Jewish synagogue
and converted some Jews,
then Greeks, and “leading women” of the city
starting a house church.
A disturbance arose in the city due to Paul’s preaching.
The church sent Paul, Silas, and Timothy off to Beroea in a hurry
so they would not be arrested (Acts 17).
Paul went on to Athens.
He sent Timothy back to Thessalonica
to check on the new church (1 Thes 3).
Paul went on to Corinth.
Timothy meets him there later
and gives Paul a report about the Thessalonian church.
Paul’s letter of 1 Thessalonians
is addressed to the church at Thessalonica.
It is written from Corinth
as a response to Timothy’s report.
Recall the form of Greco-Roman Letters
I. Salutation
II. Thanksgiving
III. Body of the Letter
IV. Ethical exhortation and instructions
V. Closing
The Thanksgiving: 1 Thessalonians 1.2-10
The thanksgiving is where we find the themes in a letter.
1 Thessalonians 1.2-10
We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly
remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know brothers and sisters beloved
by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in
word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. For you know
what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. (1.6) And you became
imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with
joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in
Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so
that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us
what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to
serve a living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from
the dead – Jesus who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
1.3
“Your work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.”
Work = labor = steadfastness. These are similar ideas.
As we go through the letter, we will see that WORK is one theme
in 1 Thessalonians. (A theme is an idea that repeats.)
Theme #1 = WORK
There is also a triad in 1.3 of faith, love, and hope.
These themes will be evident as we go through the letter:
Theme #2 FAITH
#3 LOVE
#4 HOPE
1.6 “You became imitators of us and of the Lord.”
As we go through Paul’s letter, we will see that
imitation is an important theological concept in Paul’s letters.
Paul gets the idea of imitation from Jesus (and Plato).
In all 4 gospels Jesus says: follow me.
Following = imitation = modeling.
Jesus is a model to follow.
This is theme #5 = IMITATION
Imitation is also in verse 7.
Paul follows Jesus.
The Thessalonians follow Paul.
The Macedonians follow the Thessalonians.
Last line of the Thanksgiving, 1.10
They “are waiting for God’s son from heaven
who God raised from the dead
Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Note: there is a difference for Paul between God and Jesus.
Theme #6: THE END IS NEAR
Paul is expecting an apocalyptic end to world governance soon.
The Thanksgiving gives us 6 themes:
• Work
• Faith
• Hope
• Love
• Imitation = following = modeling
• The end is near
The Body of the Letter 2.1 – 3.8
First, we will look at the Occasion for the Letter
(the reason for writing the letter).
2.1-2 “We came to you from Philippi …”
And then Paul established the church in Thessalonica.
A disturbance arose (Acts 17)
and Paul had to leave.
Paul sent Timothy to instruct them in the faith
“so that no one be moved by these afflictions” (3.3).
“I sent Timothy that I might know your faith,
for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you
and that our labor would be in vain” (3.5).
The occasion for the letter:
Paul is concerned about the FAITH of his new converts
because he had to leave quickly and unexpectedly.
Paul offers a defense of his actions and his gospel in 2.1 – 3.4.
A defense is a hallmark of Paul’s letters.
The Defense:
2.2 We had suffered in Philippi …
and still carried on to bring the word to you.
2.4 He assures them he “speaks the word of God and not of men.”
2.5 We were not greedy or glory seekers, he says.
2.9 We labored day and night while we preached to you.
He means he supported himself while being a tentmaker.
The Defense (continued)
2.10 We were holy and blameless.
2.12 We ask that you do the same.
He is saying be imitators of us: work and be holy.
The Defense (cont.)
2.13 Paul says they did at the beginning take his word as the word of God.
2.14 And they were imitators of the churches
in that they endured persecution.
Paul’s goes off on a small tangent.
2.16 “God’s wrath has come upon them at last.”
The “them” are the Jews who were persecuting the new Christians,
like Paul persecuted Christians before he was converted.
“The wrath” Paul is referring to:
Emperor Cumanus was the Roman Emperor from 48-52 CE.
During a Jewish festival,
a Roman soldier made an obscene gesture in the temple.
The Jews reacted.
Cumanus sent forces down
and later to all the Jewish villages.
So, this is “the wrath” Paul is referring to.
Defense (cont.)
2.17 “I tried to come to you, but was hindered.”
3.2 “I sent Timothy.”
3.3 “Timothy will instruct you and exhort you so that you can
remain strong in the faith.”
3.4 “This persecution was seen beforehand, and you were warned.”
So, this is Paul’s DEFENSE in 2.1 – 3.4.
It addresses PROBLEM #1:
that Paul had to leave in a hurry due to persecution.
It also begins to address PROBLEM #2:
which concerns the FAITH of the church at Thessalonica.
Paul expresses concern for their FAITH.
1 Thessalonians 3.7-10
For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution
we have been encouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, if
you continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for
you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?
Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and
restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
Paul has received a good report from Timothy
but he says, “if you stand fast.”
It is the very subtle “if” that implies his concern.
Then in 3.10 he says he wants to see them so that
he “might supply what is lacking in their FAITH.”
So, this is PROBLEM #2.
Paul is concerned that their FAITH is waning because
he had to leave them in a hurry.
3.11-13 is a prayer with the theme of LOVE.
It introduces the 3rd PROBLEM in the church at Thessalonica
the 3rd reason for Paul’s letter
the 3rd theme
In the prayer, Paul says “may you increase in love.”
In 4.1-12 Paul explains further on this theme.
There is a problem of unchastity in the congregation (4.3).
Nothing scandalous, but rather how to treat brothers and sisters of the faith.
He says, treat one another as family,
rather than lusting after one another.
There is a translation issue with 4.4.
According to Ehrman, page 367 right column, he says,
“The meaning of these words of 4.4 are hotly debated by scholars,
to the extent that translators of the New Testament
cannot even agree about how to render them in English …
Ehrman continues: “Is Paul urging the Thessalonian men
to be careful in treating their wives
or in handling their genitals.”
1 Thessalonians 4.1-7 The verse in debate is 4.4.
Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you
learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification:
that you abstain from fornication; (4) that each one of you know how to
control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the
Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrong or exploit a brother or
sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as
we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did
not call us to impurity but in holiness.
The Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament translation states
4.4 that each one of you know how to control your own “skeuos.”
What is a
skeuos?
Skeuos is where we get our word skiff.
A skiff is a little boat, a dingy.
Paul is saying control your dingy
control your one-man boat
or, control your vessel.
It is a metaphor.
It means control your body
control your passions.
This is an example of Paul using VERY EARTHY LANGUAGE.
There is no debate among scholars about what this word means.
It is an idea in Greek philosophy.
Plato wrote about controlling your chariot
A pair of horses led a one person chariot.
Plato said the charioteer is supposed to control the wild horses.
He said this metaphorically,
that the individual should use the mind to control the bodily passions.
Back to the passage,
Paul is urging the Thessalonians to control their lust.
In the passage,
he warns that if you don’t control your lust,
“THE LORD IS AN AVENGER IN THESE THINGS,”
which means, if you lust after another disrespectfully, the Lord will come after you like a mama lion protecting her cub.
Again, earthy language
Bottom line:
Treat one another as brothers and sisters and not as sex objects.
4.11
Paul tells them to work with their hands
and mind their own affairs.
So in this section
we have Paul’s work ethic
and his ideas about LOVE.
He teaches people in the church
to love one another as brothers and sisters.
4.13 – 5.11 is about the 4th problem in the church.
It concerns of the theme of Hope and End Times.
Some people in the church were worried
because their loved one’s have died
and they think they will miss out on the 2nd coming of Jesus.
This letter was written in the year 51 CE, long before the gospels.
They are expecting an Apocalypse:
a physical cataclysmic time of destruction
with Jesus ushering in a physical kingdom of God to be set up on earth.
Paul also has this expectation.
Paul states in 1 Thessalonians 4.16
that the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then the rest of the church will rise
to meet Christ in the air (the rapture)
to escape the destruction.
Paul’s view is that the dead are asleep in the ground, body and soul.
Paul believes the End is near.
It will come any day now, “like a thief in the night” (5.2) earthy language
“Let us not sleep . . . but keep awake and sober.” earthy language
In other letters (Philip 4.5, Romans 13.11, 1 Cor 7)
he says “the time is at hand,”
“the appointed time has grown short”
“don’t even get married.”
He really thought that THE END was near.
Was Paul
right or wrong?
If the end has not yet come, then he was wrong.
If the End was the destruction of the temple (as Mark 13 explains)
which happened within 20 years of Paul writing this letter,
then he was right.
Different views of THE END TIMES and death:
Paul’s is the earliest view: Jesus will physically return.
Meanwhile, the dead are in the ground.
They will rise to meet Jesus, and so will those who are alive.
John’s view (the latest view): The spirit of Jesus is taken inside the person.
There is no more death. The individual has passed over from death to life.
They are not sleeping in the ground.
At their physical death, their spirit rises to be in the air/ heaven with Jesus.
The letter ends with ethical exhortations
“Admonish the idlers” (5.14).
If you think that the end is soon (like they did), it is tempting to quit your day job. Paul says don’t do that.
This speaks to the theme of WORK.
“Encourage the fainthearted” (5.14)
which speaks to the theme of HOPE.
The Letter of 1 Thessalonians from Paul
is the earliest letter from Paul and is the earliest writing in the New Testament.
It is addressed to the Church at Thessalonica.
Paul had to leave in a hurry and he was worried about his new converts.
So he writes this letter which addresses the topics of: work, imitation (Jesus and Paul as models), faith, love, hope, and end times.
Lecture by Prof. J. Corey, Ph.D., Victor Valley College