1 Thessalonians. What can we discover from the letter about the circumstances in which it was written, the Thessalonians concerns and how Paul addressed them.

The background.

St. Paul was a Jew, brought up in the Greek city of Tarsus, a member of the pharisaic party, educated in Jerusalem to be a rabbi, so zealous for the law that he persecuted Christians relentlessly until; on the road to Damascus he had an encounter with the lord Jesus, was transformed completely and became the apostle to the gentiles.

It was only twenty years or so after the ascension of Our Lord and about 51 C.E. ' that he wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians from the city of Corinth. It is the oldest Christian writing in existence today and gives us a glimpse into the very beginnings of Christianity.

A few months before he had crossed from Troas to Macedonia, bringing the gospel from Asia to Europe. From Philippi Paul went on to Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and then Corinth.

- At the council of Jerusalem: it was agreed that Paul should continue his ministry among the Gentiles (Acts15)

- Paul begins a second tour among the Gentiles, first revisiting the churches that he had already founded (Acts15.36)

[Portrait of Les Paul, Fat Tuesday, New York, N.Y....

Paul Walker

Paul Stang

- Paul wanted to head north in Asia Minor. (Acts 16.8)

- The vision of the Macedonian man (Acts 16.9-10)

- Mission of Paul and Silas in Philippi (Acts 16.11-40)

Where he is beaten, whipped, put in chains and sent to prison. Realising that he was a roman citizen they freed him. But he had to move again.

The circumstances;

- Paul and Silas go to Thessalonica (7.1)

- Paul goes to the synagogue and discusses scripture with the Jews (Acts 17.2-3) He preached for three Sabbaths (acts 17;2) (people went to the synagogue three times a week at that time, although he may have preached in the temple daily, but he probably stayed longer with the gentiles,