The Yale expositor., 1916-07-06
LESSON FOR JULY 9
THE THEssALoNIAN CHRISTIANS.

LESSON TEXT Thess. 2:17-9O 4:1S-1s
5:14-A
GOLDEN TExT-If we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also that are fallen asleep I'm Jesus Will
God bring with him.-I Thess. Ala r. V.
This epistle is probably one OF the
earliest CT Paul's letters "a ID. 50-53O.
It links itself closely with the seven.
teenth chapter of the Book of Acts.
Driven from Berea, Paul goes to Ath'
ems and later tc Corinth, while Tim
othy returns TO Thessalonica and car
ries a report to Paul at Corinth.
Whercupon, perhaps within six
mcrths. Paul writes his epistle. A |
study Of the two letters addressed TO /
this church teaches US how Paul ad' /
vised and instructed his Gentle con- /
verts The first is a particularly cheer |
ful, positive and helpful eXhortation. |
l. Thanksgiving and Testimony G.: |
100; 2:17-20). Cd salutation Q:D |
The phrase, "the church Of the Thes- |
salonians which is in God" is nowhere |
else used. Some think 1t to be unique |
because Paul had so little to condemn
or to criticize. The deity If Jesus |
Christ and that grace and peace pro- |
ceed from God is clearly set forth |
(2) Thanksgiving wv. and ~ (a)
For works OF faith (b) for their
labor Of love-" and (c) their pa
tience" (endurance). That these
works were Gin the sight Of God" is
evidence of their genuineness, and
such spiritual fruitage awakened
(3) knowledge in Paul's mind ". A..
They were elected" to salvation, holi-
ness and likeness to Jesus (vv. 80;
Pet 1:2; Eph. Ia, 5; Rom. 8:29).
(4) Testimony (vv. 6-10). Paul could
appeal to the known conduct of him.
self and his friends to substantiate. to
prove, the standing OF those candi-
dates for holiness who had been "elect-
ed" His words had not come TO them
in mere exhortation and eloquence but
"also in power which governed their
conduct. This was not TO win ap-
plause, but in his own case he labored
| for their sakes (v. 81 and In their
case they had received the word with
| joy" in the midst Of affiiction &c the
end that they became examples (pat-
terms or types; literally, like the far
echoing notes Of a trumpet) ". y to
oil that dwelt in the regions there
about. Their obedience, consistency
and missionary spirit wv. S-1O) sound
ed forth everywhere and all that
needed to be done was to say, "Behcld
the church ofThessalcnica!" 90 PauI's
aIory and Joy (2:172o). Paul sets
forth his character as a Christian
worker (2:1-16). (a) His physical
boldness wv. l, ,2); (b) his faithful. I'M
partial teaching wv. 3-6), affectionate-
ly kind (7.S), unselfsh, working fer
his own support ". 81, holy and con-
sistent Q3-16). No cne had anything
on him" and such a life 6ares TO be
bold, though it is not free from per-
secution ". 15). (6) PauPs desire
(2:17-2O). He here sets forth why this
letter was written. Separated from
them By persecution. he desires to
return and supply the things they were
vet lacking and to see face to face
those whom he loved. Satan pre-
vented ". 1S) doubtless using the Bit
ter persecution stirred up against him.
He had therefore sent Timothy from
Berea to comfort theu (3:15), who
had made such a coed report (3:1-1O)
that IL urged Paul to greater prayer
wv. 11-13) Oh their behalf.
n. Ignorance IIlumined (4:13-1S).
Paul rebukes certain sins (4:1-12), ex'
horting them to godliness and 10 love
one another He then touches upon
doctrine which was ono OF his
strongest reasons for writing &c these
Thessal,nians. The imminent return
of Christ had been strongly empha-
sized. but in the months of PauPs abb
sence some CT their number had died,
died without seeing Christs promised
glory. Would these who remained
have any advantage over the dead
saints when Christ should ccme? II Is
to set their thinking Alright that Paul
writes. This he does by outlining the
great and blessed hope Of the church
In its rapture" at Christs coming.
This is more clearly set forth here
than anywhere else in the New Testa-
ment. Those who mourned over de-
parted loved ones are not to "sorrow
as those who had no hope" Jesus
the risen, everlasting Savior and king
is certainly coming again in his king
dom of glory, with shout, with the
, voice OF the archangel." Their sor-
row is not that of the world, for those
departed are but sleeping" and viii
come back with Jesus when he comes.
Together they who sleep and we who
are alive shall be caught up ito meet
the Lord in the air." all to dwell to
|, gather forevermore with the Lord.
Paurs description of the events oi
this second coming. this rapture OF
the church, has not yet been fulfilled
but he and the disciples were not mis-
taken as to it's nearness, its immi
nence.
~. The Hope Of Church and State
(5:1424). The letter closes with
moral exhortations with reference tc
spiritual leaders, care OF one another