Pilgrimage with Paul: A Biblical and Spiritual Journey
Paul s letter to the Christian community in Thessalonica, known in the New Testament as 1 Thessalonians, is generally considered to be the earliest of Paul s letters Thessalonica was the capital city of Macedonia, a province in northern Greece It was most likely written in the late forties or early fifties
It is perhaps a bit unexpected that the earliest Christian document we possess was written by Paul to a largely Gentile community in Europe Paul s mission to Europe began when, according to Acts 16:9, he had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, Come over to Macedonia and help us. After stopping in Philippi, Paul traveled to Thessalonica and preached
According to Acts 17 Paul went to the synagogue and proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah raised from the dead Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas as well as a large number of God-fearing Greeks and some prominent women Eventually riots broke out and Paul was forced to leave for acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying there is another king named Jesus.
From Thessalonica Paul continued his travels in Greece to the cities of Berea, Athens, and Corinth From the letter, we learn that while Paul was in Athens he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to find out how the new community was getting along (2:17-3:6) The journey would have taken fifteen to twenty days each way or about two weeks round trip by boat
Timothy returned to Paul while he was in either Athens or Corinth with news of the community 1 Thessalonians is Paul s response to what he learned from Timothy Ch. 1: The Faith of the Thessalonians Ch. 2: Ministry to the Thessalonians Ch. 3: Prayer for the Thessalonians Ch. 4: Instructions for Holy Living Ch. 5: Living in the Light
Paul s Gospel 1 Thessalonians In one (long) sentence according to Michael Gorman, Reading Paul, p.8 Paul preached, and then explained in various pastoral, community-forming letters, a narrative, apocalyptic, theopolitical gospel (1) in continuity with the story of Israel and (2) in distinction to the imperial gospel of Rome (and analogous powers) that was
centered on God s crucified and exalted Messiah Jesus, whose incarnation, life, and death by crucifixion were validated and vindicated by God in his resurrection and exaltation as Lord, which inaugurated the new age or new creation in which all members of our diverse but consistently covenantally dysfunctional human race who respond in self-abandoning and self-committing faith thereby participate in Christ s
(1) justified, or restored to right covenant relationship with God and with others; (2) incorporated into a particular manifestation of Christ the Lord s body on earth, the church, which is an alternative community to the status-quo human communities committed to and governed by Caesar (and analogous rulers) and by values contrary to the gospel; and
(3) infused both individually and corporately by the Spirit of God s Son so that they may lead bifocal lives, focused both back on Christ s first coming and ahead to his second, consisting of Christlike, cruciform (cross-shaped) (1) faith and (2) hope toward God and (3) love toward both neighbors and enemies (a love marked by peaceableness and inclusion),
in joyful anticipation of: (1) the return of Christ, (2) the resurrection of the dead to eternal life, and 1 Thessalonians (3) the renewal of the entire creation.
Upcoming 1 Thessalonians Feb 14: Ash Wednesday (No Class) Feb 21: 1 & 2 Corinthians Why did Paul write these letters? What are the main issues that concern Paul in these letters? What is particularly significant to you in your reading? What questions do you have?
Pilgrimage with Paul: A Biblical and Spiritual Journey