《The Biblical Illustrator – 1 Thessalonians (Ch.0~3)》(A Compilation)

General Introduction

Over 34,000 pages in its original 56 volume printing, the Biblical Illustrator is a massive compilation of treatments on 10,000 passages of Scripture. It is arranged in commentary form for ease of use in personal study and devotion, as well as sermon preparation.

Most of the content of this commentary is illustrative in nature, and includes from hundreds of famous authors of the day such as Dwight L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, J. C. Ryle, Charles Hodge, Alexander MacLaren, Adam Clark, Matthew Henry, and many more. The collection also includes lesser known authors published in periodicles and smaller publications popular in that ara. Unlike modern publishers, Exell was apparently not under any pressure to consolidate the number of pages.

While this commentary is not known for its Greek or Hebrew exposition, the New Testament includes hundreds of references to, and explanations of, Greek words.

Joseph S. Exell edited and compiled the 56 volume Biblical Illustrator commentary. You will recognize him as the co-editor of the famous Pulpit Commentary (this commentary is even larger than the Pulpit Commentary). This remarkable work is the triumph of a life devoted to Biblical research and study. Assisted by a small army of students, the Exell draws on the rich stores of great minds since the beginning of New Testament times.

The Biblical Illustrator brings Scripture to life in a unique, illuminating way. While other commentaries explain a Bible passage doctrinally, this work illustrates the Bible with a collection of:

  • illustrations
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  • history
  • poems
  • expositions
  • geography
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  • Bible backgrounds
  • homiletics

for nearly every verse in the Bible. This massive commentary was originally intended for preachers needing help with sermon preperation (because who else in that day had time to wade through such a lengthy commentary?). But today, the Biblical Illustrator provides life application, illumination, inspiriation, doctrine, devotion, and practical content for all who teach, preach, and study the Bible.

00 Overview

1 THESSALONIANS INTRODUCTION

I. Thessalonica.

1. The city. When St. Paul first landed in Europe (Acts 16:11), and had preached at Philippi, he passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, immediately to the south of which lie the snow clad slopes of Mount Olympus. This city, situated on the Thermean Gulf, and once the capital of Macedonia, had formerly the name of Thermae, a name nearly similar to our Bath, or Hotwells. Under that name we read of it as one of the camping places of Xerxes. Cassander enlarged it, and bestowed upon it a new name in honour of his wife Thessalonica, daughter of Philip of Macedon. “As a commercial port,” says a recent traveller, “Salonica must always hold a high place, and under a different government must become one of the most important centres of trade in the East, whether one regards its natural advantages as a harbour, or the richness and fertility of the back country, to which it forms the outlet.” It was the largest and most populous city in Macedonia, and enjoyed considerable commercial relations. Under the Romans it was placed in the division called Macedonia Secunda, and became the residence of a Praetor. The city appears at a later period in unhappy connection with the Emperor Theodosius. It was the scene of a defeat of Constantius by the Saracens, and was afterwards sold to the Venetians by Androuleus, but captured by the Turks. Salonica is now looked upon as the third city of the Turkish Empire, Smyrna being the second. The population is estimated at 85,000, of whom about half are Jews. (Bp. Alexander.)

2. St. Paul’s ministry here. The Acts contain little or no account of the apostle’s labours among the Gentiles. We only read of three weeks’ preaching in the synagogue, followed by the conversion of many Jews, “devout Greeks,” and “chief women.” Upon this the unbelieving Jews, enlisting the “roughs” of Thessalonica, created a riot which led to the departure of Paul and Silas by night. It is evident, however, from the Epistle, that the apostle’s work here was both more extensive and of longer duration than the history would seem to intimate. For--

(a) That St. Luke has necessarily omitted many things in the apostle’s history.

(b) That nothing in the narrative forbids the interposition of a considerable space between the three weeks’ ministry in the synagogue, and the assault upon the house of Jason.

(c) That “turning to the Gentiles” was so habitual with the apostle, that the history of his work in any city would be incomplete without it. (S. G. Green, D. D.)

We can draw from the Epistles in connection with the Acts a clear picture of the apostle’s manner of life. They lodged in the house of a believing Jew of the name of Joshua (Gr. Jason)

(Acts 17:5; Romans 16:21), but accepted nothing from him but their lodging. To none of the Thessalonians would they be indebted (1Thessalonians 2:9; 2Thessalonians 3:8), but maintained themselves partly by the contributions twice forwarded to them from Philippi (Philippians 4:16), but chiefly by hard manual labour, which occupied not the day only, but extended far into the night to make up for daylight hours devoted to preaching. They were determined to be model operatives (2Thessalonians 3:9), and not merely eloquent preachers: and besides the work of public teaching, the apostles followed their usual method of dealing with the converts’ souls (1Thessalonians 2:11). (A. J. Mason, M. A.)

3. The Thessalonian Church. By means of maps and descriptions we can form a picture to our mind of the Bay of Thessalonica, and see the semicircle of houses rising towards the hills with something of the air of an inferior Genoa. But it is much more difficult for us to see the earliest Christians exactly as they were. We instinctively think of something like churches. In modern Salonica three of these are still found which have been turned into mosques. One of these (St. Sophia) has a very ancient pulpit of beautiful marble, from which tradition reports that Paul preached. Yet, of course, they could have had no separate buildings, and must have been content to meet in the houses of Jason (Acts 17:5), Aristarchus, Secundus (Acts 20:21), or some other believer. But there are certain lines of church life which we can fairly trace.

(a) The “holy kiss” (1Thessalonians 5:26), according to Justin Martyr, was given in connection with the Holy Communion.

(b) The Christians met to be instructed by reading (1Thessalonians 5:27) of St. Paul’s Epistles as the Law and the Prophets were in the synagogue. (Bp. Alexander.)

It is hardly possible to realize the position of this infant community. Conflicting habits of thought and life, conflicting interests and aims, must everywhere have been prevailing. Amid the grosser forms of licentiousness there was the difficulty ever felt by these Christians of keeping themselves unspotted from the world. Amid the ever-shifting subtleties of a vain philosophy there was the difficulty of holding fast the form of sound words. Amid the undisguised contempt of the Gentiles, and the ceaseless, restless enmity of the Jews, there was the difficulty of “standing fast in the Lord.” Amid the errors and disorders within their own bounds there was the difficulty of keeping “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” In a word, the world was against them, and they were against the world. Perhaps the most vivid portrayal of the city life of the ancient world in its contact with Christianity is to be found in Kingsley’s Hypatia. What is there depicted of Alexandria holds to a large extent true of Thessalonica. (J. Hutchison, D. D.)

II. The epistle to the thessalonians.

1. The date and place of writing. It could not have been written after St. Paul’s abode at Corinth, for Silvanus was with him, who after that, and 2Thessalonians 2:1, disappears from the apostle’s company. It could not have been written before; for those who had to bring St. Paul news from Macedonia found him not at Athens, but were allowed to join him at Corinth (Acts 17:15-34; Acts 18:1-5; 1Thessalonians 3:1). It was not, then, written at Athens, according to the subscription of many MSS., misled by 1Thessalonians 3:1, but at Corinth. Nor was it written at the beginning of St. Paul’s stay in that city. Chap. 1:7-8 proves that St. Paul must have remained at Corinth some time for the reputation of the Thessalonian Church to have acquired such currency, and for believers to have fallen asleep in Christ. (Bp. Alexander.)

The contents of the Epistle bear every sign of an early date. None of the great Pauline doctrines are touched upon in it, such as “faith,” in its special sense, or “justification.” There is no Judaic legalism to oppose as in Galatians; St. Paul “can still point to them”--the Churches of Judaea--“as examples to his converts at Thessalonica” (1Thessalonians 2:14). There is no Gnosticism to confront as in Colossians and Timothy. Again the great prominence given to the doctrine of the Advent seems an indication of what St. Paul calls “the beginning of the gospel” (Philippians 4:15). The earliest gospel must needs consist in teaching that Christ was alive from the dead, and giving each Christian a vital interest in His present life, and this cannot be effected without much preaching of the Advent. (A. J. Mason, M. A.)

This Epistle was penned at the close of A.D. 52, or some time in 53, or at all events not later than 54. If this last date be accepted, it is interesting to notice that it was the closing year of the Emperor Claudius’ reign--a year specially memorable throughout the Roman Empire for alarming portents which attracted universal attention, and disturbed the popular mind with gloomy forebodings. The prevalent mood produced by these portents, especially in such a city as Thessalonica, may have had its influence even on Christians, and may help to account for the excitement in the Church of which this Epistle takes so much notice. Catching the general contagion--the current belief that something very wonderful, some awful crisis was about to happen, and giving it at the same time the colouring of their own Christian faith, connecting it more particularly with part of the apostle’s teaching which they had misunderstood--they were straining their eyes to catch, as it were, the first glimpse of their risen and glorified Saviour returning with the clouds as the dust of His feet. Hence the duties which pertain to Christian fellowship and daily toil were neglected. (J. Hutchison, D. D.)

2. The occasion. Though St. Paul had quitted Thessalonica he had not forgotten his infant Church, and had not intended to be absent from it so long. Twice at least (1Thessalonians 2:18) he had seriously endeavoured to make his way back, “but Satan hindered.” Persecution had by no means abated, as he had hoped, by the expulsion of the missionaries; and he dreaded lest the temptation should have been too fiery for the Christians so imperfectly taught and organized (1Thessalonians 3:10). In his extreme agony of mind, unable himself to reach them, he determined at the cost of utter loneliness in a strange and unsympathetic town (Acts 17:16; 1Thessalonians 3:1), to send Timothy to see how they fared and to help them. To St. Paul’s great relief, his friend brought back, on the whole, an excellent report. True there were several most grave faults, but the practical apostle had evidently not expected so much progress, and was overjoyed (1Thessalonians 3:8). And this Epistle, its author’s earliest, and perhaps the earliest book of the New Testament, contains St. Paul’s comments on Timothy’s report. (A. J. Mason, M. A.)

3. Analysis.

A. Historical.

B. Hortatory.

(a) Consolation about the dead (1Thessalonians 4:13-18).

(b) Duty of watchfulness since the Lord’s advent is uncertain, but will be sudden (1Thessalonians 5:1-11).

4. Its characteristics and contents.

These Epistles are full of practical precepts, and in this respect they remind us of the Epistle of James; other portions approach more nearly than any other part of the New Testament to Revelation, the first vision of the Church descending out of heaven, the image of the hope and faith of the earliest believers. They breathe the spirit of the earlier chapters of the Acts where the apostles are waiting for their Lord, and watching the signs of those things that were coming to pass upon the earth. They say nothing of justification by faith, or of mystical union with Christ, or of the Church which is His body but no more does the earliest narrative of the Church, or James, or Revelation. They exhibit the revelation of Christ in one external form by such figures as recall the prophecies of Daniel. Lastly they set before us the likeness of a gospel simple, real, practical--looking to Christ as its Author and Finisher, but not yet entering into the deepest recesses of the human soul. (Prof. Jowett.)

A. Christ is Divine.

1. Titles. The Lord Jesus (1Thessalonians 2:15); our Lord Jesus Christ (1Thessalonians 2:19; 1Thessalonians 5:23); the Lord Himself (1Thessalonians 4:16); the Lord.

2. Divinely conjoined with the Father (1Thessalonians 1:1).

3. Prayed to with the Father (1Thessalonians 3:11).

B. Christ is in heaven (1Thessalonians 1:10; 1Thessalonians 4:16).

C. Christ coming again, the Resurrection and the Life (1Thessalonians 4:14-18).

D. Christ the Redeemer.

1. Ever delivering us from wrath (1Thessalonians 1:10).

2. The medium of salvation (1Thessalonians 5:9).

3. Giving us life through His death (1Thessalonians 5:10). No Christology or Soteriology in the New Testament can go beyond this. (Bp. Alexander.)

5. Its relation to, and difference from, the other Epistles. There is an absence of those higher but more controverted doctrines which occupy so much space in Paul’s later Epistles. But it must be remembered that the Thessalonians had not long turned from idols to the living God. He would be an unwise missionary who should try and instil the more advanced doctrines of a matured Christianity into the minds of children in the faith. But we do find it impressed upon them that the part of the Christian life lies in the work of faith, etc. (1Thessalonians 1:8), and in entire sanctification; and the great articles of our faith are strongly emphasized; the death and resurrection of Christ, the general resurrection, the second advent to judgment, and the eternity of future rewards and punishments (1Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1Thessalonians 5:1-10; 1Thessalonians 5:23-24)--the substance of all Paul’s after teaching. (F. A. Malleson, M. A.)

Reading the Epistles in chronological order, many will be tempted to trace in them a development of doctrine. Others, again, will seek to impress upon them the same fixed type of truth held from the beginning. Neither of these views is justified by an examination of the Epistles. There is a growth, it is true; but it is a growth of Christian life, not of intellectual progress--the growth, not of reflection, but of spiritual experience, enlarging as the world widens before the apostle’s eyes, passing from life to death, or from strife to peace, with the changes in the apostle’s own life, or the circumstances of his converts. There is a rest also in them, discernible not in forms of thought or in types of doctrine, but in the person of Christ Himself, who is his centre in every Epistle, however various may be his modes of expression or his treatment of controversial questions. (Prof. Jowett.)

The theology of this Epistle is very simple and, as we should say, elementary, the contents being mainly practical. With wonderful perversity this fact has been employed as indicating a change of view in St. Paul himself, as though his creed were of a simpler kind than when he addressed the Church in Rome. Rightly estimated, this very abstinence from the profounder topics of the Christian faith establishes, indirectly, the genuineness of the Epistle. The Church was young. The controversies which would hereafter lead to the scientific statement and argumentative unfolding of Christian doctrine had not as yet troubled the Churches. They needed milk rather than strong meat. To the Thessalonians the gospel was mainly a call to turn from idols, to serve the Father, to trust the Redeemer, and to honour both by faith, hope, and love. Such, to them, was the teaching which came in word, power, and the Holy Ghost. And “the present truth,” the means of uplifting from the world, and of bringing invisible realities near, was the prophecy of Christ’s second appearing, the call to await “the Son from heaven.” These primary truths, in their breadth and fulness of ethical application, are the staple of this Epistle, as they were the strength of the earlier Churches. The contents of the letter thus precisely accord with its place in the series. It is interesting, also, to trace secret links of correspondence between hints and phrases of this Epistle and the more detailed teaching of the apostle’s later productions. In the letters to Corinth especially, St. Paul follows out in a more extended form many a suggestion in those written at Corinth. In the association of faith, hope, love (1Thessalonians 1:3; 1Thessalonians 5:8), the apostle had evidently in his mind the thoughts so nobly wrought out in 1Corinthians 13:1-13. Compare, again, 1Thessalonians 1:5 with 1Corinthians 2:4; 1Thessalonians 1:6 with 1Corinthians 11:1; 1Thessalonians 2:4 with 1Corinthians 4:3,

4. The anxiety to revisit the Thessalonians has its counterpart in the apostle’s desire to see the Corinthians again (1Thessalonians 2:17; 2Corinthians 1:15; 1Corinthians 5:3); and the arrival of Timothy with good news from Thessalonica (1Thessalonians 3:6) is paralleled by the “coming of Titus” (2Corinthians 7:6). On the whole, it is the same man who writes to Corinth and from Corinth, in no sense repeating himself, but revealing the character of his mind and heart by his very turns of phrase, while his soul is ever filled with the most earnest, tender, and jealous affection for those whom he has been the means of leading to Christ. (S. G. Green, D. D.)