trinal system of Paul. But, if we compare these elucidations as to
the end of all things with the intimations on that subject in the
later epistles, all in these latter that can be referred to the second
coming of Christ and the kingdom of God is thrown strikingly into
the background. Paul seems in later times not only to give up the
hope of living to see Christ's second coming himself (compare Phil,
i. 23 with 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17), but also to have dwelt less in his
teachings on the near proximity of the outward kingdom of God,
and to have presented in stronger relief its spiritual aspects. We
need not hesitate to assume that the experience of what misappre-
hensions that doctrine, preached with special prominence, had occa-
sioned in Thessalonica, brought Paul to this modification of his form
of teaching. His dogmatical conviction remained unaltered ; he
merely modified his manner of propounding it according to the ne-
cessities of his mostly Gentile auditors, who, after such experience,
justly seemed to him but ill adapted to receive that doctrine pure
and unclouded. Without concealing it in later times, he yet always
presented it only in its subordinate relations to the previously settled
spiritual foundation of the new birth, in which form no further abuse
of it was to be apprehended.
2. OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE EPISTLES TO THE THESSA-
LONIANS.
The first Epistle to the Thessalonians belongs to the few in the
New Testament which have had the fortune neither in ancient nor
in modern times to be attacked with regard to their authenticity.
Even the most ancient of the Fathers use it as an authentic apos-
tolical production, and the carping criticism of the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries has also been forced hitherto to recognize its
collective contents as genuine. It has not fared quite so well with
the second of these epistles ; for, though it was clearly in ancient
times recognized equally with the first, yet modern critics have
thought they remarked in it suspicious elements. No one has
yet ventured however, decidedly to deny Paul's authorship of the
second epistle on account of those points. In fact, too, such weighty
INTRODUCTION. 249
arguments have been adduced in favour of its authenticity* by its
defenders, and such satisfactory solutions of the doubts which were
propounded, that we cite only by way of notice the chief articles on
which they have attempted to ground their doubts. J. G. Chr.
Schmidt (Library for Criticism and Exegesis, vol. ii., p. 380, seq. :
Introd. to the New Testament, vol. ii., p. 256) expressed first and
most decidedly the doubts as to the authenticity of the second epis-
tle, which De Wette (Introd. p. 229) repeats with but slight ap-
jroval. Schmidt insists on the following points : that there is no
nention at all of the first epistle in the second ; that the latter is
01 the whole a mere repetition of the first ; that the author of the
second lays a stress on his being the writer of it, as if he had a dis-
timt purpose in it (2 Thess. ii. 15, iii. 17) ; that the mention of a
fictiious Epistle (2 Thess. ii. 2) points to his own consciousness of
having fathered an epistle on Paul ; that Paul himself could not
possibly have thought of it, as he had written but two epistles, that
to th* Galatians, and the first to the Thessalonians. (For Schmidt
supposes an earlier composition of the Epistle to the Galatians.)
But these arguments are plainly one and all without any signifi-
cance, for, although the epistle is authentic, there is no absolute
necessity for making mention of the first epistle in it ; the assertion
that the second epistle is a mere repetition of the first shews itself
completely untrue ; the first chapter only is of similar purport, the
second and third are altogether independent. Of a distinct purpose
in the writer to designate himself as Paul so much only is true that,
on account of the fraud which was attempted with a supposititious
letter, a mark of authenticity is added. But such an occurrence
is by no means improbable, considering the great authority of
Paul ; it does not affect this inquiry, whether he had already
written many letters, or but few ; the only question is whether
one might hope to attain an object by means of such a fiction
under an apostolical name ; that this was possible in Thessalon-
ica is sufficiently vouched for by the attachment of the Chris-
tians there to Paul. But the apostle had, no doubt, at that
time even, already written many epistles, only ' we, by accident,
possess none of the earlier ones. De Wette's question : " Did
the apostle even then think of writing many epistles ?" (Introd. p.
198) appears, accordingly, completely superfluous. The apostle's
writing epistles was a natural consequence of his position towards
the churches, not an act of reflection on his part ; if he did not wish
to drop all connexion with them, there remained to him no other
means, as they were in such remote countries that he could seldom
visit them in person. Certainly the circumstance which Schmidt
* See especially J. G. Eeiche authentic poster, ad Thess. epist. vindtciae, Gott. 1829.
4, and Guericke, Beitr. p. 29, seq.
250 INTRODUCTION.
lays a stress on, that in 2 Thess. iii. 17 a mark of the authen-
ticity of the epistles is given, which, however, is in general not
found in the epistles of Paul that we have, would be impor-
tant ; but it actually is found in 1 Cor. xvi. 21 ; Gal. vi. 11 ;
Col. iv. 18 ; Philem. ver. 19 ; where it does not occur, either spe-
cial circumstances made such a precaution superfluous, or the fear
of the repetition of such frauds was lost altogether. Thus, then,
but two arguments are left by which Schmidt justifies his suspicion
against the authenticity of the second Epistle to the Thessaloniam
with some shew of reason. First, the doctrine of Antichrist, as pre-
sented in 2 Thess. ii., is said to be not in Paul's manner ; secondly,
such a contrast is said to exist with the first epistle as almost seeus
intended to excite suspicion against it. But although the doctnne
of Antichrist is not found propounded elsewhere in Paul's episfles,
it is not on that account against Paul's doctrines. That couk bo
asserted only if passages could be pointed out in the rest of his 3pis-
tles which were opposed to the doctrine of Antichrist. Such, how-
ever, are not to be found. Paul's silence on the subject in his later
epistles is satisfactorily explained by the arguments already given
above. But the other assertion, of contradictions of the first epistle
looks somewhat comical by the side of the previous one, tiat the
second Epistle to the Thessalonians is a mere repetition of tie first.
We do not well perceive how they can subsist side by side. But,
apart from this, in what does the contradiction consist ? Nothing
more can be cited than that in the first epistle (iv. 13, seq.) Christ's
second coming seems to be represented as just impending whereas
in the second (ii. 3, seq.) signs are given which must first intervene.
The two, however, are very easily reconciled by the assumption that
Paul imagined those signs might very quickly be realized. No doubt
experience has not confirmed this, but surely Paul also freely admits
that neither he nor in general any man knows the day aid hour of
that coming. As long, therefore, as no more tenable arguments
can be brought forward, we may be perfectly easy with regard to the
equal authenticity of the second epistle.
3. COURSE OF THOUGHT IN THE EPISTLE TO THE THESSALO-
NIANS.
The first and longer epistle divides itself, as is usually the case
with Paul's epistles, into two parts. The one reaches from chap.
* It was not till after tho completion of the work that Dr. Kern's essay (Tubing. Ma-
gazine for 1839, part 2), in which the spuriousness of tho second Epistle to the Thessalo-
nians is decidedly asserted, came to hand. However, this scholar founds his assertion
entirely on his interpretation of tho passage, ii. 1-12. "Wo shall therefore shew in its ex-
position that those verses contain nothing which can lead us to infer from them a date
after the time of tho apostles.
INTRODUCTION. 251
i. ver. 1, to chap. iii. ver. 13 ; the other from chap. iv. verse 1 to
chap. v. ver. 28. The former is occupied more with general consid-
erations and purely personal relations ; the latter with special ex-
hortations.
In the first part the first paragraph (i. 1-10) contains, after the
greeting, a thanksgiving on account of the faith, love, and hope
of the Christians in Thessalonica, by which they had become
patterns for all believers. The second paragraph reminds the
readers of Paul's first appearance among them ; how he in purity
of intention had exerted himself only about their souls, and, sup-
porting himself by his handiwork, had been a burden to none. He
therefore praises God that they had received his word from his
mouth, and in joyful self-sacrifice, like the churches in Judea, en-
dured willingly all the persecutions which came upon them (ii. 1-16).
After this, Paul, in the third paragraph, expresses his longing to
see them again, and remarks that he had made several attempts for
that purpose, but had been prevented ; however, he had felt him-
self obliged to send Timothy at least to them from Athens, to
strengthen them in the faith. Now he had received through Tim-
othy the best accounts of them, for which he thanked God, and
besought him to advance them still more in the life of faith (ii.
17 iii. 13).
In the second part of the first epistle (iv. 1 v. 28) Paul in the
first paragraph gives exhortations to some Christian virtues (iv. 1-
12); he then comes in the fifth paragraph (iv. 13 v. 11) to the
question as to the latter days, and shews that the dead by no means
lose the kingdom of God, but would be with the Lord at the same
time as the living. With respect, however, to the time of Christ's
coming Paul remarks that the Lord comes quite unexpectedly, and
therefore his coming must be constantly looked for ; they should
consequently walk like children of light, in order to be found waking
and not sleeping (iv. 13 v. 11). To this are finally annexed, in the
sixth paragraph, some further exhortations, with the prayer that God
may sanctify them in spirit, soul, and body. A blessing conclude*
the epistle (v. 12-28).
The second and shorter epistle contains three paragraphs, the
first of which (i. 1-12), after the greeting, begins with the remark >;
how much reason he, Paul, has to praise God for the patient faith
of his readers under all persecutions, by which God would make
them worthy of his kingdom, on the coming in of which a punishing
of the wicked, as well as a rewarding of the good, would take place.
Therefore also he prayed continually for them, and wished that they
might be filled with all good things, unto the glorification of the
name of Christ. To this is subjoined in the second paragraph (ii. 1
-17) the exhortation, not to let themselves be troubled by any pro-
252 INTRODUCTION.
phecy, doctrine, or pretended epistles, as if the day of Christ were
already at hand ; on the contrary, the man of sin must first be re-
vealed, whose revealing is however withheld by something ; when
that is taken away, then he would appear ; but Christ would sub-
due him and make known his whole glory, to a participation in
which they too are called. He must, therefore, exhort them most
urgently to take fast hold on his traditions, and would beseech God
to establish them in every good word and work. Finally, in the
third paragraph (iii. 1-18) Paul calls on the readers to pray for him,
in order to promote the dissemination of the gospel, and to save him
from the violence of the wicked. To themselves, however, he ex-
presses the sure hope that they would act according to his exhorta-
tions, avoid all disorderly conduct, and especially after his example
faithfully continue their outward labour ; he threatens the disobe-
dient with emphatical chastisement. A blessing concludes the
epistle.
4. LITERATURE.
The Epistles to the Thessalonians have been, proportionably, but
seldom specially treated. This phenomenon is doubtless to be ac-
counted for from the fact that their contents have but little that is
peculiar, and that the accounts of the last things, which alone im-
part to them their specific character, have till now exerted but
small attraction on the learned interpreters. The most important
separate works on these epistles are by Turretin (Basileas, 1739),
Krause (Frankfort, 1790), Koppe (3d Edit, by Tychsen, Gottingen,
1823), Flatt (edited by Kling, Tubingen, 1829), Pelt (Gryphis-
waldias, 1830), and Schott (Lips. 1834). A very copious and learned
essay on all the interpretations of these epistles is given by Pelt,
Introd. pp. xxxv., seq.
EXPOSITION
OP THE
FIEST EPISTLE TO THE THESSAIMIANS.
PART FIRST,
(i. 1. iii. 13.)
1. THANKSGIVING FOB THE FAITH OF THE EEADERS.
(i. 1-10.)
TOGETHER with Paul, Silvanus and Timothy send salutations.
According to Acts xvi. 1, 19, they had accompanied him in his mis-
sionary labours in Macedonia ; then they had at first indeed re-
mained behind in Beroea, but soon came after him to Athens (Acts
xvii. 14, 15), whence Timothy was sent to Thessalonica, and met
with Paul in Corinth, as has already been detailed in the Introduc-
tion. One of the two is probably the writer of these Epistles, Paul
dictating to him, for according to 2 Thess. iii. 17, Paul had appended
the salutation alone with his own hand. The addition EV Qe& -rrarpl
nal Kvpiu 'Irjaov XpiaT& in the salutations of both epistles, for which
at 2 Thess, i. 1 the fuller phrase, narpl r\n&v is read, is peculiar. For
in several epistles ev Xp. 'I., it is true, is found (Phil. i. 1 ; Col. i. 2),
not joined with EKKkrjaia, however, but with rolg dyioig. But in no
salutation except those in these two epistles do we read ev eew -rrarpt.
Now it is a question whether the ev refers to the salutation itself,
for instance with %aipere supplied (Winer's Gr., p. 129),* or is to be
joined to rq ex/cAT/dta, with ovoy supplied. The absence of the article
rq is in favour of the former; in favour of the latter is the apostle's
custom constantly to unite the formula KV Xpiorti in the salutations
with the persons, never with the salutation itself. The latter argu-
ment seems to me the more preponderating that it is quite un-
imaginable that Paul should have left his beloved church in Thes-
salonica, whose faith he immediately rates so highly, without any
epithet of praise ; the absence of the article is then to be explained
by the fact that eKK^aia KV Sew, K. r. A., is conceived as a collective
* The reference is withdrawn in the sixth edition. [K.
254 FIRST THESSALONIANS I. 2, 3.
idea. The last words, dnb Qeov Trarpbg Xpiarov, are wanting in B.
F. G. and other critical authorities ; however, for all that, even
Lachinann has not ventured directly to strike them out, but has
only included them in brackets ; without them the salutation would
be altogether too bald.
Vers. 2, 3. In the usual words (Rom. i. 8, 9 ; Eph. i. 16 ; 2
Thess. i. 3 ; 2 Tim. i. 3) Paul first of all expresses his thanks to
God for his readers, of whom he makes mention in his prayers, while
he remembers their faith, their love, their hope. In 1 Thess. v. 8,
these three Christian cardinal virtues stand in the same order as
here, while at 1 Cor. xiii. 13 (see the Comm. there) love stands last.
The latter collocation is more in accordance with the abstract style
of contemplation ; in the concrete Christian life hope appears as the
last and highest, because it is the connecting link between this
world and the world to come. Each of the three virtues has, how-
ever, an epithet, intended not merely, as Koppe thinks, to be taken
paraphrastically, but to represent these virtues in their practical exer-
cise. They are tpyov TIJ$ 7u<7Tea>f, KOTTOS rfc dydnrjs, vno(j,ovjj rrjg K^m-
dof. The two latter designations are intelligible of themselves.
K^TTOC T?/? 1 dyd-mjs, labour of love, is meant to characterize love not
as a mere beneficent feeling, but as a power which is active in self-
denial and exertion ; in the same way vTrofiovij rfc tArri'dof, patience
of hope, describes hope as it is held fast and proved in combat with
temptations to doubt. But the phrase tpyov r/fc mcn-eo^, work of
faith, is difficult. Several interpreters (particularly Calovius, Wolf,
and others), understand it as describing faith as a work of God in
the souls of men, as it is, no doubt, to be taken at 2 Thess. i. 11.
But there is nothing in the context here to lead us to lay a stress
upon this ; the interpreter must rather be guided in explaining
Ipyov T7/f mareug by the analogy of the other two virtues named
bere. As in these the proving them in real life is insisted on, faith,
too, is exhibited under the same aspect. In 1 Cor. xvi. 13 ; 1 Tim.
vi. 12 ; 2 Tim. iv. 7, a fight of faith is spoken of, by which this pas-
sage is elucidated. For, though faith is a work of God in men's
soul's, just as love and hope are, yet man bears not an absolutely
passive relation towards it ; he has to fight against the faith-stifling
power of sin in him and in the world. The phrase epyov rfc mareus
is meant to denote that independent activity in the life of faith. It
must not, therefore, be taken as exactly = tpya r. TT., but trans-
lated, "labour or conflict of faith." For the effects, which proceed
from the living faith maintained and increased by conflict, are
particularly mentioned in love and hope. The whole passage, there-
fore, paints the independent manner in which the Christians in
Thessalonica let, Christianity become operative in them and can up-
hold it against all attacks of the world. The genitive rov nvpiov
FIRST THESSALONIANS I. 4-7. 255
&v 'Ir]oov Xpiarov is not to be joined with iX-nido^ merely, as if the
sense were, " of the hope of the speedy coming again of Christ," for
this special working of hope cannot be alone spoken of here, since
hope is taken quite generally, just as faith and love are. This geni-
tive rather refers to all three virtues, in order to shew that they are
one and all derived from Christ, and are instilled into man by his
Spirit. The last words of the third verse, however, K^npoaOev rov
Qeov KCU -narpbg rjptiv, admit of no other construction than with fj-vjj-
liovevovrsg ; but the remembering, the thinking of, in God's sight is
= ev^apiarsiVj or ^iveiav iroieiadai im r&v rcpocrevx&v ^jitwv, so that
thus verse 3 is to be considered as only a detailed elucidation of
verse 2.
Vers. 4, 5. This thanksgiving, continues Paul, is derived in him
from the knowledge (eMd-rc^) that they are really elect, and this
knowledge again is grounded on the matter of fact that he was
able to work so powerfully among them. The train of thought
is, therefore, this, " I know ye are elect, for, where elect are, there
God gives his Spirit also, in order to bring the election to comple-
tion." This certainly sounds quite predestinarian ; but that Paul
does not mean personal self-activity to be excluded plainly appears
from ver. 3, where he insisted on that very quality. (On the import
of election see particulars at Rom. ix.) Paul here means only to
shew how he, from the way in which the Spirit operated in him at
a certain place, drew a conclusion as to the disposition of the per-
sons there. Where it manifested itself powerfully, argued he, there
must be elect ; where the contrary was the case, he concluded the
contrary. Thus at Acts xvi. 7 the Spirit suffered him not to travel
through Bithynia, because there were no elect there. (Ver. 4.
'A&A0ot f]ya7T7)fi,evoi VTTO Qsov, or, as it stands 2 Thess. ii. 13, VTTO itvpiov,
denotes the faithful as the true Israelites, as they are called in the
Old Testament also. See 2 Chron. xx. 7. Ver. 5. The TO evayye-
hiov rm&v is = Krjpvyna rm&v rov evayyeXiov, by which the dg vpdg
also is explained. See at ii. 9. As to the antithesis of Adyo? and
tivvapig or epyov, see Col. ii. 23 ; 1 John iii. 18. The words, KOI fa
Ttvevpari dytw KOI ev 7r/l?/po0opm 7roAA,^ explain the dvva^ig epexegetically,
the Spirit expressing the objective aspect of the thought, the full as-
surance its subjective. On TrA^po^opm, 7rA?7po0e70cu, see at Rom. iv.
21, xiv. 5 ; Col. ii. 2. The last words, itadus otdare, . r. A., appeal for
confirmation to the knowledge of the readers themselves. The oloi
is, according to the context, to be taken, " in what power and fresh-
ness of spirit." By &' vfidg all secondary objects are excluded, "for
your own sake, for the salvation of your souls."
Vers. 6, 7. Paul goes still further in his praise of the Christians
in Thessalonica, by laying a stress on their having become imitators
of himself, nay of the Lord even, in that they had received the word
256 FIRST THESSALONIANS I. 8.
with joy in spite of much persecution. Persecutions can of course
take place only when the faith has been embraced ; imitation, too,
necessarily presupposes regeneration ; in the d^aaOat Adyoi>, there-
fore, is couched the abiding reception, i. e., the holding fast what has
been received, rather than the first reception of the word. By
means of this powerful, victorious faith, adds Paul, the Thessalo-
nians were become a pattern for all believers in the whole of Greece ;
in many other churches many might by the persecutions have been
brought to apostacy. (Ver. 6. On m^ral yiveodui see 1 Cor. iv. 16,
xi. 1 ; Phil. iii. 17. Aoyof stands prcegnanti sensu for Adyof TOV
KvpiaVj rrjs dkijdeias. Comp. ver. 8. The %opa nvtv^aroq dyiov is
opposed to natural, sensual joy, which cannot, of course, consist with
the 6M\pis. Christianity makes no such Stoical demands. Spirit-
ual joy does not even exclude, but includes, sorrow at the blindness
of the men who persecute God in those that are his. See details at
Matth. v. 11. In ver. 7 B.D. read rvnovs, which Griesbach has
adopted ; but the singular, with Lachmann, deserves the preference
for extrinsic and intrinsic reasons. For the singular could easily be
changed into the plural, as several persons are spoken of. Macedonia
and Achaia are the two provinces into which Greece was divided
according to Roman partition. Athens and Corinth belonged, ac-
cording to that, to Achaia. See on Acts xix. 21.)
Ver. 8. A pattern for others the church in Thessalonica could
have become only when their faith had been heard of ; but this,
continues Paul, was the case, and to such a degree, that the re-
port of it had spread everywhere even (iv navrl TOTTW); where-
fore he had no need to say anything about it. According to this,
there results, as a climax in the sentence, that with the one country
(Greece) is contrasted the whole world, with which also the col-
location of the ov povov dAAa alone harmonizes. But it is un-
derstood at once from ver. 7, that not all men, but only all believers,
in all countries are meant as those to whom the faith of the
Christians in Thessalonica had penetrated. One might suppose,
however, that still more was couched in this verse than the in-
formation that the knowledge of the life of faith of the Thessa-
lonians had spread abroad even beyond the borders of Greece. The
phrase 77 marts v\i&v e&kfavOev, it is true, cannot well be under-
stood of the spreading abroad of the faith to other cities from
Thessalonica as the starting point ; with this meaning, the words
must have run, i\ mans dfy V/LWOV igehrjXvOev. It clearly means only, the
report of your faith has come to othre believers. But it seems to
be otherwise with the first clause, a</>' vp&v if^PP** & Aoyof TOV
icvpiov. These words, viewed in themselves, can be translated,
Christianity has spread from you to others, i. e., you are become
efficient unto the further propagation of the gospel. But this would
FIRST THESSALONIANS I. 9, 10. 257
be a statement of wider purport than the mere spreading of the fact
that the Christians in Thessalonica continued so lively in the faith ;
and then the ov yovov a/lAa would not accord with this. Moreover,
it is not known historically that Christianity had spread further
from Thessalonica as a centre. The course which Grotius, Storr,
Flatt, Koppe, follow for the solution of this difficulty, but which
Pelt has already justly designated as monstrous, is clearly quite in-
admissible. For they join ov fj,6vov with e^^ip-ai, and dA/la with
eeA?7/lv0i>, so that iv -navrl TOTTOJ would merely stand parallel with
Macedonia and Achaia. The train of thought becomes quite sim-