“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)
As was his normal practice, and the characteristic of first century letters, the Apostle Paul immediately introduced himself as the epistle’s author. He included his companions Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy.
Silvanus, or Silas, was a prophet belonging to the church in Jerusalem. The elders assigned him to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch to deliver the decision reached by the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:22-40). Paul chose Silas to join him on his second missionary journey. It was during this mission trip, the church in Thessalonica began (Acts 17:1-9).
Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father (Acts 16:1-2). Paul and Silas drafted this young man to join them in sharing the Gospel. While young, Timothy was a highly regarded disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. He became a valuable asset to the Apostle Paul.
The recipients of the epistle were true believers belonging to the church of the Thessalonians. The word church (ἐκκλησίᾳ; ekklesia) means a congregation of Christians who integrate religiously and socially with each other based upon a well-defined covenant relationship with the One, True God of the Scriptures.
“Thessalonica was the chief city of Macedonia and the seat of Roman administration in the century before Christ. In addition to having a magnificent harbor, Thessalonica had the good fortune of being located on the overland route from Italy to the East. This famous highway, called the Egnatian Way, ran directly through the city. Two Roman arches, the Vardar Gate and the Arch of Galerius, marked the western and eastern boundaries,” states the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.
Paul said the church was “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” These two identifying statements regarding the first and second persons of the Godhead have great significance.
The noun God (θεῷ; theo) refers to His transcendence. Transcendence is the LORD’s otherworldliness, perfection, superiority and sovereignty. This title also refers to His providence, or purposeful sovereignty. The noun Father (πατρὶ; patri), from which we derive the English word patriarch, means the LORD is also imminent or nearby. Taken together, they refer to God’s supernatural control of the created universe and His care for those justified, redeemed and reconciled by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
The phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” is a title of deity for God the Son. Lord (κυρίῳ; kyrio) refers to one who is command or sovereign. Jesus (Ἰησοῦ; Iesou) means Savior. Christ (Χριστῷ; Chriso) means the Anointed One.
“In the LXX the name Lord (κύριος) translates Jehovah, the God of Israel. It is more often the rendering of Jehovah than of anything else. (At times it is the equivalent of Adan, Adonai, Baal, etc.) Now the Jews were strict monotheists. Yet Paul, though himself a Jew, again and again gives to Jesus the title Lord. This shows that, in the thinking of the apostle, Jesus is just as fully divine as is God the Father: one and the same essence is possessed by the Father and by the Son (also by the Spirit, 2 Cor. 13:14),” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
“For Paul, Jesus is our Lord because: (a) He is the second person in the Holy Trinity (1 Cor. 13:3; Phil. 2:11), the highly exalted One, rightful object of worship, (b) He has made us (Col. 1:3, 16), and (c) he has bought (redeemed) us with his precious blood (Col. 1:3, 14); hence, we belong to him according to body and soul, in life and death and throughout all eternity. We owe him our full allegiance.”
Paul’s greeting climaxes with his standard expression found in all of his epistles in one variation or another. To the Thessalonians he wrote, “Grace to you and peace.” Grace (χάρις; charis) refers to God’s unmerited favor. Peace (εἰρήνη; Eirene) means freedom from worry and tranquility. The Thessalonians possessed tranquility and a freedom from worry due to the Lord’s sovereign grace unto salvation from the penalty, power and eventual presence of their sin.
“Two objections should be answered,” states Dr. Hendriksen. First, “But is it not true that God’s grace and his peace always rest on the church?” True, indeed, but the effective wish or the declaration is that this grace and this peace shall be applied abundantly especially in connection with this particular service of public worship (for example, when this letter or any part of it is read). Second, “Is not this a mechanical view?” Indeed not! These blessings are bestowed upon those—and only upon those—who are ready to receive them by faith.”
“Paul opens 1 Thessalonians with a greeting expressing grace and peace to the Thessalonians. Indeed, the whole of the Christian life is lived in the grace of God, which produces peace between the Lord and His people. Let us thank God for His grace and His peace this day, and let us seek His peace, endeavoring to live in harmony with other believers, as we show our gratitude for the grace of our salvation.” Writes one commentator.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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