Ãâó: http://archive.catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9407ntg.asp
N e w T e s t a m e n t G u i d e
1 & 2 Thessalonians
By Antonio Fuentes
PAUL first came to Thessalonica--modern Salonika--around the
year 50 (early on in the course of his second apostolic journey). It was one of
the most important cities in the Roman province of Macedonia. Its very busy
port, its strategic position on the main highway between Rome and its provinces
in the East, and its position on the route from Thrace to Acadia meant that many
people, mainly Greeks, gravitated to Thessalonica in search of employment; it
had a sizable Jewish community, with its own synagogue. Zealous as ever, Paul
spoke in this synagogue on three consecutive sabbaths, explaining that Jesus was
the true Messiah, in whom the Old Testament prophecies found their fulfillment.
Only some of these Jews accepted the Gospel, but many Greek proselytes became
Christians as well as "not a few of the leading women" (Acts
16:25-17:4).
The apostle was immediately persecuted and had to flee the city by night,
leaving his catechetical work unfinished. As soon as he reached Athens he sent
Timothy back to Thessalonica, and Timothy soon returned with good reports. By
this time Paul was already in Corinth and from there, happy to hear of the
Thessalonians' firmness in the faith and of their affectionate regard for
himself (despite what detractors were saying about him), he wrote to them to
console them and clarify some points of doctrine; two points, particularly the
lot of those who die before the Parousia [the second coming of the Lord] and the
disruption caused by those who refused to work and constituted a burden on the
Christian community in that city.
1 Thessalonians
After thanking God for the steadfast faith of the Thessalonians, Paul vigorously defends the supernatural character of his mission. Contrary to what some people were alleging out of greed and vanity, he had brought them the Gospel "not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1:5): "we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts" (2:4). A proof of this is the fact that during the time he spent among them he worked with his own hands, to avoid being a burden on them (2:9-10). Therefore, he insists on the mutual love they should have for one another and everyone's responsibility to pull his weight, to do his daily work and obey those whom God has placed over him.2 Thessalonians
The Thessalonians were very happy with the first letter, but they began to ask themselves further questions, which left them uneasy. Paul had not told them anything about when the Parousia would happen, and some of them, who were perhaps naturally nervous or impulsive types, were making out that the Parousia was in fact imminent. This sort of thinking made them disinterested in things around them.Antonio Fuentes teaches Scripture at the University of Navarre in Spain.
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