Category Archives: Thessalonians

Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians

Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians is now available!

First and Second Thessalonians are likely the earliest surviving records from the primitive Christian era. Both appear to have been written a mere twenty years after the Lord’s ministry closed. These Epistles show how certain aspects of the Christian religion were understood, taught, and promulgated. They also show that the earliest Christians wrestled with aspects of their religion and were trying to understand them more fully. Some Christians misunderstood certain teachings and, as a result, opened the door to forces that could destroy the nascent Church.

In these two Epistles, the Apostle Paul aims to address these misunderstood teachings and halt the potential danger. Paul’s doctrinal degree of sophistication clearly stands out. Every word, phrase, and sentence has both a historical and a social context. He writes in language that the Thessalonians can understand, and he does so with force, insight, power, and love. The Epistles dwell richly on the hope these people found in the gospel of Christ and emphasize the meaning and earnestness of what being a Christian meant during a time of great persecution.

Paul’s purpose in writing is the starting point of our work. To the highest degree possible, we have diligently tried to capture the thrust and trajectory of his ideas such that the modern reader can understand the writings of this deeply spiritual and profoundly insightful leader in their context. Paul offers context and answers to various issues that both the Thessalonians Saints and those of today face. His answers bolster faith, provide understanding, and offer counterpoints to views opposed to the restored gospel. This commentary, though focused on the text of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, clearly elucidates and examines these same issues.

This work is the first comprehensive study of Thessalonians ever produced by Latter-day Saint scholars. In addition to providing commentary on every verse in these two important letters, it also provides a rendering of the preserved Greek text into modern English. The result is that many passages become clearer and more understandable. This rendition is set side by side with the King James Version for easy comparison.

You can purchase the print book on the BYU Studies website. You can buy the eBook on Amazon, Deseret Bookshelf, or Nook.

A Short Note on Thessalonians

by John W. Welch

Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians describe what I would call “The Way,” meaning to walk in the path of truth and life.[1]  First Thessalonians is Paul’s first letter back to his new converts in Thessalonica. He articulates what it means to live and walk as a Christian. He encourages the converts to seek faith, love, hope, and spiritual power:

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (1 Thess. 1:3-5)

In chapter two, he reminds them to please God, not men, even when doing so causes them to suffer, trying their hearts (1 Thess. 2:4).

In chapter 4, he tells them that they can become sanctified by their purity and fairness (1 Thess. 4:3-6). They must seek holiness, brotherly love, study, being quiet or reverent, minding their own business, working with their hands, and walking honestly (1 Thess. 4:7-12).

In chapter 5, he tells them to esteem their leaders, rejoice, pray, give thanks, quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesyings, prove (test) all things, hold fast that which is good, and abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:13-22).

This rich description of what it means to live a holy life, walking in the path of Christ, still serves us well today.

Julie Smith has articulated in much more detail how the Way is described in Mark and the other Gospels, usually by the Greek word hodos. She explains that Paul used other language to describe a Christian life. See her presentation on The Way on video and transcript on this page, and in her commentary The Gospel according to Mark.  

[1] Although in 1 Thessalonians 3:11 Paul uses the word hodos, way, to describe the path that he needed to return to Thessalonica, it is not used to describe the way of Christian discipleship.