1 Thessalonians 1

Text

Textual witnesses

• Papyrus 46
• Papyrus 65
• Codex Vaticanus
• Codex Sinaiticus
• Codex Alexandrinus
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
• Codex Freerianus
• Codex Claromontanus

  The Prescript

Verse 1

The Thanksgiving (1:2–10)

Verses 2–4

• "Work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope: containing the triad of faith, love and hope, which is common in the Pauline and later New Testament epistles, which becomes the characteristics of Christ's followers, not just as 'theological virtues' but also 'distinctive badges of group identity', so the Thessalonians can state themselves as the 'people characterized by faith, love and hope'.

  Verses 9–10

• "To wait for His Son from heaven": following Paul's belief that Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, became incarnate and in the human nature suffered, and died for the sins of the people; God the Father raised him from the dead and he ascended into heaven, where he is now until the time of the restitution of all things, when he will come again and judge the world in righteousness. Therefore, the believers in Thessalonica are to expect him, and wait by faith for eternal glory and happiness by him.
• "Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come": because the believers are justified by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ, so they are saved from all punishment in this life and in the world to come.