Bible Dictionary
Thessalonians, First Epistle To The
First Thessalonians was written by Paul to encourage the newly established church at Thessalonica. It commends their faith, urges purity and steadfastness, and teaches concerning the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers.
Definition
First Thessalonians is Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica, written a few months after he founded the church there. It is among the earliest of Paul’s writings and records his concern for the believers’ faith and conduct.
Biblical Usage
The letter commends the Thessalonians’ faith, urges purity and steadfastness, and addresses Christian hope concerning the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers.
Historical Background
It was written from Corinth while Silvanus and Timothy were associated with Paul. The supplied material places it near the close of A.D. 52 or the beginning of A.D. 53.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
was written by the apostle Paul at Corinth, a few months after he had founded the church at Thessalonica, at the close of the year A.D. 62 or the beginning of 53. The Epistles to the Thessalonians, then (for the second followed the first after no long interval), are the earliest of St. Paul’s writings—perhaps the earliest written records of Christianity. It is interesting, therefore, to compare the Thessalonian epistles with the later letters, and to note the points of These differences are mainly