The bright hope of Christ’s return.

2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-2

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1: 1   Paul wrote this letter from Corinth less than a year after he had written 1   Thessalonians. He and his companions Timothy and Silas had visited Thessalonica on Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 17: 1-10). They established the church there, but Paul had to leave suddenly because of persecution. This prompted him to write his first letter to this group of believers, 1   Thessalonians, which contains words of comfort and encouragement. Paul then heard how the Thessalonians had responded to this letter. The good news was that they were continuing to grow in their faith. The bad news was that false teachings about Christ’s return were spreading, leading many to quit their jobs and wait for the end of the world. So Paul wrote to them again. While the purpose of Paul’s first letter was to comfort the Thessalonians with the assurance of Christ’s second coming, the purpose of his second letter was to correct false teaching about the Second Coming.

1: 1   Thessalonica was the capital and largest city of the Roman province of Macedonia. The most important Roman highway, the Egnatian Way— extending from the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea to modern-day Istanbul— went through Thessalonica. This highway, along with the city’s thriving seaport, made Thessalonica one of the wealthiest and most flourishing trade centers in the Roman Empire. Recognized as a free city, Thessalonica was allowed self-rule and was exempted from most of the restrictions placed by Rome on other cities. Because of this open climate, however, the city had many pagan religions and cultural influences that challenged the Christians’ faith.

ON THE WAY HOME WALK WITH JESUS as we eagerly await the day of CHRIST RETURN!!

onthewayhomeministries.org by RICHARD DEAN BROOKS