11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 3 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5014:24:50 Dedication To my sister Linda Benjamin, her husband Jerry, and their daughter Katie who faithfully travel across America and Canada in an itinerant Bible teaching ministry, not unlike that of the Apostle Paul. To Dr. Homer A. Kent who gave me a love for the Greek New Testament and modeled the precision with which God’s Word is to be handled (2 Tim 2:15). Copyright © Richard L Mayhue 1999 ISBN 1-85792-452-5 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Published in 1999, reprinted in 2005 by Christian Focus Publications, Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, IV20 1TW, Scotland www.christianfocus.com Cover design by Alister MacInnes Printed and bound by CPD, Wales All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmi ed, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher or a license permi ing restricted copying. In the U.K. such licenses are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 To enham Court Road, London W1P 9HE. 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 4 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5014:24:50 Helpful Commentaries Bruce, F.F. 1&2 Thessalonians in WBC, v. 45 (Waco,TX: Word, 1982). Calvin, John. Calvin’s Commentaries, v. XXI (Grand Rapids: Baker, rpt. 1989). Eadie, John. A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians (Minneapolis, MN: James and Klock, rpt. 1977). Frame, James Evere . A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians in ICC (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, rpt. 1975). Hendrickson, William. Exposition of I and II Thessalonians in NTC (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1955). Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Thessalonian Epistles (Chicago: Moody, 1971). Milligan, George. St. Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, rpt. n.d.). Morris, Leon. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians in NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959). Thomas, Robert. L. 1,2 Thessalonians in EBC, v. 11 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978), 229-337. Wanamacher, Charles A. The Epistles to the Thessalonians in NIGTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990). 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 8 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5114:24:51 Preface y great love for the Thessalonian Epistles reaches back Mover twenty years of: (1) writing my doctoral dissertation on the ‘Day of the Lord’; (2) teaching these le ers in seminary Greek exegesis courses; (3) teaching Bible Institute (English Bible) courses; and (4) preaching through them expositionally verse by verse. They overfl ow with doctrinal, pastoral, and personal riches. The biblical text has been interpreted with the consistent use of grammatical-historical principles of hermeneutics (see my How to Interpret the Bible in this commentary series). The doubts and spurious theories of Higher Criticism have not been considered for inclusion in this work. A high priority has been devoted to the original Greek text (UBS4), history, geography, and culture where appropriate. Special a ention has been paid to context, i.e. the immediate text, the Pauline epistles, the New Testament, and ultimately the entire Bible. I have endeavored to provide a balanced treatment by fi rst viewing the individual pieces textually/exegetically and then as they relate to the entire Bible theo-logically. The ultimate end of this volume is to produce a doctrinal (what to believe) and ethical (how to behave) exposition of 1 and 2 Thessalonians which will appear in the ‘Focus on the Bible’ commentary series. The English Bible text employed (unless otherwise noted) is the New King James Version. Footnotes have been used 9 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 9 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5114:24:51 10 1 and 2 Thessalonians sparingly, except where they will lead the reader to resources which eff ectively expand a discussion. Of special note are the thirty-three Overviews designed to provide exegetical, thematic, or theological summaries, which supply necessary background for understanding how a part in the Thessalonian Epistles fi ts into the whole of Scripture. Deep appreciation is extended to Malcolm Maclean, who championed this opportunity for me to publish the fruit from several decades of study and teaching; to The Master’s College and Seminary board of directors who granted me a sabbatical leave for writing; to my colleagues at The Master’s Seminary who picked up the slack in my absence, especially Dr. Irv Busenitz and Bob White, who also checked all of the Scripture references; to my daughter Lee Carson who faithfully served as the project computer manager; to my son-in-law Mike Carson who did the original art-work on the map of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey; and to my dear wife “B” who did whatever was necessary to bring this writing project to a God- honouring conclusion. May the Lord be pleased to use this commentary in special ways that will be for the spiritual good of His beloved saints and for His great glory. Richard Mayhue [email protected] Richard Mayhue, Th.D. is Senior Vice President and Dean of The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, CA where he also lectures in Theology and Pastoral Ministry. For most of his 25 years of ministry, he has engaged in both pastoring and training pastors. Dr. Mayhue has wri en, edited, or contributed to over fi een books including The Healing Promise (Mentor), How to Interpret the Bible (CFP), What Would Jesus Say About Your Church? (CFP), and Fight the Good Fight (CFP). He ministers as an elder at Grace Community Church and serves on the boards of Slavic Gospel Association (ministering in the lands of Russia) and Capitol Ministries (ministering in American state capitols). 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 1010 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5114:24:51 A Time-line of Paul’s Ministry* Pauline History Roman History 14-37 Tiberius emperor c. 33 Paul’s conversion c. 35 Paul’s fi rst post-salvation Jerusalem visit c. 35-46 Paul in Cilicia and Syria 37-41 Gaius emperor 41-54 Claudius emperor 46 Paul’s second Jerusalem visit 47-48 Paul and Barnabas on fi rst missionary journey 48 ? Galatians 49 Council of Jerusalem and 49 Jews expelled from Rome Paul’s third Jerusalem visit 49-52 Paul’s second missionary journey 49-50 Paul and Silas travel from Syrian Antioch through Asia Minor to Macedonia and Achaia 50 Thessalonian Epistles 50-52 Paul in Corinth 51-52 Gallio proconsul of Achaia Summer 52 Paul’s fourth Jerusalem visit 52-56 Paul’s third missionary journey 52-58 Felix procurator of Judea 52-55 Paul in Ephesus 54-68 Nero emperor 55-56 Corinthian Epistles Paul in Macedonia, Illyricum, and Achaia 56 Romans Spring 56 Paul’s last Jerusalem visit 56-58 Paul’s Caesarean imprisonment 58 Festus succeeds Felix as procurator of Judea Fall 58 Paul’s voyage to Rome commences Winter 59 Paul’s arrival in Rome c. 59-61 Paul under house arrest in Rome Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon 62 Death of Festus; c. 61-64 Paul’s fi nal travels Albinus procurator of Judea c. 62-63 1 Timothy and Titus 64 Rome burns c. 64-66 Roman imprisonment, 2 Timothy, and Paul’s death *Adapted from F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977) 475. 11 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 1111 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5114:24:51 SYRIA Antioch Samaria CILICIA Jerusalem Caesarea CYPRUS Tarsus Derbe Iconium GALATIA Lystra Antioch in Pisidia BITHYNIA ASIA Ephesus Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean THRACE Troas CRETE Neapolis Philippi Athens Thessalonica Amphipolis Corinth Cenchreae ACHAIA Berea MACEDONIA Paul's Second Missionary Journey Paul's 12 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 1212 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5114:24:51 13 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 1313 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5214:24:52 14 1 and 2 Thessalonians Abbreviations AD In the year of our Lord BC Before Christ c. Circa cf. Compare CFP Christian Focus Publications chaps Chapters DOC Day of Christ DOL Day of the Lord EBC Expositor’s Bible Commentary e.g. For example ff . Following verses ICC International Critical Commentary i.e. That is lit. Literally LXX Septuagint NASB New American Standard Bible NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament NIDNTT New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology NIGTC New International Greek Testament Commentary NIV New International Version NKJV New King James Version NTC New Testament Commentary UBS4 United Bible Societies’ GNT, 4th rev. ed., 1993 v. verse vv. verses WBC Word Biblical Commentary 11&2&2 TThessalonians.inddhessalonians.indd 1414 003/06/20053/06/2005 14:24:5214:24:52 Introduction he saga of Paul’s Thessalonian experience and the Tcontinuing spread of the gospel from Asia to Europe begins in Acts 17, a er Paul has traveled from Philippi on his second missionary journey. Resulting from his several month stay in Thessalonica, Paul formed a lifetime relationship with the church as her fi rst pastor. He le the priceless legacy of his two correspondences for churches through the ages to study as a superlative example of evangelism and church planting, biblical shepherding, and doctrinal commitment. These so- called ‘eschatological epistles’ (because of their prophetic content) are equally rich with intimate insights into the proper relationship between a godly pastor and his commi ed fl ock. Historical Background The initial reference point for dating Paul’s second missionary journey (about fi 49-52) is the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6- 29) which occurred in early to mid-fi 49.