Paul and The Pauline Letters: 1 & 2 Thessalonians

This study focuses on two documents traditionally associated with the Pauline foundation of the Macedonian Church at Thessalonica. The first of these is seen as representing Paul's earliest epistolary efforts and as providing two successive moments in his long paraenetic relationship with that community. The second document, written in Paul's name and at a later date, attempts to calm the apocalyptic fervor of the community by reiterating its traditional eschatological and Christological teaching. After treating these introductory matters, this study provides a new translation of each section of the canonical text, explains in notes the pertinent textual and linguistic features of the text, and then offers in a series of interpretative essays a literary, rhetorical, and thematic analysis of the biblical documents. The constant concern of this commentary is to provide assistance to modern readers in discerning the relationship between the authors and their intended readers. Short bibliographies suggest other important modern studies.

The two epistles to the Thessalonians are a study in contrasts. A comparison reveals considerable similarities of structure and language, but differences in tone and content. The most important concerns of the first letter all but disappear in the second, and minor concerns of the first letter increase in intensity in the second. Even when issues and concerns are shared by both, 2 Thessalonians seems at odds with comments in 1 Thessalonians. In this commentary, Beverly Roberts Gaventa discusses the issues central to each epistle, identifying what makes each book important for the life of the church today, as well as for preachers and teachers.

The 1974 estimate by Interpretation that Ernest Best's volume on 1&2 Thessalonians is prbably the best exegetical study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians available...a superb commentary continues to ring true nearly 20 years later.This is indeed one of the finest commentaries on 1 and 2 Thessalonians available-in any language.The Journal of Theological Studies called it "exhaustive" and concluded by saying that the commentary is "reliable ,judicious,and nearly always lucid. He(Best)...takes us as far as we can reasonably go in understanding the mind of Paul as it expressed itself in these writings."

In A.D. 49, Paul traveled to Thessalonica, a major city in northern Greece, to preach the gospel. A small group of manual laborers responded positively to his message, resulting in the formation of a church. After spending less than three months with his converts, Paul left the city for southern Greece, ending up in Corinth, from where he wrote two letters to the Thessalonians four months or so after he had left them. These epistles are particularly valuable because they reveal the concerns of Christians new to the faith and Paul's pastoral care as he guides them. Abraham J. Malherbe vividly describes the social, cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts in which the Thessalonians lived, enabling us to better understand Paul's missives. Detailed introductions to the letters, a new translation, and a lively, enlightening commentary make this an indispensable volume for scholar and layperson alike.

Background to the Thessalonian Letters. Macedonia ; The gospel comes to Macedonia ; Christianity at Thessalonica ; Paul's plan of action ; Paul and the churches of Macedonia -- The Thessalonian Letters. Authorship ; Date and occasion ; Early Christian experience at Thessalonica ; Eschatology at Thessalonica ; Relation between the two letters ; Miscellaneous solutions ; Christian doctrine in Thessalonians -- The First Letter to the Thessalonians -- The Second Letter to the Thessalonians

Thiselton's reception-history commentary on the first two of Paul's epistles investigates the evolution of religious beliefs and practices resulting from the letters, and their impact on social and political developments across the centuries. It also demonstrates how these events and changing customs in turn influenced the interpretation of the letters. In discussing the content, setting, and authenticity of the two Thessalonian letters, Thiselton examines the responses from scholars, poets, hymn writers, preachers, theologians, and biblical scholars throughout the ages. He also investigates the issues of feminist biblical interpretation raised by the letters, including Paul's allegedly manipulative strategy in laying claim to authoritative fatherhood.

The epistolary and rhetorical context of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 / Karl P. Donfried -- The epistolary and rhetorical context of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 : response to Karl P. Donfried / Rudolf Hoppe -- On the background of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 / Traugott Holtz -- On the background of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 : a response to Traugott Holtz / Johan S. Vos -- 1 Thessalonian 2:1-12 : an exegetical-theological study / Otto Merk -- 1 Thessalonian 2:1-12 and the use of rhetorical criticism : a response to Otto Merk / Jeffrey A.d. Weima -- Thanksgivings in 1 Thessalonians 1-3 / Jan Lambrecht -- A structural analysis of 1 Thessalonians 4-5 / Jan Lambrecht -- On the use of elements of ancient epistolography in 1 Thessalonians / Johannes Schoon-Janßen -- The rhetoric of letters / Frank W. Hughes -- The social situations implied by rhetoric / Frank W. Hughes -- Epistolary vs. rhetorical analysis : is a synthesis possible? / Charles A. Wanamaker -- 1 Thessalonians : rhetorical flourishes and formal constraints / Edgar Krentz -- I command that this letter be read : writing as a manner of speaking / Raymond F. Collins

This book breaks new ground in offering an exposition of the theological message of the Shorter Pauline Letters. Karl P. Donfried puts 1 and 2 Thessalonians in their cultural context, and identifies a number of key themes in these letters, such as the notion of election. I. Howard Marshall's study of Philippians brings out especially the understanding of the theological basis of the Christian life that underlies the letter, while his discussion of Philemon emphasizes how the main theme of the letter is the relation between the gospel and Christian ethics.

It is a delight to read a book so carefully crafted and in its quiet, erudite way so provocative. Malherbe's work provides evidence to support a growing certainty that the impact of the Hellenistic world on Paul's thinking and that of his churches was more extensive than we have heretofore acknowledged.

[Pt.] I : The state of the discipline. Recent scholarship on the First Letter to the Thessalonians. -- [Pt.] II : The text and its provenance. The text of the epistles to the Thessalonians in Nestle-Aland 26. -- Apropos the integrity of 1 Thess. -- 1 Thess and the liturgy of the early church. -- Tradition, redaction and exhortation in 1 Thess 4,13-5,11. -- [Pt.] III : Reflections on 1 Thessalonians. Paul, as seen through his own eyes. -- The faith of the Thessalonians. -- The theology of Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians. -- Paul's early Christology. -- "The church of the Thessalonians". -- "This is the will of God : your sanctification." (1 Thess 4,3). -- The unity of Paul's paraenesis in 1 Thess 4,3-8 : 1 Cor 7,1-7, a significant parallel. -- [Pt.] IV : Beginnings and sequels. The growth of resurrection faith. -- Paul's first reflections on love. -- Paul at prayer. -- " ... that this letter be read to all the brethren." -- The Christian community, servant of the Word. -- [Pt.] V : Bibliography

This book proposes a theological reading of 1 Thessalonians, making an important response to the increasing demand to relate Biblical scholarship more closely to theological concerns. Paddison's interpretation adheres very closely to the text and is divided into three parts. Part I offers a theological critique of dominant historical-critical readings of 1 Thessalonians. Part II examines the history of interpretation of 1 Thessalonians focusing on the pre-Modern exegesis of Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin. Paddison explores what theological exegetes can learn from Thomas Aquinas' Lectura and John Calvin's commentary on 1 Thessalonians. Aided by the insights of these neglected pre-Modern commentators, Part III presents a theologically driven interpretation of the letter. Theological exegesis is practised as a dialogue with Paul, the canon and a plethora of theological voices to elucidate Paddison's central argument, that the astonishing subject-matter of 1 Thessalonians is God's all powerful hold over death.

Contents: Un essai de lecture de 2 Th 1,1-2,12 / Daniel Gerber -- Thanksgiving and prayer : appeal to discipline the disorderly (2 Thess 2,13-3,18) / Vasile Mihoc -- La deuxième lettre aux Thessaloniciens / Benoît Standaert -- Issues of authorship in the Pauline corpus : rethinking the relationship between 1 and 2 Thessalonians / Karl P. Donfried -- 1 Thess 5,1-11 im Kontext der Eschatologie des 1. Thessalonicherbriefes / Rudolf Hoppe -- 1 Kor 15,20-28 : Weltgeschichte und persönliche Hoffnung im Lichte des paulinischen Evangeliums / Petr Pokorný -- 2 Corinthians 5,1-10 in context / Morna D. Hooker -- Liberation of enslaved bodies : Christian expectancy according to Rom 8.18-30 / Cilliers Breytenbach