1 Thessalonians 1:1

1:1 Opening greeting

1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

ESVSB: 1 Thess. 1:1 Opening. Paul makes no mention of his apostolic status, perhaps because there are no false teachers challenging it within the Thessalonian church. Silvanus and Timothy were coworkers with Paul during his second missionary journey. Silvanus, or Silas, was a Judean Christian (Acts 15:22) who joined Paul after he separated from Barnabas (Acts 15:39–40). Timothy, of Lystra in south Galatia, was a son of a Jewish mother and Greek father and became partners with Paul when Paul passed through his hometown early on his second journey (see Acts 16:1–4; Introduction to 1 Timothy). Timothy had just returned from a visit to the Thessalonian church (1 Thess. 3:6), and his report is Paul's major source of information as he writes. While Silas and Timothy are included as co-senders, Paul was clearly the main author (see 2:18; 3:5; 5:27). in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers enjoy a mysterious union with both the Father and the Son and hence are supremely secure and safe from spiritual harm.

NBC: Paul names himself and the two friends who had shared with him in founding the church at Thessalonica and who were now with him. Silas, or ‘Silvanus’ (RSV, the longer form of the same name), was a Jewish member of the Jerusalem church and a Roman citizen (see Acts 15:22-31). Timothy had joined Paul and Silas when they passed through Lystra in Asia Minor early in their missionary work (Acts 16:1-5). Despite the use of the ‘we’ form throughout most of the letter (contrast 2:18; 3:5; 5:27), it is generally thought that Paul himself was the real author writing on behalf of the group of missionaries.

    The church was a small group of believers who met in a home or perhaps in a handful of homes. Paul frequently says that Christians are ‘in Christ’ or ‘in the Lord’ or do certain things ‘in him’. This expression means that they are in a close relationship with Jesus and that their conduct is determined by him as their crucified and risen Lord. Here Paul adds the name of God the Father (cf. 2 Thes. 1:1), indicating that Christians are also closely related to him and stand under his authority. The spontaneous way in which the Father and Jesus are named together shows how Paul saw Jesus as the Son who shared with the Father as the source of spiritual blessings.

    Grace and peace come from the Father and Jesus (2 Thes. 1:2). (See also the article on Reading the letters.)