1Thessalonians Bible Study Resources

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians.

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Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encyclopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **

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Basics

• Author: Paul (with Silas and Timothy)
• Who was Paul?
• Date: c 50-51. Those who say Galatians is mid-50s hold that 1&2 Thessalonians are the earliest Christian literature.
• Background: Acts 17
• Main purpose: Paul wants to encourage a young church facing persecution; answers charges against himself; teach them about moral and godly living and assure them about the future of those who die before Christ returns.

Structure

• 1:1 – Greeting
• 1:2-3:13 – Extended Thanksgiving
• 4:1-5:22 – Moral exhortations
• 5:23-24 – Concluding prayer
• 5:25-28 – Farewell greetings

Genre: Understanding Epistles

Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

• 1&2 Thessalonians NASB Study Text
• 1&2 Thessalonians ESV Study Text
• Map of NT Churches
• Chronology of Paul
• Paul’s use of the Old Testament
• Blue Letter Bible: Chronology of Acts/Epistles
• Bible Atlas: Thessalonica
• Blue Letter Bible: 1 Thessalonains Outline
• Ray C. Stedman: Overview of the Book
• John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background – 1 Thessalonians
• NIV: Intro to 1 Thessalonians
• ESV: Intro to 1 Thessalonians
• ESV: The Global Message of 1 Thessalonians
• J Vernon McGee: 1 and 2 Thessalonians Introduction 
• Myer Pearlman: 1 Thessalonians 
• James Gray: 1 Thessalonians – Synthetic Bible Studies
• William Orr: 1 Thessalonians – Keys to the NT 
• James van Dine: Intro to 1 Thessalonians
• Charles Swindoll: 1 Thessalonians Overview

Section 2: Maps

Maps from Bible-History.com

• Paul’s 1st Journey
• Paul’s 2nd Journey
• Paul’s 3rd Journey
• Israel in NT Times
• Kingdom of Herod the Great
• Herod’s Kingdom Divided
• New Testament Cities
• Apostles’ Journeys

Section 3: Key Words

Key Words in 1 Thessalonians

Occurrences are based on New American Standard Text. “4x/3v” means the word appears 4 times in 3 verses. “3x” means the word appears 3 times in 3 verses.

• God (37x/31v) – Strong’s G2316 in 1Th 1:1; 1Th 1:2; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 1:4; 1Th 1:8; 1Th 1:9; 1Th 2:2; 1Th 2:4; 1Th 2:5; 1Th 2:8; 1Th 2:9; 1Th 2:10; 1Th 2:12; 1Th 2:13; 1Th 2:14; 1Th 2:15; 1Th 3:2; 1Th 3:9; 1Th 3:11; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 4:1; 1Th 4:3; 1Th 4:5; 1Th 4:7; 1Th 4:8; 1Th 4:9; 1Th 4:14; 1Th 4:16; 1Th 5:9; 1Th 5:18; 1Th 5:23.
• Lord (24x/22v) – Strong’s G2962 in 1Th 1:1; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 1:6; 1Th 1:8; 1Th 2:15; 1Th 2:19; 1Th 3:8; 1Th 3:11; 1Th 3:12; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 4:1; 1Th 4:2; 1Th 4:6; 1Th 4:15; 1Th 4:16; 1Th 4:17; 1Th 5:2; 1Th 5:9; 1Th 5:12; 1Th 5:23; 1Th 5:27; 1Th 5:28.
• Jesus (16x/15v) – Strong’s G2424 in 1Th 1:1; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 1:10; 1Th 2:14; 1Th 2:15; 1Th 2:19; 1Th 3:11; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 4:1; 1Th 4:2; 1Th 4:14; 1Th 5:9; 1Th 5:18; 1Th 5:23; 1Th 5:28. 
• Christ (10x) – Strong’s G5547 in 1Th 1:1; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 2:6; 1Th 2:14; 1Th 3:2; 1Th 4:16; 1Th 5:9; 1Th 5:18; 1Th 5:23; 1Th 5:28.
• faith (8x) – Strong’s G4102 in 1Th 1:3; 1Th 1:8; 1Th 3:2; 1Th 3:5; 1Th 3:6; 1Th 3:7; 1Th 3:10; 1Th 5:8.
• love (7x/6v) – Strong’s G26 in 1Th 1:3; 1Th 3:6; 1Th 2:12; 1Th 5:8; 1Th 5:13; Strong’s G5360 in 1Th 4:9.
• gospel (6x) – Strong’s G2098 in 1Th 1:5; 1Th 2:2; 1Th 2:4; 1Th 2:8; 1Th 2:9; 1Th 3:2.
• word (7X/5v) – Strong’s G3056 in 1Th 1:5; 1Th 1:6; 1Th 1:8; 1Th 2:13; 1Th 4:15.
• hope (4xs) – Strong’s G1680 in 1Th 1:3; 1Th 2:19; 1Th 4:13; 1Th 5:8.
  

Section 5: Commentaries

Commentaries & Study Bibles

• Top 5 Commentaries on 1&2 Thessalonians – Ligonier.org
• Best Commentaries on 1&2 Thessalonians – Tim Challies
• Commentary Reviews: Thessalonians
• Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: 1 Thessalonians
• Albert Barnes Notes on the Whole Bible: 1 Thessalonians
• Alfords Exegetical Commentary: 1 Thessalonians
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible: 1 Thessalonians
• Geneva Study Bible: 1 Thessalonians
• Reformation Study Bible Notes: 1 Thessalonians
• Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: 1 Thessalonians

Section 4: Encyclopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

City of Thessalonica

• Holman Bible Dictionary: Thessalonica
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Thessalonica
• McClintock and Strong: Thessalonica
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Thessalonica
• Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Thessalonica

Letter

• Holman Bible Dictionary: 1Thessalonians
• Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: – 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Theology of
• American Tract Society: Thessalonians, Epistle to the 1 and 2
• Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Thessalonians, Epistles to the
• Fausset Bible Dictionary: Thessalonians, the Epistles to the
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible:  Thessalonians, 1st
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the NT: Thessalonians Epistles to the
• Morrish Bible Dictionary: Thessalonians, Epistles to the
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Thessalonians, 1st
• McClintock and Strong:  Thessalonians, 1st Epistle
• The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Thessalonians, Epistle to the
• Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Thessalonians, Epistles to the

Paul

• Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Paul the Apostle
• Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Paul
• Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Paul
• Fausset Bible Dictionary: Paul
• Holman Bible Dictionary: Paul
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Paul the Apostle
• Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Paul
• Morrish Bible Dictionary: Paul
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Paul, the Apostle
• McClintock and Strong: Paul
• The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Paul
• The Jewish Encyclopedia:

Section 6: Articles

Articles

• David Alan Black: The Literary Structure of 1 and 2 Thessalonians
• Robert Bradshaw: The Purposes Behind Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians
• FF Bruce: The First Epistle to the Thessalonians: An Expanded Paraphrase 1; Part 2
• FF Bruce: “Christianity Under Claudius,” Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 44 (March 1962): 309-326.
• John Cereghin: 1 Thessalonians Studes – 134 pages
• Robert Dean: The Three Major Rapture Passages
• Tomas Edgar: The meaning of ‘sleep’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:10,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 22.4 (Dec. 1979): 345-349
• R Gregson: A Solution to The Problems of the Thessalonian Epistles,” The Evangelical Quarterly 38.2 (April-June 1966): 76-80
• Gregory Harris: The Word of God or the word of Man? 1 THESSALONIANS 2:13TMSJ 26/2 (Fall 2015) 179–202 
• Ed Hindson: The Rapture and Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ
• Ed Hindson: Tribulation After the Rapture
• Howard Marshall: Pauline Theology in the Thessalonian Correspondence,” M.D. Hooker & S.G. Wilson, eds., Paul and Paulinism. Essays In honour C.K. Barrett. London: SPCK, 198
• Richard Mayhue: The Bible’s watchword: day of the lord – The Master’s Seminary Journal 22/1 (Spring 2011) 65-88
• Richard Mayhue: Why a Pretribulational rapture? TMSJ 13/2 (Fall 2002) 241-253 
• Grant Richardson: Theology of Sex (An Entire Book)
• Jay Smith: 1 Thessalonians 4:4: Breaking the Impasse,” Bulletin for Biblical Research 11.1 (2001): 65-105.
• James Stitzinger: Rapture in 20 Centuries of Biblical Interpretation TMSJ 13/2 (Fall 2002) 149-171
• RL Thomas: Imminence in the NT, especially Paul’s Thessalonian epistles TMSJ 13/2 (Fall 2002) 191-214
• REH Uprichard: The Person and Work of Christ in 1 Thessalonians,” The Evangelical Quarterly 53.2 (Apr.-June. 1981): 108-114
• REH Uprichard: Exposition of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,” Irish Biblical Studies 1.3 (July 1979): 150-156. 
• REH Uprichard: The Person and Work of Christ in Thessalonians,”  Evangel 3:1 (1985): 6-9
• Paul Wilkinson: Left Behind or Led Astray–Exposed 
• William Watson: Pretribulational Rapture in 17th and 18th Century England

Section 7: Got Questions

GotQuestions.org

Treat like any commentary: Read carefully and thoughtfully.

• 1 Thessalonians Book
• Questions about 1 Thessalonians
•  Rev 11:15, 1 Cor 15:52, 1 Th 4:16 s the last trumpet of 1 Thessalonians 4 the same as the seventh trumpet of Revelation?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22 What does it mean not to give the appearance of evil?
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?
• What is the rapture of the church?
• How can I be ready to be caught up in the rapture?
• How can I be sure I won’t be left behind in the rapture?
• Will there be a partial rapture?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the pretribulational view of the rapture (pretribulationism)?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the posttribulational view of the rapture (posttribulationism)?
•  What are the strengths and weaknesses of the pre-wrath view of the rapture?
• When is the Rapture going to occur in relation to the Tribulation?
• Yes, Christians Can Believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
• What is the Tribulation? How do we know the Tribulation will last seven years?
• Who are the dead in Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:16?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2 What is the day of the Lord?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Why is giving thanks to God important?

Section 8: Next

Next: 2Thessalonians

Previous: Colossians

Series: Resources by Book

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