1 Thessalonians 1

Here is some information on the city of Thessalonica. It was in a ideal location. It was situated on the banks of a hospitable harbor in the Thermaic Gulf near the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. In the Apostle Paul`s day it was the chief seaport of the Roman providence of Macedonia. Thessalonia ranked with Corinth and Ephesus. the main ports of the provinces of Achaia and Asia, as a great shipping center. Thessalonia also enjoyed another advantage. The Egnatian Way, the main Roman road from Rome to the Orient via Byzantium [ modern Istanbul], passed through the city. This put Thessalonia in direct contact with many other important cities by land as well as by sea. It was one of the most important centers of a population in Paul`s day, occupying a strategic location both governmentally and militarily. [ The Bible Knowledge Commentary] It is belived that the population was near 200,000 during New Testament times. Most of the people living there were native Greeks, but many Romans lived there along with Jews and Orientals. The city was built by Cassander in 315BC. a Greek general under Alexander the great. Cassander chose this place for it`s location and named it after his wife, Thessalonia, who was a half sister of Alexander the Great. It also had the status of a free city received by Anthony and Octavian [ latter called Caesar Augustus]. [ Same source as above] Here is a extra side note. In World War 1 the Allies based soldiers in Thessalonia, and during the Second World War the Nazis extracted 60,000 Jews from the city and executed them. The city today has a population of 300,000. It is called today Salonica or Thessaloniki. God bless all and pray for Israel. God said to Abraham. [I will bless those that bless you and curse them that curse you.]

During my research yesterday Paul had traveled to Thessalonica on his second missionary trip while he and others were revisiting the churches in the province of Asia. On this trip Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and perhaps others were on this trip. Paul had gotten a vision that he was to go to Macedonia. So he went and others joined him. So they crossed into Europe and preached at Philippi then then through circumstances were led to Thessalonica where they preached the gospel. They had been persecuted at Philippi and then were persecuted in Thessalonica. But they boldly preached the gospel anyways. Read Acts 16 and 17 to get an idea of what happened to them. Some were saved , some of the wife`s of the chief leaders got saved. The Jews that didn`t believe got the crowd worked up and Paul and Silas were sent away by the believers to protect them. So they went to Berea and while preaching there had good success. It is interesting to see that the unbelieving Jews that were from Thessalonia came all the way there to persecute Paul because of his good success. Why would they care if the gospel is not preached in there city. Any ways Paul was concerned for the believers in Thessalonica so he wrote the letter. He even sent Timothy to see how they were doing. He was afraid that their faith would be hindered. We get clues from the passage. When he wrote the letter he was in Corin. Paul, Silas, and Timothy are mentioned in the greeting. They were constantly praying for the believers in Thessalonica. verse 2. Their preaching came to them not only in word but in power, and in the Holy Spirit. verse 5. [ For our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance,—–. What an amazing verse. And in verse 9 Paul mentions that they had turned to God from idols. May the Lord bless us all as we desire that close walk with Him.