1_Thessalonians 1: First letter of Paul in New Testament?

1_Thessalonians 1: First letter of Paul in New Testament?

The letters of Paul in New Testament are placed from the greatest to the least. Many people believe that 1 Thessalonians were the first letter of Paul that survived in the New Testament. It was written around 50 -51 AD, less than 20 years after the resurrection. In this blog, we will read the letters of Paul chronologically.

This letter must have been written during Paul’s second missionary journey. In Acts 17, Paul preaches in Thessalonica. It was a great city in a road connecting Rome to Byzantium (Via Egnatia). It was also a port. It was a "civitas libera", free city. The Thessalonians supported the right side on the civil wars and they were allowed to govern themselves. The message of the gospel declaring Jesus as King, Jesus as Lord, was very offensive to them in general. Paul preached but had to flee from the city. He got news from the converted Thessalonians and wrote a letter to them. He said:

2-5 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

Some missionaries want to gain souls to Jesus and stop there. Here, Paul wrote a letter to guide the Thessalonians in their new life with Jesus, in a empire hostile to another Lord, but Caesar.

Acts 28: Paul in Rome

The Lord had been guiding Paul. In Acts 27, Paul said to the crew of the ship:

23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong, whom I also serve, came to me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you all those who are sailing with you.’

Paul was confident that the Lord was with him, guiding his ways. After the shipwreck, Paul is in Malta Island. He miraculously saved from a snake bite. There, he made new friends such as Publius who had a sick father.
He finally arrives in Rome. He is welcomed by the church in Rome. He preaches to the Jews: some accept the gospel, other reject. Although Paul is a prisoner, he lived in a rented house, where he welcomed everyone who wanted to know more about Jesus.

That is the end of the book of Acts which is somehow strange given that Paul was executed by Caesar Nero. There is a theory that Luke wrote to Theophilos in order to defend Paul in his judgment. If so, the book of Acts must have been helpful in order to sustain that Paul was not guilty. Soon after he must have traveled to Spain (according to "The Muratorian Fragment"). He was killed by Nero around AD 64 and AD 67 in a persecution to Christians.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1): "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." ; indeed, Paul is an example of to place the Lord Jesus in first place.

Acts 27: Paul is sent to Rome with two friends

Paul is a Roman citzen and a prisioner who appealed to Ceasar. He was in Ceasaria Martima that worked like a great Airport Hub with ships to many destinations. He had been previously many times there. Now, Paul is sent to Rome in a ship to Sidon with two friends: Luke and Aristarchus.
Although I live in large city, I don't have many friends. Paul was a prisioner with two leal friends but not only that, he was always gaining friends in his life. He was assigned under the care of the centurion Julius who became friend of Paul. They changed to an Egyptian ship full of wheat (a valuable cargo) which was destroyed in a shipwreck. In a way, Paul was taking care of all in the ship, he wanted them all alive.
Paul had a mission and he cared for people (not only Christians). No wonder he had friends.

Acts 26: The importance of resurrection to Paul

Paul is before king Agrippa (who knows the prophets and the Jewish tradition) and Festus (a Roman governor appointed to rule Judea). In today terms, Festus would be a "rational" guy who doesn't believe in resurrection. Thus, Paul is glad to be listened by king Agrippa who can understand the situation. In the book of Acts, it is the third time that the conversion of Paul is told. In his explanation, he is saying that he was like his enemies - who was also against the followers of Jesus; but he saw Jesus resurrected. He reread all the Tanakh and concluded that it was all about Jesus. Paul said to king Agrippa:

22-23 And everything I’m saying is completely in line with what the prophets and Moses said would happen: One, the Messiah must die; two, raised from the dead, he would be the first rays of God’s daylight shining on people far and near, people both godless and God-fearing.

Paul had a mission given by Jesus:

17-18 “‘I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.’

For Festus, Jesus is dead; but for Paul, Jesus is not only alive, but He is the reason of his life.

Acts 25: Felix to Festus, change of the Roman governors of Judea

In Acts 25, Felix is substituted by Festus as the new governor of Judea. Although Felix kept Paul in prison for two years (expecting bribery), Festus decided to judge Paul as soon as he came into power. The enemies of Paul asked Festus to judge Paul in Jerusalem when in fact they had a plot to kill him; however Paul refused to go to Jerusalem and appealed to Ceasar, to be judged by the Ceasar Nero.
The king Herod Agrippa I had died in Acts 12, but now his son, Agrippa II received part of Agrippa I territories but not Judea. Festus (who was indeed ruling over Judea) invited Agrippa II to study the case of Paul because it was very difficult to document the accusation against him. Agrippa II realized that Paul was not guilt under the Roman law.
Paul belongs to the kingdom of God. It is very interesting how the kingdom of God grew and gained power in a very humble way; for instance, Paul uses the circumstances to present the kingdom of God when being judged.

Acts 24: Paul was good to Felix

Paul was taken to Ceasarea by commandant Claudius Lysias. There, he stood before Ananias and the procurator/governor Felix. Both Ananias and Felix were evil men. Felix was a slave who conquered a very high position. He was married to three queens, but in particular, Drusilla. Drusilla was married to king of Emesa but left his husband to marry Felix. Josephus hints that Felix hired the assassins of the High Priest Jonathan because Jonathan kept lecturing him on how to govern better. It is interesting how Paul addresses to Felix:

10 And when the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, (...)

Paul was very respectful to Felix, but Felix even knowing that Paul had done nothing wrong kept him in prison, expecting some bribe from him.

We read:

24-26 A few days later Felix and his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul and listened to him talk about a life of believing in Jesus Christ. As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. “That’s enough for today. I’ll call you back when it’s convenient.” At the same time he was secretly hoping that Paul would offer him a substantial bribe. These conversations were repeated frequently.

Thus, Paul didn't judge Felix as a bad man , however, he talked about how important is to have a right relation with God and this implies in a change of life. Felix stopped Paul because he was not interested in a relationship with God. That is: Paul didn't presuppose that Felix wasn't an elect of God. Despite Felix's character, Paul was good to Felix.

Acts 23: Paul in the Sanhedrin

The Sanhedrin is the council composed by the chief priest, and the leaders of Pharisees and Sadducees. At that time, the chief priest was Ananias. At Jesus time, the chief priest was Caiaphas, son in law of Annas (and not Ananias). Ananias was a violent, greedy and a volatile person that was assassinated by Jewish Zealots in 66.

1-3 Paul surveyed the members of the council with a steady gaze, and then said his piece: “Friends, I’ve lived with a clear conscience before God all my life, up to this very moment.” That set the Chief Priest Ananias off. He ordered his aides to slap Paul in the face. Paul shot back, “God will slap you down! What a fake you are! You sit there and judge me by the Law and then break the Law by ordering me slapped around!”

Thus, it is bizarre how the good man (Paul) was being judged by the bad man (Ananias). It reminds the judgement of Jesus.

6 Paul, knowing some of the council was made up of Sadducees and others of Pharisees and how they hated each other, decided to exploit their antagonism: “Friends, I am a stalwart Pharisee from a long line of Pharisees. It’s because of my Pharisee convictions—the hope and resurrection of the dead—that I’ve been hauled into this court.”

This statement caused a great confusion in the Sanhedrin because the Sadducees didn´t  believe in resurrection. Paul was taken out alive from the Sanhedrin by the Romans. The nephew of Paul (from his sister) heard a conversation where 40 Jews vowed to not eat until they kill Paul. Who were these Jews? Probably they ware Zealots. The Zealots couldn't think of gentiles (not as converted Jews), being accepted by the Lord. For them, Paul was betraying Israel.