New Testament Biblical Theology

Lecture #17
Dr. Hoke

For some 400 years God had not provided written revelation. Then in the fullness of time God
sent forth his Son who lived and died for our sins, only to rise again from the dead. For the first
couple of decades, so far as we know, little if anything was written. The church was being built
up by the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit through the ministers of the gospel and the church
community. The only Scriptures they had (if even those) was what we call the OT. But to date,
the NT had not been written.

While scholars are not certain which NT parts appeared first, it is likely that Paul was the first to
write, perhaps with James around the same time and the gospels coming along a little later. At
any rate, 1 Thessalonians may have been Paul’s first letter, penned around 49-51 AD.

We will look at Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians momentarily, but I want you to think about
progressive revelation in Paul’s letters. I think once Paul began to minister he had pretty much
what he needed by way of theological understanding. As a rabbinic scholar Paul already knew
the Scriptures. Embracing Christ shed new Messianic light on what he already knew. His letters
were directed to specific churches with particular issues needing attention. This would account
for their differences. Still, I do not want to imply that Paul did not continue to learn of Christ as
he grew in Christ. Paul was a human being just like us. He struggled with sin just like us. He
needed grace just like us. I’m pretty sure that Paul grew deeper in his faith in Christ as his life
developed—just like us. So, we should expect to see some development in Paul’s theology just
as there is in ours. Application of Christ to our lives grows through the years in all our
experiences.

1/2 Thessalonians

Dr. Robertson deals with the following issues in 1, 2 Thessalonians:

• Distinctives of Paul’s Opening Address to the Thessalonians

• Historical Circumstances Rehearsed in the Two Letters
• Doctrinal Emphases
• Specific Instructions on How to Live for this New Christian Community
• Concluding Appeal to Authoritative Revelation
• Final Call to Mutual Prayer and Mutual Love

Be sure and read Dr. Robertson. I am only summarizing some of his points. To get the full
treatment you MUST read his Syllabus.

Distinctives of Paul’s Opening Address to the Thessalonians

Paul addresses the ekklesia the church more than the others. It is not that the others did not
know about the new covenant people as the church, but Paul emphasizes it more.

Paul’s address is very warm and friendly (contrast it to Galatians).

Paul writes to God’s people, not in the promised land and not even close to the Land of Canaan.
Thessalonica is far away in modern day Europe. Yet, these are God’s people because they are
personally united to the Lord Jesus Christ. As John will put in Revelation 5 40-50 years later, the
gospel goes to those of every tribe, tongue, kindred, and nation. I will summarize four things Dr.
Robertson mentions from the Thessalonian letters that help us see the development of God’s
people.

• Apostles – these are the highest authorities under Jesus. The churches are to obey
apostles.

• Apostles – are not tyrants; they minister as a mother to children.

• Shared suffering between apostles and people binds them together as one people.

• Sound teaching of God’s Word leads to a solid foundation for faith and life in Christ.

Doctrinal Emphases

• Trinity – we speak here not of the term, which nowhere exists in the Bible, but trinity
points to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God in three distinct persons.

• In Christ – The idea of the Christian being “in Christ” is one of the main theological
staples in Paul’s writings.

• God’s Sovereignty in Salvation – Strongly emphasized here and in all Paul’s letters.

o God Chooses Sovereignly

o God Calls Sovereignly
o God Sanctifies Sovereignly

• Christ’s Return – The 2nd coming of Jesus is strong in both these early letters.

It becomes clear as we read the Thessalonian letters that they had some serious
misconceptions about Jesus’ return. I do not see Paul’s addressing this as advanced revelation
to an apostle. During his earthly ministry Jesus told of his return numerous times. The reason
Paul so strongly deals with Christ’s return here is that the believers at Thessalonica have much
confusion over it. Paul wants to give them hope. Those who set up chapters in the Bible saw
that the natural breaks occur with each chapter’s end pointing to the return of Jesus. Notice
below the five Scriptures that point to the return of Christ.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10

“For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how
you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

• 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20

“For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not
you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.”

• 1 Thessalonians 3:13

“so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the
coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you
may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until
the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself
will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with
the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are
alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these
words.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and
soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is
faithful; he will surely do it.”

Paul’s 2nd letter to the Thessalonians has two of three chapters that point to the coming of
Christ. Of 45 total verses 17 of them speak of events surrounding Christ’s 2nd coming (1/3 of the
total letter!).
 • 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to
repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as
well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming
fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be
glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our
testimony to you was believed.”

• 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him,
we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a
spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has
come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion
comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes
and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat
in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was
still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he
may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who
now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be
revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by
the appearance of his coming.”

Summary of Paul’s Thoughts on Christ’s Return

1. Jesus is presently in heaven and he is coming back, so we wait for him.

2. Our service to Jesus in this life is our hope, joy, and crown when he comes.
3. God aims for us to be blameless and holy when Jesus returns.
4. Christ will bring believers who have died.
5. Believers who are alive will meet him in the air as he returns.
6. His coming will not be in secret, but very public.
7. Angels will accompany Jesus at his return.
8. Believers will marvel at him, unbelievers suffer condemnation.
9. Jesus will be glorified with believers.
10. Jesus himself will kill the lawless one

We will pick up with Thessalonians in the next lecture.

End of lecture