Letters to the Church

In the first chapter of First Thessalonians , Paul anticipates the Letter’s main subjects - the tribulation of believers, Christian hope, and the “ arrival ” of Jesus when he will rescue his people from “ wrath .” He will resurrect the righteous dead, and “ meet ” all his assembled saints as he descends from Heaven. On that day, his disciples, both living and dead, will “ obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ .”

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians was written in the months following his departure from the city. In his first epistle, he expressed his joy at the good news that the Assembly had remained faithful despite pressure and opposition from the local population. In the second, he declares how he now boasts of the perseverance of the Thessalonians in the faith through and despite multiple “ persecutions ” and “ tribulations .”