'I charge you, by the Lord, that this epistle be
read unto all the holy brethren,'--1 THESS. v. 27.
If the books of the New Testament were arranged according to the dates
of their composition, this epistle would stand first. It was written
somewhere about twenty years after the Crucifixion, and long before any
of the existing Gospels. It is, therefore, of peculiar interest, as
being the most venerable extant Christian document, and as being a
witness to Christian truth quite independent of the Gospel narratives.
The little community at Thessalonica had been gathered together as the
result of a very brief period of ministration by Paul. He had spoken for
three successive Sabbaths in the synagogue, and had drawn together a
Christian society, mostly consisting of heathens, though with a
sprinkling of Jews amongst them. Driven from the city by a riot, he had
left it for Athens, with many anxious thoughts, of course, as to whether
the infant community would be able to stand alone after so few weeks of
his presence and instruction. Therefore he sent back one of his
travelling companions, Timothy by name, to watch over the young plant
for a little while. When Timothy returned with the intelligence of their
steadfastness, it was good news indeed, and with a sense of relieved
anxiety, he sits down to write this letter, which, all through, throbs
with thankfulness, and reveals the strain which the news had taken off
his spirit.
There are no such definite doctrinal statements in it as in the most of
Paul's longer letters; it is simply an outburst of confidence and love
and tenderness, and a series of practical instructions. It has been
called the least doctrinal of the Pauline Epistles. And in one sense,
and under certain limitations, that is perfectly true. But the very fact
that it is so makes its indications and hints and allusions the more
significant; and if this letter, not written for the purpose of
enforcing any special doctrinal truth, be so saturated as it is with the
facts and principles of the Gospel, the stronger is the attestation
which it gives to the importance of these. I have, therefore, thought it
might be worth our while now, and might, perhaps, set threadbare truth
in something of a new light, if we put this--the most ancient Christian
writing extant, which is quite independent of the four Gospels--into the
witness-box, and see what it has to say about the great truths and
principles which we call the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is my simple
design, and I gather the phenomena into three or four divisions for the
sake of accuracy and order.