1 THESSALONIANS 2:13-20
MEMORY VERSE: 1 THESSALONIANS 2:14A
We can find all kinds of predictions about the future. Some predictions portray the glass as half-full while others see it as half-empty. The factors pointed to seem to change overnight, which gives birth to more predictions. The only thing that seems to be certain is the uncertainty. But there is one thing we can know for sure: God created each of us as eternal beings with an eternal destination beyond this life. And that eternal future hinges on one question: What are you going to do with Jesus?
(In PSG, p. 28)
God had given Paul an open door into Greece, but this new opportunity did not come without struggle. Paul’s work in Philippi led to imprisonment (Acts 16:6-40), and trouble followed him to Thessalonica. There, Jews upset with Paul’s message, tried to turn Gentile leaders against him (17:5-9).
Acts 17:2-3 tells us Paul spent three Sabbaths sharing the gospel with Jews in the Thessalonian synagogue. But his ministry probably involved more than that. If his later work in Athens is any indication, he may have preached to Gentiles in public settings during the week (Acts 17:17).
Paul knew that his work in the city had produced results (1 Thess. 2:2). In fact, the Thessalonian congregation had become a powerful force for the kingdom in relatively short order. They had watched Paul closely and had chosen to imitate his commitment to the gospel despite ongoing persecution (1:6). These Christians had turned from worthless idols to a passionate pursuit of the only true God (1:9). As a result, the congregation was having an impact on their native Macedonia, as well as on the neighboring region of Achaia. Paul was confident that the entire world would eventually see the Thessalonians as examples of genuine faith (1:7-8).
Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica was successful because he stood firm against the opposition he faced. But it also grew because of his attitude toward the people of the city. Instead of taking advantage of them or demanding they support him, Paul provided a balance of boldness and compassion. Like a nursing mother, he had embraced the Thessalonians with tender care (2:7-8); and like a wise father, he had challenged and encouraged them (2:11-12). His actions and attitudes provide a ministry model worth imitating even today.
While Paul was grateful for the Thessalonians’ positive response to the gospel, he knew others were rejecting the message. Specifically, he noted certain Jews were walking a dangerous spiritual path toward God’s wrath (2:13-16). He did not want them to experience God’s judgment but knew their choices would determine their eternal destiny. In contrast, he urged the Thessalonians to continue moving toward spiritual maturity until he could be with them again (2:17-20).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works effectively in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews
Paul had opened his Letter to the Thessalonians by saying how grateful he was for their faith and their example around the world. Here, he returned to the theme of thankfulness for the way they had responded to the gospel. Echoing his statement from the letter’s introduction, Paul wrote that he was careful to constantly thank God for the Thessalonians.
The Thessalonians welcomed the gospel as it truly is. In other words, they had recognized that the gospel was not a human message. It was the genuine word of God, not the opinion of any human philosopher or preacher. Since the word was from God, the work it produced was also from Him. Paul noted that the gospel had effectively changed the Thessalonian believers. This transformation was not created by Paul’s effort but was the result of their willingness to believe the message and to respond appropriately.
What we do with the gospel and with Jesus determines our eternal destiny. This is a truth we cannot avoid, and Paul expressed gratitude that the Thessalonians had embraced God’s plan. Their acceptance of the gospel demonstrated that the gospel was true and their faith was genuine.
The gospel had performed an undeniable work in the lives of the Thessalonians. While the internal work was amazing, Paul’s gratitude extended to the way his brothers and sisters chose to live out their faith in practical ways. Earlier in the letter, Paul had mentioned how the Thessalonians had imitated his example as a follower of Christ (1 Thess. 1:6), but he was not their only model. They also became imitators of God’s churches. Paul and other Christian leaders had helped established churches throughout the Roman Empire, and the Thessalonians leaned into their common beliefs and practices. This was important since opposition and persecution had limited Paul’s time with them.
(In PSG, p. 31) What criteria should be considered when determining who should be viewed as a model?
The congregations in Judea were primarily Jewish and had been planted by the early believers in Jerusalem after Pentecost. These diverse Christians shared one important common thread with the Gentile believers in Thessalonica: they all had suffered for their faith. For example, Paul himself had witnessed Stephen’s death, sparking a mass dispersion of Jewish believers into neighboring regions (Acts 7:54–8:1). Herod had joined the attacks and executed James (Acts 12:1-2). Likewise, the Thessalonians themselves had faced opposition.
The Greek word translated people of your own country could refer to any resident of Thessalonica. The Thessalonian believers likely experienced problems from both Jews and Gentiles. The exact identity of the persecutors is not as important as the faithfulness of Christians standing in harm’s way and enduring various degrees of persecution.
Most likely, the Thessalonian believers did not know about the Judean suffering firsthand, but Paul was emphasizing that such oppression was a part of the Christian life. He was thankful that opposition did not stop the gospel in either Judea or Macedonia. Instead, believers in both places developed boldness and continued their work for the kingdom.
15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us. They displease God and are hostile to everyone,
Anyone who persecutes the church stands against God, but Paul specifically reflected on his people’s history. For instance, the Jews had killed the Lord Jesus. While Romans carried out the crucifixion, Jewish leaders instigated it. They also had stirred up the crowd while Jesus stood before Pilate. Despite their longing for the Messiah, they missed Him. Jesus came to His own people and, in general, they rejected Him (John 1:10-11).
Paul wasn’t labeling every Jew as an enemy of the church. Instead, he was focusing on particular groups of Jews who were actively opposing the gospel and the work of God’s missionaries. Those who interpret this passage through an anti-Semitic lens misunderstand Paul’s message. Paul longed for the Jews to accept Jesus as their true Messiah, and he was living proof that no Jew was beyond God’s reach. In addition, such interpreters ignore Paul’s clear teaching that everyone—whether Jew or Greek—finds or rejects salvation based on the same standard: Jesus Christ. In God’s eyes, no difference exists between Jews and Gentiles. All need a Savior, and all can be saved through the grace of Christ (Rom. 3:9-24). In this specific case, though, Paul focused on the apostasy of the Jews in contrast to the faithfulness of the Thessalonians.
The Jews in question, though, were not satisfied to abuse the Messiah. Their ancestors had mistreated His forerunners. They had killed many of the prophets because they did not approve of God’s message or His messengers. Jesus also charged the Jewish leaders with putting the prophets to death (Matt. 23:29-37). More recently, new message bearers like Paul and his companions had felt the sting of their rejection. The verb translated persecuted can mean “driven out.” Paul compared the abuse he faced in cities like Philippi and Thessalonica to being hunted and chased like a wild animal.
In the Greek, the verbs killed and persecuted both refer to specific circumstances that had already taken place. These violent actions were not just a matter of Paul’s opinion, and they weren’t general references to opposition. They were part of the public record and beyond dispute.
Through their actions, the offending Jews chose to displease God. The Jewish leaders blindly believed they were following God’s plan and were serving Him well. Even Paul had fallen into this deceptive trap before meeting Christ. But here he emphasized that the opposite was true. God was not pleased with the persecution of His people.
In addition, opponents of the cross—whether in Thessalonica or Judea—were hostile to everyone. In this, Paul highlighted the universal availability of the gospel. By hindering the spread of the gospel, these individuals were making it harder for all people to hear God’s message. They were not only becoming enemies of God, but they also were acting like enemies to all people.
16 by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit, and wrath has overtaken them at last.
The primary charge against these Jews was their tendency to build spiritual roadblocks. Paul noted that they were hindering him and others from speaking to the Gentiles. Paul’s language here implies that the opposition he and the Thessalonians faced was equivalent to the past transgressions of God’s enemies. Whether out of jealousy or from a misplaced devotion to the law, these Jews were fighting to keep Gentiles from hearing and responding to the gospel, the only message by which they may be saved.
Again, Paul was not lumping all Jews into one sinful category. Thankfully, many Jews in Thessalonica had heard the gospel and had accepted Christ as Savior. But those good results did not remove the danger under which the opposing Jews had placed themselves. Their ongoing battle against God was filling up their sins to the limit and moving them ever closer to God’s judgment. If God’s wrath was held in a cup, the enemies of the gospel were close to letting it flow over the brim. At some point, they would be overtaken by God’s wrath.
God’s wrath is not like human anger. It does not result from selfish motives or emotional outbursts. God’s vengeance is reserved for those who choose to reject His offer of salvation in Christ. It is a natural outcome of His holy righteousness and justice. Paul was not implying that the Jews—or any sinners—had passed a point of no return. But if they continued standing against God and his messengers, He would eventually deal with them, either during their lives or during the final judgment.
17 But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you — even I, Paul, time and again — but Satan hindered us.
Paul now turned his focus back to the believers in Thessalonica. His common reference to them as brothers and sisters reminded his readers that they shared a special bond in Christ. As noted earlier, the decision one makes about Jesus determines one’s eternal destiny. The Thessalonians had embraced the gospel, and the unique, spiritual affection between Paul and the Thessalonians provided the framework for the rest of the chapter.
Paul and his companions had related to the Thessalonians as loving parents who cared for their children well, but they had been forced to leave them. The Greek wording indicates something being violently torn away, abandoned, or even orphaned. This separation, even for a short time, was painful for the missionaries and for the Thessalonian congregation.
The mob violence instigated by Paul’s opponents led his friends to fear for his safety. He and Silas escaped the city at night and traveled to Berea (Acts 17:5-10). His enemies might have used this against him, but Paul emphasized that his rushed departure from Thessalonica was purely physical. He had not left them in heart and had never stopped being concerned about their welfare.
As evidence of their passion, Paul said the missionaries greatly desired to return to Thessalonica. They had done everything within their power to see them face to face. This desire might have been motivated in part by a desire to prove that persecution could not stop the gospel’s good work. More likely, they longed to rejoin their friends—both to encourage them and to receive encouragement from them.
The use of time and again in verse 18 reinforces the idea that Paul’s attempts to return were not one-and-done, and his personal reference (even I, Paul) emphasizes an intense personal desire. Paul’s enemies may have been trying to raise questions in the Thessalonians’ minds. But he moved quickly to counter their attacks and to refute their lies.
Paul’s delay was not simply a matter of human logistics; it was also a matter of spiritual warfare. He told his readers that Satan hindered them from returning to the city. It is not clear how the devil had hindered Paul, but the same Greek wording was also used to describe roads that are destroyed or made impassible. The enemy’s attacks could have involved a physical illness, more opposition, or some other tactic. Whatever the case, Paul’s description falls in line with what Scripture reveals about Satan’s character and methods. He seeks to disrupt and oppose God’s work in the world.
This does not mean that Satan has the power to thwart God’s plans. As the Old Testament account of Job reveals, the devil is powerful but also subject to God’s authority. Paul understood that God could use even Satan as a tool to fulfill His own plans. Later, he would tell the Corinthians how God had used a “messenger of Satan” in his life to encourage humility after an ecstatic experience (2 Cor. 12:7). Even when the enemy is given a measure of freedom, we can rest assured that God is ultimately in control.
Daily life is a matter of spiritual warfare for Christians. While we are not to obsess over a defeated enemy, we are challenged to recognize his existence and to stand against his attempts to derail kingdom work. As we learn to view obstacles through this spiritual lens, we can lean into Christ and place our absolute dependence on Him. Again, God can—and does—use Satan’s attacks to strengthen our faith and make us more like Him.
19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 Indeed you are our glory and joy!
One might wonder why Paul was so eager to come back to a city that had caused him so much personal anguish. The answer was simple: the Thessalonian believers. Rather than worrying about the harassment stirred up by his opponents, Paul chose to focus on the ones who had embraced the gospel. He was driven by an intense longing to be with them.
Paul explained this motivation through a rhetorical question. He asked the Thessalonians to identify his hope or joy or crown. It’s helpful to remember that Paul viewed life through the filter of Christ’s return. For him, material possessions paled in comparison to transformed lives. Those who came to know Christ as a result of Paul’s mission—including the Thessalonians—would be his offering at that time. As such, it was only natural that he would want to renew his fellowship with them and continue investing in their lives.
Paul’s hope was rooted in the promised return of Christ. The Thessalonians would prove Paul’s efforts were worthwhile when the time came to stand before Jesus. Joy is the result of faithfulness in the midst of suffering. The Thessalonians’ commitment to the gospel brought Paul joy even in suffering. The crown represented a wreath of victory, usually given to a military leader or an athlete. The Thessalonians, among others, would be the reason Paul would one day receive a reward (a “well done”) from the Messiah.
The Thessalonians had received the gospel and made a difference in the world for Christ. As a result, they were Paul’s glory and joy. As Paul earlier stated, he was grateful for the way they were living out their faith each day. He wanted them to know that his absence did not mean he had forgotten them. They were still connected at the heart by Christ because they had chosen to connect to Christ through the gospel.
Last Things
The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in heaven with the Lord. (See John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:16-17.)
Read a passage to gain context of a related text.
Review Acts 17:1-15. Note the response of the people in Thessalonica to the gospel message. How do the actions described in Acts 17 mirror the descriptions found in 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20? How might these past experiences have impacted how Paul addressed the believers in his letter to them?