I and ii thessalonians
I and ii thessaloniansThe books of I and II Thessalonians, which are in the New Testament, are both letters to a church that Paul the apostle helped establish in the biblical city of Thessalonica. First Thessalonians is agreed by biblical scholars to be written by Paul. The author of II Thessalonians, however, is still being debated about. In II Thessalonians itself, and in secondary sources, there is evidence to support the theories that Paul wrote II Thessalonians as well as the first letter but also that someone wrote II Thessalonians in his name. First Thessalonians was written from Corinth in about 51 CE. If Paul actually wrote the second letter, it was written shortly after that. If he did not, then it is hard to decide when the book of II Thessalonians was written.
Since it is agreed that Paul wrote I Thessalonians, the text and style of II Thessalonians can be compared to it. If things such as vocabulary and style differ between the two, it shows that Paul may not have written II Thessalonians. An example of this is noticeable in II Thessalonians 1:3 and 2:13. The verses have the phrase, "we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters…" (NRSV) which cannot be found in any other works by Paul and they seem to be uncharacteristic of him. The phrase, "shaken in mind", is in 2:2 (NRSV) and is another example of something that is not in any other part of Paul's writings. The style of II Thessalonians seems different than Paul’s usual means or writing. This letter is written in a very formal way as if to people that the author may not know very well (Freed 320). Paul would have known these people since he had been there and already written them a previous letter.
Freed mentions that the signature referred to in II Thessalonians 3:17 is a fake. He questions what good the signature does in the second letter to these people and states that it would be more appropriate or believable in the first letter. (320) The major basis of the argument that Paul did not write II Thessalonians deals with the situation of eschatology. Eschatology is dealt with in opposite ways in the two letters. In Paul’s agreed work of I Thessalonians, he says that, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (5:2 NRSV). This is Paul’s way of urging his fellow followers to be ready at any moment for the return of Jesus. Conversely, in the second letter, Paul says that the people will know when Christ will return because there will be many events to warn them. “…For the day will not come unless...
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