1Th 2: 1          What does Paul mean that his coming to the Thessalonians was not in vain?

1Th 2:2          What gave Paul such boldness to proclaim the gospel in the midst of such persecution?

1Th 2:3-6     How was Paul different from other religious teachers?

1Th 2:5          In what way have religious teachers throughout history used flattering speech as a pretext for greed?  See Jer 6:13, Rom 16:18, 2 Cor 2:17, 4:2, 2 Pet 2:1-3,18-19, 1 Tim 3:3,8, Tit 1:7, 1 Pet 5:2, Jude 1:11.  How do religious teachers today do the same?  How was Paul unlike them?

1Th 2:7          With what analogy did Paul describe his true affection for the Thessalonians?

1Th 2:8-11     How did Paul demonstrate his true affection?

1Th 2:9          How did Paul demonstrate that he was different from other religious teachers of his day, and different from most religious teachers today?  See Acts 18:3, 20:34-35, 1 Cor 9:1-18, 2 Cor 11:9, 12:13-14, 2 Thess 3:8, and confer Neh 5:15-18.

1Th 2:11        Paul also compared his relationship with the Thessalonians to that of a father.  As he was tenderly affectionate like a mother, how was he like a father?  What does this teach us about how fathers should be to their children?

1Th 2:12        What was Paul’s ultimate purpose for his high standards of conduct with the Thessalonians?  See Luke 6:40, and also Eph 4:1, Col 1:10.

1Th 2:13        How did the Thessalonians receive the gospel message Paul brought?  What did Paul understand about the nature of the words he preached?  How does the word perform its work in us?  See Heb 4:12-13, 2 Cor 3:18.

1Th 2:14        How were the Thessalonians imitators of the churches in Judea?  See Acts 17:5.

1Th 2:15        In this verse Paul says that those who persecute the true saints of God are not pleasing to God; however, what is their perception?

1Th 2:16        How often did the Jews hinder Paul from speaking to the Gentiles?  See Acts 9:23, 13:45,50, 14:2,5,19, 17:5,13, 18:12, 21:21,27, 25:2,7.  What is the result of those who persecute God’s people and hinder them from speaking to men in order that they may be saved?  See Gen 15:16, Mat 23:32.  When does God’s wrath come upon them?

1Th 2:17        Why was Paul so anxious to see the Thessalonians again?

1Th 2:18        How might Satan have thwarted or hindered Paul?  Would this have thwarted or hindered God’s plans?

1Th 2:19        What does Paul say his crown of glorying shall be when Jesus comes?

 

What is the significance of Paul’s constant reminder to the Thessalonians of the nature of his ministry to them?  See 1Th 1:5 “just as you know”, 1Th 2:1 “you yourselves know”, 1Th 2:2 “as you know”, 1Th 2:5 “as you know”, 1Th 2:9 “you recall”, 1Th 2:10 “you are witnesses”, 1Th 2:11 “just as you know”?  (Recall what had recently happened to the Galatian believers after Paul left their churches on his first missionary journey).