Thessalonians, first epistle to the

i. Date. ii. CinMimstances. iii. Analysis. iv. Value. V. Authenticity, vL Inte;^rity. Literature. i. Date. — The date of this Epistle in relation to St. Paul's life is fixed within the limits of a few months. It was written during the eighteen montlis which be spent at Corinth at the end of his .Second Missionary Journey (Ac 18"). For it was written after he h,ad left Thessalonica, and while the memories of his first visit there were still fresh (clis. 1. 2 pa.i<ii>n, esp.

2' yiyoixi') ; after he had gone on to Athens and had left it (3') ; after he had been rejoined by Silvanus and Timothy (1', Ac 18") ; while .Silvanus and Timothy, of whom Silvanus is not mentioned in any subsequent journey, are still bis com- panions (1'); and, l.i.stlv, while he is in some centr.al place wliere he hears news readily from Macedonia and Acliai.-i, and even from wider sources (1" iv ravrl Tlnrip, i.e. perhaps the Asiatic and Syrian Churches [so Zahn, Einleitiinci, p.

147] ; but may it be that Aquila and Pri-scilla had told him that they had heard even at Rome of the conversion of the Thessalonians ? and might Jason • This theory ia based mainly on the ground that Theophilus from his title 'most excellent' was an otticial, and that it is not hkely that any of the early Christians would hold high office under the HoniaD authorities. have been the channel of communication? Ac 17' 18-, Uo IG-').

It was, then, at Corinth — but not very early or very late in that stay ; not verj early, as time must be allowed for the mission and return of Timothy (3"), for the occurrence of some deaths at Thessalonica (4"), for the active brotlierliness of the Thessalonians to manifest itself to other Christians in Macedonia (4'"), and the news of their faith to have sjiread widely even beyond Macedonia and Achaia (I"-). Nor again very late, if 2 Tliess.

is genuine, for room must be left for the circumstances which led to the writing of that Epistle. The exact date will depend on the system of chronology adopted. It must lie between 49 and 53 (see Chronology of NT). ii. Circumstances. — St. Paul and his com- panion.

s, full of hope owing to the Divine call which had led them to preach in Europe, and encouraged by the spiritual success which, in spite of the insults to their Roman citizenship (2-), tiiey had gained at Philippi, reached Thessalonica. This was a larger and more important centre than Philippi. It was the capital of one of the four divisions of Macedonia ; it was a great commercial centre {? cf.

4'" iv rif irpdy^ian, im Handel [Luther], in Gcsrhaftcn [Weizsiicker]), holding easy com- munication with East and West both by sea and by land (cf . 1* 4'") ; it was a free town with its public assembly and its local magistrates (Ac 17° eh Tim Srj/ioi' ; v.' ^ni Toils iroXiTapxas, cf. CJO 1907), and a mixed population of native Greeks, Roman colonists, and Orientals, the Jewish settlement being large enough to have a synagogue. St.

Paul began as usual with the synagogue, preach- ing there for three weeks, appealing to the Jewish Scriptures, proving that Jesus was the Messiah, and that His sud'erings and Resurrection were in accord with the Scriptures. The result was that some Jews threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, and so did a larger number of Greek proselytes and of leading ladies.

The Acts thus bears wit- ness to the fact that a majority of the Church were of Gentile origin, but speaks only of Gentile proselytes, whereas the Epistle imjilies converts from heathenism ( r-* 2"). The Epistle, though it implies that St. Paul's stay was prematurely cut short, vet seems to require more than tliree weeks, and I'll 4" shows that St. Paul twice received supplies from Philipjii during the time, even though he wa-s supporting himself by his own work (2").

It is therefore probable that the three weeks of Ac 17'' were confined to exclusive work in the synagogue ; that after that St. Paul, as at Corinth and Eijhesus, made some new place, per- haps the house of Jason (Ac 17'), his abode and place of teaching for Gentiles; and the chrono- logical data would admit of a stay of six months (Ramsay, iit. Paul the Traveller, p. 228). It was a time of hard work : St.

I'aul and his companions rose early, working before daylight to support themselves ('2", U 3") ; they preaelied with ell'ective- ness and conviction (1°) ; they laid stress on the worthle.ssness of idols, on the reality of the living God (1") ; they told of the wrath that was coming on the world, when God would punish the heallien world for its inipuritj- (1'" 4") and the Jews who refused to accept the gospel (2'", II I«) ; of the death of .

Jesus, of His Resurrection, of His power to deliver from this wrath (!'" 4''' S"- '"). They added tliat God had now established His kingdom and called heathen into it (2'^) ; that such a call required a holy life, a separation from impurity (4-), an active life of work (4", II 3'°) ; that Christianity would lay them open to persecution (3*) ; but that after certain signs had appeared (II 2') Jesus would return sudilenly, like a thief in the night {o'), and they would be with Uim for ever.

Their preaching met with greul 7U L THESSALONIANS L THESSALONIANS Buccess (P 2'') in spite of much conflict (2-); the gifts of the Spirit, especially that of pro- phecy, were manifested (5"- -") ; the Divine word made tlie converts strong to bear persecution (213-15) There is no indication of the size of the Church ; but some of the chief men, perhaps Jason (Ac 17°), Aristarchus, and Secundus (Ac 20'), took the lead in active work and preaching (S'^""), and probably St.

Paul, as elsewhere, officially appointed them to this position ; ap- parently, also, some form of almsgiving was organized (II 3"). These results roused the jealousy of the Jews. They misrepresented the teaching of Christ's king- dom as treason to the emperor : working on the heathen populace, they attempted to bring St. Paul before a hastily called meeting of the assembly; but, failing to find him, they took Jason, his host, and other Christians before the native magistrates (of.

viri) tQv ISiav avtJi(pv\eTui', 2'*). These were bound over to keep the peace, i.e. probably to send Paul and SUas away ; and the same night they withdrew to Bercea. Probably, even while there, they planned a return to Thessalonica, but were unable to carry it out (2" ajraf : there would scarcely be time for two such proposals at Athens). From Bercea St. Paul passed on to Athens, leaving SUas and Timothy there, but sending back word that they should join hinj as quickly as possible (Ac 17''').

The writer of the Acts gives the impression that they did not do so untU after he had reached Corinth (18') ; but this impression must be supplemented from this Epistle. They came at once to him while at Athens, perhaps bringing news of some fresh persecutions at Thessalonica (3' ravrais and *).

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were anxious to return ; the tie between them and their converts had been very close ; their stay had been interrupted before their work was done ; they had only meant to be absent a short time ; their converts were young, and might be tempted by persecution or cajolery (3-) to renounce their faith (2" 3°) ; their opponents, whether Jews or, more probably, heathen, knew well how to misrepresent their motives; their very taunts (TrXoKj), aica.

6ap<xla, 56\os, icoXo/ceio, TrXfOvctia, fTTToCi'Tfs Si^cLv, perhaps ^x ^dpei tfrct) are echoed in this letter (2'-»). But there were obstacles ; perhaps the guarantee which Jason had given to the magis- trates was still enforced (Ramsay, I.e.) So Paul and SUas (iiriij.\paiiev, 3^) decided to send Timothy to Thessalonica, and SUas probably returned to visit some other Church in Slacedonia. Possibly St. Paul in his growing an.\iety sent yet another messenger (/cd7u . . (we,a};,a, 3^).'

While they were absent, St. Paul moved on to Corinth, and Silas and Timothy both rejoined him there.

The news that Timothy brought was in the main good: the faith of the Thessalonians had stood the test of persecution (1* 3'^) ; their love showed itself in hospitality and charity, even to other Mace- donian Christians ( 1' 3" 4"- ") ; they strove to edify each other (5") ; they tried to walk obedient to Christ's commands (4'); they were loyal to their teachers, and wished to see them once more (3^ ').

At the same time the calumnies against the new Christian teachers were stUl prevalent, and the con- verts were stUl persecuted ; they were also exposed to the ordinary perils of a new Church in a heathen town ; they were tempted to fall back into im- purity (4'-*) ; some of the poorer members, perhaps abusing the charity of the richer, were living a life of idleness and dependence (4'-'^), others were care- less and forgetful of the coming of Christ (o'")- There was a tendency, perhaps due to ' the old • It U possible that St Paul sent a short letter with Timothy, and that the Tliesijiloniana also replied bv a written answer (ct Ezpotitor, Sept.

1S93, pp. 167-17,, where J. Rendel Harris Ingeniously reconstructs the Tbessaloniaa letter). Macedonian spirit of independence' (Lightfoot, Bibl. Ess. p. 248), to disorder and contempt of those in autlioritj' (5', " ; 4Ta/cT05, dTdfcrws, drax- Tcip only in these two Epp. ; arripl^av 4 times, 2 elsewhere).

There was a danger of a misuse of spiritual gifts at the meetings of the Church (5""^) ; while some had lost friends by death and were afraid that these would not share in the blessings of Christ's Advent (4'^""). On receipt of this news St.

Paul writes this Epistle ; he writes in the name of Silas and Timothy as well as himself, eo that, with a few exceptions (2'* Z'' 5"), he uses the plural number and speaks for them all ; probably he dic- tated it to Timothy and added the conclusion (5^'^) in his own handwriting (cf. II 3").

Their hope is stUl to return to Thessalonica, but mean- while they write to express their delight at the good news, to defend their own conduct as teachers, and to complete what was left wanting in the faith and life of their converts. The words of 4' laffiit Kal TepivareiTe, IVu ]repi<rfffi)i7re form the connecting link between the two parts. He aims at ' binding closer the link between the community and himself, and at more etiectually severing the link between it and heathenism' (Jlilicher).

[For the circum- stances cf. Lightfoot, Biblical Essays, vi., viL ; Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller, ix-xi ; Spitta, Zur Gesch. undLitt. des Urchristcnthums, L pp. 111-154 ; Zahn, Einleitung, pp. 145-160.] iii. Analysis. — After a salutation, entirely free from aU official titles or allusions to controversy, written as from friends to friends, as by men who are still anxious not iv ^dpei eluai ws Xpi<rroO inroa- ToXoi (cf.

2''), the writers give thanks for the spiritual state of the Thessalonians, reviewing their personal relations with them in the past, both at Thessa- lonica (l-'-2'"') and at Athens (2"-3'), their feelings in the present on the receipt of the news from Timothy (3°""), and their hopes for the future (310-13)_ The didactic part deals with questions of per- sonal morality (4'''-), with teaching about the dead (vv.'

^-'), and the need of watchfulness (5''") ; ending with regulations for the community -life (w."^, ). A. Personal (12-3'S). Gratitude for their spiritual \irtue8 is based upon the convic- tion which the writers felt (s-'Sore.-) of the election of their con- verts by God (1^ ) : and this is proved (i.) by the effectiveness and assurance of their fiiBt preachinfr, and by the resxUts in the lives of the Thessalonians (vv.

5-^ ; (ii^ by the reports of others, who bear witness both to the success of their preaching (a-i^Jnu^f) and the reality of the conversion of the Thessalonians (vv.o-iC'): (iii) by the knowledge of the Thessalonians themselves (et-lrti yatp o'ixrt), who Can bear witness to the boldness of their preaching, to the purity of their motives, to their tenderness, and the absence of all self-assertion, to the example of self- sacrifice, to their fatherly entreaties (21-12).

This preaching produced the true results in the lives of the converts ; they bad been bold to endure persecution — es the Churches in Judsea had from the Jews, the determined opponents of the gospel (w.l3-lf.) Consequently, when obliged to leave Thessalonica, they had longed to return ; Paul himself had twice planned a visit, but had been prevented ; and so at last Paul and Silas had sent Timothy.

Paul himself had sent yet a second messenger to comfort and strengthen them and to reassure himself (31-5), The news that Timothy has brought is like a new gospel, a new life to them, making them thank God and desire to revisit and to complete such faith (vv.<)-W). So they pray that God will make a visit possible, and meanwhile increase the love of the Thessalonians (vv. 11-13). B. Ethical. Guidance for the future (41-522).

They must press forward in the spiritual life; they must b« specially on their guard against all forms of impurity, for God specially punishes that sin, and it is inconsistent with the Chris- tian calling and the gift of the Spirit (4i^). They must increase their brotherly love, active as it already is (w.9- 10) ; they must live an orderly, industrious life, that they may gain the respect of the heathen and be independent (w.n. 12).

They need not be anxious about their dead friends : the union of Christians with the Risen Christ ensures their resurrection (w. i- 14), and a special word of the Lord has revealed that the dead will meet the Lord, even before the hving (vv.l-lS). But they must not relax their vigilance, (or the Lortl comes as a thief in the night, and thev must watch and be sober, ready to gain the sah atioo which He will bring (5i-ii). Finally, the commnnity.life is regulated ; the members ot tlM I.

THESSALOXIANS I. THESSALONIAXS Ch irch (ifuit, T.'2) are to pay due honour to those in authority, gnd thi'y (Cuitt vM) are to keep discipline and be lonp-suffering. Joy, pra,ver9, and thanksgiving are to be constant; and spiritual uLteraiicea are not to be discouraged but tested (vv.l'-J-— ).

The Epistie ends with a prayer to the God of peace for their complete preservation ; witn a request for their prayers ; a com- mand to greet one another with the holy kiss ; a solemn charge by I'aul himbelf that the i:pistle be read to all the members of the Church, and a simple benediction (vv.'-s>-28^ iv. Value. — The value of the Epistle is two- fold : it represents most closely St.

Paul's preach- ing to the heathen world, and therefore is to be compared with the speeches at Lystra and at Athens (cf. Sabatier, L'Apitre Paul'', pp. 8G-101); St. Paul's antagonists were Jews defending na- tional prejudices ; Judaizing Chri.sti.-ms are perhaps alluded to in 'J", but quite incidentally : and also it is not only the earliest of St. Paul's Epistles, but possibly the earliest extant specimen of Chris- tian literature. It shows us St.

Paul as the missionary, in the absence of any special controversy ; as the consoler and the pro/j/ict. We see his self-denial for the sake of others (i"'* ; cf. 1 Co 9-11); his intense Rvmpathy with his converts and dependence on tlieir sympathy (^"-i'-" S'-'") ; his power of self- adaptation (2' i-^irtoi iy(£vfi8ri)j.ev ; cf.

1 Co O**) ; his sensitiveness to the opinions of others ; his asser- tion of the purity of his own motives (2'"°) ; his appeal to his own conduct as an example (1°) ; his insistence on sjiiritual progress, based upon a hearty recognition of the good already achieved ( I- 4'- '" .'>"); his indignation with those who thwart God's work (216 46J . 1,13 sense of union with Christ (4') ; his prayerfulness (1' 3""" 5^) ; his gratefulness (1" 3').

This is exactly the character which reappears, in- tensified by controversy, in 2 Corinthians. The witness to the organization and faith of the Church is equally interesting. The local Church forms one congregation (!') The only otlicial title that occurs is airbaToKok, which is apparently used to include Silvanus and Timothy as well as St. Paul ; these apostles hold a position of superiority (iv /3dpei(?)

2"), including the right to be maintained there as in other Churches (2") ; they speak gener- ally in a tone of entreaty (4'" o', ''') ; once St. Paul, separating himself from the others, uses the lan- guage of solemn autliority (5"). Put, under tlie apostles, there are already ollicers who preside — probably both for discipline and for worship (5'-"'").

There are meetings with the holy kiss, the symbol of brotherhood (o^), and with prophetic utterances (5"- ") ; probably at such a meeting the letter would be read (5-''). There is a link of sympatliy and charity between them and otlier Churches (1' 2" 4'"). 'i'he faith of the Church is directed to God (I'), a God of life and truth (1") and judgment ; a Pather, who has called them and marked them out for sal- vation (4' 5"). Christ is thought of mainly in His future capacity as Judge.

Christian life is a wait- ing for Him (l'°). Christians have to be always watchful (.")'■'-) i He may come at any moment, and will come to inllict punishment on sin, as well as to give joy to His followers (4° 2" ; r; irapovala of Christ 8 coming, four times in 1 Thess., twice in 2 Thess., once only elsewhere in St. Paul). Put Clirist is more than this : His death was the means of salvation in the past (5") ; He is now 6 xi/piot, i H1//J10S inJ-Civ, tlie UT language about .

lehovah being applied to Him (5-) ; He is God's Son (l'°) ; He is united with the Father as the mystic source of life both for the living and the dead (1' 2" 4"). He is the object of prayer, working with the Father in bestowing eartlily as well as spiritual blessings (3" /(arei/flwoi, " S'"-**). Tlie Holy Siurit is given to all Christians to enable them to conquer evil (4") ; it gives them joy under persecution ( l'- •), and inspires the utterances of the prophets (5'").

This Epistle gives us the fullest division of human nature into spirit, soul, and body (5^). The pic- ture of the Christian life has all th ) freshness and glow of early days. It is true thftt it needs steadying and disciplining, but it is strong and radiant.

The converts welcome the good news ; they put it to active proof ; the message is handed on, as by a trumpet note, to others ; they imitate their teachers and become objects of imitation to others ; they are taught of God ; there is mutual ali'ection and confidence between teachers and taught ; there is an atmosphere of love, of joj-, of life ; they live ' en plein jour.' [For the theology cf. Weiss, Biblical Iheology, pt. iii. § 1, cap. i. ; Lechler, Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Times, pt. ii.

§ 2, cap. i. ; The Speaker^s Commen- tarij, iii. pp. 691-701]. BEI.ATIOlf TO THE OT AXD TO CHRISTIAN LITERATVRS.— The OT is never appealed to as authority or directly quoted ; but its history is referred to (21^) and its language perhaps consciously adapted ('21R 45- 6. 8. 9 58. 22(t)).

There is a certJiin similarity of language between 415-17 and 2 Es 5>-, but the thought there is different, the writer considering the juslice of God's dealing with difterent generations of men, and the language is not sufficiently similar to suggest literary depend- ence on either side ; if there is any, probably 2 Esdras is the later work. There is no reference to Christian literature, but it is possible that !

&■ 10 point to the germ of some proff^ssion of faith in the Father and the Son made at llaptism (a>.»:(i.vof here only in St. Paul); it is possible again that 4-^ (irxpctyytXteti 5ii rou K. 'Irircu) refers to the definite enactments of Ac 15'^, and that 41" is a semi-quutation from a creed. There seems a reminiscence of St. Stephen's speech (Ac 7^1) in 21''^ ; and of our Lord's eschato- logical discourse in 2i» (Mt 2332-36) 4l»-J' (Mt L>4-iS'-33) 52.

» (Mt 24«) 63 (Lk 21', Mt 248) ; but the majority of these are too much the common language of all Apocalypses to allow us to build on them with certainty. A comparison of S with Ac 1422 2 Ti 312 suggests a semi- quotation of our Lord's words, e.g. Mt 24!^, Jn ItP^, but a sugges- tion that there is a reminiscence of our Lord's sayings recoMed in Jn e', in P and of Jn 17^ in 1^ (P. Ewald, Das UauptprvUem der Evatuitlifn-Frafjc, pp. 85, 93) is more doubtful. In 415 iv }.

iiyt>t KuQiCu 18 a possible quotation of some saying unrecorded in the Gospel (cf. Zahn, p. Loy); and 5'^, which is often found combined with the a'jrapluni yivirHi hoxtfjM Tpu.- viX'TKt, is perhaps another (cf. Uescli, A<irapha, p. lHi). All these cases point rather to an oral tradition than to written documents. v. AUTIIKNTICITY. — The authenticity is now generally admitted, though there are still oppon- ents (cf. Holtzmann, Kiiil.'^ p. 2.37).

The external evidence outside the MT is less strong than for some Epistles, as this Ejiistle did not lend itself readily to quotation ; but it was included in Mar- cion's canon [circ. 140), and that implied some previous Catholic collection. The language of 2'"'' {((pOaat . . WXos) is found in exactly the !*aiiie form ill the Test. XI J Patr. (Levi, ch. 6 ; but see below). There are possible reminiscences of 4111-17 JQ Didachi xvi. 6 ; and of 1° and 4- in Clem. Uom. ch.

42 (but not of 5** in Clem. 38, where the thought is dill'erent). Put the strongest support is given by 2 Thess., which, whatever its date, im])lies the existence and the recognition of the I'auline authorship of our Epistle. No doubt of its authenticity was raised before the 19th century. The internal evidence equally supports the genu- ineness, in spite of a few dillicultie.s.

The objec- tion that the Epistle implies a longer lapse of time than a few weeks is met by the consideration that the Acts will permit of an interval of nearly a j'ear between the foundation of the Cliurch and the writing of the letter. The dilliculties of recoii- cili.ation with the Acts about the movements of Silas and Timothy and the persecution by heatlun have been discussed above.

As far as they are dilliculties, they allect the historical character of the Acts rather than of 1 Thessalonians. A few other objections deserve notice. It is urged that St. Paul's eager defence of his motives (21-6), and incidentally of his apostolic rights (26), implies a lat«r stage in his life, when Jewish ChristiunM hail attacked his apostleship. But such depreciation of his motives would be natural to Jews longing to thwart hiui (cf. 2i6), or to heathen, indignant at the oon. 746 I.

THESSALOXIANS II. THESSALONIANS version of their friends. The incidenU of Ac 15, Mid probaWy of G ™2" lay behind him, and would account for the n.c.dental aUusion ii¥ ; while, even apart from any attack of opponent^, he mi-ht think it well to contrast his motives with thote ol othe to" hers with whom he might heconfu.ed-sucli a. Jewish impostors Uke Elvmas (Ac IS'O tXk/w ■"^'■'« «•>■•?) heatheM rtatoSns or sophists, taking pay for their <^''^h'"K (''.^'•'; '=,.) : or. at-a.

n, he may have desired to du^soc.ate h"""'" fro" Ihe impure teaching (« i»»D-,.»...-) of the priests of the Cabein (Liclitloot, BiWfca'i'"''!', P-'2=0. , •„„ ,t,. „.„.^„us v-ain 216>> has boon nterpreted as implying the pre%nous deslSion of Jerusalem. If this were so, it would te more StS to strike out Ihela-st sentence a| the ..iterpolat on of "si?rbe pointing out the fulrtlment of St- P''"^^ r/'^^.'

^ee hal words dS not necessarily mean more than 'hat sentence has oeen pronounced upon them ; the wrath of Ood 13 gone tortn , thrk?ngdom of God passed from them when they rejected the Messiah-, they are paraUel to the thought of ICo 2»ii, llo n^s S akd Ac 13« 1S« ; and the use of the phrase m the Test. V// PaXr perhaps shows that it was a halt-stereotyped Rah- binfcal Torm'l.la for declaring God's i'-dsn^ent Moremer the „r..sent participles i«i«-:2c.T»., »vXo..ri.., and the phrase i ; " r.

Tx"'/". are^nconsistent with the destruction o..erusalem. Oiice'more, 4." often, an apl»rent .nconsjstcnc w ith 2 Co 5 _ bmrclZ^.^e;;;;;;tat;on';;n-suS;-afoint would not be un- natural, and a careful comparison of 6i>' witn . 1 ■I Co 510 will show *Eii5^:i^— d of 6- may have been due tothe prSce of disorderiiness and dissension (5»^>5), and would be natural, even without such a supposition (cf. Col 4'").

The objections, then, can be fairly met, w'^l^ on the ntlier hand the style, tlie character of the writer, the many points of contact with 2 Cor., the simplicity and directness of the thought, the primi- tive sta<'e of Church organization, the state of the spiritual gifts, the question about the dead which must have arisen very early in any Cluirch, the absence of any motive for forgery, the apparent discrepancies with the Acts, the improbaVulity that a later forger would put language in St.

Pauls mouth which at least seems to imply that he ex- pected the Parousia in his lifetime, — all these carry conviction of its genuineness. Tlie argu- ments on both sides are well stated in Holtz- mann {I.e.], and the genuineness well defended by Jowett, Weizsiioker {Das Apostol. Zeitalter, p. 250) Jiilicher (Einl.^ pp. 41^5), and most fully by von Soden {SK, 1S85), and Bornemann, §5. vi. Integrity. —The integrity of the Epistle has been questioned both on a large and on a small scale. .

, (1) Pierson and 'S.ahsr (Veri.nmiha, Amsterdam, 1S8G) treat it as a composition of two authors. The hrst was a pre-Christian' Jewish writer, writ- in" a hortatory address to Gentiles before the hrst coming of the Messiah to foretell His advent, and to exhort them to live a life of Jewish morality. The second was a Christian bishop, whose date is not given, named Paul, who inserted into the .lewish treatise a few Christian phrases and a justiHcation of his own motives and preaching.

This analysis is based upon the variety of tone- now that of an authoritative proiihet, now that of a humble pastor— the want of close senuence of thought between the paragraphs, and the diUerence in the usage of particular words {Vj/i^pa, ypi)yopeiv), and the scantiness of specially Christian teaching.

But the criticism is pedantic, and often inconsist- ent with itself in details: it requires from a letter tlie exact structure of a scientific treatise, and allows no play to varieties of mood and thought within one writer's mind. (2) A list of suggestions of interpolations on a smaller scale will be found in Clemen, Die Em- 'heitliehkcit der Paul. Briffe (Gottingen, 1894). 'I'he most imporUnt attect 2»- " and 5-''.

The objection to 2"- " a-s a whole is groundless, the attack on the'jews being as natural to St. Paul as it had been to St. Peter or St. Stephen (Ac 2^ 3" T-;) : but v.'*= l!pOa.ae . . WXos might be an editorial comment added after the destruction of Jerusalem, to point out the fullilment of St. Paul's words {ds t4 avciTr\ripw<rai) ; yet, as we have seen, they are quite natural in St. Paul's own mouth at the time. 5" mi.'

ht also be a later addition, emphasizing the imliortance of the Epistle ; but there, too a natural reason for the words is to be foiiiid in the circumstances of the moment (cf. Schmiedel Hdrom. ad loe. ; Mottatt, Histor. A 1 , p. 02.j). The chief questions of textual criticism attect the reading in 2' (see Westcott-Hort, M,n. App p. 128) »• " 33 4>- « 52- {ib. p. 144) ♦. LlTERATOIil!.

-Of ancient commentators, Chrysostom, though discu^iv^^s excellent in entering into 'he w-nters point ol v^ew: and the moral homilies-e.!?. those on fnen.l,lip(lTh.^ Tn the tear of hell (1 Th 4I8, 2 Th 18), on intercession (2 Th i-)- ^e very sprrituai and pointed. Theodore of Mopsuestia («rc. «6 Id )C more of the modern exeget.cal instwict, and ex.

Plains the exact meaning and the historical ""dpracfcal refer- ences well but at tiniel forces the langua-e to suit his own v"ews TheXet, whUe dependent on these tw-o, shows inde. Dcidence of iudginent. His notes are de..r and sensible, and Te is especially Sreful to draw out the dogmatic mlerences of '"of'^niodera writers, Jowett, A. J. Mason (Ellicott's Comm. /^ En,UshRm<iers). Bishop Alexander (Spmktrt Comm.)

, and J Dennev (£x-pwi(or'» iJiWO are most interesting on Introduc- h^ he i/dwmTiVr, and, most completely of all, in Borneniann- vf;./on Tra^ oT7r (O.V^)^ and on 2.« by K. Zimmer in tThfol^^srh^^tudien d: B Weiss dargebrachf (Gottingen. 1S97) ; Lkwith, Introd. to Thest. Epp. (1902). ^^^ ^^^^ THESSALONI&NS, SECOND EPISTLE TO