1 and 2Thessalonians. A.D. 50-51 - 1Thessalonians was written from Corinth when Paul's companion Timothy had come back from a second visit to Thessalonika and reported to Paul on the state of the church there. Besides a series of practical recommendations, it includes Paul's teaching on death and the 'Second Coming' of Christ, expressed in the terms of contemporary apocalyptic writing.

2Thessalonians was written about a year later, shows that Paul's thought on the same subject had deepened. Parts of the two letters show some close correspondences and some critics have doubted the authenticity of 2Thessalonians. The two are not contradictory but complementary and the earliest authorities believed that they were both written by Paul. The two letters are particularly important because of their eschatological teaching but they also introduce many points elaborated in subsequent letters.

At this earlier stage, Paul's ideas were structured around the question of how the resurrection and parousia of Christ can bring salvation to his followers whether alive or dead. Paul described this parousia in the traditional terms of Jewish and the earliest Christian apocalyptic literature (i.e. the 'eschatological discourse' of the Synoptics and particularly of Matthew) Like Jesus himself he sometimes so emphasised, the unpredictable imminence of the Coming and the necessity for vigilance.

1THESSALONIANS - (1) Address - Thanksgiving and congratulations - Paul's example in Thessalonika - The faith and the patience of the Thessalonians - Paul's anxiety - Timothy's mission to Thessalonika - Paul thanks God for good reports of the Thessalonians - Live in holiness and charity - The dead and the living at the time of the Lord's coming - Some demands made by life in community - Closing prayer and farewell - Chapter 1 to 5 - In summary : Paul instructions to the church at Thessalonica about the Lord's coming.

2Thessalonians - (1) Address - Thanksgiving and encouragement. The Last Judgement - The coming of the Lord and the prelude to it - Encouragement to persevere - Against idleness and disunity - Prayer and farewell wishes - Chapter 1 to 3 -

In summary : Paul instructions to the church at Thessalonica about the Lord's coming.

                                                                       Page 39

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-25 -