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I Thessalonians
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By Peter Marshall McLewin
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Chapter Links
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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The Main Thing to Know Is That the Lord Is Coming!
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” I Thessalonians 4:15
Paul used a word in this verse that his readers were well familiar with. It is the word “coming.” It does not sound like a very important word in English but, writing in Greek, Paul chose the word “Parousia.” His audience was very familiar with the word “Parousia.” It is a technical word referring to the royal visit of a king or an emperor. Parousia means “personal presence” or “appearing,” with reference to an emperor’s visit to a city. Today we still hear politicians talking about making an “appearance” at public events.
At the time of Paul’s writing, five things marked the “parousia” of an emperor.
1. Taxes were collected to defray the cost of the festivities of the emperor’s visit.
2. Advent coins were struck to commemorate the emperor’s visit.
3. Special sacrifices were made; a solemn day was declared.
4. Emperors released edicts launching a new era for the city or province.
5. The emperor was given a gold crown.
It must be obvious that “parousia” meant much more than our English word “coming” to Paul’s readers. When they read, “…we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord…” they knew that Paul had connected the Lord’s coming with the magnitude even greater than an emperor’s visit. Paul’s readers understood certain things about the “parousia” of Jesus’ humble birth and His glorious second coming. Here are a few of them.
1. Taxes were collected to defray the cost of the festivities of the kings’ visit.
The visiting wise men brought gifts to Jesus.
After Christ’s ascension, He gave gifts to us.
“Therefore it says, WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.” Ephesians 4:8
2. Advent coins were struck.
Advent means “beginning” or “commencement.”
Advent is Latin for parousia.
All of our US coins are dated by Christ’s birth.
3. Special sacrifices were made; a solemn day was declared.
Instead of sacrifices being offered to Jesus, Jesus became the sacrifice.
“Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:6-10
We are to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2
4. A new era was launched.
The purpose of Jesus’ first coming was to launch the church of Jesus Christ.
The purpose of His second coming is to launch an era of peace.
(It is not my purpose to address the various views of the end times in this piece.)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Revelation 21:1-5
5. A crown was made and given to the emperor.
“An on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16
Crowns will be given to Jesus.
“And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” Revelation 4:9-11
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Study Links
Thessalonica
First Missionary Journey
Second Missionary Journey
Third Missionary Journey
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Greece Report
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This site was written and produced by Peter McLewin, all rights reserved, 2001
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