First Thessalonians 2:1-2: Paul Begins His Defense

We have come to a section of Paul’s letter that is often referred to as his apostolic defense. In a number of his letters, Paul must spend time addressing the accusations of his opponents. It seems that one of the things that Timothy learned on his trip to Thessalonica is that there are those outside the church who are bringing various charges against Paul and Silas. Obviously, this would cause some discord and chaos within the church and it needs to be addressed. 

We will spend the next few posts walking through this part of the epistle. For today, we will simply look at the first two verses of chapter two. Much of this is setup for what is to come.

¹ For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

The Thessalonians would have remembered a few things Paul had told them about his time in Philippi.

For sure, he told them about one of the most well-known stories in the book of Acts. In Acts 16, Paul had gotten in trouble with some for freeing a slave girl of a spirit of divination. Paul and Silas were dragged before the authorities. False (or misunderstood) accusations were brought against them that caused the crowd to attack them. Their garments were torn from their bodies, and they were beaten and thrown into prison, where their feet were fastened in the stocks. 

At midnight, while praying and singing some hymns, an earthquake came, and they were freed from the stocks and the doors were open for them to flee. When the jailer assumes that the prisoners have escaped, he plans to take his own life. But Paul stops the Philippian jailer, and the jailer asks a most important question: what must I do to be saved?

Paul’s answer is our answer: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your whole household. The story ends with a family meal, household baptism and rejoicing in the salvation they share in Christ.

Paul’s mention of Philippi would have reminded the Thessalonians of how much they have in common with him and it would be a good beginning to his defense of his ministry. Paul is saying (at least, implicitly), “You guys know what it’s like to suffer persecution and stay the course in preaching the gospel. That is what we did when we came to you. We left one situation of conflict and fell right into another with you. But we continued to preach the truth.”

Since the Thessalonians obviously knew about what had happened to Paul in Philippi, it’s fascinating to think that he used the story of the Philippian jailer to preach the gospel to the Thessalonians. We use this story all the time today, but it’s not our story, it’s Paul’s! You can hear him telling the Thessalonians of what it was like being accused, beaten, thrown into prison and then his personal interaction with the jailer, “…and then he asked us the question we all need to ask, ‘What must I do to be saved?’” 

This is the question we are all hoping our unsaved friends and family would ask us! It’s a question that sets up so many more things to talk about. We can talk about why there is a need for salvation: all people stand condemned before God because of sin. We can talk about what we are saved from: the wrath of God. We can talk about how we are to respond to the call of the gospel: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No doubt Paul took the opportunity to express all of this, and more, to both the jailer and the Thessalonians. 

And think of how encouraging this would be for them when he told them how the jailer responded! God took a situation of persecution and turned it into salvation for an entire house. This is probably what has been happening for the Thessalonians as well. They are watching the Lord work in amazing ways through their ministry in the midst of affliction. 

And that is one thing that Paul is highlighting: this is all the work of God. 

He says they had boldness in God. At first glance, this might sound like he is saying that they were bold in the proclamation because of who God is. That is true, but there is something more intimate and encouraging here. He’s saying that their boldness came from God. Their boldness was because God was with them and strengthened them. 

He says that the message was the gospel of God. Again, this might sound like this is the gospel about God, but it’s the gospel that came from God. It is God’s message that they proclaimed and nothing else. 

And this explains why his ministry was not in vain in Thessalonica: because this is the work of God. It’s his message by his method through his power. 

This is where Paul begins his defense, but it’s not just a defense of his ministry. It is a proclamation that this is all about God and his powerful work and provision in ministry. He provides us the message, he grants us boldness to proclaim it by coming near and he overcomes any opposition. Our part is to speak his message, ask that he would be with us so that we might be bold in our proclamation and trust in his power to overcome rebellious hearts.

Hope you enjoy this song that expresses much of the gospel. I miss singing this together!