Mining new knowledge about the first-century world of Thessalonica, Gene Green offers a masterful analysis of The Letters to the Thessalonians. His comprehensive study of the people, their history, socioeconomic conditions, and religious beliefs illuminates his careful verse-by-verse commentary, providing you with an in-depth look at what these pastorally astute letters say about perseverance amid suffering and trials, attitudes toward work, questions concerning Christ's second coming, and more.

In A.D. 49, Paul travelled to Thessalonica, a major city in northern Greece, to preach the gospel. A small group of manual labourers responded positively to his message, resulting in the formation of a church. After spending less than three months with his converts, Paul left the city for southern Greece, ending up in Corinth, from where he wrote two letters to the Thessalonians four months or so after he had left them. These epistles are particularly valuable because they reveal the concerns of Christians new to the faith and Paul's pastoral care as he guides them. Abraham J. Malherbe vividly describes the social, cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts in which the Thessalonians lived, enabling us to better understand Paul's missives. Detailed introductions to the letters, a new translation, and a lively, enlightening commentary make this an indispensable volume for scholar and layperson alike.

1 & 2 Thessalonians is often called Paul's eschatological letters-the ones that instruct us in what will happen at the end of time. We live in an age where technical precision clashes with a spiritual hunger that only mystery can satisfy. Hope is a common human desire that spans all time. This commentary will teach you how to bridge all these concepts to today's society.

The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our postmodern context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today.