Bible Dictionaries
Thessalonians, Letters to

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia in the north of Greece. Paul planted a church there during his second missionary journey, and soon after he wrote the church two letters that have been preserved in the New Testament.

Background to 1 Thessalonians

Paul’s work in Thessalonica had been very fruitful, particularly among the non-Jewish population. This success stirred up the Jews’ jealousy and opposition, and in the end Paul was forced to leave the city (Acts 17:1-9).

On arriving in Athens (in Achaia, the south of Greece), Paul sent his fellow worker Timothy back to Thessalonica to give additional help to the young church (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Meanwhile, Paul went across to Corinth (also in Achaia), where Timothy met him after returning from Thessalonica (Acts 18:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 3:6).

Timothy brought good news. The church in Thessalonica had grown much in only a short time, and had been so zealous in spreading the gospel into surrounding districts that Ch