2 Thessalonians 1:1

The Thessalonians knew Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. These men had been with them, and God used them to bring the gospel to them. He does not speak of himself as an apostle. In nine of his letters, Paul uses his title as apostle... He asserts his apostolic title and authority in the strongest way when he writes to the Galatians and the Corinthians. False teachers troubled those churches and questioned his apostolic calling. Since this trouble did not exist in Thessalonica, he does not remind them that he is an apostle. He did not parade his title. He mentions it only when someone questions the truth he preached, which he had received from the Lord.

Most men in his high position as the apostle to the Gentiles would not dream of putting smaller and younger men beside themselves in their inspired letters... Paul does name others beside himself in his inspired letters, and that shows humility, large-heartedness, consideration for others and fellowship.

Calling them "the church" has nothing to do with having fewer people, all gathered in one company. In no city, perhaps, were there more saints than in Jerusalem, yet we read of the church or assembly there. There might be many houses in a city where the saints met to break bread, but together they made up "the assembly" there. In short, Scripture never speaks of "assemblies" in a city, whatever the number, as it does of a province. It always speaks of "the assembly."

"The church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father." The letters to the Thessalonians are the only place where we find the words "in God the Father" used to show where a church stands. In the other letters Paul usually says "the church of God which is at Corinth," or "the saints which are at Ephesus." Paul probably speaks of them this way because they had come to faith so recently. He takes this church at its birth, so to speak, and sees it only in its relationship to God. "One God and Father" — that is the first thought that springs from faith.

So we have, "The church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father." That is not putting them in Deity. It is family relationship.

He again describes the assembly as in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The first separates them from Gentiles, as the second separates them from Jews... For what did a Jew know more than a Gentile of such a new, living and intimate relationship with God as Father? And what did a Gentile know more than a Jew of a rejected but risen Lord and Saviour in heaven? He adds "our" here, which the first letter's opening did not have. Why? To fix these saints firmly in the relationship they share with the writer, and with all saints, to Him whose grace is the source of all blessing. They walked well in most respects, yet needed that reminder more than ever.

The apostle at the outset reminds them of the perfect security of the assembly. It was in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ. No power of the enemy could destroy it... He writes to the Thessalonian saints while persecution was active against them, and both times he reminds them that the assembly is perfectly secure. The enemy tried to stamp out the work of God there, and the strain fell on them. Yet neither false teaching nor careless living had done its withering work among them, so the apostle had no need to blame them for anything.