1-2 Thessalonians – Introduction

This chapter forms an introduction to both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. Introductory matters discussed include the city of Thessalonica, the church of Thessalonica, authorship, literary dependence of 2 Thessalonians on 1 Thessalonians, and eschatological differences between the two letters.

Heaven – Heaven in Paul's Letters

The focus in chapter 4 is Paul’s view of heaven. The author reflects upon the eschatological aspects of heaven, notably the final state of believers. He first notes the Old Testament background to Paul’s understanding of heaven, then the basic structure of Paul's thought, and finally a focus on the believer’s final, future state prior to and after the return of Christ.