¹Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

Paul continually brought along traveling companions, fellow-laborers in his ministry. He was not a lone ranger. Silvanus and Timothy were two noteworthy associates and are here mentioned being with him as he pens this letter. As he moved to southern Greece on his second mission tour, the apostle had left the two in Thessalonica, presumably to build up the fledgling church while he continued on south to Athens. From there he summoned the two to join him in Athens (Acts 17:15) but then sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to “strengthen and encourage” them (1 Thess. 3:2). Finally, Timothy reported back to Paul and Silvanus in Corinth (1 Thess. 3:6), from where this letter was written, as presumably in response to Timothy’s report.

Paul wrote letters to individuals (Timothy, Titus, Philemon) and to churches or groups of believers (in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossians, and Thessalonica). In all of them he begins by identifying himself; anonymous letters from undisclosed sources carried no weight in the ancient world. While clearly the letter is written by Paul, he includes Silvanus and Timothy as a team corresponding back to the Thessalonian believers, for all three had been intricately involved in their conversion and early teaching.

Paul sets the standard for his salutations, beginning every letter as he does here with a variation of what he writes here: “Grace to you and peace.” In fact, Paul ends his letters with a similar statement, for example, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thess. 5:28). While many skim over such statements as routine convention, these reflect the apostle Paul’s commitment to reconciling people to God, with the goal that they would experience God’s grace (that is greater than all of our sin) and peace (though once being alienated from God and enemies of His). These are not stale theological ideas, but activating truths that he desired for his readers. Christians, to whom Paul is writing this letter, need to be constantly reminded of God’s grace and peace, which should motivate our behavior and rule our hearts. In all he has to write, this is the goal he keeps in mind, and so this mindset is included in all of his letters by way of reminder. This is no small thing.

So Paul begins his letter to the Thessalonian believers, and so we begin to enter into the heart of what motivated the early church to live in the midst of persecution and endure until the Lord Jesus Christ returns. So may we learn to live in the same way today, in the midst of our trials and difficulties.

Lord, may I experience the truth of Your grace and peace more deeply.