Time after Pentecost · Proper 24 · Year A
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith
October 18, 2026
Overview & Insights
“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9)
Address and Greeting 1:1 Paul frequently associates himself with others in the prescripts of his letters (cf. 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1f.; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; Philem. 1). In most cases it must be doubted that the others made any material contribution to the letters, being named simply out of courtesy, and so in this case. The letter bears all the hallmarks of a Pauline epistle (see Introduction on The Authenticity of 1 Thessalonians and disc. on 3:1), such that it is difficult to believe that Silas and Timothy had any hand in what was written apart from giving Paul an up-to-date report on the situation in Thessalonica and some counsel as to what should be said to the church of the Thessalonians. Silas and Timothy had, of course, shared with Paul in the establishment of that church, and Timothy had only recently returned (as we suppose) from revisiting the scene of their former labors.
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Commentary
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on thanksgiving and the church that became a model.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on faith, love, hope, and imitation of the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 1 - A Model Church Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of the Thessalonians' faith and their turn from idols.
1 Thessalonians Commentaries and Sermons Precept Austin
A gateway to inductive word studies and cross references across 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on Paul's thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight
A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.
Background & Word Study
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.
Enter the Bible: 1 Thessalonians Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to 1 Thessalonians and its setting.
1 Thessalonians Overview BibleProject
An animated overview of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
Why does Paul give thanks for them?
Opening his earliest letter, Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians’ “work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope,” and for how their turning from idols became known everywhere (1 Thessalonians 1:1–10).
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