First Thessalonians

Chapter 1
1
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3
remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4knowing, beloved brethren, your election by
God. 5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit
and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 6And
you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy
of the Holy Spirit, 7so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.
8
For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also
in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9For
they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned
to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom
He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. NKJV

This first letter to the Thessalonians is one of praise and encouragement. Paul is
commending their faith and even mentions that news of them has spread throughout the
region. Their testimony was a living gospel, their lives the proof that the gospel is true.

Paul again mentions his three favorite words: faith, hope and love. Hope is sometimes
underappreciated but in Thessalonians, it forms the basis for our constant expectation of
the return of Jesus.

1:3 hope, elpis (el-peece); Strong’s #1680: Hope, not in the sense of an optimistic
outlook or wishful thinking without any foundation, but in the sense of confident
expectation based on solid certainty. Biblical hope rests on God’s promises, particularly
those pertaining to Christ’s return. So certain is the future of the redeemed that the NT
sometimes speaks of future events in the past tense, as though they were already
accomplished. Hope is never inferior to faith, but is an extension of faith. Faith is the
present possession of grace; hope is confidence in grace’s future accomplishment.
Spirit filled life study Bible

The preaching of the word was accompanied by power. Rom 1:16 says For I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

That the gospel came to them also not in word only, but in power; they not only heard the
sound of it, but submitted to the power of it. It did not merely tickle the ear and please the
fancy, not merely fill their heads with notions and amuse their minds for awhile, but it
affected their hearts: a divine power went along with it for convincing their consciences
and amending their lives. Note, By this we may know our election, if we not only speak
of the things of God by rote as parrots, but feel the influence of these things in our hearts,
mortifying our lusts, weaning us from the world, and raising us up to heavenly things.
Matthew Henry's commentary

1:10. To wait signifies waiting with expectation—looking ahead in faith, to the

fulfillment of Christ’s promises to return to the saints. Wrath to come (cf. 5:9; Rev. 6:16)
refers to the time of the Great Tribulation (spoken of by Christ, Matt. 24:21) from which
the saints of the church will be delivered.
King James Version study Bible

The One we look for is Jesus, our Deliverer from the wrath to come. This
description of the coming Savior may be understood in two ways:
1. He delivers us from the eternal punishment of our sins. On the cross He endured
the wrath of God against our sins. Through faith in Him, we have the value of His work
reckoned to our account. Henceforth there is no condemnation for us because we are in
Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).
2. But He also delivers us from the coming period of judgment when the wrath of
God will be poured out on the world that has rejected His Son. This period is known as
the Tribulation and the time of Jacob’s Trouble (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:4–28; 1 Thess. 5:1–
11; 2 Thess. 2:1–12; Rev. 6:1–19:10).
Believer's Bible Commentary

It is my personal belief that Paul is referring here to the coming wrath of God known
more commonly as the Tribulation. Paul makes plenty of references to being delivered
from sin without ever using the term “wrath to come”. However, he uses this term almost
exclusively when talking about the return of Christ.

That we should expect Jesus to reappear at any moment is clearly taught here– a doctrine
called “imminency” – which teach that nothing must precede His appearing – it is the
first event of the Apocalypse. Also taught here is the precious promise that Christians
will not go through the wrath but rather are saved out of it. No Christian (with any sense)
would look forward joyfully to Jesus’ return if they knew they had to endure the Great
Tribulation first. They would of course hope they died before Jesus came back. This is
not the way the NT is written.

This doctrine is also taught in the following verses (all NASB):

Rom 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from the wrath {of God} through Him.
1 Thess 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rev 3:10 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from
the hour of testing, that {hour} which is about to come upon the whole world, to test
those who dwell on the earth.