Immediate Historical Context for 1 & 2 Thessalonians

The immediate historical context for 1 & 2 Thessalonians -

1.    Paul begins 2nd missionary journey – Acts 15:30-35

2.    Paul and Barnabas agree to split up over Mark – 15:37-39

3.    Paul takes Silas (Silvanus) with him instead – 15:40

4.    Paul and Silas strengthen the churches in Syria and Cilicia – 15:40

5.    Paul adds Timothy to the team after arriving in Derbe, Lystra and Iconium – 16:1-3

6.    Paul and his team travel throughout Phrygia and Galatia but are prevented from preaching in Asia – 16:6

7.    The Spirit prevents them from continuing into Bithynia at the border of Mysia – 16:7

8.    The team goes to Troas – 16:8

9.    Paul has a vision calling them to Macedonia – 16:9-10

10.    From Troas they go to Samothrace, Neapolis, and Philippi – 16:11-12

11.    Good success – 16:13-15

12.    Followed by demonic harassment, a city riot and imprisonment – 16:16-24

13.    Faithfulness, joy in persecution, miraculous deliverance resulted in conversion of the jailer and his family – 16:25-34

14.    The team was asked to leave – 16:35-40

15.    The team passed through Amphibolis (30 miles) capital of first district of Macedonia, Apollonia (27 miles)  and arrived in Thessalonica (35 more miles)– 17:1

16.    They persuaded some Jews and a large number of Greeks and prominent women – 17:2-4

17.    Jews became jealous, formed a mob of bad characters, started a riot against the team – 17:5-9

18.    The Christians sent Paul and Silas to Berea at night – 17:10

19.    Many people believed in Berea with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures, both Jews and Greeks, men and women – 17:11-12 – This in contrast to how the Thessalonicans received the Word.

20.    Jews of Thessalonica chased down Paul and Silas in Berea to agitate the crowds – 17:13 – Jason is taken before the politarchs

21.    Paul went on to Athens – 17:14-15

22.    Paul  preached in the synagogue and marketplace in Athens, met some success – a few men and a number of others became believers – 17:16-34

23.    Paul left Athens and went to Corinth (53 miles – population 200,000) – 18:1 and met with success

24.    Paul is commissioned as an apostle to the Gentiles – 18:9-11

25.    Jews opposed Paul and became abusive – 18:6, took Paul before Gallio – 18:12-17 where his case was dismissed so that Paul could stay longer (1.5 years 18:11) – 18:18

26.    While in Corinth where Paul worked as a preacher/tentmaker and after Timothy and Silas rejoined (18:5) him either in Athens or Corinth he wrote to the Thessalonians, one letter right after the other – around 52AD, making it the first letters of the New Testament.