Answer: Macedonia
Macedonia was established as a Roman province in 146 BC. Its capital, Thessalonika, had an important harbour on the Aegean Sea and lay on the Via Egnatia (Egnatian way) that was the main land road from the Adriatic to the East. Today it is the second-largest city in Greece.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: Paul
It says in II Thessalonians 1:1, "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul wrote many of the epistles in the New Testament.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: Paul
It says in I Thessalonians 1:1, "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Thessalonica was a city of Roman culture. However, it had privileges under the Romans, as it was a free city with its own money.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: Their perseverance
"Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." (2 Thessalonians 1 v. 4)
Perversely, the early church came to see persecution not as failure but as a sign that they were on the right track. They also felt that it was through such troubles that God was able to form character within them:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1 v. 2-4)
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 2 Thessalonians
Answer: Silas and Timothy
Paul visited Thessalonica, which was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, on his second missionary journey. He had journeyed there after dreaming of a man who pleaded with him to cross over into Europe. Acts records his speaking at the synagogue on three Sabbath days before opposition from the local Jewish community forced Paul and his companions to leave (Acts 17 v. 1-9). This disruptive element even followed them to Berea where further trouble was caused (Acts 17 v. 13).
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 1 Thessalonians
Answer: He boasted about their faith and perseverance in all the persecutions and trials they were enduring.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring" (II Thessalonians 1:2-4, NIV)
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: Corinth
Acts 18 makes it clear that Paul's first landfall in Greece was at Athens, but also that he had moved on to Corinth when the agents he had sent back to Thessalonika returned to him.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: "thank God always for you"
It says in II Thessalonians 1:3, "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."
This particular epistle was meant to encourage the people of Thessalonica.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: Jesus
It says in I Thessalonians 1:10, "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."
Christians believe "the wrath to come" refers to judgement day.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: They will be punished with everlasting destruction
"They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." (2 Thessalonians 1 v. 9-10)
It is worth noting that Paul is not talking about unbelievers in general but those people that are troubling and persecuting the Thessalonian church.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 2 Thessalonians
Answer: when the Lord Jesus Christ revealed himself in blazing fire with all of His angels
Because of their suffering, Paul told the Thessalonians they would be counted worthy to be a part of God's kingdom. He gave them hope by promising that God would repay back trouble to those who troubled them.
"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you." (II Thessalonians 6-10, NIV)
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: Paul, Silas (Silvanus), Timothy
Both Paul and Silas had a Semitic name (Saul, Silas) and a Roman name (Paulus, Silvanus). Both were Roman Citizens, as Acts 16:37 shows.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: them that know not God
It says in II Thessalonians 1:8, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Bible talks about vengeance in various places. In each case it tells us that God will take care of the vengeance, so believers do not need to worry about it.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: God
It says in I Thessalonaians 2:5, "For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness."
Paul is stating that God Himself knows what they did, so in essence Paul does not need to defend himself, as God knows the truth.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: All of these
"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1 v. 11-12)
Reading between the lines, it seems likely that the Thessalonians were worried about their ability to stand firm under pressure and had written to Paul to say so. In this prayer and elsewhere, Paul offers words of reassurance and prays that they would not fall short in any way. The prayer appears to be an early example of a Trinitarian formula, if you accept that the power of God refers to the Holy Spirit.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 2 Thessalonians
Answer: the second coming of Jesus Christ had already occurred
Paul assured the Thessalonians the day of the Lord would not come until the anti-Christ, or "man of lawlessness", had set up his world rebellion. He reminded the Thessalonians he had told them of these things while he had been with them. People had falsely told the church things that Paul and his partners had not said.
"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us-whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter-asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (II Thessalonians 2:1-12, NIV)
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: Philippi
The events at Philippi are related in Acts 16. Paul received a rather warm welcome at Beroea and at Athens was invited to address the highest council of that city. The violent riot at Ephesus (Acts 20) will occur later.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: this calling
It says in II Thessalonians 1:11, "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power."
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: Satan
It says in I Thessalonians 2:18, "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."
Satan is also known as the Prince of Darkness.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: His sole desire was to prove the Jews wrong.
"For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. ... You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed - God is our witness." (1 Thessalonians 2 v. 3, 5)
Paul often ended up defending himself from criticism. In his other letters, this was usually from "Jewish" Christians who accused him of teaching false doctrine. Here, though, he is writing to what appears to be a largely Gentile church and, reading between the lines, has been accused of being a freeloading charlatan.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 1 Thessalonians
Answer: so they would share it with others
Paul told the Thessalonians, "God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, NIV) Paul wanted them to realize God saved them so that they could reveal the gospel to others around them.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: Satan
Unfortunately, Paul does not explain exactly HOW Satan prevented Paul from returning to Thessalonika.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: troubled
It says in II Thessalonians 2:2, "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."
Paul makes it a priority to encourage this church, and since he has done so, modern Christians can also find encouragement by reading it.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: night and day
It says in I Thessalonians 3:10, "Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?"
In all of Paul's letters to various churches, he talks about praying a lot, so we know that Paul believed prayer to be very important.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: That it was accompanied with power and conviction
"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction." (1 Thessalonians 1 v. 4-5)
It seems to have been the early church's expectation that, when the gospel was preached, it would be accompanied by the miraculous. This was clearly the case on the day of Pentecost and is evidenced again when Luke writes about Paul and Barnabas in Iconium:
"So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders." (Acts 14 v. 3)
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 1 Thessalonians
Answer: the teachings that had been passed on to them
"So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." (II Thessalonians 2:15, NIV)
Many churches that Paul or other apostles had instructed had been plagued with false teachers while the apostles were persecuted, imprisoned, or starting other works. The Thessalonians had already experienced some of this at the time of this letter. Paul wanted to be sure they were not influenced by teachings that were contrary to what he had given them.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: Timothy
Timothy was a young Jewish man whom Paul met at Lystra in central Galatia (Acts 16). He would become Paul's most loyal companion, and two books of the New Testament are letters written by Paul to him late in his career.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: (I Thessalonians)
Answer: They received not the love of the truth.
It says in II Thessalonians 2:10, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
Paul is talking about those people that hear the truth and chose to not believe it in this particular verse.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: love one toward another
It says in I Thessalonians 3:12, "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you."
Love is one of the biggest themes in the Bible.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: Hold on to what Paul had taught them
"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thessalonians 2 v. 15)
Paul distinguishes between the spoken word he has preached to them and the letters he has written to them. They would probably have been amazed, obsessed as they were with thoughts of an imminent second coming, that there would come a time when these written instructions would be collected together to be treated as scripture.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 2 Thessalonians
Answer: Satan
"For we wanted to come to you - certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan stopped us." (1 Thessalonians 2 v. 18)
Paul does not expand on what he means by this statement and he does not appear to have been in prison between preaching in Thessalonica and writing to them. He is probably, therefore, referring to the violence that marred his earlier visit. It is also unusual for Paul to see the devil as a direct obstacle to his plans. Everywhere else in his letters, he speaks of the devil's ability to affect human behaviour but not to act directly. This reinforces the view that he is thinking of the mob and sees them as having been stirred up by Satan.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 1 Thessalonians
Answer: for God to allow them to share the gospel with other countries
"As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith." (II Thessalonians 3:1-2, NIV)
Paul wanted other countries to hear the gospel and be won to Christ as the Thessalonian church had. Many of Paul's other missionary journeys had resulted in severe persecutions, imprisonments, beatings, and rejection.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: stand fast
It says in II Thessalonians 2:15, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
To stand fast means to be unyielding, or to hold one's ground.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: fornication
It says in I Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication."
Fornication is sex outside of marriage.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: He made tents
"After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them." (Acts 18 v. 1-3)
When Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians, he appears to have been responding to a charge that he was looking to gain financially from his preaching. Here, the motivation is different. He is using his own experience as an example to the church that all should work for a living.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 2 Thessalonians
Answer: Good news about their faith and love
"But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you." (1 Thessalonians 3 v. 6)
This is one of those rare epistles where Paul does not have to restore proper order in the church or correct faulty beliefs. Instead, his time is mostly taken up with advice on Christian lifestyle.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : 1 Thessalonians
Answer: They had worked jobs and paid for everything that they had been given.
Paul urged the Thessalonians not to be idle or associate with anyone who did not follow the teachings they had been given. Paul reminded the Thessalonians, he and his fellow ministers had taken nothing from the church while they were ministering to them. They had worked and paid for their own food, so that the Thessalonians would learn by their examples.
"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." (II Thessalonians 3:6-10, NIV)
In later verses, Paul also shared his feelings that idleness led to busybodies and gossip, which was destructive.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians
Answer: that it may have free course
It says in II Thessalonians 3:1, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you."
This verse says that the word of the Lord should spread quickly without obstacles stopping it; this is what Paul wants.
From Quiz: II Thessalonians
Answer: the dead in Christ
It says in I Thessalonians 4:16, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first..."
Christians believe this verse refers to the Second Coming of Christ.
From Quiz: Thessalonians: Round One
Answer: They were commanded not to associate with them.
Paul instructed them not to associate with anyone who did not obey the instructions or letters he had given. He explained that this was necessary so that the person would realize their wrong doing and be ashamed.
"Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer." (II Thessalonians 3:14, NIV)
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: II Thessalonians