1 & 2 Thessalonians (Reformed Expository Commentary | REC)

by Richard D. Phillips

Publisher:

P&R

, 2015

Overview

Before the Apostle Paul wrote Romans or Ephesians, he sent a pair of letters to a new church in Thessalonica. Three concerns governed these letters: What makes a healthy church? How should we view God’s Word? What does the ideal Christian life look like? Richard D. Phillips considers Paul’s foundational emphases in a scholarly, pastoral, and practical manner. He also explores Paul’s end-times teaching—the clearest teaching on this subject in the New Testament. Through these clear studies, readers will find a refreshing description of what will happen before, during, and after the Second Coming. Just as importantly, by focusing on Paul’s other teaching in these letters, readers will encounter a joyful anticipation of Christ’s return and revive hope for living faithfully in a challenging world.

Contents

Top Highlights

“G. K. Beale comments, ‘Whether in the ancient world or today, the chief end of humanity has often been to take pleasure in this life. In contrast, our passage begins by affirming the opposite: humanity’s chief goal ought to be to take pleasure in pleasing God.’¹ As Paul states it, sanctification is not aimed primarily toward our own well-being or glory. Rather, the first goal of our sanctification, as with all other things, is to give God pleasure and to manifest his glory.” (Pages 116–117)

“Finally, note that sanctification is expressed physically. Holiness is rooted in our hearts, but always expressed in our actions.” (Page 118)

“Second, Paul emphasizes that church leaders ‘are over you in the Lord’ (1 Thess. 5:12).” (Page 229)

“‘The day of the Lord’ is an expression with its origin in the prophetic writings, signifying the coming of God to judge his enemies in fiery wrath.” (Page 194)

“Geerhardus Vos asserted: ‘Ours is a religion whose centre of gravity lies beyond the grave in the world to come.’¹ Christians are pulled forward, Paul said, by ‘our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ’ (Titus 2:13).” (Page 149)

Product Details

• Title: 1 & 2 Thessalonians
• Author: Richard D. Phillips
• Series: Reformed Expository Commentary
• Publisher: P&R
• Print Publication Date: 2015
• Logos Release Date: 2017
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. N.T. 1 Thessalonians › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. 2 Thessalonians › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9781596389779, 9781596389786, 9781596389793, 159638977, 1596389788, 1596389796, 159638977X
• Resource ID: LLS:REC73TH1
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T17:10:10Z

About Richard D. Phillips

Richard Davis Phillips has been the Senior Minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina (PCA) since July, 2007. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan, and a master of business administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Prior to entering the ministry, he commanded tank units as an officer in the U.S. Army and later served as an assistant professor of leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He came to faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 30, and was soon was leading evangelistic Bible studies at the college where he was teaching. A few years later he received God’s call to enter the gospel ministry, and received a master of divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.