Introduction

With the ultimate goal of ascertaining whether the situations underlying 1 and 2 Thessalonians are compatible, in the preceding chapter we turned our attention to 1 Thess. 4:13–18. Although relatively neglected in comparison to that text, 5:1–11 is equally fundamental for understanding the nature of the eschatological confusion underlying 1 Thessalonians. On the basis of this passage it has been variously suggested that the Thessalonian community are expecting the parousia with deep imminentist excitement or restless impatience, that they are falsely secure, that they are unwilling to live with the ‘uncertainty’ of a future eschatology, and that they are worried that more might die before the parousia finally occurs or worried that they might be unprepared for it when it does come. Unfortunately, however, there has been a notable dearth of constructive scholarly interaction and debate regarding the situation of 5:1–11. In this chapter we shall attempt to cut a fresh path through this difficult terrain, all the while critically assessing previous contributions, with a view to establishing the background situation giving rise to this section.

Does idle speculation underlie the Thessalonians' question?

Paul opens 5:1–11 with περὶ δέ, which in 1 Corinthians is employed to demarcate the commencement of his response to specific questions posed by his addressees in a letter (7:1, 25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1, 12).