Who was Paul writing to in 1 Thessalonians 5?
In 1 Thessalonians 5, the apostle Paul was writing to believers in Thessalonica, a city in Greece. These believers had been under intense persecution, so severe that they honestly thought they were experiencing the tribulation. The context identifies them as the Thessalonian believers.
Les explains that in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, the apostle Paul is again writing to believers up in Thessalonica, up in Greece. He notes that they had been under intense persecution, so much so that they honestly thought they were in the tribulation, which he says will be seen when getting into chapter 2. The context also places 1 Thessalonians after Philippians and Colossians as Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians are considered.