FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALUNIANS. 159 



relates that, after Paul and Silas had been beaten with 

 many stripes at Philippi, shut up in the inner prison, and 

 their feet made fast in the stocks, as soon as they were dis- 

 charged from their confmement they departed from thence. 

 and, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apolla- 

 nia, came to Thessalonica, where Paul opened and alleged 

 that Jesus was the Christ, Acts 16, 17. The epistle writ- 

 ten in the name of Paul and Silvanus, i. e. Silas, and of 

 Timotheus, who also appears to have been along with them 

 at Philippi, (vide Philippians, No. IV.,) speaks to the church 

 of Thessalonica thus : " Even after that we had suffered be- 

 fore, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, 

 we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of 

 God with much contention." Chap. 2 : 2. 



The history relates, that after they had been some time at 



Thessalonica, " the Jews which beheved not set all the 



city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason," where 

 Paul and Silas were, " and sought to bring them out to the 

 people." Acts 17:5. The epistle declares, " When we were 

 with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation ; 

 even as it came to pass, arul ye knoio.'" Chap. 3 : 4. 



The history brings Paul and Silas and Timothy together at 

 Corinth, soon after the preaching of the gospel at Thessaloni- 

 ca : "And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Mace- 

 donia" to Corinth, " Paul was pressed in spirit." Acts 18 : 5. 

 The epistle is written in the name of these three persons, who 

 consequently must have been together at the time, and speaks 

 throughout of their ministry at Thessalonica as a recent trans- 

 action : " We, brethren, being taken from you for a short 

 time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abun- 

 dantly to see your face with great desire." Chap. 2:17. 



The harmony is indubitable; but the points of histor*; 

 in which it consists are so expressly set forth in the narra- 

 tive, and so directly referred to in the epistle, that it beccnes 

 necessary for us to show that the facts in one writing were 

 tot copied from the other. Now, amid some minuter dis- 



