Feb 25, 2024
Paul's enemies in Thessalonica were slandering Paul saying 1) the Thessalonians’ conversion was not real, therefore Paul’s message was not from God. 2) Paul was a charlatan peddling his message for money and fame, and 3) Paul had abandoned them because he didn’t care about them. Realizing these accusations had teeth, Paul felt compelled to defend himself in order to defend the truth of the Gospel. Beginning in 2:17, Paul defends himself against the third and probably most damaging accusation that he had abandoned them because he didn’t care about them.