RECONCILIATION AND FAILURE OF THE LAW 75

We have already considered the position of the epistle to the Galatians. All references to time and place in

Galatians 1 are comprehended in Acts 9:1 to 11:26. There we find the apostle's zeal; his persecution of the church;

his entire independence of Jerusalem and the twelve; his conversion; his visit to Jerusalem; and his journey to Syria

and Cilicia. We may summarise thus:

Galatians 1.

Included in Acts 9:1 to 11:26.

Galatians 2:1-10.

Second visit Jerusalem, either Acts 12 or 15.

Galatians 1:21-24.

Acts 15:3,12,13.

Galatians 2:11.

Acts 15:30-35.

Galatians 1:10; 2:3; 5:11.

Acts 16.

Galatians 6:17; 4:12-14.

Acts 14:19. (See W.S. Wood on Galatians).

If we follow the apostle's method of dealing with a church that had departed from the truth, we shall see that he

tries the effect of an epistle before he appears in person (2 Cor. 2:1; and 1 Cor. 4:21; 2 Cor. 1:23). This would

appear to place the writing of the epistle after Acts 16:6, and before Acts 18:23. The epistle having had its desired

effect, the apostle could visit them and `strengthen all the disciples'.

The date A.D. 53,54 needed for the reference to the sabbatic year (for the apostle cannot be thought of charging

the Galatians with observing the year if it had not come) fits the suggestion that the epistle was written between Acts

16:6 and 18:23. Even though we cannot decide as to whether the epistle was written before or after the Council of

Acts 15 or not, everything favours a much earlier date than has hitherto been reckoned possible.

The first epistle to the Thessalonians cannot possibly have been written before Acts 17, for it is there we first

read of the city: or after Acts 20, for the apostle was evidently at liberty when the epistles were written. Paul

associates with himself Silas and Timothy, who are found together with him in Acts 15:40; 16:1; 17:14. The apostle

had evidently not been away from the church long before he wrote the epistle, for in 2:17 he says:

`But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart'.

It was while the apostle remained at Athens alone that he sent Timothy to comfort them concerning their faith.

Acts 17:16 tells of the apostle's visit to Athens: from Athens he departed for Corinth (Acts 18:1). The Authorized

Version tells us that the first epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens.  Paul, we learn from

1 Thessalonians 3, felt it good to be left at Athens alone, in order that Timothy might revisit Thessalonica. Upon

Timothy's return the apostle is comforted by the report, and longing earnestly to see these believers again (`praying

exceedingly that we might see your face' - 1 Thess. 3:10), he writes the epistle.

We learn, however, from the record of the Acts, that Timothy did not return to Athens. The apostle `departed

from Athens, and came to Corinth' (Acts 18:1); and it was there at Corinth that Timothy and Silas joined him. This

brings the three names together, `Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus' (1 and 2 Thess. 1:1). In Acts 19:22 Timothy

sets out for Macedonia again, and is followed in due course by the apostle himself (Acts 20:1,2). The epistle,

therefore, must have been written before Acts 20:1,2, and after Acts 18:5. The time which elapsed between these

two boundaries is `a year and six months' (Acts 18:11); `yet a good while' (Acts 18:18) (which may be included in

the year and six months), and the time occupied in visiting Syria, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Antioch; after spending `some

time there' (Acts 18:23) he revisited all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order. It is not easy to say how long

these journeyings occupied, but about three years seems reasonable. Somewhere, therefore, about A.D. 54 the

apostle wrote the two epistles to the Thessalonians.