Paul's letter to the Thessalonians was written after he had been forcibly run out of that city by those who took issue with his mission and message. Frustrated at being kept away from direct contact with the new Christians with whom he had been working, Paul's letters had to suffice to keep him in touch. Paul's tender recollections of his work among these Thessalonian "brothers and sisters" may be noted in his repeated use of the idioms translated as "you know" and "you remember" within the text of his letter.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 divides its intended focus between its readers and its subjects (Paul, Timothy and Silas). Paul reminds the Thessalonians of both the work he carried on in their midst and the truly Christ-inspired motivation behind that labor. Despite the fact that Paul was tos…