The Gospel vs. The Empire (1 Thessalonians 1:5-10)
Welcome back! In today's episode, we explore how the early Christians in Thessalonica dared to proclaim a different kind of “good news”—one that directly challenged the power and propaganda of the Roman Empire.
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The Gospel vs. The Empire: Why Jesus, Not Caesar, Is the Real Good News
Setting the Stage: A Young Church in a Pagan City
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is one of his earliest writings, addressed to a young and courageous church in the city of Thessalonica. Located in Macedonia, this city was a thriving cultural center in the Roman Empire. It was full of competing loyalties:
- Civic Assemblies that promoted public allegiance to Roman rule
- Jewish communities rooted in Old Testament tradition
- Pagan mystery cults that worshiped local gods like Cabirus and Dionysus
- Imperial cults that demanded loyalty to Caesar, who was honored as “Lord” and “Savior”
This cultural mixture made Thessalonica a spiritual and political battleground. It was in this context that Paul boldly preached a new message—one that didn’t fit into any existing category.
Caesar and the Counterfeit Gospel
To understand the revolutionary nature of Paul’s gospel, we need to grasp how the Roman Empire presented its rulers.
- Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) was a military genius and political reformer. After his assassination, the Roman Senate declared him divine—Divus Julius.
- His adopted son, Caesar Augustus, used that claim to establish himself as the “Son of God.” He was also called “Savior” and “Lord”, and he was praised for bringing peace to the empire—the Pax Romana.
- In 9 BC, an inscription from Priene declared Augustus’s birthday “the beginning of the good news (euangelion)” for the world.
This was the Roman Empire’s version of the gospel: salvation through the emperor, peace through power, and a kingdom built by human might. It was political propaganda wrapped in divine language.
Paul’s Radical Message: The True Gospel
In direct contrast, Paul brought a different kind of good news to Thessalonica.
“For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true…”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT)
This message centered on Jesus—not Caesar—as the true Son of God, the real Savior, and the eternal King. Paul wasn’t just preaching theology; he was making a political and spiritual declaration. His message was:
- Not about the birth of Augustus, but the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:3)
- Not about human rule, but about the kingdom of God
- Not about Rome’s peace, but about peace with God through Christ
A Church That Chose a New Allegiance
The Thessalonian believers responded with joy—even though it brought suffering.
“So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NLT)
Their conversion was radical. They turned away from idols, including allegiance to Caesar, and began to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). This wasn’t a mild change—it was a total shift in identity. According to scholars, they didn’t mix Jesus into their old beliefs; they abandoned the old system entirely.
Their faith became contagious. Paul says that their testimony rang out across Macedonia and Achaia. Others heard not just about their beliefs, but about how they lived and suffered for their allegiance to Christ.
A New Calendar, a New Kingdom
Paul finishes this section with a bold statement:
“And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NLT)
While Rome proclaimed the emperor as savior, Paul declared that Jesus is the one who will rescue us. While Roman decrees tried to reshape time around Augustus’s birth, Christians later reshaped the global calendar to mark the birth of Jesus:
- AD (Anno Domini) = “In the year of our Lord”
- BC = “Before Christ”
Even in secular culture today, though terms like BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are used, they still trace back to the same pivotal event: the birth of Jesus.
The Takeaway: Only One King Can Make Things Right
From Caesar Augustus to modern politicians, the world keeps looking for someone to fix everything—someone who can restore order, bring peace, and heal division.
But no emperor, president, policy, or celebrity can do what Jesus has already done.
- Jesus brings peace with God, not just peace in society
- Jesus reigns eternally, not just temporarily
- Jesus, not Caesar, is the true Son of God and Savior of the world
So if you’re asking today, “Who’s going to make things right?”—just look at the calendar. History itself testifies to the answer.
Jesus is Lord. And He’s coming again.
