Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy [Paulos kai Silouanos kai Timotheos]. Nominative absolute as customary in letters. Paul associates with himself Silvanus (Silas of Acts, spelled [Silbanos] in D and the papyri), a Jew and Roman citizen, and Timothy, son of Jewish mother and Greek father, one of Paul's converts at Lystra on the first tour. They had both been with Paul at Thessalonica, though Timothy is not mentioned by Luke in Acts in Macedonia till Beroea (Ac 17:14f.). Timothy had joined Paul in Athens (1Th 3:1f.), had been sent back to Thessalonica, and with Silas had rejoined Paul in Corinth (1Th 3:5; Ac 18:5, 2Co 1:19). Silas is the elder and is mentioned first, but neither is in any sense the author of the Epistle any more than Sosthenes is co-author of I Corinthians or Timothy of II Corinthians, though Paul may sometimes have them in mind when he uses "we" in the Epistle.
