Answer: The Thessalonican brethren became imitators of
God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus, (verse
14).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Acts 17:1-9 gives an account of Paul's
arrival and work in Thessalonica. He preached the Word of God
to them, and some Jews and a large number of God-fearing Greeks
were converted. But other Jews were jealous and caused much
turmoil. Paul here says that the church of the Thessalonians
became imitators of God's churches in Judea in that they
suffered from their own countrymen the same things that God's
churches in Judea suffered--persecution for the cause of
Christ. Paul was so concerned about them that he sent Timothy
to them to strengthen and encourage them in their faith, "so
that no one would be unsettled by these trials." He
knew that they would be persecuted--had told them that it
would be so--and he wanted to be sure that this church of
Christ had not been tempted to give in to the trials they were
suffering and fall away from the faith (the teachings of the Word
of God). See 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.
