Abstract

BUTTON, M. Bruce. Paul's method of influence in 1 Thessalonians. In Skriflig (Online) [online]. 2016, vol.50, n.2, pp.1-9. ISSN 2305-0853.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ids.v50i2.2113.

Although the field of leadership in the New Testament and in the Pauline Letters has received a great deal of attention, there are still many issues over which scholars disagree. It is proposed in this article that the ongoing use of insights from social-scientific models can help to clarify some of these issues. Those models should not be used in such a way as to impose themselves on the biblical text or the historical data, but to clarify concepts, create analytical categories and sensitise the New Testament scholar to new questions which can be asked of the text in its historical context. The article seeks insights from the power/interaction model of French and Raven, and analyses 1 Thessalonians in terms of some categories and concepts coming from the model. It is found that the primary way in which Paul sought to influence the Thessalonian community was by preaching the gospel and living a life that conformed to its values. The gospel as the good news of God's salvation in Christ is God's means of creating faith in and transforming the lives of those whom he calls.

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