The first letter to the Thessalonians is the earliest of Paul’s inspired writings. Paul visited Thessalonica about 50 C.E. during his second missionary tour. The congregation that was formed there soon had to contend with opposition, which forced Paul and Silas to leave the city. (Ac 17:1-10, 13) Describing his stay in Thessalonica, Paul said that he and his companions worked “night and day” so that they would not put “an expensive burden” on the brothers in Thessalonica. (1Th 2:5-9) Since Paul was a tentmaker, he may have worked at this trade to support himself in the ministry. (Ac 18:2, 3) No doubt, as Paul worked, he also preached to all those whom he met.

In the first century, Roman soldiers wore various types of breastplates to protect their chest and back. High-ranking officers wore a cuirass (1), a two-piece metallic breastplate that conformed to their body. The front was attached to the back by hinges on one side and buckles or laces on the other. Many soldiers wore a breastplate made of iron- or copper-alloy scales (2). The scales were attached to a backing made of leather or linen. Others wore mail armor over a leather jacket (3). The mail consisted of thousands of iron rings arranged in interconnecting rows. It provided strong protection and weighed less than the other breastplates. Paul used the breastplate to illustrate the protective qualities of righteousness, faith, and love.​—Eph 6:​14; 1Th 5:8.

This picture represents two of the types of helmets used by Roman soldiers in the first century. Such helmets were made of either bronze or iron. They were bowl-shaped and had a neck guard; hinged pieces covered the cheeks. Most helmets also had a brow guard to deflect blows directed toward the soldier’s face. All helmets included a lining and were usually padded to enable a soldier to wear them for long periods of time. Apparently, soldiers had to buy their own armor, including the helmet. Paul used a helmet to illustrate a vital source of protection. Just as a helmet protected a soldier’s head from life-threatening blows, “the hope of salvation” can protect a Christian’s thinking ability and future life prospects.​—1Th 5:8, 9; Tit 1:2.

These artifacts show some of the writing materials available in the first century C.E. Writers may have used a pen that was cut from the type of reed that grew along the Nile River. They normally used inexpensive black ink that was held in an inkwell. They wrote on a variety of surfaces, such as wooden tablets, clay fragments, parchment, or papyrus. A writer could compose a long letter on a scroll of papyrus and trim off the extra length for later use. For a short letter, the writer could purchase one sheet, which the vendor would cut off a roll. Most letters were brief. For example, Paul’s letter to Philemon would be considered of average length. The majority of the books in the Christian Greek Scriptures are letters, written by Jesus’ disciples under inspiration.