Pauline Paternity in 1 Thessalonians
What were the Jewish and Greco-Roman views of fatherhood that informed two aspects of Paul’s relationship as "father"—hierarchy/authority and affection—towards his "children" in 1 Thessalonians? Paul had a relationship of hierarchy similar to that of the paterfamilias (head of the household) in society who assumed the responsibility for socializing his children into the community.