Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary
1 Thessalonians 1 - Introduction
Title. The received form of the titles of St Paul’s Epistles has no ms. authority. It appeared first in Beza’s printed editions, and was adopted by the Elzevirs; the A.V. took it from Beza. προς Θεσσαλονικεις αʹ is the heading of the Epistle in אABK 17, also in cop basm goth; similarly throughout the Pauline Epp. in אAB and C (where extant); D prefixes αρχεται, from 2 Cor. onwards. This form of title belongs to the earliest times, when St Paul’s Epistles formed a single and separate Book, entitled Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ, within which the several Letters were distinguished by the bare address. The two to the Thessalonians appear to have always stood last in the second group of those addressed to Churches, consisting of smaller Epistles (Eph. Phil. Colossians 1 and 2 Thess.).
B* spells Θεσσαλονεικεις, a characteristic itacism; G-νικαιους.