What does "drove us out" mean?

The phrase and drove us out is a translation of the Greek word ἐκδιξάντων (ekdiοksantōn) (from ἐκδιώκω/ekdiōkō). This word appears only once in the New Testament and very rarely in other ancient Greek literature, although the related διώκω (diōkō) (without the prefix ἐκ/ek) is quite common. The simpler word sometimes means pursue, although more commonly it means persecute, and is frequently used by Paul with that meaning. How then should the compound word (ἐκδιώκω/ekdiōkō) be understood in 1 Thessalonians 2:15?

Fee, out of a desire to restrict the Jews of 1 Thessalonians 2:14 to as small a group as possible, takes ἐκδιώκω (ekdiōkō) to mean persecute in a general sense, and goes to some length to interpret it as a reference to Paul’s treatment at the hand of the Jews of Judea (i.e., not including the Jews outside Palestine).¹ Although such an interpretation may be linguistically and historically possible, it remains speculative and is not natural in the present context.

The word ἐκδιώκω/ekdiōkō can also mean drive out. Taking the prefix ἐκ/ek to mean out of (its most common meaning), and the verb διώκω (diōkō) in the general sense of pursue. ἐκδιώκω/ekdiōkō is used with this general sense in the two instances that it occurs in Josephus’ writings^2,3. This meaning of drive out is more natural in the context, since Paul’s present concern is with the Thessalonians’ suffering and with the way the Jews prevented him from speaking to the Gentiles (1 Thessalonians 2:16). Acts 17:5–10 gives a clear account of how the Jews engineered Paul’s departure from Thessalonica, and this experience would have been fresh in the minds of the Thessalonians. It was also characteristic of Paul’s experience in many cities where he preached the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46–50; Acts 14:5–6; Acts 17:13–14; Acts 18:12–13), and is reflected in 1 Thessalonians 2:17. We conclude, therefore, that drove us out is the correct interpretation of ἐκδιώκω (ekdiōkō) here, and that Paul is referring to the experience described in Acts 17:5–10.^4,5,6

It is probably also the case that Paul identifies himself here with the experience of the prophets, so that the whole tradition of prophetic persecution becomes more applicable to the Thessalonian situation.^7,8