Text -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5 (NET)

Salutation

1:1 From Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanksgiving

1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. 1:4 As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.

Encouragement in Persecution

1:5 This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 2Th 1:1

Paul, etc. ( Paulos ,etc. ).

This address or superscription is identical with that in 1Th 1:1 save that our (hēmōn ) is added after

Robertson: 2Th 1:1

Father ( patri ).

Robertson: 2Th 1:2

From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ( apo theou patros kai Kuriou Iēsou Christou ).

These words are not genuine in 1Th 1:1, but are here and they appear in all the other Pauline Epistles. Note absence of article both after en and apo , though both God and Lord Jesus Christ are definite. In both cases Jesus Christ is put on a par with God, though not identical. See note on 1Th 1:1 for discussion of words, but note difference between en , in the sphere of, by the power of, and apo , from, as the fountain head and source of grace and peace.

Robertson: 2Th 1:3

We are bound ( opheilomen ).

Paul feels a sense of obligation to keep on giving thanks to God (eucharistein tōi theōi , present infinitive with dative case) because of God’ s continued blessings on the Thessalonians. He uses the same idiom again in 2Th 2:13 and nowhere else in his thanksgivings. It is not necessity (dei ) that Paul here notes, but a sense of personal obligation as in 1Jo 2:6 (Milligan).

Robertson: 2Th 1:3

Even as it is meet ( kathōs axion estin ).

Opheilomen points to the divine, axion to the human side of the obligation (Lightfoot), perhaps to cheer the fainthearted in a possible letter to him in reply to Paul’ s First Thessalonian epistle (Milligan). This adjective axios is from agō , to drag down the scales, and so weighty, worthy, worthwhile, old word and appropriate here.

Robertson: 2Th 1:3

For that your faith groweth exceedingly ( hoti huperauxanei hē pistis humōn ).

Causal use of hoti referring to the obligation stated in opheilomen . The verb huperauxanō is one of Paul’ s frequent compounds in huper (hupeṙbainō , 1Th 4:6; hupeṙek̇teinō , 2Co 10:14; hupeṙeṅtugchanō , Rom 8:26; hupeṙnikaō , Rom 8:37; hupeṙpleonazō , 1Ti 1:14) and occurs only here in N.T. and rare elsewhere (Galen, Dio Cass.). Figure of the tree of faith growing above (huper ) measure. Cf. parable of Jesus about faith-like a grain of mustard seed (Mat 13:31.).

Robertson: 2Th 1:3

Aboundeth ( pleonazei ).

Same verb in 1Th 3:12, here a fulfilment of the prayer made there. Milligan finds diffusive growth of love in this word because of "each one"(henos hekastou ). Frame finds in this fulfilment of the prayer of 1Th 3:12 one proof that II Thessalonians is later than I Thessalonians.

Robertson: 2Th 1:4

So that ( hōste ).

Another example of hōste and the infinitive (enkauchāsthai ) for result as in 1Th 1:7 which see.

Robertson: 2Th 1:4

We ourselves ( autous hēmas ).

Accusative of general reference with the infinitive, but not merely hēmās (or heautous ), perhaps in contrast with en humin (in you), as much as to say, "so that we ourselves, contrary to your expectations, are boasting"(Frame). Enkauchaomai occurs here alone in N.T., but is found in the lxx and in Aesop’ s Fables , proof enough of its vernacular use. Paul was not above praising one church to other churches, to provoke them to good works. Here he is boasting of Thessalonica in Macedonia to the Corinthians as he did later to the Corinthians about the collection (2Co 8:1-15) after having first boasted to the Macedonians about the Corinthians (2Co 9:1-5). There were other churches in Achaia besides Corinth (2Co 1:1).

Robertson: 2Th 1:4

For ( huper ).

Over, about, like peri (1Th 1:2).

Robertson: 2Th 1:4

In all your persecutions ( en pasin tois diōgmois humōn ).

Their patience and faith had already attracted Paul’ s attention (1Th 1:3) and their tribulations thlipsesin (1Th 1:6). Here Paul adds the more specific term diōgmos , old word from diōkō , to chase, to pursue, a word used by Paul of his treatment in Corinth (2Co 12:10).

Robertson: 2Th 1:4

Which ye endure ( hais anechesthe ).

B here reads enechesthe , to be entangled in, to be held in as in Gal 5:1, but anechesthe is probably correct and the hais is probably attracted to locative case of thlipsesin from the ablative hōn after anechesthe , from which ye hold yourselves back (cf. Col 3:13).

Robertson: 2Th 1:5

A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God ( endeigma tēs dikaias kriseōs tou theou ).

Old word from endeiknumi , to point out, result reached (̇ma ), a thing proved. It is either in the accusative of general reference in apposition with the preceding clause as in Rom 8:3; Rom 12:1, or in the nominative absolute when ho estin , if supplied, would explain it as in Phi 1:28. This righteous judgment is future and final (2Th 1:6-10).

Robertson: 2Th 1:5

To the end that you may be counted worthy ( eis to kataxiōthēnai humas ).

Another example of eis to for purpose with first aorist passive infinitive from kataxioō , old verb, with accusative of general reference humas and followed by the genitive tēs basileias (kingdom of God). See note on 1Th 2:12 for kingdom of God.

Robertson: 2Th 1:5

For which ye also suffer ( huper hēs kai paschete ).

Ye also as well as we and the present tense means that it is still going on.

Vincent: 2Th 1:3

We are bound - as it is meet

The accumulation of cognate expressions indicates the apostle's earnestness.

Vincent: 2Th 1:3

Groweth exceedingly ( ὑπεραυξάνει )

N.T.o . See on 1Th 3:10.

Vincent: 2Th 1:4

Glory ( ἐνκαυχᾶσθαι )

N.T.o . The simple verb καυχᾶσθαι to boast , and the kindred nouns καύχημα ground of boasting , and καύχησις act of boasting , are favorites with Paul.

Vincent: 2Th 1:5

A manifest token ( ἔνδειγμα )

N.T.o . Comp. ἔνδειξις , Phi 1:28. The token is the patience and faith with which they endure persecution and tribulation. It is a token of the righteous judgment of God, in that it points to the future glory which God will confer at the final judgment and the righteous award which will be dispensed to the persecutors. Similarly Phi 1:28.

Vincent: 2Th 1:5

That ye may be counted worthy

The structure of the sentence is loose. These words should be directly connected with righteous judgment , and denote the purport of that judgment - their assignment to an inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Vincent: 2Th 1:5

Of the kingdom of God ( τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ )

The phrase is not frequent in Paul. βασιλεία θεοῦ four times; βασιλεία τοῦ χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ kingdom of Christ and of God , once. Here in the eschatological sense - the future, consummated kingdom, the goal of their striving and the recompense of their suffering. See on Luk 6:20.

Wesley: 2Th 1:3

It is highly observable, that the apostle wraps up his praise of men in praise to God; giving him the glory.

Wesley: 2Th 1:3

Probably he had heard from them since his sending the former letter.

Wesley: 2Th 1:3

Like water that overflows its banks, and yet increaseth still.

Wesley: 2Th 1:4

"That ye may be accounted worthy of the kingdom."

Wesley: 2Th 1:5

This is treated of in 2Th 1:6 and following verses.

JFB: 2Th 1:1

Still more endearing than the address, 1Th 1:1 "in God THE Father."

JFB: 2Th 1:2

So some oldest manuscripts read. Others omit "our."

JFB: 2Th 1:3

Greek, "We owe it as a debt" (2Th 2:13). They had prayed for the Thessalonians (1Th 3:12) that they might "increase and abound in love"; their prayer having been heard, it is a small but a bounden return for them to make, to thank God for it. Thus, Paul and his fellow missionaries practice what they preach (1Th 5:18). In 1Th 1:3, their thanksgiving was for the Thessalonians' faith, love, and patience"; here, for their exceeding growth in faith, and for their charity abounding. "We are bound" expresses the duty of thanksgiving from its subjective side as an inward conviction. "As it is meet," from the objective: side as something answering to the state of circumstances [ALFORD]. Observe the exact correspondence of the prayer (1Th 3:12, "The Lord make you to abound in love") and the answer, "The love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth" (compare 1Th 4:10).

JFB: 2Th 1:3

Right.

JFB: 2Th 1:4

Make our boast of you, literally, "in your case." "Ourselves" implies that not merely did they hear others speaking of the Thessalonians' faith, but they, the missionaries themselves, boasted of it. Compare 1Th 1:8, wherein the apostle said, their faith was so well known in various places, that he and his fellow missionaries had no need to speak of it; but here he says, so abounding is their love, combined with faith and patience, that he and his fellow missionaries themselves, make it a matter of glorying in the various churches elsewhere (he was now at Corinth in Achaia, and boasted there of the faith of the Macedonian churches, 2Co 10:15-17; 2Co 8:1, at the same time giving the glory to the Lord), not only looking forward to glorying thereat at Christ's coming (1Th 2:19), but doing so even now.

JFB: 2Th 1:4

In 1Th 1:3, "patience of hope." Here hope is tacitly implied as the ground of their patience; 2Th 1:5, 2Th 1:7 state the object of their hope, namely, the kingdom for which they suffer.

JFB: 2Th 1:4

Literally, "pressures." The Jews were the instigators of the populace and of the magistrates against Christians (Act 17:6, Act 17:8).

JFB: 2Th 1:4

Greek, "are (now) enduring."

JFB: 2Th 1:5

Your enduring these tribulations is a "token of the righteous judgment of God," manifested in your being enabled to endure them, and in your adversaries thereby filling up the measure of their guilt. The judgment is even now begun, but its consummation will be at the Lord's coming. David (Psa 73:1-14) and Jeremiah (Jer 12:1-4) were perplexed at the wicked prospering and the godly suffering. But Paul, by the light of the New Testament, makes this fact a matter of consolation. It is a proof (so the Greek) of the future judgment, which will set to rights the anomalies of the present state, by rewarding the now suffering saint, and by punishing the persecutor. And even now "the Judge of all the earth does right" (Gen 18:25); for the godly are in themselves sinful and need chastisement to amend them. What they suffer unjustly at the hands of cruel men they suffer justly at the hands of God; and they have their evil things here that they may escape condemnation with the world and have their good things hereafter (Luk 16:25; 1Co 11:32) [EDMUNDS].

JFB: 2Th 1:5

Expressing the purpose of God's "righteous judgment" as regards you.

JFB: 2Th 1:5

Greek, "in behalf of which ye are also suffering" (compare Act 5:41; Act 9:16; Phi 1:29). "Worthy" implies that, though men are justified by faith, they shall be judged "according to their works" (Rev 20:12; compare 1Th 2:12; 1Pe 1:6-7; Rev 20:4). The "also" implies the connection between the suffering for the kingdom and being counted worthy of it. Compare Rom 8:17-18.

Clarke: 2Th 1:1

Paul, and Silvanus, etc. - See the notes on 1Th 1:1. This epistle was written a short time after the former: and as Silas and Timothy were still at Corinth, the apostle joins their names with his own, as in the former case.

Clarke: 2Th 1:3

Your faith groweth exceedingly - The word ὑπεραυξανει signifies to grow luxuriantly, as a good and healthy tree planted in a good soil; and if a fruit tree, bearing an abundance of fruit to compensate the labor of the husbandman. Faith is one of the seeds of the kingdom; this the apostle had sowed and watered, and God gave an abundant increase. Their faith was multiplied, and their love abounded; and this was not the case with some distinguished characters only, it was the case with every one of them.

Clarke: 2Th 1:4

We ourselves glory in you in the Churches of God - We hold you up as an example of what the grace of God, can produce when communicated to honest and faithful hearts

Clarke: 2Th 1:4

For your patience and faith - From Act 17:5, Act 17:13, and from 1Th 2:14, we learn, that the people of Thessalonica had suffered much persecution, both from the Jews and their own countrymen; but being thoroughly convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and feeling it to be the power of God unto salvation, no persecution could turn them aside from it. And having suffered for the truth, it was precious to them. Persecution never essentially injured the genuine Church of God.

Clarke: 2Th 1:5

A manifest token of the righteousness judgement of God - The persecutions and tribulations which you endure, are a manifest proof that God has judged righteously in calling you Gentiles into his Church; and these sufferings are also a proof that ye are called in; for they who enter into the kingdom of God go through great tribulation; your going through that tribulation is a proof that ye are entering in, and God sees it right and just that ye should be permitted to suffer before ye enjoy that endless felicity

The words, however, may be understood in another sense, and will form this maxim: "The sufferings of the just, and the triumphs of the wicked, in this life, are a sure proof that there will be a future judgment, in which the wicked shall be punished and the righteous rewarded. "This maxim is not only true in itself, but it is most likely that this is the apostle’ s meaning

Clarke: 2Th 1:5

That ye may be counted worthy - Your patient endurance of these sufferings is a proof that ye are rendered meet for that glory on account of which ye suffer and, in a true Gospel sense of the word, worthy of that glory; for he who is a child of God, and a partaker of the Divine nature, is worthy of God’ s kingdom, not because he has done any thing to merit it, but because he bears the image of God; and the image is that which gives the title.

Calvin: 2Th 1:1

1.To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God. As to the form of salutation, it were superfluous to speak. This only it is necessary to notice — that by a Church in God and Christ is meant one that has not merely been gathered together under the banner of faith, for the purpose of worshipping one God the Father, and confiding in Christ, but is the work and building as well of the Father as of Christ, because while God adopts us to himself, and regenerates us, we from him begin to be in Christ. (1Co 1:30)

Calvin: 2Th 1:3

3.To give thanks. He begins with commendation, that he may have occasion to pass on to exhortation, for in this way we have more success among those who have already entered upon the course, when without passing over in silence their former progress, we remind them how far distant they are as yet from the goal, and stir them up to make progress. As, however, he had in the former Epistle commended their faith and love, he now declares the increase of both. And, unquestionably, this course ought to be pursued by all the pious — to examine themselves daily, and see how far they have advanced. This, therefore, is the true commendation of believers — their growing daily in faith and love. When he says always, he means that he is constantly supplied with new occasion. He had previously given thanks to God on their account. He says that he has now occasion to do so again, on the ground of daily progress. When, however, he gives thanks to God on this account, he declares that the enlargements, no less than the beginnings, of faith and love are from him, for if they proceeded from the power of men, thanksgiving would be pretended, or at least worthless. Farther, he shews that their proficiency was not trivial, or even ordinary, but most abundant. So much the more disgraceful is our slowness, inasmuch as we scarcely advance one foot during a long space of time.

As is meet. In these words Paul shews that we are bound to give thanks to God, not only when he does us good, but also when we take into view the favors bestowed by him upon our brethren. For wherever the goodness of God shines forth, it becomes us to extol it. Farther, the welfare of our brethren ought to be so dear to us, that we ought to reckon among our own benefits everything that has been conferred upon them. Nay more, if we consider the nature and sacredness of the unity of Christ’s body, such a mutual fellowship will have place among us, that we shall reckon the benefits conferred upon an individual member as gain to the whole Church. Hence, in extolling God’s benefits, we must always have an eye to the whole body of the Church.

Calvin: 2Th 1:4

4.So that we ourselves glory in you. He could not have bestowed higher commendation upon them, than by saying that he sets them forward before other Churches as a pattern, for such is the meaning of those words: — We glory in you in the presence of other Churches. For Paul did not boast of the faith of the Thessalonians from a spirit of ambition, but inasmuch as his commendation of them might be an incitement to make it their endeavor to imitate them. He does not say, however, that he glories in their faith and love, but in their patience and faith. Hence it follows, that patience is the fruit and evidence of faith. These words ought, therefore, to be explained in this manner: — “We glory in the patience which springs from faith, and we bear witness that it eminently shines forth in you;” otherwise the context would not correspond. And, undoubtedly, there is nothing that sustains us in tribulations as faith does; which is sufficiently manifest from this, that we altogether sink down so soon as the promises of God leave us. Hence, the more proficiency any one makes in faith, he will be so much the more endued with patience for enduring all things with fortitude, as on the other hand, softness and impatience under adversity betoken unbelief on our part; but more especially when persecutions are to be endured for the gospel, the influence of faith in that case discovers itself.

Calvin: 2Th 1:5

5.A demonstration of the righteous judgment of God. Without mentioning the exposition given by others, I am of opinion that the true meaning is this — that the injuries and persecutions which innocent and pious persons endure from the wicked and abandoned, shew clearly, as in a mirror, that God will one day be the judge of the world. And this statement is quite at antipodes with that profane notion, which we are accustomed to entertain, whenever it goes well with the good and ill with the wicked. For we think that the world is under the regulation of mere chance, and we leave God no control. Hence it is that impiety and contempt take possession of men’s hearts, as Solomon speaks, (Ecc 9:3) for those that suffer anything undeservedly either throw the blame upon God, or do not think that he concerns himself as to the affairs of men. We hear what Ovid says, — “I am tempted to think that there are no gods.” ⁶²⁶ Nay more, David confesses (Psa 73:1) that, because he saw things in so confused a state in the world, he had well-nigh lost his footing, as in a slippery place. On the other hand, the wicked become more insolent through occasion of prosperity, as if no punishment of their crimes awaited them; just as Dionysius, when making a prosperous voyage, ⁶²⁷ boasted that the gods favored the sacrilegious. ⁶²⁸ In fine, when we see that the cruelty of the wicked against the innocent walks abroad with impunity, carnal sense concludes that there is no judgment of God, that there are no punishments of the wicked, that there is no reward of righteousness.

Paul, however, declares on the other hand, that as God thus spares the wicked for a time, and winks at the injuries inflicted upon his people, His judgment to come is shewn us as in a mirror. For he takes for granted that it cannot but be that God, inasmuch as he is a just Judge, will one day restore peace to the miserable, who are now unjustly harassed, and will pay to the oppressors of the pious the reward that they have merited. Hence, if we hold this principle of faith, that God is the just Judge of the world, and that it is his office to render to every one a recompense according to his works, this second principle will follow incontrovertibly — that the present disorderly state of matters (ἀταξίαν) is a demonstration of the judgment, which does not yet appear. For if God is the righteous Judge of the world, those things that are now confused must, of necessity, be restored to order. Now, nothing is more disorderly than that the wicked, with impunity, give molestation to the good, and walk abroad with unbridled violence, while the good are cruelly harassed without any fault on their part. From this it may be readily inferred, that God will one day ascend the judgment-seat, that he may remedy the state of matters in the world, so as to bring them into a better condition.

Hence the statement which he subjoins — that it is righteous with God to appoint affliction, etc. , is the groundwork of this doctrine — that God furnishes tokens of a judgment to come when he refrains, for the present, from exercising the office of judge. And unquestionably, if matters were now arranged in a tolerable way, so that the judgment of God might be recognized as having been fully exercised, an adjustment of this nature would detain us upon earth. Hence God, in order that he may stir us up to the hope of a judgment to come, does, for the present, only to some extent judge the world. He furnishes, it is true, many tokens of his judgment, but it is in such a manner as to constrain us to extend our hope farther. A remarkable passage truly, as teaching us in what manner our minds ought to be raised up above all the impediments of the world, whenever we suffer any adversity — that the righteous judgment of God may present itself to our mind, which will raise us above this world. Thus death will be an image of life.

May be accounted worthy. There are no persecutions that are to be reckoned of such value as to make us worthy of the kingdom of God, nor does Paul dispute here as to the ground of worthiness, but simply takes the common doctrine of Scripture — that God destroys in us those things that are of the world, that he may restore in us a better life; and farther, that by means of afflictions he shews us the value of eternal life. In short, he simply points out the manner in which believers are prepared and, as it were, polished under God’s anvil, inasmuch as, by afflictions, they are taught to renounce the world and to aim at God’s heavenly kingdom. Farther, they are confirmed in the hope of eternal life while they fight for it. For this is the entrance of which Christ discoursed to his disciples. (Mat 7:13; Luk 13:24)

Defender: 2Th 1:1

This second epistle to the Thessalonians was, apparently, written soon after the first while Timothy and Silvanus (Silas) were still with Paul at Corinth. Paul had received a reply to his first letter and their response indicated that the Thessalonians needed still further instruction and correction. Apparently some false teacher had written them in the name of Paul (2Th 2:2), and his erroneous teachings needed to be corrected. Also, they were undergoing severe persecutions for their Christian stand and Paul wanted to both commend and encourage them in this (see note on 1Th 1:1)."

Defender: 2Th 1:4

The tribulations which all saints, in all ages, must endure (not just in the last generation - Act 14:22; 2Ti 3:12) are from men. The future tribulation visited on rebellious men, however, will be from God (2Th 1:6). They are not the same. In fact, our present tribulations can be considered a blessing since we are therefore enabled to share, in small measure, the sufferings of Christ (2Th 1:5; Phi 1:29; Phi 3:10; 2Co 1:5)."

TSK: 2Th 1:1

2Co 1:19; 1Th 1:1-10

TSK: 2Th 1:2

Rom 1:7; 1Co 1:3, 1Co 1:8

TSK: 2Th 1:3

are : 2Th 2:13; Rom 1:8; 1Co 1:4; 1Th 1:2, 1Th 1:3, 1Th 3:6, 1Th 3:9, as is, Luk 15:32; Phi 1:7; 2Pe 1:13

your : Job 17:9; Psa 84:7, Psa 92:13; Pro 4:18; Isa 40:29-31; Luk 17:5; Joh 15:2; Phi 1:9; 1Th 4:1, 1Th 4:9, 1Th 4:10; 1Pe 1:22; 2Pe 1:5-10, 2Pe 3:18

groweth : The word, υπεραυξανω [Strong’ s G5232], from υπερ [Strong’ s G5228], intensive, and αυξανω [Strong’ s G837], to grow, increase, signifies, as Dr. Clarke remarks, to grow luxuriantly, as a good and healthy tree in a good soil; and, if a fruit tree, bearing an abundance of fruit to compensate the labour of the husbandman. Faith is one of the seeds of the kingdomcaps1 . tcaps0 his the Apostle had sowed and watered, and God gave an abundant increase. Their faith was multiplied, and their love abounded, and this was not the case with some distinguished characters only; it was the case with every one of them. For this the apostle felt himself bound to give continual thanks to God on their behalf, as it was ""meet""and right.

TSK: 2Th 1:4

glory : 2Co 7:14, 2Co 9:2, 2Co 9:4; 1Th 2:19

your patience : 2Th 3:5; Rom 2:7, Rom 5:3-5, Rom 8:25, Rom 12:12; 1Th 1:3, 1Th 3:2-8; Heb 6:15, Heb 10:36; Heb 12:1-3; Jam 1:3, Jam 1:4, Jam 5:7, Jam 5:8; 2Pe 1:6; Rev 14:12

your persecutions : 1Th 2:14, 1Th 3:3, 1Th 3:4; Jam 5:11

TSK: 2Th 1:5

manifest : 2Th 1:6; Phi 1:28; 1Pe 4:14-18

righteous : Job 8:3; Psa 9:7, Psa 9:8, Psa 33:5, Psa 50:6, Psa 72:2, Psa 99:4, Psa 111:7; Jer 9:24; Dan 4:37; Rom 2:5; Rev 15:4, Rev 16:7, Rev 19:2

may : 2Th 1:11; Luk 20:35, Luk 21:36; Act 13:46; Eph 4:1; Col 1:12; Rev 3:4

for : 2Th 1:7; Act 14:22; Rom 8:17; 1Th 2:14; 2Ti 2:12; Heb 10:32, Heb 10:33

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Th 1:1

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus; - See the notes on 1Th 1:1.

Barnes: 2Th 1:3

We are bound to thank God always for you; - See the notes on 1Th 1:2. "As it is meet."Since it is fit or proper. "Because that your faith groweth exceedingly."It would seem probable from this that Paul had heard from them since his First Epistle was written. He had doubtless received intelligence of the error which prevailed among them respecting his views of the coming of the Lord Jesus, and of the progress which the truth was making, at the same time. "And the charity of every one of you all toward each other."Your mutual love.

Barnes: 2Th 1:4

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God - That is, we mention your example to other churches, and glory in it, as an evidence of what the gospel is suited to do; see the notes on 1Th 2:19-20; compare the notes on 2Co 9:2.

For your patience - Your patient endurance of trials.

And faith - Fidelity, or constancy. You have shown unwavering confidence in God in your afflictions.

In all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure - See the notes on 1Th 2:14; 1Th 4:13. It would seem from this that the persecutions and trials to which the apostle referred in his First Epistle were still continued.

Barnes: 2Th 1:5

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God - The word "which"is supplied by our translators, and there may be some doubt to what the apostle has reference as being "a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God."The general sense seems to be, that the fact that they were thus persecuted was an evidence that there would be a future judgment, when the righteous who were persecuted would be rewarded, and the wicked who persecuted them would be punished. The manner in which they bore their trials was an indication also of what the result would be in regard to them. Their patience and faith under persecutions were constantly showing that they would "be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they were called to suffer."It is evident that a relative must be supplied here, as our translators have done, but there has been a difference of view as to what it refers. Some suppose that it is to "patience,"others to "persecutions and tribulations,"and others to the "whole sentence"preceding. The latter is probably the true construction, and the sense is, that the endurance of affliction in a proper manner by the righteous is a proof that there will be a righteous judgment of God in the last day:

(1) It is evidence that there will be a future judgment - since the righteous here suffer so much, and the wicked triumph.

\caps1 (2) t\caps0 hese things are now permitted in order that the character may be developed, and that the reason of the sentence in the last day may be seen.

\caps1 (3) t\caps0 he manner in which these afflictions are borne is an evidence - an indication ( ἔνδειγμα endeigma ) of what the results of the judgment will be. The word rendered "manifest token"( ἔνδειγμα endeigma ), occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means an indication, token, proof - anything that shows or points out how a thing is, or is to be (from ἐνδείκνυμι endeiknumi , to show, to point out). The meaning here is, therefore, that the course of events referred to - the persecutions which they endured, and the manner in which they were borne - furnished a proof that there would be a righteous judgment, and also afforded an indication of what the result of that judgment would be. We may, in general, learn what will be the issues of the judgment in the case of an individual from the manner in which he bears trials.

Of the righteous judgment of God - That there will be a just judgment hereafter. The crimes of the wicked who go unpunished on the earth, and the sufferings of the good who are unavenged, are a demonstration that there will be a judgment, when all these inequalities will be adjusted.

That ye may be counted worthy - As the result of your affliction, that you may be fitted for the kingdom of God. This does not mean that Christians will merit heaven by their sufferings, but that they may show that they have such a character that there is a fitness or propriety that they should be admitted there. They may evince by their patience and resignation, by their deadness to the world and their holy lives, that they are not disqualified to enter into that kingdom where the redeemed are to dwell. No true Christian will ever feel that he is worthy on his own account, or that he has any claim to eternal life, yet he may have evidence that he has the characteristics to which God has promised salvation, and is fitted to dwell in heaven.

Of the kingdom of God. - In heaven, see the notes on Mat 3:2.

For which ye also suffer. - The sufferings which you now endure are because you are professed heirs of the kingdom; that is, you are persecuted because you are Christians; see 1Th 2:14.

Poole: 2Th 1:3

The apostle begins this Epistle as the former, with thanksgiving; only there he gave thanks for their faith, hope, and love, here he only mentions their faith and love; there for the efficacy of their grace, here for the growth of it. There he said only: We give thanks here he addeth:

We are bound and as it is meet; as if he was obliged to give thanks for them now somewhat more than before, perceiving their grace did not only yet abide, notwithstanding all their persecutions, but increase and grow. But the apostle’ s thanksgiving here respects particularly these Thessalonians’ growth. Not only the beginning, but growth of grace is from God; else why doth the apostle give thanks for it? As Phi 1:6 . Hence he is styled the God of all grace, 1Pe 5:10 , weak and strong, first or second. The manner of its growth, whether by infusion of new degrees, as the first grace is infused, or by co-operating only with it, and so it is increased by exercise, is a question I leave to the schoolmen. However, growth is a duty, and commendable in churches. And the apostle mentions particularly:

1. Their growth in faith; and that a great degree, uperauzanei , it groweth exceedingly it grows over and above, above the ordinary rate of growth, or the common pitch of faith. Their progress was from faith to faith, their assent to the doctrine of the gospel grew more firm and rooted, and the persuasion of their happy state in Christ was much confirmed and strengthened, with a more confident reliance on him; or their faith was extended to more objects by the increase of their knowledge.

2. Their increase in love; which he also expresseth by an emphatical word, pleonazei , which signifies increasing to more and more; their love grew in the habit, and abounded in the fruits of it. And this love he sets forth by the universality of it, and the reciprocalness of it, it was the love of all to each other; they all did love, and were all beloved of one another: there was no schism among them, as in some other churches.

Faith and love are two sister graces, and are always more or less together; only in the order of nature, faith is first, and worketh by love; but not first in time; and then afterwards, when it brings forth, love is fides formata, faith formed, as the papists speak. Hence some have said, that there was not one hypocrite or false Christian in this whole church. Now the apostle and his fellow ministers hereupon judged themselves bound to give thanks. Christians are obliged to give God thanks for the grace of God in others as well as in themselves; and especially the ministers of the gospel, for the people that have been converted by them, or are committed to them. Hereby the apostle’ s joy was increased at present, and his future glory might be advanced also.

Poole: 2Th 1:4

In the former verse the apostle gave thanks for them, in this he glories in them; he gave thanks for them to God, and glories in them before men. Wherein Silvanus and Timotheus are to be understood as joined with him herein. Glorying inclndes in it high estimation of a thing, rejoicing in it, high commendation of it, and applauding ourselves in it; and it must be some great thing, either really or in opinion, and in which some way or other we ourselves are concerned. And glorying is a good or evil according to the matter or object of it. To glory in our wisdom, strength, riches, Jer 9:23 ; to glory in men, 1Co 3:21 , in our own works, Rom 4:2 , in what we have received as if not received, 1Co 4:7 , after the flesh, 2Co 11:18 , or in our shame, Phi 3:19 ; all this glorying is evil. But to glory in God, Isa 41:16 , in his holy name, 1Ch 16:10 , with God’ s inheritance, Psa 106:5 , in the knowledge of the Lord, Jer 9:24 , in the cross of Christ, Gal 6:14 , in tribulation, Rom 5:3 , in Christ Jesus, 1Co 1:31 , in hope, Heb 3:6 , and of the success of the ministry in the church’ s growth, and their faith and patience, as here in the text; all this glorying is good: as elsewhere he boasted or gloried in the Corinthians’ liberality, 2Co 9:2 ; but his glorying in them was not to exalt himself, but to magnify the grace of God, and provoke other churches to imitate them.

In the churches of God where the excellency of grace is known, and the commendation of it will be received and imitated; and not amongst carnal men, who scoff at true goodness. And it was the apostle himself, and Silvanus and Timotheus, that thus gloried in them. It adds to persons’ commendation, when it is by men of great knowledge, wisdom, and goodness. And it was by such as well knew them, and understood their state; and being instruments in their conversion, were more concerned to glory in them than any other apostles or ministers. And their glorying in them, as it respects what he said of them in the former verse, so what he further adds in this, which is their

patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations Persecutions are properly sufferings for righteousness’ sake: tribulations, any kind of suffering, as some distinguish. And it seems they had many of both, when he saith all, & c. And yet they endured them, that is, not only suffered them because they could not cast them off, but in the sense of the apostle James, Jam 5:11 : Behold, we count them happy which endure; which is a suffering out of choice, and not mere necessity, as Moses did, Heb 11:25 , when sufferings stand in competition with sin, or the dishonour of the Christian profession. Sufferings in themselves are not desirable, and the apostle did not glory in their sufferings, but in their faith and patience. As he before joined faith and love together, so here faith and patience; and as love springs from faith, so doth Christian patience, whereby it is distinguished from patience as a mere moral virtue found among the heathen, either that of the Stoics, Peripatetics, or Platonists. Faith and patience are well styled the two suffering graces, and therefore here mentioned by the apostle when he mentions their sufferings. Faith as it depends upon God, and sees love under afflictions, believes his promises, looks at the recompence of reward, &c., so it supports under suffering. And patience, as it keeps down passion, and quiets the soul under its burden, makes it to sit lighter, and gives advantage to the exercise of that grace and reason, whereby a Christian is strengthened under his sufferings. Now hereupon the apostle glories in them, as men are apt to do in the heroic acts of great conquerors; or the captain of an army, in the valiant performances of his soldiers.

Poole: 2Th 1:5

These words seem to follow by way of argument, to comfort these Thessalonians under their sufferings:

1. By what they manifest viz. the righteous judgment of God they are a plain indication of it, or demonstration, as the word is used by logicians. And by judgment we must not here understand the judgments or afflictions God inflicts in this world; so that when God doth not spare, but chasten his own children, it is a token of his righteous judgment. But rather under understand it of the last judgment: when we see the righteous suffering such wrongs and injuries from wicked men, and they go unpunished, we may argue thence that there is a judgment to come; we cannot else well vindicate the righteousness, wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness of God in his governing the world: as Solomon so argued, when he saw so much unrighteousness in the very seat of justice; I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time for every purpose and work, Ecc 3:16,17 . And this judgment is called here righteous judgment, by way of eminency, as it is expressed by one word, dikaiokrisia , Rom 2:5 , (for all God’ s judgments are righteous):

(a) Because the wicked will then meet with justice without mercy, which is not so in any present judgments.

(b) Justice will then be clearly manifested, which now lies obscure, both with respect to the righteous and the unrighteous.

And in this sense the words carry an argument of comfort to the saints, under their present unjust, sufferings from their enemies. As to the same purpose the apostle speaks to the Philippians,

Phi 1:28 .

2. The other argument of comfort is from the result of their sufferings, the great advantage which will arise out of them; they will be hence accounted worthy of the kingdom of God: not by way of merit, as the papists say; the Greek word in the text, in its usual acceptation, will not favour that opinion, it signifies no more in the active voice, than the Latin word dignari, which we English to deign, or vouchsafe; and yet we may allow the word to signify more here, not only that this kingdom may be vouchsafed, but that ye may be meet or worthy to receive it; not that all their sufferings could deserve this kingdom, for the apostle saith, Rom 8:18 : I reckon the sufferings of this present time not worthy of the glory, & c. There is no proportion between them, and so they cannot merit it, yet God may account those that suffer for this kingdom worthy of it, according to the grace of the new covenant in Jesus Christ, and as it hath a congruity with the nature of God, and his faithfulness in his promises; and so our translation renders the word, not that ye may be worthy of the kingdom of God, but accounted worthy God of his free grace will account them worthy. The kingdom of God is propounded to men in the new covenant upon certain conditions, and those that perform them have a worthiness of right, as Rev 22:14 , but not of merit. But God enables men to perform the conditions, so that there is nothing on our part properly meritorious; yea, when we have performed them, yet our worthiness is to be attributed to Christ, and God’ s grace, and not to ourselves, else man would have whereof to glory. The Scriptures call eternal life the gift of God, Rom 6:23 , and attributes salvation to grace, Eph 2:8 . We must allow a worthiness only that is consistent with grace; but when we have done all we must say: We are unprofitable servants. Luk 17:10 ; and after all we have done and suffered for the kingdom of God, must pray, as Paul for Onesiphorus, that we may find mercy of the Lord at that day, 2Ti 1:18 .

For which ye also suffer the sense either respects their enemies, that it was upon the account of this kingdom that they persecuted them, having nothing else justly against them; or else their own aim and intention in suffering, it was for the kingdom of God. And hence we may learn that his kingdom is worth suffering for, and that in some cases it cannot be obtained without suffering: and he that then refuseth to suffer will be accounted unworthy of it; as he that doth suffer for it, as these Thessalonians, hath, upon the account of God’ s covenant, and the merits of Christ, not only the grace and mercy, but the justice and faithfulness, of God engaged to bestow it upon him. And also that we may and ought in our sufferings look to the reward, as Moses did, Heb 11:1-40 .

PBC: 2Th 1:1

2Th 1:1

2 Thessalonians-Introduction

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. {2Th 1:1-4}

Biblical historians date 1and 2 Thessalonians in the early 50s A. D. Both letters appear to have been written within a brief time, 2 Thessalonians following shortly after 1 Thessalonians. Did this church misunderstand something Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians regarding the Second Coming, or did one of Paul’s critics misrepresent his teaching to lead them away from his true teachings? Some disagreement exists in this area. Paul’s comment in 2Th 2:1 does not make the point sufficiently clear. " ... as from us," could refer to a fraudulent letter that someone claimed to be Paul’s, or it could refer to a letter he wrote taken out of context and misinterpreted.

While focusing rather intently on the Second Coming and related events, both Thessalonian letters offer incredibly practical Christian truth for our instruction. We fail the New Testament model of integrated truth when we try to segregate the various themes of its teachings, trying to force each topic into a neat, well-insulated box. The New Testament model integrates its themes and doctrines into a continuous whole. Systematic theology is an instructive way to bring various truths into focus and to see how they work, but it is not the New Testament method of teaching. Truth integrated into the believer’s daily life and needs is far more edifying, and often more clear to the reader. God willing, I will attempt to follow this model as we survey 2 Thessalonians.

How do you react to error in other believers, particularly other believers within your own church fellowship? Paul confronted error wherever he encountered it. His methods of dealing with it vary far more widely than we would expect from our perspective. To make every point of doctrine and every interpretation of every verse in the Bible a " major" issue of fellowship reveals an intense denominational mindset, not the Biblical heart. Both in Paul’s methods of dealing with error and in the errors he confronted with various strategies we can learn much about how to deal with problems and differences in our own world, as well as in our own church fellowship.

Consider one simple contrast. When Paul discovered an insidious legalism in the churches that he had just founded in his " first missionary journey," he confronted it with intensity in the Galatian letter. Yet when he discovered error in the Thessalonian church regarding their view of the Second Coming, he confronted it directly, but gently. Given our present world and mindset, we would be more inclined to reverse his strategy. Confront legalism gently, if at all, but make one’s views of the Second Coming a matter of essential doctrine and orthodoxy. Demand conformity or breach of fellowship. It is not that Paul viewed the Second Coming as a lesser doctrine than legalism. He understood that legalism is similar to an infectious disease. If allowed to grow in any area of our Christian thought, it will infect all other areas of our thought and conduct, eventually destroying the essential character of our faith.

Paul did not have to deal with the myriad of aberrant views of the Second Coming in his day. For the most part, he had two views with which to interact. On one side he faced the intellectual and philosophical view of the Greek elitists such as the men who heard his sermon on Mars Hill. {Ac 17:1-34} They talked about life after death as a necessary evil by which they could control the uneducated masses, but they didn’t really believe in life after death, particularly if it involved a bodily resurrection. You have a similar perspective in the Sadducees. Then Paul had to interact with a rather narrow margin of ideas related to belief in life after death. It is instructive for us to consider that historically the Biblical teaching on eschatology, the doctrines of final things, formed one of several central notes of a balanced and accepted doctrinal motif. Subsequent to the acceptance of Darby’s teachings on a secret rapture and related ideas, the whole field of eschatology has become so splintered and controversial that most Christian teachers dread even mentioning the question. " This is such a controversial area of doctrine." We need to return to the historical model, to the New Testament model, of eschatology in which the simple reality of the Lord’s promised return and holy righteous judgment integrate seamlessly and without effort into the whole fabric of New Testament doctrine. Through this work I will attempt to follow that theme.

Rather than attack the Thessalonians for a grave departure, Paul engages them with tender grace. Here we should learn Paul’s perspective on the appropriate methods of dealing with error. Confront it, yes, but do so with the same spirit of loving grace that God demonstrated when he saved us in our sinful and undeserving state. Paul models both method and content in his writings. We must not overlook either.

The practice of authentic grace will win more people to our doctrinal perspective than anything we could possibly do otherwise.

On one side of the theological landscape of our culture we frequently see frightening intolerance. One extreme view demands that you either agree on all points, however minor, or you go to war. The other extreme displays such incredible tolerance that it stands for nothing, and displays the flaw of that philosophy-its adherents fall for everything! They have rejected Scripture as an inspired and coherent statement of divine truth in favor of sentimentality. However you " feel" about something becomes your true epistemology, your ultimate authority.

Paul would not ignore the error of this beloved church on such an important issue, but neither would he attack them with ferocity.

What is a Biblical model of church fellowship? What doctrinal points are so important that a person’s deviation on those points cross the acceptable bounds of orthodoxy so violently as to break fellowship? When you become aware of someone moving in the direction of error, how do you interact with them? Or do you? Paul’s encounter with Thessalonica provides us with a rich source of Biblical instruction. He touches major doctrines, in this case the doctrine of final things. He also models how we should engage each other in godly grace and Christian love so as to prevent error, not simply ignore it.

Paul addresses these people as a church that is " in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." He does not question their spiritual identity with God, or as a true church, because of their error. He greets them with fondness and familial grace. He thanks God for them. Despite one area of fault, he honors their faith as a growing faith, not as a faulty faith, or as an inferior faith. He commends their charity (how they treated each other, not merely how they felt toward each other). He honored them for faithfulness in the midst of persecution. Yes, this is a church with a problem, but this is also a church with a lot of good things about it.

Even if we were to explore Paul’s letter to the Galatians with its intense disapproval of their legalism, we would discover an underlying spirit of genuine affection and tenderness. Whether in Galatians or in Thessalonians, almost mirror opposite letters in terms of Paul’s methods in confronting error, Paul’s objective is to win the people, not win the argument. He doesn’t seek to establish an inner circle of Paul-worshippers. He isn’t interested in loyal followers of Paul. He unselfishly seeks to win these people to loyal and authentic service to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not tolerate relativism with its emotional and subjective " This is my truth; that is your truth." Nor will he tolerate idolatrous Paul-adoration. For Paul an objective and knowable truth exists in terms of God and what God has revealed to us that must serve as the foundation for the whole Christian life. He does not write the various letters that we see under his signature in the New Testament merely to give us his private opinion, his truth. He wrote them to give us God’s truth in discernable and practical terms that we can both learn and integrate into our personal lives.

For Paul, heaven is not another world or sphere; it is the logical continuation of godly living and of divine grace into its full and eternal expression. May we learn his teaching well.

328

2 Thessalonians-An Imperfect Church in Tribulation

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. {2Th 1:1-4}

Have you ever seen a perfect church? Several years ago I wrote a brief piece that was distributed among several churches in which I raised concern for some of our cultural habits that lack specific Biblical authority. Later I heard that one person in a church whose members received this piece complained about my writing to his pastor. His objection was that the " church" is perfect. My point was obvious. The New Testament model of the church is indeed perfect. However, I’ve never seen an actual church that perfectly lived up to that model. Every church is flawed, less than perfect, in some particulars than that New Testament model. Every church mentioned in the New Testament eventually ceased to exist. Had they been perfect, they would have survived their trials. The Biblical institution of the church exists today because the Lord designed it to remain as a witness to His truth throughout all time. {Eph 3:21} However, we find no New Testament basis for thinking that any local church, even ours, will inevitably survive and maintain a perfect model of the faith that Jesus once and for all time delivered to the saints. {Jude 1:3}

Our link to the future specifically depends on our faithfulness to God’s model as we hold to His Word and its teachings, making our church and His unchanging truth relevant to the community in which we live. We may hold to basic Biblical truth but inject so much of ourselves into our church culture as to become excessively rigid and irrelevant to visitors or inquirers. Thus we insert ourselves between the Lord, our spiritual light source, and the dark world that he charged us to enlighten. I become concerned when I see churches magnify and practice activities not specifically taught in Scripture, often defending the practice fiercely on the basis of tradition or of personal taste. Neither Biblical doctrine nor practice should grow out of such relativistic foundations. Typically the more energy we invest in such non-Biblical issues the less energy and vision we have for the New Testament model of Jesus’ church and what it should be about in its members and the community at large. When someone in any church suggests doing something or believing something, we should insist on their offering a specific New Testament passage in support of the idea. Absent that Biblical support, the matter should be dismissed, not embraced.

This question of relevance is no less Biblical than the question of New Testament content in our faith and practice. We may hold to an acceptable degree of Biblical faith and practice, but confuse and cloud its impact with our private attitudes or peripheral practices that tend to cloud the impact that truth should have on broken hearted and inquiring sin-sick sinners who come among us looking for godly help. When Jesus told the disciples that they (we?) were the salt of the earth, he set a high goal of relevance and interaction between them and the world around them. Salt never seasoned or preserved anything as long as it remained safely in the shaker! It must make contact with the food in order to serve its purpose. We may isolate ourselves from the world around us and never fulfill the salt metaphor. This lesson speaks powerfully not only to truth but to relevance.

Often we tend to use the argument from silence to support our non-Biblical ideas or practices. " Well, since the Bible doesn’t really say anything against it, what is wrong with it?" Logical thinkers observe that the weakest of all arguments for any idea is the argument from silence! This mindset tends to view the Bible as essentially irrelevant to our world, our lives, and our selves. We can blind our minds to what Scripture really teaches and claim silence for almost anything when in fact Scripture speaks volumes on the question. If Scripture lives up to its inspired billing as a thorough furnisher to every good work, {2Ti 3:16-17} we should accept that high standard into our thinking and look to Scripture alone for our authority in both faith and practice. Any idea in faith or practice that must stand on the argument from silence should be discarded as failing the test of Scriptural authority. We claim that we hold to Scripture alone as our authority for faith and practice. We should stand factually, and behaviorally, on our claim.

What does this have to do with our passage? Actually it has everything to do with it. We have in the Thessalonian church a clear example of a good church with a problem and with incredible trouble unless it corrected that problem. Where is the Thessalonian church today? It doesn’t exist! Either in the question of substantial truth in faith and practice or in the question of relevance, salt and light in its world, it failed the divine charge and faded into extinction. Our vision of a future for our church must be integrated with a solid Biblical vision of authority, not confused with personal preferences and private ideas.

Despite what we today would classify as a major theological error, Paul wrote to this church in sincere terms of endearment, even honoring their growing faith, love, and patience in the face of fierce persecution. Paul directly confronted the theological error in this church, but he didn’t judge them excessively or denounce them as no longer a true church. When we deny our humanity and our less-than-perfect behavioral standing with the Lord and his perfect model, we shut ourselves off from the dynamic power of Scripture to correct and grow our lives and faith. When we confront and accept our spiritual imperfections, we seek the corrective and healing influence of Scripture to make us stronger in our faith and more Biblical in our conduct, both as individuals and as a collective body of believers.

Did you ever meet someone who always tried to present a " perfect" image of themselves to those around them? These people consistently seem compelled to appear bigger and better than life. They often demonstrate incredible astuteness in their observation that others are less than perfect, but when confronted with their own person and conduct, they attempt to hold up their personal conduct and thinking as the perfect model. First of all, such people are really hard to live with! For us poor sinners to live with perfect people represents a constant uphill battle. Invariably, however, people with this inclination eventually reveal their true humanity, their flaws and failures. Whether they acknowledge them or not, they are indeed flawed vessels! It is far easier to live with people who freely confess their personal flaws and failures and then invest obvious energy and effort to improve, to grow in grace and spiritual knowledge. Try telling the person who complained at my writing because he thought that his church was actually perfect that something is wrong with them. Try applying Scripture to their conduct. How will he respond? Then try to apply the same Scripture to the same conduct in a church, or to a person, who accepts his/her imperfections and hungers for Biblical teaching to grow. How do their reactions differ? Which person or church will more likely grow and survive the difficulties of life? We will either sit in judgment of Biblical truth, or we will submit to its powerful ability to change us for the better. We will never do both.

Paul confronted a good, but flawed, Thessalonian church with its error. He did so in love. He didn’t fail to see its good points and to commend them, but neither did he fail to observe that she was not a perfect church in need of some major changes to her theology and practice.

I offer a friendly challenge to each of us, an exercise in spiritual growth for the coming days. Spend some time assessing your church’s actual conduct and faith against the Biblical model. Do you carefully dust off rose-colored glasses and protest that everything about your church is absolutely perfect? Or do you see some areas that make you a bit uncomfortable, areas that, like this Thessalonian church, need some attention and change to bring your church closer to the Biblical model you found in Scripture? How willing are you, and your church, to confront areas of deficiency and to take corrective steps to bring your church closer to that model? The future—indeed the survival-of your church may well depend on just such thinking and conduct. The Lord may not like those " perfect" churches much more than we do! Churcholatry, the worship of church, is indeed a form of idolatry! Worshipping a church is little better than worshipping any other false god or idol. The Lord whom we serve requires exclusive worship of Himself alone. Church should assist that worship, not itself become an object of worship. It must not allow compromise to interfere with or hinder true worship!

332

PBC: 2Th 1:4

2Th 1:4

2 Thessalonians-Divine Judgment Never Sleeps

2Th 1:4-6

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; {2Th 1:4-6}

Why suffering for godly people? This question frequently surfaces in terms of a September 11, 2002 event, but it no less appears when an individual believer comes face to face with a catastrophic personal crisis. Sadly many who otherwise demonstrate reasonable faith crumble under pressure and use the event as an excuse for a major pity party.

Still other believers struggle a bit more with the problem. " God is testing me. What does he want me to learn?" Not a bad way to view your problem, but this reaction also falls short of Paul’s primary point in our passage. No doubt God intends to teach us through trials. While we would be quite content with the status quo, he intends to grow us stronger in our faith and in our fellowship with him. Is this the primary purpose for which God allows suffering in our lives, or is it a side benefit to a greater purpose?

It is amazing that we sometimes fall into the " God is testing me" syndrome on the premise that God wants to see how strong we are, how much we can endure. Out of our theological mindset we freely proclaim God’s omniscience, his all-knowingness. Then out of our experiential and sentimental mindset we say that God is testing us with the obvious implication that he actually doesn’t know for sure just how faithful or strong we are in our faith. So which is it? Does he know everything, or doesn’t he? If he is omniscient, he fully knows precisely how strong or weak we are in our faith. He has no need to put us to the test to know our standing. This dichotomy serves as a perfect example of the dangers of sentimental Christianity rather than Biblical Christianity. We freely criticize the New Age movement, and with good reason, but then we fall into the same error of relativistic sentimental religion on which the New Age ideas stand. To grasp the distinction between New Age philosophy and Biblical Christianity, one need only read briefly in Irenaeus’ Against Heresies, a classical second century work that refuted the contemporary gnostic claims to Christian roots. Irenaeus as a youth is reported to have learned his Christian foundations from Polycarp, himself a disciple of the apostle John. In many ways to read the gnostic errors that this giant of our faith confronted echoes much of the modern New Age philosophy’s foundations, further corrupted only by its incorporation of Hindu teachings. Irenaeus’ defended what we call Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, that the exclusive source of Christian truth is the public writings of the apostles and a few men close to them, the canon of Scripture, not a spurious secret verbal source or " revelation." Irenaeus appeals to Scripture alone as the believer’s source of spiritual knowledge and authority.

So if God has no need to learn how faithful or strong in faith we’ll be in trial, and if his primary design in suffering is not to teach us greater depth in Biblical truth, why does he allow it in our lives? In 2Th 1:4 Paul commends the Thessalonians for their patience and faith in their intense trials. We cannot overlook that first century Christians lived under almost constant threat against their lives and property due to their public faith. " I’m a Christian, but I don’t talk about it" would have shocked these giants in the faith, shocked them with shame that their pretended successors in the noble faith of their Lord Jesus Christ would live in timidity of faith or in ignorance of their Biblical obligation to serve as beacons of spiritual light in a dark world.

Let’s try something novel! Let’s grab Paul by the hand and allow him to lead us where he wants us to go with this nagging question. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God... What is it that serves as this token, this proof of God’s righteous judgment? And to whom does it serve as a " token" or proof of his righteous judgment? The text flows; it isn’t broken up into bite-size verses that, proverbs-like, stand alone and apart from their contextual setting.

It seems that the context of the passage leads us to consider that suffering Christians are not allowed to endure their trials to enable God to learn something he doesn’t already know. Rather he allows suffering to enable us to learn the power of his grace in our lives. Whether it be Abraham in the Old Testament or you and me today, God sends or allows trials and testing so as to instruct us in the weight of his incredible power.

Patience and faith aren’t the ordinary human response to suffering! They only appear when God is working in the trial and when we respond to him, not to the trial!

Pause and spend a few hours reading the book of Job. Consider particularly the first few chapters where you discover a conversation between God and Satan that Job never knew about. From the beginning God knew how Job would respond to trial. It was Satan, not God, who doubted his faith. Without a question God taught Job many things that he didn’t know before his suffering began. However, what is the point of Scripture with Job’s experience? Jas 5:11 cuts through forty two chapters of the Old Testament narrative and gives us the divine perspective in one simple sentence! God intended the Job’s experience to reveal to us his tender compassion upon his people.

In our lesson it is not the mere presence of suffering that becomes a direct evidence of divine judgment and justice. It is rather the way faithful believers respond to that suffering that magnifies God and gives glory to him! Had the Thessalonians plunged into a sentimental pity-party, wallowing in self-pity and complaint, would their suffering still have applauded God’s righteous judgment? I think not.

What does this lesson teach us? When suffering or unpleasantness invades your life, and rest assured that it will, how will you react? Don’t wait till it happens and then react with shock and disillusionment. Prepare for it every day with intense time in Scripture and in absorbing meditation on its relevance to your life. Don’t merely use the Bible to put yourself to sleep at nights. Use it to wake yourself up in the morning as well! Don’t try to build your whole life outside the light of Scripture with the excuse that it is no longer relevant or sufficiently clear in its message to teach you anything about how to really deal with life. Get so close to it with your mind and your heart, with you intellect and your emotions, that spiritual osmosis will occur. It will work its way through the pores of your soul into the deepest fabric of your being. Allow its refreshing moisture to revive the dry bones of life lived only for self-gratification. {Ps 32:1-11}

The message in this passage startles and challenges us. Perhaps more than at any other time in our lives, when suffering and trials invade our life, we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate God’s grace and righteous judgment. Instead of complaining, " Why would God allow such a thing to happen to me?" respond to your suffering with patience and faith. When Christians face difficulty, the whole world watches! How will we react in the moment of test? Will we abandon every tenet of our faith and join the self-centered and the godless in their " It isn’t fair" complaint? Or will we react in patient faith so that onlookers will be amazed and refreshed by our faithful endurance?

Suffering will come in our life. Don’t doubt it. We can’t know when or what form it will take. We may live as if the Garden of Eden never occurred and react with amazement when trials surprise us. Or we may spend daily time absorbing the Biblical worldview that prepares us for suffering when it inevitably comes.

So what is the major purpose in our suffering? While divine instruction no doubt should occur, God has a far greater design than our instruction. He intends to use our learning in suffering to proclaim his glory! Instead of responding to suffering so that weak Christians and unbelievers react with " How could a good God allow...?" we have the incredible opportunity to respond to it so that they will be amazed at God’s tender goodness. You see, we may face our suffering in our own weakness, or we may face it in God’s strength! One reaction will feed the fires of unbelief. The other will urge people to consider the incredible power and goodness of God. When your trial comes, how will you react? Don’t know? Well today is the best time to change. Build the habit of living so close to God that osmosis, the wondrous absorption of his power and vitality into your life, will transform you into a living demonstration of his power and of his righteous judgment. May He be praised in our suffering!

333

PBC: 2Th 1:5

See GILL: 2Th 1:5 Hit F4 and search for " that ye may be counted worthy"

NOTE: Notice the word " counted" in this text. It is not from the same Greek word as the texts in which " counted" and " imputed" and " imputeth" are usually found- SGreek: 3049. logizomai-but it does carry with it from the root of the word the idea of " weighing, having weight," from SGreek: 2661. kataxioo SGreek: 515. axioo and SGreek: 514. axios. IMHO, it is God who counts us worthy or imputes us worthy and it is ONLY that which gives any weight or any power or authority for us to ever be accounted worthy for anything.

Haydock: 2Th 1:5

For an example of the just judgment of God. That is, that the persecutions and troubles you suffer in this world shew the justice of God in punishing men for their sins, even in this life, so that by these temporal pains you may be found worthy of a crown of eternal glory in the kingdom of God. (Witham) ---

The afflictions, which are here frequently the portion of the just, are sensible proofs of the rigour with which the Almighty will, at the day of final retribution, pour out his indignation on the wicked. For, if he is unwilling to let the just be free from all temporal punishment, (though he discharges their debt of the eternal) and if he continually exposes them to the derision, calumnies, and persecutions of the wicked, what have not the wicked to apprehend when he shall stretch forth his hand in vengeance? Or, as others explain it, God permits the good to be persecuted here, that one day he may treat the wicked according to the rigour of his justice. He permits them here to fill up the measure of their iniquities, that on the last day he may reward the long suffering of the one, and punish the infidelity of the other. In both the one and the other, the finger of God's justice will clearly manifest itself. If the hopes of the good reached no farther than this life, they would be the most wretched of beings; for here, in general, they are more exposed than any to the injuries of the wicked. Nothing proves more clearly the necessity of a general judgment, than this his conduct to his most chosen servants. For it is impossible that, just as he is, he should permit patience and faith to go unrewarded, or wickedness and injustice unpunished. The Son of God has promised us heaven only on condition that we bear wrongs patiently. (Calmet) ---

Here again the apostle teaches the advantages of sufferings which the Thessalonians joyfully underwent, to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, Greek: Kataxiothenai umas; and ver. 11, ibid. Greek: axiose. The apostle teaches here, that nothing defiled shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven; and gives us to understand at the same time, that he will one day punish with extreme rigour the cruelty and impiety of persecutors. (Bible de Vence)

Gill: 2Th 1:1

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus,.... See Gill on 1Th 1:1.

Gill: 2Th 1:2

Grace be unto you, and peace,.... See Gill on Rom 1:7.

Gill: 2Th 1:3

We are bound to thank God,.... Since all blessings, temporal and spiritual, come from him: and that always: seeing he is ever giving out fresh favours, or continuing former ones; and because those, especially which are of a spiritual nature, always abide, such as faith and love; which the apostle particularly takes notice of, the members of this Church had, and were increasing in them: for it was not for himself, but for them he gives thanks,

for you, brethren: who were so, not in a natural or civil relation, but in a spiritual one, being the children of God, and brethren of Christ; and to do this for them, he looked upon himself with others under an obligation:

as it is meet; just, proper, and fitting; it not only becomes the persons who have received mercies from God to be thankful for them; but it is very right for others to join with them in it, and especially the ministers of the Gospel, who are bound, and whom it becomes: it is agreeable to their office and profession to give God the praise and glory of all the grace, and the increase of it, which those, who attend their labours, are favoured with, since this is not of them, but of God; and it was for an increase of grace the apostle here gives thanks, as he judged he was obliged to do, and it was fit he should.

Because that your faith groweth exceedingly. Their faith was not a faith of miracles, nor a mere historical faith, or a counterfeit and temporary one, but the faith of God's elect; which is the evidence of things not seen, of an unseen Christ, and the glories of another world; that grace by which a man goes out of himself to Christ for righteousness, life, and salvation; by which he is justified, and by which he lives on Christ, and walks on in him as he has received him. This was theirs; it was not of themselves, the produce of nature, or the fruit of their natural power and free will; but it was the gift of God, and of his operation; a fruit of the Spirit of God, and of which Christ was the author and finisher; and was only theirs, as being given unto them, implanted in them, and exercised by them under the influence of the Spirit of God, and for their use, comfort, and advantage. This was, at first, but like a grain of mustard seed, very small, but gradually increased, and grew exceedingly; and from seeing of Christ, and looking at him, and which at first might be very dim and obscure, it proceeded to going or coming to him; and which might be in a very feeble manner, and was not without being drawn and led, and great encouragements, many invitations, and large assurances; and from thence to a laying hold upon him, though it may be but in a trembling way, and not without being called to stretch forth the hand of faith, and be no more faithless, but believing; and from thence to a leaning and relying on him, trusting in him with all, and for all; and from thence to claiming an interest in him, saying, my Lord, and my God, which is the full assurance of faith; and when it is come to this, it is grown exceedingly, which might be the case of these Thessalonians; which the apostle knew by the aboundings of their love, for faith works by love; and by their patience, firmness, and resolution in suffering for Christ; all which are in proportion to faith, and the growth of it; and for this he gives thanks to God, for faith is a precious thing; and as that itself, so the increase of it is from God, and therefore to him the praise belongs:

and the charity of everyone of you towards each other aboundeth; as their faith in Christ, so their love to one another was increasing, and showed itself in serving one another both in temporals and spirituals; and this was not the case of a few only, or of the greater part, but of everyone of them; which made their communion with one another very comfortable and delightful. For what is more pleasant than for brethren to dwell together in unity?

Gill: 2Th 1:4

So that we ourselves glory in you,.... Or "of you"; for though they were the subject concerning which, yet not the object in which they gloried; the apostle elsewhere advises not to glory in men, but only in the Lord; nor was this his practice contrary to his advice, for he did not boast of these persons with respect to their carnal things; he did not glory in their flesh, nor in their riches, nor wisdom, nor strength, nor any external gift; he gloried indeed of their graces, and of the exercise and increase of them; but of these not as of themselves, or as owing to him, and his fellow ministers, but as instances of the grace of God, and for which he gives thanks to him: and besides, he did not glory of these in the presence of God, in whose presence none should glory, but

in the churches of God; the other churches in Macedonia and Achaia, as Philippi, Berea, Corinth, &c. he gave thanks to God for them, and gloried of them before men, or among the saints, to the glory of the grace of God in them, and in order to stir up other churches to an emulation and imitation of them. And the particulars he gloried of them for were as follow,

for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: many and sore were the reproaches, the afflictions, and persecutions that befell them for the sake of Christ, and their profession of him, and his Gospel; and which is more or less the case of everyone that will live godly in Christ Jesus: and these they endured, they bore and stood up under, they were not shocked, and staggered, and moved from the hope of the Gospel by them; which shows that the truth of grace was in them; for where there is not the root of the matter, when tribulation and affliction arise because of the profession of the word, such are offended, stumbled, and quickly gone; but these saints endured their afflictions, and with great patience, without murmuring and repining, and with great constancy, firmness, and resolution of mind. They stood fast in the grace and doctrine of faith, and in the profession of both, which they held without wavering, and none of the things they met with could move them from it. The apostle had mentioned their faith before, and he takes notice of it again, because their patience, constancy, and perseverance in sufferings, arose from it; for the trying of faith works patience, Jam 1:3. The Ethiopic version leaves out the word "faith", but very wrongly.

Gill: 2Th 1:5

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,.... That is, according as some think, that God should glorify those that are persecuted, and punish their persecutors: this sense indeed may seem to agree with what follows; but the apostle is speaking not of something future, but of something present; not of what God will do hereafter, but of the present sufferings of the saints. According to others the sense is, that God's suffering affliction and persecution to befall his own people, as a chastisement of them, that they may not be condemned with the world, is an evidence of his strict justice, that he will not suffer sin in any to go unobserved by him; and is a manifest token how severely and righteously he will punish the wicked hereafter, see 1Pe 4:17. But rather the meaning of the words is this, that whereas good men are afflicted and persecuted in this life, they have now their evil things, and bad men prosper and flourish, and have their good things, so that justice does not seem to take place; which seeming inequality in Providence has been sometimes the hardening of wicked men, and the staggering of the righteous, which should not be; this is now a manifest token, and a clear case, that there will be a righteous judgment, in which things will be set aright, and justice will take place; for God is neither unrighteous nor careless, or negligent; and this is observed to support the saints under their sufferings, and to animate them to bear them patiently:

that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer; either of the Gospel, which is sometimes so called, and for which they suffered, and so judged themselves worthy of it; as those that put it away from them, and care not to suffer the least reproach for it, show themselves to be unworthy of it, and of eternal life also: or of a Gospel church state, and a name, and a place in it, for which the people of God likewise suffer; and those who shun reproach and sufferings for it are not worthy to have a place, or their names there: or rather of the heavenly glory; for the hope of which saints suffer much here, whereby their graces are tried, and so they are counted worthy, not by way of merit of it, but meetness for it; many tribulations are the way, or at least lie in the way to this kingdom. In the school of afflictions the saints are trained up for it; and though these are not worthy to be compared with their future happiness, yet they work for them an eternal weight of glory; by the means of these the graces of the Spirit of God are exercised and increased, their hearts are weaned from the world; and coming up out of great tribulations, they wash their garments, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, and are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Th 1:1

¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

² map For the location of Thessalonica see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

NET Notes: 2Th 1:2

¹ tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

² tc ‡ Most witnesses (א A F G I 0278 Ï lat sy sa) have ἡμῶν (Jhmwn) after πατρός (patros), reading “God our Father,” in apparent emulation of Paul’s almost universal style. The omission of the pronoun (the reading of B D P 0111^vid 33 1739 1881 pc) seems to be the original wording of this salutation. As well, the intrinsic evidence also supports the shorter reading: If 2 Thessalonians is authentic, it was one of Paul’s earliest letters, and, if so, his stereotyped salutation was still in embryonic form (see discussion at 1 Thess 1:1). NA²⁷ places the word in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

NET Notes: 2Th 1:3

¹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

² tn Grk “as is worthy.”

NET Notes: 2Th 1:5

¹ tn Grk “so that you may be made worthy.” The passive infinitive καταξιωθῆναι (kataxiwqhnai) has been translated as an active construction in English for stylistic reasons.

Geneva Bible: 2Th 1:3

^{( 1 )} We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith ^{( a )} groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

^{( 1 )} The first part of the epistle, in which he rejoices that through the grace of God, they have bravely sustained all the assaults of their enemies. And in this he strengthens and encourages them, moreover showing with what gifts they must mainly fight, that is, with faith and charity, which must daily increase.

^{( a )} That whereas it grew up before, it does also receive some increase every day more and more.

Geneva Bible: 2Th 1:5

^{( 2 )} [Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

^{( 2 )} He shows the source of all true comfort, that is, that in afflictions which we suffer from the wicked for righteousness' sake, we may behold as it were in a mirror the testimony of that judgment to come, the end of which is most acceptable to us, and most severe to his enemies.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Th 1:1-12

1 Paul certifies them of the good opinion which he had of their faith, love, and patience;

11 and therewithal uses divers reasons for the comforting of them in persecution, whereof the chief is taken from the righteous judgment of God.

MHCC: 2Th 1:1-4

Where there is the truth of grace, there will be an increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace, God must have all the glory. Where faith grows, love will abound, for faith works by love. It shows faith and patience, such as may be proposed as a pattern for others, when trials from God, and persecutions from men, quicken the exercise of those graces; for the patience and faith of which the apostle gloried, bore them up, and enabled them to endure all their tribulations.

MHCC: 2Th 1:5-10

Religion, if worth anything, is worth every thing; and those have no religion, or none worth having, or know not how to value it, cannot find their hearts to suffer for it. We cannot by all our sufferings, any more than by our services, merit heaven; but by our patience under sufferings, we are prepared for the promised joy. Nothing more strongly marks a man for eternal ruin, than a spirit of persecution and enmity to the name and people of God. God will trouble those that trouble his people. And there is a rest for the people of God; a rest from sin and sorrow. The certainty of future recompence is proved by the righteousness of God. The thoughts of this should be terrible to wicked men, and support the righteous. Faith, looking to the great day, is enabled partly to understand the book of providence, which appears confused to unbelievers. The Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. He will come in the glory and power of the upper world. His light will be piercing, and his power consuming, to all who in that day shall be found as chaff. This appearance will be terrible to those that know not God, especially to those who rebel against revelation, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the great crime of multitudes, the gospel is revealed, and they will not believe it; or if they pretend to believe, they will not obey it. Believing the truths of the gospel, is in order to our obeying the precepts of the gospel. Though sinners may be long spared, they will be punished at last. They did sin's work, and must receive sin's wages. Here God punishes sinners by creatures as instruments; but then, it will be destruction from the Almighty; and who knows the power of his anger? It will be a joyful day to some, to the saints, to those who believe and obey the gospel. In that bright and blessed day, Christ Jesus will be glorified and admired by his saints. And Christ will be glorified and admired in them. His grace and power will be shown, when it shall appear what he has purchased for, and wrought in, and bestowed upon those who believe in him. Lord, if the glory put upon thy saints shall be thus admired, how much more shalt thou be admired, as the Bestower of that glory! The glory of thy justice in the damnation of the wicked will be admired, but not as the glory of thy mercy in the salvation of believers. How will this strike the adoring angels with holy admiration, and transport thy admiring saints with eternal rapture! The meanest believer shall enjoy more than the most enlarged heart can imagine while we are here; Christ will be admired in all those that believe, the meanest believer not excepted.

Matthew Henry: 2Th 1:1-4

Here we have,

I. The introduction (2Th 1:1, 2Th 1:2), in the same words as in the former epistle, from which we may observe that as this apostle did not count it grievous to him to write the same things (Phi 3:1) in his epistles that he had delivered in preaching, so he willingly wrote the same things to one church that he did to another. The occurrence of the same words in this epistle as in the former shows us that ministers ought not so much to regard the variety of expression and elegance of style as the truth and usefulness of the doctrines they preach. And great care should be taken lest, from an affectation of novelty in method and phrases, we advance new notions or doctrines, contrary to the principles of natural or revealed religion, upon which this church of the Thessalonians was built, as all true churches are; namely, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. The apostle's expression of the high esteem he had for them. He not only had a great affection for them (as he had expressed in his former epistle, and now again in his pious wish of grace and peace for them), but he also expresses his great esteem for them, concerning which observe,

1. How his esteem of them is expressed. (1.) He glorified God on their behalf: We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, 2Th 1:3. He chose rather to speak of what was praiseworthy in them in a way of thanksgiving to God than by commendation of them; and, as what he mentions was matter of his rejoicing, he accounted it matter of thanksgiving, and it was meet or fit it should be so, for we are bound, and it is our duty, to be thankful to God for all the good that is found in us or others: and it not only is an act of kindness to our fellow-christians, but our duty, to thank God on their behalf. (2.) He also glories in them before the churches of God, 2Th 1:4. The apostle never flattered his friends, but he took pleasure in commending them, and speaking well of them, to the glory of God and for the excitement and encouragement of others. Paul did not glory in his own gifts, nor in his labour among them, but he gloried in the grace of God which was bestowed upon them, and so his glorying was good, because all the commendation he gave to them, and the pleasure he took himself, centered in the praise and glory of God.

2. For what he esteemed them and thanked God; namely, the increase of their faith, and love, and patience. In his former epistle (1Th 1:3) he gave thanks for their faith, love, and patience; here he gives thanks for the increase of all those graces, that they were not only true Christians, but growing Christians. Note, Where there is the truth of grace there will be increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace God must have all the glory of it. We are as much indebted to him for the improvement of grace, and the progress of that good work, as we are for the first work of grace and the very beginning of it. We may be tempted to think that though when we were bad we could not make ourselves good, yet when we are good we can easily make ourselves better; but we have as much dependence on the grace of God for increasing the grace we have as for planting grace when we had it not. The matter of the apostle's thanksgiving and glorying on behalf of the Thessalonians was, (1.) That their faith grew exceedingly, 2Th 1:3. They were more confirmed in the truth of gospel-revelations, confided in gospel-promises, and had lively expectations of another world. The growth of their faith appeared by the works of faith; and, where faith grows, all other graces grow proportionably. (2.) Their charity abounded (2Th 1:3), their love to God and man. Note, Where faith grows love will abound, for faith works by love; and not only the charity of some few of them, but of every one to each other, did abound. There were no such divisions among them as in some other churches. (3.) Their patience as well as faith increased in all their persecutions and tribulations. And patience has then its perfect work when it extends itself to all trials. There were many persecutions which the Thessalonians endured for the sake of righteousness, as well as other troubles which they met with in this calamitous life; yet they endured all these, by faith seeing him that is invisible, and looking to the recompence of reward; and endured them with patience, not with an insensibility under them, but with patience arising from Christian principles, which kept them quiet and submissive, and afforded them inward strength and support.

Matthew Henry: 2Th 1:5-10

Having mentioned their persecutions and tribulations, which they endured principally for the cause of Christ, the apostle proceeds to offer several things for their comfort under them; as,

I. He tells them of the present happiness and advantage of their sufferings, 2Th 1:5. Their faith being thus tried, and patience exercised, they were improved by their sufferings, insomuch that they were counted worthy of the kingdom of God. Their sufferings were a manifest token of this, that they were worthy or meet to be accounted Christians indeed, seeing they could suffer for Christianity. And the truth is, Religion, if it is worth any thing, is worth every thing; and those either have no religion at all, or none that is worth having, or know not how to value it, that cannot find in their hearts to suffer for it. Besides, from their patient suffering, it appeared that, according to the righteous judgment of God, they should be counted worthy of the heavenly glory: not by worthiness of condignity, but of congruity only; not that they could merit heaven, but they were made meet for heaven. We cannot by all our sufferings, any more than by our services, merit heaven as a debt; but by our patience under our sufferings we are qualified for the joy that is promised to patient sufferers in the cause of God.

II. He tells them next of the future recompence that shall be given to persecutor and persecuted.

1. In this future recompence there will be, (1.) A punishment inflicted on persecutors: God will recompense tribulation to those that trouble you, 2Th 1:6. And there is nothing that more infallibly marks a man for eternal ruin than a spirit of persecution, and enmity to the name and people of God: as the faith, patience, and constancy of the saints are to them an earnest of everlasting rest and joy, so the pride, malice, and wickedness of their persecutors are to them an earnest of everlasting misery; for every man carries about with him, and carries out of the world with him, either his heaven or his hell. God will render a recompence, and will trouble those that trouble his people. This he has done sometimes in this world, witness the dreadful end of many persecutors; but especially this he will do in the other world, where the portion of the wicked must be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. (2.) A reward for those that are persecuted: God will recompense their trouble with rest, 2Th 1:7. There is a rest that remains for the people of God, a rest from sin and sorrow. Though many may be the troubles of the righteous now, yet God will deliver them out of them all. The future rest will abundantly recompense all their present troubles. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. There is enough in heaven to countervail all that we may lose or suffer for the name of Christ in this world. The apostle says, To you who are troubled rest with us. In heaven, ministers and people shall rest together, and rejoice together, who suffer together here; and the meanest Christian shall rest with the greatest apostle: nay, what is far more, if we suffer for Christ, we shall also reign with him, 2Ti 2:12.

2. Concerning this future recompence we are further to observe,

(1.) The certainty of it, proved by the righteousness and justice of God: It is a righteous thing with God (2Th 1:6) to render to every man according to his works. The thoughts of this should be terrible to wicked men and persecutors, and the great support of the righteous and such as are persecuted; for, seeing there is a righteous God, there will be a righteous recompence. God's suffering people will lose nothing by their sufferings, and their enemies will gain nothing by their advantages against them.

(2.) The time when this righteous recompence shall be made: When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, 2Th 1:7. That will be the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God; for then will God judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed, even Jesus Christ the righteous Judge. The righteousness of God does not so visibly appear to all men in the procedure of his providence as it will in the process of the great judgment-day. The scripture has made known to us the judgment to come, and we are bound to receive the revelation here given concerning Christ. As,

[1.] That the Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. Now the heavens retain him, they conceal him; but then he will be revealed and made manifest. He will come in all the pomp and power of the upper world, whence we look for the Saviour.

[2.] He will be revealed with his mighty angels (2Th 1:7), or the angels of his power: these will attend upon him, to grace the solemnity of that great day of his appearance; they will be the ministers of his justice and mercy in that day; they will summon the criminals to his tribunal, and gather in the elect, and be employed in executing his sentence.

[3.] He will come in flaming fire, 2Th 1:8. A fire goeth before him, which shall consume his enemies. The earth, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. This will be a trying fire, to try every man's work, - a refining fire, to purify the saints, who shall share in the purity, and partake of the felicity, of the new heaven and the new earth, - a consuming fire to the wicked. His light will be piercing, and his power consuming, to all those who in that day shall be found as chaff.

[4.] The effects of this appearance will be terrible to some and joyful to others.

First, They will be terrible to some; for he will then take vengeance on the wicked. 1. On those that sinned against the principles of natural religion, and rebelled against the light of nature, that knew not God (2Th 1:8), though the invisible things of him are manifested in the things that are seen. 2. On those that rebel against the light of revelation, that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. This is the great crime of multitudes - the gospel is revealed to them, and they will not believe it; or, if they pretend to believe it, they will not obey it. Note, Believing the truths of the gospel is in order to our obeying the precepts of the gospel: there must be the obedience of faith. To such persons as are here mentioned the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ will be terrible, because of their doom, which is mentioned, 2Th 1:9. Here observe, (1.) They will then be punished. Though sinners may be long reprieved, yet they will be punished at last. Their misery will be a proper punishment for their crimes, and only what they have deserved. They did sin's work, and must receive sin's wages. (2.) Their punishment will be no less than destruction, not of their being, but of their bliss; not that of the body alone, but both as to body and soul. (3.) This destruction will be everlasting. They shall be always dying, and yet never die. Their misery will run parallel with the line of eternity. The chains of darkness are everlasting chains, and the fire is everlasting fire. It must needs be so, since the punishment is inflicted by an eternal God, fastening upon an immortal soul, set out of the reach of divine mercy and grace. (4.) This destruction shall come from the presence of the Lord, that is, immediately from God himself. Here God punishes sinners by creatures, by instruments; but then he will take the work into his own hands. It will be destruction from the Almighty, more terrible than the consuming fire which consumed Nadab and Abihu, which came from before the Lord. (5.) It shall come from the glory of his power, or from his glorious power. Not only the justice of God, but this almighty power, will be glorified in the destruction of sinners; and who knows the power of his anger? He is able to cast into hell.

Secondly, It will be a joyful day to some, even to the saints, unto those that believe and obey the gospel. And then the apostle's testimony concerning this day will be confirmed and believed (2Th 1:10); in that bright and blessed day, 1. Christ Jesus will be glorified and admired by his saints. They will behold his glory, and admire it with pleasure; they will glorify his grace, and admire the wonders of his power and goodness towards them, and sing hallelujahs to him in that day of his triumph, for their complete victory and happiness. 2. Christ will be glorified and admired in them. His grace and power will then be manifested and magnified, when it shall appear what he has purchased for, and wrought in, and bestowed upon, all those who believe in him. As his wrath and power will be made known in and by the destruction of his enemies, so his grace and power will be magnified in the salvation of his saints. Note, Christ's dealings with those who believe will be what the world one day shall wonder at. Now, they are a wonder to many; but how will they be wondered at in this great and glorious day; or, rather, how will Christ, whose name is Wonderful, be admired, when the mystery of God shall be finished! Christ will not be so much admired in the glorious esteem of angels that he will bring from heaven with him as in the many saints, the many sons, that he will bring to glory.

Barclay: 2Th 1:1-10

There is all the wisdom of the wise leader in this opening passage. It seems that the Thessalonians had sent a message to Paul full of self-doubtings. They had been timorously afraid that their faith was not going to stand the test and that--in the expressive modern phrase--they were not going to make the grade. Paul's answer was not to push them further into the slough of despond by pessimistically agreeing with them but to pick out their virtues and achievements in such a way that these despondent, frightened Christians might square their shoulders and say, "Well, if Paul thinks that of us we'll make a fight of it yet."

"Blessed are those," said Mark Rutherford, "who heal us of our self-despisings," and Paul did just that for the Thessalonian Church. He knew that often judicious praise can do what indiscriminate criticism cannot do and that wise praise never makes a man rest upon his laurels but fills him with the desire to do still better.

There are three things which Paul picked out as being the marks of a vital Church.

(i) A faith which is strong. It is the mark of the advancing Christian that he grows surer of Jesus Christ every day. The faith which may begin as an hypothesis ends as a certainty. James Agate once said, "My mind is not like a bed which has to be made and remade. There are some things of which I am absolutely sure." The Christian comes to that stage when to the thrill of Christian experience he adds the discipline of Christian thought.

(ii) A love which is increasing. A growing Church is one which grows greater in service. A man may begin serving his fellowmen as a duty which his Christian faith lays upon him; he will end by doing it because in it he finds his greatest joy. The life of service opens up the great discovery that unselfishness and happiness go hand in hand.

(iii) A constancy which endures. The word Paul uses is a magnificent word. It is hupomone (5281) which is usually translated endurance but does not mean the ability passively to bear anything that may descend upon us. It has been described as "a masculine constancy under trial" and describes the spirit which not only endures the circumstances in which it finds itself but masters them. It accepts the blows of life but in accepting them transforms them into stepping stones to new achievement.

Paul's uplifting message ends with the most uplifting vision of all. It ends with what we might call the reciprocal glory. When Christ comes he will be glorified in his saints and admired in those who have believed Here we have the breath-taking truth that our glory is Christ and Christ's glory is ourselves. The glory of Christ is in those who through him have learned to endure and to conquer, and so to shine like lights in a dark place. A teacher's glory lies in the scholars he produces; a parent's in the children he rears not only for living but for life; a master's in his disciples; and to us is given the tremendous privilege and responsibility that Christ's glory can lie in us. We may bring discredit or we may bring glory to the Master whose we are and whom we seek to serve. Can any privileged responsibility be greater than that?

Constable: 2Th 1:1-2

I. SALUTATION 1:1-2

The Apostle Paul opened this epistle by identifying himself and his companions to the recipients. He also wished God's grace and peace for them to introduce himself and to express his continuing good will toward his children in the faith.

Verses 1 and 2 are almost identical to 1 Thessalonians 1:1. One change is that Paul called God "our" Father here rather than "the" Father.

The benediction (v. 2) is fuller than the one in 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Paul mentioned both grace (God's unmerited favor and divine enablement) and peace (the cessation of hostility) again, but he identified their source here. Both blessings come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He again asserted the deity of Christ, and he balanced the fatherhood of God with Christ's lordship over the church and the believer.

Constable: 2Th 1:3-12

II. COMMENDATION FOR PAST PROGRESS 1:3-12

Paul thanked God for the spiritual growth of his readers, encouraged them to persevere in their trials, and assured them of his prayers for them. He did so to motivate them to continue to endure hardship and thereby develop in their faith (cf. James 1:2-4).

Constable: 2Th 1:3-4

A. Thanksgiving for growth 1:3-4

1:3 In his earlier epistle to the Thessalonians Paul had urged them to grow in faith (1 Thess. 4:10) and to increase in love (1 Thess. 3:12). He now rejoiced that they were doing both of these things (v. 3).⁵ Paul began each of his epistles except Galatians with thanksgiving for the spiritual progress of his readers. The word translated "greatly enlarged," which Paul used to describe their faith, occurs only here in the New Testament and means "grown exceedingly," not just normally. The Thessalonians' growth had been unusual. They were a model congregation in this respect.

"We ought to give thanks" means "We must give thanks" (cf. 2:13). Paul was not saying he knew he should give thanks but did not, but he felt obligated to give thanks and did so.

"Clearly in this entire passage . . . the writers reveal themselves as men who are elated . . . rather than reluctant, exuberant rather than hesitant."⁶

"Paul was well aware of the shortcomings of the Thessalonian believers, but he did not allow their faults to blind him to their strong points. . . . Instead of criticizing, he is eager to commend."⁷

1:4 No wonder Paul said he cited the Thessalonians to other churches as an example to follow. This growth had come in the midst of persecution, and this made it even more commendable. "Faith" (Gr. pistis) usually refers to faith in someone or something, but often it means "faithfulness" (e.g., Rom. 3:3; Gal. 5:22; Titus 2:10). It probably has the latter meaning here. His readers were enduring hostile actions ("persecutions") as well as other painful experiences ("afflictions") at the hands of both Jews and Gentiles because of their Christian faith (cf. 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; Acts 17:5-9).

Constable: 2Th 1:5-10

B. Encouragement to persevere 1:5-10

These verses explain what God's future righteous judgment is.

1:5 Paul explained that suffering for Christ demonstrates the believer's worthiness to participate in God's kingdom. A hot fire under gold ore separates the gold from the dross and shows the gold to be what it really is. Likewise the fire of trials can separate the Christian from the unsaved and show him to be what he really is. He is what he is by God's grace. It is God's grace that qualifies a person for heaven, not suffering. Suffering only exposes the quality of the person whom God's grace is transforming.

Paul taught elsewhere that God will reward Christians who endure temptations to abandon their commitment to Jesus Christ with the privilege of reigning with Christ in His millennial kingdom (2 Tim. 2:12). Whereas all Christians will return to earth with Christ at His second coming and enter His kingdom, only those who follow Him faithfully in this life will reign along with Him.⁸

"Jesus encouraged his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted for his sake because, he said, your reward is great in heaven' (Matt 5:11, 12 par. Luke 6:22, 23). This note recurs again and again throughout the NT."⁹

1:6-8 In the future God in His justice would punish the Thessalonians' persecutors and give rest to his readers as well as to all Christians who suffer affliction for the gospel. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns to the earth in judgment. This is not a reference to the Rapture. The judgments described in the following verses (vv. 9-10) will not take place then. It is a reference to Christ's coming at the end of the Tribulation (cf. Ps. 2:1-9; Matt. 25:31). Then Christ will punish those who do not know God (cf. Rom. 1:18-32) and those who do not obey the gospel (cf. John 3:36). The former group may be Gentiles and the latter Jews.¹⁰ However this is probably a case of synonymous parallelism in which both descriptions refer to both Jews and Gentiles.¹¹ He will put them to death and will not allow them to enter the Millennium (cf. Ps. 2; Ezek. 20:33-38; Joel 3:1-2, 12; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 14:1-19; Matt. 25:31-46).¹²

1 Thessalonians 4	2 Thessalonians 1
Christ returns in the air.	Christ returns to the earth.
He comes secretly for the church.	He comes openly with the church.
Believers escape the Tribulation.	Unbelievers experience tribulation and judgment.
The Rapture occurs at an undisclosed time.	The Second Coming occurs at the end of the Tribulation in the day of the Lord.13

1:9 These non-Christians will suffer "eternal destruction" (lit. they will pay a penalty). Their fate is eternal separation from the person of Christ and the manifestation of His glory (i.e., eternal death). This is Paul's most explicit reference to the eternal duration of unbelievers' judgment in all his writings. It is ironic that those who reject Christ experience God's rejection.

"Olethros (destruction') does not refer to annihilation, which cannot be everlasting.'¹⁴ The word in LXX and NT usages never has this meaning but rather turns on the thought of separation from God and loss of everything worthwhile in life . . ."¹⁵

"Heaven is primarily the presence of God. Hell is the loss of that presence."¹⁶

1:10 When Christ returns to earth His "saints" will accompany Him. Paul referred specifically to Christians (i.e., believers of the church age who previously experienced the Rapture), not all believers. Old Testament saints will not experience resurrection until the Second Coming (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2). Jesus Christ's second coming will be a day of great glory and vindication for Him. Paul's readers would participate in it because they had believed Paul's testimony when he had preached the gospel among them. They would reflect Christ's glory as will all other believers who will accompany Him at His second coming (i.e., all Christians).

"Just as Paul is elusive about the nature of the vengeance to be inflicted by the Lord Jesus, he is also elusive about the nature of the reward to be bestowed."¹⁷

"That day" is a clear reference to the day of the Lord (cf. Isa. 2:11, 17). It will include Jesus Christ's return to the earth at His second coming (cf. Mark 13:32; 14:25; Luke 21:34; 2 Tim. 1:12, 18; 4:8).¹⁸ Then He will be glorified "in the presence of" His saints (the locative use of the Greek preposition en).¹⁹

At first reading it may appear that verses 5-10 offer hope that God would judge the Thessalonians' persecutors very soon and that the Thessalonian Christians would find "relief" (v. 7) in the Rapture. However the return of Christ in "fire" (v. 7) dealing out punishment (vv. 8-9) when He comes "with His saints" (v. 10) must refer to the Second Coming. Thus it appears that the Second Coming follows the Rapture immediately. This is what posttribulationists believe.²⁰ However the Tribulation will precede the Second Coming, as posttribulationists agree. Paul proceeded to explain that the Thessalonians were not in the Tribulation (2:1-12). Only if they were then in the Tribulation could the hope of relief by a posttribulational Rapture have been a comfort to them. Consequently it seems that in 1:5-10 Paul was seeking to comfort his readers by assuring them that ultimately they would experience relief by entering rest in the Millennium following Christ's second coming. Ultimately God would punish their persecutors at the great white throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:11-15).

Thomas, a pretribulationist, understood the revelation of Jesus Christ spoken of in verses 5-10 to be a general one that embraces the Rapture and the Second Coming.

"Many have chosen to limit apokalypsei (revelation,' appearance') to a single event, identifying it with Christ's return to earth at the close of the tribulation. The role of his powerful angels' in the revelation favors this understanding in the light of Matthew 24:30, 31; 25:31. It is more persuasive, however, to explain apokalypsei as a complex of events, including various phases of end-time happenings. The present context associates the word with Christ's coming for his own as well as his coming to deal with opponents. Since the primary thrust of vv. 5-10 is to encourage suffering Christians, the meaning of apokalypsei for them should receive the emphasis. God's dealings with the rest of the world are included only to enhance the relief' experienced by believers at the righteous judgment of God."²¹

It seems to me, as I have tried to explain above, that the references to what will happen at this appearing describe the Second Coming exclusively. Thomas admitted that enjoyment of the future glory of Christ's coming--and only His second coming will be in glory--is the leading idea of this chapter.²²

College: 2Th 1:1-12

2 THESSALONIANS 1

I. GREETING (1:1-2)

¹ Paul, Silas ^a and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^a 1 Greek Silvanus , a variant of Silas

1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

The opening greeting of this second letter is identical to the first letter's in all but two points. Paul's relationship with his co-workers, the readers' identity as the assembly of God's people united with God and Christ, and their blessing of God's grace and peace are again prominent (see comments on 1 Thess 1:1 above). One difference comes in v. 1, where God is specifically "our Father" as in most of Paul's other salutations (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; Phlm 3; Gal 1:3 reads thus in some manuscripts) instead of "the Father" as in 1 Thess 1:1. But little significance can be attached to the change.

1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second difference comes at the end of v. 2, where the source of grace and peace are specified as in the other extant letters of Paul (cf. Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Phlm 3). As in v. 1 and 1 Thess 1:1 above, Paul, who was steeped in Jewish monotheism, attributes such gifts to both God and Jesus with absolute ease and naturalness. Such is possible for him because he regards Jesus as fully divine (see comments on 1 Thess 1:1 above).

II. OPENING THANKSGIVING, ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYER (1:3-12)

As in 1 Thess 1:2-10 and in most of Paul's other letters, 2 Thessalonians begins with a statement of thanksgiving, focusing on the readers' devotion to Christ. Here Paul also offers a prayer for the readers, commonly attached to the thanksgiving in other letters but separated in 1 Thessalonians by Paul's discussion of his ministry with the church (1 Thess 3:11-13; cf. Phil 1:3-11; Col 1:3-14; Phlm 4-7; Eph 1:15-19; 2 Thess 2:13-14).

The difference in tone between 1 and 2 Thessalonians is immediately noticeable in this section. The warmth and enthusiasm of the first letter are less evident here, where the style appears more formal. This difference can easily be exaggerated, but some difference in tone between the passages is conceded by all. While it is impossible to account for the change entirely, much of the difference can be attributed to the shift in subject matter. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul's concern was largely for his ongoing relationship with the church. Under such circumstances, an extra measure of personal warmth would be expected.

Some have speculated that in response to the more direct praise in the first letter, the Thessalonians had protested through Timothy that they were unworthy. Others have suggested parallels in liturgical language or discussions of suffering in apocalyptic literature (Rev 3:4; 5:9, 12). In any case Paul's purpose in this letter has less to do with personal relationships (though they remain "brothers," v. 3) and is more narrowly confined to specific problems in the church. One of these, the church's understanding of the Lord's return in light of their present suffering (cf. 2:1-12), Paul begins to address here. The nature of this subject may have produced a more formal style as well. The use of the opening section to make a preliminary announcement of his themes is also seen in other letters (e.g., Phil 1:3-11).

Though it contains distinct sections, these verses constitute a single, long sentence in the Greek text. For Paul these verses were tightly bound together.

A. THANKSGIVING FOR THE THESSALONIANS' GROWTH AND ENDURANCE IN PERSECUTION (1:3-4)

³ We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. ⁴ Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

The focus in this first section of the sentence is on the persecution experienced by the readers and God's answer to it. Paul had mentioned persecution in the first letter (1 Thess 1:6) but here makes it more prominent, emphasizing especially both the readers' and God's responses to it, underlining the larger meaning it had for their Christian experience. Though Paul offers thanks in vv. 3-4 for some of the same characteristics as in 1 Thess 1:2-3, the greater focus on persecution here starkly displays the readers' Christian virtues against the background of their suffering. This emphasis may reflect an intensification of the persecution in Thessalonica since the first letter. However, in light of the evident problem in understanding the relationship of the Lord's coming to their suffering, Paul probably emphasizes this theme in anticipation of the discussion of 2:1-12.

1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

This statement of thanksgiving has many features in common with 1 Thess 1:2-3 (see comments above). The focus of Paul's thanksgiving is again on the readers' demonstration of the cardinal Christian virtues, particularly faith and love. Perhaps reflecting the fact that this is now his second letter, Paul mentions particularly their growth in these areas, in part a fulfillment of his prayer for the church in 1 Thess 3:11-13. The word translated "is growing more and more" is uJperauxavnw (hyperauxanô), found only here in the New Testament. It is an intensification of the more common verb signifying growth, perhaps coined by Paul himself.

In context Paul probably uses the intensive form to emphasize the contrast between the readers' growth and their difficult circumstances. Paul uses a different verb, pleonavzw (pleonazô, "is increasing") to indicate their growth in love, but no distinction in meaning should be pressed, since the difference is probably to avoid repetition. Both verbs are in the present tense, indicating that the growth is a continuing action. The whole statement is reminiscent of Jesus' parables which emphasize the growth of God's kingdom from small, insignificant beginnings (Matt 13:31-33; Mark 4:26-32; Luke 13:18-21; cf. 2 Cor 10:15).

Inferences from silence are notoriously debatable, but the prominence of "hope" in 1 Thess 1:3 makes that term's omission here striking. Its absence does not imply that the Thessalonians do not have hope, and most of the first two chapters concentrate on the content of their hope, the return of Christ. However, it is possible that Paul does not name hope as a basis for thanksgiving because confusion about the day of the Lord (2:2) has temporarily damaged the readers' hope.

Paul does not state directly that he gives thanks but combines expressions to indicate that such thanksgiving is necessary and right. "Ought" represents ojfeivlw (opheilô), which indicates obligation or necessity; "and rightly so," literally "as is fitting" (kaqwÉ" ajxiovn ejstin, kathôs axion estin), reinforces that point with a complementary expression. Though the indirect statement is perhaps less personal than the one in 1 Thess 1:2, it is stronger in expressing that such thanksgiving is Paul's solemn duty, even when the circumstances are less than joyful.

1:4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

As in 1 Thess 1:7-10 Paul stresses that the Thessalonians' living out of the gospel has been reported as an edifying message to other churches. By using "boast" to refer to these reports, Paul implies that his own work has had their growth and faithfulness as its objective. This statement echoes 1 Thess 2:19-20 (see comments above) as well as remarks in later letters (e.g., 1 Cor 15:31; 2 Cor 1:14; 7:4, 14; 8:24; 9:2; Phil 1:26; 2:16). In other passages Paul expresses the same concept with other terms (e.g., "reward," 1 Cor 3:14). In all of these cases Paul's boast is ultimately not in his own achievements (cf. Rom 3:27; 2 Cor 10:17) but in the results of God's grace, by which he has been given the ministry which bears this fruit. To make this boast "among God's churches" (see comments on 1 Thess 1:1 above) is therefore to share more of the good news among the people who belong to God because of that message.

To see suffering as an occasion for boasting requires a keen eye of faith. Using such an eye, Paul focuses particularly on the readers' "perseverance and faith." The first term, uJpomonhv (hypomonç; cf. 1 Thess 1:3), stresses active endurance under difficulty and pressure; it is patience put into practice in suffering. The second, pivsti" ( pistis ) refers in this context particularly to constancy in faith, or faithfulness: the readers have maintained their position in Christ despite the difficulties it has brought to them. These two terms are obviously similar in meaning, and Paul draws them even more closely together by modifying both with a single definite article. Endurance and faith are the Thessalonians' one response to persecution.

The readers' suffering is also expressed with a pair of terms. "Persecutions," diwgmov" (diôgmos), indicates specifically the sufferings inflicted by others because of their opposition to one's beliefs. "Trials," qli'yi" ( thlipsis ) can refer more broadly to any kind of suffering but is frequently used in the New Testament to refer specifically to persecution that comes because of one's faith (cf. 1 Thess 3:3-4 and comments above). The combination probably emphasizes the severity of the readers' sufferings, and no distinction between the words is stressed. These troubles continue for the readers even as Paul writes: his verb is in the present tense, accurately translated as "are enduring" in the NIV.

Two unusual expressions occur here. One is that "we" is intensive, literally "we ourselves" (aujtouÉ" hJma'", autous hçmas). An obvious explanation for this emphasis is not forthcoming, but it may be that Paul emphasizes that he takes the unusual step of boasting about them to others. The second is the expression "churches of God." Normally Paul uses the plural "churches" when he specifies the churches in a particular geographical area and the singular when he refers to the "universal" church. Whether this means, as Wanamaker suggests, that Paul refers here to churches without geographical limitation remains uncertain.

B. ENCOURAGEMENT IN LIGHT OF GOD'S JUDGMENT (1:5-10)

⁵ All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ⁶ God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you ⁷ and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power ¹⁰ on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

Though it can remain an abstraction for those without difficulty, the problem of evil is a burning question for those who are suffering. "Why is this happening?" is perhaps the most troubling question that human beings must confront. For those who suffer because of their faith, the question is even more intense. Christians who believe themselves to be the people of God, those who have received God's salvation and are experiencing the fulfillment of his eternal promises, have an even more difficult question to answer. If God is really on their side, if he is really loving and powerful, why do they suffer?

Paul has already provided much of the answer in 1 Thess 3:3-4: Christians suffer inevitably as a result of their identity, because they are united with the Christ who suffered in fulfillment of God's purpose. Here Paul reiterates that point in v. 5. But here he goes on to explain more. If God allows his people to suffer at the hands of those who have deliberately refused him and his message, if he in effect allows the innocent to suffer at the hands of the wicked, is he really a righteous and powerful God?

In answer to this question, Paul reminds the readers that the present situation is not the final situation. Though it may seem that evil consistently triumphs over good, there remains a final reckoning in which God will bring fitting punishment on those who have persecuted his people. Until that time, the readers can take encouragement in their confidence that God in the end will vindicate his people by repaying their antagonists decisively. God is both just, judging sin wherever it exists, and powerful, able to bring his sentence to bear on evildoers. The Thessalonian church may appear to be a small, insignificant group of people whose enemies have the best of them, but the end of history will show what the unseen reality has always been.

Paul's concept of God's justice here is retributive: evildoers are repaid in kind for the evil which they have done. This notion, once fundamental in western legal thought, is now rejected in many circles. More recently evil has been seen according to the model of disease, and so punishment has been viewed as therapy or rehabilitation. Consequently many modern or postmodern people are uncomfortable with the language of this passage. But for Paul evil was not merely a sickness but a consequence of conscious rebellion against God and submission to his adversary (cf. Eph 2:1-3).

In Paul's thought forgiveness is therefore costly; God's justice demands appropriate payment for sin, namely the death of Jesus. Only in light of God's justice can the full extent of his love and forgiving grace be seen: through his Son he himself provides the substitutionary payment for human sin (cf. Rom 3:23-26). If some then refuse his offer and even oppose it, they are fully responsible for their actions, and God's justice demands a retributive punishment for them (cf. 1 Thess 1:10; 2:16). For God to do less would mean for him to tolerate evil, especially evil directed toward the very people whom he has saved. If God is truly good, then he must pronounce sentence on evil.

The eschatological view that Christ will return secretly to remove the church from tribulation and later return again to judge the wicked does not fare well in this passage. Paul's language indicates that relief for the believer and retribution for the unbeliever are simultaneous. As elsewhere in the New Testament, the parousia is a single, indivisible act bringing both blessing and judgment (cf. 1 Thess 5:1-11).

Several factors have suggested to some that in vv. 7b-10 Paul has incorporated a traditional formula, including a concentration of Old Testament references, a shift from the second to the third person, and the uses of parallelism. While it is possible that Paul uses a pre-formed tradition here, the content is so consistent with the context and his own thought that his own free composition of this material seems more likely.

This section actually continues the Greek sentence begun in v. 3, though in translation it has been divided into shorter sentences for readability. Here the reason for thanksgiving even in suffering is made clear.

1:5 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right,

Though one might think that belonging to God's people would ensure a life without trouble, Paul declares that the opposite is true. To belong to God means to suffer in this age, which is ruled by his great adversary, even as Christ himself suffered. But this suffering belongs in the context of God's promised triumph over sin and judgment against it. Hence, Paul can say that suffering in the present is an indication or "evidence" (e[ndeigma, endeigma ) of God's righteous judgment. The specific evidence to which Paul refers could be the Thessalonians' endurance, the persecutions which they receive, or a combination (v. 4).

In favor of the former is the use of a related word in Phil 1:28, where the reference is clearly to the Philippians' endurance. In favor of the persecutions is the fact that Paul mentions them nearer to "evidence." However, the following context, discussing as it does both the punishment to come on the persecutors and the relief to come to the Christians, favors a broader combination of the two. Paul's point, then, is that the persecution and the readers' response to it demonstrates that God's determination to bring retribution on his opponents and relief to his faithful people is necessary for justice to prevail.

While Paul is about to focus on the future judgment, the language here suggests that the judgment has already begun. Like other aspects of God's promised future, judgment is also a present reality, which may be realized here in several respects. One is the believers' endurance, which demonstrates that they have received the grace which has already pronounced them innocent (v. 12) and aligns them with the faithful of the past (1 Thess 2:14-15). By contrast the persecutors show by their rejection of God's grace and solidarity with God's enemies of the past that they are already under judgment (1 Thess 2:16). In the larger sense, the fact that the believers find themselves persecuted in a world still under the sway of evil (cf. 2:3-12 and comments below; 1 Cor 2:8; Eph 2:2; 6:12) shows that they belong to the God who will in the future reestablish the fullness of his reign. It is also possible that Paul views their present suffering as an aspect of God's discipline of his children, which leads ultimately to their salvation (Rom 5:3-5; 1 Cor 11:32; 2 Cor 6:9). Their present identities, as demonstrated by their behavior and circumstances, will be fully revealed and ratified in the judgment to come.

and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

A second result of this situation (the sentence structure suggests that "as a result" should connect the clause to v. 4 rather than to the beginning of v. 5) is being counted worthy of God's kingdom. As union with Christ inevitably brings suffering for one's faith (1 Thess 3:3-4), it also indicates that the sufferer genuinely belongs to the kingdom which Christ rules (cf. 1 Thess 2:12 and comments above). The readers' citizenship in the kingdom of God is both a present reality and a promise of the future. Thus, they continue to suffer for it now ("you are suffering" translates a present-tense verb), but they can both endure and triumph because they already belong to the kingdom and because they look forward to the full realization of God's rule when his enemies will be defeated fully and finally (cf. 1 Thess 2:16).

It should be noted carefully that Paul speaks of being "counted worthy," clearly implying the action of God who accounts worthiness according to grace and not merit (cf. v. 12). The readers' perseverance does not earn God's approval but shows that they genuinely trust in his grace to supply it. Likewise, "of the kingdom" implies not "in order to gain the kingdom" but "on behalf of the kingdom"; it assumes membership in the kingdom in the present rather than holding it out as a prospect for the future.

1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you

God's justice is defined here in unequivocally retributive terms. Though the NIV's rendering of this verse departs considerably from the Greek sentence structure, it captures the sense well. Literally the verse could be translated, "If indeed it is just with God to pay back trouble to those troubling you"; the conditional "if" is firmly assumed to be true.

The concept of retribution has significant biblical background. The principle of lex talionis in Exod 21:23-25 establishes the principle of retribution. "An eye for an eye" was first of all a limitation on the extent of punishment, forbidding, for example, the sentence of "a life for an eye." Secondly, the principle did not allow any aggrieved person to take vengeance to this extent; rather, God himself is the one who would bring retribution (Deut 32:35), even if his judgment was mediated through human agents according to Israel's law. In Rom 12:19 Paul quotes this second passage as a reminder not to seek personal vengeance (cf. Acts 23:3). But that restriction on taking justice into one's own hands depends on the assurance that God will bring retribution. This assurance is exactly what the present text offers: "pay back" translates ajntapodivdwmi (antapodidômi), which also appears in Rom 12:19, and is underlined with the repetition of "trouble." This retributive emphasis is tied closely to the preceding discussion: "trouble" here translates thlipsis and its cognate qlivbw (thlibô), the former appearing in v. 4 with the translation "trials."

1:7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.

For the readers the future punishment of their adversaries is a comforting prospect for two reasons. First of all, it means their vindication, as implied in the previous verse. They can be encouraged, not because they will delight in the pain which their opponents will experience but because their punishment will mean the believers' vindication - it will demonstrate that they were indeed God's people and their enemies were his enemies. Second is the assurance of this verse, that their suffering will end with Christ's return as judge. As those who are troubled (thlibô as in v. 6), the readers will receive "relief," a[nesi" ( anesis ), signifying a cessation of their suffering (cf. 2 Cor 8:13).

Though for readability the NIV supplies another verb, "give," here, "relief" is in fact also the object of "pay back" in v. 6. This relief is, in other words, the just retribution which the faithful receive for their endurance of tribulation (cf. Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:7-18). Briefly reminding the readers that they are not alone in their suffering for the kingdom, Paul inserts "and to us as well," literally "with us." The Thessalonians had, of course, firsthand familiarity with Paul's sufferings (1 Thess 1:6; 2:2, 16; Acts 17:5-9). As persecution is by nature the experience of all Christians (1 Thess 3:3-4; 2 Tim 3:12), both the apostle and his converts can expect it. But without the assurance that God will bring an end to it with the punishment of the persecutors, the reality of his justice and his commitment to his people could not be maintained.

This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

The description of Christ's return here, in contrast to the one in 1 Thess 4:16-17, provides details that emphasize his power as victor and judge. His revelation (ajpokavluyi" [ apokalypsis ], rendered as a verb, "is revealed," in the NIV) will mean the full disclosure of his divine authority, which has remained hidden to the world (cf. 1 Cor 2:7-8; 2 Cor 4:3-4). So his revelation will be "from heaven," not so much stressing the angle in the sky from which he will make his appearance as the fact that he has since his ascension been at the supreme place of authority. Elsewhere angels are pictured as accompanying Christ in his return (Matt 24:31; 25:31) and more generally as agents of the final judgment (Matt 13:39; Mark 8:38; 13:37; Luke 12:8; often in Revelation). Here they are "powerful" angels, literally "angels of power," agents of the Lord's own power which will be exercised in final judgment.

"Blazing fire" could be connected either to the Lord's return in v. 7 or his judgment in v. 8 (in the Greek text the corresponding phrase occurs after "angels of power"). The NIV has taken it with v. 7, which has the virtue of understanding the three prepositional phrases as parallel descriptions of the Lord's revelation. Paul's phrase is literally "a fire of flame," another example of a redundant expression used for emphasis.

Fire has a rich background on which Paul draws. In the Old Testament it is closely associated with the visible manifestation of the Lord (Gen 15:17; Exod 3:2-3; 19:18; Judg 6:21; 13:20; Num 14:14; Isa 4:5; Ezek 1:27) and with his judgment (Gen 19:24; Exod 9:24; Lev 10:2; Num 11:1; 16:35; 2 Kgs 1:10; Isa 66:15-16; Ezek 38:22; 39:6; Joel 2:30; Amos 1:4, 7; Mal 4:1). In intertestamental apocalyptic literature it is associated with the heavenly world ( 1 Enoch 14:9-22) and the final judgment ( 1 Enoch 102:1; 2 Apoc. Bar. 37:1; 48:39; 2 Esdr 13:10-11; Jub. 9:15; 3:10; 1QS 2:8; 4:13; 1QH 17:13). The same associations are found in the New Testament (Matt 3:10; 7:19; Luke 3:9; 9:45; John 15:6; Rev 1:15; 4:5; 2:18; 10:1; 11:5; 19:12). So as Paul addresses these Christians under persecution, the combination of images here would evoke a powerful response of confidence and eager anticipation.

1:8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

The judgment to be received by the persecutors is one which they share with all of God's opponents. The basis for that judgment is not just the trouble which they have caused for the Christians. The full measure of their crime must be taken by the standard of God's revelation. Not knowing God is in the language of the Old Testament especially characteristic of the Gentiles (Ps 79:6). For Paul this ignorance is not merely a result of circumstances for which one is not responsible. Because God's "eternal power and divine nature," though invisible, have been revealed in creation, all people, including Gentiles who do not have the Scriptures, are culpable for their willful rejection of knowledge of God (Rom 1:18-23, esp. v. 20; cf. Acts 14:15-17; 17:22-28; 1 Thess 4:5).

But Paul is specifically focused here on those who persecute Christians, so these can be characterized by their rejection of the distinctive Christian message, the gospel of Jesus. This turn of phrase is ironic: "gospel" signifies "good news," so to reject such a message is especially reprehensible. While it has been argued that these two phrases describe Gentiles and Jews respectively, Paul can easily say that Jews like Gentiles have rejected the knowledge of God which they have received (Rom 2:1-29; cf. Isa 1:3) or that Gentiles like Jews have disobeyed (Rom 11:30-32). Both descriptions, therefore, apply comprehensively to all of those who oppose God and his people in Christ. It is also worth noting that here Paul assumes that the gospel is a message to be not only believed but also obeyed (cf. Rom 1:5). These whom the Lord will punish are those who disobey continually; the participle translated "who . . . do not obey" is in the present tense.

Thus, the punishment due these people is not the egotistic retaliation of a jilted deity but the measured and just retribution for their crime as it is fully understood. "Punish" translates a participial phrase, divdonte" ejkdivkhsin (didontes ekdikçsin), literally "giving vengeance," the noun again the one found in Deut 32:35 (cf. Rom 12:19). Seen as the deliberate rejection of the Creator and violent opposition to his salvation (cf. 1 Thess 2:15-16), their sin demands the punishment which Paul will now describe.

1:9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power

Again Paul's language is retributive: "they will be punished" is literally "they will pay the punishment." Eternal destruction is the fitting penalty for those who have treated the eternal God with the contempt described in v. 8. Though the phrase translated "everlasting destruction," o[leqron aijwvnion (olethron aiônion; cf. 1 Thess 5:3), could refer to annihilation - the ceasing to exist for eternity, Paul amplifies the sense of this phrase with what follows, a close parallel to Isa 2:10, 19, 21. The relationship between the destruction and the exclusion is even clearer when it is noted that "shut out" has been inserted by the NIV. Literally the text reads "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his strength."

Thus, Paul apparently understands the "destruction" to refer not to an end to conscious existence, terrible as that would be, but as the eternal exclusion from God's presence. This is certainly fitting punishment for the crime of having rejected knowledge of God and his good news of salvation. "Destruction" would thus signify "ruin," the utter failure to realize the purpose of one's existence, namely the eternal fellowship with God that Paul here describes (cf. 1 Thess 4:17; Rom 8:17-18, 30; 2 Cor 4:17; Phil 3:21). The reference to God's power here further underlines his ability to carry out his sentence and his enemies' inability to escape it.

The "Lord" here is the Lord Jesus, as the next verse shows. Marshall notes that with the use of Isaiah's language for Yahweh here (Isa 2:10, 19, 21), Paul applies to Jesus scriptural language for God. Other clear allusions to Christ's deity appear later in the chapter (v. 12).

1:10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.

The contrast between the response of the persecutors with their destiny and the response of the believers with theirs is sharply drawn here. Again Paul's language is probably based on the Old Testament, since it shows a striking similarity to the LXX of Ps 88:6 (89:7) and 67:36 (68:35). Those who have rejected God will be excluded from his glory (dovxa, doxa , v. 9); those who have believed will glorify (ejndoxavzw, endoxazô), that is, they will acknowledge and extol God's glory. His "holy" people are literally "holy ones," which could refer, as in 1 Thess 3:13, to angels (see comments above). However, as in that text, Paul more likely uses the term to refer to Christians as those who belong to God.

This sense contrasts well with the preceding discussion of those who are excluded from God's presence and parallels the next one, "all those who have believed." This phrase again contrasts with the description in v. 8. With "all" it emphasizes that Christ's coming will have its effect on more than just the first readers of this letter; they belong to a great fellowship of God's people. "Marvel" translates qaumavzw (thaumazô), a word often used for the reverence of those who witness a manifestation of God or his work (e.g., Matt 8:27; 9:33; 15:31; 21:10; Mark 5:20; Luke 8:25; 11:14; Rev. 13:3). With both verbs Paul uses the preposition ejn ( en ), translated first as "in" and then as "among." Among the prepositions which Paul could have used, this one suggests the presence of Christ among or in the midst of the people who praise him.

"On the day" refers to "the day of the Lord" (cf. 1 Thess 5:2 and comments above). The possibility that this day was past is the issue that troubles the Thessalonians (cf. 2:2). Paul's use of the phrase here is redundant: the Greek sentence reads, "when he comes . . . in that day." But the redundancy points to the teaching which Paul will spell out in 2:1-12, namely that "the day of the Lord" (2:2) cannot have arrived unless the vindication of his people and defeat of his enemies is complete.

This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

This sentence is an expansion of a much shorter remark which Paul has somewhat awkwardly inserted into the sentence, perhaps as a result of dictating it orally. Literally the text simply reads, "Because our testimony to you was believed." However, the awkwardness makes Paul's emphasis clearer. By repeating "believed," he has explicitly identified the readers with those who will marvel at the Lord. The implication, made explicit by the NIV's expanded translation, is that the Thessalonians can look forward to participating in the great worship celebration that will issue from the Lord's return. Just as their persecutors actually belong to a much larger group under judgment (vv. 6, 9), so they belong to a great host who will receive blessing. For a small group of persecuted believers, the expectation of belonging to a vast, eternal gathering of God's people would give strong encouragement.

C. THE CONTENT OF PAUL'S PRAYER (1:11-12)

¹¹ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. ¹² We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ^a

^a 12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ

The sentence begun in v. 3 continues here, but the content has distinctly shifted from a statement of thanksgiving to a description of Paul's prayers for the readers' future. The prayer focuses generally on the their ongoing steadfastness in light of the larger purpose of God which Paul has just discussed. The prayer, in other words, is that the readers would remain faithful during the present persecution, knowing that God will be faithful to fulfill his purpose to bring them safely to full fellowship with him (cf. 1 Thess 5:23).

1:11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count your worthy of his calling,

As elsewhere, Paul stresses that his prayers for the church are constant: the verb is in the Greek present tense and modified by pavntote ( pantote , "constantly"), which reinforces the continuing aspect of the tense. These prayers are based on the believer's confidence in God's final deliverance and judgment at Christ's return (see above); therefore, they have as their object the fulfillment of God's saving objective. His call was extended to them for their salvation (1 Thess 2:12), which will be theirs not by being "worthy" but being counted "worthy" through God's grace (v. 12 below).

and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

But God's grace compels a fitting response. The recipients of the call must maintain the faith by which they first received the call, putting that faith into action (cf. Eph 2:10; 4:1) despite the opposition which they presently experience. To do otherwise is to number oneself with those described in vv. 6, 8. But this is accomplished ultimately not by the believer's own efforts. The "act prompted by your faith" is certainly the believers act, but Paul calls on God to "fulfill" it. Likewise "by his power" translates a Greek phrase placed at the end of the clause, a point of emphasis putting further stress on God's work in the lives of the suffering faithful. "Every good purpose of yours" is an ambiguous phrase: it could refer either to God's good purpose of salvation for the believers or their purpose to do good. If it connects more closely with the calling, God's purpose is emphasized (cf. Eph 1:5, 9: Phil 2:13); if it is taken as a parallel to "act prompted by your faith," the believers' purpose is intended (Rom 10:1; Phil 1:15). The link to the following phrase is a close one and so more likely determines the sense.

1:12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul has already stated that the Lord's glory among his people will be the outcome of his return (v. 10). Now he reiterates that point, but without specifying whether the glorification is present or future. No doubt Paul understands it as both. As Christ will be glorified among his saints at his return, so now he is glorified by them - and they by him - as, united with him, they live out their calling faithfully by his power.

To glorify the "name" is a common way in the Old Testament of expressing the exaltation of God; Paul's application of it to Jesus is consistent with his belief in Jesus' deity. But potentially clearer in this regard is the last phrase of this verse. "Our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" represents a Greek phrase in which one definite article governs two nouns, which is normally used to indicate that the two nouns constitute a single unit in some respect. Though it is possible that Paul simply followed his habits in including the article in the phrase "the grace of [the] God" and omitting it with "Lord Jesus Christ," the possibility that the structure is deliberate cannot be dismissed. This unity could be in the giving of grace rather than in absolute identity, but even then Paul could hardly name Jesus as the source of grace with God if he did not conceive of Jesus as divine.The NIV's footnote reflects the stronger interpretation of this structure.

Paul again focuses on grace as the principle undergirding the entire relationship between the Lord and his people. The readers' faithful putting into practice of their calling and the consequent glorification of Jesus is finally a working out of his grace. By the demonstration of his grace in the lives of those who have received it, the Lord's true majesty is made clear.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

McGarvey: 2Th 1:2

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ . [For a similar salutation, see 1Th 1:1]

McGarvey: 2Th 1:3

We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet [just], for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth [Paul acknowledged himself obliged to give thanks because his prayer at 1Th 3:12-13 had been answered by the Thessalonians doing the things which he prayed they might do. Thus he very forcefully recognizes the good in his converts that he may be listened to with patience when he begins to correct their faults];

McGarvey: 2Th 1:4

so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure [The faith and love of the Thessalonians were such that, spontaneously, of their own accord, Paul and his companions delighted to tell of it to the churches at Corinth, Cenchreæ and in other parts of Achaia. Though the persecutions which arose while Paul was in Thessalonica were still continuing, yet they neither exhausted the patience of the Christians so as to drive them to forsake God, nor their faith so as to lead them to mistrust God. We should observe that the churches are commonly called, by Paul, as here, churches of God, though sometimes churches of Christ];

McGarvey: 2Th 1:5

which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer :

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

Second Thessalonians

From Corinth a.d. 50 Or 51

By Way of Introduction

It is plain that First Thessalonians did not settle all the difficulties in Thessalonica. With some there was precisely the opposite result. There was some opposition to Paul’s authority and even defiance. So Paul repeats his " command" for discipline (2Th_3:6) as he had done when with them (2Th_3:10). He makes this Epistle a test of obedience (2Th_3:14) and finds it necessary to warn the Thessalonians against the zeal of some deceivers who even invent epistles in Paul’s name to carry their point in the church (2Th_2:1.), an early instance of pseudepigraphic " Pauline" epistles, but not for a " pious" purpose. Paul’s keen resentment against the practise should make us slow to accept the pseudepigraphic theory about other Pauline Epistles. He calls attention to his own signature at the close of each genuine letter. As a rule he dictated the epistle, but signed it with his own hand (2Th_3:17). Paul writes to calm excitement (Ellicott) and to make it plain that he had not said that the Second Coming was to be right away.

This Epistle is a bit sharper in tone than the First and also briefer. It has been suggested that there were two churches in Thessalonica, a Gentile Church to which First Thessalonians was sent, and a Jewish Church to which Second Thessalonians was addressed. There is no real evidence for such a gratuitous hypothesis. It assumes a difficulty about his sending a second letter to the same church that does not exist. The bearer of the first letter brought back news that made a second necessary. It was probably sent within the same year as the first.

JFB: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

Its GENUINENESS is attested by POLYCARP [Epistle to the Philippians, 11], who alludes to 2Th 3:15. JUSTIN MARTYR [Dialogue with Trypho, p. 193.32], alludes to 2Th 2:3. IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 7.2] quotes 2Th 2:8. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA [Miscellanies, 1.5, p. 554; The Instructor, 1.17], quotes 2Th 3:2, as Paul's words. TERTULLIAN [On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 24] quotes 2Th 2:1-2, as part of Paul's Epistle.

DESIGN.--The accounts from Thessalonica, after the sending of the first Epistle, represented the faith and love of the Christians there as on the increase; and their constancy amidst persecutions unshaken. One error of doctrine, however, resulting in practical evil, had sprung up among them. The apostle's description of Christ's sudden second coming (1Th 4:13, &c., and 1Th 5:2), and the possibility of its being at any time, led them to believe it was actually at hand. Some professed to know by "the Spirit" (2Th 2:2) that it was so; and others alleged that Paul had said so when with them. A letter, too, purporting to be from the apostle to that effect, seems to have been circulated among them. (That 2Th 2:2 refers to such a spurious letter, rather than to Paul's first Epistle, appears likely from the statement, 2Th 3:17, as to his autograph salutation being the mark whereby his genuine letters might be known). Hence some neglected their daily business and threw themselves on the charity of others, as if their sole duty was to wait for the coming of the Lord. This error, therefore, needed rectifying, and forms a leading topic of the second Epistle. He in it tells them (2Th. 2:1-17), that before the Lord shall come, there must first be a great apostasy, and the Man of Sin must be revealed; and that the Lord's sudden coming is no ground for neglecting daily business; that to do so would only bring scandal on the Church, and was contrary to his own practice among them (2Th 3:7-9), and that the faithful must withdraw themselves from such disorderly professors (2Th 3:6, 2Th 3:10-15). Thus, there are three divisions of the Epistle: (1) 2Th 1:1-12. Commendations of the Thessalonians' faith, love, and patience, amidst persecutions. (2) 2Th. 2:1-17. The error as to the immediate coming of Christ corrected, and the previous rise and downfall of the Man of Sin foretold. (3) 2Th. 3:1-16. Exhortations to orderly conduct in their whole walk, with prayers for them to the God of peace, followed by his autograph salutation and benediction.

DATE OF WRITING.--AS the Epistle is written in the joint names of Timothy and Silas, as well as his own, and as these were with him while at Corinth, and not with him for a long time subsequently to his having left that city (compare Act 18:18, with Act 19:22; indeed, as to Silas, it is doubtful whether he was ever subsequently with Paul), it follows, the place of writing must have been Corinth, and the date, during the one "year and six months" of his stay there, Act 18:11 (namely, beginning with the autumn of A.D. 52, and ending with the spring of A.D. 54), say about six months after his first Epistle, early in A.D. 53.

STYLE.--The style is not different from that of most of Paul's other writings, except in the prophetic portion of it (2Th 2:1-12), which is distinguished from them in subject matter. As is usual in his more solemn passages (for instance, in the denunciatory and prophetic portions of his Epistles, for example, compare Col 2:8, Col 2:16, with 2Th 2:3; 1Co 15:24-28, with 2Th 2:8-9; Rom 1:18, with 2Th 2:8, 2Th 2:10), his diction here is more lofty, abrupt, and elliptical. As the former Epistle dwells mostly on the second Advent in its aspect of glory to the sleeping and the living saints (1Th. 4:1-5:28), so this Epistle dwells mostly on it in its aspect of everlasting destruction to the wicked and him who shall be the final consummation of wickedness, the Man of Sin. So far was Paul from laboring under an erroneous impression as to Christ's speedy coming, when he wrote his first Epistle (which rationalists impute to him), that he had distinctly told them, when he was with them, the same truths as to the apostasy being about first to arise, which he now insists upon in this second Epistle (2Th 2:5). Several points of coincidence occur between the two Epistles, confirming the genuineness of the latter. Thus, compare 2Th 3:2, with 1Th 2:15-16; again, 2Th 2:9, the Man of Sin "coming after the working of Satan," with 1Th 2:18; 1Th 3:5, where Satan's incipient work as the hinderer of the Gospel, and the tempter, appears; again, mild warning is enjoined, 1Th 5:14; but, in this second Epistle, when the evil had grown worse, stricter discipline (2Th 3:6, 2Th 3:14): "withdraw from" the "company" of such.

Paul probably visited Thessalonica on his way to Asia subsequently (Act 20:4), and took with him thence Aristarchus and Secundus: the former became his "companion in travel" and shared with him his perils at Ephesus, also those of his shipwreck, and was his "fellow prisoner" at Rome (Act 27:2; Col 4:10; Phm 1:24). According to tradition he became bishop of Apamea.

JFB: 2 Thessalonians (Outline)

• ADDRESS AND SALUTATION: INTRODUCTION: THANKSGIVING FOR THEIR GROWTH IN FAITH AND LOVE, AND FOR THEIR PATIENCE IN PERSECUTIONS, WHICH ARE A TOKEN FOR GOOD EVERLASTING TO THEM, AND FOR PERDITION TO THEIR ADVERSARIES AT CHRIST'S COMING: PRAYER FOR THEIR PERFECTION. (2Th 1:1-12)
• CORRECTION OF THEIR ERROR AS TO CHRIST'S IMMEDIATE COMING. THE APOSTASY THAT MUST PRECEDE IT. EXHORTATION TO STEADFASTNESS, INTRODUCED WITH THANKSGIVING FOR THEIR ELECTION BY GOD. (2Th. 2:1-17)
• HE ASKS THEIR PRAYERS: HIS CONFIDENCE IN THEM: PRAYER FOR THEM: CHARGES AGAINST DISORDERLY IDLE CONDUCT; HIS OWN EXAMPLE: CONCLUDING PRAYER AND SALUTATION. (2Th. 3:1-18)

TSK: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, it is generally agreed, was the earliest written of all St. Paul’s epistles, whence we see the reason and propriety of his anxiety that it should be read in all the Christian churches of Macedonia. - " I charge you by the Lord, that this Epistle be read unto all the holy brethren" (1Th 5:27). " The existence of this clause," observes Dr. Paley, " is an evidence of its authenticity; because, to produce a letter, purporting to have been publicly read in the church at Thessalonica, when no such letter had been read or heard of in that church, would be to produce an imposture destructive of itself. Either the Epistle was publicly read in the church of Thessalonica, during St. Paul’s lifetime, or it was not. If it was, no publication could be more authentic, no species of notoriety more unquestionable, no method of preserving the integrity of the copy more secure. If it was not, the clause would remain a standing condemnation of the forgery, and one would suppose, an invincible impediment to its success." Its genuineness, however, has never been disputed; and it has been universally received in the Christian church, as the inspired production of St. Paul, from the earliest period to the present day. The circumstance of this injunction being given, in the first epistle which the Apostle wrote, also implies a strong and avowed claim to the character of an inspired writer; as in fact it placed his writings on the same ground with those of Moses and the ancient prophets. The second Epistle, besides those marks of genuineness and authority which it possesses in common with the others, bears the highest evidence of its divine inspiration, in the representation which it contains of the papal power, under the characters of " the Man of sin," and the " Mystery of iniquity." The true Christian worship is the worship of the one only God, through the one only Mediator, the man Christ Jesus; and from this worship the church of Rome has most notoriously departed, by substituting other mediators, invocating and adoring saints and angels, worshipping images, adoring the host, etc. It follows, therefore, that " the Man of sin" is the Pope; not only on account of the disgraceful lives of many of them, but by means of their scandalous doctrines and principles; dispensing with the most necessary duties, selling pardons and indulgences for the most abominable crimes, and perverting the worship of God to the grossest superstition and idolatry. It was evidently the chief design of the Apostle, in writing to the Thessalonians, to confirm them in the faith, to animate them to a courageous profession of the Gospel, and to the practice of all the duties of Christianity; but to suppose, with Dr. Macknight, that he intended to prove the divine authority of Christianity by a chain of regular arguments, in which he answered the several objections which the heathen philosophers are supposed to have advanced, seems quite foreign to the nature of the epistles, and to be grounded on a mistaken notion, that the philosophers designed at so early a period to enter on a regular disputation with the Christians, when in fact they derided them as enthusiasts, and branded their doctrines as " foolishness." In pursuance of his grand object, " it is remarkable," says Dr. Doddridge, " with how much address he improves all the influence which his zeal and fidelity in their service must naturally give him, to inculcate upon them the precepts of the gospel, and persuade them to act agreeably to their sacred character. This was the grand point he always kept in view, and to which every thing else was made subservient. Nothing appears, in any part of his writings, like a design to establish his own reputation, or to make use of his ascendancy over his Christian friends to answer any secular purposes of his own. On the contrary, in this and in his other epistles, he discovers a most generous, disinterested regard for their welfare, expressly disclaiming any authority over their consciences, and appealing to them, that he had chose to maintain himself by the labour of this own hands, rather than prove burdensome to the churches, or give the least colour of suspicion, that, under zeal for the gospel, and concern for their improvement, he was carrying on any private sinister view. The discovery of so excellent a temper must be allowed to carry with it a strong presumptive argument in favour of the doctrines he taught....And, indeed, whoever reads St. Paul’s epistles with attention, and enters into the spirit with which they were written, will discern such intrinsic characters of their genuineness, and the divine authority of the doctrines they contain, as will, perhaps, produce in him a stronger conviction than all the external evidence with which they are attended." These remarks are exceedingly well grounded and highly important; and to no other Epistles can they apply with greater force than the present most excellent productions of the inspired Apostle. The last two chapters of the first epistle, in particular, as Dr. A. Clarke justly observes, " are certainly among the most important, and the most sublime in the New Testament. The general judgment, the resurrection of the body, and the states of the quick and the dead, the unrighteous and the just, are described, concisely indeed, but they are exhibited in the most striking and affecting points of view."

TSK: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Th 1:1, Paul certifies them of the good opinion which he had of their faith, love, and patience; 2Th 1:11, and therewithal uses divers reasons for the comforting of them in persecution, whereof the chief is taken from the righteous judgment of God.

Poole: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

ARGUMENT

(deutera . This is well called the Second or latter Epistle to these Thessalonians, for so it is; though Grotius would have it the first, if not sent, yet first written.)

The apostle being yet hindered from coming to them, and understanding some mistake of what he wrote in his former Epistle about the coming of Christ, he thereupon sends this Second Epistle; where, after his usual salutation, he gives thanks for them, and hearing of the continuance of their faith and patience under all their persecutions, he glories in them; and then comforts them by arguments taken from the righteous judgment of God, and the different manner and effect of Christ’ s coming, both to themselves and all the saints that believe, and to their adversaries, and all that knew not God, nor obeyed the gospel; and then prays for the perfecting of their faith to the glorifying the name of Christ, 2Th 1:1-12 . But hearing they were shaken in their minds about the time of Christ’ s coming, as if it should be presently, in the age wherein they lived, he doth vehemently caution them against such a mistake: and tells them of a great apostacy, and the revelation of the man of sin, which innst precede that day, which he doth particularly describe in the manner and effects thereof: but speaks of these Thessalonians with thanksgiving to God, as such as God had chosen, and called to obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus; and then prays for their comfort and establishment, 2Th 2:1-17 . He next proceeds to desire their prayers, both with respect to the success of the ministry, and the safety of the persons who were employed therein; and declares his confidence in them that God would establish them, and that they would obey the commandments they had received from them: and gives them some further commandments about such in the church as did walk disorderly; and so concludes his Epistle with prayers for their peace, and recommending them to the grace of Jesus Christ, 2Th 3:1-18 .

Chapter Summary

2Th 1:1,2 The salutation.

2Th 1:3-5 Paul certifieth the Thessalonians of the good

opinion which, he had of their faith, love, and patience.

2Th 1:6-10 Of the righteous judgment of God in punishing their

enemies, and recompensing their sufferings,

2Th 1:11,12 and of his prayers that God would fulfil his

gracious purpose in them.

Ver. 1,2. These two verses are the same as in the former Epistle, and therefore I proceed.

MHCC: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written soon after the first. The apostle was told that, from some expressions in his first letter, many expected the second coming of Christ was at hand, and that the day of judgment would arrive in their time. Some of these neglected their worldly duties. St. Paul wrote again to correct their error, which hindered the spread of the gospel. He had written agreeably to the words of the prophets of the Old Testament; and he tells them there were many counsels of the Most High yet to be fulfilled, before that day of the Lord should come, though, because it is sure, he had spoken of it as near. The subject led to a remarkable foretelling, of some of the future events which were to take place in the after-ages of the Christian church, and which show the prophetic spirit the apostle possessed.

MHCC: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

(2Th 1:1-4) The apostle blesses God for the growing state of the love and patience of the Thessalonians.

(2Th 1:5-12) And encourages them to persevere under all their sufferings for Christ, considering his coming at the great day of account.

Matthew Henry: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians

This Second Epistle was written soon after the former, and seems to have been designed to prevent a mistake, which might arise from some passages in the former epistle, concerning the second coming of Christ, as if it were near at hand. The apostle in this epistle is careful to prevent any wrong use which some among them might make of those expressions of his that were agreeable to the dialect of the prophets of the Old Testament, and informs them that there were many intermediate counsels yet to be fulfilled before that day of the Lord should come, though, because it is sure, he had spoken of it as near. There are other things that he writes about for their consolation under sufferings, and exhortation and direction in duty.

Matthew Henry: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

After the introduction (2Th 1:1, 2Th 1:2) the apostle begins this epistle with an account of his high esteem for these Thessalonians (2Th 1:3, 2Th 1:4). He then comforts them under their afflictions and persecutions (2Th 1:5-10) and tells them what his prayers were to God for them (2Th 1:11, 2Th 1:12).

Barclay: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL

The Letters Of Paul

There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letters of Paul. That is because of all forms of literature a letter is most personal. Demetrius, one of the old Greek literary critics, once wrote, "Every one reveals his own soul in his letters. In every other form of composition it is possible to discern the writercharacter, but in none so clearly as the epistolary." (Demetrius, On Style, 227). It is just because he left us so many letters that we feel we know Paul so well. In them he opened his mind and heart to the folk he loved so much; and in them, to this day, we can see that great mind grappling with the problems of the early church, and feel that great heart throbbing with love for men, even when they were misguided and mistaken.

The Difficulty Of Letters

At the same time, there is often nothing so difficult to understand as a letter. Demetrius (On Style, 223) quotes a saying of Artemon, who edited the letters of Aristotle. Artemon said that a letter ought to be written in the same manner as a dialogue, because it was one of the two sides of a dialogue. In other words, to read a letter is like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. So when we read the letters of Paul we are often in a difficulty. We do not possess the letter which he was answering; we do not fully know the circumstances with which he was dealing; it is only from the letter itself that we can deduce the situation which prompted it. Before we can hope to understand fully any letter Paul wrote, we must try to reconstruct the situation which produced it.

The Ancient Letters

It is a great pity that Paulletters were ever called epistles. They are in the most literal sense letters. One of the great lights shed on the interpretation of the New Testament has been the discovery and the publication of the papyri. In the ancient world, papyrus was the substance on which most documents were written. It was composed of strips of the pith of a certain bulrush that grew on the banks of the Nile. These strips were laid one on top of the other to form a substance very like brown paper. The sands of the Egyptian desert were ideal for preservation, for papyrus, although very brittle, will last forever so long as moisture does not get at it. As a result, from the Egyptian rubbish heaps, archaeologists have rescued hundreds of documents, marriage contracts, legal agreements, government forms, and, most interesting of all, private letters. When we read these private letters we find that there was a pattern to which nearly all conformed; and we find that Paulletters reproduce exactly that pattern. Here is one of these ancient letters. It is from a soldier, called Apion, to his father Epimachus. He is writing from Misenum to tell his father that he has arrived safely after a stormy passage.

"Apion sends heartiest greetings to his father and lord Epimachus.

I pray above all that you are well and fit; and that things are

going well with you and my sister and her daughter and my brother.

I thank my Lord Serapis [his god] that he kept me safe when I was

in peril on the sea. As soon as I got to Misenum I got my journey

money from Caesar--three gold pieces. And things are going fine

with me. So I beg you, my dear father, send me a line, first to let

me know how you are, and then about my brothers, and thirdly, that

I may kiss your hand, because you brought me up well, and because

of that I hope, God willing, soon to be promoted. Give Capito my

heartiest greetings, and my brothers and Serenilla and my friends.

I sent you a little picture of myself painted by Euctemon. My

military name is Antonius Maximus. I pray for your good health.

Serenus sends good wishes, Agathos Daimonboy, and Turbo,

Galloniuson." (G. Milligan, Selections from the Greek Papyri,

36.)

Little did Apion think that we would be reading his letter to his father 1800 years after he had written it. It shows how little human nature changes. The lad is hoping for promotion quickly. Who would Serenilla be but the girl he left behind him? He sends the ancient equivalent of a photograph to the folk at home. Now that letter falls into certain sections. (i) There is a greeting. (ii) There is a prayer for the health of the recipients. (iii) There is a thanksgiving to the gods. (iv) There are the special contents. (v) Finally, there are the special salutations and the personal greetings. Practically every one of Paulletters shows exactly the same sections, as we now demonstrate.

(i) The Greeting: Rom_1:1 ; 1Co_1:1 ; 2Co_1:1 ; Gal_1:1 ; Eph_1:1 ; Phi_1:1 ; Col_1:1-2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:1 .

(ii) The Prayer: in every case Paul prays for the grace of God on the people to whom he writes: Rom_1:7 ; 1Co_1:3 ; 2Co_1:2 ; Gal_1:3 ; Eph_1:2 ; Phi_1:3 ; Col_1:2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:2 .

(iii) The Thanksgiving: Rom_1:8 ; 1Co_1:4 ; 2Co_1:3 ; Eph_1:3 ; Phi_1:3 ; 1Th_1:3 ; 2Th_1:3 .

(iv) The Special Contents: the main body of the letters.

(v) Special Salutations and Personal Greetings: Rom 16 ; 1Co_16:19 ; 2Co_13:13 ; Phi_4:21-22 ; Col_4:12-15 ; 1Th_5:26 .

When Paul wrote letters, he wrote them on the pattern which everyone used. Deissmann says of them, "They differ from the messages of the homely papyrus leaves of Egypt, not as letters but only as the letters of Paul." When we read Paulletters we are not reading things which were meant to be academic exercises and theological treatises, but human documents written by a friend to his friends.

The Immediate Situation

With a very few exceptions, all Paulletters were written to meet an immediate situation and not treatises which he sat down to write in the peace and silence of his study. There was some threatening situation in Corinth, or Galatia, or Philippi, or Thessalonica, and he wrote a letter to meet it. He was not in the least thinking of us when he wrote, but solely of the people to whom he was writing. Deissmann writes, "Paul had no thought of adding a few fresh compositions to the already extant Jewish epistles; still less of enriching the sacred literature of his nation.... He had no presentiment of the place his words would occupy in universal history; not so much that they would be in existence in the next generation, far less that one day people would look at them as Holy Scripture." We must always remember that a thing need not be transient because it was written to meet an immediate situation. All the great love songs of the world were written for one person, but they live on for the whole of mankind. It is just because Paulletters were written to meet a threatening danger or a clamant need that they still throb with life. And it is because human need and the human situation do not change that God speaks to us through them today.

The Spoken Word

One other thing we must note about these letters. Paul did what most people did in his day. He did not normally pen his own letters but dictated them to a secretary, and then added Ws own authenticating signature. (We actually know the name of one of the people who did the writing for him. In Rom_16:22 Tertius, the secretary, slips in his own greeting before the letter draws to an end). In 1Co_16:21 Paul says, "This is my own signature, my autograph, so that you can be sure this letter comes from me." (compare Col_4:18 ; 2Th_3:17 .)

This explains a great deal. Sometimes Paul is hard to understand, because his sentences begin and never finish; his grammar breaks down and the construction becomes involved. We must not think of him sitting quietly at a desk, carefully polishing each sentence as he writes. We must think of him striding up and down some little room, pouring out a torrent of words, while his secretary races to get them down. When Paul composed his letters, he had in his mindeye a vision of the folk to whom he was writing, and he was pouring out his heart to them in words that fell over each other in his eagerness to help.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS TO THE THESSALONIANS

Paul Comes To Macedonia

For anyone who can read between the lines the story of Paulcoming to Macedonia is one of the most dramatic in the book of Acts. Luke, with supreme economy of words, tells it in Act_16:6-10 . Short as that narrative is, it gives the impression of a chain of circumstances inescapably culminating in one supreme event. Paul had passed through Phrygia and Galatia and ahead of him lay the Hellespont. To the left lay the teeming province of Asia, to the right stretched the great province of Bithynia; but the Spirit would allow him to enter neither. There was something driving him relentlessly on to the Aegean Sea. So he came to Alexandrian Troas, still uncertain where he ought to go; and then there came to him a vision in the night of a man who cried, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." Paul set sail, and for the first time the gospel came to Europe.

One World

At that moment Paul must have seen much more than a continent for Christ. It was in Macedonia that he landed; and Macedonia was the kingdom of Alexander the Great, who had conquered the world and wept because there were no more worlds left to conquer. But Alexander was much more than a military conqueror. He was almost the first universalist. He was more a missionary than a soldier; and he dreamed of one world dominated and enlightened by the culture of Greece. Even so great a thinker as Aristotle had said that it was a plain duty to treat Greeks as free men and orientals as slaves; but Alexander declared that he had been sent by God "to unite, to pacify and to reconcile the whole world." Deliberately he had said that it was his aim "to marry the East to the West." He had dreamed of an Empire in which there was neither Greek nor Jew, barbarian or Scythian, bond or free (Col_3:11 ). It is hard to see how Alexander could have failed to be in Paulthoughts. Paul left from Alexandrian Troas which was called after Alexander; he came to Macedonia which was Alexanderoriginal kingdom; he worked at Philippi which was called after Philip, Alexanderfather; he went on to Thessalonica which was called after Alexanderhalf-sister. The whole territory was saturated with memories of Alexander; and Paul must surely have thought, not of a country nor of a continent, but of a world for Christ.

Paul Comes To Thessalonica

This sense of the wide-stretching arms of Christianity must have been accentuated when Paul came to Thessalonica. It was a great city. Its original name was Thermal, which means The Hot Springs, and it gave its name to the Thermaic Gulf on which it stood. Six hundred years ago Herodotus had described it as a great city. It has always been a famous harbour. It was there that Xerxes the Persian had his naval base when he invaded Europe; and even in Roman times it was one of the worldgreat dockyards. In 315 B.C. Cassander had rebuilt the city and renamed it Thessalonica, the name of his wife, who was a daughter of Philip of Macedon and a half-sister of Alexander the Great. It was a free city; that is to say it had never suffered the indignity of having Roman troops quartered within it. It had its own popular assembly and its own magistrates. Its population rose to 200,000 and for a time it was a question whether it or Constantinople would be recognized as the capital of the world. Even today, under the name Salonika, it has 70,000 inhabitants.

But the supreme importance of Thessalonica lay in this--it straddled the Via Egnatia, the Egnatian Road, which stretched from Dyrrachium on the Adriatic to Constantinople on the Bosphorus and thence away to Asia Minor and the East. Its main street was part of the very road which linked Rome with the East. East and West converged on Thessalonica; it was said to be "in the lap of the Roman Empire." Trade poured into her from East and West, so that it was said, "So long as nature does not change, Thessalonica will remain wealthy and prosperous."

It is impossible to overstress the importance of the arrival of Christianity in Thessalonica. If Christianity was settled there, it was bound to spread East along the Egnatian Road until all Asia was conquered and West until it stormed even the city of Rome. The coming of Christianity to Thessalonica was crucial in the making of it into a world religion.

PaulStay At Thessalonica

The story of Paulstay at Thessalonica is in Act_17:1-10 . Now, for Paul, what happened at Thessalonica was of supreme importance. He preached in the synagogue for three Sabbaths (Act_17:2 ) which means that his stay there could not have been much more than three weeks in length. He had such tremendous success that the Jews were enraged and raised so much trouble that Paul had to be smuggled out, in peril of his life, to Beroea. The same thing happened in Beroea (Act_17:10-12 ) and Paul had to leave Timothy and Silas behind and make his escape to Athens. What exercised his mind was this. He had been in Thessalonica only three weeks. Was it possible to make such an impression on a place in three weeksime that Christianity was planted so deeply that it could never again be uprooted? If so, it was by no means an idle dream that the Roman Empire might yet be won for Christ. Or was it necessary to settle down and work for months, even years, before an impression could be made? In that event, no man could even dimly foresee when Christianity would penetrate all over the world. Thessalonica was a test case; and Paul was torn with anxiety to know how it would turn out.

News From Thessalonica

So anxious was Paul that, when Timothy joined him at Athens, he sent him back to Thessalonica to get the information without which he could not rest (1Th_3:1-2 , 1Th_3:5 ; 1Th_2:17 ). What news did Timothy bring back? There was good news. The affection of the Thessalonians for Paul was as strong as ever; and they were standing fast in the faith (1Th_2:14 ; 1Th_3:4-6 ; 1Th_4:9-10 ). They were indeed "his glory and Ws joy" (1Th_2:20 ). But there was worrying news.

(i) The preaching of the Second Coming had produced an unhealthy situation in which people had stopped working and had abandoned all ordinary pursuits to await the Second Coming with a kind of hysterical expectancy. So Paul tells them to be quiet and to get on with their work (1Th_4:11 ).

(ii) They were worried about what was to happen to those who died before the Second Coming arrived. Paul explains that those who fall asleep in Jesus will miss none of the glory (1Th_4:13-18 ).

(iii) There was a tendency to despise all lawful authority; the argumentative Greek was always in danger of producing a democracy run mad (1Th_5:12-14 ).

(iv) There was the ever-present danger that they would relapse into immorality. It was hard to unlearn the point of view of generations and to escape the contagion of the heathen world (1Th_4:3-8 ).

(v) There was at least a section who slandered Paul. They hinted that he preached the gospel for what he could get out of it (1Th_2:5 , 1Th_2:9 ); and that he was something of a dictator (1Th_2:6-7 , 1Th_2:11 ).

(vi) There was a certain amount of division in the Church (1Th_4:9 ; 1Th_5:13 ).

These were the problems with which Paul had to deal; and they show that human nature has not changed so very much.

Why Two Letters?

We must ask why there are two letters. They art, very much alike and they must have been written within weeks, perhaps days of each other. The second letter was written mainly to clear up a misconception about the Second Coming. The first letter insists that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and urges watchfulness (1Th_5:2 ; 1Th_5:6 ). But this produced the unhealthy situation where men did nothing but watch and wait; and in the second letter Paul explains what signs must come first before the Second Coming should come (2Th_2:3-12 ). The Thessalonians had got their ideas about the Second Coming out of proportion. As so often happens to a preacher, Paulpreaching had been misunderstood, and certain phrases had been taken out of context and over-emphasized; and the second letter seeks to put things back in their proper balance and to correct the thoughts of the excited Thessalonians regarding the Second Coming. Of course, Paul takes occasion in the second letter to repeat and to stress much of the good advice and rebuke he had given in the first, but its main aim is to tell them certain things which will calm their hysteria and make them wait, not in excited idleness, but in patient and diligent attendance to the daywork. In these two letters we see Paul solving the day to day problems which arose in the expanding Church.

FURTHER READINGS

Thessalonians

J. E. Frame, Thessalonians (ICC; G)

G. Milligan, St. PaulEpistles to the Thessalonians (MmC; G)

W. Neil, The Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians (MC; E)

Abbreviations

CGT: Cambridge Greek Testament

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

MmC: Macmillan Commentary

TC: Tyndale Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Lift Up Your Hearts (2Th_1:1-10)

Constable: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical background

This epistle contains evidence that Paul had recently heard news about current conditions in the Thessalonian church. Probably most of this information came to him from the person who had carried 1 Thessalonians to its recipients and had returned to Paul at Corinth. Perhaps other people who had news of the church had informed Paul, Silas, and Timothy also. Some of the news was good. The majority of the Thessalonians were continuing to grow and to remain faithful to Christ in spite of persecution. Unfortunately some of the news was bad. False teaching concerning the day of the Lord had entered the church and was causing confusion and leading some of the Christians to quit their jobs in expectation of the Lord's return.

In view of these reports Paul evidently felt constrained to write this epistle. He commended his children in the faith for their growth and faithfulness, corrected the doctrinal error about the day of the Lord, and warned the idle to get back to work.

Almost all conservative scholars believe that Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians from Corinth. The basis for this conclusion is that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were present together in Corinth (Acts 18:5). The New Testament does not refer to them being together from then on, though they may have been. Paul evidently wrote 1 Thessalonians from Corinth. The topics he treated in the second epistle seem to grow out of situations he alluded to in the first epistle. They reflect a very similar situation in the Thessalonian church. Corinth, therefore, seems the logical site of composition of 2 Thessalonians.

For these reasons it appears that Paul composed 2 Thessalonians quite soon after 1 Thessalonians, perhaps within 12 months.¹ This would place the date of composition in the early 50's A.D., perhaps 51 A.D., and would make this the third of Paul's canonical writings assuming Galatians was his first.

"The external evidence for the Pauline authorship of 2 Thessalonians is stronger than for 1 Thessalonians."²

Purpose

Three purposes are evident from the contents of the epistle. Paul wrote to encourage the Thessalonian believers to continue to persevere in the face of continuing persecution (1:3-10). He also wanted to clarify events preceding the day of the Lord to dispel false teaching (2:1-12). Finally, he instructed the church how to deal with lazy Christians in their midst (3:6-15).

Message³

We could contrast 1 and 2 Thessalonians by saying that Paul wrote the first epistle primarily to comfort the Thessalonians whereas he wrote the second epistle primarily to correct them.

Paul had said some things in his first epistle from which his readers drew a false conclusion. He had said that Christ would return and His return could be very soon (1 Thess. 4:15-18). He also said the day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night, unexpectedly (1 Thess. 5:2).

In view of what Paul had taught the Thessalonians about the day of the Lord when he was with them (2 Thess. 2:5), they wondered if that day had already begun. They wondered if they were in the Tribulation and if the second coming of Christ was imminent. Teaching from several other sources that confirmed their suspicions (2 Thess. 2:2) intensified their questions about Paul's statements regarding future events that he had written in 1 Thessalonians.

The apostle wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct these erroneous ideas. The return of Christ of which Paul had written was not His second coming but the Rapture. While the day of the Lord would arrive unexpectedly it would be unexpected only by unbelievers. Several predicted events would precede its commencement.

The central message of this epistle is the truth about the day of the Lord.

Paul made an important distinction in this epistle about future events.

In 1 Thessalonians he taught that the Lord's return could take place very soon and that the day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night. Consequently he urged his readers to wait expectantly for the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 5:2).

In 2 Thessalonians he wrote that the day of the Lord cannot begin immediately. Therefore his readers should continue their work (2 Thess. 2). These statements may seem contradictory, but they are not.

Paul distinguished these two truths in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. The distinction is between "our gathering together to Him" (v. 1) and "the day of the Lord" (v. 2). He wrote verses 1-12 to show the difference between the first event and the second period.

Paul also gave definite new revelation about the day of the Lord.

He said that presently the mystery of lawlessness is at work (2:7). Paul did not say the mystery of "sin" or "evil" but "lawlessness." He did so because lawlessness (rebellion against divine law) is the root trouble with human life individually, socially, nationally, and in every other sphere. The "mystery" of lawlessness is the new revelation he expounded here concerning the course of lawlessness in the world and history, in space and time.

Second, he revealed that in the future God will remove what is presently restraining lawlessness (2:7). The restrainer probably refers to the Holy Spirit who indwells the church. Lawlessness produces corruption, but the church is the salt of the earth, and salt prevents the spread of corruption. Lawlessness also produces darkness, but the church is the light of the world, and light dispels darkness. Lawlessness is presently working, but what keeps it from running wild is the Holy Spirit's ministry through Christian men and women.

Third, Paul announced that in the future there will also be a crisis: the man of lawlessness will be revealed (2:8). When will God withdraw the Spirit from the world? He will do so when He withdraws the church from the world. When will He withdraw the church from the world? He will do so at "our gathering together to Him" (v. 1, i.e., the Rapture). After that, the human leader of lawlessness will appear. He will be entirely godless, but he will be such a remarkable character that he will convince most people that he is divine. This is the Antichrist.

Finally, Paul taught that after this crisis Jesus Christ will return to the earth to set up His kingdom (2:8). He will come when the man of lawlessness is the prominent character on the stage of history. However when Christ comes, He will destroy this Antichrist and curtail lawlessness (cf. Ps. 2).

In view of this revelation Paul called on his readers to do two things.

First, he called on them to be courageous. He did not want them to be mentally upset (2:2) but comforted and established (2:17). A clear understanding of the course of future events and the time of the Lord's return is essential for the mental and spiritual encouragement and stability of Christians. We need this to be courageous in the face of all the lawlessness we encounter in the world. Give this to the people you serve in ministry.

Second, Paul called his readers to responsible conduct. He instructed them to go on with life, to wait but also to work. Christians must behave responsibly by providing for our own needs. The hope of Christ's imminent return at the Rapture is no excuse for irresponsibility. Paul was not just urging activity (witnessing, praying, etc.) but specifically earning a living.

The gravest danger we face in our world today is not socialism or communism or fascism but lawlessness specifically refusal to submit to God's laws. The person who lives this way is anti-Christ.

We need to recognize this danger for what it is and to combat it by being salt and light in the world. However, we should also remember that Christ will eventually be victorious. This will keep us from becoming frantic and losing our stability.

Each of us also needs to make sure lawlessness does not characterize our personal lives. We must be submissive to divine rule if we would be consistent and confident Christians.

Outline⁴

I. Salutation 1:1-2

II. Commendation for past progress 1:3-12

A. Thanksgiving for growth 1:3-4

B. Encouragement to persevere 1:5-10

C. Prayer for success 1:11-12

III. Correction of present error 2:1-12

A. The beginning of the day of the Lord 2:1-5

B. The mystery of lawlessness 2:6-12

IV. Thanksgiving and prayer 2:13-17

A. Thanksgiving for calling 2:13-15

B. Prayer for strength 2:16-17

V. Exhortations for future growth 3:1-15

A. Reciprocal prayer 3:1-5

1. Prayer for the missionaries 3:1-2

2. Prayer for the Thessalonians 3:3-5

B. Church discipline 3:6-15

1. General principles respecting disorderly conduct 3:6-10

2. Specific instructions concerning the idle 3:11-13

3. Further discipline for the unrepentant 3:14-15

VI. Conclusion 3:16-18

Constable: 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

Bibliography

Barclay, William. The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. Daily Study Bible series. 2nd ed. and reprint ed. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1963.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1965.

Best, Ernest. A Commentary on the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians. Harper's New Testament Commentaries series. New York: Harper and Row, 1972.

Bicknell, E. J. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians. Westminster Commentaries series. London: Methuen, 1932.

Bruce, F. F. 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Word Biblical Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1982.

Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Systematic Theology. 8 vols. Findlay, Oh.: Dunham Publishing Co., 1948.

Constable, Thomas L. "Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament." Paper submitted for course 686 Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary, January 1968.

_____. "2 Thessalonians." In Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, pp. 713-25. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1983.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, 1942.

Denney, James. The Epistles to the Thessalonians. The Expositors' Bible series. New York: Hodder and Stoughton, n.d.

Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, Edited by James Hastings. 1915 ed. S.v. "Thessalonians, Epistles to the," by F. S. Marsh.

Dictionary of the Bible, Edited by James Hastings. 1910 ed. S.v. "Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the," by W. Lock.

Donfield, Karl P. "The Cults of Thessalonica and the Thessalonian Correspondence." New Testament Studies 31:3 (July 1985):336-56.

Edgar, Thomas R. "An Exegesis of Rapture Passages." In Issues in Dispensationalism, pp. 203-23. Edited by Weslay R. Willis and John R. Master. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

English, E. Schuyler. Re-Thinking the Rapture. Travelers Rest, S.C.: Southern Bible, 1954.

Epp, Theodore H. "The Restrainer Removed." Good News Broadcaster, March 1975, pp. 20-22.

Fickett, Harold L. Keep On Keeping On! Bible Commentary for Laymen series. Glendale: Gospel Light Publications, Regal Books, 1977.

Frame, James Everett. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1912.

Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 4 vols. Reprint ed. Chicago: Moody Press, and New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1970.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. By C. G. Wilke. Revised by C. L. Wilibald Grimm. Translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer, 1889.

Gundry, Robert H. The Church and the Tribulation. Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, Academic Books, 1973.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. 3 vols. 2nd ed. London: Tyndale Press, 1966.

Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of I and II Thessalonians. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974.

Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Thessalonian Epistles. Chicago: Moody Press, 1971.

Hodges, Zane C. Grace in Eclipse. Dallas: Redencion Viva, 1981.

Hubbard, David A. "The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians." In Wycliffe Bible Commentary, pp. 1361-66. Edited by Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison. Chicago: Moody Press, 1962.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Edited by James Orr. 1957 ed. S.v. "Thessalonians, The Second Epistle of Paul to the," by M. N. Tod.

Ironside, Harry A. Addresses on the First and Second Epistles to Thessalonians. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, 1959.

Kitchens, Ted G. "Perimeters of Corrective Church Discipline." Bibliotheca Sacra 148:590 (April-June 1991):201-13.

Ladd, George E. The Blessed Hope. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956.

Laney, J. Carl. "The Biblical Practice of Church Discipline." Bibliotheca Sacra 143:572 (October-December 1986):353-64.

Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. 12 vols. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol. 11: Galatians-Hebrews, by Otto Schmoller, Karl Braune, C. A. Auberlen, C. J. Riggenbach, J. J. Van Oosterzee, and Carl Bernhard Moll. Translated by C. C. Starburk, M. B. Riddle, Horatio B. Hackett, John Lillie, E. A. Washburn, E. Harwood, George E. Day, and A. C. Kendrick.

Lenski, Richard C. H. The Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon. Reprint ed. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1964.

Lewis, Gordon R. "Biblical Evidence for Pretribulationism." Bibliotheca Sacra 125:499 (July-September 1968):216-26.

Lightfoot, J. B. Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul. Reprint ed. Winona Lake, In.: Alpha Publications, n.d.

Lowery, David K. "A Theology of Paul's Missionary Epistles." In A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, pp. 243-97. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Manson, Thomas W. "St. Paul in Greece: The Letters to the Thessalonians." Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 35 (1952-53):428-47.

_____. Studies in the Gospels and Epistles. Manchester: University of Manchester, 1962.

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott Pub. Ltd., 1983.

Martin, D. Michael. 1, 2 Thessalonians. The New American Commentary series. N.c.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.

McCall, Thomas S. "How Soon the Tribulation Temple?" Bibliotheca Sacra 128:512 (October-December 1971):341-51.

_____. "Problems in Rebuilding the Tribulation Temple." Bibliotheca Sacra 129:513 (January-March 1972):75-80.

McLean, John A. "Another Look at Rosenthal's Pre-Wrath Rapture.'" Bibliotheca Sacra 148:592 (October-December 1991):387-98.

McNeile, A. H. An Introduction to the Study of the New Testament. 2nd ed. revised by C. S. C. Williams. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965.

Milligan, George. St. Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians. Evangelical Masterworks series. Reprint ed. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, Co., n.d.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible. 2 vols. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1912.

Morris, Leon. The Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians. Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. London: Tyndale Press, 1966.

_____. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians. New International Commentary on the New Testament series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959.

_____. The Gospel According to John: Revised Edition. New International Commentary on the New Testament series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995.

Peterson, Robert A. "Does the Bible Teach Annihilationism?" Bibliotheca Sacra 156:621 (January-March 1999):13-27.

Powell, Charles E. "The Identity of the Restrainer' in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7." Bibliotheca Sacra 154:615 (July-September 1997):320-32.

Poythress, Vern S. "2 Thessalonians 1 Supports Amillennialism." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37:4 (December 1994):529-38.

Reese, Alexander. The Approaching Advent of Christ. London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1937; reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1975.

Rice, John R. The Coming Kingdom of Christ. Wheaton, Il.: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1945.

Robertson, Archibald Thomas. Word Pictures in the New Testament. 6 vols. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1931.

Rosenthal, Marvin. The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990.

Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. First and Second Thessalonians. Moody Colportage Library series. Chicago: Moody Press, 1959.

Showers, Renald E. Maranatha Our Lord, Come: A Definitive Study of the Rapture of the Church. Bellmawr, Pa.: Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1995.

Stanton, Gerald B. Kept from the Hour. Fourth ed. Miami Springs, Fl.: Schoettle Publishing Co., 1991.

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. S.v. "olethpos," by J. Schneider, 5 (1967):168-69.

Thiessen, Henry Clarence. Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962.

Thomas, Robert L. "1 Thessalonians." In Ephesians--Philemon. Vol. 11 of Expositor's Bible Commentary. 12 vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978.

Thornton, Larry R. "Salvation in the Tribulation in Light of God's Working unto Delusion'." Calvary Baptist Theological Journal 3:2 (Fall 1987):26-49.

Walvoord, John F. The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation. Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.

_____. The Holy Spirit. 3rd ed. Findlay, Oh.: Dunham Publishing Co., 1958.

_____. The Millennial Kingdom. Revised ed. Findlay, Oh.: Dunham Publishing Co., 1963

_____. The Thessalonian Epistles. Study Guide series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979.

_____. "Will Israel Build a Temple in Jerusalem?" Bibliotheca Sacra 125:498 (April-June 1968):99-106.

Wanamaker, Charles A. The Epistles to the Thessalonians. New International Greek Testament Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and Exeter, Eng.: Paternoster Press, 1990.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Ready. BE Books series. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1980.

Wuest, Kenneth S. Prophetic Light in the Present Darkness. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955.

Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

THE SECOND

EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE,

TO THE THESSALONIANS.

INTRODUCTION.

In this epistle St. Paul admonishes the Thessalonians to be constant in the faith of Christ, and not to be terrified by the insinuations of false teachers, telling them that the day of judgment was near at hand, as there must come many signs and wonders before it. He bids them to hold firm the traditions received from him, whether by word or by epistle; and shews them how they may be certain of his letters by the manner he writes. This epistle was written soon after the former, and also from Corinth, about A.D. 52. (Challoner; Witham) --- From the context we learn that the present is a continuation of the former epistle. He not only rectifies wrong impressions caused by his former letter, but finding that those indolent characters whom he had reprimanded were no ways corrected, he determines to reprimand them still more severely in this letter, which he tells us he writes because he has it not in his power to visit, as he could wish, the Thessalonians.

====================

Gill: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 THESSALONIANS

This second epistle was written, not from Athens, as the subscription testifies, nor from Rome, as Athanasius ^a supposes; but from Corinth, from whence was sent the former, and where the apostle and Timothy, and Silvanus met; and which was sent about half a year after the other. The design of which is to comfort and support the Thessalonians under the afflictions and persecutions they endured for the sake of the Gospel; and to rectify a mistake they had gone into, and which might be occasioned by what the apostle had said in his former epistle, concerning the second coming of Christ, as though it was just at hand; which might lead them to neglect their worldly business, and duties of civil life, and give the enemies of the Gospel an advantage against the whole of it as false, should not this prove true; as also to exhort this church to take notice of disorderly persons such as were idle, and busy bodies, and withdraw from them, and remove them from their communion, as being not only burdensome to them, but a reproach to their profession.

Gill: 2 Thessalonians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 THESSALONIANS 1

This chapter, besides the inscription and salutation, contains a thanksgiving for the flourishing condition in which the graces of the Spirit were in these saints, and consolation for them under their suffering circumstances. The inscription and salutation are in 2Th 1:1 and are as usual: the thanksgiving is in 2Th 1:3 for the growth of their faith, the abounding of their love, and their constant patience under persecutions and afflictions, insomuch that the apostle also gloried of them for these things among other churches, 2Th 1:4 and as an encouragement to them to continue patient under sufferings, he observes that this was a token of the righteous judgment of God, and that they were reckoned worthy of his kingdom for which they suffered, 2Th 1:5 and of which righteous judgment they might be assured, from the nature of God himself, whose justice required a retribution of vengeance to their persecutors, and rest to them with the apostles, 2Th 1:6 the time of which rest and ease is pointed at, as that it will be at the coming of Christ; which is described by the place from whence he comes, heaven; by his retinue, his mighty angels; by the manner in which he shall come, in flaming fire; and by the vengeance he will execute: the objects of which are also described, by their ignorance of God, and by their disobedience to the Gospel of Christ; and by the nature of the punishment inflicted on them, which will lie in an expulsion from the presence, power, and glory of God, and in an everlasting destruction of soul and body, 2Th 1:7 but as for them, the persecuted saints, and which is mentioned for their comfort, Christ shall at this day be glorified and admired in them, and by them, 2Th 1:10 wherefore the apostle prays for this perseverance of them, that the good work of faith might be performed in them, and they enjoy the glory they were called unto; and that Christ might be glorified in them, and they in him; not according to their works, but according to the grace of God through him, 2Th 1:11.

College: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION

The pressures of persecution, apparent in 1 Thessalonians, have intensified in this letter. In its three brief chapters the reader perceives the vital importance for suffering believers of confident hope in the Lord's return. Likewise intensified is the problem of idleness. In the face of abuses of Christian generosity, 2 Thessalonians gives a sharp reminder of the individual Christian's duty to live as a responsible member of the community, hard-working and self-supporting.

Much of what was said about the circumstances and organization of 1 Thessalonians can also be affirmed of the second letter (see introduction to 1 Thessalonians above). But unlike 1 Thessalonians, this letter presents two major critical problems. Brief attention will be given to these below.

AUTHORSHIP

Unlike 1 Thessalonians, the second letter has widely been taken as a pseudepigraph, composed after Paul's death by one of his followers who used 1 Thessalonians as a model. Several lines of evidence have been cited to support the hypothesis that 2 Thessalonians is not an authentic letter of Paul.

One of these concerns the letter's eschatology. While 1 Thessalonians emphasized that the Lord's return was imminent, that is, that it could occur at any time (5:1-11), 2 Thessalonians appears to propose a series of preliminary signs which must occur before the Lord can return (2:1-12). If this is indeed the case, then, it is argued, that the tension between the two letters is such that Paul could not have written both. More particularly, it is often argued that the less imminent expectation of 2 Thessalonians reflects a later period in the life of the church, when the vivid expectation that the Lord would return within the lifetime of the first generation of Christians had been disappointed. If so, then it is clearly a production of the generation after the apostle Paul.

Secondly, it is argued that the tone of 2 Thessalonians is considerably colder and more formal than 1 Thessalonians. As an example, "we ought to thank" in 2 Thess 1:3; 2:13 is regarded as less warm than "we thank" in 1 Thess 1:2. Likewise, the repeated use of "command" in 2 Thess 3:6, 12 is said to reflect a less intimate relationship between the writer and the readers. Such a shift in tone is thought to be unlikely if Paul had written both letters, especially if 1 Thessalonians was written first, but is entirely to be expected if the second letter was a pseudepigraph.

Thirdly, the background of the readers appears to be different. 1 Thess 1:9 appears to indicate a predominantly Gentile audience, but in 2 Thessalonians references to the final judgment (1:6-10) and the man of lawlessness (2:1-12) appear to assume knowledge that could be expected only of Jews. It is consequently argued that the second letter was not written for the same church, indicating that the addressee and so also the author named in the salutation are fictions.

Combined with these concerns is the literary style of 2 Thessalonians. In some respects it closely resembles 1 Thessalonians, following a similar outline (including a double thanksgiving: 1 Thess 1:2-10; 2:13-16; 2Thess 2 Thess 1:3-12; 2:13-17) and discussing similar themes (eschatology, idleness). However, it has been argued that the sentence structure of 2 Thessalonians is significantly different from the undisputed letters of Paul. In particular, 2 Thess 2:3-12 is a more complex sentence than is found elsewhere in Paul's letters, constructions with the genitive are more frequent, and subordinating conjunctions are more numerous. Likewise it is argued that a number of terms and concepts from Paul's authentic letters are used in a different sense in 2 Thessalonians. The combination of similarity and dissimilarity is said to point to a post-Pauline imitator, who at some points incorporated elements of Paul's style and substance from 1 Thessalonians and at others reflected followed his own course.

The force of these arguments is considerable, and a large number of contemporary scholars have been persuaded by them to reject Pauline authorship of this letter. However, the idea that 2 Thessalonians is pseudepigraphical is itself problematic. It is first of all difficult to understand why someone would write 2 Thessalonians and ascribe it to Paul, since presumably it contained nothing so controversial as to demand the apostle's authority for its acceptance. Furthermore, if written by a later imitator, that person knew only 1 Thessalonians, since the major parallels are only with that letter. Such a situation would be surprising for a second-generation disciple of Paul. The reference to the temple in 2:4 gives no indication that the Jerusalem temple has been destroyed by the Romans, again surprising if the letter were written near the end of the first century when the fall of Jerusalem was well known. Furthermore, 3:6-15 give every appearance of having been written to a specific congregation in response to a particular problem. It would be most unusual for a letter to be written to specific church in the name of Paul after his death and not be detected as a pseudepigraph. And if all in the church recognized the fiction and accepted it as such, we must explain how the later church forgot the origins of the letter, since all external evidence affirms that Paul is the author (Marcion, c. A.D. 150, and the Muratorian Canon, c. A.D. 180, both ascribe it to Paul). These considerations make the hypothesis of pseudepigraphy less than likely.

In fact, each argument for pseudepigraphy can be explained on the hypothesis that Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians himself. The eschatological tension in fact has less to do with a lessening of expectancy than is often allowed. Exegesis of 2:1-12 in the comments below will indicate that what Paul discusses here is probably not a series of preliminary signs but the present reality that evil and the Evil One appear to dominate and that such dominance is itself proof that the Lord has not yet returned. In this case, there is absolutely no tension between the eschatology of the first and second letters. However, even if this interpretation should be wrong, it is not impossible that Paul would express a different perspective on the Lord's coming in 2 Thessalonians and not view it as contradictory, just as he does in 1 Cor 15:1-58, which stresses the general resurrection, and 2 Cor 5:1-10, which stresses individual immortality.

Likewise, the change in tone between the two letters can be explained by the change in circumstances. In 1 Thessalonians part of Paul's concern was to reassure the readers of his affection for them despite his absence. That need having been met, the second letter - preoccupied with the persecution of the church, the problem about the Lord's return and the idleness of some members - reflects less of the personal warmth emphasized in the first. Furthermore, if Paul used a different amanuensis for each letter, or if Silas and Timothy had different roles in the composition of each letter, the tone and style could easily have changed.

The change from a Gentile to a Jewish background is more apparent than real. As noted in the introduction to 1 Thessalonians, that letter includes a number of phrases which assume knowledge of the Old Testament and Judaism. The Jewish orientation of the second letter is more explicit but hardly necessitates a different audience. This observation also obviates the need for other hypotheses, such as that Paul sent the two letters to two different factions of the church, one Gentile and the other Jewish, or that he sent the first letter to the church at large and the second to the leaders of the church.

The stylistic differences between 2 Thessalonians and the other letters of Paul are real, but they can be exaggerated. The complexity of sentences and concentration of subordinating conjunctions are in fact not two matters but one, since complex sentences require subordinating conjunctions. The sentence of 1:3-12 is exceptional, but it is approximated in Ephesians and Colossians. The authorship of those letters is also disputed, but to base an argument for one letter's inauthenticity on its similarity with another questioned letter is to build a supposition on another supposition. It would be fairer to admit that in a short letter like 2 Thessalonians, a few unusual expressions may create a false impression of stylistic variance. Furthermore, it is admitted by all that Paul's style changed with each letter. Only in Romans, for example, do we find the rhetorical question, "What shall we say then?" (3:5; 4:1; 6:1; 7:7; 8:31; 9:14, 30), and no one disputes the authenticity of Romans on that basis. Alleged differences in the use of key terms and presentation of concepts have likewise been exaggerated. Paul's usage elsewhere is often more flexible than some critics will allow. And 2 Thessalonians contains some Paulinisms which would have been difficult for an imitator to compose. The combination of similarities and differences between the two Thessalonians letters and between the second and the rest of the Pauline corpus is at least as consistent with the hypothesis that Paul wrote both under changing circumstances as it is with the hypothesis of a pseudepigrapher.

Thus, though the controversy over the authorship of this letter is likely to continue among scholars, the arguments against Paul's authorship are not sufficient to overturn the testimony of the letter itself and of the early church. By nature of the case, evidence to prove the authenticity of an ancient document always falls short of absolute proof. But those who have accepted 2 Thessalonians as a genuine letter of Paul can do so with integrity, knowing that the balance of evidence favors their conclusion.

ORDER AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING

The traditional assumption has always been that 2 Thessalonians was written not long after 1 Thessalonians, while Paul was still in Corinth. Paul had apparently received a report, perhaps from Timothy after the delivery of the first letter, of ongoing problems in the Thessalonian church. The persecution had not abated, misunderstandings about the Lord's return continued, and the willfully idle had not repented. Therefore, Paul composed a second letter to address the developing situation, probably only months after writing the first.

There have been several scholars who have questioned the traditional order, however, postulating that 2 Thessalonians was in fact written first. The traditional order of Paul's letters, these have argued, is based not on chronology but length, longer letters of Paul being placed before shorter ones in the canon. Therefore, internal considerations alone, the evidence of the letters themselves, must determine the order of writing.

The most recent and important advocate of the priority of 2 Thessalonians is Charles Wanamaker. His argument, which in the main follows a line marked out by others, may be summarized as follows. First, the persecution of 2 Thess 1:4-7 appears to be a matter of the past in 1 Thess 2:14. Secondly, the idlers of 2 Thess 3:6-15 appear to be a new problem, while 1 Thess 4:10-12 and 5:14 address it as something well known and already under control. Thirdly, the signature of 2 Thess 3:17 appears to be more fitting in Paul's first letter to the church. Fourth, the eschatological teaching of 1 Thess 4:13-5:11, especially in light of the remark in 5:1 that the readers had no need of such instruction because they had received it before, is more coherently explained if it is an elaboration on 2 Thess 2:1-12, especially if some implications of that passage had been misunderstood. On the other hand, if the church had already received 1 Thess 4:13-5:11, it is difficult to see how they would have concluded that the day of the Lord had already come (2 Thess 2:2), since the dead had not yet been raised and united with the living in the Lord's presence (1 Thess 4:17). Therefore, Wanamaker argues with earlier advocates of the hypothesis that 2 Thessalonians was written by Paul after he received a vague report about problems in the Thessalonian church and was delivered by Timothy in the visit described in 1 Thess 3:1-10.

While Wanamaker has succeeded in showing how little evidence there actually is for the priority of 1 Thessalonians, the case for the priority of 2 Thessalonians is far from proved. External evidence must be weighed also: Marcion apparently referred to 1 Thessalonians as the first letter despite the fact that he did not arrange his canon by length. As far as internal matters are concerned, if 2 Thessalonians was the first letter, it is surprising that Paul makes no reference to it in 1 Thessalonians as a part of his passionate discussion of his prior work with the Thessalonian church (2:1-12) and his attempts to return to them since his departure (2:17-20). Wanamaker suggests that the mention of Timothy's visit may be a tacit reference to it, since Timothy can be assumed to have carried some letter from Paul on this visit. Still, one might expect a more specific mention of so substantial a letter as 2 Thessalonians had it been written first. On the other hand, the references to letters in 2 Thess 2:2, 15; 3:17 are at least consistent with the idea that 1 Thessalonians had already been received, though they do not demand it.

If 1 Thessalonians is prior, as the slight balance of probability suggests, we can assume that the persecution of the church, which may have abated after Paul's departure, has heated up again, or at least that the church is in greater turmoil because of it. Likewise, we must assume that the church's misunderstanding of the Lord's return in 2:2 occurred despite the logical force of 1 Thess 4:13-18. Also, the idle who were warned briefly in 1 Thess 4:11-12 and 5:14 did not heed that warning. Such developments will surprise those who assume that human behavior is always reasonable and orderly, but those who have experienced the give and take of pastoral leadership will recognize that churches and Christians, like stocks, seldom move in a straight line. Against such a background Paul dictated his second letter, seeking to correct the church's course and reinforce its growth.

THEOLOGICAL VALUE

2 Thessalonians focuses primarily on three issues: persecution, the Lord's return, and the problem of idleness. Each has remarkable relevance for today's church.

Persecution is perhaps less a part of the experience of Christians in North America than in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, for many Christians it remains a real threat. More broadly, all believers experience the hostility of unbelievers at various points, and all can be subject to the hurt of their ridicule, even if they are relatively safe from physical violence. 2 Thessalonians provides the important reminder that God notices such suffering and promises to bring vindication for his people. The suffering of the church will one day end.

Likewise, the pervasive dominance of evil, obvious to every modern observer, will one day end as well. Whatever the precise nature of the "man of lawlessness" (2:3), Paul certainly focuses attention on his present activity (2:9-12). Christians who wonder whether their faith is true when they see the opponents of Christianity with the upper hand have their answer in this letter. Evil will continue to run rampant in this age, but when Christ returns, he will utterly destroy every manifestation of it and the One who stands behind it. The goodness and faithfulness of God can be trusted to answer every aspect of injustice in this age.

Unemployment, underemployment and wide gaps in income are no less a social reality now than they were for Paul's readers. And so the need for Christian charity continues as it did in the first century. But the dangers inherent in such sharing are still real as well. Paul's reminders about the need for personal responsibility and self-support (3:6-12), coupled with the reminder to continue in good works of generosity (3:13) are messages to be heeded as today's church considers its role in addressing the pressing issues of poverty and the failures of the secular welfare state.

The observation that problems had intensified since Paul wrote his first letter contains a pertinent message in itself. Even in Paul's ministry, the life of the church was characterized by trouble as much as progress. Yet through such trouble the work and will of God are accomplished. Christians frustrated by the one-step-forward-two-steps-back trajectory of the church can take heart that in similar circumstances the great apostle still found much for which to give thanks and boast (1:3-4; 2:13-14). God's will, which will be fully realized only when Christ returns, is even now being worked out in the life of the church, even when outwardly it appears defeated.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

College: 2 Thessalonians (Outline)

OUTLINE

I. GREETING - 1:1-2

II. OPENING THANKSGIVING, ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYER - 1:3-12

A. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Growth and Endurance in Persecution- 1:3-4

B. Encouragement in Light of God's Judgment - 1:5-10

C. The Content of Paul's Prayer - 1:11-12

III. INSTRUCTION ON THE LORD'S RETURN - 2:1-12

A. The Day of the Lord Not Yet Present - 2:1-2

B. The Apostasy and the Man of Lawlessness - 2:3-12

1. The Apostasy and the Revelation of the Man of Lawlessness - 2:3

2. A Description of the Man of Lawlessness - 2:4

3. Reminder of Oral Instruction on the Subject - 2:5

4. The One Who Restrains/Prevails - 2:6-10

5. God's Consequent Actions - 2:11-12

IV. RENEWED THANKSGIVING, ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYER - 2:13-17

A. Thanksgiving for the Salvation of the Thessalonians- 2:13-14

B. Encouragement to Remain Faithful to the Traditions Delivered by Paul - 2:15

C. Prayer for the Lord's Encouragement and Strength - 2:16-17

V. EXHORTATIONS - 3:1-16

A. General Exhortations - 3:1-5

B. Exhortations Regarding Church Discipline - 3:6-15

1. Exclusion of the Willfully Idle - 3:6-13

2. Exclusion of the Disobedient - 3:14-15

VI. CONCLUSION - 3:16-18

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

McGarvey: 2 Thessalonians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE

That the second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written very soon after the first is apparent from the fact that the two Epistles show that practically the same conditions existed in that church, and also from the fact that Silas and Timothy join with Paul in both letters; and it can not be shown that these three men were ever together after the earlier part of Paul's ministry in Corinth. We would therefore date this letter in the latter part of A. D. 52 or the early part of A. D. 53. Jesus had left the world about twenty-three years before, promising to return at an indefinite date. This indefiniteness gave free scope to the conjectures of his early followers, until the clear teaching of his apostles brought about a better understanding. There are evidences in the first Epistle that the Lord's coming was a subject of great interest to the Thessalonians. It seems likely that at the date of that Epistle the disciples there were expecting the Lord's return in the near future; for they were grieving over the thought that their loved ones who died would thereby be cut off from all participation in the joys of that coming--a joy which those still living fully expected to realize. In correcting this false view as to the dead, Paul had not thought it needful to specify that all would likely die before the Lord came, since in his teaching while in Thessalonica he had shown that the events which God had decreed should intervene before the coming of the Lord, were of such a nature as to necessarily require much time. Thus the idea that the Lord's return would take place in the near future remained uncorrected by him, for he was not really aware that it prevailed. Moreover, certain passages in his first Epistle could be, and evidently were, misconstrued to favor the idea, and were used to foster and strengthen it. See 1Th 4:15; 1Th 4:17; 1Th 5:4; 1Th 5:6 . Again, traditional sayings of the apostle were appealed to in confirmation of this erroneous notion, and, as a consequence of all this, the church was excited and troubled. The design, therefore, of this second Epistle was to correct the error as to the Lord's coming, and thus restore tranquility to the church. To do this the apostle reminds them of his former instruction, wherein he showed that the rise and fall of the man of sin must precede the coming of the Lord. Having corrected the doctrinal error, he closes his Epistle, as usual, with prayer and admonitions and a benediction.