Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Thessalonian 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you ] Comp. ch. 2Th 1:3, and notes. The strain of the opening thanksgiving of the two Epistles is here blended. For while this clause repeats the first words of 2Th, the sentence that follows echoes 1Th 1:4.
Here the subject, we, bears emphasis: “ we, with this sad prospect of apostasy and delusion in view.” Those who see deeply into the evil of the world, its immense power and untold possibilities, turn with the greater satisfaction to that which “speaks better things.”
brethren beloved by the Lord (R.V.) is parallel to “beloved by God” (1Th 1:4: see note).
“The Lord” is surely Christ, as distinguished from “God” in the adjoining clauses. The Church assailed by persecution, and appalled by the thought of Antichrist, finds in the love of Christ her refuge (comp. Rom 8:35; Rom 8:39). To the same Divine Protector the Apostle commits his “brethren,” so dear to him ( 2Th 2:16-17; ch. 2Th 3:3; 2Th 3:5). He recalls in this expression the blessing pronounced on Benjamin, his own tribe, in Deu 33:12: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; He covereth him all the day long, and he dwelleth between His shoulders.” The two phrases correspond precisely in the Greek.
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation ] Better, in that God chose you; see note on ch. 2Th 1:3.
These words are partly borrowed from Deu 7:6-7; Deu 10:15; Deu 26:18: “Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God. He hath chosen you to be a peculiar people unto Himself He set His love upon yon;” &c.
The Apostle’s thanksgivings in the First Epistle centred in the fact of the “election” of the Thessalonian believers in Christ. (See note on election, 1Th 1:4; and context.) To this his grateful thoughts now revert. God deals with them far otherwise than He will do with those to whom He “sends effectual delusion that they may be judged” ( 2Th 2:11-12): He “chose you for salvation not for wrath ” (1Th 5:9). How safe and high above fear are “God’s elect” (Rom 8:33-39)!
“From the beginning” points to the time when the Gospel first visited the Thessalonians; so the “election” of 1Th 1:4 is associated with the “coming of our gospel to you” (1Th 1:5; 1Th 1:9). Then it was that, practically and in human view, God chose this people i.e. selected them for His own out of the world in which they moved. In later Epistles this “beginning” is traced back, on its Divine side, to “the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4, &c.), and shown to be a part of that which was absolutely “from the beginning” (comp. 1Jn 1:1). There is an absolute beginning of salvation, hidden in the nature and eternal counsels of God; this is its relative, historical and manifest beginning (comp. Php 4:15; Act 15:7).
And this choice is “unto salvation,” in the utmost sense of the word, extended in 2Th 2:14 to “the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ;” comp. 1Th 2:12; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 5:9 (see note).
This salvation rests on God’s election; at the same time it has its human conditions: salvation (experienced) in sanctification of spirit and faith in the truth. God chooses none to salvation apart from these qualifications; the end implies the way. It is believing and sanctified men who wear “for a helmet the hope of salvation” (1Th 5:8). Comp. 1Pe 1:2: “Elect in sanctification of spirit” ( or the Spirit).
“Chosen unto salvation ” stands in contrast with “son of perdition ” and “the perishing ” ( 2Th 2:3 ; 2Th 2:10); “sanctification of spirit” and “belief in truth” on the part of God’s elect, with the “pleasure in unrighteousness” and “belief in the lie” that mark the dupes of Antichrist. These are the moral preconditions of final salvation and perdition respectively.
St Paul writes sanctification of spirit, without the definite article. No doubt “spirit” may grammatically denote “the (Holy) Spirit,” but the Apostle can scarcely have so intended here. For (1) the intimate connection of this phrase with “belief of truth” inclines us to read the two (Greek) genitives alike “truth” being the object of “faith,” and “spirit” of “sanctification.” (2) “Your spirit” is the primary object of the sanctification prayed for in 1Th 5:23. That memorable prayer is probably in the mind both of writer and readers. (3) “Sanctification of spirit,” understood as an inward state of the Thessalonians, is a condition of “salvation” the opposite of the disposition described in 2Th 2:10-12 as marking “those who perish” at the coming of Antichrist. For this reason sanctification is put first; but it depends in turn upon faith, “belief in the truth.” See Act 26:18; Eph 1:13. The normal order therefore is that of 1Ti 2:15, “in faith and sanctification.” For sanctification, see note to 1Th 4:3.
Lit., belief of truth. The Apostle is not stating what the truth is that saves, but that it is truth which saves, and faith in it as truth. A truth-accepting faith is the root of salvation, while the disposition to “believe the lie” is the root of perdition ( 2Th 2:9-12). “Sanctify them in the truth,” prayed Jesus for His disciples; “Thy word is truth” (Joh 17:17). The trustful acceptance of the truth revealed by Christ brings with it the consecration of our spirit to God. In such faith and consecration our salvation lies.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Section IV. Words of Comfort and Prayer
Ch. 2Th 2:13 to 2Th 3:5
Passing from the last Section, we breathe a sigh of relief, and gladly join in thanksgiving for those who will “prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luk 21:36).
Under the solemn feelings awakened by his contemplation of the image of Antichrist, the Apostle turns to his readers, blending thanksgiving with exhortation and renewed prayer on their account. (1) He renders thanks to God Who had chosen and called them to salvation, 2Th 2:13-14; (2) he urges them to be steadfast, 2Th 2:15; (3) he prays that God’s love may be their comfort, 2Th 2:16-17. In turn he (4) requests their prayers for himself, ch. 2Th 3:1-2; (5) he assures them of God’s faithfulness, and of his own confidence in them, 2Th 2:3-4; and (6) prays once more for Divine guidance on their behalf, 2Th 2:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you; – see the notes on 2Th 1:3. Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. The following important things are affirmed or implied here:
(1) That God had chosen or elected them ( heileto) to salvation. The doctrine of election, therefore, is true.
(2) That this was from the beginning ap’ arches; that is, from eternity; see the Joh 1:1 note; Eph 1:4; 3:9-11 notes. The doctrine of eternal election is, therefore, true.
(3) That this was the choice of the persons to whom Paul referred. The doctrine of personal election is, therefore, true.
(4) That this is a reason for thanksgiving. Why should it not be? Can there be any higher ground of praise or gratitude than that God has chosen us to be eternally holy and happy, and that he has from eternity designed that we should be so? Whatever, therefore, may be the feelings with which those who are not chosen to salvation, regard this doctrine, it is clear that those who have evidence that they are chosen should make it a subject of grateful praise. They can have no more exalted source of gratitude than that they are chosen to eternal life.
Through sanctification of the Spirit – Being made holy by the Divine Spirit. It is not without respect to character, but it is a choice to holiness and then to salvation. No one can have evidence that he is chosen to salvation except as he has evidence that he is sanctified by the Spirit; see the notes on Eph 1:4.
And belief of the truth – In connection with believing the truth. No one who is not a believer in the truth can have evidence that God has chosen him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Th 2:13-17
We are bound to give thanks
Gratitude for salvation
The apostle is here contrasting the state of the Thessalonians with that of many who should, at a future period, arise in the Church, whose presumption should know no bounds, and who for their impiety would be given over by God to final impenitence.
While those transgressors were doomed to everlasting misery, the Thessalonian converts were ordained to eternal life, having been from the beginning chosen by God to salvation, and having been in time called to the enjoyment of it through the ministry of the gospel which the apostle preached. For them, therefore, he gives thanks, as it was most meet for him to do, since it was the mercy that called for the devoutest praises from all.
I. Their election of God.
1. The end to which they were elected. It was salvation, even the salvation that was in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It was not to the means of salvation merely; for many enjoyed the means of salvation on whose behalf he could not give thanks, yea, on whose account he had continual heaviness and sorrow of heart; but it was to salvation itself, with all its inconceivable and lasting blessings.
2. The means by which that end was attained. God has ordained the means as well as the end; and He has ordained the end no otherwise than by and through the appointed means. He had chosen the Thessalonians to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit. Further: He had chosen them to salvation through belief of the truth. By faith we lay hold on the promises of God; by faith we become united to Christ; by faith we bring down from heaven all those supplies of grace which are necessary for us in this state of warfare. Thus faith and holiness are inseparably connected with salvation; and to them men are elected as much as to salvation itself.
II. Their calling by his ministry.
1. The instrument is His Word. As far as His Providence concurs in the salvation of men, it is only in subserviency to His Word. This is the rod of His might by which all the wonders of His grace are wrought. Miracles gave credibility to the testimony which Christ and His apostles bore; but it was the testimony itself, as applied by the Holy Spirit to the soul, that wrought effectually upon the hearts of men. And in all ages it is the same Word, either read or preached, that is effectual to conversion. So the apostle reminds his converts at Thessalonica that, though they were from eternity chosen of God to salvation, they were called to the possession of it through the ministry of the gospel.
2. The same instrument, if received rightly, will operate effectually to the same end. It had turned the Thessalonians from idols to serve the living God; and thus it will assuredly work on all who cordially embrace it. It is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword: it is mighty to the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan: it prospers in the thing whereunto God has sent it. When the time has come for the return home of His wandering sheep, He apprehends them by His Word, and brings them with His gracious energy to His fold, making them willing in the day of His power. This is His invariable process–Whom He did predestinate, them He also called, etc. Conclusion:
1. Those who have never yet obeyed the Gospel call must not say, I am not of Gods elect, and therefore I cannot help myself. They have been called to a belief of the truth, such as should lead them to rely entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and to the sanctification of the Spirit, even such a sanctification as should progressively transform them into the Divine image of righteousness and true holiness. They should therefore receive freely at His hands all the blessings offered thus to them. If, however, they will obey the Divine call, their blood will be on their own head.
2. Those who have obeyed the call should ever remember that God has chosen and ordained them to bring forth fruit to His honour and glory. He loved them, not from any good He saw or foresaw in them, but simply because He would love them. Hence they have every reason to give Him thanks; nay, their every breath should be an effusion of praise. (C. Simeon, M. A.)
The nature, duty, and privilege of a Christian
I. What is it to be a Christian? There are three characteristics in the text.
1. Belief of the truth.
(1) There are various kinds of truth. All truth is not the truth. There is natural and religious truth. Christian truth is distinguished from all other by being the truth as it is in Jesus–truth touching God, the soul, eternity.
(2) So there are various kinds of belief. We believe things we see, results of reasoning, conclusions of argument, laws, things above reason, God and our own souls. The faith of our text, however, is
(a) a faith of the heart–the verification of those truths which can be understood by the heart of man alone. This distinguishes it from mere intellectual effort.
(b) A supernatural faith. Observe the company in which it is put–side by side with the power of the Spirit of God. And everywhere in Scripture it is so. It is by the supernatural operation of the Holy Ghost, and is supernatural in its origin, operations, and results.
2. Sanctification of the Spirit. There is a question whether this refers immediately to the objective work of the Holy Ghost, or the subjective work in mans own spirit. But it is immaterial; it amounts to the same in either case. Sanctification in its broadest, its Biblical as distinguished from its theological sense, is a triple work.
(1) It is the purgation of the soul of him who believeth by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.
(2) It is the recreation of the moral nature by the Holy Spirit.
(3) It is the dedication of the cleansed and renovated person to God.
3. Hope of everlasting life. Three things are connected with and result from sin: Disaster–The soul that sinneth it shall die. Privation–of blessedness. Suffering–an accusing conscience and a dark outlook. Over against these in glorious and everlasting antithesis are
(1) Eternal life.
(2) Positive blessing.
(3) Present and eternal joy and glory.
This is our hope. It is a good hope, a hope assured to us by warrant beyond dispute.
II. What is the duty of a Christian?
1. Goodness (2Th 2:17). To be good.
(1) Negatively, to put away that which is evil. This is a part of our duty of which we cannot afford to think lightly. Christ suffered for us that He might deliver us from the present evil world. Those who are born of God do not commit sin.
(2) But there is no such thing as a merely negative goodness. It is always also positive and practical, and finds expression in speech and action. It is a recognition of God in the family and daily life in reverence and worship, in the government of self and in charity towards man.
(3) This goodness must be as universal as it is practical. Every good word and work. There is a goodness which is eclectic; and it is right that we should devote attention especially to forms of goodness for which we are most fitted, but not to the neglect of those which are common to all: e.g., Religious worship and carelessness about personal purity are often found together; so are personal devoutness and neglect of missionary effort and vice versa. Good words of every kind.
(4) This goodness is to be robust and energetic, not infantile and feeble. We love the heathen, but how much do we give them. We love our brother, but how often does a fault reduce that love to microscopic proportions.
2. Steadfastness. This goodness is to be practised consistently, not by fits and starts; through life, and not for an hour; not only when easy, but in the face of hardship and persecution.
III. What are the privileges of a Christian? The characteristics and duties just mentioned. The three points are the same under different aspects. But specifically.
1. Consolation. This is needed at all times for the Church of God is now in its suffering state.
(1) Christian life begins in self-sacrifice. The Christian passes from death into life through a strait gate, which excludes many a habit, etc., long cherished.
(2) Christian life continues by sacrifice; the bearing of the daily cross, the conflict with sin, the evangelistic effort which is the very life of the Church, all involve loss and pain which need consolation. This consolation is abundant and abiding, consisting as it does of the love and presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. (2Th 2:16).
2. Sanctity.
3. Good hope through grace.
4. Glory. Conclusion: How great the prospects, responsibility, dignity of a Christian. (J. D. Geden, D. D.)
Gods Salvation
I. Consists in obtaining the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. This phrase is evidently an expansion and more exact specification of the term salvation in 2Th 2:13. The believer is to share the glory which Christ possesses (Joh 17:1-26.). Jesus has already given His glory of self-sacrificing love and union with the Father to His disciples in a measure, but hereafter it is to be given in fulness. What a great salvation!
II. Is obtained–
1. As a result of Gods choice and call. Not that this lessens human responsibility, or should relax human watchfulness and diligence (2Th 2:15).
2. As a result of the Spirits sanctification.
3. Through personal apprehension of the truth.
III. Is a matter of thankfulness. (Clerical World.)
The favoured people
I. True Christians are objects of a special choice.
1. The Author: God. The Scriptures unanimously declare that true Christians are chosen of God. Who dare question the right of the Most High to choose them. While He injures none, for this is impossible, surely He may, if He please, confer special benefits on some (Rom 9:20-21).
2. The date–from the beginning (1Pe 2:9; 1Pe 1:2; Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4).
3. The end–to salvation. This determines its true nature and supreme excellency. The Israelites were chosen, but many fell, and we are admonished to take heed lest we fall after the same example of unbelief. The twelve were chosen to apostleship, but Judas apostatised. This salvation is not only deliverance from sin in this life, but eternal glory in the world to come.
II. True Christians are persons of a peculiar character. Gods chosen people are–
1. Believers of the truth.
(1) Gods Word is emphatically the truth.
(2) Believing is giving hearty credit to the Bible as the record of God in such a way as to feel affected and influenced by it according to the nature of the things which it regards. Without this belief of the truth we have no evidence of our election, and only deceive our own selves.
2. Partakers of the Spirit. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. The Spirit in the heart is essential to the being of a Christian, for without Him there is no regeneration. Then His influence is necessary for every Christian enterprise. What reason there is for the admonitions Quench not the Spirit, Grieve not the Spirit. We must judge whether we are partakers of the Spirit by His fruit (Gal 5:22-24).
3. The subjects of sanctification. The Spirit given to Gods people produces and gradually promotes it. There is no way of attaining holiness but by the Spirit of Holiness. Faith bears a close connection with this state. Faith guards the Christian from sin and preserves him in the path of duty. Sanctification, therefore, is the best evidence of faith, and the best mark of election. We have proof that we are of God only as we are like God.
III. True Christians furnish cause of lively thanksgiving. Why? True Christians are–
1. A proof of the power of the gospel.
2. A credit to Christianity (Php 1:27).
3. Useful to others. (T. Kidd.)
Connection between faith and the sanctification of the Spirit
Religion has two factors, the Divine and the human. All the doctrines whose object and result are the salvation of lost souls, have an inseparable connection. They necessitate and include each other. In the text, sanctification of the Spirit is conjoined with belief of the truth.
I. Election is presupposed.
1. Its author is God.
2. It is from the beginning.
3. It is personal.
4. It is comforting. Those that are chosen are beloved of the Lord.
II. Its design.
1. To produce holiness of thought, word and deed.
2. To secure salvation. Holiness is salvation.
3. To obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
III. Its agency.
1. It proceeds from the love and grace of God.
2. It is rendered possible by the death of Christ.
3. It is carried into effect through the agency and influence of the Holy Spirit.
IV. Its instrument. This is the truth.
1. Men are called by the truth.
2. Men are sanctified through the truth (Joh 17:17).
V. Its evidence.
1. Illumination by the Spirit in order to understand things that are spiritual (1Co 2:14).
2. Sanctification of the Spirit.
3. Belief of the truth. Apart from these, no person has, or can have, any proof that he is chosen of God to eternal life.
VI. Conclusion.
1. Men are lost because they have pleasure in unrighteousness, and believe not the truth.
2. No sanctification takes place in any soul apart from the belief of the truth.
3. The end of faith is the salvation of the soul.
4. Sanctification and faith have their roots in election.
5. Does any one seek for evidence of his election, let him believe the gospel and live a holy life. (L. O. Thompson.)
Election
I. How it is here set forth.
1. By the rise of it, which is the mere love of God, for Paul calls these brethren, beloved of the Lord (Deu 7:7-8). There is no antecedent worthiness in those whom God chooses (2Ti 1:9).
2. By the act itself hath chosen you making a distinction between them and others. Those whom God chooses He separates from the world (1Jn 5:19). Their names are kept in the records of heaven (Luk 10:20; Php 4:3), whereas others are not (Rev 17:8; Rev 20:15).
3. By the antiquity of it from the beginning (Eph 1:4; Mat 25:34. Love in God is of old standing, even from eternity, and what is from everlasting is to everlasting (Psa 103:17).
4. By the means of its accomplishment two are mentioned, one on Gods part and one on ours–Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Where, note–
(1) That Gods decree is both of ends and means, for all His purposes are accomplished by fit means. He who has chosen us to salvation has chosen us to be holy, and to believe the truth. And without the means the end cannot be attained; for without faith and holiness no man shall see God or escape condemnation (Joh 3:36; Heb 12:14). What God has joined together let no man separate. If we separate these things God does not change his counsel, but we subvert His order to our own destruction.
(2) That these are not causes but fruits of election (Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:2; Act 2:47; Act 13:48).
(3) That being the necessary fruits they are also evidences of our election. All that are sanctified by the Spirit and believe the truth belong to the election of God.
(a) Sanctification is not only an external dedication to God, but an inward and real change (1Co 6:11).
(b) Faith is not a cold assent to an opinion as to the Christian religion, but such a lively trust as brings us under its power (verses 10, 12). The Thessalonians received the truth so as to obey it and suffer for it.
(4) The connection between the two–
(a) There is a necessary connection between them as of cause and effect, for none are powerfully drawn to believe but such as are sanctified. To incline and bring us to God is a work wholly reserved to the Spirit.
(b) There is the connection of concomitancy between the gospel and the Spirit. The Spirit only goes along with the gospel; and so both external and internal grace are of God (Joh 17:17).
(c) There is a subordination of faith to this work of the Spirit by the truth; for the greatest things work not till they are considered and believed (1Th 2:13).
II. This is the great matter of our thanksgiving to God. Consider–
1. That thanksgiving to God is a great and necessary duty, expressly enjoined by Him, and expected from us (1Th 5:18).
2. That we are to give thanks chiefly for spiritual and eternal mercies (Eph 1:3).
3. That the great expression of Gods mercy is in election.
(1) There we see all our blessings in their rise, which is the love and grace of God. Waters are sweetest and freshest in their fountain (Joh 3:16).
(2) It shows us Gods distinguishing grace, and who it was that made us differ from others (Joh 14:22; 1Co 1:26; Mat 11:25-26).
(3) Then we may see that grace takes off self-boasting (Eph 2:8-9; Eph 1:6). (T. Manton, D. D.)
Gratitude to God for salvation
I. The persons described and the duty enjoined.
1. Thanksgiving for the salvation of others (Rom 6:17).
2. Thanksgiving is the constant duty of all Christians (Eph 5:20).
3. The cause is the revelation of Gods love (Jer 31:3).
II. The reasons assigned for this gratitude.
1. Election.
(1) Gods people are a chosen people (Rom 8:29).
(2) Chosen from the beginning, or eternity (Tit 1:2).
(3) Without any regard to previous good works (Tit 3:5).
(4) Chosen in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:4).
(5) To salvation here, and glory hereafter (Eph 2:10).
2. Sanctification.
(1) The Spirit quickens the soul (Eph 2:1; Eph 2:5).
(2) The Spirit enlightens the mind (Eph 1:18).
(3) The Spirit leads the soul to glory (Joh 14:16-17).
3. Faith.
(1) Negative faith, or ceasing to trust in self (2Co 1:9).
(2) Faith in Gods blessed Word (Psa 119:41-42).
(3) Faith in Christ and His work (Act 16:31).
III. The method whereby God develops His purpose of love to His Church, and the success attending the same.
1. They were called to believe these doctrines (Eph 4:4-6).
2. He always calls into Christian fellowship (1Co 1:9).
3. He calls His people into liberty (Gal 5:13).
4. The instrumentality employed. Our gospel (1Co 1:23-24).
5. The blessing obtained is eternal glory, called in the text, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; which denotes that the chosen, sanctified, and believing, and called people of God, shall never be separated from Him, or perish (Col 2:4). (T. B. Baker.)
Effectual calling
A godly English minister of two hundred years ago, the Rev. Thomas Doolittle, used to catechise his congregation, more especially the young people, every Lords Day. An incident that melted his hearers on one occasion is thus related. The question was on effectual calling, and to bring it more closely home to them he suggested that they should recite the answer, changing the word us to me, and our to my. No one had the courage to begin, till a young man well known as one who had led a bad life arose, and with every sign of contrition repeated, amid the tears of the congregation: Effectual calling is the work of Gods Spirit, whereby convincing me of my sin and misery, enlightening my mind in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing my will, He did persuade and enable me to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to me in the gospel. This young man had been convicted by being catechised–think of such a thing happening in these days of looser religious discipline! band from being a wicked and ignorant youth he had become an intelligent Christian.
Justification and sanctification
Manton says, A malefactor that hath a leprosy on him needs not only a pardon, but a medicine; and in a broken leg, not only ease of the pain is desirable, but that the bone be set right. So we need both justification and sanctification. Justification saves the malefactor, and sanctification cures him of his spiritual disease: are they not equally desirable? Who would wish to miss the one or the other if in need of them? Pardon removes the pain of our broken bones, but spiritual renewal reduces the fracture. Let us not be content with half a gospel, but obtain a whole Christ for our broken hearts. Renewal of life is every way as desirable as forgiveness of sin. As well be full of guilt as full of guile if a child has eaten unhealthy food it is well to cure the disease which is occasioned by it, but it is equally desirable to break him of the habit Which led him to such foul feeding. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Holiness
When Dr. Livingstone asked one of the Bechuanas, What is holiness? the reply was, When copious showers have descended during the night, and all the earth and leaves and cattle are washed clean, and the sun rising shows a drop of dew on every blade of grass, and the air breathes fresh, that is holiness.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 13. 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, &c.] In your calling, God has shown the purpose that he had formed from the beginning, to call the Gentiles to the same privileges with the Jews, not through circumcision, and the observance of the Mosaic law, but by faith in Christ Jesus but this simple way of salvation referred to the same end-holiness, without which no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can see the Lord.
Let us observe the order of Divine grace in this business:
1. They were to hear the truth-the doctrines of the Gospel.
2. They were to believe this truth when they heard it preached.
3. They were to receive the Spirit of God in believing the truth.
4. That Spirit was to sanctify their souls-produce an inward holiness, which was to lead to all outward conformity to God.
5. All this constituted their salvation-their being fitted for the inheritance among the saints in light.
6. They were to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ-that state of felicity for which they were fitted, by being saved here from their sins, and by being sanctified by the Spirit of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The apostle here exempts these Thessalonians out of the number of those reprobates that he had before spoken of, and speaks of them as such as should be preserved from apostacy in faith or practice, and obtain salvation. And this he mentions for comfort to them, and with thanksgivings to God. He had often before given thanks for them, 1Th 1:2; 2:13; 3:9; and in 2Th 1:3; and both here and there mentions it as a debt he was bound unto, or a duty he owed, we ought to give thanks, as in the Greek. And here he styles them, not only
brethren, as often before, but beloved of the Lord, such as have been and are beloved; and therefore not in the number of them that should be damned, mentioned in the former verse.
Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation: which words are either to give the reason of the apostles thanksgivings, or rather all arguments to evidence they were beloved of the Lord. And he instanceth in their election as a proof of it. There is an election to office, as David to be king, 2Sa 6:21, and Judas to be an apostle, Joh 6:70; and election to a visible church, and means of salvation, and thus the seed of Abraham were chosen, Deu 26:18; Psa 135:4; Psa 147:19; and election to salvation, as in the text; which is either that which follows faith, as some understand that place, Mat 22:14, or rather that which goes before it, said here to be from the beginnning: not from the beginning of the gospel, as some say; nor from the beginning of our preaching to you, or of your effectual calling, as others say; no, nor yet is it meant from the beginning of the world, which was the beginning of time; or immediately upon Adams fall: but by beginning is here meant eternity itself, as election is said to be from before the foundation of the world, Eph 1:4, which is from eternity. Though beginning seems to relate to time, yet the Scriptures often express eternity by such words as relate to time: as when God is called the Ancient of days, Dan 7:9, it signifies his eternity; and Jude speaks of some that were of old ordained to condemnation, Jud 1:4, , Gods eternal decrees being compared to a book wherein names are written. When was their ordaining but from eternity? And it is election to salvation, complete salvation, which is here meant, in the full fruition of it; not in the title to it by faith, or the first-fruits of it in sanctification, because they are here mentioned as the means that tend to it.
Through sanctification of the Spirit: election is to the means as well as the end, as Eph 1:4. Holiness is not the cause of Gods election, but God hath decreed it to be the way to salvation; without holiness none shall ever see the Lord, Heb 12:14.
And belief of the truth: and therefore those were spoken of as persons to be damned who believed not the truth, in the former verse. And so it is evident, election is not upon the foresight of faith, it is through it we have salvation, but not election: but of this before, 1Th 4:1-18. And the apostle joins sanctification and faith together, for they are not and cannot be put asunder. Now by all this the apostle proves they were beloved of the Lord. He saw the fruits of election in their sanctification and belief of the truth, thence concludes they were elected, and therefore loved.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. ButIn delightful contrastto the damnation of the lost (2Th2:12) stands the “salvation” of Paul’s converts.
are boundin duty (2Th1:3).
thanks . . . to Godnotto ourselves, your ministers, nor to you, our converts.
beloved of the LordJesus(Rom 8:37; Gal 2:20;Eph 5:2; Eph 5:25).Elsewhere God the Father is said to love us (2Th 2:16;Joh 3:16; Eph 2:4;Col 3:12). Therefore Jesus andthe Father are one.
from the beginning“beforethe foundation of the world” (Eph1:4; compare 1Co 2:7;2Ti 1:9); in contrast to thosethat shall “worship the beast, whose names are not written inthe book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”(Re 13:8). Some of the oldestmanuscripts read as English Version, but other oldestmanuscripts and Vulgate read, “as first-fruits.“The Thessalonians were among the first converts in Europe (compareRom 16:5; 1Co 16:15).In a more general sense, it occurs in Jas 1:18;Rev 14:4; so I understand it hereincluding the more restricted sense.
chosen youThe Greek,is not the ordinary word for “elected,” implying Hiseternal selection; but taken for Himself, implying Hishaving adopted them in His eternal purpose. It is found in theSeptuagint (Deu 7:7;Deu 10:15).
throughrather asGreek, “in sanctification” as the element inwhich the choice to salvation had place (compare 1Pe1:2), standing in contrast to the “unrighteousness,”the element in which Antichrist’s followers are given over by God todamnation (2Th 2:12).
of the Spiritwroughtby the Spirit who sanctifies all the elect people of God, first byeternally consecrating them to perfect holiness in Christ, once forall, next by progressively imparting it.
belief of thetruthcontrasted with “believed not the truth” (2Th2:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you,…. Lest the saints should be discouraged by the above account of antichrist, and his followers, and fear they should be left to the same deceptions, and damnation be their portion; the apostle being persuaded better things of them, gives their character, and represents their case in a quite different light; and signifies, that he and his fellow ministers were under obligation to be continually thankful to God for what he had done for them; for as God is the Father of mercies, whether spiritual or temporal, thanks are to be given to him; and saints are not only to bless his name for what they themselves receive from him, but for what others enjoy also, and that continually; because spiritual blessings, especially such as are afterwards instanced in, are permanent and durable, yea, everlasting: the characters which show them to be different from the followers of antichrist, are
brethren, beloved of the Lord or “of God”, as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read: they were the brethren of Christ, being the dear children of God, born of him, and belonging to his family, and of the apostles, and of one another, being of the household of faith; and they were beloved by God the Father, as the instances of their election to salvation by him, and their calling to eternal glory, show; and by the Lord Jesus Christ, who had wrought out for them the salvation they were chosen to; and by the Lord the Spirit, by whom they were regenerated, called, sanctified, and brought to the belief of the truth; and since they had interest in the everlasting love of the three divine Persons, there was no danger of their falling away and perishing. The reason of the apostle’s thanksgiving for the persons thus described is,
because God hath from, the beginning chosen you to salvation; which is to be understood, not of an election of them, as a nation, for they were not a nation, only a part of one; nor of them as a church, for they were not so from the beginning; nor to the outward means of grace, the ministry of the word and ordinances, for the choice is unto salvation; nor to any office, for they were not all officers in the church, only some; nor does it intend the effectual calling, for that is distinguished from it in the following verse; but an eternal appointment of persons to grace and glory: and this is an act of God the Father, in Christ, from eternity; and which arises from his sovereign good will and pleasure, and is an instance of his free grace and favour, for the glorifying of himself; and is irrespective of the faith, holiness, and good works of men; all which are the fruits and effects, and not the motives, conditions, or causes of electing grace. This act is the leading one to all other blessings of grace, as justification, adoption, calling, and glorification, and is certain and immutable in itself, and in its effects. The date of it is “from the beginning”: not from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to them, and the sense be, that, as soon as the Gospel was preached, they believed, and God chose them; for what was there remarkable in them, that this should be peculiarly observed of them? The Bereans are said to be more noble than they were: nor from the beginning of their calling, for predestination or election precedes calling; see Ro 8:30 nor from the beginning of time, or of the creation of the world, but before the world began, even from eternity; and in such sense the phrase is used in Pr 8:23 and that it is the sense of it here, is manifest from Eph 1:4 where this choice is said to be before the foundation of the world. The end to which men, by this act, are chosen, is “salvation”: not temporal, though the elect of God are appointed to many temporal salvations and deliverances, and which they enjoy both before and after conversion; yet salvation here designs the salvation of the soul, though not exclusive of the body, a spiritual and an eternal salvation, salvation by Jesus Christ, as is expressed in 1Th 5:9 and the same decree that appoints men to salvation, appoints Christ to be the Saviour of them; and there is salvation in and by no other. The means through which this choice is made, are
through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth by sanctification is meant, not anything external, as reformation of life, obedience to the law, or outward submission to Gospel ordinances; but internal holiness, which lies in a principle of spiritual life in the soul, and in a principle of spiritual light on the understanding; in a flexion of the will to the will of God, and the way of salvation by Christ; in a settlement of the affections on divine and spiritual things, and in an implantation of all grace in the heart; and is called the sanctification of “the spirit”, partly from the spirit or soul of man being the principal seat of it, and chiefly from the Spirit of God being the author of it; and this being a means fixed in the decree of election to salvation, shows that holiness is not the cause of election, yet is certain by it, and is necessary to salvation; and that the doctrine of election is no licentious doctrine, since it provides for and secures true and real holiness. “Truth” designs either the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth of types and promises, and the substance of the truth of the Gospel, in whom it lies, and by whom it comes; or the Gospel itself, which comes from the God of truth, lies in the Scriptures of truth, is dictated and directed into by the spirit of truth; the sum of it is Christ the truth, and has nothing in it but truth. The “belief” or “faith” of this intends, not an historical faith, or a mere assent to truth; but a cordial embracing of it, a receiving of the love of the truth, a feeling of the power of it unto salvation, and a believing in Christ, the substance of it; which is a seeing of him spiritually, and a going out of the soul to him in acts of hope; reliance, trust, and dependence; and this being also a means settled in the choice of men to salvation, makes it appear, that faith is no cause of election, but the effect of it; that it is necessary to salvation, and therefore appointed as a means; that it is certain to the elect by it, and that they therefore cannot be finally and totally deceived, or be carried away with the error of the wicked, or with the deceivableness of unrighteousness with which antichrist works.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Apostasy Foretold. | A. D. 52. |
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Here observe, I. The consolation the Thessalonians might take against the terrors of this apostasy, 2Th 2:13; 2Th 2:14. For they were chosen to salvation, and called to the obtaining of glory. Note, When we hear of the apostasy of many, it is matter of great comfort and joy that there is a remnant according to the election of grace which does and shall persevere; and especially we should rejoice if we have reason to hope that we are of that number. The apostle reckoned himself bound in duty to be thankful to God on this account: We are bound to give thanks to God always for you. He had often given thanks on their behalf, and he is still abounding in thanksgiving for them; and there was good reason, because they were beloved by the Lord, as appeared in this matter–their security from apostatizing. This preservation of the saints is owing,
1. To the stability of the election of grace, v. 13. Therefore were they beloved of the Lord, because God had chosen them from the beginning. He had loved them with an everlasting love. Concerning this election of God we may observe, (1.) The eternal date of it–it is from the beginning; not the beginning of the gospel, but the beginning of the world, before the foundation of the world, Eph. i. 4. Then, (2.) The end to which they were chosen–salvation, complete and eternal salvation from sin and misery, and the full fruition of all good. (3.) The means in order to obtaining this end–sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. The decree of election therefore connects the end and the means, and these must not be separated. We are not the elected of God because we were holy, but that we might be holy. Being chosen of God, we must not live as we list; but, if we are chosen to salvation as the end, we must be prepared for it by sanctification as the necessary means to obtain that end, which sanctification is by the operation of the Holy Spirit as the author and by faith on our part. There must be the belief of the truth, without which there can be by true sanctification, nor perseverance in grace, nor obtaining of salvation. Faith and holiness must be joined together, as well as holiness and happiness; therefore our Saviour prayed for Peter that his faith might not fail (Luke xxii. 32), and for his disciples (John xvii. 17), Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth.
2. To the efficacy of the gospel call, v. 14. As they were chosen to salvation, so they were called thereunto by the gospel. Whom he did predestinate those he also called, Rom. viii. 30. The outward call of God is by the gospel; and this is rendered effectual by the inward operation of the Spirit. Note, Wherever the gospel comes it calls and invites men to the obtaining of glory; it is a call to honour and happiness, even the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glory he has purchased, and the glory he is possessed of, to be communicated unto those who believe in him and obey his gospel; such shall be with Christ, to behold his glory, and they shall be glorified with Christ and partake of his glory. Hereupon there follows,
II. An exhortation to stedfastness and perseverance: Therefore, brethren, stand fast, v. 15. Observe, He does not say, “You are chosen to salvation, and therefore you may be careless and secure;” but therefore stand fast. God’s grace in our election and vocation is so far from superseding our diligent care and endeavour that it should quicken and engage us to the greatest resolution and diligence. So the apostle John having told those to whom he wrote that they had received the anointing which should abide in them, and that they should abide in him (in Christ), subjoins this exhortation, Now abide in him,1Jn 2:27; 1Jn 2:28. The Thessalonians are exhorted to stedfastness in their Christian profession, to hold fast the traditions which they had been taught, or the doctrine of the gospel, which had been delivered by the apostle, by word or epistle. As yet the canon of scripture was not complete, and therefore some things were delivered by the apostles in their preaching, under the guidance of the infallible Spirit, which Christians were bound to observe as coming from God; other things were afterwards by them committed to writing, as the apostle had written a former epistle to these Thessalonians; and these epistles were written as the writers were moved by the Holy Ghost. Note, There is no argument hence for regarding oral traditions in our days, now that the canon of scripture is complete, as of equal authority with the sacred writings. Such doctrines and duties as were taught by the inspired apostles we must stedfastly adhere to; but we have no certain evidence of any thing delivered by them more than what we find contained in the holy scriptures.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
See 1:3 for same beginning.
Beloved of the Lord ( ). Perfect passive participle of with and the ablative as in 1Th 1:4, only here instead of , the Lord Jesus rather than God the Father.
Because that God chose you ( ). First aorist middle indicative of , to take, old verb, but uncompounded only in N.T. here, Phil 1:22; Heb 11:25, and here only in sense of
choose , that being usually or .
From the beginning (‘ ). Probably the correct text (Aleph D L) and not (first fruits, B G P), though here alone in Paul’s writings and a hard reading, the eternal choice or purpose of God (1Cor 2:7; Eph 1:4; 2Tim 1:9), while is a favourite idea with Paul (1Cor 15:20; 1Cor 15:23; 1Cor 16:15; Rom 8:23; Rom 11:16; Rom 16:5).
Unto salvation ( ). The ultimate goal, final salvation.
In sanctification of the Spirit ( ). Subjective genitive , sanctification wrought by the Holy Spirit.
And belief of the truth ( ). Objective genitive , belief in the truth.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Hath chosen [] . The only case in N. T. in which this word is used of God ‘s election. LXX, Deu 26:18, of God ‘s choosing Israel to be his peculiar people. Comp. Phi 1:22; Heb 11:25. From the beginning [ ] . Not elsewhere in Paul. His usual expressions are pro twn aijwnwn before the ages (1Co 2:7) : pro katabolhv kosmou before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) : ajpo twn aijwnwn from the ages (Eph 3:9). Before eternal times [ ] is found 2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But we are bound to give thanks” (humeis de opheilomen eucharistein) “But we ought, or are obligated, to thank”, to give or offer up thanks, 1Th 2:13-14.
2) “Always to God for you, brethren” (to theo pantote peri humon, adelphoi) “to God always concerning you, brethren”, at all times, 2Th 1:3, as it is becoming or proper.
3) “Beloved of the Lord” (egopemenoi hupo kuriou) “Having been loved ones, by the Lord”; Joh 13:34-35.
4) “Because God hath from the beginning chosen you” (hoti eilato humas ho theos aparchen) “Because God chose you all as a firstfruit”, Eph 1:4.
5) “To Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit” (eis soterian en hagiasmo pneumatos) “unto salvation by sanctification of the Spirit”. It is by the Spirit of God that man is instrumentally drawn to, or toward God, for repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and to sanctified service, Joh 17:3; Joh 17:17.
6) “And belief of the truth” (kai pistei aletheias) “and faith (of) or belief in (the) truth”; The same spirit that draws to repentance, seeks to draw men to service in the Lord’s church, Rom 8:14; 1Co 10:1-4; Joh 16:7-11. The truth is opposed to delusions of Satan.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13 But we are bound to give thanks. He now separates more openly the Thessalonians from the reprobate, that their faith may not waver from fear of the revolt that was to take place. At the same time, he had it in view to consult, not their welfare only, but also that of posterity. (684) And he does not merely confirm them that they may not fall over the same precipice with the world, but by this comparison he extols the more the grace of God towards them, in that, while they see almost the whole world hurried forward to death at the same time, as if by a violent tempest, they are, by the hand of God, maintained in a quiet and secure condition of life. (685) Thus we must contemplate the Judgments of God upon the reprobate in such a way that they may be, as it were, mirrors to us for considering his mercy towards us. For we must draw this conclusion, that it is owing solely to the singular grace of God that we do not miserably perish with them.
He calls them beloved of the Lord, for this reason, that they may the better consider that the sole reason why they are exempted from the almost universal overthrow of the world, was because God exercised towards them unmerited love. Thus Moses admonished the Jews —
“
God did not elevate you so magnificently because ye were more powerful than others, or were numerous, but because he loved your fathers.” (Deu 7:7.)
For, when we hear the term love, that statement of John must immediately occur to our mind — Not that we first loved him. (1Jo 4:19.) In short, Paul here does two things; for he confirms faith, lest the pious should give way from being overcome with fear, and he exhorts them to gratitude, that they may value so much the higher the mercy of God towards them.
Hath chosen you. He states the reason why all are not involved and swallowed up in the same ruin — because Satan has no power over any that God has chosen, so as to prevent them from being saved, though heaven and earth were to be confounded. This passage is read in various ways.
The old interpreter has rendered it first-fruits, (686) as being in the Greek ἀπαρχήν; but as almost all the Greek manuscripts have απ᾿ ἀρχὢς, I have in preference followed this reading. Should any one prefer first-fruits, the meaning will be, that believers have been, as it were, set aside for a sacred offering, by a metaphor taken from the ancient custom of the law. Let us, however, hold by what is more generally received, that he says that the Thessalonians were chosen from the beginning
Some understand the meaning to be, that they had been called among the first; but this is foreign to Paul’s meaning, and does not accord with the connection of the passage. For he does not merely exempt from fear a few individuals, who had been led to Christ immediately on the commencement of the gospel, but this consolation belongs to all the elect of God, without exception. When, therefore, he says from the beginning, he means that there is no danger lest their salvation, which is founded on God’s eternal election, should be overthrown, whatever tumultuous changes may occur. “However Satan may mix and confound all things in the world, your salvation, notwithstanding, has been placed on a footing of safety, prior to the creation of the world.” Here, therefore, is the true port of safety, that God, who elected us of old, (687) will deliver us from all the evils that threaten us. For we are elected to salvation; we shall, therefore, be safe from destruction. But as it is not for us to penetrate into God’s secret counsel, to seek there assurance of our salvation, he specifies signs or tokens of election, which should suffice us for the assurance of it.
In sanctification of the spirit, says he, and belief of the truth. This may be explained in two ways, with sanctification, or by sanctification. It is not of much importance which of the two you select, as it is certain (688) that Paul meant simply to introduce, in connection with election, those nearer tokens which manifest to us what is in its own nature incomprehensible, and are conjoined with it by an indissoluble tie. Hence, in order that we may know that we are elected by God, there is no occasion to inquire as to what he decreed before the creation of the world, but we find in ourselves a satisfactory proof if he has sanctified us by his Spirit, — if he has enlightened us in the faith of his gospel. For the gospel is an evidence to us of our adoption, and the Spirit seals it, and those that are led by the Spirit are the sons of God, (Rom 8:14,) and he who by faith possesses Christ has everlasting life. (1Jo 5:12.) These things must be carefully observed, lest, overlooking the revelation of God’s will, with which he bids us rest satisfied, we should plunge into a profound labyrinth from a desire to take it from his secret counsel, from the investigation of which he draws us aside. Hence it becomes us to rest satisfied with the faith of the gospel, and that grace of the Spirit by which we have been regenerated. And by this means is refuted the wickedness (689) of those who make the election of God a pretext for every kind of iniquity, while Paul connects it with faith and regeneration in such a manner, that he would not have it judged of by us on any other grounds.
(684) “ Mais aussi pour les autres fideles, qui viendroyent apres;” — “But also for other believers, who should come after.”
(685) “ En vn estat ferme et paisible, qui mene a la vie;” — “In a secure and peaceable condition, which leads to life.”
(686) Primitias . Wiclif (1380) following, as he is wont, the reading of the Vulgate, renders it “the first fruytis.”
(687) “ Des le commencement;” — “From the beginning.”
(688) “ S. Paul ne vent autre chose, sinon apres auoir parlé de l’election de Dieu, adiouster maintenant des signes plus prochains qui nous la manifestent;” — “St. Paul means simply, after having spoken of the election of God, to add now those nearer tokens which manifest it to us.”
(689) “ La meschancete horrible;” — “The horrible wickedness.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
2Th. 2:13. We are bound to give thanks.The same form of expression as in 2Th. 1:3, save that here we is expressed separately and emphatically.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.2Th. 2:13-14
Salvation a Divine Act.
When the air is thick with antichristian theories, sincere inquirers after truth are perplexed, the grasp of the hesitating is loosened, and the fidelity of the strongest severely tested. Only those who fully yield themselves up to the teaching and guidance of the divine Spirit are safe. A clever inventor has recently constructed a fireproof dress, which enables him to walk about unharmed in the midst of the fiercest fire. Experimental godliness is a fireproof dress, and the soul clothed with this is safely guarded from the fiery darts of the wicked, and will pass unscathed through the fiercest fires of temptation. We never know what it is to be really saved till we personally experience the sanctifying power of the truth. These verses teach that salvation is a divine act.
I. Salvation is an act of the divine will.
1. The divine will is actuated by divine love. Brethren beloved of the Lord, God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation (2Th. 2:13). When we examine the sources of salvation, we find them not in ourselves, but in some power outside of ourselves. We are saved, not because we are good, or better than others, or more favourably circumstanced, but because God has chosen us. And if we ask still further how it is that God should lavish the grace of His salvation on sinful man, we are reduced, in the final analysis, to this answer: Such is the divine willa will swayed in all its mighty potentialities by infinite love.
Love, strong as death; nay, stronger
Love mightier than the grave;
Broad as the earth, and longer
Than oceans widest wave.
This is the love that sought us,
This is the love that bought us,
This is the love that brought us,
To gladdest day from saddest night,
From deepest shame to glory bright,
From depths of death to lifes fair height,
From darkness to the joy of light.
Bonar.
2. The divine will provides the means of salvation.Whereunto He called you by our gospel (2Th. 2:14). The gospel is Gods method of salvation, and it is through this gospel He will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1Ti. 3:4). If the gospel were but a human expedient, it would fail; but, as it was originated and devised in the divine mind, so it is backed and made forceful by the operation of the divine will.
II. Salvation as a divine act is in harmony with individual freedom.
1. Salvation implies personal holiness. Through sanctification of the Spirit (2Th. 2:13). The Spirit sanctifies the individual soul, and the soul, in the exercise of its voluntary power, co-operates with the Spirit. The soul feels the need of being sanctified, is willing to be sanctified, earnestly desires to be sanctified, and gives free, unrestricted scope to the Spirit in His sanctifying work.
2. Salvation implies personal faith.And belief of the truth (2Th. 2:13). This clause brings out distinctly that the sanctification of the Spirit is not wrought on a passive and unresponsive agent. Faith is the gift of God, but it is the act of man. It is a self-giving; the surrender of his own freedom to secure the larger freedom that salvation confers on the soul that trusts. Without Gods gift there would be no faith, and without mans exercise of that gift there is no salvation. It is not faith that saves, but the Christ received by faith. Erskine puts it thus: As it is not the laying on the plaster that heals the sore, but the plaster itself that is laid on, so it is not the faith, or receiving of Christ, but Christ received by faith that saves us. It is not our looking to the brazen serpent mystical, but the mystical brazen serpent looked unto by faithChrist received by faiththat saves us.
III. Salvation as a divine act aims at securing for the soul the highest blessedness.To the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Th. 2:14). The saved soul aspires after glory, but it is glory of the loftiest type. It is not the changeful glory of worldly magnificence. It is not the glory of Paul, or of the greatest human genius. It is the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the soul catches a glimpse of the splendour of this divine blessedness, it can be satisfied with no lower aims. Paint and canvas, said Guthrie, cannot give the hues of a rainbow or of the beams of the sun. No more can words describe the Saviours glory. Nay, what is the most glowing and ecstatic view that the highest faith of a soul, hovering on the borders of another world, ever obtained of Christ, compared with the reality? It is like the sun changed by a frosty fog-bank into a dull, red copper ballshorn of the splendour that no mortal eyes can look upon. As it is Christs glory that we seek, so it is Christs glory we shall share.
IV. Salvation as a divine act affords matter for unceasing gratitude.But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you (2Th. 2:13). The mercy of God in our salvation is ever providing fruitful themes for gratitude on earth: the glory of Christ as revealed in heaven will be the song of everlasting thankfulness and praise. Every added trophy of saving power augments the gratitude and joy of the faithful.
Lessons.
1. The rejection of the truth is the rejection of salvation.
2. Salvation brings the highest good to man and the greatest glory to God.
3. Salvation will be the exhaustless theme of the heavenly song.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
2Th. 2:13. The Holy Ghost the Sanctifier.
I. Connect the divine purpose and agency, that the nature and effect of the latter may be more apparent.To collect a people out of the wreck of human life has been Gods purpose from the first. To sanctify them is to separate them to God in fact and in effect. The Holy Ghost is given by Christ to sever the once dead in sins from the dead around them.
II. The scope of this agency.Gods work is perfect. It has its stages; but the Holy Ghost conducts it from first to last. Sanctification is progressive. The end of sanctification is salvation.
III. The ordinary means through which the Holy Ghost operates.Through belief of the truth, the gospel. The Spirit sanctifies through the truth.H. T. Lumsden.
2Th. 2:14. The Glory of Sainthood
I. Is the object of the gospel to promote.Whereunto He hath called you by our gospel.
II. Is a conscious personal possession.To the obtaining of the glory.
III. Is a sharing of the glory of Christ.Of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What Saints should be.In the cathedral of St. Mark, Venice, a marvellous building lustrous with an Oriental splendour beyond description, there are pillars said to have been brought from Solomons temple; these are of alabaster, a substance firm and endurable as granite, and yet transparent, so that the light glows through them. Behold an emblem of what all true pillars of the Church should befirm in their faith and transparent in their character; men of simple mould, ignorant of tortuous and deceptive ways, and yet men of strong will, not readily to be led aside or bent from their uprightness.Spurgeon.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Text (2Th. 2:13)
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Translation and Paraphrase
13.
But we are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because (you have received the love of the truth and escaped the strong delusions, and) God has chosen you (from the beginning to be) firstfruits unto salvation, by means of the sanctification of (our) spirit (which is done by the Holy Spirit), and (by) belief of the truth.
Notes (2Th. 2:13)
1.
This verse is much consolation to us. In the preceding paragraph we considered the terrors of the man of sin, and the strong delusions that are sent to those who will not believe the truth, Now Paul reassures the Thessalonians, and all other true Christians, that they are beloved of the Lord, and that God has chosen them unto salvation. They are not deceived by delusions. They are beloved by the Lord.
2.
In our outline we have called this brief paragraph Thanksgiving for Gods choosing the Thessalonians. (2Th. 2:13-15).
3.
From the beginning God has chosen and foreordained that some of the Gentiles should be saved. God chose the Gentiles who accepted Christ as his people. See Eph. 1:4; Eph. 3:5-6; Rom. 9:24-26. See also the notes on 1Th. 1:4.
4.
This verse begins much like 2Th. 1:3 : We are bound (that is, obligated or indebted) to give thanks always to God for you. See notes on 2Th. 1:3 for further comment.
5.
Note that we are chosen unto salvation. Oh, the joy of that word. It means safety, deliverance, and security.
6.
Two means are set forth as being the cause of our being chosen:
(1)
Sanctification of spirit.
(2)
Belief of the truth.
7.
There is a bit of uncertainty about the Greek text of this verse. The phrase, from the beginning (Gr., ap arches), is given as firstfruits (Gr., aparchen) in Nestles Gr. text. Westcott and Horts Gr. text has from the beginning in the text and first- fruits in the margin. As you can tell, there is only one letter of difference in the two renderings. The division between the words proves nothing, as in the old Greek manuscripts there were no breaks between any of the words.
I find no English version (except Moffatt) inserting the word firstfruits into the text, although several have it in the margin. On the whole I think we are justified in saying that the King James version is as accurate as any in rendering it from the beginning.
8.
What is sanctification of the Spirit?
This phrase is also used in 1Pe. 1:2 : Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
The word sanctification itself means a making holy, consecration, purification. See notes on 1Th. 4:3.
Let us note first of all that the Greek text does not say, Sanctification of the Spirit. The word the is not included. However, by common consent of scholars the omission of the the does not rule out the possibility that the spirit referred to is the Holy Spirit. But the absence of the article does make it possible that the spirit may not be the Holy Spirit.
Thus there are two possible interpretations of the phrase sanctification of the Spirit:
(1)
A sanctification wrought by the Holy Spirit. (Subjective genitive). This is the view of Thayer and A. T. Robertson.
(2)
A sanctification of our human spirit. (Objective genitive). This view is favored by Moffatt and Lenski. Moffatt translates the phrase, By the consecration of your spirit.
Lenski objects to the idea of the subjective genitive (sanctification by the Holy Spirit) and says that the fact that God, i.e. his Spirit, does the sanctifying work need not be stated, for this lies in the word sanctification, which is in itself a term that expresses action. It is our spirit that God sanctifies, just as it is truth that our faith trusts.
According to either interpretation, it is the Holy Spirit that does the sanctifying. But we personally favor the view that it is our spirit that is sanctified (the objective genitive). 2Co. 7:1 lends support to this view. Let us cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Obviously the human spirit is meant there. So also 1Th. 5:23, where Paul prayed that our whole spirit and soul and body would be Sanctified.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(13) But we are bound.This may be called a recurrence to the subject dropped at 2Th. 1:3. The pronoun is somewhat emphatic. It might have seemed more natural to have sharpened the contrast between the Thessalonian Christians and the unhappy people just mentioned by beginning But you. It is, however, part of St. Pauls delicacy of sympathy to describe rather the effect upon himself and his two companions of observing that contrast. He sets himself to work the contrast out.
Beloved of the Lord.Precisely the same phrase as in 1Th. 1:4, except for the substitution of the Lord for God, which shows the concurrence of the Eternal Son in His Fathers predestinations. As in the former passage, the tense (who have been loved) makes the reader think of the everlasting duration of that love (Jer. 31:3), and is again connected with the mystery of election.
O love, who ere lifes earliest dawn
On me thy choice hast gently laid.
Hath . . . chosen.The Greek tense should be rendered by chose, referring to the definite moment (so to speak) in the divine counsels when the choice was fixed. This moment is defined as from the beginning, i.e., from the eternity preceding the origin of time, called by the same name in Gen. 1:1, Joh. 1:1, and 1Jn. 1:1. It does not simply mean from the outset, i.e., from the moment of first thinking at all about you. The identical phrase is said not to occur again in St. Paul. It may be noticed that there is a striking various-reading in some of the MSS., involving the change of only one letter, which would give us (instead of chose you from the beginning) chose you as firstfruits. Comp. Jas. 1:18; but the reading in the text is better supported.
To salvation.This salvation is in contrast with the destruction (2Th. 1:9), perdition (2Th. 2:3), or perishing (2Th. 2:10), all of which represent the same word in the Greek. Out of the wreck of a world, God had from eternity chosen these Thessalonians to come off safely.
Through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.This again teaches us the apostolic idea of election. It is not an absolute irreversible predestination to a particular state of happiness on which the elect is to enter after death. The salvation is present, begun in this life (Eph. 2:5; Eph. 2:8), and carried on along fixed lines, namely, in sanctification of spirit and belief of truth (such is the literal rendering). The preposition in has here the same force as in 1Th. 4:4; 1Th. 4:7, namely, by way of, by a course of. If, therefore, God chose the Thessalonian Christians to salvation by a course of sanctification and belief, one thing, at any rate, is clear: that if any of them should leave that course, and fall into the errors and sins denounced in the foregoing verses, then, in the Apostles mind, they would have forfeited their salvation, in spite of Gods choice of them. Consequently, we are forced to one of two theories: either that the man has no free will at all, the moral character of his actions depending as entirely upon God as his final destiny; or else, that the man is free, and that God singles him out to enjoy special opportunities of sanctification and of correct belief, which the man may accept or reject as he pleases. The first of these theories lies open to the question, why, if God is responsible for the moral character of the actions of His elect and for their belief, He does not sanctify them at once and completely, and make each one infallible in doctrine; but, in any case, lax morality or creed is as incompatible with the hope of a Calvinist as with that of an orthodox Christian. Sanctification of spirit seems to mean spiritual sanctification: an inward process, not merely outward change of conduct. This is, of course, wrought by the action of the Holy Spirit upon our spirits; but the omission of the definite article in the Greek is difficult to explain if the spirit mentioned be other than the spirit acted upon. Belief of truth is opposed to believing the lie, of 2Th. 2:11 : acceptation of facts as they are, especially the deep facts of revelation, is always the great means of sanctification in Holy Scripture (Joh. 17:17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. But In contrast with the dark picture of 10-12, we are relieved with the beautiful portraiture of the believers of the truth in Thessalonica. St. Paul presents the divine side of their salvation, the human conditions being subordinately assumed.
From the beginning From the first founding of the Thessalonian Church, when they were first called by our gospel, as said in 2Th 2:14. This, in contrast with the unbelievers of 2Th 2:10, who by their own rejection became victims of delusions, Lunemann, followed by Alford, interprets from eternity, a sense which the phrase never has in the New Testament. It is entirely uncritical to quote as they do such phrases “before the foundation of the world,” etc. Equally uncritical to quote St. John’s “In the beginning was the Word,” where the sense of eternity arises from the verb was, as see our note there. In the following passages the phrase is used, limited by the adjoining words to the commencement of human history with Adam. Mat 19:4; Mat 19:8; Joh 8:44; 1Jn 3:8; Mat 24:21; Mar 10:6; Mar 13:19 ; 2Pe 3:4. So, limited by the context to particular things, in Luk 1:2; Joh 15:27; 1Jn 1:1 ; 1Jn 2:7; 1Jn 2:13-14; 1Jn 2:24; 1Jn 3:11; 2Jn 1:5-6; Act 26:4.
Chosen in consequence of faith, just as those of 2Th 2:10 were rejected because of unbelief.
Through The preposition of instrumentality. On the divine side God uses the free act of the creature’s faith as his instrument in bringing them to salvation. Sanctification of, or from, as agent, the Spirit Depends on salvation. It was not, then, first justification by faith which was wrought through sanctification of the Spirit, as Lunemann strangely puts it. Such an idea as sanctification being the primary means of our being chosen is wholly unbiblical.
Belief of the truth The firm permanent faith of the believer in contrast with the unbelievers of 2Th 2:10-12.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brothers and sisters beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you through our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Having considered the man of sin, and the destiny of those who follow him, Paul now assures the Thessalonians that he realises that they are not of that number. Rather are they beloved of the Lord (that is, the Lord Jesus Christ). And that immediately brings him ‘under an obligation’ to give thanks for what has caused them to be so, God’s electing grace.
‘For that God chose you from the beginning.’ Compare Eph 1:4 ; 1Pe 1:1-2. From the beginning means ‘before the foundation of the world’ (Eph 1:4). From the beginning of His act of creation, even before the world came into being, He chose His own. Their salvation was not an afterthought resulting from failure, but the specific purpose of God which He would bring into fulfilment. They were ‘chosen according to the foreknowing of God’ (1Pe 1:1-2).
Some good texts have ‘as firstfruits’ rather than ‘from the beginning’, and if this reading were accepted it would mirror the teaching in Revelation 14 that God’s people are his firsfruits, while the remainder of the world awaits judgment.
‘Unto salvation.’ Man’s sin, man’s fall, all was beforehand known to God. And His purpose to save His own was part of that foreknowing. He chose them unto salvation. He, as it were, entered into personal relationship with them beforehand long prior to making His effectual call. This was then to be accomplished by two means, sanctification in the Spirit, which is God’s side, and belief of the truth, which is the resulting response of man.
Here sanctification of the Spirit begins in the working of truth in a man’s heart (as against the ‘working of error’ – 2Th 2:11), which results in belief of the truth, continues in giving new life through the new birth (Joh 3:6; Tit 3:5; Jas 1:18; 2Pe 1:4; Gal 4:19), and then continues on as He works within them to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:13; 1Co 1:8; Jud 1:24), until He finally presents them perfect before Him, holy and without blemish (Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; Jud 1:24). And the result in such men is a continuing response of belief and trust in the truth of the Gospel, seen as a wholehearted response to Him..
‘Whereunto He called you through our Gospel.’ This looks back to all the blessings described, salvation, sanctification in the Spirit and belief of the truth. They were effectually called through the work of the Spirit to these things. And the means of their calling was the Good News presented by Paul and his companions. In Paul ‘calling’ is always seen as effectual (compare 1Th 2:12; 1Th 5:24; 2Ti 1:9).
But what was to be the end result? ‘The obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ’. In that day we will see His glory, and we shall be like Him, for we will see Him as He is (1Jn 3:2). The Christian’s end is glory, ‘a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ ( 2Co 4:17; Rom 8:17-18; Rom 8:30; 1Co 15:43; Eph 5:27; Php 3:21; 1Th 2:12). We will appear with Him in glory (Col 3:4). As God has glorified Jesus, the representative man, so will He glorify us. And the process has already begun (2Co 3:18; Joh 17:22).
Note in all this the working of the whole Godhead. ‘God chose you — in sanctification of the Spirit — to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ’. None of this is due to our merit. It is because God chose us and worked His will within us that we will share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Exhortations to Watch: Readiness of Mind – He first reminds them of their calling from the beginning of time which will result in their future, eternal glory with Christ Jesus (2Th 2:13-14). He asks them to stand fast in this truth, as they set their minds on this blessed hope (2Th 2:15). He prays for their sanctification in spirit, soul and body (2Th 2:16-16). This passage emphasizes a readiness of mind for Christ’s Second Coming.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:13
Mat 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th 2:13-14
1Th 1:3-4, “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2Th 2:15
Gal 1:14, “And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers .”
2Th 2:15 “or our epistle” Comments It is generally believed that Paul’s phrase in 2Th 2:15 “our epistle” is a reference to his first epistle to the Thessalonians.
2Th 2:15 Comments The New Testament church, because of its Jewish heritage, immediately incorporated the Old Testament Scriptures into its daily worship. However, these new believers quickly realized that some of the Old Testament teachings, such as the Law of Moses, must now be interpreted in light of the New Covenant. We see this challenge taking place at the first council of Jerusalem in Acts 15.
Act 15:1-2, “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.”
In addition to the recognition of the Old Testament, the apostles realized that they had been given the authority to reveal the new covenant with as high authority as they held the Jewish Old Testament. According to 2Co 3:1-11, they were appointed ministers of this new covenant.
The major requirement for all of the New Testament writings to be considered “divinely inspired Scripture” was apostolic authority. These twenty-seven books had to have been either written by one of the twelve apostles, or either been imposed by these apostles upon the churches as an “instrument” of the Church, to be read and obeyed by all. Thus, we see the Gospels and Paul’s epistles being read in gatherings alongside the Old Testament Scriptures, and being elevated to equal authority as other sacred Scripture.
Therefore, Paul’s qualifications as a minister of the new covenant was elevated to a level higher than others due to the fact that God had given him the calling of writing much of the New Testament. Paul realized that his writings were on an equal level of authority as the Old Testament Scriptures.
Therefore, Paul held the authority to speak on the level of authority that Christ Jesus spoke while on this earth.
Scripture References – Note similar Scriptures that indicate how the New Testament writings became elevated by apostolic authority to become equal to the Old Testament Scriptures:
1Co 14:37, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
2Co 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
Col 4:16, “And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”
1Th 4:2, “For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.”
1Th 5:27, “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.”
1Ti 5:18, “For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
1Pe 1:12, “Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”
2Pe 3:16, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Rev 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
2Th 2:16-17 Comments – Paul’s Prayer In 2Th 2:16-17 Paul prays for the sanctification of the believers at Thessalonica, spirit, soul and body. Their hope established their minds, and he strengthens their hearts with comfort, while asking God to establish their works.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Holy Spirit’s Role in Preparing the Church for the Second Coming (Their Sanctification) – After Jesus Christ finished His eschatological discourse to the disciples He instructed them to watch and to pray (Luk 21:36).
Luk 21:36, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
This is what Paul does in 2Th 2:13 to 2Th 3:15, which emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in preparing the Church for Christ’s Second Coming, and its opening verse refers to the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
Outline – Note the following outline:
1. Exhortations to Watch (Readiness of Mind) 2Th 2:13-17
2. Exhortations to Pray (Readiness of Spirit) 2Th 3:1-5
3. Exhortations to Work (Readiness of Body) 2Th 3:6-15
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Paul commends, counsels, and comforts his readers:
v. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth;
v. 14. whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
v. 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.
v. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
v. 17. comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. After his extended description of Anti-Christ and its attendant warning, the apostle now turns back to his Thessalonian Christians with words of cheer and thanksgiving to God: But us it behooves to give thanks to God always in your behalf, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth, through which He also called you through our Gospel, to the attainment of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul felt the obligation resting upon him, he felt bound to give thanks to God for the election and salvation of his readers, whom he affectionately calls brethren that were beloved by the Lord, people that were enjoying His love, as they were indeed. He knew that God had lifted out, selected, chosen them from the beginning. The eternal decree of God concerning their salvation had begun to go into effect when Paul preached the Gospel among them. And it had resulted in their salvation, begun and guaranteed in the sanctification of the Spirit and in their firm belief in the truth of the Gospel-message. They were sure of their redemption in and through Jesus, and because this faith lived in their hearts, its Source and Author, the Holy Spirit, was able to continue His work of sanctification in them. At the same time they were being confirmed in their faith in the truth as they had learned it. ALL this was the result of the gracious call of God through the Gospel which Paul preached to them. Under these circumstances the final result could not be in doubt for as much as a moment, namely, the attainment, the acquisition, the taking possession of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; they should be assured of their participation in the life of Christ’s glorification, Rom 5:2; Rom 8:17-29; Php_3:21 ; Joh 17:22.
With this wonderful goal before their eyes, the Christians of all times will heed all the more gladly the exhortation of the apostle: So, then, brethren, stand firm, and keep a strong hold on the instructions which you were taught, whether through word or through our epistle. Commendation and exhortation always should be related. The apostle wants his readers to stand up in the midst of the general falling away, to be firm in spite of all attacks on the part of their enemies, and to keep a firm hold on the statutes and instructions which he had delivered to them, which he had taught them, both by word of mouth and by means of the first letter addressed to them. This Word, the inspired Word of Truth, is the only reliable foundation of faith and hope; all doctrines of men, and especially those of Anti-Christ, are untruths and lies, which tend to lead men into everlasting destruction.
Since, however, the success of the exhortation depends entirely upon the power of God as it is manifested in the believers, the apostle finally says: But He Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, and God, our Father, who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope in grace, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. It is from God that every good gift and every perfect gift comes down. Our Lord Jesus and our heavenly Father, being one in divine essence, are continually busy in our behalf, in the interest of our salvation. But the work of the Father is particularly emphasized in this connection. He loved us with an everlasting love, with a love so great that He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him for us all. In His grace, through His Word, He gives us everlasting comfort and consolation, namely, the certainty of our salvation through the merits of our Redeemer. And by reason of this same grace we now have a good, a certain hope; we know that our souls, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, are secure in His hands, not only to the last great day, but beyond that day throughout eternity, Tit 2:13; Col 1:5. With this certainty before our eyes, the prayerful wish of the apostle cannot fail, namely, that our hearts will be comforted in the midst of all troubles and afflictions of this life, and that this comfort of faith will find its expression in every good work and word, that our entire life will be an expression of the love which follows upon faith in our hearts. The happiness which lives in the minds of the Christians is bound to find its manifestation in word and deed, both of which thereby become witnesses for the truth and power of the Gospel in the hearts of all men that believe.
Summary
The apostle describes the coming of Anti-Christ and the revelation of the mystery of iniquity, which nevertheless is to continue to the end; in a prayerful commendation he counsels and comforts his readers in their steadfast faith.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
2Th 2:13. Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, &c. The apostle saw the full evidences of God’s intention of mercy and goodness towards them. The original word signifies a voluntary favourable designation, appointment, and choice of a person to any particular purpose and end; not such a choice as necessarily secures the end, or is inconsistent with the refusal of the person so chosen to accept the favour intended him. In this sense one of the historians* uses the word, where he tells us “that when Antonine, the son of Severus the Roman emperor, was killed, the soldiers chose (the word the apostle here uses) Audentius for emperor; butthat he, alleging old age in excuse, refused to accept the empire: they offered him the honour, but he would not accept of it.” Thus God chose the Thessalonians to the gospel salvation, offered them the benefit of it, and called them to the means of it, and made it fully appear that he intended and designed them this invaluable favour. The choice here spoken of, is evidently such a one, as had grounds of certainty attending it; for the apostle speaks of it with full assurance, as a matter that he knew, and for which he was bound in duty to return thanks to God: and by consequence cannot relate to any such absolute and eternal choice of every one of the Thessalonian converts to eternal salvation, as should necessarily, and infallibly, and finally secure that event. This the word never signifies; nor could St. Paul know it without such a revelation from God, as we have no ground to think he was ever favoured with. The choice of God therefore here spoken of, is such a free and gracious designation and appointment of them to the gospel salvation, as carried its own certainty and proof with it, and, according to the proper meaning of the original word, implies only his graciously making the offers of it; giving them the choice of it; calling them to the means of obtaining it, and making it fully appear to them that he intended them this invaluable blessedness; a benefit they could never have expected or obtained, but from the merciful assurance and voluntary offer of God:and this they had from the beginning; he hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation; that is to say, “not from eternity, which has no beginning, but from the beginning of my preaching the gospel among you, and your being called by it to the knowledge and belief of the truth.” Thus St. John, 1Jn 2:7. I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning: and again, 1Jn 2:24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning; that is to say, “from the first publication of the gospel doctrine:” so here, God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation: “It appears from the time of my first entrance among you, and preaching the gospel to you, that God intended you the benefit of this great salvation, and chose you by his mercy to this invaluable favour.” But how did this appear? How did God choose them to this great salvation?Through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. This was both the means and the evidence of that choice; so that this choice cannot possibly refer to any eternal secret choice of God, but to the actual choice of them, by the gift of the Spirit, and their belief of the gospel truth.
[ * Herod. iv. 14. 3, 4.]
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Th 2:13 . ] but we , namely, I, Paul, together with Silvanus and Timotheus, in contrast to the persons described in 2Th 2:10-12 .
] denotes here, as in 2Th 2:13 , the subjective obligation, an internal impulse.
] comp. 1Th 1:4 . The here is Christ , because directly precedes and directly follows, consequently another subject was evidently thought on by the apostle.
. . .] the material object of for the purpose of a further statement of the personal object , that, namely , etc.
] in the sense of divine election (Deu 26:18 ; Deu 7:6-7 ; Deu 10:15 ), does not elsewhere occur with Paul. He uses (Eph 1:4 ; 1Co 1:27-28 ), or (Rom 8:29 ; Rom 11:2 ), or (Rom 8:29 ; Eph 1:11 ). is found in Phi 1:22 in the related sense of “to choose between two objects the preferable.”
] from the beginning, i.e. from eternity . Comp. 1Jn 1:1 ; 1Jn 2:13 . The following forms are analogous: , Eph 3:9 ; , Col 1:26 ; , 1Co 2:7 ; , Eph 1:4 ; , 2Ti 1:9 . Others, as Vorstius and Krause, interpret of the beginning of the publication of the gospel, so that the Thessalonians were reckoned as the first who embraced the gospel in Macedonia. But this does not suit , for the election on the part of God belongs to the region of eternity; the calling (2Th 2:14 ) is its realization in time. Besides, an addition would be necessary to , as Phi 4:15 proves, . Lastly, the objection of Vorstius: “absurdum est, per principium intelligere aeternitatem, quippe in qua nullum est principium,” overlooks the fact that is nothing more than a popular expression. [67]
] is by Flatt referred to salvation in this life, whilst he considers included therein the forgiveness of sins, the assurance of God’s peculiar love, and the freedom from the dominion of sinful inclinations. Incorrect on this account, because the of the Thessalonians is in undeniable contrast with the condemnation of the ungodly (2Th 2:12 ), and thus likewise must be referred to the result to be expected at the advent of Christ, accordingly must denote eternal salvation.
] belongs neither to alone (Koppe, Flatt, Schott, Baumgarten-Crusius, Hofmann, Riggenbach), nor to alone (de Wette), but to the whole idea , and states the means by which the election, which has taken place to eternal salvation, was to be realized. [68] To assume, with de Wette, that is placed for , and to find the next aim denoted by . . ., is unmaintainable. For if and were co-ordinates, then (1) , because the highest aim, would be put not in the first, but in the second place; and (2) the sudden transition from a preposition of motion to one of rest would be inexplicable. is not the spirit of man , to which the being sanctified was to be referred (genitive of the object: “by the improvement of the spirit,” Koppe, Krause, Schott), but the Holy Spirit , from whom the sanctification of the whole man is to proceed, or by whom it is to be effected (genitive of origin). Accordingly it is also evident wherefore the apostle mentions the belief in the Christian truth only after , although otherwise the sanctification of man follows only on his reception of the divine word. For Paul considers a twofold means of the realization of the divine election first , the influence of the Holy Spirit upon man, and secondly , man’s own reception. But the former already precedes the latter.
[67] Also Schrader’s assertion, that the author (the pseudo-Paul) betrays by “that he considered the time when the gospel was first preached in Thessalonica as already long past,” has no meaning according to the above.
[68] In a manner entirely incorrect, and with a mistake of the actual use of the preposition narrowing its meaning, Hofmann objects and Mller should not have followed him against the above interpretation, that then the means would be taken for the act of the election itself .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2Th 2:13-17 . Exhortation to the readers to hold fast to the Christianity delivered to them (2Th 2:15 ), grounded on the comfortable fact that they belonged not to those who perish, but were fore-ordained by God to salvation, and called to it by the gospel (2Th 2:13-14 ), and united with a pious wish that Christ and God Himself would comfort their minds, and strengthen them to all goodness (2Th 2:16-17 ).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2Th 2:13 to 2Th 3:15 . Hortatory portion of the Epistle.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2. 2Th 2:13-17
Exhortation, growing out of the foregoing instruction: Christians, whom God has saved from the Antichristian ruin are the more encouraged to stand fast, and for them the Divine guardianship is besought
13But we are bound to give thanks always to God [Greet order: to God always] for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,63 because God hath from the beginning chosen you [God chose you from the beginning]64 to salvation through 14[in]65 sanctification of the Spirit and belief [faith]66 of the truth; Whereunto He called you67 by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus 15Christ. Therefore [So then],68 brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions [instructions]69 which ye have been taught [were taught, ], whether by word, or our epistle [by our word or epistle].70 16Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father [But may He Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ and our God and Father],71 which hath loved us, and hath given [who loved us, and gave, , ] us everlasting consolation and good hope through [in, ] grace, 17Comfort your hearts, and stablish you [establish you]72 in every good word and work [work and word].73
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. (2Th 2:13-14.) But we are bound, &c.Paul concludes the section on the coming of Antichrist with thanksgiving for the election and salvation of the readers; with an exhortation to steadfastness; and finally with a prayer for their stability. After the serious and agitating topic, of which he had been speaking, he is the more inclined to utter a word of thanksgiving, exhortation, and comfort. Already Theophylact remarks: He now softens his address, after the words of terror. For even though the prospect of the final conflicts was of itself a matter of consolation for true believers, yet the grave question still presented itself: How shall we endure? We are bound to give thanks, he says, and so reverts to 2Th 1:3. There he gave thanks for their steadfast faith amid persecutions from without. Now his thanksgiving is still further enlarged, the ground being salvation likewise in view of the afflictions of the last time; and he gives thanks, notwithstanding that he had to make mention of the apostasy within Christendom (2Th 2:3). We, he writes, namely Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy [Jowett, Conybeare, Webster and Wilkinson: Paul alone]; most say: in opposition to the perishing, 2Th 2:10, who fall away to Antichrist. But this antithesis does not come out right; a suitable contrast to the perishing would be the Thessalonians, not the preachers of the gospel. Theophylact perceives this, and therefore remarks: If we give thanks for you, how much more are ye bound to do so! It is better, therefore, to understand the matter with Hofmann, thus: Over against the Antichristian deception which God will send (and which, as an active mystery of iniquity, has already begun), we, the preachers of the gospel, give thanks for what He is now working by us, to save you from the coming judgment, and we the more give thanks, when we see how the way of this judgment is already preparing.Brethren beloved of the Lord, this is his anchor-ground; here is his comforting assurance: Those grievous sinners cannot hurt you. In 1Th 1:4 the word is , which is given here only by D.1 Vulg.; Sin. and A., ; most, without the article; which is here distinguished from before and after, and yet one with the Father: Christ; in opposition to Antichrist, to whom the others fall away. In the former place Paul gave thanks for their , here in the same sense: (this Alexandrian form, instead of the Rec. is given by nearly all the uncials). For you, which is now more fully explained: to wit, that74 God chose you. Elsewhere Paul says , to select for ones self; only here, , to choose, that is, for something, here ; in the Septuagint the word is not of rare occurrence; for example, Deu 21:18, of the choosing of the people of God. Instead of , Hofmann also prefers the reading , which cannot be understood as in Rom 16:5 and 1Co 16:15. Lnemann observes that the Thessalonians could not be so called, since they were neither generally, nor even in Macedonia merely, the first that believed. This reading is one of the considerations by which Grotius would support his strange hypothesis, that the Epistle was addressed to Christians from Judea. Hofmann, according the reference to earlier or later conversion, finds here simply the idea of firstfruits consecrated to God, in opposition to the mass of the profane, and compares Rev 14:4. But the reading is too feebly supported. We therefore adhere to , from the beginning. Is this, however, to be taken relatively, or absolutely? Such as prefer the former idea understand it as Zwingli: ab initio prdicationis, amongst you, or in Macedonia generally. Nor can it be positively required that in this case there should have been an addition like that in Php 4:15 ( ); for even without any addition the expression has this signification at 1Jn 2:7; 1Jn 2:24. But certainly the connection there favors this view, as it does not here; for even to say, that the phrase is to be explained in opposition to the last things, does not suggest this limitation: in the beginning of the gospel. Moreover, the expression so understood would imply that the time, when Paul wrote, was already considerably remote from the time when the church was founded. Calvin remarks still further, that he meant to furnish a ground of consolation, which should be available, not merely for those converted at the commencement of preaching, but for all the elect. But the decisive consideration is this, that that restriction does not suit . Gods election is eternal, and only the accomplishment of it by means of the call takes place in time. It is therefore equivalent to from eternity, as we men can form a conception of that; so far as we can go back in thought; or to (Eph 1:4; comp. 2Ti 1:9). is similarly used in 1Jn 1:1; 1Jn 2:13; Isa 43:13 Sept.; and thus it is understood by Calvin, Bengel, and the moderns generally. He hath chosen us to salvation, in opposition to those who received not the truth that they might be saved (2Th 2:10). In the subsequent . alongside of De Wette would find an indication of the nearest object (1Th 4:7): to sanctification; but in this way the change of the preposition would be ill accounted for. The , &c. cannot belong to , since the objective purpose of free grace is not conditioned by the subjective process in us. Even Lnemanns view, that it belongs to the whole of , and denotes the means through which the past election to eternal salvation should be realized, is liable to the same objection: It is not the election, but the being saved, that is accomplished in sanctification; Hofmann: The choosing does not need this means. In is instrumentalequivalent to by means of, as already Chrysostom explains by , and has a close connection with , as Theophylact intimates: , .75 Sanctification is now inwardly the aim of the Divine counsel towards us (1Th 4:3), in opposition to the having pleasure in unrighteousness (2Th 2:12); it is the way likewise to the future outward (2Th 2:14). But how are the two following genitives to be understood? must be a genitive of the object, as in Php 1:27; but is not essentially so co-ordinate as that the parallelism could force us to understand that genitive in the same way. Were also a genitive of the object, it would denote mans own spirit, which is to be sanctified through the operation of the Holy Ghost, and then rule the whole man. It would be strange, however, and contrary to 1Th 5:23, that the spirit alone should be designated as the object of sanctification. And since even so the parallelism would not be at all a conclusive one, it is better to give it up entirely, and regard . (with Theophylact, Calvin, Grotius, Bengel, and most of the moderns) as a genitive of the author: in sanctification proceeding from the (Holy) Spirit (1Pe 1:2); and faith of the (Divine) truth, the latter clause being opposed to belief of the lie (2Th 2:11). It is unsuitable to explain as an adjective: in true faith (Chrysostom, Pelt). Olshausen makes a great difficulty of the fact, that the first thing in order (faith) here follows after, and therefore thinks we must here understand that faith perfected in judgment, which already presupposes sanctification; similarly Chrysostom, Theophylact: Even after sanctification we require much faith, that we may not fall away from it. But it is simpler to understand with Lnemann, that the objective, the working of the Holy Spirit (whose final aim in this world is sanctification), is followed by the subjective, the receptivity of faith for the Holy Spirits operation; faith following on , as the first thing that the Holy Spirit works, and as the way to the achievement of sanctification. [Webster and Wilkinson: No precedence of time, or sequence of cause and effect is to be inferred from the order of the clauses;
cf. 1Co 6:11. Holiness which is ascribed and is due to the immediate action of the Holy Spirit, is also produced instrumentally by belief. And belief is the result of the Holy Spirits influence upon the heart, an influence which changes and sanctifies.J. L.] The truth is to be understood here in its highest perfection, as in Joh 14:6; Joh 18:37; whoever is faithful in the first principles of truth, is then open to the voice of truth in its perfection. The contrast to this is, that , on the other hand, rushes into bondage under falsehood (2Th 2:11).Whereunto He called you; it is not said (, or some such word), but , so as to embrace all that precedes; whereunto, namely, to this . . (Lnemann). The is the carrying out of the ; 1Th 2:12; 1Th 4:17.By our gospel, our preaching of the glad tidings (1Th 1:5); the gospel which we proclaim (to that extent only, ours; Rom 2:16). [Burkitt: It is also a word of esteem, love, and affection; what we love, we call ours.J. L.] This is the historic condition; how can they believe, if there be no preaching? (Rom 10:14.) Now follows a second , an explanatory apposition to ,76 or the final object of faith and sanctificationa distinction of no importance, and depending merely on whether we understand the , contained substantially in , in a narrower or a comprehensive sense. At all events the Apostle is now speaking of the final consummation of the : to the obtaining, acquisition, taking possession, of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; to a participation therein, to be glorified with Him. So we are to understand (comp. 1Th 5:9), with Grotius, Olshausen, De Wette, Lnemann, Ewald, Hofmann. Incorrectly Luther [Calvin, and others. See the Revision on this verse, Note e.J. L.]: for a glorious possession of Christ, namely, that we should become so; but it is not well to sink to a merely adjectival idea, and in the explanation of . to vary from 1Th 5:9. Paul does not mean merely: Thy purchased heritage, but: Thy purchased heir am I. Still more unsuitable is the explanation of Chrysostom, Theophylact [Vatablus, Corn, a Lapide], and others: to acquire glory for Christ, the glory of Christ, the Friend of man, consisting in the salvation of many. The thought would be a beautiful one, but in that case we must have had . What Paul says is rather in substance the same as in Rom 5:2; Rom 8:17; Rom 8:29; Php 3:21; Joh 17:22 sqq. (participation in the life of Christs glorification). Such is the description of the final consummation of the redemptive work: the receiving of spiritual life, powerful, and exempt from death. That will be the crowning of the last stageof sanctification, namelythat is aimed at in the unglorified, earthly life. The destiny thus promised to the Thessalonians is confirmed by the exhortation that follows.
2. (2Th 2:15.) So then, brethren, stand [fast]; since such an end awaits you, and God overlooks nothing that concerns you, do you your part. Encouragement (by a thankful recognition of the good that exists) and exhortation stand always together in reciprocal relation. [Webster and Wilkinson: The most assured hope of salvation does not render exertion and admonition unnecessary; on the contrary, the exhortation to steadfastness and watchfulness here follows as an inference from the assertion of certain safety.J. L.] Stand fast (1Th 3:8) in the conflict; opposed to the of 2Th 2:2; and hold (the same word in Mar 7:3, of the Pharisees), nil addentes, nil detrahentes, Bengel; in order to personal steadfastness it is required to hold fast the traditions [instructions]; Luther: Satzungen [statutes]; Zwingli: institution; Calvin rightly: not merely external discipline, but whatever was offered to you in doctrine and precept for knowledge and practice. We are not to think so much of transmission from fathers to children, as of the delivery of that which the Apostle had received for them from God; comp. of Christs death on the cross, 1Co 15:3; of the Lords Supper, 1Co 11:23; (as here ), 1Co 11:2.Which ye were taught (comp. Winer, 32. 5); whether by word (at first, oral preaching) or by epistle (the subsequent confirmation) of us; belongs to both substantives, word and epistle denoting merely two different forms for the same substance, and showing the closeness of the connection (1Co 13:8); Zwingli: qucunque docui sive prsens, sive absens. By . without the article is denoted not any single particular epistle, but the one method of instruction over against the other; not merely therefore the First Epistle, though, of course, the expression suits that in the first instance, but they should also hold what they were taught in this Second Epistle, and, should he follow it with a third, they were to lay that likewise to heart, and generally to give heed also to the epistolary instruction (comp. 1Th 5:27), holding fast whatever in word or writing really comes from him, and is not merely ascribed to him falsely, as that letter of 2Th 2:2.
3. (2Th 2:16-17.) But may He Himself, &c.The Apostle concludes the section with a benediction, as at 1Th 3:11; 1Th 5:23. He Himself, not merely we, who taught you; not merely you, whom we exhort: .Our Lord Jesus Christ and our God and Father; Father, that is, through Christ. Commmonly the Apostle follows the reverse order; but here he goes back from Christ (who is for us also possessor of the glory that was last spoken of) to the Father, the ultimate ground of all blessedness, the ultimate Source of all exhortation, comfort, and confirmation. Theodoret (in the interest of the controversy with Arius) finds herein a proof, that the sequence of the names is no indication of a difference of dignity77Who loved us (all Christians) and gave us everlasting consolation (flowing from this love). The root of all is the unmerited love of God; the aorist denotes the historical proof of love, the work of redemption (comp. Eph 2:4; Joh 3:16; 1Jn 4:10); the same thing is said of Christ, Gal 2:20 [Eph 5:2; Eph 5:25], The everlasting consolation is by Chrysostom, Theophylact, and others, improperly taken as synonymous with hope; Pelt interprets it of the everlasting blessedness (Luk 6:24; Luk 16:25 : to be comforted). The latter is no doubt the highest end, but too far from being a present attainment, and still too tautological with what follows. Properly to distinguish it from that, we understand by everlasting consolation something real, now already present, which makes us of good courage now under the distress of the present time; not so personal, as in Zwinglis explanation: qu est ista consolatio? Christus Jesus; but yet a benefit now already granted us in Christ, and showing itself to be an inexhaustible source of joy; namely, reconciliation with God as the foundation of all further hope.78 With this the hope of the consummation of glory is connected also in Rom 5:1-2; and the same truth in a somewhat different combination is expressed likewise in Rom 8:28 sqq.And good hope; with which should be compared the blessed hope of Tit 2:13, in heaven, Col 1:5, which non-Christians, the heathen especially, do not have, 1Th 4:13.In grace, without merit of ours, is best referred to , not so well (with De Wette, Lnemann [Castalio, Estius]) to both participles (it being less suited to .). This is the foundation of his confident intercession: Such a God is ours, and in accordance with this His disposition I am able to desire for you, that He may comfort your hearts; for the two subjects the verb stands only in the singular (1Th 3:11); the two are one, even in the innermost and most glorious operations of grace. Herein shines the Divinity of Christ; it is not possible that the name of any man could be so often joined with the name of God. It is better here to understand the calling to [zusprechen, ] on the side of comforting encouragement, than on that of exhortation [as in 1Th 3:2; see there Exegetical Note 5.J. L.]; the question is about their holding faith, and being free from fear and anxiety (2Th 2:2), even in view of the aggravation of their afflictions; comp. Psa 119:32.79[ Ellicott: The Apostle does not say merely , but (comp. Col 2:2); it was the , the seat of their feelings and affections, the that was so full of hope and fear about the future, that the Apostle prayed might receive comfort.J. L.]And establish, &c.; if we do not read , it is simplest to regard the preceding as still the object; it is less natural to supply in thought, with Lnemann [and most others; see Critical Note 10.J. L.], a out of . May He strengthen [establish] them, that your sanctification may be perfected, and ye be not entangled in the apostasy of Christendom.In every good work and word; not by work and word [Chrysostom, Theophylact, Bengel], to wit, Gods work and Gods word; but with this does not well agree, and still less; since in that case no distinction would be necessary between good and bad. The adjective belongs to both substantives, not, as Luther translates, in every doctrine and good work. Nor is properly restricted to the idea of doctrine, as Calvin too would have it: sana doctrina, and Pelt, because, he says, it so stands at 2Th 2:15. But there the connection is different, the parallel member in this instance being , which comprehends every action, and so does likewise (especially with ) every good word; Zwingli: bonus sermo. Doctrine is a part of that. The order, word and work, would be ascensive; in the more strongly supported reading work has the precedence as being the main thing; that must speak first of all. May God strengthen you in every good work wherein you are engaged (in opposition to unrighteousness), and then also in every good word, of truth, faith, love (in opposition to falsehood); when it comes from the bottom of the heart, and corresponds to the work, it is itself a work, yea, the criterion of perfectness (Jam 3:2).
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. (2Th 2:13-14.) On election, see at 1Th 1:4 and 1Th 5:23-24. There is no question of a capricious preference of one, and disregard of another; such partial views are not taken by faith as faith; rather, in those who believe the consciousness prevails, that their salvation is not at all founded on their own merit. A faith even, which should be ever looking only at itself, would for that very reason be constantly threatened again with disturbance and agitation. Assurance is maintained only by going out from self, and casting ones self on the everlasting love and grace, whose purpose from the beginning, before the creation of the world, was the salvation of believers. Excellently Rieger: In the description of the most formidable troubles eternal election is often introduced as the shelter of the saints, Mat 24:22; Mat 24:31; Rev 13:8; Rev 17:8. But that which comes first is not the triumphal song of Romans 8, but the way of righteousness (Romans 1-7). Election provides a secret deposit; sanctification is election disclosed; and the root of that is faith in the truth.80 But how does one become sure of his election? Rieger: The purpose is seen in its accomplishment; the building shows the plan.Calvin: Because we are unable to penetrate into the secret counsel of God, that we may there become certain of our salvation, He gives us more accessible tokens and pledges of our election, to wit, in our sanctification by His Spirit, and our illumination in order to faith in His gospel,Bhl: The Second Helvetic Confession (Vienna, 1864), p. 2Th 19: It is in the way that we are to discover, whether we are on the way; we should not torment ourselves and others with the inquiry, whether even before the foundation of the world we were put on this way; we are rather to examine ourselves whether we have the way beneath our feet; and Christ is that way.For the same reason we are not at liberty to place a false reliance on a donum perseveranti, as if we could be sure of any such thing out of Christ. The following admonition to steadfastness (comp. 2Pe 1:10) is seriously meant, and so is the benediction with which the section concludes.
2. (2Th 2:15.) This verse is one of the words, by which of old (as early as Chrysostom) it was proposed to show the equal authority of oral tradition alongside of Scripture. But when John Damascene with this amongst others defends the worship of images, we have a striking instance of pretended tradition in conflict with Scripture. It is indeed clear, and no one contests it, that Christ did and spake many things that are not recorded, and in like manner that the preaching of the Apostles was first of all oral, which was then fixed and ascertained by writing; of course, in a short Epistle like ours, only very partially, still so as to guard against misapprehension and deterioration of doctrine. If then it is said that we are to believe also oral tradition, we answer: Yes, when its apostolic origin and character are proved to us. But this very chapter shows us, how quickly the oral teaching was forgotten (2Th 2:5), and was subjected to misconceptions or even falsifications (2Th 2:2), so that it needed to be corrected and certified. The evangelist John also says (Joh 20:30-31), that Jesus truly did many things which are not written, but that the preceding selection was written for the confirmation of faith in the Son of God, and of life in that faith. For this, therefore, the written word is a sufficient source, and for whatever claims to be apostolic the only authentic rule. But can that be a genuine tradition, which contradicts the written gospel? Paul knows simply a double form for one and the same substance, nothing of additions that introduce a new and heterogeneous substance. In point of fact, there is beside the Bible no well-attested tradition. Zwingli: Paul, however, had taught nothing else but the gospel of Jesus Christ. Calvin: When Paul will cast no snare on the Corinthians (1Co 7:35), how do they pretend to give out all their self-made ordinances as of equal dignity with the Pauline? Heubner: Paul does not say, that the tenor of the oral teaching was different from that of the written. [Macknight: No doctrines merit the name of traditions in the Scripture sense of the word, but such as were taught by the Apostles of Christ, or by other spiritual men, who received them by immediate revelation from Him.J. L.]It must be considered, on the other hand, how emphatically the Apostle here asserts the authority of his written word. It is no dead letter, but a seed-corn that is quickened in every susceptible heart. We know also that generally the written word is still more carefully weighed than that which is spoken. Many have an unintelligent aversion to all authority. They confound it with coercion and bondage. But authority is such an ascendency as rests on intellectual preminence,81 commends itself to rational conviction, and educates the obedient into true freedom. The mere fact that men are not self-created, implies that they cannot be absolutely autonomous; to say nothing of sinners, who need redemption. The true freedom is that with which the Son makes free (Joh 8:36), and the means to this emancipation is holding fast His word in the obedience of faith. The highest freedom and joy is to live and move in the word of truth.
3. (2Th 2:16-17.) Evangelical comfort is something different from a transient and essentially vain feeding with illusions. Christ and His Apostles seem first to trouble the hearts of those whom they comfort, and show them that there may come a much severer experience than the frivolous mind imagines, but that all comes from God and for the promotion of His kingdom. To have God for ours, throughout even the hardest fortune, such is the everlasting consolation of the gospel. We must not at once think of the worst, that it will not turn out so bad; this is to comfort with unwholesome vanities, after the manner of the world. Such theoretical optimists readily become, when things go ill, practical pessimists, and in their despair disgracefully lay down their arms. It is better to be theoretically a pessimist, prepared for the worst, and practically through the grace of God an optimist, confident even in the worst.[ Jowett: The Greek philosopher would have spoken of wisdom as an , as we speak of the gospel as remedial to the ills of human nature. St. Paul uses stronger language; with him the gospel is a consolation. Within and without, the Christian is suffering in this evil world. The gospel makes him sensible of this state, and at the same time turns his sorrow into joy. Rom 15:5; 2Co 1:3.J. L.]
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
2Th 2:13. Rieger: With every contemplation of what the enemy has done and will yet do, the servants of God nevertheless lose not their joy in Gods husbandry [Mat 13:25; Mat 13:28; 1Co 3:9]; they are merely driven the more under the wings of Gods grace.Heubner: The election of a man to salvation is for others also a subject of thanksgiving.Diedrich: Allow thyself to be sanctified in faith, and it is certain that thou art eternally chosen.Chrysostom: Not by works, not by righteous conduct, but by faith of the truth do we attain to salvation.Stockmeyer: So we resist not this will of God, but yield ourselves to it, who shall be able to hinder its being carried through to a glorious issue?Berlenb. Bibel: They who perish are ruined, not because they are absolutely rejected, but because they have no care for the truth. Believers are preserved, not because they deserve it, but because they cleave earnestly to God. Whoever concerns himself about the truth, so as to lay hold on God, is saved. But whoever meddles with Gods word, and that not rightly, is only made worse by it.[ Burkitt: 1. Election is to the means as well as to the end. 2. Sanctification and holiness, not the cause of our election, but the effect and fruit of it. 3. Sanctification being the fruit, it is also the evidence of our election. 4. The necessary connection between the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth.J. L.]
2Th 2:14. Zwingli: The gospel is Gods alone; but ofttimes God communicates to us what is His. Paul could say that the gospel was his, as regards service and office.Diedrich: Whatever Jesus has, that according to the will of the Father is also to be wholly ours.
2Th 2:15. Over against the Antichristian deception, it concerns us to abide the more firmly by the word; only by the word can we overcome, as Christ overcame; Matthew 4.[M. Henry: He doth not say, Ye are chosen to salvation, and therefore ye may be careless and secure; but therefore stand fast. Comp. 1Jn 2:27-28.Lectures: An unwavering adherence to apostolic teaching is at once the great manifestation, and an essential condition, of Christian stability.J. L.]
[Whitby: How can she (the Church of Rome) be relied on as a sure preserver and true teacher of (unwritten) traditions, which hath confessedly (Anselm, Estius) lost one of great moment (2Th 2:5-6), deposited with the Thessalonians, and the primitive Church?J. L.]
2Th 2:15-17. Stockmeyer: There is no success without our own earnest willing and doing, nor without our own pains and labor; but the power which worketh in us both to will and to do is the Lords. For this reason also, the Apostle is able to express what he had on his heart, in behalf of those who had become believing Christians, in a twofold manner, as an exhortation, 2Th 2:15, and again as a benediction and intercession, 2Th 2:16-17. The one does not exclude the other. The one is possible only through the other.
2Th 2:16. There is mention of a good hope also in Pro 10:28; Pro 11:23.82[Lectures: Good, because of the preminent excellence of the object of it, the impregnable basis on which it rests, and the purifying influence which it exerts in the heart and life.J. L.]
2Th 2:16-17. Roos: Whoever has no experience of the love of God, and has obtained no consolation reaching into eternity, and no good hope through grace, on that man no doctrine and no exhortation to good works has any hold. When God comforts, He strengthens the soul, and when He strengthens, He comforts it.[M. Henry: 1. Comfort is a means of establishment; for the more pleasure we take in the word, and work, and ways of God, the more likely we shall be to persevere therein. And, 2. our establishment in the ways of God is a likely means in order to comfort; whereas if we are wavering in faith, and of a doubtful mind, or if we are halting and faltering in our duty, no wonder if we are strangers to the pleasures and joys of religion. What is it that lieth at the bottom of all our uneasiness, but our unsteadiness in religion?J. L.]Heubner: The consolation of Christianity is an everlasting consolation, true, certain, satisfying, a consolation of salvation; the consolation of the world is a spurious, pitiful consolation, which leads the deeper into perdition. God alone can put comfort into the heart, penetrating and abiding. Here is comfort: God loves thee, God chooses thee, God keeps thee.Berlenb. Bibel: The everlasting consolation is a permanent, new-created life of the spirit, implanted amidst the anguish of suffering in truly following Jesus Christ, and so not liable to death or destruction.
2Th 2:17. Word and walk must always go together.
2Th 2:13-17. The good assurance of an evangelical preacher in behalf of his converts rests entirely, in its beginning, middle, and end, on God: 1. Eternal election, fulfilling itself in time in the call to faith and sanctification, makes the beginning; 2. the exhortation to steadfastness in apostolic truth forms the middle; 3. the end can be prosperous only by God carrying out in His everlasting faithfulness the work that He has begun.
Footnotes:
[63]2Th 2:13.[Sin.1 A.: .J. L.]
[64]2Th 2:13.[ so nearly all the critical editors (on large uncial authority, including Sin.), instead of the Rec. .J. L.] We retain the Rec. , which, besides A. D. E. K. L. and most of the Fathers, is given also by the Sin. The reading , B. F. G., Vulg. primitias [Lachmann], is an (unnecessary) attempt at alleviation; see the exposition.[Sin. D.: . .J. L.]
[65]2Th 2:13.[; comp. 1Th 4:7, and see the exposition.J. L.]
[66]2Th 2:13.[ with the genitive of the object. Revision: See E. V, Mar 11:22; Act 3:16. Nowhere else, out of two or three hundred instances, does E. V. render , belief.J. L.]
[67]2Th 2:14.The connection requires , which, besides many other authorities, is retained also by Sin.; itacism led in A. B. D. to the reading [Lachmann.Sin. F. G.: .J. L.]
[68]2Th 2:15.[ . See 1Th 5:6. Critical Note 9.J. L.]
[69]2Th 2:15.[ ; Riggenbach: Ueberlieferungen. Revision: Campbell: The word tradition with us imports, as the English lexicographer rightly explains it, anything delivered orally from age to age; whereas properly implies, anything handed down from former ages, in whatever way it has been transmitted, whether by oral or by written testimony; or even any instruction conveyed to others, either by word or by writing. In this last acceptation we find it used in 2Th 2:15.J. L.]
[70]2Th 2:15.[ =by word or by epistle of us. Ellicott (Am. Bible Union): by word, or by our epistle (letter). But the belongs to both nouns.J. L.]
[71]2Th 2:16.[ . The grammatical construction is the same as in 1Th 3:11, where see Critical Note 8, and Exegetical Notes 9, 10.J. L.] The reading without seems to connect as another predicate for Christ with the previous ; but the most important authorities that omit the article before (B. D.) read for it afterwards instead of , so that even this reading gives no different sense from the Recepta. [Lachmann reads thus: () ; Sin. thus: . . ; and a correction cancels the letter .J. L.]
[72]2Th 2:17.The majority of the oldest codd. [including Sin.] versions and Fathers [and modern critics] omit after , so that to this verb also belongs as object [to which Alford properly objects that these are not the agents in and .For , Sin., as A., reads .J. L.]
[73]2Th 2:17.The preponderance of authorities (also Sin.) is in favor of the order, [and so nearly all the critical editors], instead of the reverse order of the Recepta.
[74][So Riggenbagh, with many others (as Luther, Lnemann, De Wette, Ellicott, &c.), prefers to render the .J. L.]
[75][Ellicott: The prep. may be instrumental (Chrysost., Lnem., al.) but is perhaps more naturally taken in its usual sense as denoting the spiritual state in which the was realized. Webster and Wilkinson: . following . indicates that their present state, character, and qualification for future blessedness, are the effect of Gods choice, involved in it, as part of His original purpose of grace towards them. So in 2Pe 1:1-2. And see Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4-6.J. L.]
[76][Better this, than to call it with Ellicott a more exact specification of the preceding .J. L.]
[77][Chrysostom employs the same argument.J. L.]
[78][Lectures, p. 2Th 552: Who laved us. This is sometimes restricted to God the Father (Lnemann, Ellicott), and to His act of sending the Son to save us (Lnemann, Riggenbach). I prefer to understand it of the eternal lovethe love from the beginning of both the Father and the Son. (To this the singular is no objection, since this very anomaly is admitted in the next verse.) And then the latter half of the verse refers to the manifestation and effects of that love in time: and gave us, in the finished redemption of the cross, in the forgiveness of sin, in the presence of the Comforter, &c. The same distinction will be found applicable to nearly all the texts cited above.J. L.]
[79][Luthers somewhat free translation of the latter clause of that verse being: Wenn du mein Herz trstest, dost comfort, &c.J. L.]
[80][In this is implied, what Scripture no doubt teaches, that election is the Divine root of faith. See 2Th 2:13; Joh 6:37; Act 13:48; Rom 8:28-30; Eph 2:8; 1Pe 1:2; &c.J. L.]
[81][In things pertaining to God, on a Divine commission.J. L.]
[82][Luthers version of the latter text: Der Gerechten Wansch muss doch wonl gerathen.J. L.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
DISCOURSE: 2214
THE SALVATION OF MEN TRACED TO ITS PROPER SOURCE
2Th 2:13-14. We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
MUCH as the heart of man rises against the doctrine of election, it must be confessed that it occurs very frequently in the Holy Scriptures; and therefore it ought not to be passed over in silence: and, if the advocates of that doctrine would be contented to state it as the Holy Scriptures state it, and to give it only that measure of prominence which it bears in the inspired writings, I cannot but think that much of the prejudice against it would subside. It is true, that nothing but deep humility of mind can ever lead a man so to acquiesce in it as to approve of it in his soul, and to adorn it in his life. But where that humility exists, as it did in the Apostle Paul, the doctrine will be most grateful to the soul, and will form a ground of most unfeigned praise to Almighty God. The Apostle is contrasting the state of the Thessalonians with that of many who should, at a future period, arise in the Church, whose presumption would know no bounds, and who, for their impiety, would be given over by God to final impenitence. Whilst those transgressors were doomed by God to everlasting misery, the Thessalonian converts were ordained to eternal life, having been from the beginning chosen of God to salvation, and having been in time called to the enjoyment of it through the ministry of that Gospel which the Apostle preached. For them therefore he gives thanks, as indeed he was bound to do, since it was a mercy that called for the devoutest praises and thanksgivings, from themselves and from all others in their behalf.
The grounds of his thanksgiving are,
I.
Their election of God to the blessings of salvation
In his thanksgiving he distinctly specifies,
1.
The end to which they were elected
[It was salvation, even the salvation that was in Christ Jesus with eternal glory [Note: 2Ti 2:10.]. It was not to the means of salvation merely; for many enjoyed the means of salvation, on whose behalf he could not give thanks, yea, on whose account he had continual heaviness and sorrow in his heart: it was to salvation itself, with all its inconceivable and everlasting blessings that they were chosen [Note: 1Th 5:9.]; and this too, not merely from the beginning of the period when the Gospel was preached to them, or that they began to listen to it, but from before the foundation of the world [Note: Eph 1:4. 2Ti 1:9.].
From hence it appears, that there is, and ever has been, a remnant according to the election of grace [Note: Rom 11:5.], unknown indeed to man, but known to God, and from all eternity given by him to his Son, to be the purchase of his blood, and the partners of his glory [Note: Joh 17:6; Joh 17:9-10; Joh 17:22; Joh 17:24.].]
2.
The means by which that end is to be attained
[The great argument against the doctrine of election is, that if we are elect, we shall be saved, even though we live in all manner of sin; and that if we be not elect, we cannot be saved, even though we live the most holy and blameless life. But that argument, especially the former part of it, is most effectually answered; for God has ordained the means as well as the end: and he has ordained the end no otherwise than by and through the appointed means. God decreed to add fifteen years to the life of Hezekiah: but did this supersede the necessity of his subsisting by daily food? Yet the use of food is not so inseparably connected with the animal life as holiness is with the life of the soul: for Elijah lived forty days, and Moses twice forty days, without food; and God, if he had pleased, might have supported Hezekiah fifteen years without it: but he cannot save a man without holiness, because he has declared he will not; and he cannot lie, he cannot deny himself: and therefore to expect to attain salvation in any other way than that which is here ordained, is to expect from God what he has never promised, and what, so far from having ever ordained, he has ordained shall never come to pass: for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.
God had chosen them to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit. Sanctification is necessary for the enjoyment of heaven. Heaven would afford no happiness to an unsanctified soul. The presence of a holy God would inspire nothing but terror: and an unintermitted engagement in holy exercises would be an insupportable burthen to one who had no taste for them. God therefore has connected sanctification with salvation, in order that the soul on its exaltation to glory may possess a mcetness for the enjoyment of it. And, that his people may be sanctified he sends down his Holy Spirit into their souls; and, by the same power whereby he raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, raises them from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness. Thus by transforming them into his own image, he fits them for his glory.
Further; he had chosen them to salvation through a belief of the truth. It is by faith, and by faith alone, that we apprehend the blessings of salvation. By faith we lay hold on the promises of God: by faith we become united to Christ: by faith we bring down from Christ all those supplies of grace which are necessary for us in this state of warfare. We should fall and perish instantly, if we were not armed with faith, as our shield; and hope, as our helmet; and the word, as the sword, whereby the Spirit of God enables us to inflict a deadly wound on our enemies. It was by holding fast the written word, that Jesus triumphed over Satan in the wilderness: and by a constant reliance on the word are we also to overcome him. Hence God had ordained for them, as he has for all his people, that they shall attain salvation through belief of the truth.
Thus are faith and holiness inseparably connected with salvation; and to them are men elected, as much as to salvation itself: so that to hope for heaven in any other way than through a perseverance in these, is an unwarrantable presumption, and will only deceive our own souls.]
Whilst the Apostle traces thus all the blessings of salvation to Gods electing love, as their true and only source, he reminds his Thessalonian converts of,
II.
Their effectual calling by his ministry to a participation of them
It is by the word that God imparts his blessings to the souls of men
[It is by the word that God acts. As far as his providence concurs in the salvation of men, it is only in subserviency to the word [Note: Act 8:26-40; Act 9:1-24.]. The word is the rod of his strength, by which all the wonders of his grace are wrought. Miracles gave credibility to the testimony which Christ and his Apostles bore: but it was the testimony itself, as applied by the Holy Spirit to the soul, that wrought effectually upon the hearts of men. And in all ages it is the same word, either read or preached, that is effectual to convert them to God. Hence the Apostle reminds the Thessalonians that, notwithstanding they were from eternity chosen of God to salvation, they were called to the possession of it through the ministry of the Gospel which he had preached unto them.]
Wherever that word is received aright, it will operate effectually to the desired end
[Thus it had wrought on the Thessalonians: it had turned them from idols to serve the living God [Note: 1Th 1:5; 1Th 1:9.]. And thus it will work on all who cordially embrace it [Note: Col 1:6.]. It is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword [Note: Heb 4:12.]. It is mighty to the pulling down of all the strong-holds of sin and Satan [Note: 2Co 10:4.]. It invariably accomplishes that which God has pleased, and prospers in the thing whereunto he has sent it [Note: Isa 55:10-11.]. It is the instrument whereby God fulfils his eternal counsels in the conversion of men. When the time fixed by him for the bringing home of his wandering sheep is arrived, he apprehends them by his word [Note: Php 3:12.], and brings them home with power to his fold, constraining them by his grace, and making them willing in the day of his power [Note: Psa 110:3.]. This is his invariable process towards them: Whom he has predestinated, those he first calls, and then justifies, and then glorifies [Note: Rom 8:30.]: he brings them not to the profession of the Gospel merely, but to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ [Note: Text.].]
Address
1.
Those who have never yet obeyed the Gospel call
[Who these are may be easily ascertained: they have been called to a belief of the truth, even such a belief as should lead them to rely entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; and to the sanctification of the Spirit, even such a sanctification as should progressively transform them into the Divine image in righteousness and true holiness and, if you have not these marks upon you you are the persons whom I now address.
Say not ye, I am not of Gods elect, and therefore I cannot help myself. No; ye shall not thus cast the blame of your condemnation upon God. Who has told you, that you are not of Gods elect? Who has searched the book of Gods decrees, or been told by God that your name is not inserted there? Then you have no right whatever to conclude that you are not elect of God, or to make his supposed decrees any excuse for continuance in sin. On the contrary, I am authorized by Almighty God to declare, that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and live [Note: 2Pe 3:9.]. He would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth [Note: 1Ti 2:4.]. He even confirms this truth with an oath: As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel [Note: Eze 33:11.] The truth is, as our Lord informs us; Ye will not come unto me, saith he, that ye might have life. Him that should come unto me I would in no wise cast out. Know ye then that the fault is yours, and not Gods. Our Lord complains over you, How often would I have gathered you, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not! Yes; whatever excuses you may now make from the doctrine of election, your mouths shall be stopped in the day of judgment: I would, but ye would not. Do not reply, that, till God has given you his grace, you cannot come to Christ: for, if you would only attempt in faith to stretch out your withered hand, in the very attempt he would enable you to do it [Note: Mat 12:13.]. Now then, in the name of Almighty God, I call you to him, and invite you to receive freely at his hands all the blessings of salvation [Note: Isa 55:1-3.] And, if ye will not obey the call, your blood shall be upon your own heads.]
2.
Those who through grace have obeyed the call
[Remember, brethren, who it is that hath made you to differ [Note: 1Co 4:7.]. Ye are beloved of the Lord. Ye have not chosen him; but he has chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit; and that your fruit should remain [Note: Joh 15:16.]. Ye love him because he first loved you [Note: 1Jn 4:19.]: He loved you with an everlasting love; and therefore with loving-kindness hath he drawn you [Note: Jer 31:3.]. He loved you, not for any good that he either saw, or foresaw, in you; but simply of his own will, because he would love you [Note: Deu 7:7-8.]. Say then, whether ye have not reason to thank your God; or rather, whether your every breath should not be an effusion of praise?
But forget not that the path by which alone you can arrive at your desired home is that of faith and holiness. This is the kings highway [Note: Isa 35:8.], by a patient continuance in which you are to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hold last then the faith without wavering; and pray constantly to God for fresh supplies of his Spirit, that you may be sanctified throughout, and be changed into his image from grace to grace, and from glory to glory. Meditate deeply and continually on his word, and treasure it up in your hearts, that you may be sanctified by the truth [Note: Joh 17:17.]: and ever remember, that to the very last it is by the word that the Lord Jesus Christ will perfect his good work within you [Note: Eph 5:25-27.]. Thus, whilst those who loved unrighteousness, and were therefore given over to a delusion to believe a lie, are left to the damnation which their own sins have merited [Note: ver. 1012.], you shall have all the purposes of Gods electing love completed in you, and shall spend an eternity in singing praises to Him who loved you, and washed you from your sins in his own blood, and hath made you kings and priests unto your God for ever and ever [Note: Rev 1:5-6.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
(13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (15) Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (16) Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, (17) Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
What a sweet scripture is here! And how blessedly it comes in, to relieve the mind, after looking at the sad account of the heresy described in the foregoing verses? Paul found a constant cause, and so may we also, to give thanks to God always for the Church being chosen from the beginning to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. There is an uncommon degree of beauty, in the strength of expression made use of, in what the Apostle here saith, on sanctification; in the cause, and antiquity of it. It would form more the subject of a treatise, than to offer a few passing observations, on these verses; but I beg the Reader’s indulgence, to detain him a moment or two, upon the passage.
Sanctification, or to sanctify, hath a different meaning in the different scriptures. But the most general sense is, either to set apart, consecrate, or dedicate, to a sacred service: or to purify, cleanse, and make holy, what was before unholy in our nature. In the former, Christ is said to have sanctified himself. Joh 17:19 . In the latter, the Church, when regenerated, is said to be washed, to be sanctified, to be justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1Co 6:11 . These distinctions, if attended to, through the whole of the Old Testament and the New, would, under God the Spirit, open a clearer apprehension than is generally received, upon the subject of sanctification.
It is very blessed to observe, what a beautiful order there is adopted, and carried on, through all the departments of divine love to the Church, in the several acts of the Persons of the Godhead. Hence, each glorious Person hath taken part, in all the acts of grace, manifested towards every individual of Christ’s mystical body. Thus in sanctification, the Church is said to be sanctified by God the Father, in his choosing, electing, separating love, when he chose the whole body, in Christ, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before him in love. Eph 1:4 . But this sanctification is as expressly ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ, in that it is said, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Heb 10:14Heb 10:14 . But here again, these gracious personal acts in the Father and the Son, do not supersede, or render unnecessary, the same personal tendencies of love, in the Holy Ghost: for the Lord the Spirit is not only said to sanctify the brethren beloved, in this verse of the Apostle’s; but Peter, in opening his Epistle to the Church, expressly addresseth it to the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through, sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1Pe 1:2 . And what can more plainly, and decidedly prove, the personal election, redemption, and sanctification, of the whole Church of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
But, while these grand, and indeed (as they may well be called) fundamental truths of the Gospel, are generally received, and admitted in the Church of the faithful, as so many standards of decision, against which there is no appeal; the glorious doctrine of sanctification, doth not seem to be as clearly understood, as those of election, and redemption. The more generally received opinion is, that at regeneration, we are regenerated but in part; and that as well in body as spirit. There is a perfection (say they) of parts of the new man, in both of the Lord’s people, but only in degrees. Though there be a complete perfection in Christ, in which they are interested; yet their sanctification is imperfect. They are in a progressive state of holiness, and progressive sanctification; but not complete in either. This I apprehend, is the general received opinion.
I am well aware, that the whole tide of Commentators are against me, while I would desire, with all humility of soul, instead of swimming with them down the stream, to bear up my feeble bark to the torrent of this opinion. I beg, as I have before done, my Reader’s indulgence, to state the reasons for which I differ. If I err, I pray the Lord to pardon me, and preserve his people from adopting my errors.
In the first place. I humbly conceive, that as all our blessings of the Church of God in Christ, result from the joint love, and grace, of the whole Persons of the Godhead in their covenant characters; so have they been pleased to manifest those acts of favor in such a way, as do endear the Almighty Authors of our blessings to our affections, with equal adoration, love, and praise, as the united source in Christ. It was but one act of God the Father, when in his infinite mind, he chose the Church in Christ; and which, when chosen, became a complete, perfect, and immutable purpose, remaining forever. In like manner, it was but one act in the purpose of God the Son, in relation to all the concerns in redemption for by the one offering of himself once offered, he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. And the act of regeneration, or new birth, by God the Holy Ghost, when considered as quickening the sinner dead in trespasses and sins, could be but one act; by which, as the Apostle saith, being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, liveth, and abideth forever. 1Pe 1:23 . Beheld, in this point of view, there is a beautiful order, and analogy, in those several acts of divine agency, which not only manifest equal acts of the Godhead, towards the objects of their love; but also demonstrate, each act, to be equally essential, to all the great purposes of their spiritual being, and well-being, in Christ.
But on the supposition, that this act of God the Spirit, in regeneration, is but in part; not only this beautiful order and equality in those acts of grace is destroyed, but a train of the most painful consequences arise, which involve the mind in endless apprehensions, concerning the eventual perfection. And wherefore should the work of regeneration and the sanctification included in it be an imperfect act of God the Spirit, more than the act of election in God the Father, or redemption by God the Son? If it be only for one moment admitted, that regeneration doth not renew the body, neither was ever intended, during the time state of the Church, to renew the body; every difficulty vanisheth. And what can more plainly declare this, than our Lord’s own words, in his blessed discourse on regeneration? That (said Jesus) which is born of the flesh, is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Joh 3:6 . If at our regeneration, the work was wrought by flesh, or on flesh; the thing would be just the reverse of what it is. But Christ saith: that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Words, in my view as plain as words can express, that the blessed act of regeneration, is by the Spirit; and that it is on the spirit; and that that which is born of the Spirit, is only spirit. The Lord draws a line of distinction, between the flesh, and the spirit, as if in confirmation of the subject. If this be the sense of our Lord’s words, (and I think it will be difficult to prove the contrary,) it will follow, that no alteration whatever, is made on the body at regeneration. No part of it is sanctified. The work is on the spirit; and which wholly regenerated, is justified, and sanctified, by the Holy Ghost in Christ Jesus.
Secondly. Upon the presumption of correctness in the foregoing statement, it will then follow, that the new born child of God, though sanctified in Christ, and to whom Christ is made of God, both wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; hath no inherent holiness in himself, for his body is still the creature of sin; and so far is it from being in a progressive state of holiness, that it is daily the subject of sin, and tending to corruption. Let those who are advocates for the progressive sanctification, and holiness of the creature, state to us the causes, how it is, on the supposition the body, as well as the spirit of a regenerated child, is made perfect in part; that such opposition should take place, as continually doth take place, between the flesh and the spirit, when the spirit is regenerated? Gal 5:17 . According to Paul’s statement of himself, this conflict never began with him, until he was regenerated. Before the killing power of the law came on his conscience at his conversion, he tells us, that he was alive in all the self-confidence of his own holiness. But, (saith he,) when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. Rom 7:9 . And hence, at a period of nearly three-and-twenty years after his conversion, he groaned under the conscious sense, that in him, that is, saith he, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Rom 7:18 . Can the advocates for progressive sanctification, explain these things, upon any principles whatever, if the body was in part sanctified? And will they at the same time, on the presumption of a body in part sanctified show, how it was, that holy men of old, when conscious of a work of grace upon their souls, still groaned in the consciousness at the same time, of their being vile; Job 40:4 . of having their sin always before them; Psa 51:3 . of being of unclean lips: Isa 6:5 . and of their comeliness turned into corruption? Dan 10:8 . Nay, will those advocates for progressive sanctification, kindly say, whether while insisting upon inherent holiness, and the whole man becoming more perfect in others, they truly experience such things in themselves? Are they more holy, more heavenly minded, more weaned from the world, than they were in times past? If they say yes, to such heart-searching questions; they will but afford stronger testimony of their ignorance of the plague of their own heart, and prove the Lord’s assertion, when he saith, the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jer 17:9 .
Thirdly. The very tendency of the body to corruption, and the daily removing of the pins of our earthly tabernacle, loudly proclaim, that in order to its being raised a spiritual body, it must first be a natural body. Whereas, if it were now a spiritual body, or in part spiritual; that part, even to the ten thousandth part could not corrupt. But it is wholly corruption. And, when the spirit leaves the body, the earthly part (as one said to me when calling me to bury the dead) cries for its original earth. And here indeed comes in, to our delight, and joy, the Lord Jesus in the power of his resurrection, as a quickening Spirit. Of none but Jehovah’s Holy One, could it ever be said, he was not liable to corruption. It was impossible in this account, that the pains of death could hold him! Psa 16:10 ; Act 2:24 .
I am well aware, (as I said before,) that the great tide of Commentators are against me. And I am also well aware, that to men unacquainted with the plague of their own heart, I shall expose myself to their displeasure, by the view I have given of the subject. But these things do not move me. If one only of the Lord humbled ones, shall here from, through grace, be led to be more out of love with themselves, and more in love with Christ Jesus; I shall find cause to bless God for his teachings. This will be to grow in grace; not in sanctification. Growth in grace leads to the greater knowledge of the Lord, as the Apostle states it. 2Pe 3:18 . Grace is an humbling principle. He that groweth in grace, layeth lower, and lower, in the dust before God. And, from being humbled more and more, every day, in himself; Jesus, and his great salvation, will be increasingly precious. This is to grow in grace; and not in sanctification.
But still, it will be yet further contended, that on the supposition, there is no change wrought on the body, when the spirit is regenerated; how doth this correspond to what the scriptures declare, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us? 1Co 6:19 . (See Commentary there). Can it be supposed, that God the Spirit will dwell in a nature unregenerated, and unsanctified? To which I answer. Every act of grace, in the Persons of the Godhead, toward our nature, continually opens subjects of unceasing wonder, adoration, and the lowliest prostration of soul and body. But the indwelling residence of God the Spirit, is not more the subject of astonishment than that of God the Father’s making his abode with the redeemed; Joh 14:23 . or God the Son, for the purpose of redemption, being made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Rom 8:3 . We are taught to consider all and every part of the Lord’s tendencies to his Church as full of mystery. 1Ti 3:16 .
And, it should be continually remembered by us, that great as our wonder is, in the mystery of godliness, we are not called upon to explain the causes; but believe only, and bless God for the effects. And the very manner, in which the Apostle hath informed the Church of this astonishing condescension in God the Holy Ghost, in making the body of his people his temple, implies the sense he wished the people to have of it. What! (saith he,) know ye not, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? Great would have been the mercy either way, and every way, in this act of grace, when we consider the infinite distance between God and his creatures; had the Lord made those bodies completely holy, and then have dwelt in them. But it is very plain, from Paul’s manner of speaking, that he would have the Church consider the wonders, in the Holy Ghost dwelling in them, because they were, in their unregenerated bodies, so altogether corrupt, and unholy. What! saith he, know ye not? As if he had said, what think ye of the unequalled grace, that the Holy One who inhabiteth eternity, and who is himself holiness, in himself should dwell in the bodies of nothing but filth and defilement! Oh! the grace of God.
I must not enlarge: though the subject itself affords occasion. I shall leave the Reader to his own conclusions, under the Lord. For my own part, I desire to bless God for those humbling views, the consciousness of a body virtually all sin, and hastening daily to corruption, keeps alive, through grace in my soul. The daily workings of corruption in my heart (I know not what other men’s hearts feel) showeth me, that the carnal mind is still carnal. Psa 36:1 ; Rom 7:14 . I feel a daily warfare. I groan, being burdened. I not only feel these workings when unoccupied with divine things, but often in the house of God. Like Paul, I know what it is, that when I would do good evil is present with me. Rom 7:21 . In the pulpit, at the table of the Lord, at the mercy-seat, often when in a moment of sweet communion with my God and Savior; a train of thoughts rush through me like unbidden guests, and rob God at his face of his glory, and my soul for the time, of comfort! Can a body, where such things are, be in part renewed? Am I in a progressive state of holiness, in a body where I find such cause of humblings; and which I loathe? Sweet scripture! which explains all, and leads me to Christ for all. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, whereunto he hath called you by the Gospel; and to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ! See 1Co 5:1-13 and 1Co 6 Chapters, and Commentary.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
XII
THE PLAN OF SALVATION SOME LESSONS ON DISCIPLINE
2Th 2:13-3:18
We shall close this second letter to the Thessalonians by presenting four thoughts that follow a consideration of the man of sin.
1. Paul’s plan of salvation. It is expressed in these words (2Th 2:13-14 ): “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Once I was talking to a distinguished theologian who has had much to do with the teaching of the Word of God to collegiates, and I asked him how he developed the analytical power in his students, and then I read this well-ordered plan of salvation. Let us reduce it to its constituent elements. Confining ourselves to what is here, let us see-what God’s plan is:
(1) “God chose you.” What then is the first element of the plan? Election.
(2) “From the beginning.” When did he choose you? In eternity.
(3) Unto what did he choose you? Salvation.
(4) What the means? “Through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” i.e., that through which we get to salvation is faith in the gospel and the renovating power of the Holy Spirit.
(5) “Whereunto,” that is, unto these things that have just been said, “He calls you.” There is the calling of God.
(6) How did he call you? “Through the gospel.” Away back yonder in eternity, God chose a man, and we do not know anything about it. Down here in time God calls the man that he chose. How does he do it? Someday that man hears a gospel sermon preached, and the Holy Spirit reaches his heart just as if a voice said to him, “Come to me! Come to me now!” That is his call.
(7) What is the object of the calling? “To the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ was glorified when he was raised from the dead and exalted to his place at the right hand of God in heaven. When he calls us, he calls us unto that glory; that where Jesus is, we may be; that what Jesus is we shall be; that the power that Jesus exercises we shall exercise; that what Jesus inherits, we shall inherit. That is the plan of salvation in these two verses election from eternity, unto salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, called in him through the gospel and the work of the Spirit unto the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The prayer that Paul asked those people to offer for him. We get so accustomed to saying, “pray for me,” that we do not mean it, and the people who say, “yes, I will,” do not mean it. Paul never asked that unmeaningly, and he always knew exactly what he wanted them to pray for in his behalf. He put great stress upon the prayers of God’s people for the preachers. Now, we in our greatness may not need such things, but the little apostle was bound to have it. He felt that he could not get along unless God’s people lovingly and earnestly prayed for him.
The preacher goes out in his self-sufficiency, thinking that he has the world in a sling, and that he can do like Brother J. B. Jeter and Jesse Witt, who were employed by Virginia as missionaries. Riding along two and two, they came to an old log church and saw a great many horses hitched. Concluding that there was a religious service, they went in and heard the sermon. The first thing people say on leaving a church is, “What do you think of that sermon?” So as these two preachers stepped out, Jeter says to Witt, “What do you think of that sermon?” Witt modestly said, “Well, Brother Jeter, I am not much, but I do believe, that by the help of the Lord, I could beat that sermon myself.” Jeter responded, “I could beat it, Lord or no Lord.” When the young preacher or Christian goes out into his work with perfect confidence that he can do a thing, “Lord or no Lord,” whether the brethren sympathize with him and pray for him or not, he makes a mistake.
In the days of my pastorate there were two or three people, particularly two old ladies, that when I felt very much depressed and my mind was dark, and I could not determine just what to preach about nor how to say it, and Saturday night had come, I would step over to see one or the other of these old ladies and state my case, and I would say, “Now, you pray for me.” The solemnity with which either one of them would listen to what I said, the tenderness with which they would talk to me, and the suggestions they would make would be such that when I would leave that house I would have a sermon, and I would know how to preach.
Here is what Paul asked for, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is with you.” That preaching at Thessalonica was the most successful preaching Paul ever did, and he always wanted to do as well somewhere else; that the word might have free course. Compare that prayer with one like this: “Lord, I have to preach next Sunday before a crowd of critical people; I need a new spotted cravat; I would like to have a mince pie for dinner, and I would like to know where I am to get my winter suit.” Notice what he asked for. This is the thing on Paul’s mind not eating, clothing, worldly honor, or money, but that the word of the Lord that he preached might have free course and be glorified. In other words, “Just let me do as well as I did at Thessalonica.” Sometimes a failure does more good than a success.
I knew an old Baptist preacher one of our early missionaries here in Texas. Sometimes he would get upon a mountaintop, and at other times he would be “snowed.” I have sympathized with him in the midst of a great revival meeting when he realized what a miserable failure he had made. Once he said, “Brethren, my mind is dark tonight; I am not using this great occasion for the Lord; pray for me.” There was a wave of sympathy produced by the modesty and humility of the man that would so tenderly and so pathetically confess his failure. There were more conversions that night than any other night in the meeting.
The next thing that Paul prayed is that he might be delivered from unreasonable men. The greatest thorn that a preacher can confront is an unreasonable man, or woman. Just one obstinate, fussy man in a community can block the way of angels. He ‘is the toughest proposition that ever the aspiring mind of man attempted to dispose of. Paul knew all about it, and he wanted to be delivered from that class of men. Then from unreasonableness there was wickedness. One sinner can do much evil. One man can go around the outskirts of a meeting and whisper and slander and sneer and suggest, and almost break up the meeting. He says, “For all have not faith.”
J. M. Pendleton made that his favorite text, and what a sermon he could preach from it! When he got to be an old man he visited his daughter, Mrs. Waggoner, wife of the president of the State University. I had read different sermons of his on that text. But I paid his expenses and gave him $20 to come to Waco and preach a new sermon on the same text. It was a great sermon one that I shall never forget.
I have seen brethren get down in a meeting and pray that the meeting would not close until every man, woman, and child in the community had been converted. That does not happen, “for all people have not faith,” and if we stopped at a place until we led everybody in that place to Christ before we go anywhere else, we would never move.
3. A case of discipline: 2Th 3:6 : “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.” That is just as positive and binding as if Jesus Christ in person had commanded it. “If a member of any church will not walk in the gospel which has been preached by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, and has a fixed standard of his own, and won’t make the gospel the rule of his life, and stubbornly goes against it, then we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from that man.”
One of the greatest evils in the world today is the lack of scriptural discipline in the churches.
A great many country churches have a great deal of discipline; much of it is very injudicious and unscriptural. A great many city churches have no discipline at all; they just let things wag along. They would not take up a case of drunkenness, of audacious murder, of awful fraud, though the whole cause of Jesus Christ be suffering from the lack of scriptural discipline, and if I had to mention today wherein the ministry is most deficient, I would instantly put my finger upon discipline. First, they do not know what it is. Second, they do not know how to manage it. Third, when they find out they are afraid of it.
Let us look into this case of discipline: Paul appeals first to his teaching, next to his example: “You know my example; I never walked disorderly. I was guilty of no deceit, covetousness, or uncleanness. Boldly, justly, unblamably I lived among you when I was preaching to you. There you have my teaching and my example. Now, you have my commands.”
Let us see at what particular point this disorder came in. We want to know exactly the nature of the offense. First, some of them would not work; they were lazy deadbeats, hanging around, living off the brethren. That is an awful sin. Paul saw that unless he could impress upon these people, the dignity of honest labor no matter what kind of labor, whether honest work with a wheelbarrow, cutting wood, plowing, spinning, weaving, cooking, washing, it is honorable, and that there is a dignity and majesty about labor then religion would lose the respect of the honest and industrious. Second, they were busybodies. Of course, an idle man is bound to have some business; a man that has no work to do is bound to be working at something, and if he is idle, then he will move around and do a great deal of talking. He will be busy about somebody else’s business.
Paul knew some women of that kind, as we find in a subsequent letter. He tells Timothy that they were tattlers and gadabouts. When once the tongues get to wagging and buzzing and humming in a community, then the archangel and a legion of his angels could not pick up the evil impressions as fast as they can sow them. They had idle people at Thessalonica. Most of these people were poor, hardworking people, and here was a lot of fellows that would put their hands in their vest pockets (if they had any vest) and talk about the glories of the coming of Christ, and they were filling their souls with the anticipation of Christ coming down, and they did not want such a thing as working for a day’s victuals to come between them and their joyful reflections.
John Wesley was once asked: “Mr. Wesley, if you knew that Jesus Christ was coming tomorrow night, what would you do?” He said, “I would go right along filling my appointments for tomorrow up to the time. When he comes I would like for him to find me working just that way.” These men thought it a mark of superior Christianity that they should so retire from all occupation as to contemplate in pious, sweet meditation the second coming of Christ. It is a glorious theme to meditate about, but never quit doing a duty to meditate about anything.
Let us look further into this case. He says, “Brethren, you remember when we were with you, this we commanded you, if any will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busy bodies.” Here is his command to the disorderly: “We command and exhort in Jesus Christ that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” But if they wouldn’t, here is the injunction to the church: “If any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.”
I have never yet seen that kind of corrective discipline. He says if there is a man who is walking disorderly (and he mentions what he calls disorderly walking), don’t let him partake of the Lord’s Supper. As he says elsewhere, “with such a one, no, not to eat.” That is not turning him out of the church. Let a man of that kind see good men not wishing for his company; not rudely, but quietly turning away from him; it makes an impression on him. He sees that he is shunned by those who discountenance his disorderly methods.
Look again at the discipline: Why should they not keep company with them? It is to bring him to be ashamed of himself. But we are not through with it yet: “Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” The idea in most of the country churches is, “I move that we turn him out.” That leaves out a wide scope of corrective discipline, of laboring discipline, of faithful dealing with brethren.
4. Paul’s authorship. In the last verse it is written: “The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I write.” That proves, first, what is elsewhere so frequently asserted, that Paul was not accustomed to writing his letters. He dictated them. He suffered from acute ophthalmia, or to put it in plainer English, sore eyes. And when he wrote he made great sprawling letters. He wrote only one of his letters with his own hand, and that was the letter to the Galatians, and he called their attention to it: “You see with what sprawling letters I have written to you.” Inasmuch as his custom was to dictate his letters, when he heard that the Thessalonians were reporting that they had seen a letter from Paul that said that Christ was coming right away, Paul says, “I wrote no such letter.” And to guard against imposition upon the minds of his churches, coming from forged letters, as soon as he found out that a letter had been forged in his name, he adopted the expedient here of attesting his letters. “Now, hereafter you will know whether a letter is from me thus: ‘The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand; so I write.’ ” In other words, “When a man says he has a letter from me, you look to see if it has my signature. If I dictate a letter my signature will be there to show that it is really a letter from me.” That is the token of the Pauline epistles. And it is only in the letter to the Hebrews that he did not do it, and I will tell you why he did not follow his custom and append his name to that letter when we come to it.
QUESTIONS
1. On 2Th 2:13-14 , answer: (1) What the first constituent element of salvation? (2) When did God choose them? (3) Unto what did he choose them? (4) Through what? (5) How made effectual? (6) Through what did he call? (7) What the object of his calling?
2. What was the meaning of “the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”?
3. In 2Th 3:1-2 what two things does Paul ask the brethren in his behalf?
4. What may we infer as to our need of the prayers of our brethren, and the suitable objects of prayer?
5. What illustration of self-sufficiency given?
6. What was the meaning of “all have not faith”?
7. What was the case of discipline in 2Th 3:6 , and what the greatest deficiency of the ministry today?
8. What three reasons assigned for this deficiency?
9. To what two things does Paul appeal in this case of discipline?
10. What was the nature of the offense?
11. What was the general topic of discussion among -these people, and how does Wesley’s program illustrate the contrary idea?
12. What remedy did Paul propose for the case?
13. What should be the attitude of the church toward one who if subject to corrective discipline?
14. What bearing has 2Th 3:14 on the extent of apostolic authority and the inspiration of the letter?
15. What the proof from this letter that Paul found it necessary to attest his letters with his own signature; why did he usually dictate his letters to an amanuensis, and which one of his letters was written altogether in his own handwriting?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Ver. 13. But we are bound, &c. ] Lest they should be discouraged with the former discourse, the apostle tells them, that being elect they cannot be finally deceived. So the author to the Hebrews, Heb 6:9 . Zuinglius, after that he had terrified the wicked, was wont to come in with Bone vir, hoc nihil ad te: This is nothing to thee, thou faithful Christian. We cannot beat the dogs, but the children will cry, and must therefore be stilled and cheered up.
And belief of the truth. ] That is, of Christ the object, in the glass of the gospel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13 17 .] Exhortation, grounded on thankfulness to God for their election by Him, to stand fast in the faith; and prayer that God would enable them to do so .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
13 .] contrasts Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus, with those of whom he has been recently speaking.
] q. d. find it our duty: subjective: are bound , as E. V.
. . ] Lnemann remarks, that as has preceded, and follows, here must be the Lord Jesus: cf. Rom 8:37 ; Gal 2:20 ; Eph 5:2 ; Eph 5:25 . Otherwise, the expression is perhaps more normally used of the Father, 2Th 2:16 ; Eph 2:4 ; Col 3:12 ; Joh 3:16 , al. freq.
] may enounce either (as Ellicott) the matter and grounds of the thanksgiving, that God , or the reason of it, because God. St. Paul does not elsewhere use of divine election, but (1Co 1:27-28 . Eph 1:4 ) or (Rom 8:29 . Eph 1:11 ). It is a LXX expression: see reff.
must be taken in the general sense, as in reff.: not in the special, ‘from the beginning of the gospel,’ as Phi 4:15 . It answers to 1Co 2:7 , Eph 1:4 , 2Ti 1:9 , all of which are spoken of the decrees of God.
] in contrast to the lately spoken of.
. . . . . ] the elements in which the . takes place: not, as De W., the aim ( for ) of the . is the Holy Spirit the sanctification of (wrought by) the Spirit: not, ‘sanctification of (your) spirit.’ This is the divine side of the element: the human side follows, the , ‘your own reception, by faith, of the truth.’
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
13 3:15 .] HORTATORY PORTION OF THE EPISTLE.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Th 2:13 . God has chosen you ( , another LXX expression, implying that Christians had now succeeded to the cherished priviliges of God’s people) to be saved, instead of visiting you with a deadly delusion (10, 11) which ends in judgment (12); your discipline is of sanctification (contrast 12 b ) and belief in what is true (contrast 11, 12 a ), these forming the sphere and the scope ( cf. 1Ti 2:15 , and for in this sense Ps. Sol. 17:33) for salvation being realised. Those who are sanctified and who truly believe shall be saved. Cf. 2Th 2:14 and Apoc. Bar. , liv. 21: “in fine enim saeculi uindicta erit de iis qui improbe egerunt, iuxta improbitatem eorum, et glorificabis fideles iuxta fidem eorum”. may be either ( a ) = “wrought by the (holy) Spirit” ( cf. 1Pe 1:2 ), the divine side of the human , or ( b ) = “of the spirit” ( cf. I. 1Th 5:23 ; 2Co 7:1 ), as of the heart (I., 1Th 3:13 ). The absence of the article is not decisive against the former rendering, but the latter is the more probable in view of the context; the process of involves a love of the truth and a belief in it ( i.e. , in the true gospel) which is opposed to religious delusions ( cf. 2Th 2:2 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Th 2:13-15
13But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
2Th 2:13 “we should always give thanks to God” This same truth is expressed in 1Th 5:18. See Special Topic: Paul’s Praise, Prayer, and Thanksgiving at Gal 6:18.
“God. . .Lord. . .Spirit” Paul often alluded to the Trinity (cf. Rom 1:4-5; Rom 5:1; Rom 5:5; Rom 8:1-4; Rom 8:8-10; 1Co 12:4-6; 2Co 1:21; 2Co 13:14; Gal 4:4-6; Eph 1:3-14; Eph 1:17; Eph 2:18; Eph 3:14-17; Eph 4:4-6; 1Th 1:2-5; Tit 3:4-6). It is also assumed by other NT authors (cf. Mat 3:16-17; Mat 28:19; Joh 14:26; Act 2:32-33; Act 2:38-39; 1Pe 1:2 and Jud 1:20-21). See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Gal 4:4.
“brethren beloved by the Lord” “Beloved” is the perfect passive participle form of agapa. This implies election (cf. Rom 1:7; Col 3:12; 1Th 1:4). The wonderful Messianic title “My Beloved” (cf. Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5) has now become a designation for His followers. They are beloved because they love the truth (cf. 2Th 2:10).
NASB”because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation”
NKJV”because God from the beginning chose you for salvation”
NRSV”because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation”
TEV”For God chose you as the first to be saved”
NJB”because God chose you from the beginning to be saved”
This is an aorist middle indicative meaning God Himself has chosen believers (cf. Eph 1:4). This is the theological opposite of 2Th 2:11. The doctrine of election is (1) a call to holiness (Eph 1:4), not favored standing; (2) not against the lost, but for the saved. It is mentioned several times by Paul in the NT (cf. Romans 9; 1Co 7:7; Eph 1:4-13; 2Ti 1:9). It is alluded to in 1Th 2:12; and 1Th 5:9. God’s control of salvation and history is the focus of this context. Evil exists in the spiritual and physical realms, but there is no dualism. Although believers cannot fully understand the mystery of election, they have confidence that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is in complete and loving control of all things.
Election is a wonderful doctrine. However, it is not a call to favoritism, but a call to be a channel, a tool, or a means of other’s redemption. In the OT the term was used primarily for service; in the NT it is used primarily for salvation which issues in service. The Bible never reconciles the seeming contradiction between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will, but affirms them both! Two good example of the biblical tension are Romans 9 on God’s sovereign choice and Romans 10 on mankind’s necessary response (cf. 2 Thess. 10:11,13).
The key to this theological tension may be found in Eph 1:4. Jesus is God’s elect man and all are potentially elect in Him (Karl Barth). Jesus is God’s “yes ” to fallen man’s need (Karl Barth). Eph 1:4 also helps clarify the issue by asserting that the goal of predestination is not heaven, but holiness (Christlikeness). Joh 15:16 says Jesus chose us to bear fruit! We are often attracted to the benefits of the gospel and ignore the responsibilities! God’s call (election) is for time as well as eternity.
Doctrines come in relation to other truths, not as single, unrelated truths. A good analogy would be a constellation versus a single star. God presents truth in eastern, not western, genres. We must not remove the tension caused by dialectical (paradoxical) pairs.
The theological concept of “covenant ” unites the sovereignty of God (who always takes the initiative and sets the agenda) with a mandatory initial and continuing repentant faith response from man. Be careful of proof-texting one side of the paradox and depreciating the other! Be careful of asserting only your favorite doctrine or system of theology.
The phrase “from the beginning” is from the Greek manuscripts , D, K, and L and the Peshitta translation (cf. NEB). But manuscripts B, F, G, and P, the Vulgate, and the Harclean Syriac translations have “first fruits” (cf. NIV, NAB). The problem is that the phrase, “from the beginning,” is not used by Paul elsewhere. A. T. Robertson thinks it was the original wording, cf. Word Pictures in the New Testament, vol. IV, p. 54 and the UBS4 gives it a “B” rating (almost certain). He uses, “from the ages,” (cf. Col 1:26) or “before the age,” (cf. 1Co 2:7). However, Paul never used the concept of “first fruits” to illustrate election. See Appendix Two on the Principles of Textual Criticism.
SPECIAL TOPIC: ARCH
“through sanctification by the Spirit” Two aspects of the concept of holiness present themselves: (1) initial holiness is positional in Christ and (2) progressive holiness is growth toward Christlikeness (cf. Rom 8:28-29; Gal 4:19). The Spirit woos us to Christ, convicts us of sin and convinces us of the truth of the gospel, baptizes us into Christ, and forms Christ in us (cf. Joh 16:8-16). See Special Topic on Sanctification at 1Th 4:3.
“and faith in the truth” “Truth” in 2Th 2:13 is parallel to “gospel” in 2Th 2:14.
2Th 2:14 “It was for this He called you” This is another emphasis on election (cf. 1Th 2:12; 1Th 5:9; 1Th 5:24). This small, persecuted, discouraged group of believers was the chosen people of God. They were called to holiness (cf. Eph 1:4), to Christlikeness (cf. Rom 8:28-29; Gal 4:9).
“through our gospel” The gospel is both a message to be believed and a person to be received. It is the mechanism of God’s blessing flowing to fallen man. There is no other channel.
“that you may gain the glory of our Lord” This is a restatement of 2Th 1:12. “Glory” is difficult to define. It is used many different ways in the OT. In this context it reflects the believers’ call from the Father to be sanctified by the Spirit through the work of Christ (cf. Eph 1:4). Believers are to be like Christ and at the Second Coming they will share His glory (cf. 1Jn 3:2).
See fuller note at 2Th 1:9 and SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA) at Gal 1:5.
“Lord” The covenant name for God in the OT is YHWH. This verb may be alternately rendered “I will be what I cause to be” or “I am what I am.” The Jews were reluctant to pronounce this name aloud when they read the Scriptures, in fear of taking God’s name in vain (cf. Exo 20:7). Therefore, they substituted the Hebrew word adon, which meant “owner, husband, master, or lord.” Our English Bible translates YHWH in all capitals, Lord. When the NT authors use this term for Jesus, it was one of their ways to identify Him with the God of the OT. See Special Topic: The Names for Deity at 1Th 1:9.
“Jesus” When used by itself this term was the NT author’s way to refer to the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth.
“Christ” This is a transliteration of the Hebrew term for “Messiah” which is literally “an anointed one.” In the OT three different types of offices were anointed: prophets, priests, and kings. It was a symbol of God’s calling and equipping for special service. Jesus fulfills all three OT offices (cf. Heb 1:2-3).
SPECIAL TOPIC: ANOINTING IN THE BIBLE (BDB 603)
2Th 2:15 “brethren” This shows a transition to a summary statement.
“stand firm” This is the first of two present active imperatives. Paul often uses this metaphor for perseverance (cf. 1Th 3:8; 1Co 16:13; Eph 6:11; Eph 6:13). This emphasizes the need for believers to persevere in the face of physical and mental persecution and false teaching. In 1Co 15:1 this term is used for our position in Christ. This brings a balance to the above emphasis on election. See SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSEVERANCE at Gal 5:4.
“hold to” This is another present active imperative. Believers are to continue to cling to the truths that Paul preached (cf. 1Co 11:2). This is the theological balance to election.
“the traditions” This term (pardosis) is used in several senses:
1. in 1Co 11:2; 1Co 11:23 for gospel truths
2. in Mat 15:6; Mat 23:1 ff.; Mar 7:8; Gal 1:14 of Jewish traditions
3. in Col 2:6-8 of gnostic speculations
4. Roman Catholics use this verse as a biblical proof-text for Scripture and tradition being equal in authority
However, in this context it refers to Apostolic truth either spoken or written (cf. 2Th 3:6).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
bound, &c. Compare 2Th 1:3.
alway. App-151.
beloved. App-135.
Lord. App-98.
hath. Omit.
from the beginning. Greek. ap’ arches. See Joh 8:44.
chosen = chose. Greek. haireomai. See Php 1:1, Php 1:22.
sanctification. Greek. hagiasmos. See Rom 6:19.
Spirit. The Sanctifier. App-101. Compare 1Pe 1:2.
belief. Greek. pistis. App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13-17.] Exhortation, grounded on thankfulness to God for their election by Him, to stand fast in the faith; and prayer that God would enable them to do so.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Th 2:13. , but we) Comfort after the prediction of mournful events. So 2Ti 2:19. It may be said, What need was there of comfort at that time to the Thessalonians? Ans. The mystery of iniquity was even then in operation; and instruction may be equally derived from the distant future, as from the remote past, 1Co 10:1, et seqq.-, we are bound) ch. 2Th 1:3.- , by the Lord) Christ.– ) He does not say , but in this one place, and on this subject, he uses . That effect was produced by the success of evangelical calling; and yet there is added, from the beginning, i.e. from eternity, comp. 1Jn 1:1, because believers are fortified and claimed as such by the eternal decree, Eph 1:4, in opposition to those who worship the Man of Sin, Rev 13:8. Comp. Deu 7:7; Deu 10:15, , the Lord preferred and chose you, etc. Ibid. Deu 26:18, , has avouched (, has taken to Himself) thee this day to be His peculiar () people. The decree is truly from eternity, as truly as the generation of the Son of God is from eternity: yet the decree is one thing, the generation is another.[21]- , in sanctification of the Spirit) The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, and sanctification is the test of election, 1Pe 1:2.
[21] Just as Gods decree and His eternal adoption of believers are distinct things.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Th 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,-Paul felt bound to give thanks to God for them because they pursued the opposite course from those who held the truth in unrighteousness.
for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation-[From what time was it from which these persons were chosen? As the choosing was in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” it is impossible that the choosing could have preceded the belief of the truth through which it was effected. Then it was the beginning of their spiritual life when they heard the gospel and became obedient to it-the time of their conversion.]
in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:-All who hear and obey the truth as revealed by the Spirit through the inspired apostles are sanctified by the Spirit, and are Gods chosen ones. Those who will not be thus guided refuse to let God sanctify them, for in so doing they reject the means God uses to accomplish that end.
Many think to know truth is sufficient: but the truth must be so received into the heart that it is warmed into life that it may assimilate the feelings and purposes of the heart to its needs in producing in the heart the new living plant of faith that bears the fruits of love and holiness. The seed that falls into the earth will remain barren and unfruitful unless it so comes into contact with the moisture and warmth of the soil as to excite to activity the germ of life within the seed. Then this aroused principle of life so appropriates to itself the strength and richness of the soil as to produce a new plant that will multiply the seed sown. The word of God is the seed of the kingdom sown in the heart; and when properly cherished, it appropriates all the better qualities to the growth of a spiritual plant that will abundantly multiply the seed sown. The great end, then, is not simply to get the seed sown-the word known-but to get it into the conditions that will energize the life principle and cause it to root and ground itself in the heart and direct and appropriate all the feelings of the heart. This can be done by cherishing the word of God in the heart and seeking to have it permeate our whole being.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Held Firm and Guarded from Evil
2Th 2:13-17; 2Th 3:1-5
This closing section is full of comfort and inspiration. Believers in Christ are the beloved of God; their salvation dates from His eternal love and choice, and His purpose for us is being wrought out in our characters by the Holy Spirit, who ministers to us through the truth. Our comfort is eternal and our hope is unfailing.
Paul was now preaching at Corinth, and he asks that the gospel may run, 2Th 3:1, r.v. Oh, for a divine impatience that we may be content with nothing short of this! When unreasonable and wicked men try you, turn to the Lord, who is faithful to His promises and to His saints. The stronger the gales of opposition and hatred, the deeper should we become established and rooted in the truth. The word direct in 2Th 2:5 may be rendered, make a thoroughfare through; that is, we desire that our hearts should be a highway down which the love of God and the patience of our Lord may pass to a world of sin and fret. Let us ever connect the patience and kingdom of our Lord, as in Rev 1:9.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
III. THANKSGIVING, PRAYER,
EXHORTATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
CHAPTERS 2:13-3:18
1. Thanksgiving and prayer (2Th 2:13-17)
2. Prayer for the Word and for deliverance (2Th 3:1-5)
3. Exhortations (2Th 3:6-15)
4. Conclusions (2Th 3:16-18)
2Th 2:13-17
What blessed reasons are stated here to give thanks to God for what He has done for us and for all who believe! Brethren, beloved of the Lord, this is what believers are. Chosen we are to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. And glory is before all who have believed the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that glory may burst upon us at any time. For this Gods people wait. Therefore we are to stand fast and hold fast. The word traditions means the instructions they had received from the apostle; that is, the truth of God. To stand fast and to hold fast the truth are the two necessary things for Gods people. He also prays for them that their hearts might be comforted and that they might be established in every good word and work.
2Th 3:1-5
As in other Epistles, so here the apostle requests prayer for himself, that the Word of the Lord may run and be glorified. His great ambition was to spread the gospel and the Word of God everywhere. When sinners are saved by grace, are added as members to the body of Christ and walk in the Spirit, then the Word is glorified. Enemies were on all sides then, as they are now, obstructing and hindering the word, for faith is not the portion of all. He counted on the faithfulness of God to establish and keep them. It is a comfort for His people to know that their keeping rests in His hands. If God be for us, who can be against us? And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Christ, in infinite patience, waits in heaven, and His people on earth wait for Him and with Him until the appointed time comes when His waiting and their waiting ends.
2Th 3:6-15
Exhortations follow. It seems there was considerable disorder among them. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. This was no doubt the result of their unsettled condition brought about by the false teachers. He therefore exhorts them to withdraw from any brother who does not hearken to the instructions he has given and who continued in a disorderly walk. Once more he cites his own exemplary life among them (1Th 2:9-10). For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any mans bread for nought (as charity); but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you. Not because we have not authority, but that we might give you an example to imitate us. He exhorts such who were disorderly, doing nothing but living in idleness, that with quietness they should work and no longer live from the labors of others, but eat their own bread. If there is refusal from the side of such, no obedience to this rule, he is to be noted and no company kept with him. Yet he is not to be treated as an enemy, but to be admonished as a brother. How well it would be if this course would always be followed.
2Th 3:16-18
And the Lord of peace Himself give you peace continually in every way. This is the final prayer in these two Epistles. It must be noticed how prominent prayer is in both of these Epistles. And the Lord, who is with His people, will give peace continually in every way, if they walk in obedience, subject to Himself.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
salvation
(See Scofield “Rom 1:16”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
we: 2Th 1:3, Rom 1:8, Rom 6:17
beloved: 2Th 2:16, Deu 33:12, 2Sa 12:25, *marg. Jer 31:3, Eze 16:8, Dan 9:23, Dan 10:11, Dan 10:19, Rom 1:7, Col 3:12, 1Jo 4:10, 1Jo 4:19
from: Gen 1:1, Pro 8:23, Isa 46:10, Joh 1:1, Joh 8:44, Heb 1:10
chosen: Rom 8:33, Rom 9:11, Eph 1:4, Eph 1:5, 1Th 1:4, 2Ti 1:9, 1Pe 1:2
through: 2Th 2:10, 2Th 2:12, Luk 1:75, 1Pe 1:2-5
belief: Joh 8:45, Joh 8:46, Joh 14:6, Act 13:48, Act 15:9, Gal 3:1, Eph 2:8, Col 1:5, 2Ti 2:15, 2Ti 3:15, Jam 1:18
Reciprocal: Lev 20:8 – sanctify Num 16:7 – that the man Deu 7:8 – because 2Ch 30:12 – the hand of God Psa 4:3 – that the Psa 34:1 – General Psa 65:4 – choosest Psa 89:35 – that I will not lie Psa 103:17 – the mercy Psa 106:5 – may see Isa 42:16 – and not Isa 45:17 – an everlasting Eze 36:27 – I will Joe 2:32 – and in Mal 3:6 – therefore Mat 11:25 – I thank Mat 13:23 – good Mat 20:16 – for Joh 3:5 – cannot Joh 5:24 – and shall not Joh 6:37 – shall Joh 6:39 – this Joh 10:16 – them Joh 10:28 – they Joh 11:52 – the children Joh 17:6 – thine Joh 17:17 – Sanctify Act 2:39 – as many Act 15:18 – General Act 18:27 – believed Act 27:31 – Except Rom 1:1 – the gospel Rom 8:28 – the called Rom 8:30 – he justified Rom 8:35 – shall separate Rom 9:16 – General Rom 9:23 – he had afore Rom 10:17 – faith Rom 11:7 – but the election Rom 16:13 – chosen 1Co 6:11 – but ye are sanctified 2Co 3:8 – the ministration Gal 1:15 – and Eph 1:12 – be Eph 2:4 – his Eph 3:9 – beginning Eph 5:20 – thanks Phi 1:6 – begun Phi 2:2 – Fulfil Phi 2:13 – to will Phi 3:12 – apprehended Phi 3:14 – the high Col 1:6 – knew 1Th 2:12 – who 1Th 4:3 – your 1Th 4:7 – God 1Th 5:9 – obtain 2Th 1:10 – our 1Ti 4:3 – believe Tit 1:1 – faith Heb 4:2 – not being 1Pe 1:5 – unto 1Pe 1:22 – ye have 2Pe 1:10 – election 2Jo 1:1 – the elect lady 3Jo 1:2 – even
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Th 2:13. With the preceding verse, Paul concludes his great prophecy of the apostasy and formation of the church of Rome. He now comes to matters more directly pertaining to the Thessalonians. He is thankful for their standing with God, which was brought about by their acceptance of the truth. This is far different from the characters described in the foregoing verses, who were condemned because they did not accept the truth. From the beginning is both general and specific. It was always God’s plan to choose any who would accept the truth. The Thessalonians did so at the first opportunity, or from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel among them. On the Lord’s side of the plan, they were chosen through sanctification, which means a setting apart for a holy purpose, and it was by the Spirit because the truth that sanctified them (Joh 17:17) was given by the Spirit. But this alone would not have caused them to be chosen; it required also the belief of the truth on their part,
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Th 2:13. But we are bound to give thanks. The awful destiny of those who have not believed to the saving of their souls suggests to the apostle the value of faith and salvation; and this leads him to thank God for conferring those blessings on his much-loved Thessalonians.
From the beginning chose you. In this compact passage we get the whole series of ideas essential to the Gospel; the eternal (from the beginning) election of God, the call of God through the preaching of the Gospel, the belief of the truth and the sanctification of the believer by the Holy Spirit, and the consequent obtaining of salvation or fellowship in Christs glory. All this results from Gods election of them to it, and therefore Paul gives God thanks for it all, and specially for the election. Antinomianism, which is said to result from believing in election, is precluded by the sanctification of the Spirit, which is here introduced as the essential link between election and salvation. It is to be observed that in pursuance of the idea, with which Paul has been occupied, that wicked hatred of the truth is at the root of unbelief, he now speaks of sanctification of the Spirit as if it preceded belief in the truth. A man cannot believe till the Spirit has wrought in him a humble and holy willingness to receive the truth.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Division 3. (2Th 2:13-17; 2Th 3:1-18.)
Separation to God the manifestation of the saint.
The doctrine of the epistle ends here; and the apostle, after his constant manner, closes with exhortation. Sin, the world, the power of the enemy, are yet to manifest themselves in a horrible unity which shall be a lesson for all time. The principles are all at work around us, though the restraint of God’s hand is upon their working. The saint is, therefore, one separated from the world with a far more than outward separation: he is set apart in his very nature to God, in whose service he finds freedom in communion with whom is his deepest possible delight. As the Lord could in every sense say, so can the believer say, in so far as his new nature is concerned, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Just on this account, however, he is conscious that there is still within him a world that would link him with, and claim him for, that outside world from which God has separated him. And because of this, self-judgment is a constant necessity to him. He has a self of which he can yet say, through grace, that it is not himself. He is delivered from it, and yet has to abide in the power of his deliverance. He is exercised as to good and evil after a manner which no other being knows; painfully, and yet most healthfully. He is qualifying indeed for companionship with Him who for him has felt the horror of sin, -not in Him, but upon Him. Abundant provision has there been made for him, that he may grow into communion with his Lord. For him all the history of the past as God reads it has been written out, in what becomes in the divine wisdom types and parables of the present; while he is set in a place which lifts him above the whole sphere of seductive self-interest into that new creation scene where Christ is all and in all, and in whose light he finds light. In abiding in Christ, in the joy of what He is, and thus finding everything his, the power and so the manifestation of the saint are found.
1. What has saved us from the awful tyranny of evil in a world whose self-chosen prince is Satan, and not Christ? From first to last salvation is the work of divine love, which has from the beginning chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Out of the whole region of falsehood the sovereignty of truth has rescued us, making way for itself by the sweet enfranchising glad tidings of grace which is in Christ, and which leads us on a path brightened by the beckoning glory. The first exhortation, therefore, is to stand fast and hold fast the truth. There were already adversaries, as the epistle itself shows; and they need a strength beyond their own, which he prays the God they knew so well, and who was in such tender relationship with them, to minister abundantly.
2. He needs also their prayers himself, charged as he is with that gospel the power of which they had themselves proved, that it might run and be glorified in many like themselves, spite of the, opposition of unreasoning and evil men, in whom true reason would have led to the faith they had not. For them and for himself he can lean upon the Lord’s faithfulness; desiring that the Lord Himself direct their hearts into the love of God, and into that patience of Christ which yet went on untiringly for the accomplishment of men’s salvation.
3. Disorder within faced them more menacingly; and here grace did not suggest an easy toleration of the evil, but separation from if; not indeed the cutting off of the offender from the assembly at large, -a severity of dealing not yet required by the gravity of the case, but the lesser reproof of personal avoidance. It would be the destruction and not the maintenance of discipline to carry it beyond the end sought, which was in the first place restoration, where possible, and not cutting off. No doubt there are cases in which the sin is of a nature to destroy all present confidence, and then there is no other course but cutting off. In the one before us there is the lack of self-judgment, a spirit of self-indulgence, and spiritual conceit, in itself distressing and liable to be followed by some open fall; but as yet not without hope of recovery. Here was a call, therefore, for admonition, a testimony to the conscience, in which, of course, every one feeling rightly would coincide, but still individual. Generally followed up, it would do much to prevent the possibility of continuance of an evil, of which the streams that fed it had to be found outside itself. Foolish talkers are maintained by the folly of hearers; and bread eaten without cost must find those ready to pay the cost. Here, indeed, a false liberality might do harm to many more than those who indulged it. How little is thought of the various ways in which we may become “partakers of other men’s sins!” How careful was the apostle, while having such a claim as few besides could urge, and none perhaps could refuse, still rather, for example’s sake, to forbear to act upon it, than furnish the least possible excuse for others in this way. Self-sacrificing love had marked the conduct of one who sought not theirs but themselves. And the rule for these disorderly ones was that they were to obey the general law of man’s existence, that if they did not work they should not eat.
On the other hand, there must be care that there should be no harshness or unbrotherly conduct, which would destroy once more the effect of the discipline. Not harshness or legality could accomplish the end sought, but only love; the assurance of which would lay hold upon the offender; drawing, while enabling the admonition to obtain audience. Only at another’s feet can one wash them.
The apostle closes his epistle, as usual, with salutations. He prays that they may abide constantly in peace; true as the ordering of the Lord of peace can make it. Peace is that to which all His ways tend ever, and which will be the final result of all. Creation, brought into complete subjection to Himself, will manifest in all its parts and relations the harmony of its complex and glorious unity. To this peace every step taken truly with God tends therefore also necessarily. And he who walks with God finds ever that, as His ways are holiness, so, spite of whatever opposition, all His paths are peace: the presence of the Lord with His people must needs ensure this.
To guard them against such impositions as he was, at least, afraid of in their case, he tells them that his greeting, in his own handwriting, would be the token of a genuine communication from himself. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was, as we ever see, the inner token.
Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary
Our apostle, having in the foregoing verses set forth a fatal apostasy from the sincerity of the Christian faith and worship, here in this verse exempts the Thessalonians from the number of those that were endangered by it; and this he makes mention of, to their great comfort, and with thanksgivings to God: We are bound to give thanks, &c.
Observe here, 1. The titles given to the Thessalonians by our apostle, Brethren, and beloved of the Lord; not beloved of the apostle only, but of the Lord also, both with an antecedent love, bestowing grace upon them, and with a consequent love, believing in his name, and suffering for his sake.
Observe, 2. His obligation to bless God on their behalf, he gave thanks: this showed his esteem of the blessing; he gave thanks always, which showed how deeply he was affected with the blessing, and he owns it as a debt which was due unto them; We are bound to give thanks, &c.
Observe, 3. The matter of his thanksgiving, or the mercy which he was thus thankful for, and that was their election to salvation; We are bound to give thanks, because God hath chosen you.
Whence learn, That God’s election either of ourselves or others to salvation, is, and ought to be, great matter of thanksgiving unto God.
Observe, 4. Their election is amplified,
(1.) By the antiquity of it, from the beginning, that is, from all eternity, In the beginning was the word, Joh 1:1 that is, before the beginning, before God began to create any thing, the Word was.
(2.) From the means of its accomplishment; and they are two, one on God’s part, the sanctification of the Spirit; the other on their part, the belief of the truth.
Where note, 1. That election is to the means as well as to the end; and without the means, can the end never be attained; he that hath chosen us to salvation, hath chosen us to be holy, and to believe the truth, in order to salvation.
Note, 2. That sanctification and holiness are not the cause of our election, but the effect and fruit of it.
Note, 3. That sanctification being the fruit, it is also the evidence of our election; Sic se apeit decretum, thus the decree of God is made evident to us; the election of God is a secret in the bosom of God, it is only manifested to us by the effects, which are sanctification by the Spirit, and a sound belief of the gospel.
Where mark, a bare belief of the doctrine of the gospel saves none, unless accompanied with the sanctification of the Spirit.
Note, 4. The necessary connection between the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth, even as between the cause and the effect, and they do also accompany one another; the gospel was a supernatural doctrine, and it was fit that it should be accompanied with a supernatural operation, how else should it be known to be of God? The gospel and the Spirit are inseparable companions; where the gospel is little known, there is little of the Spirit found: He hath chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Thanksgiving for God’s Chosen
God’s word is the means of sanctification and is called the “sword of the Spirit” by Paul ( Joh 17:17 ; Eph 6:17 ). We conclude that obedience to the commands contained in the book delivered by the Spirit’s power is the way of accepting God’s call and receiving the longed for setting apart by God. Some would say we are randomly elected unto salvation. Paul says those who receive the gospel call will get to share in Christ’s glory at His coming ( Heb 5:8-9 ). So, obedience to the gospel yields a final, glorious, setting apart ( 2Th 2:13-14 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
2Th 2:13-14. But, &c. Here he proceeds to comfort them against the terrors of the preceding prophecy; we are bound to give thanks always for you As if he had said, I do not mean that ye believers at Thessalonica will be concerned either in this revolt against God, or in the punishment thereof; brethren, beloved of the Lord Brethren in Christ through your believing in him, and therefore peculiarly beloved of God; because God hath from the beginning Of your hearing and obeying the gospel; chosen you to salvation Hath pardoned, accepted, and made you his chosen people and dear children, as he hath all who, hearkening to the call of his word, truly turn to him in repentance, faith, and new obedience; through sanctification of the Spirit Through that renovation of mind and heart, and reformation of life, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirits influences; and belief of the truth By the instrumentality of which the Spirit works that important change in mankind. Whereunto To which belief of the truth, and sanctification of the Spirit, or to which faith and holiness; he called you by our gospel And inclined and enabled you to obey the call; to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ The glory which he hath, 1st, Purchased, Eph 1:14; Ephesians 2 d, Promised, Joh 10:28; John 3 d, Prayed for, Joh 17:14; John 4 th, Prepared, and will bestow, Joh 14:2-3 : the very same glory which Christ himself now possesses, Rom 8:17; Rev 3:21.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth [From the sad picture of those who, through love of unrighteousness, were given over to the working of error unto perishing, Paul turns to give thanks for the Thessalonians, who were chosen from the beginning (though Gentiles) unto salvation–a salvation which is worked out on the divine side in the sanctification of the Spirit, and on the human side in the belief of the truth. From the beginning God had determined that the Gentiles should be saved, and had arranged his plans to that end– Rom 9:23-26; Eph 3:5-6]:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
ARGUMENT 6
ELECTION THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT
13. But we ought to give thanks to God always in your behalf, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God chose you unto salvation from the beginning through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. It is exceedingly consolatory to know that God elected us millions of ages before we elected him in the sanctification of the Spirit. Let us hold on to all of Gods precious Word, even though it may seem to antagonize some of our creeds. Can men, by the free exercise of their will, contravene the Word of the Lord? They certainly can. David, flying from Saul like a bloodthirsty greyhound on his track, arriving at Keilah, receives an adulatory ovation by the citizens. Suspicious of their hypocrisy and their evil intention to purchase royal favor with his head, he goes to the Lord in secret prayer for the needed revelation. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down? The Lord said,
He will come down. They will deliver thee up. (1Sa 23:11-12.)
Here we have a plain statement, Will come down to Keilah, and the Keilites will deliver David into his hands. But we find that neither of these events transpired, because David fled away with all possible expedition. Then Saul, close on his track, hearing that he was gone, changed his route, and did not come to Keilah. Though it is not so specified, David well understood If I stay, Saul will come down, and they will deliver me up.
Hence, I will hasten my flight from Keilah. The Bible is the most common-sensical book in all the world. Let us believe it all, and never saddle on it any of our creedistic interpretation. Because our little gourd- heads are incompetent to harmonize Gods sovereignty and mans free agency, is no reason why they are not both true. So let us believe both and everything else revealed in the Bible, rejoicing on our way. The Greek word for election is eklektoi, from ek, out, and lego, to choose. Hence, it has a double meaning, involving both the Divine and the human; i.e., God chooses us, and we choose him. We see here that this election is through the sanctification of the Spirit. Hence, if you do not get sanctified, your election is an eternal failure. Calvinists ought to be red-hot sanctificationists by the genuine route of the Holy Ghost and fire, as their doctrine all collapses without the sanctification of the Spirit. We see here that belief of the truth follows the sanctification of the Spirit. How can this be? Do I not have to get sanctified by faith? Of course, you must have faith for sanctification if you get it, as that is the only way you can obtain it. But your final election in heaven not only requires you to be sanctified by the Spirit, but to live a holy life by faith in all of Gods truth. The faith period of Christian experience is subsequent to sanctificationthe faith of the unsanctified always having a large admixture of doubt, fog, and skepticism, terribly conflictious with that gigantic grasp of inspired truth necessary to heroically appropriate the Divine promises, and bring real and perpetual victory into our spiritual life. I preached fifteen years without sanctification, thinking all the time that I believed the Bible; but I now see that I was a semi-infidel. Entire sanctification must burn out all the devils doubt and fog before we really are prepared to live the life of faith in God.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
2Th 2:13-17. Further Thanksgiving and Prayer.In contrast to the men mentioned in 2Th 2:10-12, Paul thanks God for the Christians whom God chose for salvation. The paragraph concludes with a brief doxology.
2Th 2:15. traditions: here refers to the actual teaching given by the apostle, whether oral or written.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
2:13 {10} But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through {p} sanctification of the Spirit and {q} belief of the truth:
(10) The elect will stand steadfast and safe from all these mischiefs. Now election is known by these testimonies: faith is increased by sanctification: faith, by that which we grant to the truth; truth, by calling, through the preaching of the Gospel: from where we come at length to a certain hope of glorification.
(p) To sanctify you.
(q) Faith which does not lay hold upon lies, but upon the truth of God, which is the Gospel.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
IV. THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER 2:13-17
Paul proceeded to give thanks for his readers’ salvation and to pray for their steadfastness to help them appreciate their secure position in holding fast to apostolic teaching. These verses form a transition between the didactic and hortatory sections of the epistle.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
A. Thanksgiving for calling 2:13-15
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
In contrast to the lawless unbelievers just referred to (2Th 2:12), Paul was grateful that he could always give thanks for his readers. Moreover he did so (cf. 2Th 1:3). The ground for his joy was God’s choice of them for salvation before He created the world ("the beginning," 2Th 2:13; cf. Eph 1:4). Though God loves all people (Joh 3:16), He does not choose all for salvation. Paul consistently taught what the rest of Scripture reveals, namely, that the initiative in salvation comes from God, not man. God accomplishes salvation through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 15:16; 1Co 6:11-12; 1Th 4:7-8; 1Pe 1:2). [Note: Cf. Ernest Best, A Commentary on the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, pp. 314-15.] He makes it efficacious when individuals believe the gospel. Even though unbelievers oppose us, we can take courage because God loves us, and He will deliver us.
"It is a travesty of God’s electing grace to suppose that, because he chooses some for salvation, all the others are thereby consigned to perdition. On the contrary, if some are chosen for special blessing, it is in order that others may be blessed through them and with them. This is a constant feature in the pattern of divine election throughout the Bible story, from Abraham onward. Those who are chosen constitute the firstfruits, bearing the promise of a rich harvest to come." [Note: Bruce, p. 191.]
This writer did not believe in the universal salvation of all people, so perhaps he meant that the blessings that the lost receive because of the elect are temporal rather than eternal.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 21
THE THEOLOGY OF PAUL
2Th 2:13-17 (R.V.)
THE first part of this chapter is mysterious, awful, and oppressive. It deals with the principle of evil in the world, its secret working, its amazing power, its final embodiment in the man of sin, and its decisive overthrow at the Second Advent. The characteristic action of this evil principle is deceit. It deludes men, and they become its victims. True, it can only delude those who lay themselves open to its approach by an aversion to the truth, and by delight in unrighteousness; but when we look round us, and see the multitude of its victims, we might easily be tempted to despair of our race. The Apostle does not do so. He turns away from that gloomy prospect, and fixes his eyes upon another, serene, bright, and joyful. There is a son of perdition, a person doomed to destruction, who will carry many to ruin in his train; but there is a work of God going on in the world as well as a work of evil; and it also has its triumphs. Let the mystery of iniquity work as it will, “we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation.”
The thirteenth and fourteenth verses of this chapter are a system of theology in miniature. The Apostles thanksgiving covers the whole work of salvation from the eternal choice of God to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in the world to come. Let us observe the several points which it brings out. As a thanksgiving, of course, God is the main subject in it. Every separate clause only serves to bring out another aspect of the fundamental truth that Salvation is of the Lord. What aspects, then, of this truth are presented in turn?
(1) In the first place, the original idea of salvation is Gods. He chose the Thessalonians to it from the beginning. There are really two assertions in this simple sentence-the one, that God chose them; the other, that His choice is eternal. The first of these is obviously a matter on which there is an appeal to experience. These Christian men, and all Christian men, could tell whether it was true or not that they owed their salvation to God. In point of fact, there has never been any doubt about that matter in any church, or indeed, in any religion. All good men have always believed that salvation is of the Lord. It begins on Gods side. It can most truly be described from His side. Every Christian heart responds to the word of Jesus to the disciples “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” Every Christian heart feels the force of St. Pauls words to the Galatians: “After that ye have known God, or rather were known of God.” It is His taking knowledge of us which is the original, fundamental, decisive thing in salvation. That is a matter of experience; and so far the Calvinist doctrine of election, which has sometimes an unsubstantial, metaphysical aspect, has an experimental basis. We are saved, because God in His love has saved us; that is the starting point. That also gives character, in all the Epistles, to the New Testament doctrine of election. The Apostle never speaks of the elect as an unknown quantity, a favoured few, hidden in the Church, or in the world, unknown to others or to themselves: “God,” he says, “chose you,” – the persons addressed in this letter, -“and you know that He did.” So does everyone who knows anything of God at all. Even when the Apostle says, “God chose you from the beginning,” he does not leave the basis of experience. “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” The purpose of Gods love to save men, which comes home to them in their reception of the gospel, is not a thing of today or yesterday; they know it is not; it is the manifestation of His nature; it is as eternal as Himself; they can count on it as securely as they can on the Divine character; if God has chosen them at all, He has chosen them from the beginning. The doctrine of election in Scripture is a religious doctrine, based upon experience; it is only when it is separated from experience, and becomes metaphysical, and prompts men to ask whether they who have heard and received the gospel are elect or not-an impossible question on New Testament ground-that it works for evil in the Church. If you have chosen God, you know it is because He first chose you; and His will revealed in that choice is the will of the Eternal.
(2) Further, the means of salvation for men are of God. “He chose you,” says the Apostle, “in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” Perhaps “means” is not the most precise word to use here; it might be better to say that sanctification wrought by the Spirit, and belief of the truth, are the state in which, rather than the means by which, salvation is realised. But what I wish to insist upon is, that both are included in the Divine choice; they are the instruments or the conditions of carrying it into effect. And here, when we come to the accomplishment of Gods purpose, we see how it combines a Divine and a human side. There is a sanctification, or consecration, wrought by the Spirit of God upon the spirit of man, the sign and seal of which is baptism, the entrance of the natural man into the new and higher life; and coincident with this, there is the belief of the truth, the acceptance of Gods message of mercy, and the surrender of the soul to it. It is impossible to separate these two things, or to define their relation to each other. Sometimes the first seems to condition the second; sometimes the order is reversed. Now it is the Spirit which opens the mind to the truth; again it is the truth which exercises a sanctifying power like the Spirit. The two, as it were, interpenetrate each other. If the Spirit stood alone, mans mind would be baffled, his moral freedom would be taken away; if the reception of the truth were everything, a cold, rationalistic type of religion would sup, plant the ardour of the New Testament Christian. The eternal choice of God makes provision, in the combination of the Spirit and the truth, at once for Divine influence and for human freedom; for a baptism of fire and for the deliberate welcoming of revelation; and it is-when the two are actually combined that the purpose of God to save is accomplished. What can we say here on the basis of experience? Have we believed the truth which God has declared to us in His Son? Has its belief been accompanied and made effectual by a sanctification wrought by His Spirit, a consecration which has made the truth live in us, and made us new creatures in Christ? Gods choice does not become effective apart from this; it comes out in this; it secures its own accomplishment in this. His chosen are not chosen to salvation irrespective of any experience; none are chosen except as they believe the truth and are sanctified by His Spirit.
(3) Once more, the execution of the plan of salvation in time is of God. To this salvation, says Paul, He called you by our gospel. The apostles and their companions were but messengers: the message they brought was Gods. The new truths, the warnings, the summonses, the invitations, all were His. The spiritual constraint which they exercised was His also. In speaking thus, the Apostle magnifies his office, and magnifies at the same time the responsibility of all who heard him preach. It is a light thing to listen to a man speaking his own thoughts, giving his own counsel, inviting assent to his own proposals; it is a solemn thing to listen to a man speaking truly in the name of God. The gospel that we preach is ours, only because we preach it and because we receive it; but the true description of it is, the gospel of God. It is His voice which proclaims the coming judgment; it is His voice which tells of the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, even the forgiveness of our trespasses; it is His voice which invites all who are exposed to wrath, all who are under the curse and power of sin, to come to the Saviour. Paul had thanked God in the First Epistle that the Thessalonians had received his word, not as the word of man, but as what it was in truth, the word of the living God; and here he falls back again on the same thought in a new connection. It is too natural for us to put God as far as we can out of our minds, to keep Him forever in the background, to have recourse to Him only in the last resort; but that easily becomes an evasion of the seriousness and the responsibilities of our life, a shutting of our eyes to its true significance, for which we may have to pay dear. God has spoken to us all in His word and by His Spirit, God, and not only some human preacher: see that ye despise not Him that speaketh.
(4) Lastly, under this head, the end proposed to us in obeying the gospel call is of God. It is the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul became a Christian and an Apostle, because he saw the Lord of Glory on the way to Damascus; and his whole conception of salvation was shaped by that sight. To be saved meant to enter into that glory into which Christ had entered. It was a condition of perfect holiness, open only to those who were sanctified by Christs Spirit; but perfect holiness did not exhaust it. Holiness was manifested in glory, in a light surpassing the brightness of the sun, in a strength superior to every weakness, in a life no longer assailable by death. Weak, suffering, destitute-dying daily for Christ s sake-Paul saw salvation concentrated and summed up in the glory of Christ. To obtain this was to obtain salvation. “When Christ who is our life shall appear,” he says elsewhere, “then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” If salvation were anything lower than this, there might be a plausible case to state for man as its author; but reaching as it does to this immeasurable height, who can accomplish it but God? It needs the operation of the might of His power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.
One cannot read these two simple verses without wondering at the new world which the gospel created for the mind of man. What great thoughts are in them-thoughts that wander through eternity, thoughts based on the most sure and blessed of experiences, yet travelling back into an infinite past, and on into immortal glory; thoughts of the Divine presence and the Divine power interpenetrating and redeeming human life; thoughts addressed originally to a little company of working people, but unmatched for length and breadth and depth and height by all that pagan literature could offer to the wisest and the best. What a range and sweep there is in this brief summary of Gods work in mans salvation. If the New Testament is uninteresting, can it be for any other reason than that we arrest ourselves at the words, and never penetrate to the truth which lies beneath?
On this review of the work of God the Apostle grounds an exhortation to the Thessalonians. “So then, brethren,” he writes, “stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.” The objection that is brought against Calvinism is that it destroys every motive for action on our part, by destroying all need of it. If salvation is of the Lord, what is there for us to do? If God conceived it, planned it, executes it, and alone can perfect it, what room is left for the interference of man? This is a species of objection which would have appeared extremely perverse to the Apostle. Why, he would have exclaimed, if God left it to us to do, we might well sit down in despair and do nothing, so infinitely would the task exceed our powers; but since the work of salvation is the work of God, since He Himself is active on that side, there are reason, hope, motive, for activity on our part also. If we work in the same line with Him, toward the same end with Him, our labour will not be cast away; it will be triumphantly successful. God is at work; but so far from that furnishing a motive to non-exertion on our part, it is the strongest of all motives to action. Work out your own salvation, not because it is left to you to do, but because it is God who is working in you both will and deed in furtherance of His good pleasure. Fall in, the Apostle virtually says in this place, with the purpose of God to save you; identify yourselves with it; stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught.
“Traditions” is an unpopular word in one section of the Church because it has been so vastly abused in another. But it is not an illegitimate word in any church, and there is always a place for what it means. The generations are dependent on each other; each transmits to the future the inheritance it has received from the past; and that inheritance-embracing laws, arts, manners, morals, instincts, religion-can all be comprehended in the single word tradition. The gospel was handed over to the Thessalonians by St. Paul, partly in oral teaching, partly in writing; it was a complex of traditions in the simplest sense, and they were not to let any part of it go. Extreme Protestants are in the habit of opposing Scripture to tradition. The Bible alone, they say, is our religion; and we reject all unwritten authority. But, as a little reflection will show, the Bible itself is, in the first instance, a part of tradition; it is handed down to us from those who have gone before; it is delivered to us as a sacred deposit by the Church; and as such we at first regard it. There are good reasons, no doubt, for giving Scripture a fundamental and critical place among traditions. When its claim to represent the Christianity of the apostles is once made out, it is fairly regarded as the criterion of everything else that appeals to their authority. The bulk of so-called traditions in the Church of Rome are to be rejected, not because they are traditions, but because they are not traditions, but have originated in later times, and are inconsistent with what is known to be truly apostolic. We ourselves are bound to keep fast hold of all that connects us historically with the apostolic age. We would not disinherit ourselves. We would not lose a single thought, a single like or dislike, a single conviction or instinct, of all that proves us the spiritual posterity of Peter and Paul and John. Sectarianism destroys the historical sense; it plays havoc with traditions; it weakens the feeling of spiritual affinity between the present and the past. The Reformers in the sixteenth century-the men like Luther, Melanchthon, and Calvin-made a great point of what they called their catholicity, i.e., their claim to represent the true Church of Christ, to be the lawful inheritors of apostolic tradition. They were right, both in their claim, and in their idea of its importance; and we will suffer for it, if, in our eagerness for independence, we disown the riches of the past.
The Apostle closes his exhortation with a prayer. “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father which loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish them in every good work and word.” All human effort, he seems to say, must be not only anticipated and called forth, but supported, by God. He alone it is who can give steadfastness to our pursuit of good in word and deed.
In his prayer the Apostle goes back to great events in the past, and bases his request on the assurance which they yield: “God,” he says, “who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace.” When did God do these gracious things? It was-when He sent His Son into the world for us. He does love us now; He will love us forever; but we go back for the final proof, and for the first conviction of this, to the gift of Jesus Christ. There we see God who loved us. The death of the Lord Jesus is specially in view. “Hereby know we love, because He laid down His life for us.” “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” The eternal consolation is connected in the closest possible way with this grand assurance of love. It is not merely an unending comfort, as opposed to the transitory and uncertain joys of earth; it is the heart to exclaim with St. Paul, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Here, and now, this eternal consolation is given to the Christian heart; here, and now, rather, it is enjoyed; it was given, once for all, on the cross at Calvary. Stand there, and receive that awful pledge of the love of God, and see whether it does not, even now, go deeper than any sorrow.
But the eternal consolation does not exhaust Gods gifts. He has also in His grace given us good hope. He has made provision, not only for the present trouble, but for the future uncertainty. All life needs an outlook; and those who have stood beside the empty grave in the garden know how wide and glorious is the outlook provided by God for the believer in Jesus Christ. In the very deepest darkness, a light is kindled for him; in the valley of the shadow of death, a window is opened to him in heaven. Surely God, who sent His Son to die for us upon the Cross; God, who raised Him again from the dead on our behalf, and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places, -surely He who has been at such cost for our salvation will not be slow to second all our efforts, and to establish our hearts in every good work and word.
How simply, one is tempted to say, it all ends-good works and good words; are these the whole fruits which God seeks in His great work of redemption? Does it need consolation so wonderful, hope so far reaching, to secure patient continuance in well-doing? We know only too well that it does. We know that the comfort of God, the hope of God, prayer to God, are all needed; and that all we can make of all of them combined is not too much to make us steadily dutiful in word and deed. We know that it is not a disproportionate or unworthy moral, but one befitting the grandeur of his theme, when the Apostle concludes the fifteenth chapter of 1st Corinthians in a tone very similar to that which rules here. The infinite hope of the Resurrection is made the basis of the commonest duties. “Therefore, my beloved brethren,” he says, “be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour: is not in vain in the Lord.” That hope is to bear fruit on earth-in patience and loyalty, in humble and faithful service. It is to shed its radiance over the trivial round, the common task; and the Apostle does not think it wasted if it enables men and women to do well and not weary.
The difficulty of expounding this passage lies in the largeness of the thoughts; they include, in a manner, every part and aspect of the Christian life. Let each of us try to bring them. near to himself. God has called us by His gospel: He has declared to us that Jesus our Lord was delivered for our offences, and that He was raised again to open the gates of life to us. Have we believed the truth? That is-where the gospel begins for us. Is the truth within us, written on hearts that Gods Spirit has separated from the world, and devoted to a new life? or is it outside of us, a rumour, a hearsay, to which we have no vital relation? Happy are those who have believed, and taken Christ into their souls, Christ who died for us and rose again; they have the forgiveness of sins, a pledge of love that disarms and vanquishes sorrow, an infallible hope that outlives death. Happy are those to whom the cross and the empty tomb give that confidence in Gods love which makes prayer natural, hopeful, joyful. Happy are those to whom all these gifts of grace bring the strength to continue patiently in well-doing, and to be steadfast in every good work and word. All things are theirs-the world, and life, and death; things present and things to come; everlasting consolation and good hope; prayer, patience, and victory: all are theirs, for they are Christs, and Christ is Gods.