‘Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’

This was a typical form of greeting by a letter writer of the day, indicating the author’s name, the recipient’s name, a reference to a deity and a hope for their well-being. It is noteworthy that Paul does not see it as necessary to refer here to his Apostleship (contrast Gal 1:1). Instead he wrote confident of a warm reception from the church because of what he had heard about them from Timothy.

He included Silas (his Latin name Silvanus) and Timothy in his greeting. Silas they knew from his being a companion of Paul in the founding of the church (Act 17:1-10 compare Act 15:40). Timothy had recently visited them, and had probably been with Silas and Paul in their ministry there, but not prominent.

‘The church of the Thessalonians.’ The same as in 1 Thessalonians. Compare ‘the churches of Galatia’ (Gal 1:2) and contrast ‘the church of God which is at Corinth’ (1Co 1:2; 2Co 1:1), and the later ‘to the saints at –’ (Eph 1:1; Php 1:1; Col 1:1. See also Rom 1:1). In this there is a growing awareness of the universal church as seen as one whole, composed of all those set apart for Himself (‘saints’) by God.

The difference in the use of ‘church’ is one of emphasis only. Each church in a city (Rom 16:4; Rom 16:16; Rom 16:23; 1Co 1:2 and often), and the local branches within that church (Phm 1:2; 1Co 11:18), as well as the universal church (1Co 10:32; 1Co 12:28; Eph 1:22; Eph 3:10; Eph 3:21; Eph 5:23-32), can be called ‘the church’. Thus reference can be made to ‘the churches’ and to ‘the church’, and the latter often wider in meaning than the former. In all cases it refers to a group of believers, whether local, city-wide or worldwide.

‘Church’ (ekklesia) was used in LXX to translate ‘the assembly’ of Israel, the gathering together of His people to Sinai to receive the covenant (Deu 4:10; Deu 18:16) and to the Tabernacle (Deu 9:10; Deu 23:1-3; Deu 23:8; Deu 31:30) and the Temple ( 1Ki 8:14 ; 1Ki 8:22; 1Ki 8:55; 1Ki 8:65) and in response to the covenant (Jdg 20:2; Jdg 21:5; Jdg 21:8; 1Sa 17:47). In a religious context it thus indicated ‘the people of God gathered for worship and response to the covenant’. This was the sense in which Jesus used it (Mat 16:18). The more general ‘congregation’ of Israel was translated as ‘synagogue’.

‘In God our Father.’ Every Christian dwells ‘in God’ (1Jn 4:15), and our lives are ‘hid with Christ in God’ (Col 3:3). The thought is of being enveloped in the love, mercy and care of a gracious God, and of seeking to walk as those who are His, and is in contrast with those who are ‘in the world’ (Eph 2:12; 2Pe 1:4; compare 1Jn 2:15-16; 1Jn 4:3-4), who walk as the world walks. Unlike in 1 Thessalonians Paul calls Him ‘God our Father.’ The ‘our’ emphasises the relationship factor. Not only the Creator but our Father, to whom we are adopted and reborn sons.

Christians are ‘in the world’ (Joh 17:11-12) but only as strangers and pilgrims (Heb 11:13; 1Pe 2:13). They are not ‘of the world’ (Joh 15:19). And this is because they are now ‘in God our Father’.

‘And the Lord Jesus Christ.’ This linking of our Lord Jesus Christ with ‘our Father’ using a single preposition, as being the One in Whom we are, (‘in God — and the Lord’ and not ‘in God — and in the Lord’) is a clear declaration of His equality with the Father. No other could have been so combined. It indicates that we must give full significance to the title ‘the Lord’ as meaning ‘Yahweh’ (the name of God in the Old Testament), which to the Jew was the name above every name, which is represented in LXX (the Greek Old Testament) as ‘Lord’ (kurios). Compare Php 2:11 where this is clearly indicated, and see Mat 28:19.

‘In Christ’ is one of Paul’s favourite descriptions. Christ is the body and we are members of that body (1Co 12:12-14), Christ is the vine and we are the branches of the vine (Joh 15:1-6), because we are in Him we are declared righteous in God’s sight (Rom 3:24), in Christ we are accepted as holy in God’s sight (1Co 1:2), in Christ the veil on our hearts is done away (2Co 3:14), in Him we are created unto good works (Eph 2:10), in Him we have been made alive, and raised and seated with Him in the spiritual realm (Eph 2:5-6), there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom 8:1). Thus when we enter into Christ He is made to us wisdom from God, even righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1Co 1:30). How much more the blessing then to be both ‘in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’.

‘The Lord Jesus Christ.’ The title ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ contains three elements. Firstly He is Lord (kurios), the One Whose Name is above every name, Yahweh Himself (Php 2:9). To the Jew and to Paul the Name above every name was Yahweh and in the Greek Old Testament Yahweh is represented by kurios. He is also elsewhere the great ‘I am’ (Joh 8:58, compare Exo 3:14), another name for Yahweh (which means ‘the One Who is’), and thus ‘the Word’, Who existed in the beginning, through Whom God created the worlds (Joh 1:1-3; Heb 1:1-3; Psa 33:6; Psa 33:9), the Lord of all.

Secondly He is ‘Jesus’. He became flesh and dwelt among us (Joh 1:14). He was truly man and yet in His manhood epitomised all that man was meant to be. He hungered as a man (Mat 4:2). He grew thirsty as a man (Joh 4:7; Joh 19:28). He suffered as a man. And His death was the death of a man, and yet it was of more than a man, for He was ‘the Lord’. He was ‘the Christ (Messiah)’. And the name Jesus means ‘Yahweh is salvation’.

Thirdly He is ‘the Christ, the Messiah.’ By His death and resurrection He is declared to be ‘both Lord and Christ’ (Act 2:36). He is the expected King Messiah, the One appointed to eternal Rule (2Pe 1:11; compare Psa 145:13; Dan 4:3; Dan 4:34; Dan 7:14), the One Who both sits on His own throne and also uniquely shares His Father’s throne (Rev 3:21), the One before Whom every knee shall bow (Php 2:10).

And because of this He is the powerful One (Rom 1:4). He is the One worthy of worship and honour. He is the Lord of glory.

‘Grace to you, and peace.’ ‘Grace to you.’ Nothing can be more desirable than to have God looking on us in active love and favour without our deserving, and this is what is signified by grace. Thus Paul wants the Thessalonians to know that he desires for them only that they enjoy the experience of the grace of God.

‘And peace.’ Peace results from grace, but this kind of peace is also God’s gift, flowing from Him to us. Once we know that we are right with God, and experience His graciousness towards us, we have peace with God (Rom 5:1) and enjoy such peace, prosperity and success of spirit that our hearts can only overflow. For however things may seem to smile on us, if God is not pleased with us, we cannot fully know peace. The very foundation then of peace in our hearts is the favour of God, by which we enjoy true and genuine prosperity of spirit through the work of His Spirit, and find the peace of God which passes all understanding guarding our thoughts and hearts (Php 4:7). And this is what Paul wished for, and prayed for, for the Thessalonians.

‘Grace to you’ represented a general greeting in the Gentile world, and ‘peace to you’ in the Jewish world. The combination thus emphasised the unity of the church, both Jew and Gentile, as one. It was seemingly a regular combination in the Christian church ( 2Pe 1:2 ; 2Jn 1:3; Rev 1:4).

‘From God the Father.’ There is in this phrase a recognition of ‘the Father’, the Creator, in contrast with the earlier ‘our Father’, which is more personal ( 2Th 1:1). Jesus constantly spoke of ‘the Father’ in this distinctive way (Mat 28:19; Mar 13:32; Luk 10:22; Joh 4:21; Joh 4:23; Joh 5:19-45; Joh 6:27-57; Joh 8:16-29; Joh 10:15; Joh 10:36-38; Joh 13:16 constantly). He is the prototype and perfect exemplar of all fatherhoods (Eph 3:14-15), the one ‘of Whom are all things’ (1Co 8:6), the One Who raised Christ from the dead, and is thus the Source of all future life (Gal 1:1), the One whose foreknowing results in the gathering of His elect (1Pe 1:2), the source of all Light (Jas 1:17). And His people are ‘in Him’. He, with the Lord Jesus Christ, is the source of grace revealed to us and our peace.

‘And the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Once again we have one preposition joining God and the Lord. All we have is in them and from them. No greater testimony to their co-equality and oneness in action could be given.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Salutation This passage of Scripture in 2Th 1:1-2 is called the salutation and is found in all thirteen of Paul’s New Testament epistles and is used as an introduction to his letters. Paul wrote his salutations as a signature of authenticity (2Th 3:17) just like we place our signature today at the end of a document. He may have written entire epistles as indicated in Phm 1:19. However, there are indications in six of his epistles that Paul used an amanuensis to write most of his letters (see Rom 16:22, 1Co 16:21, Gal 6:11, Col 4:18, 2Th 3:17, Phm 1:19).

2Th 3:17, “The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.”

In 2Th 1:1-2 Paul greets the believers in Thessalonica by presenting himself along with his two co-workers, Silas and Timothy, who played a key role in founding this church.

2Th 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2Th 1:1 “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus” Comments (1) – Silvanus ( ) (G4610) was the Roman name of one of Paul’s close traveling companions. Although Paul and Peter use this Roman name when referring to him in their epistles, we also know him in the book of Acts by his Jewish name Silas. His first appearance in Scriptures takes place in Acts 15 during the Jerusalem council where he is identified as a leader (Act 15:22) in the Jerusalem church, and a prophet (Act 15:32). He was chosen along with Judas Barsabas to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to the church in Antioch in order to place into effect some guidelines for Gentile Christians. He moved about with Paul during his second missionary journey and is last identified with Paul in Act 18:5 where he and Timothy meet Paul in Corinth. Paul will refer to him in his two epistles to the church at Thessalonica (1Th 1:1, 2Th 1:1) and in his second epistle to the Corinthians (2Co 1:19). We also find his name mentioned as “faithful brother” and bearer of Peter’s first epistle (1Pe 5:12).

Comments (2) – Why would Paul list his two co-workers in the opening of this epistle and not in other epistles? Because it was Paul and Silas (Silvanus) and Timothy who first came to Thessalonica as a missionary team and planted a church there. The theme of this epistle is an exhortation to work together until Jesus Christ comes back. Paul had taken Silas (Act 15:40) with him on his second missionary journey and they had picked up Timothy in Derbe and Lystra just before entering into Macedonia (Act 16:1-3). Most scholars believe that Luke had joined them at Troas and stayed behind at Philippi when these three departed form Thessalonica. Silas is probably mentioned first because of his seniority in the ministry and because of his age; for Silas had joined Paul as a seasoned leader in the church of Antioch (Act 15:22).

The fact that this letter opens with three co-workers serves as a personal testimony that supported Paul’s commands to these believers to labour together. It stands in contrast to Paul’s opening in his epistle to the Galatians where he speaks only of himself and of his divine calling and authority as an apostle to the Gentiles. In his letter to the churches in Galatia, it was necessary for Paul to defend his authority in Christ as being above the teachings of the Judaizers.

Comments – The fact that Paul uses the first person plural often in 2 Thessalonians (2Th 1:3-4; 2Th 1:11; 2Th 2:1 ; 2Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 2Th 3:1-2 ; 2Th 3:4; 2Th 3:6; 2Th 3:10-12) indicates that Paul intended his two co-workers to participate in his correspondence to the church at Thessalonica. But when Paul uses the first person singular (2Th 1:3-4; 2Th 1:11, 2Th 2:1, 2Th 3:1-2 ; 2Th 3:4; 2Th 3:6-11) we must conclude the he is the principal author carrying the weight of authority among the three. The fact that Paul writes the salutation with his own hand means that he used an amanuensis to write most of his epistles. The person who wrote this epistle for Paul is not indicated, but it is very likely to be Silvanus or Timotheus; for we find that Silvanus did write for Peter (1Pe 5:12).

2Th 1:1 Comments – To those churches and individuals in which Paul displayed his apostleship over them in order to give correction and doctrine, he introduces himself as “an apostle of Jesus Christ” ( Rom 1:1 , 1Co 1:1, 2Co 1:1, Gal 1:1, Eph 1:1, Col 1:1, 1Ti 1:1, 2Ti 1:1 and Tit 1:1). To the Philippians Paul describes himself as a “servant.” This is because within the context of this epistle Paul will give examples of himself (Php 1:12-20), of Jesus Christ (Php 2:1-11), of Timothy (Php 2:19-24) and of Epaphroditus (Php 2:25-30) as servants who laid aside their own wills and in order that to fulfill the will of those in authority over them. For this is the message and theme of Paul’s epistle to the Philippians. To Philemon Paul declares himself as a “prisoner of Jesus Christ,” because his message to Philemon was about a slave, or prisoner, who was serving Philemon. In his two letters to the church of Thessalonica Paul defers the use of a title in order to equate himself as co-workers with Silas and Timothy. He will refer to his apostleship in 1Th 2:6, but he will be mindful to use it in the plural form as a co-worker with Silas and Timothy. This is because he emphasizes their need to labour together until Jesus returns.

2Th 1:2  Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Th 1:2 Comments (The Pauline Greeting) – Scholars discuss the meaning of Paul’s epistolary greetings from two different angles, either an historical approach or a theological approach.

(1) The Historical Approach The historical approach evaluates the history behind the use of the words “grace” and “peace” in traditional greetings, with this duet of words limited in antiquity to New Testament literature. J. Vernon McGee says the word “grace” in Paul’s greetings was a formal greeting used in Greek letters of his day, while the word “peace” was the customary Jewish greeting. [34] More specifically, John Grassmick says the Greek word was a common greeting in classical Greek epistles (note this use in Act 15:23; Act 23:26, Jas 1:1), so that was a “word play” Paul used in conjunction with the Hebrew greeting “peace.” [35] Thus, Paul would be respectfully addressing both Greeks and Jews in the early Church. However, Paul uses these same two words in his epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, which weakens the idea that Paul intended to make such a distinction between two ethnic groups when using “grace” and “peace.” Perhaps this greeting became customary for Paul and lost its distinctive elements.

[34] J. Vernon McGee, The Epistle to the Romans, in Thru the Bible With J. Vernon McGee (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Pub., 1998), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Romans 1:1.

[35] John D. Grassmick, “Epistolary Genre,” in Interpreting the New Testament Text, eds. Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2006), 232.

(2) The Theological Approach – Another view is proposed by James Denny, who explains the relationship of these two words as a cause and effect. He says that grace is God’s unmerited favor upon mankind, and the peace is the result of receiving His grace and forgiveness of sins. [36] In a similar statement, Charles Simeon says the phrase “‘grace and peace’ comprehended all the blessings of the Gospel.” [37]

[36] James Denney, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, in The Expositor’s Bible, eds. William R. Nicoll and Oscar L. Joseph (New York: Hodder and Stoughton, n.d.), 15-16.

[37] Charles Simeon, 2 Peter, in Horae Homileticae, vol. 20: James to Jude (London: Holdsworth and Ball, 1833), 285.

Comments (The Pauline Blessing) – In a similar way that the early apostles were instructed by Jesus to let their peace come upon the home of their host (Mat 10:13), so did Paul the apostle open every one of his thirteen New Testament epistles with a blessing of God’s peace and grace upon his readers. Mat 10:13 shows that you can bless a house by speaking God’s peace upon it.

Mat 10:13, “And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.”

This practice of speaking blessings upon God’s children may have its roots in the Priestly blessing of Num 6:22-27, where God instructed Moses to have the priests speak a blessing upon the children of Israel. We see in Rth 2:4 that this blessing became a part of the Jewish culture when greeting people. Boaz blessed his workers in the field and his reapers replied with a blessing.

Rth 2:4, “And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.”

We also see this practiced by the king in 2Sa 15:20 where David says, “mercy and truth be with thee.”

2Sa 15:20, “Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.”

So, this word of blessing was a part of the Hebrew and Jewish culture. This provides us the background as to why Paul was speaking a blessing upon the church at Thessalonica, especially that God would grant them more of His grace and abiding peace that they would have otherwise not known. In faith, we too, can receive this same blessing into our lives. Paul actually pronounces and invokes a blessing of divine grace and peace upon his readers with these words, “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” I do not believe this blessing is unconditional, but rather conditional. In other words, it is based upon the response of his hearers. The more they obey these divine truths laid forth in this epistle, the more God’s grace and peace is multiplied in their lives. We recall how the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, with six tribes standing upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people and six tribes upon Mount Ebal to curse the disobedient (Deu 27:11-26). Thus, the blessings and curses of Deu 28:1-68 were placed upon the land. All who obeyed the Law received these blessings, and all who disobeyed received this list of curses. In the same way, Paul invokes a blessing into the body of Christ for all who will hearken unto the divine truths of this epistle.

We see this obligation of the recipients in the translation by Beck of 2Pe 1:2, “As you know God and our Lord Jesus, may you enjoy more and more of His love and peace. ”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

v. 1. Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ:

v. 2. Grace unto you and peace, from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This opening greeting agrees almost exactly with that of the first letter. Paul again names Silvanus and Timothy, not as coauthors, but as companions and fellow-laborers, with whose persons and work the Thessalonians were familiar from their labor in their own city. To the church, or congregation, of the Thessalonians in God he addresses himself, calling Him our Father and placing Jesus Christ the Lord on a level with Him. All believers are united by faith in Christ through the mercy of God; in Christ they are all children of the heavenly Father. But they incidentally recognize Christ as their Lord, under whom they have enlisted, under whose banners they are fighting. The apostle’s salutation names the greatest gifts, the highest spiritual benefits which may ever fall to the lot of sinful men: grace, the free and unrestricted kindness and mercy of God which was earned for all men through the vicarious work of Christ; peace from God the Father, since the payment of all our guilt through the blood of Jesus has removed the cause of God’s displeasure toward us and given us a perfect reconciliation. Again, Jesus Christ the Lord is placed on the same level with the Father: He is true God from eternity with the Father, in every way the Father’s equal in majesty and power.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

CONTENTS.Paul, after the address and salutation, commences this Epistle by rendering thanks to God for the welcome intelligence he had received of the increase of the faith and love of his Thessalonian converts, so that he was enabled to boast of them throughout all the Churches of Achaia, on account of their steadfastness in the endurance of continued persecution. Their present suffering was an evidence of a future state of retribution, when the justice of God would be vindicated, and affliction would be rendered to their persecutors and rest to them the persecuted, on that great day when the Lord Jesus would appear in glory for the destruction of his enemies and the glorification of his people. The apostle expresses his constant prayer for the Thessalonians that God would enable them to walkworthy of their high vocation, so as to be made partakers of that glory which would be conferred on believers at the advent.

2Th 1:1, 2Th 1:2

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus. This Epistle, like the former, is written in their conjoint names, as all three were engaged in the planting of the Church in Thessalonica. Unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (For the exposition of these two verses, see remarks on 1Th 1:1, where the address and salutation are almost entirely the same.)

2Th 1:3

We. Not to be restricted to Paul, the plural being used for the singular, as is elsewhere the case (1Th 2:8; 1Th 3:1); but inclusive of Silas and Timothy, inasmuch as they are mentioned directly before (see note to 1Th 1:2). Are bound; feel ourselves morally constrained. To thank God always for you, brethren. The apostle first praises his converts for what good was in them, before he censures them for their faults, and in this manner he secures their attention. As it is meet; as it is right and proper in the circumstances of the case. The words are not to be considered as a parenthetic clause, far less as a tautological expression (Jowett); but they state that the reason of the apostle’s thanksgiving arose from the spiritual condition of the Thessalonians; “with the acknowledgment of personal obligation, Paul joins a recognition of the circumstances of the case” (Hofinann). Because that your faith groweth exceedinglysuperaboundsand the charity of every one of you all. The subject of the apostle’s thanksgiving was the increase of the faith and love of the Thessalonians: faith here being faith in Christ, and love being love to man. Faith and love contain in themselves the whole of the Christian life; faith is its commencement, its source; love is not only its outcome, its spiritual action, but its completion; the climax of the Christian life is to be made perfect in love. Here, however, love is restricted by the context to love to believers, or brotherly love. Toward each other; that is, toward your fellow Christians in Thessalonica. Love is not a mere general affection, but is to be specially manifested”toward each believer.” Aboundeth; increaseth in intensity.

2Th 1:4

So that we ourselves. “We”Paul and Silas and Timothy, the founders of the Church of Thessalonica. “We ourselves,” not merely we of our own accord (Hofmann), but we as well as our informants, who brought us this intelligence of the increase of your faith and love. Glory in you in the Churches of God; that is, in those Churches with which we come in contact; namely, the Church at Corinth and the Churches in Achaia. It would appear from this that several Churches had been founded in Achaia, as, for example, the Church of Cenchrea (Rom 16:1). For your patience and faith; not to be weakened as a Hebraism for “your patient faith,” or “for the patience of your faith;” nor is faith to be taken in the sense of faithfulness or fidelity (Lunemann); but, as in the previous verse, it denotes “faith in Christ.” Patience is steadfast endurance, which, in order to be of any value in the sight of God, must be combined with faith; stoical endurance is not here nor anywhere else inculcated in Scripture. In all your persecutions and tribulationsafflictionsthat ye endure; or, are enduring; the persecution which arose when Paul was at Thessalonica being continued. The patience and faith of the Thessalonians shone the more brilliantly amid persecution and affliction, even as the stars shine brightest in the dark night. To be a true Christian in the time of peace is a great matter; but to be a true Christian in the season of persecution is a greater; faith is then tested in the furnace.

2Th 1:5

Which is a manifest token. A sentence in apposition, so that the words, “which is,” printed in italics, ought to be omitted. By “token” is here meant pledge or proof. The reference is not simply to the Thessalonians, but to the whole clauseto the fact of the Thessalonians steadfastly enduring persecutions and affliction; in other words, to their sufferings for the sake of the gospel. Of the righteousjustjudgment of God. Not to be referred to the present state, and particularly to sufferings perfecting the Thessalonians and preparing them for the kingdom of God (Olshausen); but to the future judgment. These words imply that the sufferings of the righteous and the prosperity of their wicked persecutors was a clear proof that there shall be a future state of retribution, when the inequalities of the present state of things will be adjusted, when the apparent violations of justice will be rectified, and when matters will be completely reversedwhen the persecutors will be punished and the persecuted rewarded (comp. Php 1:28, “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God”). That; in order that, indicating the purpose of God’s dispensation. Ye may be counted worthy. Paul here finds, in the faith and patience of the Thessalonians amid persecution, an evidence of a state of reward, as well as in the cruelties of their persecutors an evidence of a state of punishment. The idea that man can merit salvation as a reward from God is not contained in this passage. As all men are sinners, salvation can only be obtained through the merits and mediation of Christ. But with this grace of God, justice is not abolished; the righteous will be rewarded for their faith and patience (comp. Heb 6:10; also Heb 11:6; Luk 6:35; 1Co 3:8; 2Jn 1:8). Of the kingdom of God; namely, the Messianic kingdom which Christ will establish at the advent: here the heavenly state. For which; for the sake of which. Ye also suffer; or rather, are suffering; the sufferings being continued down to the time when the apostle wrote this Epistle.

2Th 1:6

Seeing it is; or rather, if indeed it is; if so be that it is (R.V.). A hypothetical sentence, not, however, introducing an uncertain or conditional fact, but an emphatic assertionwhat is felt by all to be true. A righteous thing with God. Not only will the justice of God be displayed in the rewards of the righteous, in counting them worthy of the kingdom of God for which they suffer, but it will also be displayed in the punishments to be inflicted on their persecutors. To recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. We have here an example of one of the most common defects of our English Version in rendering cognate words by different terms, and thus creating needless perplexities and giving rise to erroneous interpretations; the words “tribulation” and “trouble” are cognate, and hence the verse ought to be rendered as in the R.V., “If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you.”

2Th 1:7

And to you who are troubledafflictedrest. The word “rest” here is a noun in the accusative, not a verb, as English readers might at the first glance suppose. It literally denotes relaxation, case. The meaning of the passage is that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense rest to you who are afflicted. The recompense of the persecutorsthose who afflict, is affliction; the recompense of the persecutedthe afflicted, is rest (comp. Mat 11:28, Mat 11:29). The rest or relaxation here mentioned is that which awaits believers, not in this world, but in the next, “where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest” (Job 3:17). “There remaineth a rest for the people of God” (Heb 4:9). The happiness of heaven on its negative side, as freedom from earthly affliction and persecution, is here stated. It is rest to the weary, freedom to the enslaved, release from sorrow, suffering, and pain, relaxation from toil, ease from noise and turmoil, the quiet haven of peace after being tossed about in the tempestuous ocean. With us; that is, not with us believers in general, or with us the apostles, the champions of the faith, and still less with us Jews, the saints of israel; but with us, the writers of this Epistle, namely, Paul and Silas and Timothy. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed; or, more literally, at the revelation or apocalypse of the Lord Jesus. The advent of Christ is generally expressed by another word, parousia, denoting “presence;” here the word is apocalypse, bringing before us in a more vivid manner the visible manifestation of Christ. The advent of Christ is the period when he who has hitherto been concealed will be manifested as the supreme Ruler and Judge of the world. From heaven; where now he is concealed from human view, seated at the right hand of God. With his mighty angels; not with his host of angels, but, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, “with the angels of his power”serving his power and proclaiming his might. It is the uniform declaration of Scripture that Christ will come to judgment attended by his holy angels (Mat 16:27; Mat 24:31; Jud 1:14). And these angels are “the angels of his power,” sent forth to execute his commands. By their instrumentality the dead shall be called from their graves, and the wicked separated from among the just (1Th 4:16; Mat 13:49).

2Th 1:8

In flaming fire; not the instrument of punishment”in flaming fire taking vengeance;” but a further description of the glory of Christ’s appearance”revealed in flaming fire.” In the Old Testament God is represented as appearing in flaming fire, as when he manifested himself to Moses in the burning bush (Exo 3:2; Act 7:30); and especially his coming to judgment is represented as coming in fire (Psa 97:3). What is there asserted of God is here referred to Christ (comp. Rev 19:1-21 :22). There is also a probable reference to the Shechinah or cloud of glory in which Christ will appear for judgment trey. 2Th 1:7). Some also suppose a reference to the fire of the universal conflagration which shall usher in the last day (2Pe 3:10), and others to the fire which shall consume the ungodly, but it is best to restrict the expression to the glory of Christ’s manifestation. Taking vengeance; literally, giving; that is, awarding or allotting vengeance, representing the act, not of a conqueror or of an avenger, but of a righteous Judge. On them that know not Godthe unbelieving Gentilesand that; or rather, on them that; a second class being here denoted. Obey not the gospel of our Lord Jests Christ; namely, the unbelieving Jews. The ignorance of the one and the disobedience of the other were the causes of their punishment.

2Th 1:9

Who; namely, the unbelieving Gentiles and Jews. Shall be punished; literally, shall pay the penalty; shall suffer punishment (R.V.). With everlasting destruction; or rather, even everlasting destruction; the words being in apposition. “Destruction” here denotes ruin, death; the word is only used in Paul’s Epistles (1Co 5:8; 1Th 5:3; 1Ti 6:9). The Greek word translated “everlasting,” from dogmatic reasons, has given rise to much controversy. Here it appears to denote eternaleternity to come. The eternal punishment of the wicked seems here asserted; a terrible declaration, which the mind shudders to contemplate. The observation of Olshausen is worthy of attention: “This is the only passage in Paul’s Epistles in which everlasting damnation is openly declared, whereas not a few occur in which a bringing back of all the lost ones is apparently assumed as possible;” but he adds, “For the supposition that Paul did indeed in the earliest of his Epistles still teach everlasting damnation, but gave it up in later times, there exists no sufficient foundation, because the bringing back again is nowhere freely and openly declared.” From the presence (or, face) of the Lord. This clause has received a threefold interpretation. Some (De Wette, Hofmann) take the preposition “from” in a causal sense, denoting the efficient cause of the punishment of the wickedthat they will be as it were blasted by the face of the Lord. Others (Chrysostom, Theophylact) take it in a temporal sense, denoting the swiftness of the punishment of the wickedthat their punishment will rise directly on the appearance of Christ (Lunemann, Alford). And others take it in a local sense, denoting banishment or separationthat the wicked will be expelled from that joy and glory which reign in the presence of Christ; they shall be banished away from the presence of the Lord. This last interpretation seems to be the correct meaning; it gives to the proposition its full force. And from the glory of his power; not a Hebraism for “his mighty glory” (Jowett), but from that glory which has its origin in his powerthe wicked will be banished from the manifestation of his power in the glorification of his saints. The punishment of the wicked on its negative side is here stated. As the presence of the glorified Jesus will constitute the happiness of heaven, so banishment from his presence will constitute the misery of hell, because the soul is then cut off from the source of all good and of all holiness.

2Th 1:10

When; defining the period when this judgment of the wicked will occur. He; namely, the Lord Jesus. Shall come to be glorified; the purpose of his coming. In; not “through,” or “among,” but “in,” as the sphere or element of his glory. His saints; not the holy angels who will accompany him to judgment, but holy men whom he has redeemed with his blood. Christ will be glorified in his saints, inasmuch as their glory was the result of his sufferings and death, and their holiness is the reflection of his holiness; “They will reflect as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.” And to be admired; wondered at, praised. In all them that believe; or, believed. The work of faith is past; the result of faith, the state of sight and glory, has commenced. The glorification of believers will thus become the glorification of Christ. The glory of Christ does not arise from the punishment of the wicked, but from the glorification of believers. Christ will indeed be glorified in the punishment of the wicked. His justice will be manifested and vindicated; but his glory will be especially seen in the manifestation of his mercy toward believers. Because our testimony; namely, the testimony of Paul and his associates, Silas and Timothy. Among you; or rather, unto you. Was believed; to be considered as a parenthesis. In that day; namely, the day of the Lord’s advent, to be connected with the commencement of the verse, “In that day when he shall come to be glorified in his saints.” Some, overlooking the parenthesis, render the words either, “because our testimony concerning that day was believed among you;” or, “because our testimony among you shall be believed on that day”assented to by the whole universe; but the first rendering gives a false meaning to the preposition, and the second a false construction to the verb, as if it were future.

2Th 1:11

Wherefore; with a view to this consummation, in order that Christ may be glorified in you. We pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling; or rather, of your calling (R.V.). The calling was, properly speaking, only the commencement of the Christian life, but as it was the first link in a chain that terminated in glory, it is used to denote the whole Christian lifeyour vocation as Christians. And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness. The pronoun “his” is not in the original. The words have been differently rendered: some render them “all God’s pleasure in our goodness;” others restrict both words to mean “every desire of goodness” (R.V.). And the work of faith; that faith which is active, living, productive of good works (see exposition on 1Th 1:3). With power; or, in power; to be taken adverbially, and to be connected with the verb “fulfil:” “That God would mightily fulfil in you all moral goodness, and a faith which is energetic.”

2Th 1:12

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; or simply, of our Lord Jesus, “Christ” not being in the original. The “name of our Lord Jesus” is not a mere periphrasis for the Lord Jesus himself, but the name denotes his nature and character. The second petition of our Lord’s prayer is “Hallowed be thy Name,” and this the apostle applies to Christ; he prays that his Name may be hallowed among the Thessaloniansan incidental proof of his divinity. May be glorified in you, and you in him; a twofold glorification: Christ is glorified in believers, when by their holiness they promote his cause and reflect his glory; and believers are glorified in Christ, when they receive out of his infinite fulness. According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Some suppose that the epithet “God” also belongs to Jesus Christ, but the construction hardly bears this meaning.

HOMILETICS

2Th 1:4.Christian patience.

1. Its nature. It denotes steadfast endurance. Negatively, not stoical endurance or apathetic fatalism. Positively, a spirit of calm submission to the providence of God and resignation to his will.

2. Its source. It has its root in faith; it is one of the fruits of the Spirit; and it is combined with hope.

3. Means of acquiring it. Pray to God as the Giver of patience; look to Christ as the Example of patience; submit to affliction as the cause of patience; cultivate faith as the support of patience; and meditate on heaven as the goal of patience.

2Th 1:6, 2Th 1:7.A future state of retribution.

Rewards and punishments in this world are unequally distributed. The righteous are often persecuted and afflicted, whereas the wicked are often happy and prosperous. Herod sits upon the throne, and Christ expires on the cross. But this state of things shall be rectified. Christ shall recompense to the wicked tribulationthey shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord; and he shall recompense to the righteous restthey shall be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which they suffer.

2Th 1:7, 2Th 1:8.The manner of Christ’s second coming.

1. He shall come in person. Not merely in spirit or in power, but in a visible form; he shall be revealed from heaven; every eye shall see him.

2. He shall come in power. He shall be accompanied by the angels of his might, who shall execute his commands, call the dead from their graves, assemble together the elect, separate between the righteous and the wicked, and consign the wicked to the abodes of woe.

3. He shall come in glory. “In flaming fire”in the Shechinah, the cloud of glory.

4. He shall come in justice; punishing the ungodly and rewarding his faithful servants.

2Th 1:9, 2Th 1:10.The coming of Christ for judgment.

1. Its reality. The difference between his first and second coming. Then he came to save the world, now he shall come to judge the world. Then he came as Son of man, now he shall come as Son of God.

2. Its purpose. He shall come to award punishment to his enemies; they shall be forever banished from his presence, the Source of all happiness, the Author of all holiness. He shall come for the salvation of his peopleto conquer all their enemies, to rescue their bodies from the grave, to acknowledge them as his before an assembled universe, and to receive them into the abodes of eternal happiness.

2Th 1:10, 2Th 1:12.Christ glorified in his saints.

1. By their holy conduct they display his character. His image is impressed upon them; they mirror forth the glory of the Lord.

2. By their active exertion in well doing they advance his glory.

3. Their future glorification is the glory of Christ. The glory of his work, in that he saved them; the glory of his grace, in that he redeemed them; the glory of his power, in that he has rescued them from all their enemies. Throughout eternity believers will be jewels in the Saviour’s crown.

HOMILIES BY T. CROSKERY

2Th 1:3

Thanksgiving for the spiritual progress of the Thessalonians. Timothy had brought the apostle tidings of their faith, their love, their sufferings, and their patience.

I. THE GROUNDS OF HIS THANKSGIVING. “Because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”

1. The marked growth of their faith. At his last writing to them he had hinted at deficiencies in their faith (1Th 3:10), but he had now learned that it had grown exceedingly.

(1) Growth is a sign of a living faith.

(2) It is right to pray for the increase of faith (Luk 17:5).

(3) Faith grows

(a) in its strength

(b) and in its range.

The Thessalonians had been able to receive new truths, and to bear the shock of persecution with calmness. Their faith worked by love (Gal 5:6), and the trial of their faith worked patience (Jas 1:3).

2. The marked growth of their love to one another. He had prayed for an increase of love among them, and he was thankful that his prayer had been heard.

(1) Their love had grown in fervour.

(a) Their persecutions had endeared them the more to each other.

(b) They “looked not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Php 2:4).

They “bore one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2). They were “kindly affectioned to one another with brotherly love” (Rom 12:10).

(2) Their love had grown in its range. They had an individualizing solicitude in each other’s welfare, no saint being outside the pale of their kindly regards.

II. THE OBLIGATION AND APPROPRIATENESS OF HIS THANKSGIVING. “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet.”

1. The apostle regards it as a positive debt which it would be injustice not to discharge, for he feels that God is the true Author of all the blessings they had received.

2. He regards it as demanded by the very proprieties of the case. “As it is meet”that this recognition should be made.T.C.

2Th 1:4.The apostle’s interest in the Thessalonian Church as manifested by his praises of it to other Churches.

He had formerly listened to their praises from the lips of other Churches; he could now sound their praises at Corinth and elsewhere, ascribing all the while due praise to God.

I. THE GROUND OF HIS PRAISES. “For your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.”

1. Afflictions, whether in the form of sharp persecution or of more general trouble, are the lot of God’s faithful children. They are “appointed thereunto” (1Th 2:3).

2. It is the glory of a Christian to bear such afflictions with patience and faith. The Thessalonians had not been “moved by these afflictions” (1Th 3:3).

(1) Their patience was the result of their faith. “The trial of your faith worketh patience” (Jas 1:3). Their trials did not uproot their faith. They had “the patience of hope.” The faith and the patience are always closely allied. “I know thy faith and thy patience” (Rev 2:19).

(2) It is for the glory of God and for the good of believers that” patience should have its perfect work” (Jas 1:4; 1Pe 2:20).

(3) It is necessary to the inheritance of the promises (Heb 6:12; Heb 10:36).

II. IT IS NOT UNLAWFUL, BUT EXPEDIENT, THAT A MINISTER SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PEOPLE. Not in their social rank, or riches, or numbers, but in the graces of the Spirit manifested in their life. The apostle elsewhere advises us not to glory in men, but in the Lord. But in this case the glory is given to God, not to man.

III. IT PROMOTES THE SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF CHURCHES TO HEAR OF THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN OTHER CHURCHES. The example of faith, love, and patience at Thessalonica would stimulate the saints in all Greece.T.C.

2Th 1:5.The significance of these sufferings in relation to Divine judgment.

He comforts them with the thought of the certainty of the future judgment.

I. THERE WILL BE A RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF MEN. “Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth” (Psa 58:11). The afflictions of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked in the present world are not inconsistent with this righteous judgment. The problem is an old one, how to understand the mystery of Divine providence. The Book of Job sets forth its conditions and its mysteries. The disturbing effect of sin is not sufficiently considered in estimating the character of the Divine administration. It is the inequalities in Divine providence that lead us to expect a future rectification of wrongs; for God’s judgment is righteous.

II. THE PATIENT HEROISM OF THE SAINTS IS ITSELF A SIGN OF GOD‘S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. “Which is a token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may he counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.”

1. It is not that believers suffer, receiving here their evil things, while the wicked receive their good things.

2. It is not because God is just and there rest be a future judgment.

3. It is not that the persecution was an indication how the judgment would go at the last clay.

4. It is that the patience of the saints accredited them, by the righteous judgment of God, as meet heirs of his kingdom, while it was a presage of the coming judgment, when the future would bring its double compensation for the present. The idea is the same as in the Philippian Epistle: “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God” (Php 1:28). It follows, therefore,

(1) that God is not forgetful or indifferent to the sufferings of his saints;

(2) that patience is a special qualification for the enjoyment of God’s kingdom;

(3) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the future happiness of the saints, who will have an eternal weight of glory.T.C.

2Th 1:6-10.The future judgment as to its righteousness, time, circumstances, and results to the two classes concerned in it.

The apostle proceeds to set forth the certainty of the Divine judgment as affecting the saints and their persecutors.

I. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THIS JUDGMENT. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you; and to you who are afflicted rest with us.”

1. An appeal is made to man’s innate sense of justice. A want of this element of justice in human character is regarded as a defect. A right-minded man is indignant at wrong, and delights in the retribution that fails upon wrong doers. This sentiment of justice is but a reflection of Divine character, for we are made in the image of that God who hates sin with “a perfect hatred’ (Psa 139:22).

2. God is “not unrighteous who taketh vengeance” (Rom 3:5), for he has established in his government of the world an inseparable connection between sin and misery. Therefore we may expect to see a Divine retaliation upon transgressors”affliction to them that afflict you”the penalty partaking of the very character of the sin. On the other hand, God is not “unrighteous to forget your work of faith and labour of love.” The afflicted shall be recompensed with “rest,” as well as reward for all their patience.

II. THE TIME OF THE JUDGMENT. “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven.”

1. There is a day appointed for the judgment of the world; for God “hath appointed a day in which he wilt judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained” (Act 17:30, Act 17:31).

2. The day is that which is to be the manifestation of the Lord from heaven. He is now in heaven, “sitting at the right hand of God” (Act 7:56); but he shall then come forth in glory to those who “wait for him,” to the judgment of the world.

3. The time of the judgment is unknown to man. The day of the Lord “shall come as a thief in the night.”

III. THE SUBORDINATE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE JUDGMENT.

1. The angelic retinue. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels of his power.”

(1) They manifest his power and enhance his glory. They will be with him when he “shall come in glory, and shall sit on the throne of his glory” (Mat 25:31).

(2) They execute his purposes, whether of wrath or mercy.

(a) They “gather together his elect from the four winds” (Mar 13:27).

(b) They “shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall east them into a furnace of fire” (Mat 13:41, Mat 13:42).

2. The flaming glory of his manifestation. It shall be “in flaming fire;” not as the instrument of vengeance, but as enhancing the glory of the Divine presence. “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people” (Psa 50:3, Psa 50:4).

IV. THE RESULTS OF THE JUDGMENT TO THE TWO CLASSES.

1. The class of persecutors. “Those which afflict you.”

(1) Wicked men cannot endure the saints. It is with them as with Cain, who slew his brother. Wherefore? “Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1Jn 3:12).

(2) The cry of the saints rises to heaven against them. “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Rev 6:10).

(3) The persecutors are of two classes. “Them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(a) The first class refers to Gentile persecutors. “They know not God.” Ignorance is their great sin. They had resisted the light of nature.

() It was wilful ignorance, for they had the truth brought to their doors in Thessalonica;

() their ignorance made confidence in God impossible,

() as well as an intelligent worship of God.

(b) The second class refers to Jewish persecutors”that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As ignorance was the sin of the Gentiles, disobedience was the sin of the Jews. They knew God, but rejected the gospel of Christ. They were fiercer persecutors of the saints even than the Gentiles.

() Christ is the Author of the gospel as well as its theme.

() The gospel is to be obeyed as well as received, and is therefore called “the obedience of faith;” for faith without obedience is dead, as obedience without faith has no value.

(4) The judgment upon the persecutors. It is described first generally and then more definitely. The Lord Jesus shall take vengeance upon them. They “shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” This represents “the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev 6:16, Rev 6:17).

(a) The judgment is everlasting destruction. This does not imply annihilationan idea equally opposed to Scripture and to the facts of natural science. The term “everlasting” associated with it neutralizes the idea of annihilation, which implies a point of time in which the wicked cease to exist. The duration of the punishment will be as the duration of the blessedness (Rev 16:1-21 :26; Heb 9:14; Mat 25:46).

(b) It involves separation from “the face of the Lord, and the glory of his strength.” It is heaven to “see Christ as he is,” to be “with him where he is, that they may behold his glory.” The sum of all woe is, “Depart from me.” A great gulf is fixed between the saved and the lost (Luk 16:26). The wicked are to be outside the apocalyptic city of God. “Outside are dogs” (Rev 16:14, Rev 16:15).

2. The class of saints. The results of the judgment as affecting them are thus described.

(1) They are to be accounted “worthy of the kingdom of God.”

(a) They are heirs of it, as children of God.

(b) They are called into it.

(c) The kingdom “shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High” (Dan 7:27). “The saints shall judge the world” (1Co 6:2, 1Co 6:3). They shall “inherit the kingdom” (Mat 25:34). This is “the grace that is to he brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Pe 1:13).

(2) They shall receive rest”rest with us,” as the Lord’s recompense for all their sufferings. It points to their release from persecutions.

(a) There is a resta sabbatism”for the people of God” (Heb 4:9). They “shall rest from their labours, and their works do follow them” (Rev 14:13).

(b) It is rest in the fellowship of all saints”rest with us.”

(3) The effect of the Lord’s second advent”that he may be glorified in his saints, and be admired in all them that believe.”

(a) The Church is to be “the glory of Christ.” Jesus said, “The glory which thou gavest me I have given them” (Joh 17:10, Joh 17:22). “The beauty of the Lord God shall be upon her,” and “his glory shall be seen upon her” (Psa 90:17); Isa 60:2). The Church is addressed thus: “There shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God” (Isa 62:3).

(b) Christ shall be an Object of wonder to believers in that day. “To be admired in all them that believe.” The wonder will spring out of the extraordinary manifestations of his glory and power.T.C.

2Th 1:11, 2Th 1:12.Prayer for the Thessalonians in prospect of their glorification.

His wish was that they would undergo the necessary preparatory work in anticipation of their future glorification. It was a double prayer.

I. A PRAYER THAT HIS CONVERTS MIGHT APPROVE THE REALITY OF THEIR CALLING BY THEIR FAITH AND LIVE. “Whereunto we pray always for you, brethren, that God would count you worthy of his calling.”

1. The nature and intent of the calling.

(1) It is the effectual call of the Spirit in conversion (1Co 1:24).

(2) It is according to the Divine purpose (Rom 8:28).

(3) It is

(a) high (Php 3:14);

(b) holy (2Ti 1:9);

(c) heavenly (Heb 3:1).

(4) It is a call

(a) to fellowship with Christ (1Co 1:9);

(b) to holiness (1Th 4:7);

(c) to liberty (Gal 5:13);

(d) to peace (Col 3:15);

(e) to glory and virtue (2Pe 1:3);

(f) to eternal life (1Ti 6:12).

2. A walk worthy of such a calling. “That God would count you worthy of this calling.” How can any sinful man be accounted worthy of it? He is already called, and God’s counting him worthy proceeds on the supposition of that pre-existing fact. It supposes:

(1) That their life would be found at the last day in harmony with the call (1Th 5:24).

(2) That they would meanwhile “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called” (Eph 4:1), and “make their calling and election sure” (2Pe 1:10).

(3) That they would have occasion to praise God for the call (1Pe 2:9).

II. A PRAYER THAT HIS CONVERTS MIGHT FULLY REALIZE THE BLESSED PROCESS THROUGH WHICH THE APOSTLE‘S OBJECT MIGHT BE SECURED. The process is twofold.

1. That God would work in them every delight in moral goodness. “Fulfil every good pleasure of goodness.”

(1) Good men delight in goodness and in doing good.

(2) It is God who implants this delight in them; for they are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph 2:10). They are, therefore, to be “zealous of good works” (Tit 2:14), and to provoke one another to “good works” (Heb 10:24). This goodness is one of the Spirit’s fruits (Gal 5:22).

2. That God would fulfil the work of faith with power.

(1) Faith is an operative grace; it “worketh by love;” it justifies itself by good works.

(2) It is a Divine work. Therefore, as something may have been lacking therein, the apostle prays that he who is the Author of their faith would he the Finisher of it (Heb 12:2).

(3) It is a work done with power. At their conversion, the Thessalonians felt the “greatness of his power to usward who believe” (Eph 1:19), and the same power is needed to make it triumphant as a principle of action and as a principle of endurance. “Our sufficiency is of God;” we are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1Pe 1:5).

III. THE ULTIMATE OBJECT OF THE APOSTLE‘S PRAYERS FOR THE THESSALONIANS. “That the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him.”

1. The very Name of Christ is to be gloried in the saints.

(1) Because it is “a Name that is above every name, at which every knee should bow” (Php 2:10).

(2) Because it is the Name for the sake of which the saints are now “hated of all nations” (Mat 24:9).

(3) Because it is the Name by which the saints are called (Jas 2:7),

(4) It is glorified in the saints

(a) in their holiness of life;

(b) in their victory over the world and sin;

(c) in their steadfast loyalty to him;

(d) in their final exaltation to “his kingdom and glory.”

2. The saints will be glorified in Christ.

(1) In his wearing their nature on the throne; for “he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11).

(2) In their being clothed with his righteousness”comely with the comeliness he has put upon them.”

(3) In their “reigning with him,” and “being glorified together” (2Ti 2:12; Rom 8:17). They shall be “partakers of his glory.”

3. The spring or source of all the blessings of the saints. “According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(1) The whole work of salvation till it ends in glory illustrates “the exceeding riches of his grace.”

(a) The purpose of the Father is of grace;

(b) the mediation of the Son is of grace;

(c) the blessings of the new covenant are all of grace.

(2) This grace has a unity of source”in our God and the Lord Jesus Christ;” implying oneness of essence and the coequal Godhead of Father and Son.T.C.

HOMILIES BY B.C. CAFFIN

2Th 1:1-4.The introduction.

I. THE ADDRESS.

1. The description. St. Paul repeats the opening words of the First Epistle. He addresses the same Church; he describes it in the same sacred words. It is “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He could say of it nothing higher, nothing holier. To be in God, in Christ, is of all positions the loftiest, of all blessings the most precious. None are so highly exalted as those who are nearest to Christ; none have such rich store of heavenly treasure as those who abide in him, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead. There is but one slight variation. In the First Epistle he said, “the Father;” here it is “our Father.” The pronoun implies a close, endearing, affectionate relationship. The Church is in God our Father, in the embrace of his fatherly love, chosen by his electing grace; in the Lord Jesus Christ, saved by his precious death, living in that life which flows from Christ, which is Christ.

2. The salutation. He uses the same words as in the First Epistle; he could find no more suitable terms to express his good wishes for his converts. He could desire nothing better for them than grace, and peace; grace, the origin, the source, of every highest blessing; peace, the sweet and holy end, the very crown, of the Christian life. It is from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ that these and all other blessings flow. St. Paul joins together the two Divine Persons; they could not be thus associated as the one ultimate source of grace and peace, were they not both alike Divine. Peace is the fruit of the Spirit; with the Holy Spirit whom the Lord Jesus sends unto us from the Father comes the sacred gift of peace. Grace and peace come from God the Father by the incarnation, atonement, intercession of God the Son, through the indwelling presence of God the Holy Ghost. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God flow into the Christian heart through the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. All that the Christian can desire for himself, for his friends, for the whole Church, comes from God; he seeks it of God in prayer; he knows that God will hear. “This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.”

II. THE THANKSGIVING.

1. The duty. Thanksgiving is a debt which we owe to God, a debt which we must always acknowledge, which we can never fully discharge. It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks for all things unto God. We must thank him for his grace given to ourselves; and if that grace abides in us, we shall feel ourselves bound to thank him for the working of the same grace in others. We shall regard every true conversion, every increase of grace in others, as a blessing granted to the whole Church and to ourselves. We shall feel a keen, living interest in each soul that is gathered into Christ’s flock, and so share the angels’ joy over one sinner that repenteth. For the welfare of each member affects the whole Church; when “one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” Such was the feeling of St. Paul. “We are bound,” he sayswe owe it as a debt”to thank God always for you.” He fulfils his own precept; he gives thanks always. The thanksgiving of the faithful Christian must be continuous, never ending.

2. The ground of St. Paul’s thanksgiving.

(1) The faith of the Thessalonians. He had gladly recognized their faith and love in his First Epistle; he had again and again exhorted them to abound more and more. Now, writing a second time after a short interval, he thanks God for the growth of their faith. It had increased “exccedingly;” he uses one of those strong words which his ardent feelings so often suggested. “Lord, increase our faith,” is a prayer which we cannot make too often. Faith must grow if it is true and living; for it is the evidence of things not seen; it brings the cross of Christ, the presence of God, within the range of our mental view. That holy vision will draw us nearer ever by its constraining power, quickening and deepening in our hearts the faith which first brought us by the leading of the Spirit to the Saviour. The faith of the Thessalonians was growing exceedingly; so it will be with us, in spite of the unbelief and indifference which so fill the air, if we persevere in prayer, and try, in humble dependence on the grace of God to fashion our lives according to our prayers.

(2) Their love was abounding also. Love is the fairest ornament of a Christian Church. Faith is the root, love is the fruit. The tree that grows downwards will grow upwards also; the fair growth of foliage, flower, and fruit will bear some proportion to the unseen depth and strength of the root below. The Thessalonian Church was rich in the fruit of the Spirit. And their love was not only increasing in fervour, but in range also. It was not partial, not limited to this man or that man according to natural tastes and similarities of disposition. It extended throughout the Church; the love of each one of them all was abounding toward one another. It is a bright picture. Indeed, the Thessalonians were not without their faults, as we find in 2Th 2:1-17. and 3.; but the apostle, in his love and thankfulness, gladly dwells on the spiritual progress of the Church before he proceeds to notice the shortcomings of individual members. It shows his love and his wisdom. The encouragement of the opening verses would dispose the Thessalonians to receive in a good spirit the few reproofs that follow.

3. The expression of his thankfulness. He not only gives thanks to God; he glories before men. “We ourselves,” he says”we glory.” Though his deep humility might have withheld him from glorying over a result which was due, under God, to his own zealous labours, the rapid growth of their faith and love so filled him with exuberant gladness that he could net refrain his lips. “God forbid,” he says elsewhere, “that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” But he is really glorying in the cross now; he glories, not in his own achievements, but in the triumphs of the cross. It was the work of God in real truth, not his work; he knew it well. Indeed, he had laboured abundantlythat he knew, he could not help knowing it; but he gladly explains the abundance of his labours by the abundance of grace that was vouchsafed unto him. “Yet not I,” he says, “but the grace of God that was with me.” The faith, hope, and love of the Thessalonians proved, as he said in the First Epistle, their election. God had chosen them to be his own; his grace worked mightily in them. And now St. Paul was glorying in the faith and patience of his converts. They were in great affliction; he sympathized with them, he comforted them; but yet he rejoiced over them. Their affliction by the grace of God was turned to a blessing; it proved the steadfastness of their faith and their patience, and it strengthened them.

LESSONS.

1. Thankfulness is the Christian’s duty; thank God always. 2, Especially thank him for his grace working in his people.

3. Glory in the victories of grace, not in worldly successes.

4. Pray for continual progress in faith, love, patience.B.C.C.

2Th 1:5-7.The persecutions of the Thessalonians.

I. THE MEANING OF AFFLICTION.

1. It does not mean, that God is angry with us. Job’s friends thought so. So did Asaph once; but when he went into the sanctuary of God his eyes were enlightened; he understood then that God himself is the Portion of his people; that there is nothing upon earth to be desired in comparison with him; that though heart and flesh may fail, God is enough, and more than enough, for his chosen in this world, and in the world to come will receive them to glory. God’s dealings with men are often misinterpreted; people use the word “judgment” carelessly and without knowledge. Affliction would be almost intolerable, if it were indeed always a proof of the Divine wrath. But, God be thanked, he himself has told us it comes in love.

2. It is a trial of our faith. Satan said, “Doth Job serve God for nought?” The world often says so now; it imputes lower motives; it refuses to believe in unselfish goodness. The man who can say in the midst of troubles, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord,” is a living proof of the reality, of the sustaining power, of the presence of God; one of those miracles of grace which, thank God, are still daily wrought around us in the world. These things are among the facts registered by the observer of spiritual truthsfacts as real as the facts of external nature, and of far deeper and more abiding moment.

3. It worketh patience. The trial of God’s saints is more precious than that of gold which perisheth. Gold is tried by fire; God’s people are tried in the furnace of affliction. Affliction, meekly borne, hath a refining power; it elevates and refines the whole character; “it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.” Faith is strengthened by trials; patience is acquired by the habit of enduring affliction. Without endurance, without suffering, there is no opportunity of developing the grace of patience.

II. THE ULTIMATE ISSUE OF PERSECUTION.

1. To the persecuted. Restrest with all saints; with St. Paul who had been the means of their conversion, who was then writing to comfort them. The weary and heavy laden who come to Christ, as he bids them, find in him rest for their souls even in this present life. There is an inner rest of the spirit, amid outward unrest and trouble, which is the pledged possession of the soul that hath found Christ and resteth in faith on him. “Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength;” or rather as in the margin “the Lord Jehovah is the Rock of ages.” The only rest for the penitent, for the sorrowful, is on the breast of Jesus. We find rest there now; but the truest, deepest rest is yet to come in the kingdom of God. “Requiescat in pace,” we say of the departed. They are found worthy of that rest in the kingdom of God who have endured affliction in faith and patience. God is pleased, in his gracious condescension, to call them worthy. “They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” That worthiness is of God; it is his gift; he makes them worthy by his grace. He called them not because they were worthy, says St. Augustine; rather by his choice he makes them worthy. It is not their merit but his election, not their goodness but his grace, that makes them what they are. They have not chosen him, but he hath chosen them that they should bring forth much fruit. They are not wise, or strong, or holy; but Christ their Lord is all. He is present with them, abiding in them by his Spirit, purging away their sins, communicating to them more and more of his own holiness and love. As he is, so are they in this world; and they know that, when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is. For his sake they are counted worthy of the kingdom of God, and in the hope of that kingdom they are willing now to suffer. But these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory. They know it, and they suffer patiently, for they recognize that great truth that only by the way of the cross can we enter into the kingdom of heaven.

2. To the persecutors. God will recompense affliction to those who afflict his saints. They who persecute the Lord’s disciples persecute the Lord himself. It pertains to his justice that such must receive the due reward of their deeds. It is right; and because it is right, it must be so. Christians must pray for their persecutors; they must do what lieth in them to soften their hearts, to save their souls, to avert the coming judgment. But when the judgment comes they can but stand by, and recognize in solemn awe the justice of the most holy God.

LESSONS.

1. Chastisements are sent in mercy; be patient, be thankful.

2. Chastisement is only grievous if we do not understand its meaning; accept it as sent from God; take it as a cross; be careful not to lose its blessed fruits.

3. Think of the great joy of those who are counted worthy of the kingdom of God; let that high hove be your comfort in trouble.

4. Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.B.C.C.

2Th 1:7-10.The great day.

I. THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED.

1. The revelation of the Judge. It is the Lord Jesus, who once was despised and rejected of men; he is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. He shall come as God once came down on Mount Sinai, in the like awful glory.

(1) With the angels. They shall gather the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. The angels will be the ministers of his justicethe blessed angels who are now the messengers of his love and grace. Now they rejoice over each sinner that repenteth; then they will cast the impenitent into the everlasting fire. We think of the angels as gentle, loving, holy, as our friends and guardians; they are so, so far as we are Christ’s. They desire to look into the mysteries of redemption; they announced the Saviour’s birth; they ministered to him in his temptation, his agony; they celebrated his resurrection and ascension. Now they are sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation; they encamp round about those who fear the Lord, and deliver them. They help in carrying on his blessed work of love. But they are holy; they hate evil; they must turn away from those who have yielded themselves to the dominion of the evil one; they must execute at the last the awful judgment of God. Fearful thought, that the blessed angels, loving and holy as they are, must one day cast the hardened sinner into hell, as once they cast Satan out of heaven.

(2) In flaming fire. The Lord shall be revealed in flaming fire, in that glory which he had before the world was. His throne is fiery flame (Dan 7:9). He himself is a consuming fire. The sight will be appalling to the lost, full of unutterable terror; “they shall say to the rocks, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.” “By thine agony and bloody sweat, by thy cross and passion, good Lord, deliver us.”

2. The lost. Two classes are mentioned here.

(1) Those who know not Godthe heathen. They might have known him. Some of them did know him. They had not the Law, the outward Law, but it was written in their hearts; God spoke to them in the voice of conscience. They listened; they did by nature the things contained in the Law. Such men, we are sure, God in his great mercy will accept and save. But, alas! the fearful picture drawn by St. Paul in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans represents with only too much truth the general state of the heathen world in the apostolic times. Their blindness was criminal; it was the result of willful and habitual sin; their ignorance was without excuse.

(2) Those who obeyed not the gospel. All, whether Jews or Gentiles, who had heard the preaching of Christ. They had heard, as we have, all that the Lord Jesus had done and suffered for us; they had had the opportunity of hearing his holy precepts. “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.” To know the gospel and not to obey it, to have the light around us and not to admit it into our hearts, not to walk as children of lightthis must bring the judgment of God upon the disobedient. The greater the light, the heavier the responsibility of those who sin against light and knowledge.

3. The punishment. The Lord Jesus will award vengeance. “Vengeance is mine; I will recompense, saith the Lord.” Terrible thought, that vengeance must come from him, the most loving Saviour, who loved the souls of men with a love so burning, so intense in its Divine tenderness! But it must be so. The exceeding guilt of sin is manifest in this; it turns the chiefest of blessings into an increase of condemnation; the cross is utter death to the impenitent and the ungodly. And that vengeance takes effect in destruction. The destruction is eternal; then it is not annihilation. It is the destruction of all gladness, hope, all that makes life worth living; it is the exclusion from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Only the pure in heart can see God. The lost souls cannot see his face. The exclusion is eternal; is it endless? It continues through the ages; will those ages of misery ever end in restoration? Can a soul, once so hardened in guilt that it must be shut out of the presence of God, ever repent in that exclusion? It sinned obstinately against light during its time of probation; can it recover itself now that the light is withdrawn? It is hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and the power of evil habits; can it break those chains of darkness now? These are dark, awful questions. We may ask, on the other hand, how can “God be all in all,” if sin is to exist forever? how can it be that “in Christ shall all be made alive,” while there is still a hell in the universe of God? The subject is beset with difficulties and perplexities; it excites bewildering, harrowing thoughts. We must leave it where Holy Scripture leaves it. We would gladly believe, if it were possible, that there is hope beyond the grave for those who die unblest; but such an expectation has no scriptural authority beyond a few slight and doubtful hints. Who would dare to trust to a hope so exceeding slender? No; if we shrink in terror from the thought of being one day shut out of God’s presence into the great outer darkness, let us try to live in that gracious presence now.

II. THE GLORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

1. Its time: when he shall come. They suffer now; sometimes they are persecuted, their name is cast out as evil. But they have their consolation; they see indeed through a glass darkly, but yet they do see by faith the glory of the Lord; they are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Lord the Spirit. They have a glory now; but it is an inner spiritual glory derived from the indwelling of the blessed Spirit whom the world seeth not, neither knoweth. Now they are the sons of God; when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is.

2. Its nature: the unveiled presence of Christ. He shall be glorified in his saints. “I am glorified in them,” he said, when about to leave them. When he comes again, that glory shall shine forth in all its radiant splendour. He shall be admired in all them that believe. The glory of his presence abiding in them shall arouse the wondering admiration of all. The lost spirits will wonder; they will be amazed at the strangeness of the salvation of the blessed. “This is he” (Wis. 5:3, 5) “whom we sometimes had in derision how is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints?” The very angels will wonder at the exceeding glory of the Lord shining in his saints. For he will change the body of their humiliation, and make it like the body of his glory.

LESSONS.

1. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; let us keep that awful day in our thoughts.

2. Think on the fearful misery of eternal separation from God; live in his presence now.

3. We hope to be like him in his glory; let us take up the cross.B.C.C.

2Th 1:11, 2Th 1:12.St. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians.

I. ITS PURPORT.

1. He prays that God’s favour may rest upon them. That he may count them worthy. We feel that we are all unworthyunworthy of his grace and presence. We are not worthy that he, the blessed One, should enter under our roof, into our heart. But whom he loves, those he makes worthy of his love. He counts them worthy, though they are in themselves unworthy; his grace makes them worthy in Christ. He calls them; they through grace obey the calling. He calls them ever higher, nearer to himself, till they reach at length the prize of the high calling.

2. That God who began the good work in them would complete it. He prays

(1) that God would fulfil in them every desire of goodness. He had used the same word of himself (Rom 10:1): “My heart’s desire and prayer for Israel is, that they might be saved.” His heart’s desire () was a good desire: it issued from goodnessgoodness given by God, inwrought into his heart by the working of the good Spirit of God. All holy desires come from God; he prompts them; they issue out of the goodness which comes from him, from his grace. He will fulfil such desires, for he has promised, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” The holy desire will issue, if we persevere in prayer, in the good counsel, in the just work. He prays

(2) that God would fulfil the work of faith. In his First Epistle he spoke of his affectionate remembrance of their work of faith; now he prays that God might fulfil that work in power. Faith is itself a work, “the work of God”a work which issues from God, from his grace; a work which is pleasing to God, for it is his will; a work which ends in God, in the contemplation of God, in the glory of God. And faith works; it is a living principle, an active energy. It will lead on to ever more earnest prayer, to a closer walk with God. And that prayer, that communion with God, will continually deepen and strengthen faith; for in answer to faithful prayer the Holy Spirit is given, and the Spirit is powerpower from on high.

II. ITS FINAL ENDTHE GLORY OF GOD.

1. That the Name of the Lord Jesus might be glorified in the Thessalonians. That men might see their good works, and glorify the Lord that bought them, the Father that called them. We say in our daily prayers, “Hallowed be thy Name.” We have been baptized into that great Name; that holy Name is upon us. Very weak and sinful as we are, that great Name may be hallowed, glorified in us, if we do all things, great or small, in the Name of the Lord Jesus; if we always give thanks to the Father by him; if we show in our daily walk before men the power of his grace. It is the great end of the Christian life. “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

2. That they might be glorified in him. His saints share his glory. “The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them.” He dwelleth in them, and they in him. His glory is theirs, for they are his. “Ye are Christ’s.” And he is theirs. The Father gave the Son, the Son of God gave himself for us, to us. Hence it is that his true people, beholding (though now in a glass darkly) his glory, are changed into the same image from glory to glory. And that according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. All our blessings come from his grace; he is our God, therefore we can trust in him. He is able to save to the uttermost, for he is Almighty. He is our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore we may cast all our care upon him, for he will save us; he loveth us even to the end.

LESSONS.

1. Our salvation is of God; its beginning, course, endall is of grace.

2. Every good desire comes from him; ask him to strengthen the desire, to develop it into action.

3. Seek power from himpower to fight the good fight of faith, and win the victory at last.

4. Let the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ be the one great aim above all other motives.B.C.C.

HOMILIES BY R. FINLAYSON

2Th 1:1-12.Manifestation of solemn interest.

Address and salutation. “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The address is the same as in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, with the exception of the substitution of “our Father” for “the Father.” The salutation is also the same, with the addition of the twofold source from which grace and peace are invoked, which is the same as in many of Paul’s Epistles, with the exception of the substitution of “the Father” for “our Father.”

I. RECOGNITION OF THE SATISFACTORY CONDITION OF THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH.

1. Before God. “We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth.” We are to understand that information had reached Paul and his companions from Thessalonica since the despatch of their first letter to that place. It was information of faith and love on the part of the Thessalonian converts, of such a nature as to make Paul (taking him as representative)feel inwardly bound to thank God alway for them. This inward feeling answered to an outward fitness of circumstances. In the previous letter he had shown a deep interest in the perfecting of the lacking elements in their faith. We may think of a tree that has not come to its full proportions. It could now be said of them, after an interval of less than a year, that their faith was growing exceedingly. It was exhibiting such increase as a healthy faith always exhibits, and this in a marked degree. For such large realization of his wishes in the time it was only meet that he should thank God. He had also expressly prayed that the Lord would make them to abound in love one toward another. It could now be said that this was in the way of fulfilment. Their love was in process of enlargement as all love should be, and in a marked degree as the word would seem to imply. Their love was markedly individual. There was love toward the circle as a whole which was real and commendatory, but there was also personal attachment between the various members of the circle, individual toward individual. Their love was also markedly universal within the circle. The abounding was in the love of each one of them all toward one another. That testified to a harmonious circle. “When we love in part,” says Theophylact, “this is not love, but division. For if it is for God’s sake thou lovest, see that thou love all.” There is a symmetry in love which requires that, loving our heavenly Father, we should love all his children; that, loving Christ, we should love the whole Christian circle. In the Thessalonian circle no exception is made of the busybodies afterwards referred to as loved or loving. In being busybodies they were not doing their duty by the other members of the circle; but the obstacle thus presented to their brethren loving them was commendably surmounted. As for the love of the busybodies themselves, it was not sufficiently characterized by wisdom, and did, therefore, contain something to be subtracted. Still, his prayer had been in so large a degree answered that it was only meet that he should give thanks to God for them. What obstacles there are to our loving in the Christian circle let us try to surmount, and let us not ourselves present any obstacles. And let us be thankful before God for what harmony is enjoyed.

2. Before the Churches. “So that we ourselves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure.” Formerly there was no need to say anything of their faith to God-ward. Their conversion to Christianity, with joyfulness in attendant persecution, was widely known. It was not now that others were behindhand; for they had warm friends, and these not a few, who gloried in them. But Paul and his companions were so overjoyed that they were moved to join with others in glorying in them. The sphere of glorying was the Churches of God, i.e. Corinth, from which this letter was written, and other Churches with which they had correspondence. What they especially gloried in was the patience of the Thessalonians. Persecution had come upon them after persecution; they were then enduring afflictions. But they had nobly stood their ground. Their patience was sustained by faithfaith in a kind and wise Providence that was watching over them, that made use of their afflictions for the spread of the gospel, that would not leave them in the end unrewarded. This patience sustained by faith, Paul and his companions held up before the Churches for their encouragement in like circumstances. This being their motive, there was no breach of modesty in the instructors of the Thessalonians themselves glorying in them.

II. RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD.

1. With reference to the Thessalonians. “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.” The patience sustained by faith, which was held up for the encouragement of the Churches, is now used for the encouragement of the Thessalonians themselves. Let them think of the judgment of God that was coming. That judgment would be righteous in dealing with men according to character. The character they possessed left no doubt as to what the righteous judgment of God would be. It looked forward to their being in the end counted worthy of the kingdom of God. For that kingdom they were suffering; but let them know that they who thus suffered would also reign.

2. With reference to their persecutors. “If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us.” The persecutors had no source of encouragement in their character. They also had to pass under the judgment of God; but what could righteous judgment mean to them? Their character was that of cruelly afflicting God’s people. Could it be a righteous thing with God to place them alongside of patient sufferers as worthy of the kingdom? That would be to have no regard to distinction in character, to make God the friend of cruelty as much as of patience, and in that way to contradict the very idea of righteous judgment. The incontestably righteous thing could only be that with what measure they meted it should be measured unto them; that, giving affliction, there should be given back to them affliction; while, to the afflicted Thessalonians, the righteous opposite would be release from the strain of afflictionrelease in company with Paul and Silas and Timothy in like manner afflicted.

III. JUDICIAL PROCEDURE UNDER WHICH DEALING WITH THE THESSALONIANS AND THEIR PERSECUTORS FALLS.

1. Toward the ungodly.

(1) Judge and time of judgment. “At the revelation of the Lord Jesus.” The righteous judgment of God is now associated, as in other Scriptures, with the Second Person of the Godhead. It is as Jesus, or Saviour, that he is to fill the lordly office, and to exercise the lordly prerogatives of Judge. He is now concealed from human view, upon which the ungodly presume. But one day he shall appear upon this earthly scene, and not in the lowly form in which he before appeared, but in a form that shall mark his Divine sovereignty.

(2) Place from which revealed. “From heaven.” When before he appeared there was no impression of his coming from heaven. He was born upon this earth; he wore the earthly form of our humanity until, having made atonement for our sin, he ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. The heaven which then opened to receive him will again open, that he may reveal himself on earth for judgment. It will be observed that this revelation from heaven is identical with the descent from heaven described in 1 Thessalonians.

(3) Manner of revelation. First circumstance. “With the angels of his power.” In the former description the Lord appeared, attended by the archangel and (by implication) his angelic host. The old translation here is “mighty angels.” Their attendance, as of an army upon an earthly sovereign, is intended to give an impression of his power. This they give by their numbers; they may also give it by the personal might, more than human, with which they are endowed. Second circumstance. “In flaming fire.” In the former description it is the clouds that are mentioned. Here the Lord appears encircled with a flame of fire. The clouds conceal and moderate for the saints that have been acknowledged. The uncreated splendour displayed before men in view of judgment is as fire. In 1Co 3:13 fire is associated with judgment: “Each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed by fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is.” As separating from it all impurity this judicial fire must have a fearful aspect to the ungodly. The description here bears a close resemblance to what is found in Dan 7:9, Dan 7:10 : “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand limes ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” The description is here transferred from the Ancient of days to him who is there styled the Son of man.

(4) Judicial action toward two classes of the ungodly. “Rendering vengeance.” Judgment is the manifestation of the justice of God. When men are convicted before a human tribunal they have to give an equivalent for the wrong they have done to others. Society in that way not only protects itself, but expresses its indignation against their crimes. The Lord is to take his seat as Judge, first convicting and then pronouncing sentence. In this there is implied no revengeful feeling; but there is implied holy indignation, in the name of the highest Authority in the universe, against all the ungodly for all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought. First class of the ungodly. “To them that know not God.” This is a description of the heathen. And it is to be noticed that vengeance is to be rendered not merely to the wicked world rulers (Pharaohs and Neros), to those who have traded in their fellow men, to those who have been covenant breakers, to those who have taken away the life of the innocent, but to the heathen as a whole. On the other hand, it is to be noticed that they are not regarded historically, but from the point of view of the writers as those who have had to do with their not knowing God. In so far, therefore, as it can be justly said that, from their bad environments, they have not had to do with this not knowing God, vengeance shall not be rendered to them. But, in so far as they have not followed their light, there shall not any of them escape. Second class of the ungodly. “And to them that obey not. the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” Our Lord Jesus is identified with gospel as well as with Law, with mercy as well as with judgment. What is the gospel but the good news of the Son of God coming into our nature, and suffering vengeance, just indignation and death, in room of the transgressors? And when he comes forward now in the ministration of the gospel, and commands men everywhere to repent of their sins and to accept of mercy, has he not a right to be obeyed? And will the most humanitarian maintain that he who obeys not should go unpunished?

(5) Their punishment in its contents. “Who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Such being their character (as “who” implies), they shall suffer punishment. The suffering of punishment by them corresponds to the rendering of vengeance by the Lord. The punishment is declared to be destructive. This may mean, and in some of its applications does mean, annihilation. But there is not good reason for supposing that it means annihilation in its application to the punishment of the ungodly. It seems to involve a low conception of the nature of man and of the moral government of God, to suppose that human beings are to be placed under trial, and to work out a moral history, and that after their failure they are in multitudes to be quenched in the darkness of nonexistence. It seems more reasonable to take the meaning to be that they shall be destroyed, in being consigned to a state of misery for which in their creation they were not intended. Their nature (unlike that of Christ’s people, 1Th 4:1-18 :23) being disintegrated by sin, their peace shall be completely broken. The epithet “eternal” which is applied to destruction is of terrible import. It points to the punishment as stretching away into the eternal world. It may be doubted whether by itself it is decisive for the absolute eternity of future punishment. It is not so decisive as if the form had been endless. On the other hand, it is not decisive against the endlessness of future punishment that the word means age long. It needs to be considered in connection with the subjects to which it is applied. Eternal sin, as the right reading now is in Mar 3:29, apparently means sin for which there is no escape from punishment. Eternal punishment does not mean that judgment is eternally proceeding, but that its issues reach into eternity. The similar word which in the Old Testament is applied to the mountains from the nature of the case imports a limited eternity. The eternal times through which the mystery was hidden can only mean limited times into which the past eternity was regarded as divided. Applied to God, as the word is in the same sentence at the close of Romans, it indicates the absolute eternity of God.. Applied to life, as it very frequently is, from the nature of life and from the Divine guarantee, it means life that is endless and, as it is expressed in one place, indissoluble. It still remains a question whether, from the nature of spiritual death and from the character of God along with other teachings, destruction is to be regarded as eternal in the sense of being endless. It certainly is a word which is fitted to strike terror into the ungodly. The destruction is further represented as the greatest of all deprivations. It is to be away from the face of the Lord. The supreme pleasure of Christ’s people is to be their beholding his face of infinite benignity turned toward them. “As for me,” says the psalmist, “I will behold thy face in righteousness.” “And they shall see his face,” it is said in the last chapter of Revelation. So the bitterest element in the case of the ungodly will be that no look of love, no look of the infinite benignity of the Saviour, will be turned toward them. As the earth without sunshine, so must it be to be away from the face of Christ. It is also to be away from his glory. Three disciples were taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration to see his glory. He also encouraged the eleven at the last by the prospect of their seeing his glory. “That where I am they also may be with me, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.” It is particularly here the glory of his might. He who has the look of infinite benignity gives also in his appearance the impression of infinite might. How glorious a Being to be privileged, without fear, yet with solemn awe, to look upon! To be eternally destroyed, then, from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, such will be the terrible punishment awarded to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2. Toward the saints. “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.” Contemporaneous with his judicial action toward the ungodly, is to be his judicial action toward his own. They are here called his saints, answering perfectly to that description then as they only imperfectly do now. As his saints, they shall be acknowledged on the day of judgment; and their reward shall be to have their outward condition brought into perfect correspondence with their inward character. This is called their glorification. The Lord, having given grace, will also give glory. We may think of the glory as the blossoming forth of the grace. As the flower comes to beauty of form, so they shall be made beautiful to look upon in their higher order of being. Their glorification is here presented under the special aspect of the glorification of Christ in them. As Judge, he is to carry out his own word. “And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them.” As he is in them as the source of their holiness, so is his beauty to shine forth in their outward form. From heaven we “wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself.” This glorification of Christ in the saints shall call forth the wonder of the assembled universe. They shall marvel at the infinite benignity and power of him who out of darkness has made light, who upon rebels against his Father’s authority has stamped his own glorious image. In connection with the marvelling, is brought in the condition of our future glorification. With a look back from judgment it is said, “in all them that believed.” And believing is taken up and connected particularly with the Thessalonians”because our testimony unto you was believed.” In keeping with this language, faith is defined by Bishop Pearson “as an assent unto truths credible upon the testimony of God delivered unto us by the apostles and prophets.” Let us give cordial assent to the facts and truths of the gospel, which we have upon the best of testimony, that we may not come short of the glorification which shall be the marvel of the universe. There was not needed further predication of time, but it is emphasized by the addition of the words, “in that day.” The day when the Lord is to render vengeance to the ungodly, that is to be the day when he is to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed.

IV. PRAYER IN CONNECTION WITH THE GLORIFICATION OF THE THESSALONIANS. “To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power; that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Toward their glorification the wishes, and not only the wishes but the prayers also, of Paul and his companions were directed, and always directed. As believing, God was calling them to glory. Our God, say the petitioners, grant to the Thessalonians at the last to be counted worthy of their calling. For this end let power sufficient be granted to bring to completion every inward desire and the outward work appointed them. They had aspirations after goofiness; let these receive fulfilment. They had a life to live before the world according to the faith by which they were actuated; let it be as a finished piece of work. Thus, having real excellence, would they be adjudged worthy of glory. The final end of their glorification is emphasized by repetition, with some modification of form. There is brought in “the Name of our Lord Jesus,” i.e. as he is revealed to men as Saviour, exalted to sovereignty. And, as they are to he the clement in which his Name is to be glorified, so reciprocally is he to be the element in which they are to find their glorification. Thus is identification with Christ in glory made cleat’ as clear can be. This final end of glorification is looked for in prayer on behalf of the Thessalonians, not according to their deservings, but, say the petitioners, according to the grace (undeserved and rich) of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (in his superabundant merits).R.F.

HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY

2Th 1:2.Grace and peace.

St. Paul opens his Second Epistle with the expression of the same good wishes which he expressed in his earlier Epistle. There is no need of a spiritual parsimony for reserving highest benedictions. The best can be breathed freely, because there is no end to the resources of God. But we need not fear to repeat them, inasmuch as they are always suitable to Christian needs. Though we may tire of the words, “grace and peace,” and shall do so if we do not enter into the spirit of them, we can never tire of the things themselves, for they are large as the universe and fresh as eternity. Grace and peace represent the origin and the perfection, the foundation and the pinnacle, the root and the fruit, of Christian prosperity. It begins in grace and rests on grace and draws its supplies from grace; it grows into round, ripe fulness in peace.

I. GRACE IS THE SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY.

1. Christian grace is essentially God’s free favour. This is the first characteristic of the new covenant It starts with mercy to the sinner; it continues with grace to the saint. It is beyond nature which leaves us to our own devices, and law which directs but does not aid, and justice which rewards according to our works, because it offers its blessings to the undeserving “without money and without price.” Grace is the key note of the anthem of the Bethlehem angels.

2. Christian grace is an active energy of God. It is not the bare negative mercy that lets off penalties, that withholds the hand of justice from striking the blow of doom. Nor is it only a kindly disposition. It is the highest Divine energy and the most vigorous fruitful activity. God works upon us in grace.

3. Christian grace works through the whole of the Christian life. We do not simply depend upon God’s grace for the pardon of our sins and the renewal of our hearts at the commencement of our better life. We continue to live upon grace. It begins by delivering us from our Egyptian bondage; it continues by supplying our daily bread. Christians would as surely perish without these supplies of grace, even after the first forgiving act of salvation, as the Israelites would have perished without the manna even after they had crossed the Red Sea.

II. PEACE IS THE CROWN OF CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY.

1. Peace is the first interest of a nation, a Church, a soul. We cannot enjoy wealth, pleasure, or comfort if we have not peace. For peace we pine and yearn.

2. Peace is the most perfect of blessings. When this is rich and full we want little else. We can afford to suffer if we bear our lot with interior peace. It may be said of peace, as it is said of love, it “suffereth long.”

3. Peace is the greatest outcome of grace. It cannot be had without grace. Grace restores us to peaceable relations with God, gives us peaceable dispositions to bear and forebear one with another, and breathes into us a spirit of content, submission, and holy calm. We may advance far in activity, etc., before we gain this precious gem of grace. Inward serenity in all weathers of outward circumstance is the last product of spiritual culture.

III. GRACE AND PEACE ARE ENJOYED THROUGH OUR UNION WITH GOD AND CHRIST. The twofold benediction has a twofold reference.

1. Grace originates in the Father. The first thought of redeeming the world arose in the bosom of God. The secret of these wonderful blessings is a Father’s love.

2. Peace is found in union with God. We enjoy the peace that is never absent from the Spirit of God when we approach his holy, serene presence.

3. Both are received by us through Christ. He is the incarnation of God’s grace. He makes a way by his sacrifice for us to enjoy it. He is also “our peace.” When we learn the “secret of Jesus” we shall have the peace of God which passeth all understanding.W.F.A.

2Th 1:3.Growing faith.

In his former Epistle St. Paul congratulated the Thessalonians on the fruits of faith, love, and hope which he saw among them (1Th 1:3), and he prayed for the increase of their love (1Th 3:12). Now he is thankful that their faith continues to grow, and that their mutual affection is full and overflowing. Let us consider the first of these two signs of progress. (For the “increase of love,” see on 1Th 3:12.)

I. THE SIGNS OF GROWING FAITH. Faith is an invisible spiritual grace. How, then, did St. Paul know that it was increasing in the distant Church of the Thessalonians? We need not suppose that he possessed any supernatural insight for reading the hearts of men. If faith grows the fruits of faith grow. A feeble faith makes a feeble life. When the whole heart is faint the whole head is sick (Isa 1:5). Faith is always known by its works, and the health and vigour and stature of faith by the character and measure of Christian activity. Note some of the signs of growing faith.

1. Brighter cheerfulness. We are less distressed with doubt, have little torment of fear, bear present ills patiently, when we trust the goodness of God more fully.

2. Deeper devotion. Slight faith means cold prayer. We are near to God just in proportion as we have faith in him.

3. Fuller activity. We work half-heartily when we believe half-heartedly. A strong trust in the grace of God gives a strong energy for doing the work of God.

4. Warmer love. Faith worketh by love (Gal 5:6). When we trust Christ more truly we feel the force of his love more deeply and love him more warmly in return, and then our love to Christ shows itself in love of the brethren.

II. THE SECRET OF GROWING FAITH. Faith flows from the grace of God. It is a gift of God (Eph 2:8). Nevertheless, God is always willing to bestow this gift, and our reception of it depends on what we do. Faith will not grow without cultivation. Two most important truths, too often ignored, help us to the secret.

1. Faith grows by means of what it feeds on. This is in harmony with a law of all growth. Nothing can come from nothing. If a child is not fed it will die, certainly it will not grow. Growing plants take nourishment from air and soil. Faith will not grow by our wishing it to grow, nor by any manipulation with it. Yet people, so to speak, take out their faith and try to do something with it in order to improve it. The great mistake is to think of increasing our faith by any consideration of the faith itself. We must forget our faith and look at Christ, and then our faith will grow unconsciously. We have too much introspection. An intelligent consideration of the grounds of faith, especially a study of Christ, reading of Scripture, prayer, “means of grace,” etc., help faith to grow.

2. Faith grows by exercise. This is also natural. Children need exercise that their bodies may grow. Unused limbs shrink and shrivel up. The arm of the blacksmith is strong with work. The intellect grows by being employed. The torpid intellect becomes stupid. So faith must be used in order that it may grow. Instead of deploring our little faith, let us use it and it will grow larger. This is Christ’s own advice; for when his disciples said, “Lord, increase our faith,” instead of doing as they wished by a miracle, he almost rebuked them by saying that if they had faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, even that when fully exercised would be enough to remove a mountain; and, like the seed which is a living thing, it would grow when planted. It is as foolish not to use our faith because it is small as it would be not to plant the seed for a similar reason. Thus we keep faith small. It must be employed if it is to grow.W.F.A.

2Th 1:5.A token of righteous judgment.

St. Paul regards the patient endurance of persecution by the Thessalonian Christians as “a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.” Here is one of those paradoxes of triumphant faith in which the apostle delighted. To the superficial observer the aspect of affairs told the very opposite story to that which St. Paul read in it. Good men were persecuted, and they bore their persecution patiently; yet nothing was done for their redress. Was not this a breakdown of justice? The case is like that of the psalmist, who was perplexed at the prosperity of the wicked till he went into the sanctuary, and then, by faith and the knowledge of unseen Divine law, understood their end (Psa 73:17). His faith in the supremacy and justice of God leads the apostle to put the contrary construction on passing events to that which would be laid upon them by unbelief.

I. THE PATIENT ENDURANCE OF PERSECUTION IS A TOKEN OF GOD‘S COMING JUDGMENT OF REWARD. The judgment has two sides. There are sheep as well as goats. To those who groan under the yoke of present injustice the coming of a future judgment must be hailed with joy. Then the cruelty will cease, the calumny will be repudiated, the wrong will be righted. But how is the patient endurance of persecution a token of the coming judgment?

1. It shows the necessity of it. Of course, this argument is only addressed to faith. If we believe in God and his righteousness we cannot suppose that he will permit wrongs to remain unredressed. If justice were done on earth we need expect no further rectification. But the postponement of justice makes the future coming of it certain. Here is a reason for looking forward to a future life. If this life were rounded into perfection we should not have so much occasion for expecting another life. But now that it is broken and not justly completed there must be a future. If the wages of God’s labourers are not paid today there must be a morrow when they will be paid.

2. It permits the persecuted to look forward to a happy issue from it. They will not be counted worthy of the kingdom of God simply because they endure persecution. Suffering is not merit. Heaven is not bare compensation. But the patient endurance is a sign of character, and it reveals a fitness for the future award of blessings. The untried may be uncertain of their fate. The tried and faithful have reason for more confidence.

II. THE UNAVENGED INFLICTION OF PERSECUTION IS A TOKEN OF GOD‘S COMING JUDGMENT OF PUNISHMENT. The blood of Abel cries to God from the ground. The meek, patient endurance of the martyr demands future retribution more powerfully than the loudest cry for vengeance. The better the character of the persecuted is, the less they deserve their ill treatment and the more patiently they bear it, the greater will the guilt of the persecutors appear. Thus this condition of affairs is a token of a coming judgment of wrath.

1. It shows the necessity of it. If justice were already done, guilty men might have some excuse for denying the probability of a future judgment. But now they cannot speak of it as an idle threat of the Church. Justice demands it.

2. It warns the wicked to expect a dreadful doom. It reveals the guilt of their sin; and it makes so glaringly apparent the contrast between their conduct and that of their victims that a difference of destiny of corresponding magnitude may be expected.W.F.A.

2Th 1:6-10.The judgment day.

This vivid description of the judgment day begins with an appeal to the justice of its awful events: “If so be that it is a righteous thing,” etc. The details of the great day can only be revealed by Divine inspiration. But the great outlines of its proceedings may be predicted by our own consciences.

I. THE SEPARATION OF DESTINIES. Destinies are now apparently mixed and disarranged without any evident regard to justice. They will not be so then. There will be a clear division between the sheep and the goats.

1. Suffering to the persecuters. They who give affliction shall suffer affliction. There is a law of nature as well as a principle of fairness in the lex talionis when it is rightly applied. A bad man’s doom is to be the recoil of his evil deeds upon his own head.

2. Rest to the persecuted. The specially coveted reward of the afflicted is rest. To the weary sufferer that alone is an immeasurable blessing. There is some compensation in the fact that rest, which to the idle and comfortable is itself a weariness, becomes the most happy solace to the suffering. Note:

(1) This rest is the more enjoyable because it is shared with beloved friends (Paul, Silas, etc).

(2) It is not given to all the afflicted, but to afflicted Christians.

II. THE TIME OF THE JUDGMENT. It is here synchronized with the second advent of Christ. He is King and Judge as well as Friend and Saviour. His repudiation of the office of Judge during his earthly humiliation (Luk 12:14) should only make us feel how surely the exercise of his rightful judicial functions must be reserved for some future occasion. Jesus Christ cannot endure eternal injustice. He is strong to execute as well as righteous to desire judgment.

III. THE PERSONS CONDEMNED. Two classes are named.

1. Those who are ignorant of God. The heathen world seems to be here referred to. Why should these benighted people be punished for their ignorance? Because they might have known God (Rom 1:18-20). But they can only be punished in so far as their ignorance was wilful and came from moral causes, i.e. in so far as they “held down the truth in unrighteousness.” Doubtless there have been good heathen men who have not committed that offence.

2. Those who obey not the gospel. People of Christendom are now referred to. It is of no use to live in a Christian nation, nor to belong to a Christian Church, nor to believe in the truths of the gospel, if we do not obey the gospel. Obedience is the one test. Heathen are only condemned for wilful neglect of God, Christian nations for disobedience to the Christian gospel.

IV. THE DOOM OF THE GUILTY.

1. They are to suffer punishment. Their doom will not be purely privative, nor will merely natural consequences follow their evil conduct. Distinct penalties will be imposed.

2. The punishment will chiefly consist in “eternal destruction.” This dreadful phrase certainly cannot be taken as an equivalent foreverlasting torment. Is not sin everywhere destructive? The wages of sin is not painthough pain does follow itbut death. This destroying process, left to itself, will go on forever. All hope of a far off end to it must be in some interference with its action by the Divine mercy, which is also eternal.

3. The punishment will be increased by the measure of the glory that is missed. The eternal destruction involves separation “from the face of the Lord.” In his presence there is fulness of joy. Spiritual destruction includes the killing out of the spiritual eye that beholds the beatific vision.W.F.A.

2Th 1:11.Worthy of the Christian calling.

Here is a prayer with two aspects. It looks to heaven and to earth. It is concerned with God’s estimate of his people and with their own spiritual successes.

I. THE HEAVENWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER. St. Paul has just been describing the great and terrible judgment day in language of fire and thunder. Now he expresses his anxiety that all may be well with his readers on that day, when they will be called to account to ascertain how far they have walked worthily in respect of their vocation.

1. Christians have a calling. We are called to be Christians, and being Christians, to enter the pilgrimage of the heavenly life. The object of this general calling is to follow Christ. But we are also each of us called to some specific individual vocation.

2. The Christian calling involves high obligations. It is no light matter to be found worthy of it. When a great trust is put upon a man a heavy responsibility accompanies his discharge thereof. So is it with every Christian.

3. God watches us in the pursuit of our calling. We are observed of God, neither escaping his eye in our most secret hours, nor disregarded by him in our least important actions.

4. God will bring us to account for our fulfilment of our calling. It is most important that he should reckon us to have worthily discharged our vocation because “his favour is life.” But he who calls us to the Christian life can give us grace to discharge its obligations. We can pray that we may be accounted worthy.

II. THE EARTHWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER.

1. It seeks the fulfilment of every desire of goodness. These are the desires which spring out of the good disposition of a Christian heart.

(1) It is not every desire of a good man that is to be fulfilled. Good people may have foolish wishes. The desires to be prayed about are those which spring directly out of goodness.

(2) Good desires may be unsatisfied. We may wish well and not have opportunity or power for executing our wishes. The spirit may be willing while the flesh is weak, or the spirit may be weak in energy while it is good in intention.

2. It seeks the fulfilment of every work of faith. St. Paul agrees with St. James that faith shows itself by works. But he sees deeper into the difficulties of weak human nature. Though our trust and fidelity prompt us to obedient service, innumerable hindrances intervene and frustrate our energies. We need that God should establish the work of our hands. Even when we sow and water well he must give the increase.

3. The accomplishment of these ends depends on a gift of power. Goodness without strength is futile. But the strong God infuses strength (Psa 73:26). The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of power. The Church should pray more earnestly for the grace of energy.W.F.A.

2Th 1:12.Glorified.

I. THE GREAT END OF THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION IS TO GLORIFY THE NAME OF CHRIST. The blessings for which St. Paul has been praying are to lead up to this great result.

1. The Christian lives for Christ. Christ is the chief Cornerstone of the finished temple as well as the Foundation with which the building is begun. He is the Omega as well as the Alpha. We begin with him; in him, too, we end. Receiving all our grace from Christ, we are to devote our lives to him.

2. The Christian lives for the glory of Christ. We cannot minister to his wants directly as did those women who gave of their substance during his earthly humiliationthough we can do so virtually when we give to his brethren. But we can minister to his glory as directly as did those disciples who cast their garments in his path and hailed his entrance into Jerusalem with shouts of praise.

3. The Christian honours Christ by glorifying his Name. The Name is not merely the distinctive appellation, but the descriptive characteristic. To Jesus there is given “the Name which is above every name” (Php 2:9). His Name is what is known of him and praised in him, i.e. his fame. So we speak of cue making a name. We cannot add to the greatness and gloriousness of our Lord. But we can make his fame to be more widely spread and more highly exalted among men.

II. WHEN THE NAME OF CHRIST IS GLORIFIED HIS PEOPLE SHARE THE GLORY.

1. There is a prospect of glorification for Christians. The doleful plaint of the despised sufferer is not to be the only song of the Church. Not only will joy follow sorrow, but exaltation will succeed humiliation. The Thessalonian Christians were a despised and persecuted community living among cruel, scornful neighbours. This trying condition was not to be permanent. For their shame they would have double glory in the end.

2. Christian glorification follows the glorification of Christ. The first point is the glorifying of our God’s Name; that of his people comes second. The order is significant.

(1) We must not seek our own glory, but in seeking Christ’s ours will follow unsought.

(2) Until the master is glorified the servants must remain in obscurity. The great glory of the second advent will be followed by the exaltation of the Church.

3. Christian glorification depends on union with Christ. We are to be glorified in him.

(1) All that makes the Christian glorious comes from Christ. Without him we are shamed and dark and dead.

(2) Glory comes to us through our sharing Christ’s glory, as the clouds are glorified in the light of the rising sun.

III. THE GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE ARISES FROM A WORTHY FULFILMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN CALLING ACCORDING TO DIVINE GRACE.

1. It arises from a worthy fulfilment of the Christian calling. St. Paul prayed that God would count his people worthy of their calling for this express purpose, that they might glorify Christ, etc. (2Th 1:11). We glorify Christ by our lives. Songs of praise go for little if our conduct dishonours our Lord. The richest anthem of praise rises from the silent living of a pure and useful Christian life. Our own glory is also only possible when our life in Christ has been fruitful.

2. It depends on Divine grace. It is “according to the grace,” etc., i.e. the glory corresponds to the grace. The more grace we have the greater will be the glory. Fulness of grace brings fulness of glory.W.F.A.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

2Th 1:1-2 . Address and salutation . See on 1Th 1:1 .

. .] from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ ; not: from God who is the Father and Lord of Jesus Christ. For, according to the Pauline custom, the fulness of Christian blessings is derived in common from God and Christ. The absolute (comp. Gal 1:3 ; 1Ti 1:2 ; 2Ti 1:2 ; Tit 1:4 ) is equivalent to , more frequently used elsewhere in similar places; comp. Rom 1:7 ; 1Co 1:3 ; 2Co 1:2 ; Eph 1:2 ; Phi 1:2 ; Col 1:2 ; Phm 1:3 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

I

Address for the Consolation of the readers under the fresh outbreak of persecutions

2Th 1:1-12

After the salutation (2Th 1:1-2), the Apostle thanks God for their growth in faith (2Th 1:3-4), cheers them by the prospect of judgment and salvation (2Th 1:5-10), and prays that God would make them partakers of perfection (2Th 1:11-12).

1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus [Timothy], unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father1 and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2Grace unto you, and peace, from God our1 Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3We are bound to thank [give thanks to]2 God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity [love, ] of every one of you all2 toward each other aboundeth; 4so that we ourselves3 glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all 5your persecutions and tribulations [the afflictions]3 that ye endure: which is a manifest token [a token, ] of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6seeing [if indeed]4 it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you [to those who afflict you affliction],5 7and to you, who are troubled [afflicted], rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed [at the revelation of the Lord Jesus, . .] from heaven with His mighty angels [with the angels of His power, ], 8in flaming fire,6 taking vengeance on them that [rendering vengeance to those who, ] know not God, and that obey not7 the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:8 9who shall be punished with [shall suffer punishment, ,] everlasting destruction from the presence [face]9 of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; 10when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe [those who believed]10 (because our testimony 11among you [to you, ] was believed), in that day. Wherefore [To which end, ] also we pray always for you, that our God would count [may count, ] you worthy of this [the, ] calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness [every desire of goodness],11 and the work of faith with power; 12that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ12 may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.13

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

1. (2Th 1:1-2.) See the First Epistle.

2. (2Th 1:3-4.) We are bound, &c.As in 1Th 1:2, only that he there says simply , and here declares the obligation (2Th 2:13), in the earnestness of his spirit, drawn from the greatness of the grace; urgente animi exultatione (Bengel): We are bound to do this, and it is a debt which we shall never be able fully to discharge. It is by no means obvious, why this should be unpauline! is it only because we do not so read in any other Epistle?! The words, as it is meet, are referred by some only to , as confirmatory of the obligation, and, taken thus, they seem to be somewhat dull and pointless; better therefore: so to give thanks, as the greatness of the unmerited favor deserves; Bengel: ob rei magnitudinem; Hofmann: as the state of the case requires. Theophylact (along with another explanation): in a worthy manner, by word and deed; for this is true thanksgiving. Too subtle is Lnemanns interpretation; who, because does not mark the degree (though it does the way and manner), and because the insertion of forbids the close backward reference to (but why?), would connect closely with what follows: as it is meet, because. But it is more natural to understand thus: We are bound to give thanks (for this), that.14 is such an emphatic expression of entire commendation as the Apostle is fond of; is used elsewhere transitively, but once also as intransitive, Act 6:7; and so the compound here: your faith groweth even beyond expectation;15 and love increaseth16 continually. Paul thankfully acknowledges the fulfilment of his wishes and exhortations (1Th 3:12; 1Th 4:10); Rieger: the fruit of his exhortations and intercessions. Faith and love, of which Timothy (1Th 3:6) had reported the existence among the Thessalonians, had only become stronger in the tempests; at 1Th 1:3 he had added , and that follows here in another form.Of every one of you all, he thus quite explicitly applies it to every individual; toward each other; he speaks therefore of brotherly love. How can Paul thus praise, when in chh. 2 and 3 he has yet to add reproof? Olshausen well: Even those excrescences (we add: which were found rather in individuals merely) were at least excrescences simply from a good stock. There is something of cordial encouragement in the fact, that Paul first recognizes the good that he finds in them, even though with some their faith and love are still lacking in wisdom.So that we ourselves, not others merely, glory in you. Hofmann thinks this would require a , and prefers to understand it thus: we of our own accord, without being prompted; too artificial. De Wette (and Chrysostom before him) recalls 1Th 1:8 : We have no need to speak of it, since everywhere people are telling of it; whereas here: Not merely do others talk to us and speak of it everywhere, but we also (overcoming a modest reserve) must in our exceeding joy proclaim it. To be sure, attention is not drawn to this contrast by any particle of time; it at once results, however, from a mere comparison of the two places. Paul not merely thanks God; he glories also before men. Instead of the Recepta , A. B. Sin. 17 [Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, Ellicott] give the rarer and on that account, perhaps, the preferable (A. B., not Sin., write .), which at the most slightly strengthens the sense; . means to place ones honor in something, to boast of a thing (1Co 1:31; 1Co 3:21); there Paul forbids to glory in any men whatever; does he not here do so himself? By no means; he means to boast, not of the Thessalonians as men, but only of the work of God in them (1Th 2:19). The relation is the same as between the that is forbidden (Gal 1:10, flattery of the old man) and that which is enjoined (1Co 10:33, the cherishing of the new man with tender fidelity). He boasts of them in the churches of God, those of Achaia, where he is sojourning; Lnemann: Corinth and its branch churches (the plural points to the surrounding region, comp. Rom 16:1); an advance on 1Th 1:8. Without any reason Hilgenfeld (p. 243) would detect a disagreement with 2Co 1:1, alleging that the genuine Paul does not at all describe the churches of Achaia as properly churches along with that of Corinth. The simple fact is, that in that place of the Corinthian Epistle he does not do so, it being surely equally possible for him to address a large number of saints, or to take them together as churches; but if one were disposed to extort from 2Co 1:1 the idea that the scattered Christians of Achaia had not yet been gathered into churches, we should then have to infer also from Rom 1:7; Php 1:1; Col 1:2, that no churches had yet been organized in Rome, Philippi, Colosse, when Paul wrote to the Christians of those places!Bengels reference of the , &c. to the remote is unnatural; it is rather a closer definition of . : for your patience and (your) faith; their endurance stands first; the thing gloried in is, that they stood their ground not merely against a single attack; the root of genuine patience is faith, which is then again in its turn purified by patience. In faith everything is concentrated (1Th 3:7); it is not of itself the same thing as hope [De Wette] (1Th 1:3); nor, because is connected with by one article, are we required (as Olshausen and Lnemann suppose) to assume for the meaning of fidelity. No doubt, by omitting the second article Paul comprehends patience and faith, so to speak, under one conception; faith, however, retains the sense which it commonly bears elsewhere (and for the Greeks that is certainly less remote from the idea of fidelity than for us). There may be an endurance that does not proceed from faith, that is, from holding fast by the invisible God; and this would have no value; but just as little would a faith, that did not approve itself by its own steadfastness in affliction. In Rev 13:10 also the two are joined together. The manifestation of both takes place in all your persecutions and the afflictions that ye endure, patiently bear, Hofmann; the in the second member answers to the of the first. The persecutions proceed from hostile men; is more general, and presents the idea, how painful and distressing the suffering is in the experience of it; it is generally said, is an attraction for ; Lnemann, for ; both constructions occur; in the New Testament elsewhere always the genitive (Col 3:13, and often). The present (over against the aorist of 1Th 2:14) shows that there had been a fresh outbreak of persecutions.

3. (2Th 1:5.) A token, &c. is not equivalent to . (cod. 73) [slightly favored also by the Syriac, and the Vulgate in exemplum.J. L.], nor does it belong appositionally to the concealed in (that would have required , besides yielding no good sense); but it is (similarly as in Rom 8:3) an apposition to the clause , see Winer, 59. 9;17 it is to be regarded as a nominative (De Wette, Lnemann [Alford, Ellicott, Webster and Wilkinson, &c.]), not an accusative; hence: which is a proof; does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, though does (Rom 3:25-26; Php 1:28). It is not the mere suffering of tribulation that is of itself an evidence of the judgment, as being perhaps an atonement for sins (Estius), or as an indication that the judgment must come; such is not the effect of mere suffering in itself, but of suffering in patience and faith, and accordingly is said to those whose patience and faith can be boasted of; and itself implies the patient acceptance. This patient endurance, then, is a proof of the righteous judgment of God. But to what extent is it so? The great majority of interpreters (Calvin, Pelt, De Wette, Lnemann, Hofmann, &c.) understand (without warrant) as a presage of the future judgment, which has not yet appeared but is certainly impending; a token from which it may be inferred that it will come; so also Luther: which shows that God will judge rightly. They say that so stands in Php 1:28; but the perdition and salvation, whose evidence is there spoken of, are by no means impending merely in the future, but are already in progress at present, comp. 1Co 1:18; and the of the righteousness of God, of which Rom 3:25 sq. speaks, is altogether meant as present. In behalf, however, of the view that our text speaks of a presage of the future judgment, there is alleged 1. the article, as indicating the judgment , and 2. the connection with 2Th 1:6-7, where there is very explicit mention of the future retribution. Granting the latter point, still, if in 2Th 1:5 by itself is to mean a presage, its relation to the following . is anything but clear. Estius, Bengel, Hofmann, and others, make the latter clause dependent on , and it is true that this would not necessarily lead to the Catholic doctrine of merit (just as little as Rom 8:17), but in the present connection it would have this inconvenience of depressing , &c. into a subordinate parenthesis, whereas plainly in that word is to be seen the new principal thought, the beginning of the new line of thought, which is then carried forward in 2Th 1:6 sqq. This is perceived by De Wette and Lnemann, who are therefore essentially correct in assuming that . depends on . ; but how? shall it mean merely: with reference to the fact, that? or shall it be an epexegetical conclusion, like 2Co 8:6 : whose result will be, that (Lnemann)? or shall it even express simply the substance of the judgment (De Wette)? Theophylact even takes it as an equivalent to . De Wette gives this paraphrastic explanation of the connection: By their steadfastness in persecution the Thessalonians approve themselves as worthy of the kingdom of God, and from this subjective worthiness may be inferred the objective righteous judgment of God, by which it is realized. But this is a singular confounding of two different modes of viewing the causal relation, as it were thus: Which steadfast suffering, since it shows what sort of people you are, is also a presage of what we have to expect from the righteous judgment of God, in pronouncing you worthy;evidently an artificial and forced thought, which would still be but very unintelligibly expressed.18 But on the whole it is always best, wherever it is possible, to hold fast in the idea of aim. Add to this the arbitrariness of understanding as a foretoken of something future, as also Hilgenfeld remarks.

The preference, therefore, is due to the interpretation, which we find not quite distinctly in Zwingli, and then in Olshausen, needing only a somewhat more rigorous confirmation; the interpretation, namely, according to which denotes the evidence of Gods righteous judgment already at present in force. The article can be no obstacle to this, since the judgment of God, present and future, is one process (like eternal life, Joh 17:3); and 2Th 1:6-7 also form no counter-argument, for there we are shown that coming issue of the judgment, of which the present judicial administration (2Th 1:5) is the pioneer. But how, then, can the patient endurance of suffering be described as a manifestation of the already present judgment of God?

Here it is of importance rightly to understand the scriptural conception of righteousness and judgment. Now since the righteousness of God is certainly not synonymous with grace, we must not confound these ideas; it is the self-consistent relation of His holy love to the free creature; dispensing on both sides, to the believer according to his faith, to the unbeliever according to his unbelief. A judgment awaits also the former; Olshausen refers to 1Pe 4:17-18; likewise 1Co 11:32 points us to a judgment for discipline and purification; thus: God fulfils in you His righteous judgment, not for your destruction, but for your trial, that He may be able to declare you worthy of the kingdom; He proves your standing in faith, and there is a righteous requital also in this, that He rewards faith with patience; or as Stockmeyer beautifully and clearly carries out the idea on this one side (in an unprinted sermon; see the Homiletic hints on 1Th 4:1-8): First of all he represents to them the judgment of God as something, whereof they are now already permitted, in the midst of their tribulation, to have an experience in the highest degree joyful and comforting. That the Thessalonians were able to abide so patient in persecution, and so firm in faith, was already an evidence of the righteousness of God. Thereby God already proved Himself in their case to be the righteous rewarder of all that is good. For their obedience, in that they had received the gospel, God rewarded them by bestowing on them new grace, and new strength to suffer for the gospels sake, without becoming weary and faint-hearted (Mat 13:12). What one might find to be wanting in this statement is, at the most, that it would suit the expression, proof of the righteousness, better than it does the one before us, proof of the righteous judgment. It must therefore be supplemented by remarking, first, that for believers also the operation of the Divine righteousness comes indeed to be an effective judgment, but that it is a strong consolation to fall into the hand of God, and not into the hand of men; moreover, as Von Gerlach notes, that it is the most frightful token (not merely a presage) of bursting doom, when God so hardens the ungodly that they persecute His children. Even this, however, must redound to the advantage of the latter.

The thought of our passage, therefore, would be this: Steadfastly and believingly ye endure your persecutions; that is a proof of Gods righteous judgment, of His inviolably self-consistent work of winnowing; which proof is to the end ( )19 that ye should be deemed worthy, that He should be able to pronounce you worthy, of the kingdom of God. Toward this mark the judicial and sifting operation of God is working; it will prevail with those who allow His judgment to take effect on them to their purification. It is obvious that, taken thus, . acquires a much better sense. Of course, as Stockmeyer goes on to say, this declaration of judgment, that already takes place at present, stands in closest connection with that last perfect demonstration of it, which is the hope of all believers. (The connection with 2Th 1:6 sqq.: If it is a righteous thing that God should some day render a perfect retribution, there is already now a proof of His righteousness, in directing His judgments toward that end.)20

The kingdom of God, whereof we should be accounted worthy, is the holy dominion which, in distinction from the Church of the present time (the kingdom in the form of a servant), shall one day be revealed by the return of the King in victorious glory. Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, what avails for that is the death of the old man, as the Apostle says: for which ye also suffer; he says also, to express the agreement that exists between their actual experience and Gods plan.21 The is understood by most to mean: in order to its attainment; and this again would not express any legal meritoriousness, any more than Rom 8:17, but would amount to this: Ye suffer for your faith in it, your confession of it, your faithfulness to it, when grace had received you. Hilgenfeld insists on the meaning, not: in order to its attainment, but: in order to its promotion; similarly Hofmann: to introduce this state of things; and even so there would be no warrant for the assertion of the former, that there is here betrayed an unapostolic estimate of martyrdom. But (as in Rom 1:5; Act 5:41) means: in reference thereto, in behalf of the kingdom, and includes the two ideas of serving it and participating in it.

4. (2Th 1:6-8) If indeed it is a righteous thing, &c.The thought is expressed hypothetically, for the very purpose of strengthening its import, and to indicate that it is altogether incontestable, the writer appealing to his readers own judgment. Theophylact: The hearers cannot but say: . It is a righteous thing with God [Vulgate: apud Deum; Syriaccoram Deo.J. L.], righteousness is therein fulfilled; to recompense, properly to render back (1Th 3:9), to those who afflict you affliction, and to you who are afflicted relaxation, release, rest, refreshment (2Co 2:12-13); in opposition to , 2Co 7:5; 2Co 8:13; similarly , Act 3:19; comp. also the resting in Rev 14:13. For the present, he exhibits merely that negative side of the , for which the afflicted person first longs, freedom from earths sorrows; the positive side comes afterward, 2Th 1:10; 2Th 1:12.With us, says the Apostle in the assured joy of faith; without warrant is Bengels explanation (and Ewalds): us, the saints in Israel; De Wette would understand it generally: with us, Christians at large; that may well be involved in the remoter deduction; but obviously the immediate suggestion of the actual phrase is: with us, the in like manner afflicted Apostles (2Th 3:2), the foremost champions of the faith [Alford and Ellicott: the writers of the Epistle; Webster and Wilkinson: Paul.J. L.]. Looking back from the final retribution (2Th 1:6), we see that all the previous dealing also (2Th 1:5) is righteous throughout. Of course, the is not of itself meritorious, but 2Th 1:7 likewise takes for granted of steadfast faith (2Th 1:4); so that Hilgenfelds censure of an unpauline thought falls to the ground.Rest and refreshment will God give at the revelation of the Lord Jesus; it is a far more forced construction, when Grotius would refer this specification of time to the remote . Of the Lord Jesus is a genitive of. the object, though He is also the subject of it. Revelation is the same thing as ; only there is still more conveyed by ; not merely that He will be present, but also that He will unveil Himself in His glory (1Co 1:7; Luk 17:30), whereas He is now hid in heaven (Col 3:3-4), and is only invisibly nigh to us (Matthew 28). The way and manner of His coming is shown by what is added: from heaven, comp. 1Th 4:16; with the angels of His power, comp. 1Th 3:13; the expression means that they belong to His power, therefore also form His power, are its servants and executors. Comp. the of heaven, Rev 19:14. Not: with His strong angels, mighty angels (Theophylact expressly, ), as if were an adjectival definition of ., and were to be connected with . Hofmann (because it is not said: . ) would understand it as meaning with a host of angels,22 . being put first emphatically, to distinguish the heavenly forces from all of an earthly kind (but for this there was no occasion), and signifying an army-force likewise in Luk 10:19; Luk 21:26 (?), and in the Septuagint for ; , finally, he refers to what follows. This whole view is too artificial; and when he takes the words together, and refers them to God, and at the same time regards . &c. as the beginning of this participial construction, this is, to say the least, as cumbrous as the ordinary view, according to which . &c. more closely defines what goes before.There might certainly be a doubt as to where belongs (the variation which we have noted meets us in like manner at Act 7:30; the Recepta means flaming fire, glowing fire, not faintly burning). Too subtile is Theophylacts remark, that the expression denotes fire that burns merely, and gives no light, it being merely consuming for sinners, and for the righteous merely luminous. It is possible to refer it to what follows as a specification of detail (Theodoret: ; Hilgenfeld: In point of fact the fiery flame belongs immediately to the punishment);23 but it may also be regarded as the last feature in the description of the revelation, and this is still simpler [and so Alford and Ellicott]. Theophylact recognizes both explanations, and refers for the second to Psa 97:3. The Lord is revealed in flaming fire, as in the burning bush, or as on Sinai; His throne is [not, as in E. V., is like.J. L.] glowing flame (Dan 7:9); as in the Old Testament God, so here Christ comes in fire; thus shall His day also be revealed (1Co 3:13); this agrees with the at His coming (Mat 25:31); somewhat more remote is the glowing flame of His eyes (Rev 19:12); He Himself is a consuming fire (Heb 10:27; Heb 12:29); comp., moreover, in the Old Testament, Isa 29:6; Isa 30:30.

The terrible splendor of His majesty, which consumes all opposition, is concisely, but powerfully, delineated. We are not to inquire curiously into what is physical in this manifestation; not till the last end will the fire that melts the elements come in power (2Pe 3:7; 2Pe 3:10); but at every epoch of judgment fire is also the figure of the purifying ardor of the Holy Ghost, consuming all impurity; comp. Mat 3:11-12.The reference of what follows, (Jesus) rendering vengeance, dispensing punishment, is by Hofmann without reason felt to be a difficulty. The Greek expression answers in the Septuagint to the Hebrew , Eze 25:14, and elsewhere; comp. , 1Th 4:6; , Luk 18:7; see also Luk 21:22-23. The Apostle now traces back to the general Divine administration what he had previously promised to the Thessalonians in particular. Jesus will execute the Divine judgment on those who know not God; that it is not simply a want of knowledge, but a criminal blindness, that is here intended, is evident; comp. 1Th 4:5; instead of seeking God (Act 17:27), many hold the truth down [, depress, repress] in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18); in angry defiance, like Pharaoh (Exo 5:2). In the First Epistle the Gentiles were expressly so described (comp. Psa 79:6); here is described more generally the fundamental delinquency, ungodliness. It is further said: and to those, who obey not the gospel, &c.; the Lord Jesus has a right to claim obedience; faith is, after all, an affair of the will, the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5; Act 6:7). The repetition of the article in the second member appears to place the disobedient as a second class alongside the first; and so indeed many (Grotius, Bengel, Ewald, Lnemann, Hofmann [Jowett, Alford, Ellicott, Webster and Wilkinson, &c]) distinguish, finding here the two classes of persecutors who vexed the Thessalonians; those who know not God would be the heathen, those who obey not the gospel the Jews (comp. Romans 10). But this same excessive strictness of historical reference is not at all advisable; Paul speaks generally of the judgment of the world. Moreover, Bengel himself says merely Judis maxime, and Hofmann also [Estius, Cocceius, Whitby, Peile, Revision, &c.J. L.] sees in the second class all who reject the gospel, whether heathens or Jews; in this we recognize the correct feeling, that to limit the second designation to the Jews is unjustifiable; but in that case the contrast is no longer clear, and there comes in the recollection of Christs reproach to the Jews, that they know not God (Joh 8:55; Joh 15:21; Joh 16:3; they are wanting in the knowledge described in Joh 17:3); with which the Apostles expressions are to be compared (Rom 3:11; Rom 10:2; Rom 11:8 sqq.). On the whole, since the antithesis here is different from that in Rom 2:12, one looks for a condemnation at last only on account of the rejection of Christ, in which alienation from God culminates. The also of 2Th 1:9 comprehends in one the two seemingly different classes; so that we shall do better to find already in the eighth verse a description, not of two classes of men, but merely of the two poles of enmity against God: the fundamental aversion of men generally, and the consummation of their contumacy, when the opportunity of faith has been afforded them; so Calvin [Bishop Hall], Pelt, De Wette, Olshausen; the repetition of the cannot force us to the opposite view,24 if we compare Rom 4:12 [see also my Revision of Rev 16:2, Note j. These two are much better examples than those which Ellicott cites, and objects to as questionable, viz. Mat 27:3; Luk 22:4.J. L.]. Moreover, the and the , 2Th 1:10, are not two different classes (as Bengel consistently would have it), but two parallel designations of the same persons. At any rate, we see here that the of 2Th 1:6 come under the judgment, not as being merely human oppressors of men, but as enemies of God. [Wordsworth: implies that their ignorance and disobedience is the cause of their punishment.J. L.]

5. (2Th 1:9-10.) Who [, who, as such.J. L.] shall suffer punishment, &c.: properly pay, discharge; but the etymology disappears, as the opposition would otherwise be incongruous: (namely) everlasting destruction; we had at 1Th 5:3; [Lachmann] is given only by A.; this were an adjective to ; but it is too feebly supported (the Sin. is also against it), and is unsuitable to , &c., and to which already has an adjective [?]; the mistake was occasioned probably by . The latter word might perhaps denote a long but still limited period; against this, however, is the parallel , Mat 25:41; Mat 25:46; therefore without limits. Olshausen thinks that Paul has not another text of equally decided import; but, though he does not use this expression, he yet does say unconditionally: (1Co 6:9-10). The , &c. is variously understood; Chrysostom, Bengel, Pelt, De Wette, Ewald, Hofmann explain from the face as of the efficient cause (Act 3:19, where, however, it is connected with ); would be not simply equivalent to person, but more expressive: from His face, which will be turned toward them in a threatening, penal, terrible manner; that mere look destroys them; Chrysostom: He needs but to appear, and they are punished; Hofmann compares Jer 4:26; Sept.25 De Wette supposes that the second member especially: from the glory of His power, compels us to think of the efficient cause; but of that too an explanation may be found, that agrees still better with , , namely, as Beza, Lnemann [Jowett, Alford, Ellicott], and others understand it, away from. Olshausen compares Isa 2:10; Isa 2:19; Isa 2:21, Sept.: They will hide themselves, fleeing , and finds in our text a breviloquence (as it were, hiding themselves from). But that is not at all necessary. We get the finest sense, and, as Lnemann properly remarks, a real advance, and not still the same thing merely that was already implied ., when we understand it as destruction (away) from the face of the Lord (Jesus Christ); like (Rom 9:3); comp. also in Rom 7:2; 2Co 11:3; Gal 5:4.26 This is destruction, to be separated from the blessed vision of His face, from the Source of light and life, from the influence of His gracious aspect; comp. Mat 7:23; and from the glory (the effulgence) of His strength; there is the less need of understanding this in De Wettes sense, that it is not said simply, from His strength, but from the of His strength. Lnemanns explanation indeed: from the glory which is the creation [Alford: visible localized result] of His power, is somewhat far-fetched; the parallelism leads us rather to understand by that something belonging to the Lord Himself; comp. also the Hebrew , Isa 2:10; Hofmann: from His strength appearing in its glory; Diedrich: the glory of His omnipotence, in its creation of a new heaven and a new earth, and in its entire communication of itself to the saved. And is not this a calamitous deprivation, to be separated from that glory of Christs power, which will glorify man into the likeness of the Lord? (Php 3:21); and so to remain without any share in that which follows in 2Th 1:10 : When He shall come, more exactly, shall have come [Alford, Ellicott, Wordsworth]. And now the parallel members pour forth in the splendor of the prophetic strain, and bring the positive supplement to the of 2Th 1:7. To be glorified in His saints does not mean simply to be praised by or amongst them in words, but to be actually shown to be glorious in the glory that He effects in them, by letting His glory appear in the glorification of His saints, by dwelling in them, and imparting Himself to them; see 2Th 1:12; Joh 17:10; Joh 17:22 sqq.; Rom 9:23. And so it is taken also by most expositors. The saints here are certainly Christians, not angels; the latter, indeed, were particularly named in 2Th 1:7. Nor does Bengel succeed in proving, convincingly, that the believers are a different class from the saints; we rather recognize in this place merely the solemn parallelism of the members. But this does not exclude the climax implied in the : in all, therefore also in you (2Th 1:4; 2Th 1:7). The being admired might be understood thus: In the hearts of His believers He will create for Himself an admiring adoration,; but the parallel member leads rather to this explanation: By that which He works in them He will show Himself wonderful; He will become the wonder and admiration of creation (especially perhaps of the angels, comp. Eph 3:10), when it is revealed, what He has known to make of His believers. Thus it is taken already by Chrysostom: ; Theophylact [Webster and Wilkinson] thinks, in the presence of those who are now stiff-necked; Lnemann: The blessedness of believers being admired, Christ also is therein admired as the Author of that blessedness; comp. , Isa 61:6, Sept. It is worthy of note, how delicately one member of the statement answers to the other; the glory reveals what despised holiness is, and when it becomes manifest to what faith attains, that is a matter of wonder (Hofmann).Because our testimony to you was believed; , equivalent to , ; belongs even without an article to . (according to Winer, 20. 2), that directed toward you (similarly Luk 9:5); were it to be referred to , must have been used.27 Bengel seems to take as that, for he says: motivum admirationis, as if the clause supplied the subject of ; whereas its subject is still the Lord. The words to are already rightly regarded as a parenthesis by Theodoret and Theophylact, and then by Zwingli and Calvin; . . goes back beyond that, but not, as Bengel would have it, to the too remote ; [still less, as Webster and Wilkinson would have it, to .J. L.], but to . and . Altogether untenable is Luthers translation: Our testimony to you of that day ye believed; as little does it answer to take for a future or (Grot.) a future perfect; to say nothing of other misinterpretations. The sense of the parenthesis with the verb put emphatically forward is this: Since our testimony to you was believed, therefore I can speak of in application also to you (, 2Th 1:1); yes, you too belong to the believers; he would fill them with the comfortable assurance: Ye are of the number. The addition of in that day, on the other hand, says: It will not happen till then; till then, patience! Calvin: fidelium vota cohibet, ne ultra modum festinent. [Perhaps also the phrase, in that day, was intended strongly to suggest the thought, that the very same day, which brings terror and ruin to the ungodly and unbelievers, brings rest and glory to their former victims.J. L.]Hofmann understands the passage otherwise; to avoid the parenthesis, he supposes that with . there is a new beginning; and that . , belongs to what follows, namely, to , thus getting now in his turn to for a parenthesis;intolerably harsh! For though the position of . . before might perhaps be justified by Act 19:4 and similar texts, yet to add to the inversion the parenthesis also is too Much.

6. (2Th 1:11-12) Darauf geht auch allezeit unser Beten fur euch (Thereunto tend also at all times our prayers for you); such was our German paraphrase; is not the same thing as , quapropter (Grot.); it might mean, in reference to which (Rom 4:20; Lnemann); but the final signification is to be preferred: aiming at which, to which end (Col 1:29; De Wette [Jowett, Revision, Webster and Wilkinson, Am. Bible Union, &c.]), and the objection to this, that the certain truth of the purpose of grace (2Th 1:10) would thus be made dependent on the Apostles prayers, loses its force, so soon as we closely connect therewith (with this view do we pray for you),28 and further perceive that , &c. merely carries out what at the forefront of the sentence indicates;29 at 1Th 3:10 likewise the import of the prayer is expressed in the form of a design. Bengel: hoc orando nitimur; that what was promised in 2Th 1:10 may fall also to your share. We also pray, he says; we too for our part, in harmony with the purpose of God. This we do besides giving thanks (2Th 1:3).30That our God (says he, with devout appropriation) may count you worthy of the calling; Grotius, Bengel, Olshausen, Ewald, and many understand it of making worthy; Von Gerlach: that He may bestow on you the necessary qualities, of which what follows would thus furnish the explanation. But is always to deem worthy, pronounce [?] worthy; therefore: that He may count you worthy of being adjudged the . But were they not called long since? what should this still impending mean? One might think, as in the parable of the supper, of repeated calls: that He may count you worthy of the last, decisive, energetic call, which brings you to the object; or as Hofmann says (and this might be separated from his distorted construction of our passage): that He may count you worthy of a calling, which brings to completion what began with our testimony and your faith therein; of the call (Mat 25:34), to which already Zwingli refers. But we may also with Lnemann (without regarding Php 3:14, , as quite parallel) understand as meaning that to which you are called: May He at last pronounce you worthy of that, the opposite of which might also, indeed, follow a want of fidelity31 comp. , of the thing hoped for, Col 1:5. The difference, after all, is really unimportant; for he, who is finally thought worthy of the glory to which Christians are called, is thought worthy also of the last invitation: Come, then!32 The Apostles prayer is directed, moreover, to this point (in order that the may be realized): that He may fulfil every desire of goodness, &c.; does not belong to this clause, not governing two accusatives, but the meaning is, in you. If we disregard obviously false interpretations (Grotius: your goodness, that is well-pleasing to Him; similarly Olshausen and others), the only question is, whether with Calvin, Bengel, Pelt, and others, we are to understand it thus: that He may fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, ex parte Dei, adds Bengel, and, at the second member, ex parte vestri. But that is not well here; De Wette, Lnemann, Ewald, Hofmann properly hold that the second member, which denotes something wrought in the Thessalonians, compels us to understand the first also of in the Thessalonians. Besides, Paul never uses this word of the Divine, but always of human goodness (Rom 15:14; Gal 5:22; Eph 5:9). And again, if Gods goodness was to be spoken of, we must necessarily have had ., and after it. The correct view, therefore, is: that He may bring (in you) to fulfilment every good pleasure in, every inclination to, goodness [so Alford, Ellicott, Webster and Wilkinson: better, grace in them than towards them, &c. Alford errs, however, in making a gen. of apposition.J. L.]. God must fulfil this; otherwise we are prone to evil; of the human disposition we find also at Rom 10:1. Delight in what is good is partly the first preparation for faith (Joh 7:17), and partly its fruit. But here the Apostle speaks, not merely of the furtherance of this disposition, but of its fulfilment. Thus we are not to think simply of a growing sanctification, nor, as regards the work of faith, simply, with Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact, of the endurance of persecutions; but Paul has his eye on the final mark. On , comp. the exegetical explanation of 1Th 1:3; for the completion and slight modification of that let it merely be added, that for the right understanding of that text it seems to us indispensable, 1. to take the three genitives in the same way, and 2. to avoid every interpretation, by which one member of the statement would be confounded with another. It is very clear that the is there the toil and labor springing from love, befitting love. This must guide us also in the first member; is the work springing from faith, befitting faith; not, however, the moral authentication of faith outwardly, which would encroach on the second or third member, but the fundamental inward work of faith in the soul; not the sum of the works which spring from faith, but that which is presupposed as the foundation of all moral activity, to wit, the primary act of breaking loose from self-confidence, and casting ones self entirely on the living God. Instead of Gal 5:6, the text for comparison is rather Rom 4:20-21. This energetic groundwork of faith Paul sees existing in the Thessalonians; he notes it in 1Th 1:9, whereas here his prayer for them is that God may fully accomplish it, and through faith bring to perfection the new man; , in power, with force (1Th 1:5); Lnemann: powerfully; resardua, says Calvin. It belongs to .That the name of our Lord Jesus, &c. Compared with 2Th 1:10, this word indicates that to Himself we can bring no glory, but His name is glorified in us, and we personally in Him. Yet is His (and in general the Divine) name itself something real, as is expressly shown by the present context, which in 2Th 1:12 asserts of the name what 2Th 1:10 says of Christ Himself. Hallowed be Thy name; in the name of Jesus we pray, and in the name of God the Father, &c. we are baptized; comp. Exo 23:31; Deu 26:2; 1Ki 8:29; Jer 32:20; Psa 48:11 [10]. What His name is in fact He Himself makes for Himself; it is not a name given by mere human invention and conception. He reveals Himself as he would be recognized and invoked, as He who is what He is called, and is effectively present wherever called upon. His name is glorified in us; and therefore this does not mean merely, that He is celebrated in the praises of our lips, but (as the second member shows) that He is in fact made glorious, when the Lord shows Himself in us true to His name, as the prayer-answering Saviour; when He prevails with us to have His name named upon us, as those who really belong to Him (Deu 28:10; Amo 9:12; Jam 2:7)And ye in Him, that is, may be glorified; a reciprocity, as in John 17. Most understand this as in Him, the Lord; Lnemann, Hofmann: in it, the name. As regards the meaning, the difference is unessential. This word likewise looks to the consummation; living in the Lord, we are to be made partakers of His glorified nature; in the name of the Lord: the power of that name, which is above every name. And all this, according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. He thus quenches all human pride. Since the article stands before , and not before , it is altogether most natural, with Hofmann, to refer also to Christ [but see Critical Note 13.J. L.], without this being, as Hilgenfeld supposes (p. 264), a mark of spuriousness; for not merely Tit 2:13, but also Rom 9:5 speaks of Christ in loftier terms than are agreeable to our modern critics (comp. Joh 20:28; 2Pe 1:1; 2Pe 1:11). The distinction between God and Christ is not to be sustained by an appeal to texts like 2Th 1:1-2, since there the article is wanting also before and .

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. (2Th 1:3.) It is important for all life, that it also grow; otherwise it stands still, or rather retrogrades. But growth in the kingdom of grace proceeds in part differently from what it does in the kingdom of nature. Even a tree, indeed, must grow as well below as above. But still more does that saying of Starke hold good of the Christian life: This growth takes place either openly and sensibly, when a man, after experiencing the sorrows of repentance, is sensibly comforted and quieted in his soul (Psa 103:1-5); or it takes place in a secret, concealed, hidden manner in circumstances of trial, when a man perhaps makes the most powerful advance, but God does not yet allow Him to be clearly and properly sensible of inStill more important is another distinction, to wit, that every being in nature, even every man and every people, reaches on the natural side a highest point, and then declines and goes toward death, whereas by Christ and His Holy Spirit is implanted in the individual and in humanity a germ of imperishable life, that does not decay, but ripens to perfection (2Th 1:11), and is just then most powerfully matured, when tribulation even to death wastes the outer man.

[Burkitt: As it is our duty, it will be our great wisdom and prudence, so to speak of the graces of God which we see and observe in others, as that they may not be puffed up with any conceit of their own excellencies, but see matter of praise and thanksgiving due unto God only, and nothing to themselves.M. Henry: We may be tempted to think that, though when we were bad we could not make ourselves good, yet when we are good we can easily make ourselves better; but we have as much dependence on the grace of God for the increasing the grace we have, as for the planting of grace when we had it not.J. L.]

2. (2Th 1:4.) Are we at liberty even to glory in men? Not so as to foster our own ambition, or to flatter the ambition of others. Nor is all danger obviated by saying, that we extol Gods work in them; the old man seeks to catch his share also therein. Where faith is really put to the trial of patience (Jam 1:2-5), there is the least risk of pride, and in such a trial there is incentive for others. They, who are commended, are not allowed by God to want for secret checks. For them too that word holds good: noblesse oblige.

3. (2Th 1:5.) Gods rule is a constant righteous judging and sifting with a gracious purpose; for righteousness stands in the service of grace; grace reigns through righteousness (Rom 5:21). But it is not always easy even for faith to keep track of this. Not merely are wilful, impatient persons offended, that it often seems to go ill with the good, and so well with the wicked; not merely do the frivolous and faint-hearted ask, Where is now the righteous God? but even Asaph had well-nigh slipped here. It is the triumph of faith, when it lays hold of the Apostles word, and in that very thing, which seems to conflict with all righteousness, learns to recognize the working out of righteous judgment. On one side it is a terribly earnest declaration of it, when God punishes sinners by giving them up to sin (Rom 1:24 sqq.; Rom 9:17; Rom 11:8 sqq., Rom 11:32); the Christian likewise may be sensibly visited with chastisement, and it is hard to stand beneath the judgment of God; nevertheless, in the severity itself there is comfort, since it lifts us above dependence on men. And to him, who yields to the humiliation, there is the further help vouchsafed, that his faith is strengthened in the impossibility of the righteous God allowing confidence in His promise to come to shame; and still more, in the very confusions of time he perceives evidence of the righteous judgment of God, which in sending afflictions and persecutions, in hardening the ungodly, in the chastisement and purification of the pious, in their separation from the world, and in their confirmation to a believing constancy, accomplishes itself from day to day, till in the final consummation (2Th 1:6 sqq.) it reaches the end of righteous retribution. Until then the account is still open; then comes the settlement.

4. Rieger: A man becomes meet for the kingdom of God under suffering; not as if by suffering he could deserve it. For truly our affliction is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18). The mercy of God in Christ alone makes us meet for this inheritance (Col 1:12). But Gods plan and order is, to try mans intrinsic worth and value by their endurance in the fire of affliction, and whether they are possessed by a paramount delight in the invisible and eternal, or by an irredeemable tendency to vanity (2Co 4:17-18). The heirs of the kingdom must earn for themselves the witness, that they love not their lives unto the death (Rev 12:11). In the judgment of the world, it is true, they suffer as evildoers, as wilful, unmanageable people; but the testimony of God in a good conscience bids them rejoice, and leap for joy, and glory in tribulation, because they suffer for the kingdom of God (Luk 6:23; 1Pe 4:13; Rom 5:3; comp. Rev 6:10 sq.; Rev 7:14; Rev 11:18).We add, that a man cannot claim the reward, as if he had first given something to God (Rom 11:35); but when God has trained, proved, and tested a man, like gold in the fire, He crowns in him His own grace, and gives him the reward of his fidelity.

[Lectures: That ye may be counted worthy, &c.;if indeed it is a righteous thing, &c. In using such expressionsand there are very many of them in the New Testamentthe inspired writers proceed upon the ground of that gracious covenant, in which, through their union with Chrst, believers stand, and whose merciful provisions, on Gods part absolutely sovereign and free, alone give them all the claim they have on the Divine favor here or hereafter. But that claim, though thus originating, and because thus originating, is an infinitely and eternally valid claim. It is deep and abiding, as the love of the Father for the Son; strong and sure, as the word and oath of Him who cannot liecannot deny Himselfor frustrate any hope which He himself has raised. In this respect, as in many others, the gospel salvation reveals Gods righteousness no less than it does His love.J. L.]

5. (2Th 1:6-7.) The jus talionis, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, or, with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again, would be improperly described as a human right of retaliation. It is rather just the inviolable Divine order, though in a sensible, allegorical form. Jesus Himself does not in Mat 5:38 sqq. reject the principle (comp. Mat 7:2), but merely the arbitrary Pharisaic abuse of it. A Divine order it remains, and as such is engraven on the human conscience, that guilt shall recoil on the head of the perpetrator. However much and however long justice may lie oppressed amongst men, with God it stands unshaken. All Gods long-suffering does not annul the fact, that His proceedings tend in the long run to a perfect retribution. For this reason even the purpose of Gods grace is not accomplished by means of an amnesty setting justice aside, but through the satisfaction of justice by an adequate atonement. Whoever rejects this, draws upon himself the final judgment; whoever in the sense of a living, penitent faith acquiesces in the economy of redemption, in that man the righteousness of God can work out salvation (1Jn 1:9; Rom 3:26). On the wrath of God, comp. the Apologet. Beitrge by Gess and Riggenbach, p. 89 sqq.[Barnes: If it is right that the sinner should be punished, it will be done.J. L.]

6. The eschatological excitement in Thessalonica, though it was known to the Apostle, does not at all hinder him from discussing these great truths. An abuse does not abrogate the proper use. And it is true that he speaks on the subject for the very express purpose of comforting those under persecution. But neither does he fail also to follow this up in 2 Thessalonians 2 with the needful sedatives. One chief mark of Scripture as originating with the Spirit of God is, that both in the teaching of doctrine and in the regulation of the life it speaks with so great depth and force, and yet at the same time also with so great moderation; never one-sidedly either in the way of exaggerating or in that of suppressing any truth. It is to be observed, moreover, that this expectation of rest at the return of Christ stands in distinct contradiction to the Irvingite doctrine of the translation; see the Doctrinal and Ethical Note on 1Th 4:17.33

7. (2Th 1:6-9.) But how should the prospect of the perdition of the ungodly serve to comfort the pious? This seems to savor of a malignant joy, or at least to express a strange longing for vengeance. To wait for the judgment of God, however, is something different from avenging ourselves (1Pe 2:23). And the former should as little be wanting in the children of God, as God ever ceases to be holy. The oppressors spoken of here, as so often in the Psalms, are not at all opponents on trifling grounds of human quarrel, but they hate Gods servants and children, because they hate Gods truth. In our text 2Th 1:8 especially shows that those are meant to whom salvation was offered, but they have trifled away their hour of grace. Respecting the violence and scorn of the ungodly the living sentiment of justice now cries to God. On this point no man can judge, who has no inward experience of zeal for Gods glory. Paul testifies with joyful faith, that now already the righteous judgment of God rules, but withal he holds fast, as a postulate, the final, complete separation between the pious and the ungodly, as in Mal 3:18. Scripture generally is far from any abstract, idealistic surrender of the final and absolute triumph of the cause of God. If then we think of the Apostles fervent longing to be made a curse for his brethren (Rom 9:3), if they could thereby be helped, we shall give up entirely talking about vindictiveness. Yet how few have experienced the vehement desire, that right shall still be right, and God continue to be God, which must arise in a soul compelled to endure the harshest abuse and oppression of its faith! We need not wish to be more merciful than the eternal Mercy (Mat 7:14). There is a point, at which the flaming majesty of the holiness of God advances in power against the obdurate despisers of His grace. Nevertheless, the love of enemies remains in force (1Th 5:15), so long as there is still anything to be hoped for. Calvins admonition is, that, although Paul promises vengeance, yet we are not to wish for it against any man. It is quite possible that the honor of Gods cause, and the salvation of those exposed to seduction, might impel an Apostle to call down a sharp judgment on the adversaries (1Co 5:5; Act 13:10-11); but the design always is, wherever it is still possible, correction in order to salvation; and human violence is never allowed to interfere (Mat 13:29. Give place unto wrath (Rom 12:19), that is, to the wrath of God; where that is kindled, it becomes man, in the fulness of awe, and also of humble submission, as well as of sympathy towards those who are judged, to stand aside. There thus exists a fundamental likeness between the piety of the Old Testament and that of the New. The difference does not consist in the setting aside in the New Testament of the threatenings of judgment, but only in this, that in Christs redemptive work there is revealed an inconceivably larger grace than the Old Testament gave occasion to expect, whereby the uttermost is done to render possible a deliverance from judgment. While the revelation before Christ was to be altogether truewholly that, and nothing more than that, which humanity before Christ was able to bearyet, with all the glory of the words of grace even in the Old Testament, it was still impossible that the fulness of mercy should be made known as it was by Christ in word and deed. Comp. the essay on die Nchstenliebe, Stud. und Krit., 1856, p. 117 sqq.

8. On not knowing God, see the Doctrinal and Ethical Note on 1Th 4:5. The heathen also are guilty, when they do not even inquire after God; but there are still many amongst them, who, for their own part, are at least in some measure excused by the general degradation. This is recognized in the words of the Lord respecting Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah (Mat 10:15; Mat 11:22; Mat 11:24). The consummation of guilt is, when the original stupidity towards God develops itself into conscious rejection of His gracious counsel and work; and here again also blasphemy against the Holy Ghost marks the highest point. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father (1Jn 2:23); this word is receiving an ever-growing fulfilment in our day. It is possible for one to pray to a God who yet is rather sought than known. But wherever Jesus, the highest revelation of the true God, is not merely still unknown, but is denied and rejected, there at last nothing more is retained than a power of nature, to which it is impossible to pray as to a Father. But as the denial of Jesus betrays the repugnance of the heart, so faith is a matter of the will. In the former case, the meaning is: So thou sayest, but I will not, and thus God is made a liar (1Jn 1:10); here the Apostle speaks of the obedience of faith. For this very reason the principle stands firm also with Paul, that a man is judged according to his deeds (Rom 2:6-11; 2Co 5:10). But the innermost soul of right conduct is obedience to the command for the reception of grace; and that is just faith.

9. Holy Scripture knows nothing of the entire renunciation of all motives of fear and hope, such as is required by philosophic morality; nor is it known in actual life. Even the dullest indifferentism, even the haughtiest self-consciousness, cannot fully extinguish fear and hope; nor should it. The only point of importance is, that the living God become their object.

10. The eternity of punishment is to many a peculiar offence. But let us not forget that only those are threatened with this (especially in Mat 12:31-32), on whom the merciful God, Father, Son, and Spirit, has brought to bear His entire work of grace, and has done so in vain.34 Through obdurate resistance to grace the state of inward desolation must have reached such a pass, that from a man in this condition even his neighbors necessarily become detached; whereas on the other hand we cannot think highly enough of the resources of the grace of God. Now since the grace of God Himself, being more fervent than a mothers love, cannot forget, and therefore cannot, it would appear, cease to love, how is it possible that it should perpetuate the life of the damned, merely to subject them to perpetual torment? In the line of these thoughts we reach various attempts to set bounds to the eternity of the punishments of hell. The most obvious device still would be to take in a limited sense; but the inference on the side of life [Mat 25:46] would scarcely be accepted. It must be allowed that, where we have to deal with first principles and final issues, we are least capable of viewing things as God Himself views them, and therefore also are least entitled to lay down definite doctrines transcending the rule of Scripture. Comp. Apolog. Beitrge, p. 239 sqq. [On the subject of this paragraph, see Lectures on Thessalonians, pp. 454460.J. L.]

11. (2Th 1:10-12.) Who can form to himself a sufficiently lofty conception of that glory, when the Lord shall glorify His own in soul and bodyshall disclose to all the world their previously unknown inward blessedness and sanctifying forcesshall manifest them as the Temple of God, as His friends and children, and introduce them to His everlasting joy (Calwer Handbuch der Bibelerklrung)! What amazement will it then awaken, to see this mighty body (of which Christ is the Head), grown up from the small seed-corn of faith, and now standing there perfect in its beauty through the union of all its members with the Head (Von Gerlach)!

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

2Th 1:3. Beginning and progressboth come from God; even growth therefore is no merit of ours.Heubner: As the individual, so likewise the Church must be constantly on the increase.Calvin: How disgraceful is our sluggishness, that we scarcely in a long while advance a foot!The same: We owe God thanks also for the good that He does to our brethren. So dear to us should be the salvation of our brethren, that whatever is given them we should regard as our own good. The welfare of every member tends to promote the prosperity of the whole Church.Paul seeks to keep all the churches bound to one another in cordial sympathy.Berl. Bib.: In the growth of love consists the greatest beauty of a church.Theophylact (after Chrysostom): We should not love one, and another not; partial love is not love, but the cause of quarrels.The same: It is not tears and lamentations that our sufferings deserve, but thanksgiving.[Bishop Wilson: If love abounds, faith also increaseth. This is a test.J. L.]

2Th 1:4. Heubner: Temptations verify faith; by persecution is Christianity sealed.Sthelin: The fairest growth of faith, love, and experience flourishes on the stem of the cross.In such circumstances a mere notion does not hold its ground.Chrysostom: Where love and faith are weak, they are shaken by affliction; where they are strong, they become thereby still stronger.How is it that in distress faith grows? and how love?

2Th 1:5. To what degree is the patient endurance of persecution proof of the righteous judgment?When things go well with the ungodly, the carnal mind says: There is no judgment.Heubner: That which now appears to conflict with the Divine righteousness is for faith a confirmation of it. It is shown that God saves those only who are proved and sorely tried. Thy sufferings are necessary for the justification and glorification of the righteousness of God. Thou art thereby to appear as one worthy of salvation.Berl. Bib.: Satan must not say: Christians do well to be pious; they are not allowed to suffer.Stockmeyer: When it is said: Where is now the righteous God? why does He not own us? understand that, in enduring with patience and faith, thou hast already experienced a palpable demonstration of the righteousness of God.The same: From the glorious end light is reflected on the darkest experiences, wherein, however, the righteousness of God even already wrought, to make thee by means of thy unjust suffering gradually worthy of salvation.Starke: There is such a thing as the holy vengeance of God; Antiochus, Herod, Nero experienced it.Heubner: To vex, afflict, oppress a man that loves God, and is loved by God, is in Gods eyes one of the most heinous offences.Chrysostom: We would not vindictively rejoice over the punishment of others, but over our own deliverance from such punishment and torment.God will assign to every one the position suitable to his inward state.Berl. Bib.: The inward and outward and external will there be mutually reconciled.

2Th 1:7. There is such a thing as coming out of great tribulation, a Sabbath rest, a blessed liberty of the children of God.Heubner: Like faith, like trial, like reward.Calvin: Much greater deference is given to those who have had long practice in that which they teach; Paul does not stand in the shade, and bid the Thessalonians fight in the sun.Heubner: The angels have power to execute the judgments of God; the mightiest villain is powerless against them; one glance of an angel smites him to the earth.

2Th 1:8. Chrysostom: By saying nothing about hell, wilt thou thus extinguish it?The same: No one who keeps hell in view, will fall into hell.The same: It is a great evil, to despise threatenings.Theophylact: If those are condemned, who do not obey the gospel, how much more those who prevent the obedience of others!

2Th 1:9. Mark that terribly serious word, everlasting.Rieger: To appear before Jesus, and to be unable to stand in the presence of His glorious power, will be just as intolerable for the ungodly as their punishment itself; even as the trial and court-day are often felt more keenly than the penalty.Heubner: To be banished from the face of Christ is more than all torture.

2Th 1:10. [Leighton: Glorified in His saints, &c.;how much more in the matchless brightness of His own glorious person!J. L.]Stockmeyer: It will one day be manifest, that sanctification is glorification; at present many dread it as being the death of the old man.Roos: Every one will wonder that from an insignificant root (faith) has sprung the splendid flower of glory, or that faith in the preached gospel should have drawn after it such glorious results.The same: That Christ should be glorified and admired in the saints requires that they too have glorified bodies, and appear with Christ (Col 3:4).Stockmeyer: Many will be surprised, when too late, that many things which they pronounced impossible have yet come to pass.[Lardner: The wisdom, power, and faithfulness of Christ, glorified in the perfect holiness, external glory, and great number, of His people.J. L.]

2Th 1:3-10 is one of the Epistles for the 26th Sunday after Trinity (or else for the 27th). It proclaims to us the righteousness of Divine retribution, 1. as consolation for oppressed Christians, who are growing in faith and love: a. already in the midst of their affliction let them recognize the holy rule of the righteousness of God; b. let them confidently expect, in the day of revelation, not merely rest from their labor, but glorification; 2. as a serious warning for the adversaries, who are not merely a. driven now already from one degree to another of hostility to God, but are also, b. drawing upon themselves everlasting destruction; nor can they charge this on the gospel, but solely on their disobedience to it.

2Th 1:11. Stockmeyer: Whoever is able to suffer for the cause of God, so long as it is still despised and assailed, is worthy also to rejoice with it, when it comes to honor.

2Th 1:12. Heubner: Jesus is best glorified, and the honor of His name vindicated, in the life of Christians. Were this apology furnished by Christians, no written one would be needed, and their slanderers would be struck dumb.

2Th 1:11-12. Stockmeyer: In this section are two things deserving of all consideration: 1. that the Apostle feels himself impelled, even for such a Christian church as that was, still to make continual intercession; and 2. what it is that he asks for them. 1. The Apostles and Christ Himself lay great stress on intercessory prayer, whether it be the pouring forth of our hearts sorrow for such as are still to us the occasion of sorrow, or whether it is because we reflect on how much is involved in a mans persevering to the end in the right way. Of course, intercession is not a kind of convenient makeweight for laziness, which likes to do nothnig otherwise; but it seeks the blessing of God, without which we can do nothing. 2. The matter of the intercession is, that God would bring them to a point where He can count them worthy of the heavenly calling in its entire length and breadth; and, for this purpose, that He would grant them grace to remain faithful and obedient to the call to holiness. Thus will be fulfilled the saying: I am thine, thou art mine.

Footnotes:

[1]2Th 1:1.[Sin.1 inserts before the reading of two cursive manuscripts, but corrected in Sin.2J. L.] 2Th 1:2. is wanting only in B. D. E.; it is found in the majority of uncials (also Sin.), versions, and Fathers. [It is bracketed by Lachmann, and cancelled by Tischendorf and Alford.J. L.]

[2]2Th 1:3.[; see 1Th 2:13, Critical Note 2.Sin.1 omits .J. L.]

[3]2Th 1:4.For , Sin., with B. and a few cursives, reads .Revision: Grammatically, belongs only to , and only to .In the First Epistle E. V. always renders affliction, and often elsewhere.J. L.]

[4]2Th 1:6.[, hypothetical, not causal; see the Exegetical Note 4. Vulgate, si tamen; English Version in four out of the other five cases of , if so be (that), and so Alford and Ellicott here; De Wette and Lnemann, wenn anders.J. L.]

[5]2Th 1:6.[ . Ellicott, who retains the Greek order: The change seems to preserve more clearly the antithesis, and also to bring more into prominence the lex talionis that is tacitly referred to.J. L.]

[6]2Th 1:8. is given by Sin. A. K. L., nearly all the minuscules, Chrysostom and others; , by B. D. E. E. G. [Scholz, Lachmann, Wordsworth, Ellicott]. Tischendorf prefers the former, because the other as being the more common might more easily arise from correction, and in other places where it is genuine there is never any appearance of change.

[7]2Th 1:8.[Or: and to those who obey not. This construction, naturally suggested by the repetition of the article, is adopted by very many, and understood to designate a different class from the . See in opposition to this view Exegetical Note 4, and in favor of it the Revision of this verse, Note a.J. L.]

[8]2Th 1:8. is added in Sin., A. F. G., and many versions; it is wanting in B. D. E. K. L., Coptic and others.[Riggenbach follows Knapp and Lachmann in bracketing .; it is omitted by Bengel in his German version, Tischendorf, Alford, Ellicott.J. L.]

[9]2Th 1:9.[. Comp. Mat 18:10; Luk 1:76; 2Co 4:6; 1Pe 3:12; Rev 20:11J. L.]

[10]2Th 1:10.All the uncials [and critical editions] give ; only a few minuscules have .

[11]2Th 1:11.[ . See the Exegetical Note 6, and Revision, Notes q and r. Desire (Rom 10:1), though not precisely an equivalent for , is in this instance convenient, and at least more readily intelligible than Ellicotts phrase, every good pleasure of goodness. Am. Bible Union: all the good pleasure of goodness.J. L.]

[12]2Th 1:12.In this case Sin. does not stand with Codd. A. F. G., which add . [Riggenbach omits it, as do Tischendorf, Alford, Wordsworth, Ellicott. Knapp and Lachmann bracket.J. L.]

[13]2Th 1:12.[Or: our God and Lord Jesus Christ. So Riggenbach and some others. Generally, however, this case is regarded as an exception to the ordinary rule of grammar, on the ground that . . is a common title of Christ, and is often used independently of all which precedes it (Middleton).J. L.]

[14][Lnemanns construction, however, is the common one, and is preferred by Alford, Ellicott, Webster and Wilkinson: Added to introduce the special subject of thankfulness, as one that fully justifies the assertion, . .J. L.]

[15][ber die Erwartung. Better in the version: bersehr, exceedingly, beyond measure.J. L.]

[16][mehrt sich; in the version, zunimmt.J. L.]

[17][Rather to all that precedes from to . So Fritzsche, De Wette, Lnemann, Alford, Ellicott. See the Revision, Note k.J. L.]

[18][The above is scarcely an exact representation of De Wettes view. He indeed parenthetically suggests as a possible explanation of the idea of the substance or purport (Inhalt) of Gods righteous judgment, as he does also that of Lnemann (Folge, result); but he himself plainly prefers allowing the Greek phrase its usual final force: der Zweck des gttlichen Rechstspruches. Nor does De Wette speak of the subjective worthiness being realized by means of the objective judgment of God; what he says is, that by the latter the Thessalonians shall be actually and in fact translated into Gods kingdom: das Rechtsurtheil Gottes, durch welches sie wirklich und in der That in das Reich Gottes werden versetzt warden. He errs merely in restricting the Divine judgment to its future manifestation.J. L.]

[19][Lectures: Such being the design and tendency, and such the certain result, of Gods righteous judgment concerning His afflicted saints.J. L.]

[20][I cannot but fear that the above elaborate discussion still leaves the matter somewhat obscure. Ellicott, perhaps too rigorously, confines the to that which will be displayed at the Lords second coming; but he appears to be quite right in saying, that to refer it solely to present sufferings, as perfecting and preparing the Thessalonians for future glory (Olsh.), is to miss the whole point of the sentence: the Apostles argument is that their endurance of suffering in faith is a token of Gods righteous judgment and of a future reward, which will display itself in rewarding the patient sufferers, as surely as it will inflict punishment on their persecutors. In my Revision and Lectures the case was put thus: The patience and faith of the Thessalonians under persecution indicated the righteous judgment of God, by which they were even now, and hereafter were to he still more gloriously, accredited as meet heirs of His kingdom; just because, and in so far as, there was thus indicated the realization in their character and condition, as Gods justified, sanctified, and at the same time suffering people, of the very grounds on which, by the laws of that kingdom, such a judgment must proceed.J. L.]

[21][Ellicott: The with a species of consecutive force supplies a renewed hint of the connection between the suffering and the , … Alford: q. d ye accordingly,J. L.]

[22][And so the Peschito Syriac, Drusius, Michaelis, Koppe, except that they connect the with .J. L.]

[23][So the Syriac, Beza, and many others.J. L.]

[24][Ellicott, however, is of opinion that it renders that view all but certain.Revision: I see no reason in the present case to waive the operation, of the ordinary grammatical rule, especially as ignorance of God is frequently with Paul the specific characteristic of Gentilism; 1Th 4:5 (comp. Sept. Jer 10:25); Act 17:23; Act 17:30; Rom 1:28; Gal 4:3; Eph 2:12, &c.; and it is, moreover, probable that the present (2Th 1:4-5), no less than the previous (1Th 2:14; Act 17:6, &c.), sufferings of this church had a double source, in the blind ungodliness of the heathen in general, and the special malignity of all such as resisted the grace of the gospel.J. L.]

[25]

[Comp. 2Th 2:8; Exo 14:24; Psa 104:32; Hab 3:6. My Revision cites Shakespeare, Julius Csar, i. 2 Thessalonians 3 :

Csar shall forth: the things that threatend me,
Neer lookd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Csar, they are vanished.J. L.]

[26][Also Gen 4:16; Pro 15:29; Jer 32:31; Mat 22:13; 1Jn 2:28 (in the Greek;and see the other references in my Revision of that verse, Note a).J. L.]

[27][And then with the genitive, not, as here, the accusative.J. L.]

[28][It is, however, taken for granted throughout, that the Thessalonians were of the number of the saved; and therefore the ultimate answer to the objection is that given in my Revision: It is no part whatever of Pauline philosophy, that the gracious and unalterable purpose of God vacates the prayers and efforts of faith. Only by means of these could Paul and his brethren aspire to be co-workers with God toward the predestined result. See 1Co 3:9; 2Co 6:1; Php 2:12-13, &c.J. L.]

[29][Not exactly so. refers immediately to the future glorification of the Lord in His saints; , &c. to the preparatory sanctifieation of the Thessalonians.J. L.]

[30][Alford: We pray also (as well as wish). Ellicott: Besides merely longing or merely directing your hopes, we also avail ourselves of the definite accents of prayer, the gently contrasting the with the infusion of the hope and expectation involved in the preceding words, and especially echoed in the parenthetical member. Lectures: As that (2Th 1:10) was to be the result of the Advent in believers generally, so also, and with a view to the same consummation, Pauls continual request at the throne was, that the necessary preparatory work might be completed in the members of this particular church.J. L.]

[31][ ;not, your calling (Peile, Alford, Ellicott). Comp. 3Jn 1:7, .J. L.]

[32][Ellicott:, though realty the initial act; comp. 1Th 2:12), includes the Christian course which follows (Eph 4:1), and its issues in blessedness hereafter. See Revision and Lectures. I am still inclined to refer to Gods final judgment on the Thessalonians as having walked worthy of their vocation ( , Eph 4:1. Comp. the invariable New Testament use of , as in 1Th 2:12, and the import of in Mat 3:8; Luk 3:8; Act 26:20). But as those whom God counts worthy He first makes worthy, the rest of the verse describes this preparatory process.J. L.]

[33][I am not aware of any sufficient scriptural evidence of the doctrine referred to. But just as little, so far as I can see, is it contradicted by our text.J. L.]

[34][This seems to mean that none are in danger of eternal punishment but blasphemers of the Holy Ghost. Believing this doctrine to be thoroughly unscriptural, I shall be allowed here simply to express my firm dissent.J. L.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

The Apostle opens his Epistle with his usual Benediction, He desires to bless God for the Prosperity of the Church at Thessalonica. He comforts the People under all their Trials, with the assured Prospect of Christ’s coming.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

(1) Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (2) Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is really delightful to observe how uniformly the Apostle keeps in view the grace of God, when writing to the Churches. And as God’s grace, in the everlasting love of his purpose, counsel, will, and pleasure, is the source and spring of all the blessings which follow in the Church of peace, and mercy in redemption, with all their blissful consequences, we may well account for the Apostle’s beginning all he had to offer the Church in this manner.

I would beg the Reader to pause over it a moment, and consider some few of the wonderful properties of grace. The first, and best, and highest sense of it, as it relates to Jehovah’s exercise of it towards the Church from all eternity, is, in itself, one of the most blessed subjects which can call up the exercise of our awakened faculties, either in time, or in eternity. Grace, in its original source and spring, hath no one motive but as it arose in the divine mind. No predisposing cause, but God’s pleasure. Neither worthiness, nor unworthiness, in the persons on whom he causeth his grace to shine, being in the least concerned. It would cease to be grace, if the Lord had been moved to exercise it from the foreview of merit, in any of those on whom he bestowed it, or if he withheld it from the knowledge of undeservings among any of his creatures. Paul elsewhere defines grace with this divine property. If by grace, (saith he,) then is it no more works: otherwise grace is no more grace. Rom 11:1 . Reader! do not overlook this scriptural account of grace, from the exercise of which all our mercies flow. Redemption by Christ, regeneration by the Holy Ghost, justification before God in Christ without works; yea against all undeservings, sanctification in Christ, the forming the spirit anew in Christ Jesus, together with all those gracious dispositions formed in the new nature by the Holy Ghost, all, all flow as so many streams from this one fountain. And the whole sum and substance of the Bible, in the ultimate design of Jehovah going forth in acts of creation, redemption, providence, grace, and everlasting happiness to the Church, is to this one point, and no other; to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Eph 1:6 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2 THESSALONIANS

X

INTRODUCTION AND EXPOSITION TO 2 THESSALONIANS

2Th 1:1-12 .

We commence this discussion with an outline of 2 Thessalonians and then we will give an exposition of chapter I of the book.

OUTLINE 1. The occasion of this second letter to the Thessalonians. After writing the first letter, tidings had been received concerning the reception of the first letter and concerning the state of affairs in that church. These things particularly he had learned:

(1) That the persecution was more violent than when he was there; that their love and their faith increased with the persecution.

(2) That a report was circulated as coming from one with miraculous gifts that Paul himself, either by word or letter, had taught that the day of Christ’s second coming was close at hand.

(3) That in consequence of believing this report, some of these Thessalonians quit every other business. The merchant dropped his yardstick; the blacksmith threw down his hammer; the farmer left his plow in the field, and all stood around with nothing else to do except talk about the ascension to heaven. You see why it was that Paul told them to prove those prophesyings.

2. The time and the place. The place was Corinth. It was from Corinth that he wrote the first letter. The time is somewhat uncertain. Paul remained at Corinth, as we know from Acts, for eighteen months, and it may have been as much as a year between the two letters. The outline itself consists of all the points:

(1) Salutation like the first letter.

(2) New ground for thanksgiving.

(3) Another view of our Lord’s second advent.

(4) Paul’s prayer for them.

(5) His correction of the misapprehension of the time of the advent, showing in his correction that two things must precede that advent: (a) the great apostasy, and (b) the revelation of the man of sin.

(6) The plan of salvation: how that plan conduces to steadfastness, and in view of that plan, what things to hold fast.

(7) Another prayer for them.

(8) He asks their prayers for him.

(9) Directions for corrective discipline in the church.

(10) In view of reported letters from him which he did not write, he adopts for the future a method of authenticating his letters. Paul was nearly blind, and usually dictated his letters, but from now on he signs his letters with his own hand, all except one, Hebrews, and I will explain why he did not sign that when we get to it.

(11) An orderly arrangement of every passage that bears upon the second coming of Christ, with the analysis of those several statements showing the sum of the teachings of them.

The first item of the analysis of this letter is the salutation, but I have no remarks to make on the salutation contained in this second letter to the Thessalonians because everything necessary has been said on the similar one in the first letter. But in the thanksgiving that follows the salutation there is this new element: Their faith, hope, and love increased in proportion to their afflictions. That is a fine testimony. Many Christian people, depressed by afflictions, say if they had an easier time they could exercise more faith and love. But these Thessalonians increased in faith and love as their tribulations increased.

We now come to the important part of the second letter. Here is a new viewpoint on the day of our Lord the second coming of Christ. The closing paragraph of 1Th 4 and the first paragraph of 1Th 5 , present the second coming of our Lord with reference to the Christian people, giving up some incidents, to wit: That Jesus will bring with him the spirits of all Christians who have died, and that their bodies will be raised before the living Christians are changed. In 1Th 5 he adds that on the wicked, that day will come like a thief in the night, and their destruction will be wholly unanticipated. But he has very little to say about the wicked there. Here he deals with the result of the second coming just as much on the wicked as on the righteous. He does not re-open the discussion of the resurrection, which has already been clearly set forth in the first letter, but presents the doctrine of the judgment that follows the coming of our Lord. We are always to understand that there will be first a resurrection, and then a judgment. We are now to look at the judgment part of this letter.

The first thought concerns the earth. This is the language, referring to the increase of their patience and faith in all their persecutions and afflictions: “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,” that is, here in this world when good people, pious and God-fearing, are crushed under persecutions, the mind begins to inquire, why does not God punish the wicked? Is there divine justice? Paul says the fact that these Christians bear with love and patience the wrongs put upon them is a token of the righteous judgment of God. It proves that if exact justice is not meted out in this world it will be in the world to come. When we see the good down, and evil on top, and that state continues for a great length of time, it is a token that there must be a judgment hereafter to right that wrong, or else one must doubt the justice of God.

The next thought is, that when Jesus comes he will recompense rest to the afflicted people, and afflictions to those that afflict them. Both take place when Jesus comes. There will be no difference in time, no gap between these two. It is a mistaken interpretation of the word of God that judgment on the righteous will be separated by any great lapse of time from judgment on the wicked. The double judgment takes place at the same time. Let us see if that point is not clear: “If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed.”

As this is the letter that discusses the second coming of Christ as no other part of God’s Word, giving such a comprehensive view of it, great weight should be attached to every statement in it.

No public teacher is excusable who fails to see in many perfectly plain, literal, unfigurative teachings of God’s Word that the resurrection is a general resurrection, and the judgment is a general judgment, and that the two classes come before the Lord at the same time.

Particularly, note the remarkable prophecy of our Lord in Mat 25:31 , where he says, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory [in his first advent he came in humiliation], and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them as a man separates the goats from the sheep. And he shall say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,’ and to those on the right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father.’ “

That is not allegory, parable, symbol, nor vision, but plain, literal teaching.

That is in perfect accord with his other teaching where he says that the Ninevites that were converted in the time of Jonah should rise up in the judgment with this generation. Here were converted and unconverted people rising up in the judgment together. That is exactly as he states it in the next paragraph, when he says, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it.” It is in exact accord with the literal part of Revelation, commencing at Rev 20:11 , where the white throne appears, and him that sat thereon, and where all the dead, great and small, are brought before him for judgment, and the books are opened. Those that are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are saved, and those not found written in that book are cast into the lake of fire.

I emphasize the teaching of many plain, literal passages that when Jesus comes the whole world will stand before him, all the angels good and bad, and judgment will be rendered to all angels and all men at the same time.

The evil angels have already received their punishment for leaving their first estate, but there is new matter for judgment in the treatment which they gave to the cause of Christ and his people. If the good angels have been ministering spirits to them that are the heirs of salvation, they will be so confirmed that it will never be possible for another angel to fall, and if the evil angels have hindered the cause of Christ they will be cast into the eternal hell prepared for them.

The judgment rendered upon good and bad is an eternal judgment. Listen at this language “Who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”

When the saints are glorified, when their souls and bodies are reunited, there will never be any possibility for one of them to incur a future judgment, because it will be impossible for them in their new condition to sin.

Not only is the destiny eternal, but it is expressly called “punishment,” and not “consequence” in the case of the wicked. There are some people whose sensibilities shrink from the thought of anyone’s suffering eternal punishment. They certainly have not studied the Bible. Even here on this earth if a man become incorrigible in wickedness, we stop him by eternal laws so far as our power can go, from doing further harm. If he be not executed on the gallows, he is at least imprisoned for life. It is the love of God that inflicts that punishment and makes it eternal. See a parent awaking in the night and beholding a wolf about to seize the baby lying on the floor asleep. Do the mother and father fold their hands and say, “Oh, it is cruel to hurt anything! Go away, Mr. Wolf, I won’t hurt you”? Or does the love of that parent prompt to strike fast, hit hard, and hit to kill?

When for thousands of years the wicked have been opposing God’s people, ridiculing them, inflicting wrong after wrong, and when age after age God’s people have prayed, “Come, Lord Jesus,” and the souls of God’s saints under the altar have cried out, “How long O Lord, holy and true, wilt thou not avenge us upon our adversaries?” there must come a time when God hears that prayer and puts it forever out of the power of the wicked to oppress his people.

There is always a tendency to fixedness of type. Man after a while becomes so wicked, waxing worse and worse, that his character crystallizes. That man hates light, and he would be in hell if he were in heaven. I am not right sure but heaven would be more painful to him than hell, because he would have no sympathy with anything there. He would have only hatred and antagonism toward it. Science unites with revelation in that fixity of type. Science tells us that the tendency toward fixedness of type will bring crystallization of character that cannot change and is without remedy.

Then take this thought: What is ‘it that keeps men here on earth from becoming totally bad? It is the restraining presence of human law, the light of religion, the illustrious examples of the saints, the preaching of the word of God, and the Holy Spirit. Hundreds of thousands of loving fathers and mothers of Christian people are working for their salvation, but when Jesus comes, preaching stops, praying for the lost stops, and in the place to which they go, they may indeed pray, but not be heard; their tears may fall, but not in mercy’s sight. There is no gospel preached to them. The Spirit dispensation is ended, and without the power of the Spirit they could not be converted, and thus the means of salvation are withdrawn. That alone would make their status eternal.

The eye of every Christian should be fixed on the second coming of the Lord in view of the judgment that will follow that coming, and his heart should turn to the fact that with that day everything that goes wrong in time will be righted. I do not suppose that there was ever a man on earth, good or bad, but who some time or other in his life has asked for a general judgment in the world to come. Every wicked man will tell about certain wrongs he has suffered, and these wrongs here have never been righted, and the consciousness of his wrongs has made him appeal to the final arbitrament of their cases and to a decision that will be both righteous and inexorable.

There is here a thought of marvelous beauty -to which I wish to call attention: “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be marvelled at in all them that believed.” The thought is that the power of any man and the benevolence of his intelligence are estimated by the greatest product of his mind and hand.

Sir Christopher Wren is glorified in Westminster Abbey, which was the greatest work of his genius, and as one steps into the abbey he passed under a sentence which reads, “Whoever wishes to see the monument of the architect, let him look around.”

The illustration helps us to see what will be the character of the glory of Jesus Christ in his people. When he saw them they were utterly lost, their nature depraved, under condemnation, without a friend, sinking down beneath the righteous frown of God. He came to save them, some of them drunkards, some of them whore-mongers, some robbers, some murderers, and commencing the good work in them by regeneration, and continuing it by sanctification, until their spirits were perfected, and consummating it by the resurrection and glorification of their bodies so that these that had been drunkards, liars, thieves, murderers, adulterers, stand there on that day in his own glorious image. Who did this? What mighty architect? It was Jesus. Jesus will be glorified in his people just as the sculptor will be glorified in the statue that comes from the skill of his hands and the thought of his mind. The sculptor looks on a piece of rough, unhewn marble, that a thousand people can see nothing in but marble, but with his eye of genius he sees in it the angel that can be carved from it. He begins to chip and chisel until, at last, form and outline appear. The rough outline assumes symmetry; the face takes on ‘expression, the eyes seem to glow with fire, and as the finishing touch is put upon the statue, we marvel at the artist in his work. In that way Christ will be glorified in his people. This is the last thought in chapter 1.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the occasion of the second letter to the Thessalonians, when and where written?

2. What is the analysis of the letter, seriatim?

3. What new ground for thanksgiving?

4. What advance in the discussion of the second advent here?

5. How does the patient endurance of the Thessalonians under persecution become a token of future and final judgment of God?

6. What does Paul teach in this letter as to the effect of Christ’s coming on the wicked and the righteous?

7. What is the teaching of our Lord on the same point?

8. What is the teaching of Revelation on this same point?

9. What new matter for judgment relative to the angels?

10. What is the nature of the judgment discussed here, and the proof?

11. What is the nature of the destiny of the wicked as revealed in this letter?

12. What the relation between God’s love and the punishment of the wicked? Illustrate.

13. What tendency of human nature here pointed out? Illustrate.

14. What keeps men here on earth from becoming totally bad?

15. Why should the Christian have his eye fixed on the second coming of our Lord?

16. How will Christ at his second coming be glorified in his saints? Illustrate.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Ver. 1. In God our Father, and the Lord, &c. ] As God is in his people of a truth,1Co 14:251Co 14:25 , so are they in God; and as Christ is at God’s right hand, so is the Church at Christ’s right hand, Psa 45:9 . Yea, they are in him, and part of him, &c.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

1, 2 .] ADDRESS AND GREETING. On 2Th 1:1 , see 1Th 1:1 , note.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

2Th 1:1-8 . The address (2Th 1:1-2 ) is followed first by a thanksgiving (2Th 1:3-10 ) which passes into a prophetic piece of consolation, and then by a brief prayer (2Th 1:11-12 ).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

2 Thessalonians Chapter 1

The first Epistle to the Thessalonians dealt with a mistake of the saints there as to those who fall asleep in Christ. In their immature and absorbing occupation with the coming or presence of the Lord, they had too hastily affirmed that such saints as were not found alive and waiting for Him would lose their part, not of course in eternal life and salvation, but at that blessed moment of His advent. This error was dissipated, not only by bringing in the grand principle of a dead and risen Christ with whom we are associated, and of especial cheer to those who are put to sleep by Him, but by a special revelation which discloses the Lord descending to raise the dead in Christ, and change the believers surviving till His coming, in order to their all coming together along with Him.

In the second Epistle, the delusion which false teachers sought to foist on the saints, and even with the claim of the Spirit, and a pretended letter of the apostle, concerned the living whom the enemy endeavoured to shake and trouble under the apprehension of the presence of the day. All knew that the day of the Lord is to be ushered in by darkness and divine judgments, and these Satan sought to inflict on the saints so as to fill them with terror and distress. Clearly this is the natural expectation of a Jew, who even if he fully confided in the faithfulness of God, cannot but look for an awful season of tribulation and of judicial dealings to precede the kingdom of glory for Israel on the earth. (Isa. 2 – 4: 13; Jer 30 , Joe 2:3 .Amo 5 ; Zeph. 1 – 3). As the enemy is ever at work to draw back the heart of the Christian to the law, if he cannot entice him into lawlessness, so did he at Thessalonica, and ever since, put forth his wiles to judaise the hope, presenting the Lord as about to appear in judgment, instead of letting him rejoice in His coming as the Bridegroom for the bride. The deception is the more perilous, because the day of the Lord is a weighty truth in itself, and the revealed period of divine intervention and blessing for the ancient people of God. How the coming of the Saviour, for us who now believe and wait for Him from heaven, would fit in with the prophetic testimony, must have been as yet vague, for there was no written word to define the matter or solve the difficulty. Hence the importance of this fresh communication. For the question was raised by Satan’s attempt to pervert the saints from the enjoyment of their own proper hope. They were agitated under the false alarm that the day was actually come. This more or less completely obscured from their eyes their bright and longing expectation of the Saviour’s coming to receive them to Himself, and present them, perfectly like Him in glory, before the Father with exceeding joy.

As in the first Epistle, the apostle does not immediately grapple with the error, but prepares the hearts of the saints gradually and on all sides so as to clench the truth and exclude the error once it is exposed. This is the way of divine grace and wisdom; the heart is set right, and not the mere point of error or evil dealt with. The very snare is thus made the occasion of fresh and deeper blessing; and as all truth is consolidated, so the Lord is more enjoyed.

“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly of Thessalonians in God our Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God [the] Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.”

“We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, because your faith increaseth exceedingly, and the love of each of you all toward one another aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and the tribulations which ye are enduring” (ver. 1-4).

It is impossible to accept as sound and satisfactory Chrysostom’s remarks on the address to “the church” rather than to “the saints,” as in other epistles. (Field’s ed. v. 314, Oxon. 1855). It has nothing to do with comparative paucity of numbers, and their aggregation in a single company. For in no city perhaps were the saints more numerous than in Jerusalem, when we read of the church or assembly there (Act 5:11 ; Act 8:1 ; Act 11:22 ; Act 15:4 , Act 15:22 ). A similar remark applies to Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, or to any other place where we know the numbers were great comparatively, and there might be, as in Jerusalem, not a few houses where the saints met to break bread, but all composed “the assembly” there. Never, in short, whatever the number do we in Scripture hear of “assemblies” in a city (as of a province), but always of “the assembly.” No doubt the apostle addresses those at Ephesus and Colosse and Philippi and Rome as “saints”, but this, because of the truth he was communicating by the Spirit of God, and not because of their greater numbers. In fact, we read of “the assembly in Ephesus” (Rev 2:1 ) after his Epistle to “the saints” as well as before (Act 20:17 ). Nobody can deny that a long time had passed and the organisation was complete, when St. John wrote to “the assembly” there; and therefore Chrysostom’s reason is invalid. The true ground lies in the perfection of wisdom with which the Holy Spirit addresses according to the nature of that which He is making known.

Thus the apostle again associates with himself in the salutation those dear fellow-labourers whom the saints in Thessalonica knew already when the assembly was founded there: and he again characterises the assembly as in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: the one severing them from Gentiles, as the other from Jews. Indeed at bottom both contrasted them with both. For what did a Jew more than a Gentile know of such a new living, and intimate relationship with God as Father? And what knew a Gentile more than a Jew of a rejected but risen Lord and Saviour in heaven? “Our” is added here, as compared with the opening formula in the first Epistle. Is is not to rivet emphatically those saints, who, however well they walked in most respects, needed to be reminded more than ever of their common relationship with him who wrote, and with all saints, to Him whose grace is the source of all blessing?

Thanks as before he owns as due to God always for them, not simply because they were objects of His grace, but as was meet because their faith was greatly growing, and the love of each individually and of all mutually was abounding. This was much; but what of their joy of hope in the Holy Ghost? Of this he says nothing. And the absence is the more striking, because in the introduction to the first Epistle he had spoken of remembering without ceasing, not only their work of faith and labour of love, but also their patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Here, to the close observer, there is an ominous silence on any such enduring constancy of hope. Yet there is nothing said to damp their hearts, but all he could say to encourage. The fact is that their hope of Christ was consciously but seriously undermined and clouded, not by undue excitement but by agitation and trouble of mind as if the awful day of the Lord were upon them. This brought in fear which darkened their experience of persecution and of outwardly trying circumstances, though the apostle could boast in them among the assemblies of God for their patience and faith in all their persecutions, and the tribulations they were sustaining.

But patience and faith need the power of hope to sustain in freshness. There will and must be a lack when Christ is not personally before the heart as One who may at any moment come to receive His own to Himself. But yet more, there cannot but be an exposure, as we shall find here, to the counter and disturbing influence of fear, which leaves the soul open to the positively delusive power of the enemy. Even in the first Epistle the apostle was not without apprehension on that side; and therefore did he send Timothy to establish them and comfort them concerning, their faith, that none might be moved by these afflictions; knowing as they did that hereunto we are appointed. For they had surely not forgotten that Paul, when with them, told them beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as, they knew full well, it came to pass. But this did not hinder, rather did it draw out, the solicitude of the apostle on their behalf, “lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour should be in vain” (1Th 3:5 ).

For the enemy has, of course, no real good or blessing to hold out; but he can and does work most effectively through fear of evil, especially where the conscience is bad or gets troubled. Therein lies his great power in awakening terror, availing himself of God’s own threatened judgments on a guilty world. He may deceive the unbeliever by flattering him with false peace and false hopes from this the believer is freed by the gospel, but if not filled with the hope of Christ, he might easily be distressed by the pressure and the variety and the continuance of affliction, especially if Satan got him under the fear that they were judicial inflictions from God on the world in which he was involved like others. Where the heart is kept in peace and confidence before God, the mind can judge soundly. Fear unnerves the soul that is occupied with painful circumstances and throws all into confusion; for God and the word of His grace no longer guide, in the calm trust of a love that never fails, and that gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostle, on the contrary, would have them take fresh courage from all their persecutions and the afflictions they were enduring, as he lets them know that he himself was boasting in them on that very account. So he bade the Philippians at a later day be in nothing affrighted by the adversaries which is for such an evident token of perdition, as it is for the saints of salvation, and this from God; because it is a real privilege on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him but also to suffer for His sake. It is part of the great conflict ever raging between Satan and those who are of Christ. This the Thessalonians had to learn more perfectly; and we shall see in what follows how skilfully the apostle sets their souls right on general grounds before he broaches the direct correction of the error in the second chapter.

It would seem that the Thessalonian saints had been engrossed with the day of the Lord, as indeed it occupies a large part, and is the grand issue, of Old Testament prophecy. If grace, righteousness, and blessing characterise that day, there can be no doubt that darkness, trouble, change and judgments beyond all previous experience are to usher it in. Hence the apostle felt the need of preparing the way, by a just determination of its true nature, for his correction of this special error foisted on them. This he proceeds to set before them that they might be clear in what was indisputable, and so the better able to judge the delusion.

Their endurance and faith in all their persecutions and the distresses they were then enduring had been already treated as, to him and those like-minded, an object of glorying in them among the assemblies of God. He adds now, “a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye also suffer; if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those who trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to those that know not God and to those that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (ver. 5-8).

This moral dealing with their troubles was of the deepest moment. For even saints easily miss their way in the prophetic word: but God abides and cannot deny Himself, as these saints ought not to have forgotten. Now they might be to the uttermost tried, and evil in unrighteousness, deceit, or oppression, might prosper for awhile; but even so the faithful are called to trust confidently and rejoice exceedingly, reaping better blessings far than if all ran smoothly as the heart could wish. But the righteous judgment of God is unshaken, and faith rests on it without wavering, but with a solemn sense of what is at hand for violence no less than corruption, and especially for the hatred which cannot endure the objects of God’s love in an evil world, where they, however unwelcome, are seen as lights, holding forth the word of life, not overcome of evil but overcoming it with good, and so much the more intolerable to the evil heart of unbelief which either rejects God or departs from Him.

Does God then regard with indifference His children’s persecutions and distresses? On the contrary their patience and faith in all they are enduring is a demonstration of the just judgment of God; who, if He tries the righteous, loves righteousness, beholds the upright, and will surely rain fire and brimstone and a tempest of burning on the wicked. If he sees mischief, it is to requite it with His own hand. But His children meanwhile are being disciplined in the ways of Christ; and as faith perseveres without a sign, it may be, so patience must have its perfect work, that they may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And is it not well worth while? “To the end that ye be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also ye suffer.” So it is His good and holy will: through many tribulations we must enter into that kingdom. It was Christ’s way, it is or should be ours. In that day the darkness will pass for the world. All will be plain that is now obscure: uncertainty and complication will be no more. For us the darkness passes away and the true light now shines; and we who were once darkness are light in the Lord. Then for the world, and especially for that portion of it which is now darkest and most embittered, the light will have come and the glory of Jehovah be risen there.

But the very contrariety of the world now to God and to His children only the more proves that the righteous Lord will surely intervene and vindicate in that day all that looks tangled now. One understands easily that, if Satan is as God calls him the god of this age, it can only be in the age to come when the Lord Jesus governs publicly and in power, that as a rule the wicked shall be put down and the righteous prosper. The unbeliever is hardened at the sight of the just man perishing in his righteousness, and of a wicked man prolonging his life in his wickedness. The believer awaits the kingdom of God and suffers for its sake. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Unto the sons of God it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him but to suffer for Him. When the day comes all will be changed.

“If so be [it is] a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those that trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us.” This none can dispute who believes that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those that seek Him out, and an avenger of all wrong against God and man. He is now dealing in grace; in that day He will judge the habitable world (and the dead also in due time) in righteousness by the Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance to all men in that He hath raised Him from the dead. In that day, as even a godly Jew did know, He will be merciful to His land and to His people, as surely as He will render vengeance to His enemies and reward those that hate Him. What then will be His attitude toward the persecutors of His children and to those of them who thus suffered? He will dispense to such as troubled them tribulation, and rest to His now troubled children – rest with Paul and His companions in loving service for their sakes.

The danger is of allowing in this day of grace a judicial spirit, and this not only in our own minds like the sons of Zebedee who would have called down fire from heaven to consume the adversaries, but also in our interpretation of God’s dealings with others if not with ourselves. The apostle would have the saints bright in their severest troubles, joyfully anticipating the day of requital when the sufferings of the saints shall be swallowed up in the glorious rest of the saints, the rest of God we may add, while their troublers become the objects of His unsparing judgment. For it will be the day of God’s righteous award, in reversal of this day when Satan blinds princes and peoples, as he did when they crucified the Lord of glory.

This being so, persecutions and trouble were no indications of the day of the Lord; rather were they proofs that that day had not yet dawned and that grace still calls and would arm the saints unto all endurance with joyfulness. How different it will be for saints and for sinners when that day of the Lord is really come! How solemn yet blessed the change when the wicked fall into the hands of the living God, who is not unrighteous to forget the work of faith and the labour of love on the part of His children meanwhile called as they are to endure a great fight of afflictions!

For in that day of righteous judgment it will be a “revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of His power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to those that know not God, and to those that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

It will be observed that not a word here hints that this is the moment when the Lord comes to gather the saints to Himself. It is not the action of sovereign grace which translates the saints waiting for Him to heaven, but the display of judicial righteousness by the Lord when He appears in glory. Then, and not till then, will be the day of divinely apportioned trouble to the troublers, and of rest to the troubled who suffered for Christ’s sake and for righteousness. How unsuitable to be revealed “in flaming fire with angels of power” to receive unto Himself the children of God, His bride, and to present them with Himself in the Father’s house!

Here it is a question of rendering vengeance, not to unbelievers distinguished by two marks, as Calvin says, but to two distinct objects of judgment, “to those that know not God,” the Gentiles, described thus expressly in 1Th 4:5 , and in substance throughout Scripture; “and to those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus,” as the Jews might well be regarded, who, outwardly owning the true God and boasting of His law, were now the most resolute, whether vehement or sullen, in disobeying the gospel.

God is never indifferent to good or evil, and His children learn this and bow to it in His word now knowing that, if they suffer with Christ, they shall also reign together. Their adversaries despise, hate, and persecute His unwelcome witnesses of grace and truth, who seek to adorn the teaching of their Saviour God in all things. Is this day of grace to go on indefinitely? Not so; that day hastens when His judgment will be revealed. And as glory, honour, and peace will be the portion of every soul that does good, so tribulation and anguish upon every one that doeth evil, to Jew and Gentile, for there is no respect of persons: evil will be treated as nothing but evil, when the Lord arises to judge, and this in the most manifest way before the universe.

Hence the importance, not only that sovereign grace should take to heaven the saints that are awaiting Him, but that righteous judgment should be displayed at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of His power in flaming fire. For the day will then have come to render vengeance to His and their enemies, whether they be Gentiles that know not God or they be Jews, who (if not so ignorant as the nations) cannot deny that they obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

As a man cannot shake off his responsibility according to what he once knew of God (Rom 1:19-21 ) and his conscience also as well as the law (Rom 2:12-15 ), so he must then be made to feel the guilt of his unbelief in his insubjection to God’s glad tidings concerning His Son. And this suitably comes into manifestation before the world when Christ is no longer hidden in God but revealed from heaven, in order to bring out and display the government of God in power and righteousness and peace; as all the prophets bore witness from early days, and now the New Testament (so-called) sets its seal to the Old.

Thus was the balance of truth readjusted in the souls of the Thessalonians, who had been led to fear that their grievous troubles were the beginning of the day of the Lord. They were now to learn that this could not possibly be true from the essential character of that day, as one of rest to the troubled saints and of retributive trouble to their foes. For as it will be the time of divine recompence, so infallibly the Judge of all the earth will do right. It is not that the saints might not individually go to be with Christ meanwhile, nor even that He might not previously come for our gathering together unto Him. But there will be no public display of their righteously awarded rest and of vengeance on their adversaries till He is revealed thus in flaming fire. Such is the solemn fact, and this the distinctive principle therein, and the result of the revelation of the Lord from heaven, as here made known to the agitated saints in Thessalonica. The apostle too knew what tribulation was, and looked for this rest with them, as they were entitled to expect it with him, in that day which was still before them all. But as yet he and they were exposed to pass through trouble, and their persecutors were for the present in honour and ease and power without God. In that day the tables will be turned, His friends at rest and His enemies in trouble. It will be the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven in judgment of the quick.

We have had the objects of the Lord’s dealing at His revelation from heaven; and they are clearly His enemies, in no way or degree His friends. It is His judgment of all the earth, Who cannot fail to do right. This is made yet more apparent by the solemn description which follows: – “Who ( , men of the class which) shall pay as penalty everlasting destruction from [the] presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be wondered at in all that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Whereunto we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling and fulfil every good pleasure of goodness and work of faith with power; so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ver. 9-12).

Present tribulation then through persecutors differs essentially from the trouble of that day, which shall fall not on saints but on those that hate and injure them. In that day their persecutors shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Like Mat 25:31-46 , it is not the great white throne judgment of the wicked dead; it is the judgment of the quick, yet is it final. Their perdition is irretrievable, being everlasting from His presence and from the glory of His power; the wicked here (like apostates in Israel, Dan 12:2 ) are abandoned to shame and everlasting contempt.

On the other hand, the Lord shall have come at that time to be glorified in His saints and to be wondered at in all those that believed. Blessed prospect “in that day!” and comforting in this day for the Thessalonians to hear themselves included, among those to be thus a marvel to His praise, for this appears to be the gracious motive of the parenthesis, “because our testimony unto you was believed.” The saints in Thessalonica might have erred as to the dead, and been misled as to the living; yet the apostle fails not to confirm their souls by the intimation that the divine testimony borne by himself and others had not been in vain, but had really taken effect upon them.

The careful reader will observe that the Lord is not said in that day to come for the saints and receive them to Himself, and present them in the Father’s house, as in Joh 14 . Here He will have come to be glorified in them, and to be marvelled at in all those that believed. It is an evidently different and subsequent part of His advent: not the hidden scene, so near to the Lord’s desire, that where He is, they also may be with Him, that they may behold His glory which the Father had given Him, but the outer display, Christ in them and the Father in Him, when they are in glory thus perfected in one. So we see in Rev 21:23 , Rev 21:24 . The world will then know thereby that the Father sent the Son and loved the saints, appearing with Him in glory, even as He loved Him. Compare Joh 17:22 , Joh 17:23 . The translation of His saints to heaven is one thing; quite another and subsequent is their appearing with Him in glory and judgment of the world.

Further, it is interesting to notice the accuracy of the preterite “believed,” instead of the “believe” of the Received Text, in verse 10. The former is not only the reading in the Complutensian edition, but that of all the uncials, almost all cursives, as well as the ancient versions and Fathers, unless a Latin copy or two. Erasmus seems to have misled Stephens, Beza, and others, and so our Authorised translators. No doubt the present is much the most frequent, but when the aorist occurs, there is always a special propriety as here. For the glorious display, which is predicated of the saints, refers with this reading expressly to the past believers’ The importance of this becomes the more impressive, on our learning that the great harvest of blessing for man on earth follows, He and the glorified reigning over the world, when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah (and of His glory, Hab 2:14 ) as the waters cover the sea, Isa 11:9 . In that day it will be no longer a question of faith as now, and hence the monstrous error of the Peschito (not the Philoxenian) Syriac, etc., which connect the believing of “our testimony” with that day, and thus make it future, in Pat contradiction of the very Scripture before them. Whatever may be the dealings of grace in that day, the apostle carefully restricts the faith and the glorious reward here described to a reception of the testimony before the display of glory and of righteous judgment arrives.

Thus was the way gradually made plain for the more complete and decisive correction of the error which had been foisted in at Thessalonica. The true nature of God’s intervention has been cleared. That day will be characterised by the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of His power in flaming fire. This it would be hard for the most resolute spiritualiser to apply to any such providential events as were then in progress, of which the enemy was taking advantage to mislead the saints. Nor had men gone so far in those early days as in later, for such as Macknight to say, that, when the apostles wrote, there were four comings of Christ to happen – three of them figurative, but the fourth a real and personal appearing; that these different comings are frequently spoken of in Scripture; and that, although the coming of Christ to destroy Jerusalem (!), and to establish His everlasting kingdom! be represented by His apostles as then at hand, no passage from their writings can be produced in which His personal appearance to judge the world is said or even insinuated to be at hand! The truth is that it is one and the same appearing of the Lord which shall overthrow the last head of Gentile power, destroy the man of sin, and display the saints in glory, as He will judge the world in righteousness in that day also. Nothing can be farther from the truth than that the Spirit does not speak of one and the same day, which is invariably declared to be at hand, not at a great distance. Moreover, the presence of the Lord to gather His own to be with Him on high is not separate from the various aspects of His appearing we have just enumerated, though necessarily anterior to them; for they follow Him out of heaven for that day and appear with Him in glory, instead of being just then caught up to meet Him. His coming for the saints is sovereign grace completing its work for us; His revelation from heaven is to render vengeance to His enemies and be glorified in His saints in the righteous and retributive government of that day.

Now the apostle lets the saints know his prayer for them, of course in view of their existing circumstances and need. “Whereunto we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil every good pleasure of goodness and work of faith in power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He had already, while introducing the preliminary topic of their persecutions, sought to lift up their hearts by speaking of their endurance and faith in all such troubles. It was a manifest token of God’s righteous judgment to the end of their being counted worthy of His kingdom, for which they too suffered, as the apostle might well remind them, instead of their tribulation being an indication that God’s judgments were let loose upon them. So now he also prays always for them that God would count them worthy of the calling. Elsewhere we hear of “His” calling, and of “your” calling, and again of “the calling wherewith ye are called.” Here it seems better to leave “the” in its own generality than to restrict it simply to “your.”

The next clause is that He would bring to completion every good pleasure of goodness end work of faith in power. Certainly this could not be, if they were driven from their steadfastness by listening to the delusions of false teachers. Confidence in the Master’s grace produces faithful service, and loves to own that, whatever purpose of goodness may be, whatever work of faith, it is only God that fulfils each and all in power; “so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” As He is not here in fact nor yet reigning over the universe, the name of our Lord, the revelation of Himself, is given us that it may in the power of the Spirit be glorified in us, as we serve the true God and await His Son from heaven. It is a question of keeping His word and not denying His name, whatever the difficulty or discouragements.

But the apostle adds, “and ye in him,” for his eye was ever on the bright day, and he would have theirs drawn from their troubles, and every possible misconstruction of them, to that manifestation of the glory of His might and righteousness. For as surely as His name is glorified in the saints now, still more fully, yea absolutely, in that day shall they be glorified in Him, as He is in them (ver. 10). It is no mere iteration of the previous intimation of the apostle, but fresh thoughts completing all, such as only the inspiring Spirit could furnish. To say “in it,” for “in Him,” would be havoc with the truth in general as well as the context; yet it has been said, doubtless through rage for novelty and lack of appreciating the truth. May we be kept walking firmly in the truth according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ, even as the apostle prayed for his dear Thessalonians. It is an admirable introduction, before directly touching the error by which they had been drawn aside from the freshness of hope into agitation and fear, the result of a misjudgment of the deep trials that were pressing on them.

It is needless to discuss here at length the true bearing of the last clause, which some, out of zeal for the divine glory of our Lord, would have to designate His person only: “of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.” But, though this be grammatically a quite possible construction, as it is dogmatically also true in itself, its contextual suitability is another matter. That one article in the singular rightly in Greek designates even distinct persons if the object be to express their union in a common category (as here in “grace”), ought to be known not only to scholars in general, but familiarly to all students of the later body of revelation in its original tongue. Supposing God the Father to be here meant, as well as the Lord Jesus Christ, the insertion of the Greek article was not required, though English needs “the” before Lord Jesus Christ. On the contrary, its insertion in Greek would have been an intrusive error, if both were expressly to be united in a common object; for the repeated article would have had for its effect to present the persons as separate agents rather than as joined. And the nature of the case, as well as the clearly revealed truth of Scripture, shows abundantly that the joint agency of these blessed persons could not be, save in – that which lies behind all – the unity of the divine nature.

Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Th 1:1-2

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

2Th 1:1 “Paul” Saul of Tarsus is first called Paul in Act 13:9. It is probable that most Jews of the “diaspora” had a Hebrew name and a Greek name. If so, then Saul’s parents gave him this name but why, then, does “Paul” suddenly appear in Acts 13? Possibly

1. others began to call him by this nickname

2. he began to refer to himself by the term “little” or “least”

The Greek name Paulos meant “little.” Several theories have been advanced about the origin of his Greek name.

1. the second century tradition that Paul was short, fat, bald, bow-legged, bushy eye-browed, and had protruding eyes is a possible source of the name, deriving from a non-canonical book from Thessalonica called Paul and Thekla

2. passages where Paul calls himself the “the least of the saints” because he persecuted the Church as in Act 9:1-2 (cf. 1Co 15:9; Eph 3:8; 1Ti 1:15)

Some have seen this “leastness” as the origin of the self-chosen title. However, in a book like Galatians, where he emphasized his independence and equality with the Jerusalem Twelve, this is somewhat unlikely (cf. 2Co 11:5; 2Co 12:11; 2 Cor. 15:10).

“Silvanus” Silas

1. He is called Silas in Acts and Silvanus in the Epistles

2 He, like Barnabas, was a leader in the Jerusalem Church (cf. Act 15:22-23)

3. He is closely associated with Paul (cf. Act 15:40; Act 16:19 ff; Act 17:1-15; 1Th 1:1)

4. He, like Barnabas and Paul, was a prophet (cf. Act 15:32)

5. He is called an apostle (cf. 1Th 2:6)

6. He, like Paul, was a Roman citizen (cf. Act 16:37-38)

7. He, like John Mark, is also associated with Peter, even possibly acting as a scribe (cf. 1Pe 5:12)

“Timothy”

1. His name means “one who honors God.”

2. He was the child of a Jewish mother and a Greek father and he lived in Lystra (cf. Act 16:1). The Latin translation of Origen’s commentary on Rom 16:21 says Timothy was a citizen of Derbe. This is possibly taken from Act 20:4.

3. He was instructed in the Jewish faith by his mother and grandmother (cf. 2Ti 1:5; 2Ti 3:14-15).

4. He trusted Christ during Paul’s first missionary journey (cf. Act 13:49 to Act 14:25).

5. He was asked to join Paul and Silas’ missionary team on the second journey (cf. Act 16:1-5). He was confirmed by prophecy (cf. 1Ti 1:18; 1Ti 4:14).

6. He was circumcised by Paul in order to work with both Jews and Greeks (cf. Act 16:3).

7. He was a dedicated companion and co-worker of Paul. He is mentioned by name more than any other of Paul’s helpers (17 times in 10 letters, cf. Rom 16:21; 1Co 4:17; 1Co 16:10; Php 1:1; Php 2:19; Php 2:22; Col 1:5; 1Th 1:1; 1Th 2:6; 1Th 3:2; 1Ti 1:2; 1Ti 1:18; 1Ti 4:14; 2Ti 1:2; 2Ti 3:14-15).

8. Paul affectionately calls him “my child in the faith” (cf. 1Ti 1:2), “my beloved son” (cf. 2Ti 1:2), and “my true child in a common faith” (cf. Tit 1:4).

9. He was apparently in Rome when Paul was released from prison and accompanied him on his fourth missionary journey (cf. Col 1:1; Phm 1:1).

10. He is called an “apostle” (cf. 1Th 2:6).

11. Two of the three Pastoral Epistles are addressed to him.

12. He is last mentioned in Heb 13:23.

“church” The Greek term ekklesia means “the called out ones.” The same term signified called town meetings in Greek cities (cf. Act 19:32). It was used in the Septuagint to translate qahal (BDB 874, i.e., Exo 12:6; Lev 16:17; Num 20:4; Deu 31:30) or “congregation” of Israel. The early Christians saw themselves as the fulfillment and extension of OT Israel. See Special Topic at Gal 1:2.

“in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” This phrase is one of the few differences between the introduction in 1Th 1:1 and 2Th 1:1. Believers can call God “our Father” (cf. Mat 6:9). Of course, God is not our father in a physically generative or chronological sense, but in the sense of a familial relationship. See Special Topic at Gal 1:1.

The grammatical structure (one preposition “en” with two objects “Father” and “Lord”) is one of the ways that NT authors linked the Father and the Son (cf. 1Th 1:1). This construction would assert their equality and thereby Jesus’ deity.

Paul’s favorite way of designating believers is “in Christ,” but here he asserts that believers are also in the Father.

2Th 1:2 “Grace to you and peace” Many see this as a combination of the Greek and Jewish greetings. The repeated phrase “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” links the Father and Son by the conjunction “and” and the Single preposition, showing Paul’s theology of Jesus’ deity (just like 2Th 1:1). Theologically grace always precedes peace.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Paul, &c. The opening words of this Epistle are the same as those of the First Epistle as far as “peace” (2Th 1:2).

unto = to.

church. App-186.

God. App-98.

Father. App-98.

Lord. App-98.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

1, 2.] ADDRESS AND GREETING. On 2Th 1:1, see 1Th 1:1, note.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Paul had come to Thessalonica with the gospel of Jesus Christ from Philippi where, as the result of his preaching, he had been imprisoned, beaten and really ordered out of the city. There in Thessalonica, he went into the synagogue for three Sabbath days reasoning with them out of the scriptures. And the interest became so intense that on the third day, almost the whole city had gathered together, which created a jealousy by some of the Jews that were there.

And so they began to stir up trouble against Paul. And they came to the house where Paul was staying to arrest him. And Paul had already got word of the problems, and so he had left and gone towards Berea. Trouble also developed in Berea after a few weeks. And so Paul’s companions, Silas and Timothy, stayed in Berea to strengthen the brethren while Paul went to Athens. When they joined Paul in Athens, Silas and Timothy, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to encourage the brethren and find out how they were doing. And he and Silas and Luke headed on down to Corinth.

While Paul was in Corinth, and Paul was there for about two years, Timothy came with word concerning the Church in Thessalonica, which prompted Paul’s first epistle, some of the problems that were there. And so Timothy was sent back to Thessalonica with the first letter. And still other questions were unresolved, or problems still existed that Timothy told Paul about when he returned again. And so Paul wrote this second letter, probably within a year from the first letter. These are the first two letters of Paul written from Corinth, in his second missionary journey back to the church that had been established in Thessalonica. And so because Silas and Timothy were with Paul in the establishing in the church, Paul joins their name with his in the greeting to the Church.

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus [or Silas and Timothy,] unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ( 2Th 1:1-2 ).

This salutation is identical to the salutation in his first epistle, which we commented on last week.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of every one of you toward each other abounds ( 2Th 1:3 );

And so Paul, giving thanks unto God. He felt it was necessary to give thanks to God for two very positive traits and characteristics in this church. One, their faith was growing exceedingly. Secondly, their love for all of the brethren was just abounding. What tremendous characteristics to mark a church, a church of great faith and a church where God’s love among the people was just abounding.

So that we ourselves [Paul said] glory in you in the churches of God ( 2Th 1:4 )

So Paul is saying that we are actually, we glory in you when we go around and share in the other churches. We glory in what God has done in you; we love to share what the Lord is doing there for you.

for also the patience and the faith in all of your persecutions and tribulations that you endure ( 2Th 1:4 ):

So this church was a church that was experiencing a lot of persecution. It is interesting as you study church history, persecution never hurt the church. The church always thrived in persecution. The church in China has been severely persecuted as the result of the communist takeover. And yet during this period of great tribulation, when in some of the provinces they have only one Bible for every one hundred thousand believers, yet the church has grown and expanded tremendously until there are some who estimate that there are as many as one hundred million believers within the home church in China.

We had Mama Quan with us awhile back, who was one of the leaders of the home church in China. And she was sharing with us of the millions that are coming to Jesus Christ even in the face of great persecution. You see the effect of persecution of the church is really separating the wheat from the chaff, and it causes the true believers to really make their stand and their faith grow. So in a church that was being persecuted, their faith was increasing exceedingly, and of course, it really brings you together. Persecution brings the body close together, the support of one another and the love of one another.

During the early period of the church history from the book of Acts, the result of the first persecution against the church in Jerusalem is that the church was scattered throughout the whole area, but the results of the church being scattered churches opened up all over the area. Wherever they went, they started their faith in Christ and the result of the persecution was actually just an expanding, a rapid expanding, of the ministry of the church. And the church grew exceedingly under the persecution in the first century, second and third.

The church began to wane when the persecution ceased, the influence, the power of the church. As the church began to be an accepted institution within the society, and as they began to be embraced by the world and accepted, the effect was a diminishing of the power of the church, of the faith in the church, of the effectiveness of the church. And so persecution has really never hindered the work of the Lord, but oftentimes has had the opposite effect of really expanding.

So here in Thessalonica persecutions and tribulations. They were enduring them with patience, but the net effect of them in their lives was this increasing faith and the abounding love. Now these persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring was

a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God ( 2Th 1:5 ),

In other words, Paul is gonna talk here in a little bit about a period of time that is coming in which God is going to judge the world. There is gonna be a time of tremendous tribulation that is going to come to pass upon the earth. I believe that it isn’t far off. This period of great tribulation is described in detail in the Book of Revelation, beginning with chapter six, the opening of the seven seals, and then the sounding of the seven trumpets, and then the pouring out of the seven vials of God’s wrath. And as God’s judgment comes forth upon the earth, it’s gonna be so severe that people will be prone to challenge the fairness of God, the righteousness of God. But God will indeed be righteous in his judgment. And the persecution that they were going through when God’s judgment came upon the unbelievers, it would be a manifest token of God’s righteousness.

It is interesting to me that during this period of great tribulation, as the vials of God’s wrath are being poured upon the earth, voices come from the altar of God declaring, “Holy and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord.” God is going to judge the world, a great time of tribulation, and people are going to be prone to challenge the righteousness of God because of the severity. We’re studying Revelation on Thursday night, so we’ll get to these things, in the details in Revelation as we move along on Thursday night. But Jesus said there is going to be a great time of tribulation such as the world has never seen before and will ever see again.

In the first four seals that are open, the ensuing judgments upon the earth will bring death to one quarter of the earth’s inhabitants, which is estimated to be a little over four billion people. Can you imagine devastation coming upon the earth, wars and famines and all that will wipe out one quarter of the earth’s inhabitants? We are prone to say, “God, that doesn’t seem fair to destroy that many people.” But the fairness of God will indeed be manifested as the character of those that are destroyed is revealed.

And then later on, in another series of judgments, one third of the earth inhabitants will be killed when the abyssos is opened, and these creatures go forth upon the earth. So a time, as Jesus said great tribulation, an earthquake that will be second to none, and God said I will shake the earth once more until everything that can be shaken shall be shaken until only that which cannot be shaken shall remain. Great tribulation; but God will be fair, God will be just. He will be righteous in it. And the attitude of the world toward the true believer was only going to be a manifest token of the righteousness of the judgment of God that he is going to bring upon the earth.

That you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which also you suffer ( 2Th 1:5 ):

Now, when Jesus was talking to His disciples concerning the Great Tribulation that was going to come, telling them of some of the cataclysmic events that would be taking place, he said to His disciples, “Pray always that you will be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to be standing before the Son of man”( Luk 21:36 ). When these cataclysmic judgments begin to happen, when the stars begin to fall, meteorite showers striking the earth, tremendous devastation, “Pray”, He said. “When these things happen, pray that you will be accounted worthy to escape all of these things and to be standing before the Son of man”.

Now here Paul speaks of them as being worthy to be there in the kingdom of God, and it is for this kingdom that they are suffering.

Seeing that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you ( 2Th 1:6 );

But it would not be a righteous thing with God to bring the tribulation upon His children. That was the whole premise of Abraham in dealing with the Lord over the destruction of Sodom. “Shall not the Lord of the earth be fair, be just, be righteous. Would you destroy the righteous with the wicked?”( Gen 18:23 ) That wouldn’t be fair, Lord, to destroy the righteous with the wicked. And so God delivered Lot before the destruction or the tribulation or the judgment came. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels ( 2Th 1:7 ),

Rest in this fact, the Lord is coming for you with His mighty angels. He made mention of this in the first letter, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a voice of the archangel the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord” ( 1Th 4:16 ). So you that are troubled over this great period of tribulation and judgment that is coming, rest with us for the Lord is going to be revealed with His mighty angels.

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God ( 2Th 1:8 ),

Notice upon whom the vengeance is going to be taken. Not upon the children of God, not upon the church; He is going to be taking the vengeance upon those who know not God,

and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ( 2Th 1:8 ).

They are the ones upon whom this great judgment shall fall. And I will tell you what; I surely wouldn’t want to be around when God’s wrath begins to be poured out. As again when we get to the details in Revelation, I am certain that you won’t want to be here either. But He is talking on those that obey not the gospel.

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power ( 2Th 1:9 );

Eternally separated from God. I cannot think of anything more awesome than that.

When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all of them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day ( 2Th 1:10 ).

So the Lord is coming as far as the sinner is concerned to take vengeance, to bring judgment. As far as the saint is concerned, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believe. And so He is coming to receive the glory and the honor and the power and the authority and the dominion that is rightfully His. Again Revelation five, “Thou art worthy to receive glory and honor, dominion, authority, thrones,” the worthiness of Jesus to receive the glory, glorified in His saints, admired in all of them that believe because of our testimony among you.

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling ( 2Th 1:11 ),

Now Jesus said, “Pray always that you’ll be accounted worthy to escape these things”. Paul said, “I am praying always that you will be accounted worthy of this calling”.

and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power ( 2Th 1:11 ):

So these are the things that Paul was praying for them. First of all, that they would be accounted worthy, that the Lord will account them worthy of being in this heavenly company, that he might fulfill all of the good pleasure of goodness in them and His work of faith with power.

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ ( 2Th 1:12 ).

And so the whole glory that shall be revealed in the church, through the church and in Christ at His coming. “

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

2Th 1:1-2. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

All nations have their special forms of salutation, and this is the Christians greeting to his fellow-Christians, Grace unto you, and peace. How much there is in this prayer! grace the free favor of God, the active energy of the divine power; and peace reconciliation to God, peace of conscience, peace with all men. My brethren, what better things could I desire for you, and what better things could you wish for your best beloved friends than these, Grace unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ?

2Th 1:3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren,

We do not feel this bond as much as we ought; we often feel ourselves bound to grumble and complain, but I question whether we think enough about being bound to praise God; and if we do not thank God as we ought for ourselves, it is little marvel if we are very slack in the duty of thanking him for others. Herein, then, let us imitate this devout apostle, and let us consider ourselves bound to thank God always for our brethren.

2Th 1:3-7. As it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us,

You will perhaps say that this command is more easily given than carried out; and yet, my brethren, the grace of God always enables us to perform what the precept of God commands. You who are troubled rest with us. If you can get even a partial glimpse of the glory that is to follow your trouble, if you can see Christ suffering with you, and realize your union with him, if the blessed Spirit who pledges himself to be with all the Lords people, shall be with you, you will find it no hard thing thus to rest: You who are troubled rest with us,

2Th 1:7. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

This rest, then, it seems, is to be given to us mainly when Christ shall come with his mighty angels.

2Th 1:8-9. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

I wonder what those persons, who say that it is not the duty of men to believe the gospel, make of this passage. Paul writes that those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be punished with everlasting destruction. Then, clearly, the gospel demands and commands mans obedience, and those who will not believe it shall be punished, not only for their other sins, but for this as their chief and damning fault, that they will not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as set before them in the gospel of his grace.

2Th 1:10. Then he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe

Which passage means, I suppose, that as Christ will be admired in his own person, so his glory, reflected in all his children, will be a subject of admiration to the whole intelligent universe. The saints of God shall be so pure, so bright, such trophies of the Redeemers power to save, that he shall be admired in them. We know that, in Gods great temple of the universe, everything doth speak of his glory; and so, in the great spiritual temple of his Church, every separate saint shall show forth the glory of Christ.

2Th 1:10-11. (Because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Therefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

Ministers should be much in prayer for their people. When John Welshs wife found him on the ground with his eyes red with weeping, and she found that he had been there supplicating by the hour together, she asked him what ailed him, and he replied Woman, I have three thousand souls to care for, and I wot not how they all prosper; therefore must I wrestle with God for them all. Oh, that we felt more the weight of our ministry! It is, perhaps, the great fault of this age that so many, who do preach, yet preach with so little earnestness, and are not sufficiently alive to the value of immortal souls. Oh, that the Holy Spirit would make our ministry to be the burden of the Lord upon us!

2Th 1:12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This exposition consisted of readings from 2 Thessalonians 1; 2Th 2:1-4.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

2Th 1:3. , we are bound) Urged by exultation of mind on grounds so manifest. So also ch. 2Th 2:13. [There is herein shown a generous sense of a debt of that kind.-V. g.]-, worthy, meet, befitting) On account of the magnitude of the fact. Comp. 1Co 16:4. [Are the proofs of thy Christianity worthy of thanks being given to God on account of them by those?-V. g.]- , faith; love) Of hope, 2Th 1:4-5. For these three graces are usually joined.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

2Th 1:1-2

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.-This Epistle was written a short time after the first, and as Sylvanus and Timothy were still with him at Corinth, he joins their names with his, because they were well known to the church in Thessalonica.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Evidently, this letter was intended primarily to correct certain mistakes which the Thessalonians were making concerning the Second Advent. They were failing to distinguish between the two phases, the Day of the Lord and the coming of the Lord. In his introduction the apostle again referred to their faith and their love, but not to their hope. The peculiar peril now threatening them was to be found in this matter.

The apostle proceeded to deal with “the revelation of the Lord Jesus.” He is to be revealed “from heaven with the angels of His power in flaming fire.” The revealing is to be for a definite purpose. It will exclude from His face and His glory all who are disobedient. The connection of the saints with that apocalypse is declared to be rest first, and, finally, they are to constitute the medium through which the Lord Jesus’ glory will be manifested and marveled at. The terrors of His revealing are not for the saints, and in the age following His revelation the saints are to be associated with Him, and to be the channels through which the truth of His glory will be made known.

“To that end,” that is, with such a consummation in view, the apostle proved that God might count them worthy of such calling, fulfilling every desire and good work, the deepest desire of his heart being that at last, in the fulness of interrelation, Christ might be glorified in them, and they in Christ.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

I. SUPERSCRIPTION (1:1-2)

1Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly of Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1-2. The superscription differs from that of I 1:1 (q. v.) in adding after the , thus expressing the sense of common fellowship in the Father (cf. I 1:3); and in adding after the clause with which makes explicit the source of the divine favour and spiritual prosperity, God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The clause with appears in all Pauline superscriptions except I; Col 1:1, however, omits . Usually (A, et al., omit) is found after (BD, et al., here; A, et al., in Gal 1:3), except in Gal 1:3 (BD, et al.) where it is put after On the inscription B (BA, et al.), see on I 1:1.

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

Word has come to Paul, probably by letter, informing him of the increased discouragement of the faint-hearted (1:3-2:17) and the continued troublesomeness of the idlers (3:6-15). Cast down by the persistent persecution, worried by the assertion of some that the day of the Lord is present, and anxious lest they might not be deemed worthy of entrance into the kingdom, the faint-hearted had given utterance to their despair by saying that they were not entitled to the praise of their faith and love, and especially of their endurance which Paul had generously given in his first epistle. To these utterances, reflected in the letter from Thessalonica, Paul replies at once in the Thanksgiving (vv. 3-10) and Prayer (vv. 11-12) by insisting that he ought to thank God for them, as is most proper under the circumstances because their growth in faith and brotherly love is steady (v. 3). In fact, contrary to their expectations, he is boasting everywhere of their endurance and faith in the midst of persecution (v. 4). They need not worry about their future salvation, for their constant endurance springing from faith is positive proof that God the righteous Judge will, in keeping with his purpose, deem them worthy of entrance into the kingdom on behalf of which they as well as Paul are suffering (v. 5). It will not always be well with their persecutors, for God, since he is righteous in judgment, will recompense them with affliction as he will recompense the converts with relief from the same, a relief which Paul also will share (vv. 6-7a). God will do so at the Great Assize (vv. 7b-10) when the wicked, those, namely, who do not reverence God and do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus, will receive as their punishment separation forever from Christ, on the very day when the righteous in general, and, with an eye to the faint-hearted, all who became believers will be the ground of honour and admiration accorded to Christ by the retinue of angels. In order to reach this glorious consummation, however, the converts must be blameless in goodness and love; hence Paul prays as the converts were praying not only that God may deem them worthy of his call, that is, acquit them at the last day, but also, to insure this acquittal, that he may perfect them morally; in order that finally the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified in virtue of what they are, and that they may be glorified in virtue of what the name of our Lord Jesus has accomplished. This glorification is in accordance with the divine favour of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

That the purpose of 1:3-2:17 is the encouragement of the faint-hearted is evident from the emphasis put on the certainty of the readers salvation (1:5-12, 2:13-17), and from the express statement, purposely added after the destruction of the Anomos, that the advent of the Anomos is intended not for believers, but for unbelievers who have doomed themselves (2:8-12). That Paul is replying to a letter from Thessalonica is a hypothesis (not excluded by 3:11) which admirably accounts for the emphasis on (v. 3, 2:13), (v. 3), (v. 4) and in (v. 11), and for the exegetical difficulties in 3:1-5. See Bacon, Introd. 72.

3We ought, brothers, to thank God always for you, as it is proper, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love for one another of each one of you all is increasing, 4so that we ourselves are boasting of you in the assemblies of God, of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and afflictions which you bear-5proof positive of the righteous judgment of God that you should be deemed worthy of the kingdom of God for which you too as well as we are suffering;-righteous judgment of God, we say, 6if indeed (as it certainly is) righteous in Gods sight to recompense affliction to those who afflict you; 7and to you who are afflicted, relief with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with his angels of power, 8in fire of flame, rendering vengeance to those who know not God and to those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9who shall be punished with eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, 10when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and admired in all those who became believers (for our testimony to you was believed) in that day. 11To which end we too, as well as you, pray always for you that our God may deem you worthy of the calling and may fulfil every resolve after goodness and work of faith in power; 12in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in it, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. . We ought, as is manifestly fitting, proper, worth while, in spite of your remonstrances, to thank God always for your growing faith and brotherly love. To account for the emphasis on , a word only here and 2:13 in Pauls thanksgivings, and on which resumes it, it may be assumed that Paul is replying to the utterances of the faint-hearted, communicated to him in a letter from Thessalonica, to the effect that they did not consider themselves worthy of the kingdom or entitled to the praise accorded them in the first epistle.

Since in Paul is slightly causal (Bl 78:1), it cannot indicate the degree (Th. Mops.) or the manner (Wohl. who refers to 1Co 8:2) of but must resume and explain (Born Dob.). If stood alone, it might be interpreted as a general expression of personal obligation (Rom 15:1) in view of the progress of the readers, or as a liturgical formula (1 Clem. 38:4; Barn. 5:3 () ). Similarly if we had had and the latter clause might have expressed what was proper in view of the growth of the converts or have been purely liturgical (cf. 1 Mac. 12:11 ). The resumption, however, of reveals not liturgical tautology (Jowett) but an emphasis due to special circumstances.-That Paul is no slave of epistolary form is evident from the present thanksgiving. Here as in 1Co 1:4, Col 1:3, the of the common (I 1:2) is omitted; the prayer which is usually associated with the thanksgiving (I 1:2) is omitted here as in 1Co 1:4; here as in Rom 1:8 he passes directly from . , while the prayer comes in Rom 1:10 and here in v. 11. In Php 1:3, Col 1:3, the thanksgiving and prayer are closely united as in I 1:2, but a further is added in Php 1:9, Col 1:9 as in v. 11 below. The address usually comes later (I 1:4, Gal 1:11, etc.: it does not appear at all in Col. Eph.); its place here at the start betrays at once Pauls affection for his converts.- is rare in Paul, but common elsewhere in Gk. Bib.; on cf. 1Co 16:4, 1Co 16:4 Mac. 17:8. Th. Mops. takes it as = (Php 1:7); its presence here prepares the way for (v. 5) and (v. 11).

. With causal dependent on (I 1:1, 2:13), he gives the reason for the thanksgiving, namely, the very abundant growth () of the tree of religious life (), and the abundance () of the fruit of the same (cf. Php 4:17, Col 1:6, Col 1:10) in their ethical life as manifested in the brotherhood ( (sc. and cf. I 3:12) , or ).

This thanksgiving differs from that in I where work of faith, labour of love, and endurance of hope are mentioned, and also from I 3:6 where faith and love (not ) are referred to. In thus singling out brotherly love, Paul expresses his appreciation of the fact that love to brothers (I 4:9) is abounding as he exhorted (I 4:10) and prayed (I 3:12) in his first letter. But in order to make plain that he includes in his praise each and every one of them, even the idlers who are troublesome (3:6-15), he adds to not only the individualising (I 2:11) but also , which precludes any exception.

, only here in Gk. Bib., is classic. Paul is fond of compounds with (see I 3:10); if he does not find them he coins them. On the simple (with ), see 2Co 10:15; on , here as usual intransitive, see I 3:12; on , see I 1:8, 3:2 ff. and , only here in Gk. Bib., are in synonymous parallelism; cf. and in I 3:12 cf. 2Co 4:15). Olshausen (apud Ln.) takes as indicating that the converts were guilty of extravagance in their religious zeal, thus introducing a thought like that of Ps. Sol. 5:19 (cf. 5:6) Schrader and Pelt suggest that I 3:12 is in mind, and that the omission of shows that the converts do not love the Gentiles. Schmiedel and Holtzmann, on the assumption that II is a forgery, find here a literary reminiscence of I 2:11 ( ) and 3:12. Wrede (85) is less certain, but thinks that might easily come from I 1:2 (so Schmiedel).-The emphasis on the progress of faith (, not , as Chrys. notes) is evidence that II is written after, not before (Grot. Ewald), I.

4. The consequence () of their progress in faith and brotherly love is that Paul and his associates () can and do boast of them everywhere. We have, however, not alone but ; a contrast is intended. In I 4:9, finds its antithesis in supplied from the subject of ; here no antithesis to is distinctly stated, though , the emphatically placed object of , suggests the Thessalonians. Precisely what prompts the expression is uncertain; probably Paul has in mind the utterances of the faint-hearted to the effect that their faith and love, and especially their endurance (which, as shows, is the main theme of Pauls exultation) were not worthy of the praise bestowed by the Apostle in I. To these remonstrances he replies: So that we ourselves, contrary to your expectations, are boasting.

Had Paul written not but , the point would have been that the converts as well as Paul found the Thess. an object of boasting; or that Paul as well as others in general or in particular the of I 1:9 found the Thess. an object of boasting. But indicates not a reciprocal relation but a contrast. Bacon (Introd. 74) interprets differently: The Thess. had written that they boasted of the apostles against the slanderers; cf. 2Co 1:14. In this significant and inimitable (Bacon), Wrede (cf. Schmiedel) finds an assertion of apostolic dignity (if we boast of any one, that means more than if others do it), and also a literary reminiscence of I 1:8-9 -In (B, et al.; cf. Rom 7:25, Rom 7:9:3, Rom 7:15:14, 2Co 10:1, 2Co 12:13), gets the emphasis; in (ADGFKL, et al.; cf. 1Co 5:13, 1Co 7:35, 1Co 11:13, Rom 16:2)

. The two clauses with specify respectively the object and the place of boasting. By putting the contrasted persons and side by side, and by choosing instead of , he intensifies the point (cf. ). The place is described, as in 1Co 11:16, without geographical limitations, as the churches of God (I 2:14). To insist that every church founded up to this time has heard Paul boast, orally or in writing, of the Thessalonians, or to restrict the reference to the churches of God in Corinth and its vicinity (or more exactly to the church of God in Corinth and the brethren round about), is to forget the enthusiasm of Paul and the compliment which he is paying to his readers (cf. I 1:8).

On this interpretation, see Dob. For (BA; P), DEKL, et al., have , and GF The compound is rare in Gk. Bib. (Psa 51:3, 73:4, 96:7, 105:47; cf. Psa 100:1 Clem. 21:5); it is always construed with of the object. Of the mainly Pauline words , , and (I 2:19), is in Gk. Bib. usually construed with , rarely with (Psa 5:12, Psa 48:7, Sir. 30:2, Pro 25:14); cf. Rom 5:2 with 5:3. Here, as in Gal 6:13, the clause with precedes the verb. Polycarp 11:3 has our verse in mind when he writes de vobis etenim gloriatur in omnibus ecclesiis; cf. 11:4 et non sicut inimzicos tales existimetis with 3:15 of our letter.

The clause with resumes , and specifies the qualities about which he boasted, namely, their endurance and faith manifested in persecutions. Though faith and persecution are inseparable, as the omission of the article before reveals, the ethical () takes precedence of the religious () from which it springs and of which it is the fruit and evidence (Calvin). The selection not of faith and brotherly love (v. 3) but of faith and endurance, and the position of before (cf. Phm 1:5) are probably due to the utterances of the faint-hearted who had remonstrated against Pauls praise of their endurance and faith (I 1:3) in his first epistle.

Here (contrast 2Co 7:14, 2Co 9:2, 2Co 12:15) is equivalent to (2Co 10:8; see below 2:1 and cf. I 5:10). In view of the context and of the usage elsewhere in I, II, is faith not faithfulness (Bengel, Ln., Born; cf. Gal 5:22). Unnecessary is the assumption of a hendiadys whether fidei vestrae firmitatem (Th. Mops.) or (Grot.).

The fourth prepositional phrase in this verse (cf. I 3:7-8 for a similar heaping up of prepositions), namely, , states the circumstances in which (I 3:3) their endurance and faith were manifested: in all your persecutions and afflictions that you are bearing. The binds together the virtually synonymous and (cf. I 2:9 ); and the (attraction for ), which refers to both nouns, agrees in ender with the nearer. The intimates that the persecutions have been repeated (not in one but in all, Ephr.); and the (cf. Gal 2:4 ), that they are still going on; while the emphasis on both and serves to convey rare praise for the unexceptional constancy of their endurance and faith.

The construction assumed above is on the whole the simplest. Some commentators (e. g. Ln.), forgetting that the presence of (which DGFP omit) does not prevent from uniting the synonymous words (cf. I 2:9 where there is an article before ), attach to alone (cf. 2Co 8:7), making parallel to (cf. Phm 1:5, and Col 1:4 , where faith and love are not synonymous): in all the persecutions you have and the afflictions which you are bearing. On the other hand, Dob., who takes as a predicate noun after , breaks the rhythm by putting a comma after , and is also led to understand of the necessity of enduring: which you have to endure as a proof, etc. In the Gk. Bib., means usually not pursuit (2 Mac. 12:23) but persecution (Lam 3:19, Mar 4:17, Mat 13:21, Rom 8:35, 2Co 12:10). On the meaning of , see I 1:6. The persecutions which marked the beginnings of Christianity in Thessalonica (I 1:6, 2:14) and which were going on when Paul wrote I (3:3; cf. 2:14 ff.) still continue, as the presents and show.-Since in Gk. Bib., when not used absolutely, is construed not with dat. but either with gen. (Gen 45:1, Isa 46:4, 63:15, Isa 46:2 Mac. 9:12 and N. T.) or with accus. (Job 6:26 (where A has gen.) Isa 1:13, Isa 1:3 Mac. 1:22, Mal 1:4 Mac. 13:27), is probably not directly governed by (Fritzsche, who notes Eurip. Androm. 981, Lft., Mill.) but is an attraction for , or less likely for Cod. B gets rid of the difficulty of the unusual attraction by reading , a rare word in Gk. Bib. (with dat. Gal 5:1, Gal 5:3 Mac. 6:10; with and dat. Eze 14:4, Eze 14:7). But not even Weiss (35) accepts the reading of B. On the change of – and -, see Gal 5:1 where D and a few minuscules read With our passage, compare 1Co 4:12 The which K reads before comes from the preceding- (Zim).

5. The faint-hearted need not worry about their future salvation, for the fact of their unexceptional endurance and faith in all their persecutions is itself a token, guarantee, positive evidence of the righteous judgment of God (Rom 2:5), already in purpose and soon to be declared, that they be deemed worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they, and Paul too, are continually suffering. The expresses the purpose of

Since the object of boasting specified in v. 4 is not suffering, but the constancy of their endurance and faith in the midst of persecution, is to be taken not with the idea of suffering alone, whether with or with (Calv. et al.), but with the idea of endurance and faith in spite of persecutions, that is, with (De W., Ln., Lillie, Ell., Lft., Mill., and others). is probably an accus. in direct apposition with the preceding (cf. Rom 8:3, Rom 12:1); but it may be a nominative, in which case is to be supplied on the analogy of Php 1:28. Ephr. and some minuscules read ; Theophylact and Codex 442 have (cf. Rom 3:25); so similarly g, Vulg Ambst Syr. Arm have in exemplum. The distinction between the passive (only here in Gk. Bib., but classic; cf. Plato, Critias, 110 C) and the active (in Gk. Bib. confined to Paul; Rom 3:25 f. 2Co 8:24, Php 1:28) is negligible; the meaning is demonstrationem (Th. Mops.), ostentamen (Tert. apud Swete). That is to be connected not with (Bengel) leaving as a parenthesis, or with (Schott), or with (Wohl.), but with is usually admitted (De W., Ln., Lft., Vincent, Dob., et al.). But , since the telic sense is not always evident in Paul (see I 2:12), might denote either the content of the judgment (Theophylact ), or the object to which it tended (Ell.; Lillie), or the result conceived or actual (Ln.). In Paul, is most frequently of purpose (BMT 409); and this is the probable meaning here (so among others De W. Alford, Ewald, Dob.). , only here in Paul (but frequent in Ignatius), means either beseech (2 Mac. 13:12) or, as elsewhere in Gk. Bib., deem worthy (Luk 20:35, Act 5:41, Act 5:4 Mac. 18:3). It intensifies the simple (a word used by Paul only in v. 11, but found elsewhere in the N. T. and frequently in Lxx). In the N. T. and (except. Act 15:38, Act 28:22 where the meaning is beseech, command, as regularly in the Lxx) are to be rendered not make worthy, but deem worthy (cf. SH 30 ff.). Dalman (Worte Jesu, I, 97) observes that to be worthy of the future on is a common rabbinical expression. On , see I 2:12.

. For which you too (as well as we, that is, the writers) are suffering. The present tense (; cf. v. 4 ) designates the sufferings as going on; makes plain that the motive or goal of suffering is none other than the future kingdom of God; implies a fellowship in present sufferings of readers (at home) and writers (in Corinth), and prepares the way for the significant (v. 7).

It is probable that here and (v. 7) are due to Pauls experiences in Corinth (cf. 3:2); on , cf. I 2:13, 3:5, 5:25, 2Co 1:6. Most commentators, however, interpret (which F omits) as implying a correspondence not between Paul and his readers in reference to suffering, but between present suffering and future glory; so, for example, Lft., who compares 2Ti 2:12, and Ell. who notes Rom 8:17, Act 14:22 and says: with a species of consecutive force supplies a renewed hint of the connection between suffering and the (cf. also Wohl., Dob. and others). In the phrase (Php 1:29, 1Pe 2:21, Act 9:16), may indicate advantage (Lft.), object for which (Ell.), the motive or goal (to gain which; Ln. Schmiedel, Dob.); but it is probably equivalent to (cf. v. 4, 2:1; also 1Pe 3:18 B and 2:21 A). On the thought of v. 5, cf. especially Php 1:28-30.

6-7a. . The righteous judgment of God (v. 5) is not only positive, the salvation of the readers (v. 5), but also ( resuming ) positive and negative, in keeping with the principle of recompense sharply stated as the ius talionis, namely, for your persecutors and for you who are persecuted (cf. Luk 16:25). The principle is put conditionally (), not indeed as if there were the least doubt respecting the righteousness of any part of the divine procedure in judging the world. On the contrary, it is the very certainty of that truth, as something altogether beyond cavil, that emboldens the writer, by a sort of logical meiosis, to argue from it conditionally (Lillie; cf. Pelagius: hic si tamen confirmantis sermo est, non dubitantis).

. As there is a present fellowship of readers and writers in suffering ( v. 5), so also will there be a future fellowship in rest or relief from suffering,-a genuinely Pauline touch (cf. 1Co 4:8, 2Co 1:6 ff. Php 1:30).

On the positive side, is entrance into the kingdom (v. 5) and eternal fellowship with the Lord (v. 10 as contrasted with v. 9; cf. I 4:17 ). is, according to v. 9, eternal separation from Christ, the precise opposite of I 4:17. The moral ground of , not expressed at this point, is faith leading to endurance as v. 4 shows, the who are persecuted being those who have exhibited an unusual endurance inspired by faith. The same stress on faith is seen in v. 10, all who became believers, and in the explanatory clause with The moral ground of , not stated in our verse, is, in the light of v. 8, which describes those who do not reverence God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, the lack of faith and its moral expression. Though the ius talionis is here exhibited in its clearest form (Ell.), the persecutors of the readers are not the only ones who are to receive , as is evident from Rom 2:8 ff. where the disobedient receive , (cf. also I 4:6, Rom 12:19, 2Co 5:10, Col 3:24 ff., etc.). In Rom 8:18 ff., the believers are to get for their ; in 2Co 4:17, for On the Mosaic lex talionis, see the notes of Charles on Jub. 4:31, 48:14 and Montefiore on Mat 5:38 ff.- is found in Gk. Bib., apart from Paul, only Judith 6:9 Sus. (Th.) 54, 4 Mac. 11:7. The condition is of itself colourless, the truth or error of the assumption being found, if at all, in the context; here and elsewhere (unless 1Co 8:5 is excepted), the context implies the truth of the condition with (Rom 3:30, Rom 3:8:9, Rom 3:17, 1Co 15:15, 2Co 5:3). Chrys. makes = – (1Co 7:24) or (so A here; cf. Rom 2:11, Rom 2:13, Gal 3:11, 1Co 3:19) = in the eyes of, indice Deo; the day of judgment may here be in mind.-On , cf. Php 1:7; on , I 3:4; on (I 3:9) as the expression of judicial recompense, cf. Rom 12:19 = Deu 32:35; also Isa 35:4, 59:18, 63:7, 66:4, Isa 35:6, Jer 28:6, 24, 56 f. Sir. 32:11, etc.- (2Co 2:12, 2Co 2:7:5, 2Co 2:8:13; Act 24:23; Lxx) denotes a let up from restraint; hence liberty, license, or, as here and 2Co 7:5, 2Co 7:8:13, relief as opposed to ; cf. Act 3:19. refers here not to all Christians (De W.), not to the saints in Israel (Bengel, Ewald), but, in view of the specific and and of , which balances , to Paul and his two associates (Ln., Ell., Lft., Born, Mill., Dob.). In as in (v. 4), Schmiedel inclines to see the hand of a forger putting Paul in a position of apostolic eminence. On the other hand, Dob. remarks on : these two little words belong to the genuine Pauline touches for the sake of which no one, with any feeling for the way in which the mind of Paul works, can give up the authenticity of this brief epistle.

7b-10. The description of the advent unto judgment begins with a temporal phrase, . which is to be attached to (v. 6). First, with three prepositional adjuncts (cf. I 4:16), the external features of the revelation are described; then the function of the person revealed is indicated, the punishment ( ) of those who deserve it; then (v. 9), with resuming and with resuming , the character of the punishment is exhibited, eternal separation from Christ; and finally, with (v. 10), which is grammatically connected with , the beginning of the eternal fellowship of the saints and all believers with their Lord is suggested, in that, because of what they are, honour and admiration are asscribed to Christ. In writing to balance , instead of , Paul passes purposely from the general to the specific, having in mind the faint-hearted, as the parenthetical clause with which refers distinctly to the welcome accorded to the gospel demonstrates. The which belongs with the infinitives is suspended temporarily by the parenthesis, only to take its place at the end with a solemn effectiveness. As in I 4:16-17 so here it is Paul himself who is responsible for the rhythmical description in which only such features are mentioned as serve both to bring out the value of the judgment and to inspire hope and assurance in the hearts of the faint-hearted. Though the description abounds in reminiscences from the Lxx, there is but one approximately exact citation. (Isa 2:10; cf. 2:10 and 2:11).

The passage abounds in allusions to or reminiscences of the Lxx, but the only exact quotation is in v. 9, taken from the refrain of Isa 2:10 which is repeated in 2:19, 21: , ; cf. 2:11, 17. Though the citation is evident, is omitted. Furthermore in v. 8 there is an apparent allusion to Isa 66:15: Paul, however, is composing not copying, as the unique parallelism suggests. At the same time, such passages as Jer 10:25 (cf. Psa 78:6): and Isa 66:4: , (cf. Isa 65:12) may have been running in his mind. In v. 10, where and are in parallelism (cf. the description of God in Exo 15:11), there seems to be a reminiscence of Psa 88:8: , , and of Ps. 67:35 (): ; cf. also Isa 49:3 and 66:5: , , , (cf. v. 12 of our chapter) , Other words and phrases suggest the influence of non-canonical Jewish literature; e. g. (cf. Apoc. Bar. 29:3 with the note of Charles), (cf. Test. xii, Jud 1:3:10 and Eth. En. 61:10 the angels of power), (4 Mac. 10:15 (A); cf. Eth. En. 84:5 Ps. Sol. 2:35 (cf. 3:13) or (Gebhardt) ). On the other hand, , a classic expression, is not found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. (Lxx uses with either or or ); so also the construction (Lxx has, however, or ; cf. Num 31:3, Sir. 12:6, 32:23). The aorist (v. 10) instead of the present is due to the situation. It happens that the gospel of our Lord Jesus like the gospel of his Son in Rom 1:9 is unique in Paul.

While McGiffert (EB 5054) throws out the hint that vv. 6-10 are a possible interpolation, Born (cf. Find. lvii and Moff. Introd. 80) suggests that in vv. 6-10a or vv. 7b-10c Paul is citing or alluding to a Christian hymn. It has also been conjectured (cf. Encyc. Brit.11 XXVI, 841) that in vv. 7b-10 Paul is adapting to his own purposes a fragment of a Jewish apocalypse or a psalm like one of the Psalms of Solomon. The adaptation would consist in the insertion of (vv. 7, 8) and of the parenthesis (v. 10); and in the substitution of (v. 8) for, say, (cf. 2Ch 11:4 A), and of and (v. 10) for, say, (Isa 28:16 B). The insertion of would occur to any Christian; but the change from to betrays the hand of Paul, for is found elsewhere in N. T. only Rom 10:16 (First Peter would have used not but ); and the change from to is, as the inserted clause with demonstrates, due to one of the two main purposes of the epistle, the encouragement of the faint-hearted. Attractive as the hypothesis is and accounting as it does excellently for the position of , it is unnecessary (cf. Clemen, Paulus, I, 119). For Paul himself, it must be remembered, is quite competent in the Spirit to produce a rhythmical psalm, apocalypse, or prophecy. The description is fragmentary; expected details such as the burning fire, the angels of punishment, the torture of the wicked in the fire of hell in the presence of the righteous are conspicuously absent. The external features of the revelation are few in number and are selected with a view to enhancing the dignity of the Judge. The reason why he executes judgment is clearly stated; the sentence is pronounced simply as eternal separation from Christ, with no details as to the manner of executing the sentence or the nature of the separation. The reward of the righteous, the character of the future felicity is not dwelt upon; in fact, the reward is only intimated-in virtue of what the believers are, Christ receives glory and admiration. The concentration upon the essential and the sole interest in values which signalise the description point rather to the free composition of Paul, influenced by O. T. and later Jewish literature, as is also the case in I 4:16-17.

7b. . With this clause, the time of the (v. 6) is indicated, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus = when the Lord Jesus is revealed (cf. v. 10 ). The advent is here conceived of not as a Parousia (cf. I 2:19, 3:13, 5:23 ), but as a revelation (so 1Co 1:7; cf. Luk 17:30) of the Messiah, just as in the first epistle of Peter (Briggs, Messiah of the Apostles, 90 ff.; cf. 1Pe 1:7, 1Pe 1:13).

Of the twenty-two instances of in the Gk. Bib., thirteen are in Paul. In the Lxx the word is used literally of uncovering (1 Reg. 20:30) and metaphorically of disclosing works or secrets (Sir. 11:27, 22:22, 42:1). In Paul, it denotes regularly a prophetic revelation in the Spirit; here, however, and in 1Co 1:7, it is equivalent to Underlying this use of may be the idea that the Son of Man is hidden before God and that the elect, though they know him in the Spirit, do not behold him visibly until he comes to function as Messiah (cf. Eth. En. 48:6, 62:7; also revelabitur of the Messiah in 4 Ezra 13:32 Apoc. Bar. 39:7, etc.; see J. Weiss in Meyer on 1Co 1:7). Mill., however, who discusses carefully (141-151) in connection with (2:8) and concludes that or manifestation is also a revelation of the divine plan and purpose which has run through all the ages, to find its consummation at length in the one far-off divine event to which the whole creation is slowly moving. On , see I 2:15; L reads .

. With three prepositional phrases (cf. I 4:16), the revelation is described in reference to the place from heaven, to the attendant retinue with his angels of power, and to the manner in a fire of flame. (1) The seems to imply that the Messiah is hidden in heaven, concealed from the sight of men, though he operates in the souls of believers; hence he must be revealed from heaven (cf. Rom 1:18), namely, by coming down from heaven (I 4:16) either toward the earth and within the range of human vision, or to the earth. (2) The suggests the (Test. xii, Jud 1:3:10) and all the angels of power and all the angels of principalities (Eth. En. 61:10); and invites the translation his angels of power (cf. in Rev 13:3, Heb 1:3, Col 1:13). (3) The manner in which the revelation is pictured, , is in keeping with the descriptions of theophanies in the O. T., for example, Exo 3:2 where the appears and Isa 66:15 (cf. Psa 49:3, etc.).

Usually is taken solely with and the gen. is explained as possessive: which serves to mark that to which the appertained and of which they were the ministers; exponents and instruments of his power (Ell.). Dob. regards his power as a periphrasis for his. Calv. observes: angelos potentiae vocal in quibus sham potestatem exseret (cf. Bengel and Schmiedel). Some Gk. fathers (e. g. Theophylact and cumenius) and some moderns (e. g. Piscator, Flatt, Jowett) interpret with A. V. his mighty angels. Still others (see Lillie, ad loc.), taking = host (cf. Psa 32:6, Psa 32:4 Reg. 21:5, etc.), translate the host of his angels (cf. Pesh). Hofmann avoids the difficulty but spoils the rhythm by joining with Since the position of allows it, it is simpler to take angels of power as a class and as a gen. poss. governing both and On , see on I 4:16 and Charless notes on Eth. En. 61:10 and Slav. En. 20:1.-The phrase (AKLP, etc.) is found also in Sir. 8:10, 45:19 (+ ) Exo 3:2 (B) Ps. Sol. 12:5, Act 7:30 (ACE); the easier reading (BDEGF, et al.) occurs also in Isa 66:15, Exo 3:2 (AF) Act 7:30 (DB, et al.); compare the rather frequent (Isa 29:6, Dan 7:9, Sir. 21:9, etc.). The reference is to the glorious brilliancy of the revelation. Some commentators however (see Lillie), because of the present connection with judgment, assume that the fire is a burning, purifying fire (cf. the in Dan 7:10) as in 1Co 3:13; and join the closely with , thus specifying the manner or instrument of punishment. Still others (e. g. Lft., Dob.) are inclined to make the fire do double service. On the idea involved, see Bousset, Relig2 320.

8. . The revelation of the Lord Jesus is further described by the loosely attached (agreeing not with , which is feminine, but with ) as a revelation unto judgment, resuming the thought of v. 6 but putting it generally. The objects of the divine justice are defined in a unique parallelism as those who do not know (that is, respect and worship) God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Since does not appear in the first member (contrast I 4:5, Jer 10:25, Psa 78:6), and since the repetition of the article is not incompatible with synonymous parallelism (cf. Psa 35:11), it is not certain, though the usage of Paul makes it probable, that the Gentiles are in mind in the first member (cf. I 4:3, Gal 4:8, Rom 1:28, Eph 2:12) and the Jews in the second member (cf. especially Rom 10:16). Though the statement is general, Paul may have had in mind distinctly (v. 6) who were both Gentiles, the official persecutors and Jews, the instigators of persecution.

The distinction, assumed above as probable, is made among others by Ephr., Grot., Ln., Lillie, Ell., Dob. On the other hand, since is omitted and the article repeated in the second member is unobjectionable, the parallelism may be synonymous (cf. v. 10 and ), and non-Christians, irrespective of race, may be meant (e. g. Calv., Vincent, Mill.); in fact, Paul refers to the disobedience of the Gentiles (Rom 11:30); but does not, as the O. T. (e. g. Jer 9:6) does, speak of the Jews as not knowing God. Still other interpreters, while distinguishing two classes, take the first member as referring to the Gentiles with a distinct allusion to Jer 10:25, and the second as referring to both Jews and Gentiles (e. g. Lft., Schmiedel, Born, Wohl.).-Though the first member of the parallelism may have been influenced unconsciously by Jer 10:25 and the second by Isa 66:4, yet the parallelism as a whole is unique and the second member distinctly Pauline; for is not found in Lxx, Ps. Sol., Test. xii, or Apost. Fathers, and is found elsewhere in N. T. only Rom 10:16.-The exact phrase the gospel of our Lord Jesus is, like the gospel of his Son in Rom 1:9, unique in the N. T. The substitution of our Lord Jesus for Christ is natural in view of the divine name (see on I 2:19); and in Rom 1:9 the gospel of his Son is natural in view of Rom 1:3 In our passage, AGF add to -On , cf. Num 31:3, Sir. 12:6 () and Deu 32:43, Sir. 32:23 (); more frequent in Lxx is (Exo 12:12, Num 33:4, Eze 25:17, etc.). On (Rom 12:19, 2Co 7:11), see I 4:6.-GF insert before ; DGF read for ; Stephanus begins v. 8 with in flamma ignis; PL insert before conforming to I 4:5.- (Rom 6:12 ff.) is common in Lxx and construed usually with gen., sometimes with dat. (2Ch 11:4 (A) Jer 3:25).

9. . Men who shall pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord Jesus and from the glory of his strength. With , designating a class, (v. 8) is resumed; similarly with , the (v. 8) is resumed. An advance over v. 8 is, however, made in that the penalty is announced as an eternal banishment from Christ.

. This phrase, in apposition with , occurs elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. only 4 Mac. 10:15 (A); it is equivalent (see I 5:3) to or in Ps. Sol. 2:35 (cf. Eth. En. 84:5). The destruction resulting from the supernatural conflict or as here from a forensic judgment involves for Paul not the annihilation of the wicked (for they exist after death even if they are not raised from the dead) but their separation from Christ, as the defining clause with intimates. In the light of , might mean the definitive supernatural act belonging to the age to come; but in view of ., it must rather refer to the destruction whose consequences are age-long, that is, to Paul and to the N. T. in general, eternal (Mar 3:29, Mat 25:46; cf. Dan 12:2). Beyond the statement of the fact of an eternal banishment and separation, Paul does not go; he says nothing of (Jud 1:7, Mat 18:8, Mat 25:41).

. The banishment from Christ is expressed in language drawn from the refrain of Isa 2:10, Isa 2:19, Isa 2:21: . In citing this passage, however, Paul omits , leaving (see I 2:17) to be explained as face, presence, and as a preposition after an implied verb of separation. Then in the second member of the virtually synonymous parallelism, face becomes glory, the halo of majesty which lightens the face of the Lord; and the Lord becomes his strength, the fons et origo of the glory ( being a genitive of origin). Thus, with a concentration upon the essential, the of v. 6 is defined as an eternal separation from the glorious presence of Christ, this penalty being the direct opposite of the reward of the believer (v. 10), namely, as I 4:17 states that reward, .

The classic distinction between and (found in every letter of Paul except I and Phile.) is apparently observed by Paul (Bl 50:1); hence quippe qui, men who (Ell., Lft., Mill.; also SH. on Rom 1:25).-, a classic word, rare in N. T. (Jud 1:7, Act 28:4) but common in Lxx, means either justice (Sap. 1:8), suit at law (Job 29:16) or punishment (Sap. 18:11, 2 Mac. 8:11, 13, 4 Mac. 6:28, 9:32). is found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only Pro 20:22, Pro 20:24:22, 44, Pro 20:27:12 (); the phrase is classic, but is not found elsewhere in Gk. Bib.; it is equivalent to (Pro 27:12), or (1Co 3:15); cf. (Lev 26:25, Eze 25:12); or (Deu 32:41, Deu 32:43).-With the phrase (see Vincent, ad loc.) is to be compared (Rom 2:7, Rom 5:21, Rom 6:22 f. Gal 6:3), destruction being the opposite of life. The adjective or its equivalent is common in the Lxx (e. g. Sir. 15:6, 17:12, 45:15; Ps. Sol. 2:35); its meaning is to be determined not from Greek etymology but from the usage of , that is, long duration whether looking forward or backward, to futurity or antiquity (BDB). The exact duration intended depends upon the writer; in Eth. En. 10:11 the is five hundred years; in Daniel as in the N. T. the age to come is of unlimited duration; hence belonging to the age means to Paul eternal and everlasting. A reads (cf. 3 Reg. 21:42 Sap. 18:15). On the duration of punishment in Jewish literature, see Bousset, Relig2 320, Volz, Eschat 286 ff., and Kennedy, Last Things, 316; on , see Dalman, Worte Jesu, I, 120 ff.-That is local, as in Gal 5:4, Rom 9:3, 2Co 11:3, is generally admitted (Piscator, Riggenbach, Ln., Ell., Lft., Born, Vincent, Mill., Dob. et al.). Grammatically possible, however, is (1) the causal sense of , frequent in Lxx, but infrequent in N. T. (Bl 40:3), at the presence of, the thought being that the very face of the Lord causes destruction. In this interpretation, no hint is given that destruction consists in eternal separation. It is sufficient that God comes and is seen and all are involved in punishment and penalty (Chrys. apud Ell.). (2) The may indicate source,-the eternal destruction which proceeds from the face, etc. (cf. Act 3:19; so apparently Grot., Schmiedel, Find., Wohl.). (3) Possible also grammatically but pointless in sense (Find.) is the explanation of as temporal, from the time of the revelation of the Lord (see Lillie for names). Much simpler is it to take of separation. That Paul says not but (only here in Paul; cf. Act 5:41, Act 7:45, Rev 6:16, Rev 12:14, Rev 20:11) is due to the influence of Isa 2:10.-On , see I 2:6; on (Eph 1:19, Eph 6:10), rare in N. T. but common in Lxx, see especially 1Ch 16:28, Psa 146:5.-DGF omit before -In his references to the destruction of the wicked (vv. 6 a, 8-9), Paul refrains from details, contenting himself with the fact of eternal separation. Furthermore, since describes not the means of punishment but the manner of the Christophany, it is probable that his angels of power are not the angels of punishment (Eth. En. 62:11 f.) but the attendant retinue of angels who accord to Christ glory and admiration by reason of his saving work manifested in the saints and believers who stand before the (v. 10).

10. . With this relative conditional sentence designating the time of , Paul resumes the point of vv. 5, 7a and indicates the beginning of the future salvation of the readers which is eternal fellowship with the Lord. This indication is put in a unique parallelism the language of which betrays the influence of the Lxx: when he comes ( balancing v. 7) to be glorified in his saints (that is, in virtue of what they are; cf. Gal. 2:24 ) and to be admired in all who became believers in that day. Though the parallelism is synonymous, the presence in the second member of and of the aorist ( instead of the expected present ; cf. I 2:10, 13) indicates an advance from the general to the specific. Included in the number of the saints are particularly the faint-hearted Thessalonians who became believers when they welcomed the word (I 1:6 ff. 2:13 ff.); for, as the parenthetical clause with (separating in that day from the infinitives to which it belongs) explains, our witness (= our gospel) which was directed to you was believed ( being suggested by ).

Both and (a phrase only here in Paul; cf. Luk 10:12, Luk 10:17:31, 2Ti 1:18, 2Ti 4:8) seem to have been influenced by Isa 2:10 ff.; on the other hand, the total phrase , though it shows traces of resemblance to Psa 88:8, 67:36 () Isa 49:3, Isa 66:5, is unique. The verb , here and v. 12 (cf. Isa 66:5), like (v. 4), is unclassic; it is found about thirteen times in the Lxx, usually with (cf. Exo 15:11 , ). This (which is also frequent with the more common ) is in the Lxx to be explained either as (1) of place where (Psa 88:8 ; Ps. 67:36 () ; cf. 1 Mal 3:14 ); (2) of instrument (Isa 49:3 (B); cf. Isa 5:16, etc.); or (3) of ground (Isa 45:25, Sir 38:6; cf. Sir. 48:4; Isa 61:6 (B). The is not (Sir. 10:30) or (Sir. 3:20)). Were Paul distinctly quoting Psa 88:8, 67:36, it would be natural to take of place where, among (Michaelis, Van Ess., and others noted by Lillie; so also Dob.), in spite of the fact that the local sense does not fit v. 12 ( ). This theory, however, does not compel us to assume that the persons who accord the glory and admiration are not his angels of power but Christians. On the other hand, since Paul is not quoting, and since his interest is not in the external features of the judgment but is in the character of the people (cf. v. 8) present, it is more probable that is to be understood not of place, or even of instrument (Chrys., Bengel; = with gen.), but of ground (Grot., Ln., Ell., Lillie, Lft., Schmiedel, Born, Find., Wohl., Mill., et al.); cf. Pelagius: he himself is to be glorified in his members which shall shine with the brightness of the sun (on this , see Gal 1:24, 1Co 6:20). In virtue of what the saints and all believers are (by reason of the death and the indwelling of Christ), the attendant angels ascribe glory and admiration to Christ. This view of is also applicable to the of v. 12. There is no hint that the glory which proceeds from the Lord has already entered into the Christians.-On , cf. Sap. 8:11 ( of place), Sir. 33:4 (; of instrument), and Isa 61:6 (B; of ground).- is in synonymous parallelism with ; both refer to Christians irrespective of race.-That is parenthetical was noted by Th. Mops., Zim. and Wohl. less naturally connect with the preceding infinitives, to be glorified and admired in the fact that our witness, etc.- (see I 1:5) = (v. 8); (which is equivalent to 2:14, I 1:5 and 1Co 15:14) is the witness, inspired by God (1Co 2:1) or Christ (1Co 1:6), which we preach. It is the witness which (sc. ) is (not against you; Luk 9:5, Num 35:30 A; but) over you (1 Mac. 2:37 ).- = was believed, as suggests, the reference being to the welcome given to the gospel at the beginning. It is interesting that in this sense is used with an impersonal subject elsewhere in the N. T. only Rom 10:10 (contrast 1Ti 3:16). Lft. joins with and paraphrases thus: belief in our testimony directed itself to reach you. Hort and Moff. accept Marklands conjecture (which Cod. 104 reads). Hort explains in connection with vv. 4-5 that the Christian testimony had been confirmed and sealed upon the Thessalonians. He compares 1Co 1:6, Psa 92:4, Psa 92:5 and 1Ch 17:23 (which is doubtful) and 2Ch 1:9. The conjecture, however, is unnecessary.

11-12. Though the faint-hearted may thus be assured of their being deemed worthy of the kingdom, yet (cf. I 5:8 ff.) they must be blameless (cf. I 3:13) in order to enter into the same. Since blamelessness is possible only through the power of God, Paul adds a prayer: to which end (namely, the future salvation implied in v. 10; cf. v. 8 and v. 5), we too as well as you pray always that our God may deem you worthy (that is, acquit you at the judgment) of the calling (of God mediated by the preaching of our witness; cf. 2:14) and (that the acquittal may follow) bring to completion every resolve after goodness and every work inspired by faith in power (that is, of the Spirit). This prayer for moral perfection is to the eventual end that () the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you (that is, as in v. 10, in virtue of what you are) and you may be glorified in it (that is, in virtue of what his name accomplishes). And this blessed consummation is in accordance with the divine favour of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

11. . Though is loosely attached to the preceding and refers to the idea of salvation implied in v. 10, it is yet tempting (with Lft.) to connect it directly with (v. 5), the controlling idea of vv. 5-12 being that the faint-hearted may be assured of their being deemed worthy of the kingdom. In this case, denotes purpose to which end, and is resumed by (likewise telic) (cf. v. 3). The before is interesting. In the letter from Thessalonica to Paul it appeared that the fainthearted, though anxious about their salvation, were nevertheless praying constantly that God would equip them with the Spirit whose presence guaranteed a blameless life and the acquittal at the last day. This prayer Paul reciprocates, we too as well as you pray ( as in I 2:13; cf. Col 1:9).

That indicates purpose is recognised by De W., Riggenbach, Lillie, Lft., Born, Vincent, Find., Mill., and others. The objection that it is logically impossible (e. g. Ln., Dob.) overlooks Pauls recognition of the facts of religious experience and his interest in righteousness as essential unto future salvation (cf. I 3:13, 5:8-9). To be sure salvation is assured to those who are in Christ, but the test of being in Christ is ethical. Those who deny the telic force of take it of reference (Ln., Ell., Schmiedel, Dob., et al.). On , cf. Rom 14:9, 2Co 2:9; on , cf. Col 1:28 f.; on , see further 2:14, Php 3:16.-Bacon sees the force of but interprets differently: it is clear that they had assured him of their prayers in his behalf, as requested I 5:25 (Introd. 72). Others see in the intimation of a correspondence between prayer on the one hand and on the other hope (Ell.), witness (Find.), or thanksgiving (Riggenbach, Wohl., Dob., Moff.).-Influenced by I 5:25 D inserts a second before On , see I 1:2; on , see I 5:25. For the prayer at this point, cf. Php 1:9, Col 1:9.

. Since resumes , it is to be taken not epexegetically as introducing the content of the prayer, but finally, to which end, namely, that. The , emphatically placed, resumes the specific of vv. 10, 5. The calling (1Co 7:20, Eph 4:1) is, in view of our God, to be interpreted not as your calling (1Co 1:26, Eph 4:4) but as Gods calling (Rom 11:29, Php 3:14; cf. Vulg vocatione sua), the reference being to Gods act of calling in the past (I 2:12, 4:7, 5:24) mediated through the preaching of the gospel (2:14), i. e. our witness to you (v. 10). , a characteristic phrase in our letters (see I 2:2), intimates that just as there is a common suffering of Paul and his readers ( v. 5), and a common relief ( v. 7), so also there is a common fellowship in God, the ultimate source of salvation.

Many interpreters find difficulty in referring to the past, on the ground, apparently, that the historical call of God of itself involves future salvation. Paul, however, while practically certain that all believers will be acquitted at the because of the presence in them of Christ or the Spirit as the power unto righteousness, reckons with the possibility that believers may fall out of the realm of grace and disregard the promptings of the Spirit (cf. I 3:13, 5:8 ff. Gal 5:4, 2Co 6:1, and the implications of Php 2:12). To avoid the supposed difficulty, , contrary to Pauls usage, is understood of the future glory and blessedness (Th. Mops. ut dignos vos bonorum illorum exhibeat deus, in quorum et vocati estis fruitionem; cf. Calv., Riggenbach, Ell., Lft., Mill., et al.) either on the analogy of Php 3:14, of in Col 1:5, or of the Synoptic invitation to the Messianic Supper (Mat 22:3, Mat 22:8; cf. Chrys., Schmiedel, Wohl. et al.). Others, contrary to usage, take to mean to make worthy (Grot., Flatt, Dob. et al.). Better Pelagius: that ye may be found worthy of that to which you have been called (cf. Ephr., Born, Find. et al.). G reads ; KL Outside of Paul, occurs infrequently in the Gk. Bib. (2Ti 1:9, Heb 3:1, 2Pe 1:10, Judith 12:10 (A) Jer 38:6, Jer 38:3 Mac. 5:14).

. Since means not make worthy but deem worthy, is not synonymous with but rather, as Lillie remarks, regards the process by which alone the object of the Apostles heart could be secured. Whom he counts worthy, he first makes worthy. In order that God may acquit the believers at the judgment, he must by the power of the Spirit perfect in them every resolve after goodness and every work that faith inspires.

. The first of the parallel objects of touches the inner purpose, every resolve (not desire, as if with Cod. 17 were read) that they have after goodness (the genitive is objective). The phrase does not appear elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. In as in (I 2:8), the prominent thought is that of will, resolve, consent. Goodness (, elsewhere in N. T. only Gal 5:22, Rom 15:14, Eph 5:9) is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) akin to ; over against it denotes singleness of heart (Sap. 1:1; cf. Col 3:22, Eph 6:5).

. And every (sc. ) work of faith. This second of the parallel objects of refers to the activity inspired by faith, that is, not specifically endurance in persecution (Chrys.), but generally, as the omission of the articles (in keeping with ) suggests, love (cf. I 1:3). Paul prays that God may perfect not only the resolve but the accomplishment of the same.

. In power, that is, in the power of God (Ephr.). The phrase, which is to be construed with , puts the stress on the energy exercised by the divine (Rom 1:4, Col 1:29). The is Christ (1Co 1:24) or the Spirit (I 1:5) without whose aid the resolve after goodness and the attainment of love would be impossible.

is quite frequent in Koheleth; cf. also Neh 9:25, Neh 9:35; , apart from Luk 2:14, Luk 10:21, Mat 11:26, is employed in N. T. only by Paul (of God Php 2:13, Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9; cf. Sir. 32:5, 41:4; of men Rom 10:1, Php 1:15); on its meaning, see SH or Zahn on Rom 10:1, also Kennedy, Sources, 131.-Since need not refer to Gods good will, goodness which is his good pleasure (Grot.), his good pleasure proceeding from his goodness (Calv.), or his good pleasure in the goodness of men (Dob.), it is unnecessary, especially in a context in which moral excellence is in mind, to take = work which is faith (gen. of apposition), that is, Gods work of faith (Calv., Dob.). In fact most commentators rightly refer both and to the Thessalonians (De W., Ln., Ell., Lillie, Lft., Mill. and especially Schmiedel and Wohl. who note the progress from will () to deed ()).

12. . The clause with (dependent on v. 11) states the ultimate purpose of the prayer in language reminiscent of Isa 66:5, and similar to but more specific than (not but ) that of v. 10: that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, that is, in virtue of ( of ground as in v. 10) what you are at the last day, blameless in holiness. Following the usage of the O. T., signifies what is involved in the Christian estimate of Jesus, namely, his Lordship and Messiahship ( and , Act 2:36, Php 2:9 ff.). Here, however (contrast Php 2:11, 1Co 1:2, 1Co 1:10, 1Co 1:6:11, Eph 5:20), only the Lordship is mentioned (AGP, et al., add ); the name is not simply Jesus, but our Lord Jesus (1Co 5:4; cf. Col 3:17). The idea underlying the clause with seems to be that at the last judgment, at the beginning of the eternal fellowship with Christ, the name our Lord Jesus is named with loud acclaims (perhaps by the attendant angelic hosts), in virtue of the goodness and love of the Thessalonians perfected by God through the Spirit. What was in Gods purpose, that they be deemed worthy of the kingdom of God (v. 5), will then be realised.

. Advancing beyond v. 10, Paul here states explicitly that the relation in glory between the Lord Jesus and his servants is reciprocal; they too are accorded honour and glory in virtue of what the name of our Lord Jesus has done for them: and that you may be glorified in ( of ground) it, that is, the name.

. The glorification for which prayer is made is in accordance with the divine favour (I 1:1) of our God (v. 11) and the Lord Jesus Christ, just as it is with the purpose of God (v. 5). The statement is put positively; a contrast with human effort is not here indicated (contrast with Lft. Rom 4:16, Rom 11:5 f, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:8).

In view of v. 10 and of after , it is all but certain that the reference here is not to the present (Dob.) but to the future glorification (so most). In Paul, is much less frequent than ; for the sequence here, cf. 1Co 1:27 ff. 2Co 8:13 f.-On , cf. Psa 85:9, Psa 85:12, Isa 24:15, Isa 42:10, Mal 1:11, Dan 3:26, and see Deiss. BS 35 ff. 143 ff., NBS. 24 ff., and TLZ 1904, 199 ff. The parallelism makes probable that refers to (Hofmann, Ln., Schmiedel, Wohl., Dob.); the meaning would be the same were the reference to our Lord Jesus. Neither here nor in v. 10 is there a clear hint of entering into the believer.-GF omit -In the salutations () , the article is omitted as the formulae are fixed. The presence of here before has led some scholars to think that one person alone is meant, Jesus Christ, our God and Lord. Hofmann, Riggenbach, and Wohl. find the justification for Christ as God in Rom 9:5 (cf. Tit 2:13, Joh 20:28, 2Pe 1:1, 2Pe 1:11); Dob. would delete . as a gloss; Hilgenfeld sees in the phrase an evidence of the spuriousness of II. Inasmuch, however, as (not ) is characteristic of our letters (see I 2:2), and , without the article, is a fixed formula, it is probable that we should, with most interpreters, distinguish between our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. K omits ; the Latins naturally do not help.

(e a p r). Cod. Sinaiticus, saec. iv, now at St. Petersburg. Edited by Tischendorf, its discoverer, in 1862. Photographic reproduction by H. and K. Lake, Oxford, 1911. Contains I and II complete.

A A (e a p r). Cod. Alexandrinus, saec. v, now in the British Museum. Edited by Woide in 1786. Facsimile by E. M. Thompson, 1879. Contains I and II complete.

B B (e a p r). Cod. Vaticanus, saec. iv, now in the Vatican Library. Photographic reproduction by Cozza-Luzi, Rome, 1889, and by the Milan firm of Hoepli, 1904. Contains I and II complete.

D D (p). Cod. Claromontanus, saec. vi, Graeco-Latin, now in the National library at Paris. Edited by Tischendorf in 1852. Contains I and II complete.

Bl F. Blass, Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch (1896, 19022).

Th. Theodore of Mopsuestia, in epistolas Pauli commentarii (ed. H. B. Swete, 1880-82).

Wohl Wohlenberg.

Born Bornemann.

Dob Ernst von Dobschtz,

Ln Lnemann.

Chrys Chrysostom.

Grot Hugo de Groot (Grotius).

G G (p). Cod. Boernerianus, saec. ix, now in the Royal Library at Dresden. It is closely related to F, according to some the archetype of F (Souter). Edited by Matthaei, 1791. Im Lichtdruck nachgebildet, Leipzig (Hiersemann), 1909. Contains I and II complete.

F F (p). Cod. Augiensis, saec. ix, Graeco-Latin, now in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. An exact transcript by Scrivener, 1859. Contains I and II complete.

K K (a p). Cod. Mosquensis, saec. ix, now at Moscow. Collated by Matthaei, 1782. Contains I and II complete.

L L (a p). Cod. Angelicus, saec. ix, now in the Angelican Library at Rome. Collated among others by Tischendorf (1843) and Tregelles (1845). Contains I and II complete.

P P (a p r). Cod. Porphyrianus, saec. ix, now at St. Petersburg. Edited by Tischendorf (1865). Contains I and II except I 3:5 – 4:17.

E E Cod. Sangermanensis, saec. ix, now at St. Petersburg. A copy of D.

Ephr Ephraem Syrus.

Lft Lightfoot.

Mill George Milligan.

Weiss B. Weiss in TU. XIV, 3 (1896).

Zim F. Zimmer, Der Text der Thessalonicherbriefe (1893).

Calv Calvin.

De De Wette.

Lillie John Lillie, Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians, Translated from the Greek, with Notes (1856).

Ell Ellicott.

g g Latin of the bilingual G

Vulg Vulgate.

Ambst Ambrosiaster.

Arm Armenian version.

C C (e a p r). Cod. Ephraemi Rescriptus, saec. v, now in the National Library at Paris. The N. T. fragments were edited by Tischendorf in 1843. Contains I 1:2 -2:8 .

Vincent M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the N. T., vol. IV, 1900.

BMT E. D. Burton, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses in N. T. Greek (18983).

Lxx The Old Testament in Greek (ed. H. B. Swete, 1887-94).

SH Comm. on Romans in ICC. by W. Sanday an A. C. Headlam.

EB The Encyclopdia Biblica (London, 1899-1903; ed. J. S. Black and T. K. Cheyne).

Find G. G. Findlay.

Moff James Moffatt.

Meyer Kritisch-exegetischer Komm. ber das N. T.

Pesh Syriac Vulgate.

Bousset, W. Bousset, Die Religion des Judentums im neutestamentlichen Zeitalter (19062).

BDB Brown, Driver, Briggs, Heb.-Eng. Lexicon.

Volz, Paul Volz, Jdische Eschatologie von Daniel bis Akiba (1903).

Kennedy, H. A. A. Kennedy, St. Pauls Conceptions of the Last Things (1904).

Kennedy, Sources of N. T. Greek (1895).

Deiss. A. Deissmann, Bibelstudien (1895).

TLZ Theologische Literaturzeitung.

Fuente: International Critical Commentary New Testament

Faithful through Faith in a Righteous God

2Th 1:1-12

Notice the remarkable couplets of this chapter. Grace and peace, 2Th 1:2; faith and love, 2Th 1:3; faith and patience, 2Th 1:4; tribulation for those who trouble, and rest for those who are troubled, 2Th 1:6-7; know not, obey not, 2Th 1:8; the presence of the Lord, the glory of His power, 2Th 1:9; glorified and admired, 2Th 1:10; the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith, 2Th 1:11. Like mirrors that face each other, these words flash back and forth their depths of sacred significance.

What marvelous scenes the future conceals for believers!-such as rest for the weary, palms of victory for the defeated, glory for the name and cause of Christ, and, above all, the revelation of that dear Presence with which we have been so constantly in touch. But how inexpressibly awful and terrible, on the other hand, the fate of the willful rejecters of the love of God!

The final prayer has always been highly prized by Gods people. If they shall ever be worthy of their high calling, it is for Him to make them so. His being glorified and admired in His saints is not a far-off event, but one within the possibilities of the present hour; and the name of Jesus may be magnified here and now in us, as it will be finally and more perfectly. Compare II Thessalon ians 1:10, 12.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Pauls first Epistle to the Thessalonians dealt largely with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His saints. Evidently some Christians in Thessalonica misunderstood the teaching in that letter. They seem to have jumped to the conclusion that since the Lords coming might take place at any moment, it was useless for them to work for a living. And since they were going through some very trying and distressing experiences, they thought that perhaps they were already entering the great tribulation. The apostle, who was still in Corinth, heard of these strange misunderstandings of the truth that he had sought to explain and wrote a second letter in order to correct these unwholesome views. He wanted to explain more definitely and clearly what the responsibilities of Christians are as they wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apostolic Salutation (2Th 1:1-2)

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1:1). The salutation here is the same as the salutation in 1 Thessalonians. It is only in these two letters that we find a local church spoken of as the church in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The emphasis is on family relationship: the Christians in Thessalonica were young believers, but they knew God as Father. They were children in His family and Jesus Christ was their Lord.

The apostle wished them grace and peace. They would need grace for every step of the way and as they learned to trust in the living Father, they would enjoy the peace of God. His peace would protect their hearts and give them quiet confidence as they pursued the pilgrim journey through this troubled world.

Comfort for the Persecuted (2Th 1:3-10)

In this passage the apostle sought to comfort and encourage these believers who were enduring great suffering and persecution for Christs sake. To console and hearten the saints amidst their trials and perplexities, Paul wrote, We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth (1:3). The English word love is a better rendering, I think, than the older word charity because over the years the thought of almsgiving has been attached to the word charity. Paul was speaking here of sincere affection, not of kind consideration for others-although real love is always charitable.

Paul gave the church at Thessalonica credit for two things: a growing faith and abounding love. It is a wonderful thing when Christians are characterized in this way. Too often believers who have been Christians for many years look back to the old days and ask:

Where is the blessedness I knew

When first I saw the Lord?

Where is that soul-refreshing view

Of Jesus and His Word?

(William Cowper)

They think of early joys as they sing:

O happy day that fixed my choice

On Thee, my Savior and my God!

But they are not able to finish the verse, for it does not describe their present condition:

Well may this glowing heart rejoice

And tell its raptures all abroad.

(Philip Doddridge)

It is a pitiable thing when a Christians present state is lower than it was when he was first converted. This was true of the believers at Ephesus when the Lord had to say to the church there, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love (Rev 2:4). But it was otherwise with the Thessalonian believers. Some time had elapsed since they were converted, but their faith was growing and they were abounding in love.

Perhaps we need to search our own hearts and ask ourselves some questions: Is our faith growing exceedingly? Do we have more confidence in God today than we had when we came to Him in the beginning of our Christian lives? Have we proved and tested Him through the years so that we know we can count on Him now in a larger and fuller way than we did when we were first brought to know Him? If we cannot answer yes, it is evident that we are in a backslidden condition. Our faith is declining and we need to turn to God and cry, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation (Psa 51:12). Pro 4:18 tells us that the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day, so we who have known the Lord for years ought to be stronger in faith than ever before. Our love should be abounding more and more each passing day.

The Thessalonian believers were passing through a time of great suffering, tribulation, and bitter anguish for Christs sake, but the grace of God was wonderfully evident in their lives. Their enemies could not understand how they could be so joyous and peaceful in spite of the persecutions that they were enduring. Unbelievers, who wondered how these Christians could continue in holy, happy unity, surely said, How is it that they do not seem to be moved by our efforts to upset them? They go right on rejoicing, returning love for hatred, kindness for malice, and praying for those who persecute them. We do not understand. Such behavior should always be characteristic of those who are redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are made heirs of the kingdom by the new birth, but we prove that we are worthy of the kingdom of God by readily enduring suffering for Christs sake (2Th 1:5). We are told that if we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him (2Ti 2:12). All believers suffer with Him in some sense, but all do not suffer for Him in the same way. One could not be a Christian at all-could not be indwelt by the Holy Spirit-if he did not suffer with Christ. The very fact that we belong to Him and have received a new and divine nature makes us suffer as we go through this world that has rejected Him. But Paul had something more than that in mind in 2Th 1:5. He was referring to taking so definite a stand for Christ that we become the objects of the worlds hatred. If we are prepared to endure grief and wrong because of our faithfulness to Christ, we will have the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of that kingdom to which we are heirs.

The apostle went on to assure the suffering Thessalonians that God would rightfully recompense tribulation to them that trouble you (1:6). We are to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, and pray for them that despitefully use us, but in His own time God will deal with those who have persecuted His church.

When the Lord Jesus Christ comes in judgment, a great distinction will be made between those who knew and loved the Savior and those who, refusing to believe the gospel, persisted in their sins and wickedness in utter indifference to the God who created them. Those who have persecuted the church and are still alive will receive retribution at that second coming (those who have already died will be judged at the last great assize). But Christ will take care of His persecuted people when He descends to recompense tribulation. Paul told the Thessalonians that God would recompense rest to those the wicked have sought to injure (1:7). When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, He will repay trouble and anguish to those who deserve His wrath, but He will reward all who are His own with rest, joy, and comfort.

2Th 1:7-8 refers not to the coming of the Lord for His own (as in 1 Thessalonians 4) but to the day of the Lord (as in 1 Thessalonians 5). Rev 1:7 also refers to the day of the Lord when it says, Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. On that day He will come as Judge to destroy those who have spurned His grace. This second coming will usher in that glorious era when the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness over the whole earth.

On the day of the Lord, He will be revealed in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel (2Th 1:8). Here Paul referred to two classes of people. In the first class are those who know not God; these are the heathen who have lived in ignorance of the gospel and in definite rebellion against their Creator. In the second class are those who obey not the gospel; that is, they have heard the truth, but have rejected it.

People ask, Is God going to judge the heathen? Is He going to send them to Hell for rejecting Jesus Christ when they never heard of Him? The answer is no. He is not going to send them to Hell for rejecting Jesus Christ, but He is going to judge them for their sins. We read in Romans 1 that they have been given up to uncleanness because they have sinned against their own consciences and against the God they once knew. So whether or not the Word has ever been taken to them by missionaries, they are sinning against the light that God has given them.

The guiltier class are those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Men and women who live in this favored land should consider this fact with intense solemnity. When I hear people talking glibly about the heathen and what God will do with them, I feel that it would be far better for them to be thinking about themselves. What will God do with those who have heard the message over and over again and have spurned it? What will He do with those who have known of Christ all their lives and have rejected His love and grace?

One of the saddest things I know is to see young men and women living careless, indifferent lives after growing up in Christian homes. They have had examples of piety in godly fathers or mothers and the benefits of being raised where family worship was maintained, yet they leave their childhood homes saying that they had enough religion when they were young and do not want it now. How such stupid expressions reveal the rebellion of the heart and hardness of conscience! For these rebellious individuals there is nothing but judgment unless they repent, break down before God, confess their sins, and turn to the Christ whom they have rejected.

When the Lord Jesus comes in the clouds in flaming fire, He will punish those who have sinned with no knowledge of Christ; but with more intense wrath he will punish those who have sinned against the light and knowledge that God has given them concerning His beloved Son. The latter, we read, shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (2Th 1:9). What solemn words! What terrible warnings God has given men in order that they might face the question of their guilt and turn to Him in repentance! Like the danger signals at railroad crossings, He is saying, Stop! Look! Listen!

How sad it would be to be found in ones sin when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (1:10). What a great separation there will be in that day. Gathered about Christ will be those who believed the message, trusted Him as Savior, and maintained a testimony for Him on earth, but were misunderstood and persecuted for His names sake; these will rejoice with Him in the day of His power. On the other hand, those who spurned His lovingkindness will experience the awfulness of divine retribution.

Pauls Prayer (2Th 1:11-12)

The chapter closes with the apostles prayer for the saints: Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power (1:11). We would do well to use the same expressions and pray for grace to act accordingly-grace to walk worthy of this calling. It is a privilege to be allowed to walk with the Lord through a world that rejects Him; it is a privilege to bear His name when that name is despised by the godless. How many of us look upon it as a privilege?

Paul ended his prayer with these words: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (1:12). As our love abounds there will be increased power in our lives to witness for Christ and to glorify Him.

The Christian walks a path of rejection as he goes through the world, but ahead of him is the glorious prospect of joy with Christ at His return. Ahead of the unsaved is nothing but judgment in that day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heavenin flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel.

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets

2Th 1:1-7

I. This Epistle opens with the mention of the same Apostolic group as does the first. Paul was not alone: Silvanus and Timotheus were still with him in closest fellowship of toil and suffering. The Church, too, is described in the same way. Still further, the Apostle gives expression, as before, so again, to his devout thankfulness to God for the graces of the new life which his converts exhibit. So far from there being any decline in these graces, there was conspicuous progress. In the Christian life it ought always to be so. True steadfastness is a standing fast, but it can never be a standing still. Continuance in all the elements of prosperity of soul, as regards both the individual and the community, is insured only by advancement in them. While the Apostle contemplates the increase of these Divine graces in his friends, he also recognises it as a special token of Divine goodness to himself. The exhibition of these graces on the dark background of suffering was not merely an example-it was not only a spectacle which the heathen had never seen before (for their acts of heroic endurance had no root in patience and faith); it was distinctly a setting forth, an exhibition to all who had the eyes of their understanding enlightened, of the rectitude of God’s dealings.

II. “Rest with us.” By the word “rest” Paul directs the thoughts of his reader forward and upward, “All but opening heaven already by his word.” There is, indeed, a power in the word to comfort and sustain those in whose hearts burns “the hot fever of unrest.” It is a word of promise to all faithful but weary workers in every noble cause. Erasmus once wrote “No one will believe how anxiously, for a long time, I have wished to retire from these labours into a scene of tranquillity, and for the rest of my life (dwindled, it is true, to the shortest space) to converse only with Him who once cried and who still cries, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ In this turbulent, and I may say, raging world, amid so many cares, which the state of the times heaps upon me in public, or which declining years or infirmities cause me in private, nothing do I find on which my mind can more comfortably repose than on this sweet communion with God.” The pathetic longing of these words for a repose that comes not at man’s call is yet to attain to satisfaction. When earth and time be passed away, “there remaineth a rest to the people of God.”

J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians, p. 252.

References: 2Th 1:3.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. iv., No. 205; vol. xxxi., No. 1857.

2Th 1:7-12

The rest awaiting Christ’s troubled saints is in the fullest sense to be their possession at the revelation of the Lord Jesus. He who is emphatically the coming One is to be revealed. There is a vividness in the word. He is now hidden. But when He comes again, every eye shall see Him.

I. The term “everlasting” qualifying “destruction,” as it here does, shows that this destruction is not extinction of being. It is not loss of being, but loss of wellbeing: for as its opposite, life, is more than mere existence, so destruction is more than mere non-existence. The purpose the Apostle has in view in the description of the coming is the same here as in 1Th 4:15-17, the giving of comfort and encouragement to his readers in the midst of apprehensions and trials.

II. “And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness.” There are structural objections to the rendering which makes “the good pleasure” to be God’s. It is rather His people’s moral goodness, and their good pleasure in it-every aspiration after goodness which they cherish within their breasts. Hence the Revised Version is to be preferred-“every desire of goodness.” All genuine holiness, being a cheerful obedience to God’s law, is, indeed, the good pleasure of His will; but it is also on the part of His people their “good pleasure and goodness,” and it is this which is signified here. The Apostle’s prayer is that his friends may have, by God’s grace, every desire after holiness brought to perfect realisation, so that they may become full of goodness, finding at last their perfect happiness in perfect sanctification.

J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians, p. 267.

References: 2Th 1:7-12.-Preachers Monthly, vol. iii., p. 361. 2Th 1:9.-Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. vi., pp. 327, 339.

2Th 1:10

I. All creation is one great illustration of Jesus. God has laid up everything, if we only see it aright, for the exhibition of His dear Son; so that, faithful to that great idea, when He comes He will come, indeed, to judge the world, but He will come yet more “to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.” And the Church-this poor, divided, feeble, unworthy, sin-stained Church-does it set forth the character of its Lord? does it make Him admirable? It is pleasant to be assured that if it does not now, it shall then. Be you only one of those who receive gladly the processes of the sanctifying Spirit into your heart-be you only, at this moment, a simple believer-“when He comes,” He must be magnified in you. For He comes for no other purpose. “When He shall come to be glorified in His saints and admired in all them that believe.”

II. There is a distinction between “glorified in the saints,” and “admired in them that believe.” We must trace the difference. “Saints” are either those in whom the great work of sanctification is going on in this world, or those in whom it is perfected in the world to come. In this passage it is the perfectly holy. Now, holiness, as regards man, is the final end. All else-election, redemption, grace-is only a means to the one end-that we may be holy. Therefore we are always taught to think of everything else as a first principle, and to go on to holiness. And the reason is this:-Holiness is the image of God; to see His own image is the will and purpose of God. That there might be an image of God was the first creation, that there might be an image of God is the second creation. The thick clay will have become the beautiful vessel-the rude ore will be the pure, fine gold. Out of the unlikeliest materials the hands of the Almighty will have made His masterpiece-the pearl from the shell, the diamond from the charcoal-and the whole world will marvel at that transformation; and God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, will be “glorified in His saints.”

III. And “admired”-the word is taken in its original and truest meaning-“wondered at,” wondered at in all them that believe-i.e., in all them that did believe when they were in the school of this present, probationary world. The whole world will be looking on, and they will see, with astonishment, the triumphs of faith; as all men see again the faithfulness of Jesus to His own Word, and the efficacy of His atoning blood, He will be “wondered at in all them that believe.”

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 4th series, p. 303.

References: 2Th 1:10.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv., No. 1477; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ix., p. 279.

2Th 1:11-12

Worthy of your Calling.

In the former letter to the Church of Thessalonica, the Apostle had dwelt, in ever-memorable words-which sound like a prelude of the trump of God-on the coming of Christ at the end to judge the world and to gather His servants into His rest. That great thought seems to have excited some of the hotter heads in Thessalonica, and to have led to a general feverishness and unwholesome expectancy of the near approach or actual dawn of that day. This letter is intended as a supplement to the former epistle, and to damp down the fire which has been kindled. It, therefore, dwells with emphasis on the necessary preliminaries to the dawning of that day of the Lord, and throughout seeks to lead the excited spirits to patience and persistent work, and to calm their feverish expectations. This purpose colours the whole letter.

I. Notice first, here, the Divine test for Christian lives: “We pray for you, that God would count you worthy of your calling.” Now, it is to be observed that this counting worthy refers mainly to a future estimate to be made by God of the completed career and permanent character brought out of earth into another state by Christian souls. So, then, we are brought face to face with this thought of an actual, stringent judgment which God will apply in the future to the lives and characters of professing Christians. Now, that is a great deal too much forgotten in our popular Christian teaching, and in our average Christian faith. Let no Christian man fancy that he shall escape the righteous judgment of God. An absolute correspondence, a complete worthiness or perfect desert, is impossible for us all, but a worthiness which His merciful judgment who makes allowance for us all may accept, as not too flagrantly contradictory of what He meant us to be, is possible even for our poor attainments and our stained lives. If it were Paul’s supreme aim, should it not be ours, that we may be worthy of Him that hath called us, and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called?

II. Note, here, the Divine help to meet the test. Paul says, in effect, first, that God will fulfil every desire that longs for goodness. He is scarcely deserving of being called good, who does not desire to be better. Aspiration must always be ahead of performance in a growing life, such as every Christian life ought to be. To long for any righteousness and beauty of goodness, is, in some imperfect and incipient measure, to possess the good for which we long.

III. Note the Divine glory of the Worthy. This fulfilment of every desire of goodness and work of faith is in order that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in Him. Christ’s reputation is in our hands. Men judge of Him by us. The name of the Lord Jesus is glorified in you if you live worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called; and people will think better of the Master if His disciples are faithful. On the other hand, there is glory accruing to perfected saints in Christ. “And ye in Him.” And the union will lead to a participation in His glory which shall exalt their limited, stained, and fragmentary humanity into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

A. Maclaren, Paul’s Prayers, p. 1.

Reference: 2Th 1:11, 2Th 1:12.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. i., Nos. 41, 42.

Fuente: The Sermon Bible

Analysis and Annotations

I. THE REVELATION OF THE LORD JESUS FROM HEAVEN

CHAPTER 1

1. Salutation and thanksgiving (2Th 1:1-4)

2. The revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven (2Th 1:5-10)

3. The prayer (2Th 1:11-12)

2Th 1:1-4

The opening words of salutation are the same as in the first Epistle. Once more he gives thanks to God for them, because their faith increased exceedingly and love abounded, the result of an increasing faith. On account of this progress and spiritual condition he wrote, So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. The patience of hope, which was mentioned in the first Epistle, is omitted by him. Their hope had been dimmed through the false teachers and alarmists, who would have them believe that they were heading for all the tribulations of the day of the Lord. They endured persecutions and tribulations on account of which they were greatly disturbed, because of the insinuation that these were the judgments of the day of the Lord. They looked more to what was happening to them than to the Lord. They were more occupied with these conditions than with the blessed hope.

2Th 1:5-10

He quiets these fears. Satan was pressing upon them, terrifying their minds, and they were fearing everything, the enemy taking advantage of the persecutions and sufferings he had instigated to distress them. The Apostle tells them that all their persecutions and tribulations, far from having a punitive character, were a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God with this purpose, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer.

They were children of God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and their path was to suffer with Him, that they also might be glorified together (Rom 8:17). A similar word he wrote later to the Philippians. in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God (Php 1:28). What was happening to them was a seal upon them of their being worthy of the coming kingdom. The persecutions they endured showed they were identified with the Lord, who was despised and rejected of men. Their sufferings were the sufferings of Christ.

And then the contrast. When the day of the Lord comes with the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, it will bring the punishment of the wicked. Their persecutions were from the ungodly, who inflicted suffering on them because they believed on the Lord. But when the day of the Lord comes God will change all by recompensing those that troubled them. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. In other words, in His day they would have rest and peace, while their wicked enemies will suffer the well deserved judgment. From this inspired declaration they learned that the day of the Lord had not come.

The day of the Lord brings the revelation of the Lord from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall suffer the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be wondered at in all who have believed (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. In that day is a phrase which we find many times in the Old Testament prophetic Word. In most cases it means the day of the visible manifestation of Jehovah to deal in judgment with His enemies and to deliver those of His earthly people Israel who wait for Him. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are as high and the kings of the earth upon the earth (Is. 24:21). And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for Him, and He will save us (Is. 25:9).

Judgment for the world is always connected with that coming day. Our Lord, in His earthly ministry, also spoke of that day, the day of the coming of the Son of man. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then shall He reward every man according to His works (Mat 16:27). His visible coming out of heaven and bringing judgment is still more fully described in Rev 19:11-21. It will be the day of vengeance after the acceptable year of the Lord is ended (Isa 61:1-2). The apostles testimony tells us the same. Two classes are mentioned by him. Those that know not God, which means the idolatrous Gentiles and sinners in general, and those that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (The text of the Authorized Version having omitted the word those makes it appear as if it were only one class; but that is incorrect.) These are the Jews and also nominal and apostate Christians. The latter class will suffer the great punishment. The destruction mentioned has been explained as meaning annihilation. But that is not true. It is banishment from the presence of that glory upon which man has turned his back and which he despised–hardening himself into a final, awful incapacity for it and for communion with Him. What else is it but the destruction of one who was made at the first in the image of God? They will live on in eternal separation from God.

The apostle mentions something else which is not found in the Old Testament prophetic Word. When the Lord comes in that day He will be glorified in His saints and then wondered at in all who have believed. When He comes thus in judgment upon the world the true Church is no longer on earth, but the saints, having been previously caught up to meet Him in the air, come with Him in glory. It is the time of the manifestation of the sons of God, transformed into His image, each reflecting His glory, who is the leader and the first begotten. And so these poor, persecuted, despised Thessalonians would then be the marvels for the inhabitants of the earth when they appear with Him. Blessed future for all the redeemed to come with the Lord in glory and to be like Him!

These explanations concerning the day of the manifestation of the Lord bringing judgment upon their enemies and glory to them, delivered them from the concision into which the false teachers were leading them, and they were now ready, after being put at rest in their mind, to receive the needed additional instruction about that coming day. A prayer concludes this chapter that, called with such a calling, God may count them worthy of it, that their walk may be of such a nature as to correspond with that calling and that the Lord might be glorified in them by the power of faith, and that afterwards they might be glorified in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

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

Reciprocal: Luk 11:2 – Our Act 15:22 – Silas Act 16:1 – named Act 17:1 – Thessalonica Rom 1:7 – God Rom 16:21 – Timotheus 1Co 1:2 – the church Gal 1:22 – in Phi 1:1 – Timotheus Col 1:1 – Timotheus 1Th 2:14 – are 2Th 2:16 – our Lord Phm 1:1 – Timothy 1Pe 5:12 – Silvanus

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THE SECOND LETTER to the Thessalonians was evidently written not long after the first, while still they were young in the faith and the more likely to be misled by false teachers, especially in matters pertaining to the coming of the Lord. The opening words are almost exactly the same as in the first letter; Paul again associating with himself the same two fellow-labourers.

The condition of this assembly still gave great joy and thankfulness to the Apostle. Their spiritual health was good, in spite of the persecutions and tribulations that were pressing upon them; we had almost said because of their persecutions and troubles. The world being actively antagonistic to them, they were not for the moment, being tested by its seductions. The very pressure that it was exerting against them had the effect of welding them together.

In verses 2Th 1:3-4, growing faith and abounding love are brought into intimate connection with persecution and tribulation, and not without good reason. Not only was their faith growing, but growing exceedingly not only was love there, but love was abounding. In this the Apostle greatly rejoiced as being the sign of spiritual vitality and progress, though he had nothing to say in this epistle as to their knowledge or gifts. In contrast to this, he acknowledged the knowledge and gifts of the Corinthians in his first letter to them, whilst he had nothing favourable to say as to their faith and love; and in them he could not boast, for they were carnal. Have we all grasped the significance of this? To what do we look if we desire to see spiritual advancement in one another?

The scripture shows us that real faith is a living thing. It is like a living tree, with its roots striking down into the soil of the knowledge of God. Faith is spiritual eyesight, and as we proceed our sight should grow clearer and its range be increased. As we know God better we trust Him more.

We must notice that in this second epistle Paul makes no allusion to their hope, though he does mention their patience, which is one of its fruits. The reason for thus is, apparently, that adversaries had made further attempts to confuse their minds as to things to come in a way calculated to impair their hope, and that for the moment they had succeeded How they did it, and how the Apostle countered their efforts by this epistle, we shall see more clearly as we proceed. That which follows-verses 2Th 1:5-10 of this first chapter-was evidently penned with a view to setting matters rightly before their minds. The attempt had been made to delude them into thinking that their present troubles were a sign that the day of the Lord was already come. This will be seen, if 2Th 2:1, 2Th 2:2 be read. The word translated at hand at the end of verse 2Th 1:2 is really present.

In verses 2Th 1:5-10 the public appearing of the Lord Jesus is presented as being the reversal of previously existing conditions, a complete turning of the tables, we may say. The Thessalonians were suffering tribulation, the men of the world being their troublers. When the Lord Jesus appears, He will recompense the world with tribulation and His saints with rest. In so doing, He will be acting in righteousness.

It is not difficult to see that it will be an entirely righteous thing for God to presently recompense the persecutors of His saints with tribulation. It is not quite so easy to see how the entrance of the saints into the coming kingdom can be connected with righteousness, for we should surely disclaim any thought of merit and protest that grace alone could bring us into the kingdom of God. The thought in verse 2Th 1:5 however, appears to be that though all is of grace yet God desires to put His saints in possession of His kingdom, as those who are counted worthy of it. Hence He permits the persecutions and tribulations, which produce in them the fortitude and patience which He loves and can righteously reward. In this patience and faith under trial was seen a manifest token that Gods judgment was righteous in assigning them to the coming kingdom and its rest.

The description of the public appearing of the Lord Jesus, given in verses 2Th 1:7-9, is indeed terrible. When He is unveiled from the heavens, nothing will be lacking which is calculated to strike fear into the hearts of rebellious men. Vengeance will fall upon those who do not know God and who do not obey the Gospel. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, will be the penalty inflicted. Many attempts have been made to avoid the plain and evident force of the two words, everlasting destruction, but when all is said and done the fact remains that destruction does not mean annihilation, and everlasting does mean lasting for ever, and this whether we consider the Greek original or the English translation.

Let us notice that the Gospel is a message from God which we are to OBEY We are so apt to think of it as a kindly invitation which we are to accept; and to present it only in that light to others. Consequently, they think of it only as an invitation which they may decline, or at least defer indefinitely, without any very serious consequences; and that is to them a very fatal mistake. All who hear the Gospel, are responsible to render to it in response the obedience of faith.

Notice also that there can be no worse fate than to be consigned to eternal ruin away from the presence of the Lord. We saw in considering the first Epistle that to live together with the Lord is the very height of bliss. The converse holds true. There can be nothing worse than to be banished for ever from the presence of the One who is the Fountain-head of life and light and love.

The appearing of Christ will however have two sides. He will be glorified in taking vengeance on the ungodly. He will be also glorified and admired in all those who have believed in that day. The preposition here, you will notice, is not by but in. He will certainly be glorified and adored by us, but the point here is that He will be glorified in us. In that day, the saints will shine forth in His likeness as His handiwork. Men and angels will look at them and glorify Him, inasmuch as all that they am will be the fruit of His work.

Nowadays, all too often we are to His discredit. Of old, the accusation had to be laid against Israel that, the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. (Rom 2:24). and the same indictment has to be brought against those who profess to be the people of today. But in that day, what will be displayed, will not be our crookedness or our peculiarities but the grace and power of Christ reproduced in us. In us men will see the glorious effect of the mighty work of God.

What a wonderful calling this is! No wonder the Apostle earnestly desired that God would count them worthy of it, by fulfilling His good pleasure in them now, promoting the work of faith with power in their hearts and lives. In this way the name of the Lord Jesus would be glorified in them now, and not only in the coming age. If He is to be glorified in us then, it is surely right that we should be concerned about it that He is glorified in us now.

The last verse of this first chapter emphasizes this, and adds the fact that not only is He to be glorified in us in the coming age but we are to be glorified in Him, for we shall then be shining in a glory not our own but His. This will be according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing but the grace of God could produce so wonderful a result as that.

Fuente: F. B. Hole’s Old and New Testaments Commentary

2Th 1:1-2. These verses are the same in thought as the opening verse of the first epistle to the Thessalonians. See that place concerning Sil-vanus and Timotheus.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

SalutationThanksgiving for the Faith of the Thessalonian Church under Persecution, Assurance of Compensation, and Prayer for the perfecting of their Faith.

Paul informs the Thessalonians of the emotions of gratitude and righteous pride which the increase of their faith and love had stirred in him. He promises, and shows that their faithful sufferings themselves promise, a glorious recompense at Christs coming; and prays that their faith and character generally may be perfected and made fit for this glorious destiny.

2Th 1:1-2, see notes on the First Epistle.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Division 1. (2Th 1:1-12.)

In the midst of persecution, the ground of peace for the saints in the righteousness of God.

The present time is characterized by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church: this the closing discourses of the Lord before His death, as John has given them to us, with the opening of the Acts, make manifest. But the presence of the Spirit convicts the world of sin, because they have not believed in Him (Joh 16:9): “They have both seen and hated both Me and My Father,” is His own declaration (Joh 15:24). On the other hand, as to the Spirit Himself, sent to represent the One whom they have driven out of it, He says again, “Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him” (Joh 14:17). Thus the Spirit is not only the Witness of the rejected Christ, but Himself also rejected; and this double rejection is for opposite reasons: for infidelity is from the heart, and so all arguments suffice for it. But thus it is plain that from the beginning it was a foregone conclusion that the world was not, as still the dream is, to be converted by Christianity, and that for the Christian it would be ever a place of rejection, as for his Master, -a place of darkness, as from the absence of the Sun. So Scripture consistently treats it ever. God is now calling out of it a people for His Name, and that is all we are to expect until Christ comes again and brings the day.

It is plain indeed, that the opposition of the world is not always felt to the same extent, or in the same way. On the one hand, the providence of God may avert the open assault of the enemy; on the other, the enemy has found by large experience that, according to the proverb, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church;” and that the lure is in general more successful than the open attack. Attack he will still, in disguise; and has learned how in the name of Christ, and in zeal for Him, to destroy His followers. A time, too, is at hand in which he will persuade himself that the rule no longer holds; or, rather, being moved by ungovernable fury in the knowledge that he has but a short time, he will again, and more defiantly than ever, make war upon God and upon the Lamb. But this will be the time of his complete overthrow in that day of the Lord which the apostle here assures the Thessalonians is not yet come, and the character of which he unfolds to us in this epistle.

In the meanwhile the world is nevertheless in steadfast opposition to the life of faith; and in whatever form it may be, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2Ti 3:12). The Thessalonians were suffering manifestly for Christ; and yet the enemy would persuade them, and by means of professing Christians themselves, that these very sufferings showed that they were in those times of divine judgment upon the earth which, being in righteous recompense for iniquity, could not be upon the saints, but on their adversaries. They might be at peace, therefore, and rejoice in being witnesses for their Lord, in sufferings which but demonstrated their worthiness of the Kingdom of God, for which they suffered.

1. The apostle, associating Silas and Timothy with him as before, greets them in the same manner as in the former epistle. As children of the Father, and owning Christ their Lord, he wishes and hails them with grace and peace from the Father and the Lord. Their sufferings altered nothing as to this, -only brought in the inexpressible comfort of it for the need in which they were.

2. The apostle then testifies his thankfulness for the increase of their faith and love. Faith grew in them exceedingly, love abounded. How good it is when we have not to look back to the happier times of a first love, but the vision brightens with the days that pass, under the beams of an unchanging sun that is ever rising into a more excellent glory! “From glory to glory:” that is the apostolic summary of progress, -the heart responding to the light that more and more shines in and gladdens it. “God who made the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, for the shining forth of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Co 3:18; 2Co 4:6). This is no temporary or partial or interrupted display, as Paul speaks of it: “We all . . . are changed,” he says. It is not of a few specially favored and exalted ones that he declares such things. He refuses to allow that of God’s will any there are among Christians who are not partakers of so great a blessing as the beginning in his soul of an eternal day. He does not, as it were, allow for retrogression, or alternation of light and darkness, of even cyclical changes of this kind. The typical Christian is he who goes on from glory to glory. If there be darkness with him, or aught but steady progress, this is the abnormal condition to be accounted for, when the path of the righteous is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. But, thank God, Scripture in its description of the Christian refuses to mingle the abnormal with the normal; and thus to make, as it were, the abnormal condition a thing of course.

The Thessalonians were making evident progress; and the trials through which they were passing did not hinder this: did they not rather help it? For when in Corinthians the apostle has shown us how “this treasure” of the light is in an earthen vessel, he immediately goes on to speak of trials and persecutions, and the bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus; this, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body (2Co 4:7-10). Indeed, what can there be more helpful to the soul, than to be so openly and wholly identified with Him whom the world crucified that it may still ordain for us, (as it will ordain) His cross, and throw us upon the might of His arm, and the sweet consolations of His sympathy, who was Himself despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”?

This was the case with the Thessalonians: all people knew of them that they had “another king” than the man the Roman world adored: “One, Jesus;” One whose sway was more absolute than Caesar’s, and which reached where Caesar’s could not, -to the inmost recesses of the heart; in which it yielded a delight, to those who knew it not, all but incredible. Insanity it might be, but the hold it had upon His followers was quite unmistakable; a people whose emblem was a cross, and for whom “crucified with Jesus” was a sufficient answer to the suggestion of every opposing interest.

Thus they suffered; not amid plaudits, but reproach and obloquy; yet in which there was no sting to rankle, no bitterness to harden or inflame the spirit: they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His Name, and found in it all a fellowship with one another which sprang out of that first fellowship which was the bud enfolding every other. The apostle assures them that their sufferings for the King were but a manifest token, in the patience and faith sustaining them all through, of the righteous judgment of God, which counted them worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which also they were suffering. In Php 1:28, he argues similarly that the fearlessness of the disciples in view of their adversaries was an evident token of the perdition of the latter, and of their own final salvation. He who was already thus with them by the way would be found in corresponding attitude at the end of the way, both towards friends and enemies, whom His righteous judgment, as the apostle puts it here, could not possibly confound. He does not mean or say -it would be indeed out of the question for such as Paul to say -that suffering, any more than working, could give any title to acceptance on the part of the Righteous God. It was grace (as he says again to the Philippians,) that gave them even to stiffer for Christ’s sake. But grace had righteous title to count them worthy; and what it had wrought in them it was righteousness also to acknowledge. For the Kingdom of God they were already suffering, identifying themselves and identified too with it; and the result would show that it was no deception.

3. Paul goes on to the final recompense of that day in which God’s righteous judgment will be fully displayed. He puts in the strongest way, by making a question of it, that surely for them there could be no question as to the future: for those for whom God had already shown Himself, in the support He had given them through all their afflictions at the hands of men. There is no change in the Unchangeable; and with Him whose righteousness had so manifested itself toward them in the past there could be no failure ever to distinguish between friends and enemies. It would be righteous still to recompense affliction in the day of recompense, to those who had afflicted them; while to His suffering ones there would be rest, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of His power, -the messengers who execute His will upon the ungodly, and upon those disobedient to the gospel of His grace.

Whether there are two classes here, or one in two aspects, has been much disputed. Hall men are included in the judgment spoken of, then it is evident that all have not had the gospel preached to them. The judgment of the dead, as the book of Revelation exhibits it, is certainly not intended; but only that of the living when the Lord appears. Whether this also is a judgment strictly universal may he questioned; and the question cannot be answered here without a long digression. Even so. it need not be that the apostle meant to bring in all into a statement manifestly designed as consolation for the persecuted Thessalonians. Their persecutors had certainly this double character: -they knew not God, and obeyed not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle speaks of some even of the Corinthian disciples as not having the knowledge of God (1Co 15:34); and when the Son of God was in the world -before men’s eyes, and preached of in their ears -“the world knew Him not.” It was an ignorance with opportunity of knowledge; though this is, in fact, the condition of all the heathen. God could not hide Himself from men that sought Him, and all ignorance is, in its essence, of the heart rather than the mind. Man proves it, when the light comes, by his rejection of it. God’s vengeance, as the text before us declares it, could not fall upon mere helpless babes: that were impossible to His nature. But here plainly their ignorance is that which makes them culpable, not such as would even palliate their condition.

But the gospel! the sweet glad tidings of God, so divinely suited to all man’s need, and with its revelation of the incomparable God of our Lord Jesus Christ, made known in the depths of His nature by the love-gift of His Son -what must be the consequence, answering to the revelation of the depths of man’s own heart in it, of his disobedience to the gospel? Men, says the apostle, who shall suffer the judgment of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might. It is not any materialistic annihilation that is declared or implied in this. Banishment from the presence of that glory which he has turned his back upon and despised, -hardening himself into a final, awful incapacity for it, -what is it but the “destruction” of one made at the first in the image of God, -and for communion with Him?

Just then, on the other hand, the saints shine out in glory -their inheritance for evermore. It is the time of which we hear in Romans as “the manifestation of the sons of God.” Such by creation, but redeemed and immeasurably exalted by new creation, they now are seen as the fruit of Christ’s work, their glory His glory: He is glorified in them, and marvelled at in all who have believed; -and believed the same testimony which had been given to the Thessalonians. These poor persecuted followers of Christ, who now need faith so much amid the trials surrounding them, will then be the marvel of the inhabitants of earth, and make men marvel at the grace bestowed on them.

The apostle closes with a prayer that they may now in the present time exhibit a character which shall answer to such a calling as is here shown to be theirs. He prays that God may count them worthy of it: that is, that He in the day of account may adjudge them to have walked as those governed by it; for this end, therefore, that God might accomplish in them all that was in His heart to do; which faith indeed would effect, as His instrument, but with a power, therefore, more than human. So would the name of Christ be glorified in them already; and they too in Him, for whom it was the highest glory to live, to suffer, and to die. It was the grace of God, and of the Lord Jesus bestowed upon them.

Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary

THE THANKSGIVING

This epistle was written by Paul soon after the previous one, and for a reason not very different. Acts 17 shows that Paul emphasized the second coming of Christ at Thessalonica, which is corroborated by 1Th 1:10. It grew out of this that the anxiety was felt touching the relation of the dead to the living saints at His coming, which was dealt with in 1Th 4:13 to 1Th 5:12. But another error arose from the same source which was fostered by the false teachers. These had even forged a letter in Pauls name, claiming that The Day of the Lord had already come, alarming many and leading them astray (2Th 2:1-2). To meet this Paul writes this second letter, the chief interest in which begins at the Thanksgiving for their growing faith and abounding love (2Th 1:3). All this was in the midst of persecutions and afflictions endured because of that faith (2Th 1:4), and was a token to them that God had counted them worthy of the kingdom of God which was to be set up when Christ came (2Th 1:5). The church would be at rest with Christ in that Day when those who afflicted her would themselves be afflicted (2Th 1:6-7). But the Day Paul now has in mind does not synchronize precisely with the coming of the Lord for His church as taught in 1Th 4:13-18. In other words, to rehearse what has been taught in other parts of this Commentary, the second coming of Christ is an act of two scenes. There is a coming for His church when the latter shall be caught up to meet him in the air, and then, after an interval, how long or short it is impossible to say, there is a coming or a revelation in judgment on the unbelieving and wicked nations of Christendom that are left behind. It is this latter aspect of the Second Coming that associated with judgment, which the Old Testament prophets are ever speaking of as the Day of the Lord. They say nothing about His coming for His church, as indeed they say nothing about the church, but focus their attention upon the end of the age, when only Israel and the Gentile nations will be on the earth and the church shall have been taken away.

That Paul is speaking of this here is indicated in 2Th 1:7-10. The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with the angels of His power (RV), rendering vengeance. This shall take the form of everlasting destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His power. This is not annihilation, it is well to observe, but conscious separation from him. And the time it will take place is when he shall have come to be glorified in His saints (2Th 1:10). The Greek second aorist tense is used here, indicating that the event spoken of (the glorifying of Christ in His saints) shall have taken place. In other words, it is after the translation of the church, as we understand it, that the Day of the Lord is ushered in with all its attendant judgments.

The apostle closes his allusion to these matters with a prayer (2Th 1:11-12).

QUESTIONS

1. What can you recite as to the occasion for this epistle?

2. What shows the boldness of the false teachers in this case?

3. For what does Paul thank God on behalf of the Thessalonian Christians?

4. Of what were their afflictions a token?

5. What can you recite about the second coming of Christ?

6. What do you understand by The Day of the Lord?

7. When will it be ushered in?

Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary

These two verses contain the inscription of this epistle in the very same words with the former, in the foregoing epistle.

In which observe, 1. The writer of the epistle, St. Paul, joining himself with his two assocites, Silvanus or Silas, and Timotheus or Timothy.

2. To whom it was written, To the church of the Thessalonians, in God the Father, that is, established in the knowledge of God the Father, and in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The usual salutation, Grace and peace, under which are comprehended all spiritual and temporal blessings: and these are set forth as flowing to us; first, from their fountain, God the Father: secondly, from their means of conveyance, Jesus Christ, as Mediator; intimating, that whatever spiritual grace or temporal blessing we now receive from God, we have it from him, not barely, as a Creator, but as a Father, as a gracious Father in Christ, in and through whom all kinds of blessings are conveyed to us.

Now, 1. From St. Paul’s using the very same form of words in this epistle, which he had made use of in the former, we may observe, That the Holy Spirit of God, in inditing of the scriptures, did not so much regard variety of words and style, as the purpose intended by those words; and accordingly the ministers of Christ, in the expounding and explaining of the scriptures, should rather study solidity of matter, than variety of expression, or elegance of style; it was none of the apostle’s business, God grant that it may be none of ours, to please the wanton wits and gratify the luxuriant fancies of men, with a pompous sound of words; but solidly to instruct them in the great and necessary duties of the gospel, and to furnish them with the strongest arguments and motives to a good life. Plain truths, without any art or varnish, may be conveyed with more warmth and vigour to the conscience,than all the charms of human eloquence from the most fluent and popular tongue. But though we must come in plainness, yet not in rudeness of speech.

Note, 2. From St. Paul’s writing this epistle to the Thessalonians, when he ws providentially hindered in his purpose of coming to them, and preaching amongst them, we may learn, That as the wisdom of God has appointed several means for the edification of his church, sometimes preaching, at other times writing, so the ministers of Christ are obliged and bound to endeavour the church’s edification by all means: when they cannot do it by public preaching, to endeavour it by writing: and when they can by both, their labours from the press, and from the pulpit, should be jointly employed in the church’s service.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

As in the first letter, Paul saw no need to mention his apostleship as he introduced himself, so it can be assumed no one had challenged it in this city. Silas and Timothy were also well known among these brethren. The church is the body of Christ ( Eph 1:22-23 ), thus Paul described it as being in both the Father and the Son. Jesus is the supreme ruler, the one who takes away our sins, and God’s anointed. Paul’s desire for the church is that they continue to receive God’s unmerited favor and have the special inner peace such brings ( 2Th 1:1-2 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

2 Thessalonians Chapter 1

In the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostle corrects some errors into which these disciples had fallen with regard to the day of the Lord through certain false teachers; as in part of the first epistle he had enlightened the ignorance of the believers themselves respecting the portion of the saints at the coming of Christ to take them to Himself-a point on which they were evidently but little instructed.

A measure of Jewish darkness was on their minds; and they were, in some points, still subjected to the influence of that unhappy nation, which was ever struggling to maintain a position lost through its unbelief.

This Jewish influence enables us to understand why the apostle spoke as he did in 1Th 2:15-16 of the first Epistle. At that time this influence shewed itself in the tendency of the Thessalonians to lose sight of the heavenly side of the Lords coming, to think that He would return to the earth and that they should then be glorified with Him-as a Jew might have believed-and that the dead saints would therefore not be present to share this glory. I do not say that this thought had assumed a definite form in the minds of the Thessalonians. To them the principal and living object was the Lord Himself, and they were awaiting His return with hearts full of joy and life; but the heavenly side of this expectation had not its place clearly marked in their minds, and they connected the coming too much with the manifestation, so that the earthly character predominated, and the dead seemed to be shut out from it.

When the Second Epistle was written, this Jewish influence had another character; and the false teachers were more directly concerned in it.

The faithful at Thessalonica had learnt to contemplate the day of the Lord as a day of judgment. The Old Testament had spoken much of this day of the Lord, a day of darkness and unparalleled judgment, a day of trial to men. (Compare Isa 13:1-22, Joe 2:1-32, Amo 5:18) Now the Thessalonians were undergoing dreadful persecution. Perhaps their hope of an earthly intervention of the Lord, during their lifetime, was weakened. The apostle at least rejoiced at the increase of their faith, and the abundant exercise of their love, while he is silent with regard to their hope; and the joy of Christian life is not found here as it was manifested in the First Epistle. Nevertheless they were walking well, and the apostle gloried in them [1] in the churches of God. But the false teachers profited by their condition to mislead them by means of their sufferings, which weighed more heavily on their hearts from the joy of hope being a little weakened; and at the same time the remains of the influence of Judaising thoughts or of habits of mind formed through them, furnished occasion to the assaults of the enemy. The instrument of the subtle malice told them that the day of the Lord, that fearful time, was already come-the word (2Th 2:2) is not at hand, but come, present [2] -and all that the Thessalonians were suffering, and by which their hearts were shaken, appeared like a testimony to prove it and to confirm the words of the false teachers. Was it not written that it should be a day of trial and anguish?

The words of these teachers, moreover, had the pretension of being more than human reasoning; it was a word of the Lord, it was the Spirit who spoke, it was a letter from an inspired channel: and so bold and wicked were they in regard to this matter, that they did not fear to adduce the apostles own name as their authority for declaring that the day was come. Now the dominion of fear, which Satan can exercise over the mind, when it is not kept of God in peace and joy, is astonishing. In nothing terrified by your adversaries, is the apostles word to the Philippians, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. In such a state of mind as this everything is believed; or rather everything is feared, and nothing is believed. The heart gives itself up to this fear, and is ready to believe anything; for it is in darkness an knows not what to believe. Thus the apostle exhorts the Thessalonians (chap. 2) not to be soon shaken in mind so as to lose their stability in the truth, and not to be troubled.

The apostle deals with the case in the same manner as in the First Epistle. Before entering on the error he treats the same subject in its true light, building upon the knowledge which the Thessalonians already possessed. Only he sets it forth with clearness in its application to the circumstances of the moment. By this means they were delivered from the influence of the error, and from the disturbance of mind which it had caused; and were rendered capable of looking at the error, as being themselves outside it, and of judging it according to the instruction that the apostle gave them.

They were persecuted and were in distress and suffering, and the enemy took advantage of it. The apostle puts that fact in its right place. He encourages them with the thought that it was a kind of seal upon them of their being worthy of the kingdom for which they were suffering. But more, the day of the Lord was the coming of the Lord in judgment; but it was not to make His own suffer that He was coming – it was to punish the wicked. Persecution therefore could not be the day of the Lord; for in persecution the wicked had the upper hand and did their own will and inflicted suffering on those whom the Lord loved. Could that be His day! The apostle does not apply this argument to the question, but he puts the facts in their place; so that all the use which the enemy made of them fell of itself to the ground. The truth of the facts was there in its simplicity, giving them their evident and natural character. When God should take the thing in hand, He would recompense tribulation to those who troubled His children, and these should have rest-should be in peace. The moment of their entering into this rest is not at all the subject here, but the contrast between their actual condition and that which it would be if Jesus were come. It was not to persecute and harass His own that He was coming. In His day they should be at rest, and the wicked in distress; for He was coming to punish the latter by driving them away for ever from the glory of His presence. When we understand that the Thessalonians had been induced to believe that the day of the Lord was already come, the import of this first chapter is very plain.

Two principles are here established. First, the righteous judgment of God: it is righteous in His eyes, on the one hand, to reward those who suffer for His kingdoms sake: and, on the other, to requite those who persecute His children. In the second place, the glorious manifestation of the Lord Jesus: His own should be in rest and happiness with Him, when His power should be in exercise.

We see also here two reasons for judgment-they did not know God, and they did not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. All being without excuse as to the testimony that God had ever given concerning Himself, some among them had added the rejection of the positive revelation of His grace in the gospel of Christ to their abuse of their natural relationship with God and their forgetfulness of His majesty.

Meanwhile the apostle presents the positive result in blessing of the manifestation of Jesus in glory. He will come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that have believed in Him, and therefore in the Thessalonians: a thorough proof, at least that they were not to view their persecuted condition as a demonstration that the day was come. With regard to themselves, they werethus entirely delivered from the confusion by which the enemy sought to disquiet them; and the apostle could treat the question of this error with hearts which, as to their own condition, were set free from it and at rest.

These considerations characterised his prayers on their behalf. He sought from God that they might always be worthy of this vocation, and that the Lord might be glorified in them by the power of faith, which would shine the brighter through their persecutions; and that afterwards they might be glorified in Him at the manifestation of His glory according to the grace of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now that the apostle has placed their souls on the ground of truth, he enters upon the subject of the error, shewing that which had occasioned his remarks. Of this we have already spoken.

Footnotes for 2 Thessalonians Chapter 1

1: In the First Epistle he says he needed not to speak of them, seeing that the world itself recounted everywhere the principles by which they were governed. We shall see a similar difference all through. It is no longer the same fresh energy of life.

2: See Rom 8:38;1Co 3:22; where it (enistemi) is translated present, in contrast with things to come.

Fuente: John Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament

1. The Apostolic Churches were all in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That excludes the masses of modern claimants altogether.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

2Th 1:1-2. Paul, and Silvanus, [the Roman name of Silas] and Timotheus, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The inscription is the same as in the first epistle. This was a very numerous and flourishing church, raised out of the dust in presence of their enemies. Those saints are not called the church of God, but the church in God, and in Jesus Christ, encircled in his bosom and shielded by his arm. The call and conversion of the gentiles was an emanation of Gods counsel and love from the beginning, and revealed at large to the prophets.

2Th 1:3-4. We are bound to thank God always for you, on seeing you stand fast in the Lord, amid the rage of complicated persecutions, and that you grow and flourish in all knowledge and understanding, and in all the hallowing forms of charity one towards another. In them the apostle saw the promise fulfilled, that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Not only do we rejoice in you, but we also glory over you, and boast of you among the gentiles, as models of all the virtues which can animate and adorn the church of the living God.

Ver, 5, 6. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, which hangs over the heads of your persecutors. They see that you are invincible, that God is with you, that they are exalting you in the eyes of all virtuous men, and covering themselves with shame and eternal disgrace. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to bring upon them all the visitations they wished to inflict on others. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. The Lord will, sooner or later, render to every one according to his deeds.

2Th 1:7-8. To you who are troubled, rest with us, who have also been your fellow-sufferers. The time is not yet come to visit the jews, though the balance begins to tremble, and their measure is nearly full. Time must be allowed for the spread of the gospel, and for the saints, incessantly persecuted, to escape out of Judea. Then the day shall come that shall burn as an oven, and when heaven will cut off at a stroke all the families, root and branch, that have shed the blood of the saints. Know also, oh Thessalonians, that those visitations on the jews shall only be the prelude of the final judgment, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, the gibborim, the cherubim which excel in strength, and the seraphim, the burning ones, which surround his throne. Yes, he shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel.

These are strong words, words which belong to a scene, the sublime of terror. These are words which echo the denunciations of the ancient prophets on the rebels of future times, as may be seen in Psa 50:3, and in Dan 7:9-10.

Who saw the Judge with fiery looks,

And bolts of vengeance hurled;

And all the wide extended books,

Indictments of a world.

2Th 1:9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. The figure may be derived from the burning of Sodom, of which St. Jude says, that it endured the vengeance of eternal fire. This St. Paul calls a righteous thing, a sentence which shall be inflicted by the angry Judge. They had burned his martyrs in the flames; now their dwelling must be with devouring fire. The victims are persecutors who knew not God, but who scorned to know him, and to bear his yoke; the very men who despised the riches of his goodness, which would once have led them to repentance.

2Th 1:10. He shall come to be glorified in his saints, in their conversion and sanctification, and in all their sufferings. The expression coincides with the words of our Saviour to Peter, when he signified by what death he should glorify God. The saints have already glorified him on earth, by fidelity in bonds, in theatres fighting with wild beasts, in the midst of burning faggots, and in deaths oft; now he shall be glorified in their redemption from the grave, and their being made to bear the image of the heavenly.

REFLECTIONS.

We admire the fraternal feelings of St. Paul in associating brethren in the ministry with himself, and with no mark of distinction except the precedence of his name. Humility is the character of true religion, and they who are most worthy of power make the best use of it.

St. Paul gloried in the growth of faith and love in the Thessalonian saints during the long and painful persecution. Their supports were divine, and like the bush of Moses they flourished in the flame. What a proof of the faithfulness of God, and what a manifest token of perdition to their persecutors.

But the time and manner of vengeance belong to the Lord. He only knows, who cannot err. Here the passions and opinions of men must be subject to the sovereign pleasure of God. The believer must stay upon the promise, and rest on the anchor of hope. Time must be allowed the sinner for repentance; and a premature punishment might involve the innocent connections of those men in the most serious calamities. But the righteous Judge who counts the saints worthy of his kingdom will soon reckon with the wicked.

The advent of the Lord Christ shall be attended with the sublime of terror, of glory, and of joy. He shall come, as Daniel had foretold: chap. 7. Devouring flames shall issue forth as lightnings from his feet, while his mighty angels shall attest his justice, and execute vengeance on his enemies. And who may abide the day of his coming; when his anger shall be great as his love, and when his meekness shall disgorge the treasures of accumulated wrath? The characters to be punished are those that know not, and would not know God, and that obeyed not his gospel. Their other sins are not named, for the rejection of grace is more provoking than all actual transgressions. These are the gentiles who knew not God, and the jews who would not know him in his Messiah.

The punishment of the persecutors, the impenitent, and the unbelieving is twofold. First, that of loss; they shall be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his throne; as they loved not the light, darkness shall be their dwelling. Their punishment is also that of sense, or everlasting destruction, gnawed by the death that never dies. Oh most striking and sanctifying display of hells eternal torments!

These awful considerations should induce us to pray the more, that the Lord would fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his goodness in securing to us the everlasting enjoyment of his love. Bishop Blackwall says, that the apostle could not find a phrase to express his ideas; therefore he coined this new one to utter the hope and happiness of the saints in the consummate enjoyment of what God has prepared for them in Christ Jesus.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Th 1:1-12. Introductory. Thanksgiving for the past and prayer for the future. Paul thanks God for the growing love of the Thessalonian Christians and their loyalty under persecution, and prays that they may be counted worthy of their high calling at the day of the Lord, when they will receive rest and their opponents eternal destruction.

2Th 1:3. For the emphasis on faith and love, see 1Th 1:3*.

2Th 1:4. persecutions: cf. 1Th 2:14-16.

2Th 1:5. which . . . Judgement of God: this phrase is obviously parenthetical. Some scholars would omit it altogether on the ground that it breaks the flow of the sentence, but we have no MS warrant for this. The antecedent to which has to be obtained from the previous sentence, and is probably found in the words patience and faith. Your heroic faith under persecution . . . affords a proof of what awaits you in the day of Gods final judgment (Milligan).

2Th 1:7. at the revelation: at the reappearance or Parousia of the Lord from heaven.

2Th 1:8. in flaming fire: it is better to connect these words with previous clause (RV) than with the following (AV). For the appearance of Christ in a flame of fire cf. the appearance of God in OT (Exo 3:2; Exo 13:21; Exo 19:18; Exo 24:17; Psa 18:12; Isa 66:15).

2Th 1:9. eternal destruction: the word translated eternal means age-long, and need not denote everlasting unless the context requires it. In this verse the context probably does require it.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

(V. 1) Again, the same brotherly character of address is used as in the first epistle. The threatened dangers to the Thessalonians did not change this, except in the use of the more gentle expression “our Father” rather than “the Father,” as though to express the fullest identification of these servants of God with the saints. And young though this assembly was, still it enjoyed the same blessed place as do all saints, “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Does it not remind us of even the “little children” of 1Jn 2:24, who are told “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain (or abide) in you, ye also shall continue (or abide) in the Son, and in the Father?” It is the freshness of a new life – eternal life – by which they are “in the Son and in the Father,” and it is this, of course, the apostle seeks to encourage in the Thessalonians.

Moreover, the “grace and peace” he wishes them is fresh and new as though spoken of for the first time, in fact, all the more necessary now that doubts and alarm had attacked them. It is no less available in days of decline than in days of greatest spiritual energy. But we must make use of it if it is to profit us. If we ourselves have failed, yet the blessed source of this grace and peace is unchanging – “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(V. 3) Thankfulness to God for the saints had not waned in any degree. Indeed, here an additional strong expression is used: “We are bound to.” There was no alternative, and their hearts were bound up in this profound gratitude. It was without intermission – “always.” It was particularly fitting because in spite of Satan’s efforts to thwart the work of God the faith of the saints was growing exceedingly, and their love for one another abounded. How good to see this delight of the Lord’s servants in these precious fruits they could commend. This growing faith and abounding love is a precious example for us all, which may well stir a longing within us to be more like them. Indeed the apostle further says, “so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God; for your patience and faith.” To these servants it was a deep joy to speak among the assemblies of the endurance and faith of these beloved saints who were so persecuted for their devoted stand for Christ.

Yet, though faith and love shine brightly here, as they did in the first epistle, how sadly conspicuous in the absence of any mention of “hope.” Patience is found in verse 4, but not “patience of hope.” For hope had been obscured through the false teaching that the tribulation had come, and their eyes had been turned from expecting God’s Son from heaven to the boisterous waves of the world’s opposition. In this very measure decline had set it. We must not miss this, for it is a salutary warning for our own souls and a danger constantly present in spite of the fact that the coming of the Lord is so much more near now, so that our expectation should be all the more vivid and real. Satan would use persecution and at the same time inject his favorite poison, discouragement, with a view to persuading saints to settle down in the world and to become sufficiently absorbed in it as to lose all distinctive testimony.

(V. 5) Still, the patience and faith of the saints in bearing persecution and tribulation was a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God. Their endurance indicated the fact that they depended upon divine intervention at the time God saw fit. Even the ungodly ought to have discerned this, for it was a testimony that conscience could not easily ignore. To take patiently wrongful suffering requires faith in a righteous God, who will not always allow evil to go unchecked, but will judge in proper time. But it is also added, “that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.” This present allowance of persecution against saints of God is intended of God for their own good, a training that molds character, producing a true submission to authority as subjects of the King and thus “worthy of the kingdom of God.” How thankful we ought to be for this divinely wise means of God by which He secures for us the greatest good.

If verses 3, 4 and 5 have shown their patience in suffering, verses 6-10 now show us that God will eventually answer this in perfect righteousness, and not in the way that the enemy was suggesting to the Thessalonians when deceiving them into thinking the day of the Lord had already come. God would recompense tribulation to those who troubled them; the tables would be completely turned; they themselves would no longer suffer but be in perfect rest with the apostles in the Lord’s presence. The assembly would have no part in the awful tribulation that is to come, for it is the vengeance of God against the ungodly. The first epistle had shown this, that the saints would first be caught up to be forever with the Lord before the great tribulation would break upon a careless world. But the truth of it had not properly laid hold of the hearts of the Thessalonians. Hence, they were troubled by false letters. It is a solemn warning that a little neglect of the truth of that Word which has been given us will expose us to the dangers of subtle falsehood.

The day of the Lord too will culminate in His being revealed from heaven with the angels of His power, and the flaming fire of His holiness in judgment will be poured in vengeance on those ignorant of God and disobedient to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rev 19:1-21 depicts for us this awesome event. We know too that the raptured saints, as well as angels, will have their part in this judgment of the world, but here only angels are mentioned, for the supernatural, irresistible character of the judgment is emphasized. It may be that Gentiles are particularly in mind as “them that know not God” (1Th 4:5) and Jews as those “that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 10:16; Rom 10:21). Yet both things are, of course, true of all unbelievers.

Moreover, this awesome punishment is eternal destruction. How can words more dreadfully describe the horror of such judgment than is briefly done here: “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power?” This is not annihilation but “destruction,” as a vessel broken and unfitted for its original purpose, for something destroyed does not cease to exist, but exists in a form of no value.

But more awful is the fact of banishment “from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.” One who has known Christ can conceive of no greater misery than to be without Him for eternity. Here is the Fountain of all truth and goodness, righteousness, grace, kindness, compassion, love, and peace. Without Him none of this is known nor can be known. What stark, unmitigated anguish to be forever banished from the pure light and glory of His presence! “From the glory of His power (or might)” would speak of no participation in that sphere of blessing where His might is operative for the great good of His people.

This is linked with the coming of the Lord Jesus in power and great glory; His name then glorified above all; He, Himself, admired by hearts beholding His glory. His saints will not only concur in the fearful vengeance He takes upon the ungodly world, but will admire Him the more for it. The parenthesis, also, is inserted here to remind saints that the gospel they believed through the testimony of the servants of God is the reason for the wonderful difference in their attitude of admiration to that of the future horror of those who are without Christ.

(V. 11) What the apostle refers to as “this calling” is the basis of his prayers for these saints. Their being linked with the Lord Jesus in the matchless glory of His coming revelation is a calling of dignity and blessedness far above every earthly level. And if God is to count us worthy of such a calling, this can only be through a real moral separation from an ungodly world and true attachment of heart to His blessed Son. This will be fully true of us then; therefore, a walk now consistent with this end is that alone which is worthy of it. And this is a matter for which the saints need continual prayer. To this end the apostle prayed “always.”

To “fulfill all the good pleasure (or desire) of goodness” is to be not remiss in carrying out all the gracious purposes or desires that are the product of positive goodness. These desires are planted within the soul because of the character of goodness that God implants there. Rather than quenched or ignored, they should be fulfilled.

“And the work of faith with power” is added here, for if the exercise of the soul is seen in “the good pleasure of goodness,” it is also necessary for the spirit to be in activity. The singleeyed work of faith involves this. It is that spirit of willing obedience to the Word of God, apart from feelings and issues, in true work for God. For with the spirit are connected intelligence, conscience, faith rather than emotions, feelings, passions, which are the characteristics of the soul. Divine power may be counted upon fully to back up the work of faith, for this is acting for God according to His Word without reference to our natural senses.

But such testimony in them would glorify the name of the Lord Jesus, while they also would be glorified in Him. This is no doubt a present result, for in the future we shall be glorified with him, while here a walk of faith will cause us to glory in the Lord and thus in a practical, precious way be glorified in Him. And all of this is according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ – the accomplishment, therefore, of pure divine favor with nothing of human merit.

Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible

I. SALUTATION 1:1-2

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

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

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

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Chapter 17

SALUTATION AND THANKSGIVING

2Th 1:1-4 (R.V.)

IN beginning to expound the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, it is necessary to say a few words by way of introduction to the book as a whole. Certain questions occur to the mind whenever such a document as this is presented to it; and it will put us in a better position for understanding details if we first answer these. How do we know, for instance, that this Epistle is really the second to the Thessalonians? It has been maintained that it is the earlier of the two. Can we justify its appearance in the place which it usually occupies? I think we can. The tradition of the church itself counts for something. It is quite unmistakable, in other cases in which there are two letters addressed to the same people, – e.g., the Epistles to the Corinthians and to Timothy, -that they stand in the canon in the order of time. Presumably the same is the case here. Of course a tradition like this is not infallible, and if it can be proved false must be abandoned; but at the present moment, the tendency in most minds is to underestimate the historical value of such traditions; and, in the instance before us, tradition is supported by various indications in the Epistle itself. For example, in the other letter, Paul congratulates the Thessalonians on their reception of the gospel, and the characteristic experiences attendant upon it; here it is the wonderful growth of their faith, and the abounding of their love, which calls forth his thanksgiving, -surely a more advanced stage of Christian life being in view. Again, in the other Epistle there are slight hints of moral disorder, due to misapprehension of the Lords Second Coming; but in this Epistle such disorder is broadly exposed and denounced; the Apostle has heard of unruly busybodies, who do no work at all; he charges them in the name of the Lord Jesus to change their conduct, and bids the brethren avoid them, that they may be put to shame. Plainly the faults as well as the graces of the church are seen here at a higher growth. Once more, in 2Th 2:15 of this letter, there is reference to instruction which the Thessalonians have already received from Paul in a letter; and though he may quite conceivably have written them letters which no longer exist, still the natural reference of these words is to what we call the First Epistle. If anything else were needed to prove that the letter we are about to study stands in its right place, it might be found in the appeal of 2Th 2:1. “Our gathering together unto Him” is the characteristic revelation of the other, and therefore the earlier letter.

But though this Epistle is certainly later than the other, it is not much later. The Apostle has still the same companions-Silas and Timothy-to join in his Christian greeting. He is still in Corinth or its neighbourhood; for we never find these two along with him but there. The gospel, however, has spread beyond the great city, and taken root in other places, for he boasts of the Thessalonians and their graces in the “churches” of God. His work has so far progressed as to excite opposition; he is in personal peril, and asks the prayers of the Thessalonians, that he may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men. If we put all these things together, and remember the duration of Pauls stay in Corinth, we may suppose that some months separated the Second Epistle from the First.

What, now, was the main purpose of it? What had the Apostle in his mind when he sat down to write? To answer that, we must go back a little way.

A great subject of apostolic preaching at Thessalonica had been the Second Advent. So characteristic was it of the gospel message, that Christian converts from heathenism are defined as those who have turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven. This waiting, or expectation, was the characteristically Christian attitude; the Christians hope was hidden in heaven, and he could not but look up and long for its appearing. But this attitude became strained, under various influences. The Apostles teaching was pressed, as if he had said, not only that the day of the Lord was coming, but that it was actually here. Men, affecting to speak through the Spirit, patronised such fanaticism. We see from 2Th 2:2 that pretended words of Paul were put in circulation; and what was more deliberately wicked, a forged epistle was produced, in which his authority was claimed for this transformation of his doctrine. Weak-minded people were carried off their feet, and bad-hearted people feigned an exaltation they did not feel; and both together brought discredit on the church, and injured their own souls, by neglecting the commonest duties. Not only decorum and reputation were lost, but character itself was endangered. This was the situation to which Paul addressed himself.

We do not need to be fastidious in dealing with the Apostles teaching on the Second Advent; our Saviour tells us that of the day and the hour no man knows, nor angel; nay, not even the Son, but the Father only. Certainly St. Paul did not know; and almost as certainly, in the ardour of his hope, he anticipated the end sooner than it was actually to arrive. He spoke of himself as one who might naturally enough expect to see the Lord come again; and it was only as experience brought him new light that in his later years he began to speak of a desire to depart, and to be with Christ. Not to die, had been his earlier hope, but to have the mortal being swallowed up of life; and it was this earlier hope he had communicated to the Thessalonians. They also hoped not to die; as the sky grew darker over them with affliction and persecution, their heated imaginations saw the glory of Christ ready to break through for their final deliverance. The present Epistle puts this hope, if one may say so, to a certain remove. It does not fix the date of the Advent; it does not tell us when the day of the Lord shall come; but it tells us plainly that it is not here yet, and that it will not be here till certain things have first happened. What these things are is by no means obvious; but this is not the place to discuss the question. All we have to notice is this: that with a view to counteracting the excitement at Thessalonica, which was producing bad consequences, St. Paul points out that the Second Advent is the term of a moral process, and that the world must run through a spiritual development of a particular kind before Christ can come again. The first Advent was in the fulness of the times; so will the second be; and though he might not be able to interpret all the signs, or tell when the great day would dawn, he could say to the Thessalonians, “The end is not yet.”

This, I say, is the great lesson of the Epistle, the main thing which the Apostle has to communicate to the Thessalonians. But it is preceded by what may be called, in a loose sense, a consolatory paragraph, and it is followed up by exhortations, the same in purport as those of the First Epistle, but more peremptory and emphatic. The true preparedness for the Lords Second Coming is to be sought, he assures them, not in this irrational exaltation, which is morally empty and worthless, but in diligent, humble, faithful performance of duty; in love, faith, and patience.

The greeting with which the Epistle opens is almost word for word the same as that of the First Epistle. It is a church which is addressed; and a church subsisting in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle has no other interest in the Thessalonians than as they are Christian people. Their Christian character and their Christian interests are the only things he cares for. One could wish it were so among us. One could wish our relation to God and His Son were so real and so dominant that it gave us an unmistakable character, in which we might naturally address each other, without any consciousness or suspicion of unreality. With every desire to think well of the Church, when we look to the ordinary tone of conversation and of correspondence among Christians, we can hardly think that this is so. There is an aversion to such directness of speech as was alone natural to the Apostle. Even in church meetings there is a disposition to let the Christian character fall into the background; it is a sensible relief to many to be able to think of those about them as ladies and gentlemen, rather than as brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet it is this last relation only in virtue of which we form a church; it is the interests of this relation that our intercourse with one another as Christians is designed to serve. We ought not to look in the Christian assembly for what it was never meant to be, -for a society to further the temporal interests of its members; for an educational institution, aiming at the general enlightenment of those who frequent its meetings; still less, as some seem to be inclined to do, for a purveyor of innocent amusements: all these are simply beside the mark; the Church is not called to any such functions; her whole life is in God and Christ; and she can say nothing and do nothing for any man until his life has been brought to this source and centre. An apostolic interest in the Church is the interest of one who cares only for the relation of the soul to Christ; and who can say no more to those he loves best than John says to Gaius, “Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

It is in accordance with this Spirit that the Apostle wishes the Thessalonians not any outward advantages, but grace and peace. Grace and peace are related as cause and effect. Grace is Gods unmerited love, His free and beautiful goodness to the sinful; and when men receive it, it bears the fruit of peace. Peace is a far bigger word in the Bible than in common usage; and it has its very largest sense in these salutations, where it represents the old Hebrew greeting “Shalom.” Properly speaking, it means completeness, wholeness, health-the perfect soundness of the spiritual nature. This is what the Apostle wishes for the Thessalonians. Of course, there is a narrower sense of peace, in which it means the quieting of the perturbed conscience, the putting away of the alienation between the soul and God; but that is only the initial work of grace, the first degree of the great peace which is in view here. When grace has had its perfect work, it results in a more profound and steadfast peace, -a soundness of the whole nature, a restoration of the shattered spiritual health, which is the crown of all Gods blessings. There is a vast difference in the degrees of bodily health between the man who is chronically ailing, always anxious, nervous about himself, and unable to trust himself if any unexpected drain is made upon his strength, and the man who has solid, unimpaired health, whose heart is whole within him, and who is not shaken by the thought of what may be. It is this radical soundness which is really meant by peace; thorough spiritual health is the best of Gods blessings in the Christian life, as thorough bodily health is the best in the natural life. Hence the Apostle wishes it for the Thessalonians before everything else; and wishes it, as alone it can come, in the train of grace. The free love of God is all our hope. Grace is love imparting itself, giving itself away, as it were, to others, for their good. Only as that love comes to us, and is received in its fulness of blessing into our hearts, can we attain that stable spiritual health which is the end of our calling.

The salutation is followed, as usual, by a thanksgiving, which at the first glance seems endless. One long sentence runs, apparently without interruption, from the third verse to the end of the tenth. But it is plain, on a more attentive glance, that the Apostle goes off at a tangent; and that his thanksgiving is properly contained in the third and fourth verses: “We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure.” It is worthy of remark that the mere existence of faults in a church never blinded the Apostle to its graces. There was much in this congregation to rectify, and a good deal to censure; there were ignorance, fanaticism, falsehood, sloth, unruliness; but though he knew of them all, and would rebuke them all before he had done, he begins with this grateful acknowledgment of a Divine work among them. It is not merely that Paul was constitutionally of a bright temperament, and looked naturally on the promising side of things, -I hardly think he was, – but he must have felt it was undutiful and unbecoming to say anything at all to Christian people, who had once been pagans, without thanking God for what He had done for them. Some of us have this lesson to learn, especially in regard to missionary and evangelistic work and its results. We are too ready to see everything in it except what is of God, -the mistakes made by the worker, or the misconceptions in new disciples that the light has not cleared up, and the faults of character that the Spirit has not overcome; and when we fix our attention on these things, it is very natural for us to be censorious. The natural man loves to find fault; it gives him at the cheapest rate the comfortable feeling of superiority. But it is a malignant eye which can see and delight in nothing but faults; before we comment on deficiencies or mistakes which have only become visible against the background of the new life, let us give thanks to God that the new life, in however lowly and imperfect a form, is there. It need not yet appear what it shall be. But we are bound, by duty, by truth, by all that is right and seemly, to say, Thanks be to God for what He has begun to do by His grace. There are some people who should never see half-done work; perhaps the same people should be forbidden to criticise missions either at home or abroad. The grace of God is not responsible for the faults of preachers or of converts; but it is the source of their virtues; it is the fountain of their new life; it is the hope of their future; and unless we welcome its workings with constant thanksgiving, we are in no spirit in which it can work through us.

But let us see for what fruit of grace the Apostle gives thanks here. It is because the faith of the Thessalonians grows exceedingly, and their mutual love abounds. In a word, it is for their progress in the Christian character. Here is a point of the first interest and importance. It is the very nature of life to grow; when growth is arrested, it is the beginning of decay. I would not like to fall into the very fault I have been exposing, and speak as if there were no progress, among Christians in general, in faith and love; but one of the discouragements of the Christian ministry is undoubtedly the slowness, or it may be the invisibility, not to say the absence, of growth. At a certain stage in the physical life, we know, equilibrium is attained: we are at the maturity of our powers; our faces change little, our minds change little; the tones of our voices and the character of our handwriting are pretty constant; and when we get past that point, the progress is backward. But we can hardly say that this is an analogy by which we may judge the spiritual life. It does not run its full course here. It has not a birth, a maturity, and an inevitable decay, within the limits of our natural life. There is room for it to grow and grow unceasingly, because it is planned for eternity, and not for time. It should be in continual progress, ever improving, advancing from strength to strength. Day by day and year by year Christians should become better men and better women, stronger in faith, richer in love. The very steadiness and uniformity of our spiritual life has its disheartening side. Surely there is room, in a thing so great and expansive as life in Jesus Christ, for fresh developments, for new manifestations of trust in God, for new enterprises prompted and sustained by brotherly love. Let us ask whether we ourselves, each in his own place, face the trials of our life, its cares, its doubts, its terrible certainties, with a more unwavering faith in God than we had five years ago? Have we learned in that interval, or in all the years of our Christian profession, to commit our life more unreservedly to Him, to trust Him to undertake for us, in our sins, in our weakness, in all our necessities, temporal and spiritual? Have we become more loving than we were? Have we overcome any of our irrational and unchristian dislikes? Have we made advances, for Christs sake and His Churchs, to persons with whom we were at variance, and sought in brotherly love to foster a warm and loyal Christian feeling in the whole body of believers? God be thanked, there are some who know what faith and love are better than they once did; who have learned-and it needs learning-what it is to confide in God, and to love others in Him; but could an Apostle thank God that this advance was universal, and that the charity of everyone of us all was abundant to all the rest?

The apostolic thanksgiving is supplemented in this particular ease by something, not indeed alien to it, yet on a quite different level-a glorying before men. Paul thanked God for the increase of faith and love at Thessalonica; and when he remembered that he himself had been the means of converting the Thessalonians, their progress made him fond and proud; he boasted of his spiritual children in the churches of God. “Look at the Thessalonians,” he said to the Christians in the south; “you know their persecutions, and the afflictions they endure; yet their faith and patience triumph over all; their sufferings only serve to bring their Christian goodness to perfection.” That was a great thing to be able to say; it would be particularly telling in that old pagan world, which could meet suffering only with an inhuman defiance or a resigned indifference; it is a great thing to be able to say yet. It is a witness to the truth and power of the gospel, of which its humblest minister may feel justly proud, when the new spirit which it breathes into men gives them the victory over sorrow and pain. There is no persecution now to test the sincerity or the heroism of the Church as a whole; but there are afflictions still; and there must be few Christian ministers but thank God, and would do it always, as is meet, that He has allowed them to see the new life develop new energies under trial, and to see His children out of weakness made strong by faith and hope and love in Christ Jesus. These things are our true wealth and strength, and we are richer in them than some of us are aware. They are the mark of the gospel upon human nature; wherever it comes, it is to be identified by the combination of affliction and patience, of suffering, and spiritual joy. That combination is peculiar to the kingdom of God: there is not the like found in any other kingdom on earth. Blessed, let us say, be the God and Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us such proofs of His love and power among us; He only doeth such: wondrous things; let the earth be filled with His glory.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary