2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:1–2 Opening. Paul’s opening here is very similar to 1 Thess. 1:1 (see note). On authorship, see Introduction: Author and Title. The fact that all three missionaries are still together suggests that 2 Thessalonians was written shortly after 1 Thessalonians.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:3–12 Thanksgiving and Comfort for the Persecuted Thessalonians. In Greek, vv. 3–10 are one long, unwieldy sentence containing Paul’s gratitude and encouragement.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:3–4 Thanksgiving Proper. Paul gives thanks for the faith and love of the Thessalonians, even while they are suffering persecution.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:3 ought … as is right. Paul is reassuring the Thessalonians that his giving thanks to God for them is both legitimate and necessary in the face of their concern caused by misunderstanding the Lord’s return (2:1–2). Specifically he gives thanks for their increasing faith and love (cf. 1 Thess. 3:6). “Hope” is not mentioned here (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8), which may suggest that the Thessalonians were in need of it. The fact that their love for one another is increasing is an answer to Paul’s prayer in 1 Thess. 3:12.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:4 The Thessalonians are so highly thought of that Paul and his coworkers boast about them to other churches of God concerning their steadfastness and faith in the context of unrelenting and severe persecutions and afflictions.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:5–10 Justice Guaranteed When Jesus Returns. The wicked will be punished and the righteous vindicated.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:5 The Thessalonians’ endurance and faith under persecution constitute evidence of the righteous judgment of God. Since God is granting them the grace to endure, he is clearly on their side and is working to make them worthy for entrance into the kingdom of God. Cf. Phil. 1:28, where the Philippian Christians’ fearless perseverance in persecution is a proof (Gk. endeixis, from the same root as endeigma) that they will be saved and their enemies destroyed when Jesus returns.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:6–7a No one can doubt the fairness of God’s judgment when he dispenses justice according to lex talionis (the principle of an eye for an eye): those now afflicting (Gk. thlibō) the Thessalonian Christians will be afflicted (Gk. thlipsis, a noun from the same root), and the afflicted believers will get relief at the second coming. as well as to us. The Thessalonians are not alone with respect to their suffering for Christ or their destiny when Jesus returns.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:7b The just judgment of God comes in fullness at the second coming, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven (cf. 1 Thess. 4:16–17). Jesus is called “Lord,” which identifies him as Yahweh who executes final judgment (see Isaiah 64; 66; cf. Introduction to Mark: Key Themes).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:8 in flaming fire. Jesus the judge will be awesome and devastating, and he will instill fear in the hearts of unbelievers. See Isa. 66:15–16; Dan. 7:9–10.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:9 When Jesus comes again, unbelievers will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, a ruinous and unending judgment of separation from Jesus. Against the idea of the final annihilation of unbelievers, see Matt. 25:46; Rev. 14:9–11.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:10 when he comes. The punishment of unbelievers and the reward of believers both occur on the day of the Lord (that day), when Jesus comes to save his people. Confusion regarding the timing of the day of the Lord is a major problem in Thessalonica (2:2). Paul’s description of the day in 1:7b–10 would have helped to alleviate the crisis. Jesus will at that time be glorified in his saints, that is, his glory will be seen in them (see Rom. 8:17–18, 30). saints. Lit., “holy ones” (plural of Gk. hagios). Believers will be fully and finally transformed so that they are holy and blameless at the second coming (see 1 Thess. 3:13; 5:23–24). In addition, Jesus will be marveled at among all who have believed. Paul assumes that the Thessalonian Christians are included in this group, so he writes because our testimony to you was believed. To proclaim the gospel is to bear “testimony” to the saving act of God in Christ.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:11–12 Prayer Report. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians is that God will make them worthy of their calling, so that Jesus may be glorified in them.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:11 To this end. That is, in view of vv. 5–10. our God. Paul unites himself with the Thessalonians with respect to God. make you worthy. Having declared that the Thessalonian Christians will be considered worthy (Gk. kataxioō) of the kingdom when Jesus the judge comes (v. 5), Paul’s prayer for them is that they may even now be made worthy (Gk. axioō) of this calling (see 1 Thess. 2:12). resolve for good. A God-imparted resolution to do good. work of faith. Work inspired by faith.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 1:12 according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The glorification of Christ’s name in the Thessalonians occurs when they exalt him as Lord in their daily lives.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:1–17 Refuting the False Claim about the Day of the Lord. Paul reassures the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord has not come. In 1 Thess. 5:1–11 Paul responded to a question from the community relating to the timing of the day of the Lord. He has now heard that they have succumbed to the false notion that the day of the Lord has already arrived (2 Thess. 2:1–2). Paul first points out that, before that day, a final rebellion and the revelation of the “man of lawlessness” must occur (vv. 3–12). Then he reassures the Thessalonians that they are destined for glory (vv. 13–14), and calls on them to hold firmly to the traditions he passed on to them (v. 15). He concludes with prayer (vv. 16–17).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:1–2 The False Claim. The Thessalonians were alarmed by a false claim concerning the day of the Lord.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:1 Paul discusses Christ’s coming (Gk. parousia), his return in glory at the end of the age to save the elect and punish the wicked, and our being gathered together (Gk. episynagōgē) to him (see Matt. 24:31 with the related verb episynagō; cf. also 1 Thess. 4:16–17). The idea that the day of the Lord had already come (2 Thess. 2:2) may have made the Thessalonians fear that Jesus’ coming and the gathering of his people to him were no longer legitimate or realistic expectations.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:2 The Thessalonians were shaken into mindless panic and were alarmed or frightened by the false claim that the day of the Lord had already come. Though the source of the confusion was unknown to Paul, he suggests a number of possibilities: a spirit. An alleged prophetic word. a spoken word. A word of teaching or a sermon. a letter seeming to be from us. Paul seems to have suspected that a letter forged in his name was circulating (3:17). the day of the Lord. See notes on Amos 5:18–20; 1 Thess. 5:2–3. Although some believe that the Thessalonians were thinking in terms of a complex of events that would lead to the second coming, Paul seems to assume here, as elsewhere (1 Cor. 1:8; Phil. 1:10; 1 Thess. 5:1–4; 2 Thess. 1:7–10), that the arrival of the day of the Lord and the second coming occur at the same time, as aspects of a single event. has come. The Thessalonians have fallen victim to the implausible notion that the day of the Lord has come, presumably because some source they regard as authoritative has claimed this. There is no reason to think that the idea was part of a developed heresy.
In 2 Thess. 2:2 Paul warns against letters that claim to come from him but do not. Thus in 11 places in his letters Paul either identifies himself or gives his signature. These features support the conclusion that all the NT letters attributed to Paul are in fact authentic (rather than having been written by someone else “pseudonymously” in Paul’s name).
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c197
| 1 Cor. 16:21 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 2 Cor. 10:1 | I, Paul, myself entreat you |
| Gal. 5:2 | Look: I, Paul, say to you |
| Gal. 6:11 | See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand |
| Eph. 3:1 | I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus |
| Col. 1:23 | of which I, Paul, became a minister |
| Col. 4:18 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 1 Thess. 2:18 | we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again |
| 2 Thess. 2:2 | not to be … alarmed … by … a letter seeming to be from us |
| 2 Thess. 3:17 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write |
| Philem. 19 | I, Paul, write this with my own hand |
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:3–12 The False Claim Refuted. Paul insists that the Thessalonians can know that the day of the Lord has not come.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:3 The day of the Lord will be preceded by two events, neither of which has been fulfilled. The first prerequisite is the rebellion. Although some have suggested that this refers to a Christian or Jewish apostasy, in view of vv. 9–12 a rebellion of humanity as a whole against God is probably in view. Just as humanity in Adam has rejected God and has been plunged into ever greater depths of sin as a result (Rom. 1:18–32), so it will move into all-out rebellion against God when the Antichrist appears (2 Thess. 2:4). the man of lawlessness is revealed. This second prerequisite, elsewhere called the “antichrist” (see 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7), will personify hostility to God and his revelation. He will disclose who he is, the rebel par excellence. He is the son of destruction, the one whose destiny is to be defeated and destroyed when Jesus returns (2 Thess. 2:8).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:4 Paul draws on Dan. 11:36–37 when he says that the lawless one opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship. The Antichrist will not countenance any rivals but will insist that he alone is God. The temple of God has been variously interpreted as the church, the heavenly temple, the Jerusalem temple, and a metaphor for supreme blasphemous arrogance modeled on the activities of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (see notes on Dan. 11:31–35). Whatever the meaning, the context seems to indicate a concrete and observable act of defiance against God.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:5–7 Paul is apparently surprised that his own teaching on the end times had not stopped the Thessalonians from believing the false claim (v. 5; cf. v. 2), so he rehearses that teaching (vv. 6–7). The man of lawlessness cannot be unveiled while what is restraining (Gk. to katechon, neuter participle of katechō, “to prevent, hinder, restrain”) him now is at work. In v. 7 Paul refers to he who now restrains (Gk. ho katechōn, masculine participle of the same word). Scholarly theories on the identity of this restrainer include the Roman Empire/emperor, the Holy Spirit, and the archangel Michael. According to Dan. 10:13, 20–21, Michael restrains satanic principalities (cf. Rev. 12:7), and in rabbinical traditions and the Septuagint of Dan. 12:1, Michael is said to “pass away” when the Antichrist pitches his tents in Judea (Dan. 11:45) just before the great tribulation begins (Dan. 12:1). The restrainer functions to make sure that the man of lawlessness is revealed (see 2 Thess. 2:3) in his time and not before. Prior to the revelation of lawlessness personified, it operates as an impersonal mystery, stirring up hostility to Christ and his people. Lawlessness remains in mystery form until the restrainer is taken out of the way.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed. As soon as the restrainer is removed, lawlessness is free to manifest itself in unrestrained fashion in the Antichrist. In God’s providence, Jesus’ second coming overthrows the rule of the Antichrist. the breath of his mouth (cf. Isa. 11:4). The Lord will destroy the Antichrist with overwhelming ease when he comes again.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:9–10 The coming of the lawless one. The Antichrist has a “coming” (Gk. parousia) which is a poor substitute for Jesus’ coming (Gk. parousia, v. 8). Satan is the power behind the Antichrist, working with unrestricted power on his behalf through signs and wonders—which (though they are false) lead people to believe that the Antichrist is God. Unbelievers are those who are perishing because they have failed to embrace the gospel, God’s only way of salvation.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:11–12 Because unbelievers have rejected God’s offer of salvation in the gospel, God sends them a strong delusion. As part of his righteous judgment, God is instrumental in causing these unbelievers to embrace the Antichrist (believe what is false) so that they advance to a whole new level of rebellion and are thus condemned as allies of the Antichrist at the second coming.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:13–14 Reassurance. Paul reassures the Thessalonians that, in contrast to unbelievers (vv. 10–12), they have accepted God’s call and so have demonstrated that they were elected by God to be saved when Jesus returns.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:13 ought. See 1:3. give thanks. This is technically the second thanksgiving in the letter (see 1:3; cf. 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13). beloved by the Lord … God chose you. See note on 1 Thess. 1:4. This may echo Deut. 26:18, where the reference is to God’s choice of Israel. as the firstfruits. This indicates that the Thessalonians, as early Christians, are the firstfruits of the new humanity, or of Thessalonica. (On firstfruits offerings, see Ex. 23:19; 34:26.) However, as the esv footnote indicates, some manuscripts read “from the beginning” (Gk. ap’ archēs) rather than “as firstfruits” (Gk. aparchēn; see note on 1 Cor. 15:20). In that case, Paul’s point is that God’s choice was in eternity past. Either way, Christians were divinely elected to be saved, and this was to be the ultimate end of a journey marked by sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, in contrast to the way of unbelievers, who are marked by unrighteousness and will believe the Antichrist’s lie (2 Thess. 2:10–12). Note the involvement of each person of the Trinity: the Father elects, the Son loves, and the Holy Spirit makes holy.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:14 To this (i.e., salvation) he called you through our gospel. The divine call was effectual and was actualized in history through Paul’s preaching. obtain the glory. See 1:10; 1 Thess. 5:9.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:15 Exhortation. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to hold on to the true traditions that were passed on from him to them. This verse contrasts with v. 2, where Paul warns them not to be shaken by a false prophecy or teaching or by a forged letter attributed to the missionaries. Rather, they are to stand firm and hold to the traditions that were communicated directly to them by our spoken word during his ministry among them and later by 1 Thessalonians (our letter).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 2:16–17 Prayer. Paul prays that the Thessalonians will be divinely comforted and established in every good work and word.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:1–5 Transition. Paul requests prayer for his work, reassures the Thessalonians regarding God’s faithfulness, and closes by praying for the Thessalonians.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:1–2 Request for Prayer. Paul requests prayer for the gospel’s advance through his ministry and for deliverance from wicked opponents. He prays that the word of the Lord (the gospel) would speed ahead (enjoy unhindered progress) and be honored (by people acknowledging its truth and embracing God’s offer of salvation). For not all have faith. The gospel is not always embraced with faith; indeed, it frequently provokes violent hostility.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:3–4 Reassurance. Paul gives some final words of comfort to the Thessalonians in the wake of the false claim about Christ’s return (2:2). In Greek, the last word of 3:2 is “faith” (Gk. pistis) and the first word of v. 3 is faithful (Gk. pistos)—the unbelievers’ lack of faith contrasts with God’s faithfulness. guard you against the evil one. Satan has been seeking to destroy the Thessalonians’ young faith. But God’s faithfulness assures Paul that the Evil One will not succeed: the Thessalonians will overcome him by responding appropriately to Paul’s two letters. He has confidence that they already are doing and, when they get this letter, will do the things that we command. Paul may have in mind his instruction to discipline those within their community who are idle (vv. 6–15) and/or his command to hold to the traditions about the day of the Lord (2:15).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:5 Prayer. Paul prays that the Thessalonians will be directed toward the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ, by which he means either Christ’s endurance as a model for Christians or the perseverance imparted by Christ.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:6–15 The Problem of the Idlers. Paul instructs the Thessalonian community to exercise church discipline on those refusing to work. Although there is nothing in 1 or 2 Thessalonians that explicitly links the idleness with the confusion about the end times, many think that the Thessalonians stopped working to await and proclaim the Lord’s coming. Others believe that the problem was merely one of lazy Christians exploiting the charity of wealthier Christians, and using their free time to meddle in others’ affairs. Whatever the cause of the idleness, Paul’s patience has evidently now run out (cf. 1 Thess. 4:9–12).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:6 The Command to the Community. Paul strongly commands (Gk. parangellō) the community as a whole to discipline by disassociation those who are not working but are depending on others for a living. The community is to keep away from these idlers, which probably means excommunicating them. Paul takes the sin of these people seriously, but at this point he still regards them as “brothers” (v. 15). In idleness (Gk. ataktōs) means “in an undisciplined, irresponsible, or disorderly manner.” These people are shirking their obligation to work (see Gen. 2:15). This behavior was not in accord with the tradition passed on by the missionaries regarding the necessity of working for one’s keep.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:7–10 The Tradition. The missionaries had passed on the tradition about the need to work for a living both by example (vv. 7–9) and through oral instruction (v. 10).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:8–9 eat anyone’s bread without paying for it. Paul refused to depend on others for his living. Indeed he took on a heavy workload of manual labor in addition to his ministry commitments in order to avoid being a financial burden to any Thessalonian Christian, even though (in contrast to the idle Thessalonians) it was his God-given right to be supported (see 1 Cor. 9:3–15; 2 Cor. 11:7–9; 1 Thess. 2:9). He wanted to provide his converts with an example to imitate.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:11 The Problem. not busy at work, but busybodies. There is a wordplay here in Greek: not ergazomenous (“working”) but periergazomenous (“being a busybody, meddling”). Those who refused to work were exploiting their free time to meddle in others’ affairs. Cf. 1 Tim. 5:13, where irreligious prying flows from idleness.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:12 The Command to the Idlers. Paul forcefully commands the idle to get back to work, so that they may be financially independent. work quietly. The opposite of being nuisances or “busybodies” (v. 11).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:13–15 Instructions to the Community. The community is to keep doing good (v. 13) and to discipline any unrepentant idlers (vv. 14–15).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:13 The community as a whole, particularly wealthier members exploited by the idle, might grow weary in doing good, but Paul calls on them to continue being charitable, albeit only to those who are deserving.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:14 Paul believes it is very possible that some will ignore his warning and continue in their idle ways, so he instructs the community as a whole to take note of such people and have nothing to do with them (cf. v. 6). The purpose of this disassociation is so that the stubbornly insubordinate brothers will be ashamed, repent, and be restored to the community. Church discipline must always aim at renewing discipleship.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:15 Disciplining a fellow Christian can easily degenerate into the community treating him as an enemy, so Paul says warn him as a brother.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:16–18 Conclusion. The letter concludes with a benediction, a final greeting, and a prayer for grace.
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:16 Paul offers a benediction. Lord of peace. Jesus has reconciled the Thessalonian Christians to God and is at peace with them, able to replace their disturbed fear (2:2) with an experience of inner peace. in every way. Especially peace as opposed to consternation regarding the end times (2:1–3:5) and peace amid ongoing persecution (1:5–10).
2 THESSALONIANS—NOTE ON 3:17 Paul makes explicit what would have been clear to readers of the original letter: the bulk of the letter was dictated to a secretary, and the final greeting was written in Paul’s own unique handwriting, which served as a mark of authenticity, much like signatures at the end of modern letters. Paul’s highlighting of this fact may reflect a suspicion that a forgery in his name was in existence, which may have been the source of the idea that the day of the Lord had already come (see 2:2). This affirmation of genuineness also shows that writing in another person’s name was condemned among early Christians.