2 THESSALONIANS

Kevin D. Zuber

For introductory matters on 2 Thessalonians, see Introduction to 1 Thessalonians, pp. 1877–1878.

1:1–2. Paul’s greeting in this second letter followed the pattern of the greeting in the first letter (cf. commentary on 1Th 1:1).

1:3–4. Paul expressed his thanks to God and mentioned his "speaking proudly," i.e., a godly boasting, in behalf of the Thessalonians to other churches. Paul was, on the whole, proud of them. Though some issues concerning the Thessalonians still needed to be addressed further, they had apparently responded well to the teaching, exhortation, and instruction of the first letter. Paul acknowledged his appreciation for the Thessalonians’ faith, which was greatly enlarged (he had been concerned about that according to 1Th 3:3), for their mutual and growing love they had for one another (he had written about that, 1Th 4:9–10), and for their unwavering perseverance and faith in the face of persecution (yet another theme that had occupied him in the first letter).

1:5–10. Paul continued his encouragement of the Thessalonians by assuring them that they will be vindicated and will be considered worthy. "The passive infinitive rendered ‘be counted worthy’ is a judicial term and means, not ‘to make worthy’ … or ‘to be worthy’ but ‘to reckon worthy, to be considered deserving’　" (Heibert, Thessalonian Epistles, 285). This is not salvation based upon works. Their "perseverance and faith" amidst their hardships due to persecution provided the evidence (plain indication) that, in God’s defensible opinion (translated righteous judgment), they are counted worthy of the future kingdom. In other words, the maintenance of their faith amidst enormous challenges was proof that God destined them for the kingdom. In Paul’s day, who else but truly saved believers would have suffered like this? In the future day of the kingdom of God (1:5), in the day He executes judgment (1:7–8) they will find relief from affliction (persecution) and justice (1:7, 6). Paul was indicating here that these believers were destined for the future kingdom, and also that the Church cannot be equated with that kingdom. It is the current manifestation of it without being the full realization of it, which awaits a climactic arrival. Those who cause the suffering … those who afflict, those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel … will pay the penalty of eternal destruction. This is not annihilation (cf. Mt 25:46. The term eternal points to something enduring as with "eternal life"), but they will be separated from the presence of the Lord forever, all an outcome of the righteous judgment of God. It is the just recompense of God to repay with affliction those who persecute and afflict believers. The judgment will occur when the Lord Jesus is revealed and that time when the Lord exacts retribution on His enemies. When Jesus returns as the Judge at the end of the tribulation period (cf. Mt 13:24–30; 24:29–51; Rv 19:11–15), all of the saints will witness this event and all who have believed will marvel at it.

One of the main problems for the pretribulation rapture position (see comments at 1Th 4:13–5:11) relates to the "relief" that is promised Christians in 2Th 1:7 that comes "when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire." This rest for believers (1:7) and judgment of unbelievers (1:6, 9) is seen by many as taking place at the posttribulational second coming of Christ which, in their thinking, also includes the posttribulational rapture of the Church. But there is a preferable way to understand the passage that accords with a pretribulational rapture approach. The main thrust of the passage and therefore the time indicated is the time of the final destruction of the wicked, which is probably later than the time of the second coming. In 1:9, judgment involves literally "suffering the penalty—namely, eternal destruction." While living unbelievers will face judgment at the second coming, the eternal punishment of unbelievers appears to be associated less with the second coming than with the "great white throne judgment" in Rv 20:11–15. Many of the same elements of 2Th 2:7–8 (fire, the presence of angels, eternal punishment for the enemies of Christ, final rest for His people) are found also in Rv 14:10–11; 20:11–15. Only at this point will all conflict be gone and full rest with Him will arrive (see Rv 21:1–8). Those martyred during the tribulation are told to rest (Rv 6:9–11), but they will experience tension as well, awaiting God’s vengeance against their persecutors. And even during the millennial kingdom there is rebellion and sin (see Rv 20:7–10), so that full rest does not come until the start of the eternal state. If the final rest of believers, and the final, eternal punishment of unbelievers is sealed at that point according to the book of Revelation, then it is likely that Paul envisioned the same sequence in 2Th 1.

1:11–12. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians in the light of this coming day was that God would continue His work in them, making them worthy of their election, growing in their sanctification (goodness) and in their faith. The aim is, as always, the glory of the Lord Jesus.

2:1–3a. Paul noted some false teaching that had affected the Thessalonians. This teaching perhaps came from one claiming to have a divine word, a spirit of prophecy, an authoritative message, or a supposedly authorized letter from some apostolic source. Spurious epistles using the names of recognized authorities were common in that era. This false teaching apparently affirmed that the rapture had occurred and the day of the Lord had begun. The false teaching had disturbed and threatened to deceive the Thessalonians. Neither of these events had started. Paul noted key elements of the day of the Lord to counter this false teaching and to prove that the day (the tribulation) had not yet come. He noted that when that day comes there will first be the rise of apostasy—not merely an increase in falling away from the faith but something of a major movement—an unprecedented increase of apostasy.

2:3b–10. Then there will be the appearance of the man of lawlessness (v. 3b). Paul recalled his previous teaching to reinforce this corrective instruction (2:5). Next, Paul noted that at that time he who now restrains will be removed—that is, there will be a removal of God’s power of restraint of sin and rebellion (2:6, 7). Many suggestions have been offered as to the identity of the force or person who now restrains the coming and appearance of this man of lawlessness. Since this "lawless one" and his power derive from Satan, it seems reasonable to suppose that only One powerful enough to restrain Satan is the One in view. Since the work of such restraint is attributed elsewhere to the Holy Spirit (cf. Gn 6:3), it seems reasonable to suppose that He is the restrainer Paul had in mind here.

Paul also noted that the end of this deceiver, the lawless one, would come by the Lord’s word, the breath of His mouth, and by the appearance of His coming (v. 8). This lawless one is the same individual identified in Dn 7:8 as "the little horn," in Dn 9:26 as "the prince who is to come," and in Rv 13:1–10, 18 as "the beast." He is the antichrist—a real person who will make his nefarious appearance in the tribulation period following the rapture of the church. He will offer himself for worship—a blatant claim to deity (he will be anti, in the sense of "instead of" with the idea of the "false Messiah" or "counterfeit Christ"), and he will take his seat in the temple, thus fulfilling the prophecies of both Daniel and Jesus (v. 4; cf. Dn 9:27; Mt 24:15; cf. Rv 13:1–8).

But Paul’s main point is that that lawless one had not yet appeared. To drive home the point, Paul noted that this individual’s power will be derived from Satan and manifested in false signs and false wonders. Those manifestations will result in deception and destruction, so those who accept them as genuine will perish. As a further warning, Paul noted that those who will be deceived by Satan will already have been handicapped because they did not receive a divinely granted love of the truth. The Thessalonians are to be warned but not worried.

Evidence from 2Th 2:1–10 is scanty for any view on the timing of the rapture, but pretribulational rapturists look to several features of the text to support their view. First, in 2:2, Paul urged them not to be shaken about teaching they had received regarding the arrival of the day of the Lord. If Paul had taught them that the Church would experience the woes of the day of the Lord (aka the great tribulation) and only after those woes experience the rapture, then it is unlikely that the Thessalonians would have been frightened by this teaching that maintained that the day of the Lord had arrived. But they were frightened, suggesting that Paul had taught them that they would not be present on earth during the day of the Lord because of escaping it through the rapture of the church.

A second point in the text supports a pretribulational understanding of the passage. Paul reassured the Thessalonians that they were not in the midst of the day of the Lord. He did it by referring to the absence of two key events that would signal the presence of the day of the Lord. One gets the impression from v. 3 that before the beginning of the day of the Lord, the "apostasy" and "revealing of the man of lawlessness" must take place, and only then will the day of the Lord commence (this is the common impression from the NASB, ASV, KJV, NKJV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, ESV, for example). But the syntax indicates a more likely interpretation. Verse 3 is an incomplete "if … then" sentence. It has only the "if" part, not the "then" part, which needs to be provided. The best understanding is to supply the "then" part from v. 2, the most likely candidate being "the day of the Lord has [not] come." Verse 3 should then be read this way: "Let no one in any way deceive you, for unless, first, the apostasy comes, and [second] the man of lawlessness is revealed, the day of the Lord has not come.…"

Rather than suggesting that the apostasy and revelation of the man of lawlessness must transpire first, prior to the beginning of the day of the Lord, the construction seems to suggest that, of the two events, the apostasy comes first, then the man of lawlessness is revealed, and only when both of these events have transpired will it be known that the day of the Lord has arrived. The Thessalonians could know that the day of the Lord had not yet started because two events within the day of the Lord that would signal its presence—the apostasy and the revealing of the man of lawlessness—had not taken place. The point is not that these two events happen before the day of the Lord, but happen during it, signaling its presence.

2:11–12. Because the unbelieving world will reject the truth of God (v. 10) and will be easily deceived, God will also judge them by sending a deluding influence (v. 11) with the purpose (so that) they believe what is false. Those who choose sin and lies over truth and take pleasure in wickedness are incapable of discernment about spiritual things (cf. 1Co 2:14) and will be ready victims of satanic deception.

2:13–14. Paul offered several personal remarks, in light of the reality of apostasy and opposition, that reveal several matters of his concern. His thanks to God for them would have reminded them of their calling (cf. 1Th 1:4) and encouraged them to pursue sanctification (cf. 1Th 4:1–8) and to remain firm in their faith (cf. 1Th 3:7–8).

2:15. The hope-filled prospect of future salvation and current sanctification (2:14) would be accomplished as the Thessalonians heeded his admonition to stand firm (v. 15). Paul also included a word as to the means to accomplish that—they were to hold on to the traditions (the "rule of faith"; the truth about Jesus Christ). He taught them these traditions when he was first there in person or by his previous letter (cf. Ac 17:1–10).

2:16–17. His prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ and to God Our Father (explicitly Trinitarian) would have reminded them of their security (in God’s love and grace), would have given comfort (in their time of persecution and personal loss), and would serve to strengthen their hearts for the work and life and witness they were to continue in until the Lord’s coming.

3:1–3. Not only did the great apostle pray for the comfort and strength the Thessalonian believers needed. He himself also needed prayer. His request for prayer (pray for us) indicated what Paul valued most—the rapid spread and success of the preaching of the Word. It also indicated what Paul feared most—the opposition of perverse and evil men.

3:4–5. His confidence in the Lord (v. 4) and in them indicated his trust in them. They were loyal and responsive to his exhortations (command). However, his real confidence and assurance was in the faithfulness and protection of the Lord to produce the Christian commitment, specifically, love of God and the steadfastness of Christ, that would result in their standing firm (cf. 2:15) and ultimate sanctification (cf. 1Th 5:23–24).

3:6–15. Paul gave to the main group three pointed commands about the indolent: 1. They are to keep away from and not associate with them (vv. 6, 14), that is, they are not to offer the usual collegiality and fellowship of believers to the unruly ones (v. 6), meaning those who caused disorder in the church by their undisciplined life (see the comments on 1Co 5:9–13). 2. They are to take special note of such persons (v. 14), that is, make a public notice that such a person is under discipline. The objective of this action is to cause the persons being disciplined shame (v. 14) and regret that will lead them to repentance (cf. Mt 18:15–20). 3. They are to admonish that one (v. 15), not as if he or she were an enemy, but to bring about restoration of a brother or sister in the Lord.

Paul gave his own example of personal discipline and self-sufficiency as the pattern the unruly ought to follow and as the standard by which the group should judge the unruly. Paul was disciplined, self-sufficient, and conscientious—a model of diligence and hard work (vv. 7–9). Furthermore, he gave a direct command to the indolent. First, he noted the problem. Some were not working to support themselves (v. 11). Perhaps that was because they believed the imminent return of the Lord made such work unnecessary. Second, he suggested a solution in a proverbial-sounding phrase to the effect that if one does not work he should not eat (v. 10). That is, if one is lazy and indolent the rest of the group should not feed him or enable him to continue in his indolence. Finally, he gave the command that regardless of the imminency of the Lord’s return believers are to stay busy and not grow weary in His service (v. 13).

3:16–18. Paul’s final words to the Thessalonians included a prayer for peace, which is what the Thessalonians needed in light of the persecution they were enduring, a personal word of authentication. This would have served to reinforce the instructions and admonitions of this letter, and a benediction for grace, which is what the Thessalonians needed to depend upon as they lived expectantly for the coming of the Lord (cf. 2:16).

Fee, Gordon D. The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009.

Green, Gene L. The Letters to the Thessalonians. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002.

Heibert, D. Edmond. The Thessalonian Epistles. Chicago: Moody, 1971.

Hendriksen, William. I and II Thessalonians. New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1955.

MacArthur, John. 1 & 2 Thessalonians. MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 2002.

Martin, D. Michael. 1, 2 Thessalonians. New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995.

Morris, Leon. The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959.

Ryrie, Charles C. First & Second Thessalonians. Everyman’s Bible Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 2001.

Thomas, Robert L. "1 Thessalonians." In Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 11, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 227–298. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1978.

———. "2 Thessalonians." In Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 11, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 299–337. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1978.

Walvoord, John F., and Mark Hitchcock, 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Chicago: Moody, 2012.