Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, April 17th, 2024
the Third Week after Easter
the Third Week after Easter
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Bible Commentaries
Concordant Commentary of the New Testament Concordant NT Commentary
Copyright Statement
Concordant Commentary of the New Testament reproduced by permission of Concordant Publishing Concern, Almont, Michigan, USA. All other rights reserved.
Concordant Commentary of the New Testament reproduced by permission of Concordant Publishing Concern, Almont, Michigan, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliographical Information
"Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 2". Concordant Commentary of the New Testament. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/aek/2-thessalonians-2.html. 1968.
"Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 2". Concordant Commentary of the New Testament. https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (56)New Testament (19)Gospels Only (1)Individual Books (10)
Verses 1-17
ADMONITION-APOSTASY
1 The controlling thought in this section of the epistle is based on the teaching of the first letter. Had they fully accepted and understood what he had already written to them they never would have been led to believe that the day of the Lord was already present. In the meantime it seems that Paul has been misrepresented in this matter, perhaps by a forged letter (2 Thessalonians 3:17). He now gives two of the salient signs which will be present when the day of the Lord comes: the apostasy and the man of lawlessness. Neither of these was present at that time.
3 The man of lawlessness (as the two best manuscripts name him) seems to correspond closely with the head of the wild beast (Revelation 13:1-8). The whole earth will worship him except the few whose names are written in the Lamb's scroll of life. It is evident from this passage that, at the time of the end, there will be a temple of God. That this should be elsewhere than Jerusalem seems impossible. So we may look, not only for a return of the Jews to their own land, but also for a restoration of their ancient ritual and a rebuilding of their temple. For anyone except a priest to enter the holy place is itself a terrible desecration, but for any man to usurp Jehovah's place in the holy of holies and demonstrate his own divinity is the most awful and appalling crime of which a human being is capable. This leads to the desolating abomination of Daniel 9:27, which probably consists in placing the image of the wild beast (Revelation 13:14) in the holy place of the temple. Our Lord warns those living in Judea to flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15-22), for them the great affliction (which alarmed the Thessalonians) would come.
7 The influences which will bring about the great apostasy of the end time have been at work from the beginning, but have been restrained by another, counteracting force. What is this? Some have supposed it to be the Spirit of God. But the Spirit of God will continue to work throughout the apostasy, enabling a few to endure to the end, and empowering bothers to be faithful unto death. It has been suggested that Satan "holds fast" his place in the celestial spheres, for when he is cast out the apostasy commences. His ejection does mark the crisis between the secret and open manifestation of the apostasy, but that which is restrained is evidently the apostasy, not a place in the celestial realms. The apostasy is restrained by the presence of the saints. When we are taken out of the midst by our assembling with Christ in the air, then the apostasy and all its terrible train of afflictions will deluge the earth with fire. Thus the apostle proves that their own presence on earth is conclusive evidence that they were not enduring the afflictions of the Lord's day.
9 Nothing is more necessary in these declining days of this dispensation than to warn the saints of the danger of being deceived, not by that which appears evil, but by that which has all the outward evidences of good. Satan is transformed into a messenger of light and his servants are servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). But, for the next era, God has warned of the deception. The false prophet will do the very signs which, in Elijah's day, proved the deity of Jehovah (1 Kings 18:24; Revelation 13:15), and he is empowered even to give a spirit to the image of the wild beast (Revelation 13:15) so that it will actually speak. Thus will the man of lawlessness demonstrate his divinity.
THANKSGIVING
13 The Thessalonian saints (and all who believe in Christ) need have no fear of the terrible trial which is coming on the earth, for God has not sent them a deception, to condemn them, but prefers them for salvation through belief of the truth and for the procuring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious contrast!