Bible Commentaries
2 Thessalonians

2 THESSALONIANS

Both of the Thessalonian letters were written at Corinth, perhaps in the fall of A.D. 52, and not far apart. The necessity of the second epistle was created by the first, which aroused them on tiptoe, developing a great excitement relative to the coming of the Lord, which was intensified by certain false reports circulated by ill-designing people that the Lord had already come and taken up his people, and they had been left. This false rumor was augmented by a counterfeit letter with Paul’s signature sent to them. The effect of these false reports was to flood them with grief and mortification, thinking the Lord had come, taken up his Bride, and they had been left. Hence, Paul forthwith sent them the second epistle, in which he corrects the false reports, and fortifies them against similar intrigues of Satan in the future, by calling their attention to certain prophetic events destined to transpire before the second advent.

APOLOGUE

This letter is really supplementary to the first, and, like it, flooded with Paul’s favorite themes; i. e., entire sanctification and the Lord’s return to the earth; meanwhile the apostle interjects some profoundly stirring prophecies, relative to the coming of the Lord, precedent and concomitant events. However, those prophecies relative to the great Constantinian apostasy and the revelation of the “ Man of sin ” have already been fulfilled, and no longer intervene between us and the greatest and most notable event of the world’s history; i. e., the return of the glorified Jesus to judge the wicked, take up his saints, and be crowned king of all nations, to reign forever. Therefore, we should all be robed and ready on our watch-towers, looking out for our glorious King.