Bible Commentaries
2 Thessalonians 1

Verses 1-2

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:1

Like the introduction, the opening greeting is also much the same as we found in the first letter. Again, in the interest of not repeating ourselves, we invite our readers to go back and look at our comments there as well. The only real difference in the first two verses here is that Paul repeats "God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" in the second verse.

We see that Silas and Timothy are still with him. These men were well known to the Thessalonians, since they had helped in founding the church. Timothy had also just gone back to them to lend further assistance.

It is interesting that Paul does not declare his apostleship here as he does in most of his letters. This no doubt flows from the fact that he enjoyed a warm and intimate relationship with this assembly, just as he also had with Philemon and the Philippians In these two books he also omits his claim to apostleship.^(F1)

The word for "church" is the common Greek ekklesia, which refers to a group that is "called out." It was used in the Greek Bible, the Septuagint (LXX) to translate the Hebrew qahal [meaning assembly].^(F2)

Several scholars have noted the construction "in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Baptist professor, Bob Utley, says that the one Greek preposition (en) used with the two objects, Father and Lord, is one of the ways New Testament writers linked Father and Son together (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:1). Such a construction would attest to their unity and to Christ's deity.^(F3) Coffman remarks about this, saying, "… The theological thrust of this expression is boundless. The oneness of the Father and the Son, the deity of Christ, as well as the whole doctrine of the incarnation are securely anchored in a text like this."^(F4)

"Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:2). The expression "Grace and peace" is a common one with Paul and is used over a dozen times in his epistles. Grace (Gk. charis) has the meaning of graciousness, favorable regard, kindness and goodwill, while peace (Gk. eirene) means freedom from war, concord and agreement. It corresponds to the Hebrew shalom.^(F5) Grace from God must come before any peace with God is possible.

Verses 3-4

PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 2 Thessalonians 1:3

Paul was always full of thanksgiving. We see him here actually taking the advice he gave earlier in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, to give thanks in all circumstances. The apostle had the unusual habit of thanking God for people. Most of us have somehow never gotten into that habit, but it would surely enrich our lives and the lives of others if we started doing it on a regular basis. Apparently this is not an optional thing, since the Greek word opheilomen has the meaning of owing a debt or being bound (cf. 2:13).^(F6) Thus, we are bound to thank God for others.

Paul is thankful that their faith was growing more and more. Faith is not just some dead or near-dead creed. Stott says of it, "…But faith is a relationship of trust in God, and like all relationships is a living, dynamic, growing thing."^(F7) It is a key that unlocks the heavenly kingdom. The apostle is also thankful that their love for each other that keeps increasing. The Greek word used here is hyperauxanei and it communicates the idea of "growing beyond."^(F8) It certainly pictures a vigorous growth, and that super growth was taking place under the most difficult circumstances.

Of course faith, to really be faith, must undergo testing. The church father, Chrysostom (c. 349- 407) asks, "And how, you say, can faith increase? It does so when we suffer something horrible for the sake of faith."^(F9) Chrysostom, the golden-mouthed preacher, enjoyed many honors, even that of being Archbishop of Constantinople, but still he died in exile. His comment concerning it all was, "Glory be to God for all things." Internationally known Bible teacher and writer of more than 150 books, Warren Wiersbe, says of it, "A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted…Faith like a muscle, must be exercised to grow stronger…"^(F10)

The apostle was also thankful for their love for each other. Here he speaks of the agape love, or the God-kind of love. We no doubt remember that God has poured out this agape love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). All we have to do is let his love slosh over into other lives. Apparently the Thessalonians were getting pretty good at that.

However, we notice something missing here. In his first letter, Paul spoke of the famous trilogy of faith, hope and love (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:3), which they possessed. Here he mentions only faith and love. Obviously, the hope of this new church had come under some stress. It was the hope aspect that Paul was writing to correct.^(F11)

"Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring" (1:4). It is really amazing that a brand new church, made up of people fresh out of paganism could accomplish so much, so fast. We have mentioned in 1 Thessalonians how that today it generally takes years for a new church to get on its feet and start doing things for the Lord. The Thessalonian church did it in a few months. Paul was rightfully proud of them for their accomplishments. He particularly mentions their faith and perseverance that had been proven through many trials. The Greek word for perseverance is hupomones, and it means patient endurance.^(F12) Today we might define it as keeping on keeping on.

We see here that the saints of Thessalonica, like all saints everywhere, were subjected to various kinds of suffering. We have two Greek words used and they are diōgmos, meaning persecution and thlipsis meaning affliction, tribulation, and distress.^(F13) This latter word helps us to see that affliction can take different forms and we may have been subject to it many times without realizing it. There are various kinds of sufferings that may afflict us in this life.

This suffering may come in the shape of thorns and thistles in our paths, physical, mental or emotional distress. There are many pressures that come from living in a sin-infested world. Along with earth's normal pressures the true Christian will at times have persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." We need not think that all persecution involves getting our heads chopped off Persecution for Christ might involve that promotion we didn't get, that friendship mysteriously broken, etc. There are a thousand other ways that Satan can come against us to discourage and even try to defeat us because of our faith.

The scripture points out how suffering is a normal thing for the Christian (cf. Matthew 5:10-12; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:17-18; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4:12-16). The early Anglican commentator, John Trapp, quoting an old adage says, "Adversity hath whipped many a soul to heaven… which otherwise prosperity had coached to hell."^(F14)

Verses 5-7

GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 2 Thessalonians 1:5

Paul continues on with the idea of the righteous suffering. Through suffering, the righteous will be counted worthy of God's kingdom. There is no idea here that the righteous will be made worthy. With the Greek word axioo, we rather have the idea of being counted worthy.^(F15)

There is an inherent problem that we experience with suffering. We may become depressed or discouraged with our situation, and in the end, call God's judgment into question. Some of the Thessalonians may have been having this problem. In scripture, we observe that even the Psalmist almost fell into this trap. He says, "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm 73:2-3). Leon Morris, of Ridley College in Melbourne, sums this up saying, "There is a difficulty in that the persecutions and trials seem on the face of it to deny rather than to prove that God's judgment is right."^(F16)

Paul seems to be coming against this problem by showing them the other side of persecution, and how it relates to the wicked. The early British Methodist scholar, Adam Clarke says, "The sufferings of the just, and the triumphs of the wicked, in this life, are a sure proof that there will be a future judgment, in which the wicked shall be punished and the righteous rewarded."^(F17) The 19th century American theologian, Albert Barnes adds, "Their patience and faith under persecutions were constantly showing that they would 'be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they were called to suffer…'"^(F18) Morris comments, "It is part of God's righteous judgment to use tribulations to bring his own people to perfection…"^(F19)

In the end, suffering does some wonderful things for us. It builds our character (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 5:8). It also drives us toward godliness (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Ephesians 4:1; 5:2).^(F20) It causes us to really grow in our understanding. Of course, God's pruning hurts at the time. Bishop N.T. Wright says, "You don't get to share God's life and escape without wounds."^(F21) Yet, the benefits outweigh the hurts. There is a little poem by Robert Browning Hamilton that expresses all this very well:

I walked a mile with Pleasure, she chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser for all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow, and ne'er a word said she;
But oh, the things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me!^(F22)

"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you" (1:6). It was the great American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who penned these lines, "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience he stands waiting, with exactness grinds he all."^(F23) God will not forget our labors of love nor will he forget the perverse acts of the wicked. He is after all a loving father and will come to the aid of his hurting children. "Those responsible for troubling Christians will be repaid proportionately for the suffering they have caused."^(F24)

Nevertheless, as we suffer we need to remember the great sufferings of the Lord Jesus on our behalf. Our suffering is really nothing when compared to his suffering on the cross to gain our salvation (1 Peter 4:12,13,16). We should strengthen our hearts with a new vision of his cross.

God will not only pay back those who trouble his people, but he will come "and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels" (1:7). God will give his people relief. He will end their pressure, tribulation and persecution. The relief or rest spoken of here is the Greek word anesin, and it means releasing the tension, as in the case of slackening a tight bowstring.^(F25) Trapp says, it will be like Noah's ark, that after much tossing to and fro finally rested on the mountains of Ararat."^(F26)

The means of this relief is the appearing of the Lord from heaven. Stott comments, "The parousia (official visit) has now become the apokalypsis (unveiling) of Jesus Christ."^(F27) The parousia and apokalypsis are just two of the several Greek terms related to the return of Jesus. The 20th century Church of Christ commentator, James Burton Coffman remarks, "…but it is strongly believed that these variations do not imply different events, but one event only, namely, the coming of the Son of God for judgment in the final day."^(F28)

Here there is something very important about that day. The Lord Jesus will come with his holy angels and will be revealed in blazing fire. In his first visit, Jesus came in obscurity as the Suffering Servant of Israel. He died an ignoble death on a Roman cross. However, this time he will come in blinding glory and all the world will stand amazed at his coming.

We can only imagine how astounded and bewildered the godless world will be as Jesus breaks into history. There can be no denying this appearance, no philosophizing about it.

So Jesus will come with blazing fire (cf. Isaiah 33:14; Matthew 13:42,50). Some have tried to compare this with lightning, but there are numerous scriptures that verify that the coming and judgment of God will be with fire (cf. Exodus 3:2; 19:18; 24:17; Deuteronomy 5:4; Psalm 18:12; Isaiah 30:27-30; 66:15-16; Ezekiel 1:27; Daniel 7:9-10; Hebrews 10:27; 12:29; 2 Peter 3:7,10; Revelation 1:13-14). Stott remarks about it, "The Parousia will be no petty, local sideshow…[but] an event of awe-inspiring, cosmic splendor…And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it."^(F29) The book of Revelation gives us a note telling us that at this appearing all the tribes of the earth will mourn (Revelation 1:7). However, there will be no mourning in the camp of the righteous, for they will rejoice with exceeding joy.

Verses 8-10

PUNISHMENT FOR THE WICKED

He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 2 Thessalonians 1:8

It should be pointed out that due to the complexity of this sentence, the "blazing fire" mentioned here in several translations (KJV, NKJV, NAB), is added on to verse 7 in the NIV and NAS versions.

Also in several translations the word "vengeance" is used here. Stott points out how this English word sounds harsh on the part of God. In the Greek language, the word is ekdikesis, and it does not have such overtones. Rather, it speaks simply of justice and judicial punishment. Stott makes plain though that this judgment will involve "weeping and gnashing of teeth for the condemned and that they will be alienated from their own true identity as human beings."^(F30)

Tragically, this verse is speaking of some of the Jewish people who had fought so hard against Paul and the gospel. "These are the persecutors against whom such strong feelings were evident in his first letter (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)."^(F31) Again, as we said in 1 Thessalonians, the Jews were called of God to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4; 60:3). Yet, here we see some of them doing everything in their power to obscure the gospel light.

"They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (1:9). How sad indeed that some Jewish people in Jesus' day and in Paul's day were resisting the gospel with all their might. These were called to be God's covenant people, but we see them trying to destroy the New Covenant that God had promised them plainly in the words of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). However, it was not just the Jews but the Gentiles who had joined with them to persecute both those who preached and those who received the good news at Thessalonica.

The penalty in their case was drastic. They had brought everlasting destruction upon themselves. They were now shut out from God's presence and glory forever. The term for destruction used here is the Greek olethros (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; 1 Timothy 6:9). Utley says, it means "the loss of all that gives worth to existence."^(F32) Biblical professors and commentators, Charles Pfeiffer and Everett Harrison add, "Annihilation is not the thought but rather total ruin, the loss of everything worthwhile. Specifically, it is separation from the presence (face) of the Lord, the true source of all good things."^(F33)

Many people today scoff at hell but here we see that it is a very serious matter. It is probably one of the most important matters in all of life. Hell is not just fire and ruin for an eternity, but it is separation from him who is truth, life, light, hope, love and blessing.

Morris says, "The final horror of sin is that it separates the sinner from God (cf. Isaiah 59:2)."^(F34) Barnes adds, "The meaning then must be, that the soul is destroyed as to the great purposes of its being – its enjoyment, dignity, honor, holiness, happiness. It will not be annihilated, but will live and linger on in destruction…It would not be possible to state that doctrine in clearer language than this."^(F35)

Eternal destruction is a subject that is not clearly revealed in scripture. We are given enough information so that we can avoid such an end. Rather than making foolish speculations about it as the English scholar Peter Pett says, "…We do well to leave to God's understanding the final punishment of the wicked."^(F36)

Paul says they will be punished, "on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you" (1:10). What a contrast between the wicked and the righteous! The wicked will be weeping in horror unspeakable, while the righteous will be rejoicing with an unspeakable joy and glory.

It is really almost impossible to put all the meaning of this passage into words. The disciple John said, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). Stott says, "The very essence of heaven is the eradication of our selfishness, our transformation into Christ's image, and our preoccupation with his glory." He continues, "we will glow forever with the glory of Christ…"^(F37) Morris adds, "The glory of the day will surpass anything we know…we will be lost in amazement."^(F38)

Stott gives some additional clarification of this great day, "The glory of Jesus Christ will not be objective only (so that we see it), but also in his people (so that we share it… the final, eschatological glory of human beings will be more than a restoration; it will transcend their original created state)."^(F39) We know in this great hour that the righteous dead will be raised in unspeakable glory and those of us who are still living will be changed instantly into the likeness of Christ. With these thoughts, we are moved to cry out, "Come Lord Jesus!"

Verses 11-12

LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF HIS APPEARING

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 2 Thessalonians 1:11

It is rather amazing how Paul could pray diligently and continually for all the churches. Here, however, he does not pray as he often does in his epistles. What we have is not a prayer so much as a prayer report.^(F40) Once more, Paul mentions that the Thessalonians would be found worthy of the Lord's calling. The Greek word axioo, again as in verse 5, does not speak of our actually being worthy but of God declaring us so. Stott says, "There is no possibility of our establishing or accumulating merit in such a way as to deserve God's favor."^(F41)

The NET Bible may make the last part of this verse clearer. It says, "…we pray for you always, that our God will…fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith…" Once again, we must turn to that great verse in Philippians 2:13 which says, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

Paul closes out this chapter saying, "We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:12). Stott says, "The most striking feature of this chapter is its recurring references to the glory of Christ."^(F42)

Of course, there are many references to glory in the Bible and many of those speak of our glory in Christ and his glory in us. Isaiah 28:5 promises us, "In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people." In 62:3 he also promises, "You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God."