2 Thessalonians 01
2 Thessalonians was written by Paul about 53 AD, shortly after the first letter. Both of them were written from the same place. The first letter purpose was: a. To correct the idea that the Day of the Lord had come and they had missed it, and the second was writtedn to insure them that the Church wasn't in the Tribulation, and concerning a false letter written as from Paul with new revelation. b. To correct some wrong conduct, 3:11,12; 4:11; 5:14. A chart could be divided to illustrate: 1 Thess. had to do with the Rapture, Christ coming for His Church. 2 Thess. has to do with the Revelation or Day of the Lord, Christ coming with His Church.
For the sizes, 2 Thessalonians has more information about the antichrist than any other books.
Mettill Tenney wrote that 2 Thessalonians contains a well-round course of theological teaching and believed that the Thessalonian letters embody all the essentials of Christian truth. [1] Paul and the others all believed in one living God, (1, 1:9) [ 2 ] Believed in the Father (2, 1:2) [3] Believed the Father chosed them to enjoy His salvation ( 2, 2:16) [ 4 ] Sent His son Jesus Christ to deliverance us from wrath. (1, 1:10) [ 5 ] Using the message of the gospel revealed this deliverance (1, 1:5; 2:9; 2, 2:14) [ 6 ] A Christian growth is in sanctification, (1, 4:3, 7:2 2:13) clean in personal life (1 4:4-6) industrious (1, 4:11-12) prayerful (1, 5:17) and Cheerful (1, 5:16) [ 7 ] Believers: receive the Word Of God (1, 1:6): [ 8 ] Serve only God and no other and wait for His return (1, 1:9, 10); [ 9 ] The Holy Spirit confirmed the message and made it real by His power. (1, 1:5; 4:8) [ 10 ] The Word of God or the gospel concerns the Lord Jesus Christ, who was killed by the Jews( 1, 2:15) rose from the dead (1, 1:10; 4:14; 5:10) Sits at the right hand of God (1, :10) until He comes again (1, 2:19; 4:15; 5:23; 2, 2:1) [ 11 ] He is called Lord becuse He is ascribed deity, for He is called Lord (1, 1:6) God's Son (1, 1:10) and the Lord Jesus Christ (1, 1:1; 3; 5:28; 2, 1:1)
v 1,2. Same men - similar salutation as 1 Thess. (Sylvanus, Latin. Silas, Jewish)
v 3. in this verse we see fulfilled Paul’s desire in 1 Thess. 3:10-12 and 4:1,9,10. Their faith and love had abounded and continues to abound. Cp. Ephesus Rev. 2:4.
v 4. Paul commended them in other churches for the faith they had in spite of increasing persecutions and tribulation. Those things make churches grow spiritually.
v 5. Affliction was proof of their faith and their worth to inherit God’s kingdom.
v 6. God, the eternal accountant, will repay tribulation for tribulation to their foes.
v 7,8. They can have release of tension even now, knowing that the day will come when Christ will descend visibly in flaming fire from heaven with His angels to deal out retribution. This could be two groups, those who willfully don’t know God, and those who profess Him but disobey the call to salvation. More likely, the second group further defines the first.
v 9. The time of God’s vengeance is when Christ comes clear to earth.
The person of the avenger is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The recipients of the vengeance are those who have not acknowledged God.
The character of God’s vengeance is everlasting destruction. This does not mean annihilation. It is ruin, forever banished from the presence of the Lord with no recourse, which may be as terrible as the torments of Hell.
v 10. The Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, Ezk. 33:11, but his righteousness demands it. His real desire at His return is to be made more glorious, marveled at and admired by all believers, and His glory will be reflected in them. Not only will we see the King in His beauty, but in the eternal state, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is, 1 Jn. 3:2. He will be glorified in His saints at the Rapture, but even more so, when Christ is seen by the world bringing vengeance at the end of the Tribulation. Thessalonians, among others, will admire Christ, because they believed the message Paul preached among them.
v 11. Paul prayed they would lead lives consistent with their call to salvation so that God would count them worthy. This is not working for salvation, but being worthy of the salvation they have received. Instead of being saved by the skin of their teeth, they would experience all the pleasures of His goodness to glorify Him. Their every action, led by the Holy Spirit, would be motivated by complete reliance on His power.
v 12. Paul’s prayer was that Christ would be fully glorified in these saints, and when that takes place they in turn would be glorified by association with Him.
2 Thessalonians 02
v 1,2. This refers to Christ’s coming at the rapture. Paul is refuting what someone had misquoted him or maybe forged a letter in his name. They may have been excited that they would immediately see past loved ones, or more likely upset that they had missed the rapture and been left behind. “Shaken” sudden shock. “Troubled” prolonged concern.
v 3,4. Some good men interpret the Greek “falling away” as “to depart”, and believe this to refer to the Church departing before the man of sin is revealed. However, the Greek word is apostasia, I believe better translated “defection” or “falling away”, Strong's (In classical Greek, political or military rebellion). More likely this is the fall into apostasy, the falling away of people who merely professed to be Christians. Then (after the rapture) the man of sin is revealed. This son of perdition is the Antichrist described in Dan, 9:27; 12:11 and Rev. 13:1-10. This is consistent with Jesus’ teaching in Matt. 24:12 about the love of many growing cold, and 24:15 his quote from Daniel about the abomination of desolation standing up in the holy place. I, like most, take this literally to be the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. In the early part of the Tribulation this real person will set himself up to be God and demand worship. The son of perdition means his doom is destruction, and does not refer to Judas, Jn. 17:12. Hitler and several others in my lifetime have been accused of being the Antichrist, but time has proven such speculations wrong and improper.
v 5. Paul reminds the people that when he was there he told them these things.
v 6,7. The Holy Spirit has been restraining Antichrist from being revealed until his appointed time has come. After the rapture the Holy Spirit, who dwells in believers, is taken out of the way along with them, and the hidden principal of rebellion that has existed since the time of Adam will be turned loose. Many think the restrainer is the Roman Empire. Obviously not, because it becomes a part of the Satanic organization.
v 8. This need not be confusing. After the rapture Antichrist will be revealed, but it is not till the end of the Tribulation that Christ comes and casts him into the lake of fire, Isa. 11:4; Rev. 19:20.
v 9. Antichrist will be energized by Satan with superhuman power as a counterfeit of the Lord Jesus Christ. However his delusive signs and miracles are fake and deceit. Apparently Judas performed miracles with the 12. In power of Christ, Lk 9:1 or Satan?
v 10,11. All those who have rejected the gospel by rejecting the truth are taken in by this deceit, but they are already on the road to destruction. God allows them to be misled by Satan’s power of deception because of their rejection.
v 12. So they will be judged and can never be saved. They not only rejected God’s Truth, but enjoyed evil, Jn. 3:19.
v 13,14. Believers are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, Rev. 17:8, Eph. 1:4, but it is through believing Christ we are saved and sanctified by the Spirit.
v 15. Tradition here is in good sense, the true instructions Paul taught. They should hold firmly to these, whether from his epistles or orally when with them.
v 16,17. Only Christ can give us the encouragement and comfort we need and keep us unswerving in all our words and actions.
v1 Reminder Jesus hasn’t come v2,3 Rapture hasn’t v7 Reckoning day hasn't v 3 Rebellion hasn’t fully v8 Revelation hasn’t v11,12 Reality Those who reject stay lost.
2 Thessalonians 03
v 1. It is fine to pray for health and other personal needs, but Paul’s over riding prayers are in connection with the Lord’s work. Here it is that the preaching of the Word may be without hindrances and achieve it’s goal as it had with them.
v 2. Persecution from unbelieving Jews had followed Paul into Corinth, and he is desiring deliverance, not just for his own sake, but that the gospel can go forth.
v 3. Even in our fears we have the assurance that God will strengthen us, and now or ultimately deliver us from the power of evil, meaning the evil one, Satan.
v 4. They are doing, and Paul trusts the Lord that they will continue obeying the things which he has instructed them.
v 5. We must determine in our hearts first. As stated previously, some had quit working (1 Thess. 4:11) either because they thought the rapture was near, or slaves thought that after they were saved they need not work as diligently for Christian masters. This amounts to a prayer that they will show additional love of God to accept the three fold rebuke or command he is about to give them.
A. Withdraw from shirkers
v 6. This command is upon the authority of Christ. They were to withhold fellowship from those disorderly, that is, walking out of step with what he had instructed them, as a soldier would walk out of step. Specifically, a continuing practice of shirking. However they are not to be expelled from the church.
B. Follow Paul’s example
v 7. They were to imitate the way Paul had conducted himself, not being idle. (As my sales boss hid behind to show other salesmen how I took two steps at a time etc.) Disorderly, again as a soldier, but with the slight variation of being neglectful of duty.
v 8,9. Paul had a right to ask support from them, but so he wouldn’t be a burden to them and to set an example, he worked day and night to provide his own needs.
v 10. They knew. Paul had told them while he was there that if a person refused to work he shouldn’t be allowed to eat. I am thankful we have food stamps etc. for those who are in grave financial need, and we don’t know circumstances of strangers. But recently a lady ahead of me got a grocery order with a sales slip over two feet long, paid for with food stamps. Then they loaded them in the trunk and back seat of her nearly new car parked beside my twelve year old model.
v 11. Paul had a report that some were shirking, and nosing into other’s affairs.
v 12. This command is specifically to them to mind their own business and earn their own living.
v 13. The faithful were encouraged to keep a good attitude in spite of spongers.
C. Withdraw from disobedient
v 14,15. Warning had been given in 1 Thess. 4:11 and 5:14, so the faithful were to identify him and use social peer pressure of ostracism to shame him into changing his ways. They were to still love and warn him as a brother, but not oust him from church. Of course there must have been good fellowship before, or this would do no good.
v 16. This closes with Paul’s characteristic prayer of peace and grace for them. Additionally, he implies that he always uses his personal signature to avoid forgery.
In the early 90's I started studing the bible by taking college courses, because I believe the Lord wanted me to become a pastor in a Nazarne Church. My goal has changed with all my studies. My wife and I have both joined the Catholic Church. I have read and compared numerous translations and commentaries in my many years of studying the bible. Some of these authorities disagree with each other. I come across information on studies and classes that I have taken 15 to 20 years before and I have no documentation of where it came from. Plus I have given away or returned many books for college classes that I have taken. So if I have failed to give someone the credit that is due them I ask for their forgiveness. The following is a list of translations and commentaries that I still have and use.
ANSWERS to 200 of Life's Most Probing Questions by Pat RobertsonOUR ETERNAL HOME by Richard W. Dehaan,
PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE by Tim Lahaye
READER'S DIGEST JESUS AND HIS TIMES by the Readers Digest Association Inc,
REFLECTING GOD STUDY BIBLE By Zondervan Corporation;
SAINT JOSEPH EDITION OF THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by Catholic Book Publishing Co.
SEVEN KEYS TO FAMILY POWER by Billy Joe Daugherty,
SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY by Max Lacado,
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE by the Zondervan Corporation;
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD by Jocyce Meyer,
THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK by Babbour Publishing Inc,
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER by Charles Mortimer Guilbert
THE BOOK OF HOPE by Tyndale House Publishiers, Inc,
THE BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC by Albert H. Boudreau,
THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel,
THE CATHOLIC ANSWER BOOK by Peter MJ Stravinsiasi
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BIBLE KNOWLEDGE by Mark D. Taylor;
THE DAY CHRIST DIED by Jim Bishop,
THE GREAT BIBLE QUESTION AND ANWERS BOOK by Playmore Inc
THE HOME BIBLE STUDY COURSE by Dr. Harold L. Wilmington;
THE KING JAMES BIBLE ARCHAIE WORDS DEFIND by David W. Daniel
THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMPANION by David W. Daniels;
THE KING JAMES STUDY BIBLE by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
THE LAYMAN’S BIBLE DICTIONARY by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray;
THE LAYMAN’S PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT by Zondervan Bible Publisher
THE LAYMAN'S LIST by Calance Stucup
THE MESSAGE BIBLE by Eugone H. Peterson,
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by World Catholic Press;
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE Saint Joseph Edition;
THE NEW STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE by James Strong LL. D S.T.D.;
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE by Cardinal Francis Arinze
THE TRINITY by Rose Publish
THE VERY FIRST ESTER by Paul L. Maier,
THE WAY CATHOLIC LIVING BIBLE by Tyndale House Publishers;
UNCHRISTIAN by David Kennan and Gabe Lyon
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE by Ronald Greib
VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS By W. E. Vine;
WHAT’S SO SECRET ABOUT THE RAPTURRE? By Christian Record Services, INC
WHEN GOD WINKS AT YOU by Tomas Nelson
WILLMINGTON’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE by Dr. H.L. Willmington,
WOMAN OF FAITH STUDY BIBLE by Zschech/Heillsong
YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER by New Leaf Press
YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS by Anthony Wilhen
08/19/2011