2 Thessalonians 1:10

Text (2 Thessalonians 1:10)

10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.

Translation and Paraphrase

10.

(This penalty to the disobedient shall be carried out) at the time when He (Jesus) shall come in that (great) day to be glorified (before all creatures of the universe for what He has accomplished) in (the perfecting of) his saints, and to be marvelled at (by all creatures because of what He has accomplished) in all (of you) who have believed, because our testimony was believed by you.

Notes (2 Thessalonians 1:10)

1.

While sinners should fear the return of Christ as the time when they will face everlasting destruction, Christ and his brethren, the Christians, (Hebrews 2:12) look forward to that day as a time of glorification.

2.

The Thessalonian Christians looked forward to the Lord's coming as a day of glory, because they had believed the message of Christ which Paul preached. We cannot pass into the temple of glory without first passing through the temple of faith. In ancient Athens there were two temples, a temple of Virtue, and a temple of Honor, No one could enter the temple of Honor, except by passing through the temple of Virtue. (Preacher's Homiletic Com.) So also we shall not share Christ's glory, unless we have first believed the divine testimony.

3.

Two things are to happen to Christ when He comes:

(1)

He is to be glorified in His saints.

(2)

He is to be marvelled at in all that believe.

(Marvelled is a better translation than admired.)

4.

The expression, to be glorified in his saints, may not seem very clear. It means (as we have given it in our translation and paraphrase) that Christ is to be glorified before all creatures of the universe (and by them) for what He has accomplished in the perfecting of His saints. When all creatures see the wonderful character which Christ has developed in His saints over the years, and see the glorious bodies in which He shall resurrect us, Christ will thus be glorified in His saints.

Similar statements about people being glorified in someone are Galatians 1:24: They (the churches) glorified God in me (Paul); also John 14:13: The Father may be glorified in the Son. See also John 17:10; John 13:31.

5.

The parenthetical phrase, because our testimony among you was believed, is added to identify the Thessalonians with the believers who shall share the glorification of Christ. Abstract facts are often not interesting to us, but if we are personally involved in them, they become very interesting and important to us.

6.

That day mentioned at the end of the verse is the day when He shall come, the day the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven. In our translation we have placed the phrase, in that (great) day, right after the words, He shall come, to show that the day referred to is the day when He shall come.