2 Thessalonians 1:8

Text (2 Thessalonians 1:8)

8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:

Translation and Paraphrase

8.

(For He shall be revealed) in flaming fire, giving (and rendering) vengeance upon them who (have not known and) do not know God, and upon them who disobey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Notes (2 Thessalonians 1:8)

1.

Christ will be perfectly just in taking vengeance on them that know not God. For people are not innocently ignorant. The peoples of the world do not know God, because they refused to have God in their knowledge. Romans 1:28. The heathen truly live in ignorance of the gospel. But they also live in definite rebellion against what little they do know of God and morality, By such law as they have written in their own hearts, they are condemned. Romans 2:14-15; Romans 3:9-10.

2.

Jeremiah 10:25: Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name. See also Psalms 79:6.

3.

When Christ is revealed from heaven, it will be a time of vengeance. The day of grace will have ended. The opportunity to obey and be saved will be past and gone.

4.

The words, in flaming fire, can refer either to the way that Christ shall be manifested when He comes, or to the manner in which He shall take vengeance.

In our paraphrase we have connected them with the way Christ shall be revealed. We have done this mainly because we know that sinners will not be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels until AFTER the judgment. See Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:15. This verse (and 2 Thessalonians 1:7) does not so much refer to the events after the judgment as to the events connected with Christ's revelation in the clouds of heaven. This revelation will be with flaming fire. Of course, it will be followed by a fiery condemnation of sinners after the judgment.

5.

Isaiah 66:15; Isaiah 66:24: For behold, the Lord will come with fire. neither shall their fire be quenched.

6.

The presence of the Lord is often associated with fire and smoke. Thus at Mt. Sinai. Exodus 19:18. And at the burning bush. Exodus 3:2; And over the tabernacle. Numbers 9:15. See also Isaiah 10:16-17; Nahum 1:5-6.

7.

It is a fearful thing to face the fiery vengeance of the Lord. There remaineth. a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Hebrews 10:26-27.

8.

This verse makes powerfully plain the necessity for OBEYING the gospel. Truly it is needful to believe the gospel. But the gospel not only has facts to be believed and promises to be received, but commands to be obeyed. For a list of the commands to be obeyed in order to be saved, see notes on 1 Thessalonians 1:4, par. 5.

9.

The word obey (Gr., hupakouo) basically means to listen or hearken. Rotherham brings out this force of the word in his translation: And them who decline to hearken unto the glad-message of our Lord Jesus.

10.

Paul warns that there shall be indignation and wrath to them that do not obey the truth. Romans 2:8. Compare Romans 1:8; Romans 16:26. Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him. Hebrews 5:9. Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3

11.

The teaching of 1 Thessalonians 1:7-9 about Jesus coming with his mighty angels, the flaming fire, etc., is frankly rejected by some theologians (or should we call them diabologians?). The Interpreter's Bible comments that the mighty angels, or angels of his power, the flaming fire, the glory of his might, all belong to the traditions of Judaism, and thus is a drapery of language. We accept these descriptions as the revelation of God, and not as some fictitious flight of words.