2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Text (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Translation and Paraphrase

16.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our father, who has loved us and given (us) everlasting consolation and good hope by (his) favor,

17.

May he comfort your hearts and strengthen (you) in every good work and word.

Notes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

1.

There is quite a contrast between the eternal destruction awaiting the sinner (2 Thessalonians 1:9), and the everlasting consolation which the Christian has. God's consolations are eternal in their effects.

2.

These verses form the second of the prayers that close every chapter in II Thessalonians. In our outline, we call this a prayer that they be comforted and stablished.

3.

There is no thought in the gospel message more precious than the thought that God loves us. Revelation 1:5: Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. 1 John 4:19: We love him, because he first loved us.

4.

Notice the close relation of God and Jesus. Both of them give us everlasting consolation. Both of them are asked to comfort and stablish the Thessalonians. Paul addresses his prayer to both. We do not honor God by placing Jesus second. They rank together. See John 5:23.

5.

We so often need spiritual consolation. Paul prayed, The Lord. comfort your hearts.

6.

We have good hope from God, and our hope comes through His grace, that is, His favor. Our hope does not rest on our own works or our own merit. Because our hope rests on His favor, and because His favor is as high as the heavens, our hope is very sure.

7.

In this prayer we sense Paul's anxiety for the Thessalonians. He was burdened greatly, desiring that they would become established firmly in the faith. Stablish means to make stable, set firmly, set fast, strengthen, make firm. (Thayer)

8.

An anxious spirit, such as Paul's finds relief and comfort in prayer. Every minister must emphatically be a man of prayer.

9.

We notice that both our words and our works must be established. What we say and what we do must both be right in the sight of God. By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:3.

STUDY SUGGESTION

Turn now to the Did You Learn? questions that follow [see Chapter Comments], and see if you can answer questions 46 to 63.

DID YOU LEARN?
(Questions over II Thessalonians, chapter 2)

1.

What is the topic of II Thessalonians, chapter 2?

2.

What idea had greatly excited the Thessalonians? (2 Thessalonians 2:2)

3.

Concerning what two things did Paul beseech the Thessalonians? (2 Thessalonians 2:1)

4.

Did the Thessalonians think that the day of the Lord was near or already here? (2 Thessalonians 2:2)

5.

What three events were to precede the day of the Lord? (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

6.

What three sources of misinformation does Paul list as possibly causing the excitement? (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

7.

Explain what each of these three sources of misinformation may refer to.

8.

What is another word for falling away? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

9.

From what would people fall away? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

10.

Did Paul predict the falling away or a falling away? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

11.

The man of sin is also called the man of __________________________________. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

12.

What does the phrase son of perdition mean? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

13.

Who is called the son of perdition in the gospels? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

14.

Does the Bible specifically connect the man of sin and antichrist? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

15.

According to the futurist (or pre-millennial) view, what is (1) the falling away, (2) the man of sin, and (3) that which hinders the appearance of the man of sin? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

16.

Did the early church fathers regard the man of sin as being one man, or a succession of men at the head of a system? (2,:3)

17.

Are moral conditions in the world worse now than they were in Paul's time? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

18.

How long have we been living in the last days? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

19.

According to the historical view (favored in this book), what is (1) the falling away, (2) the man of sin, and (3) that which hindered the appearance of the man of sin? (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

20.

True or false (circle which)The mystery of lawlessness was already working in Paul's time. (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:7)

21.

Mention several departures from the New Testament faith which might be part of the falling away. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

22.

What two things does the man of sin do toward all that is called God? (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

23.

Where shall the man of sin sit? (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

24.

What does he exhibit himself to be? (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

25.

What is the temple of God where the man of sin sits? (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

26.

Name some people who have exhibited themselves as if they were God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

27.

How do you know that Paul did not once tell the Thessalonians that Christ's coming was very near, and then later say that certain things had to happen first? (2 Thessalonians 2:5)

28.

What kept the man of sin from appearing long before he did appear? (2 Thessalonians 2:6)

29.

What is the relationship between the word withholdeth in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 and let in 2 Thessalonians 2:7? What do these words mean?

30.

Is the force that restrained the man of sin an abstract force or a personal figure? (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7)

31.

Explain the phrase mystery of iniquity. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

32.

What is the restraining power, according to the view favored in this book? (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

33.

Explain how this restraining power hindered the appearance of the man of sin. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

34.

List four ways in which the papacy fulfills the descriptions of the man of sin. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

35.

How will the wicked one be destroyed? (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

36.

Is there one parousia of the Lord when He takes his church out of the world, and then another parousia when He will destroy the wicked one? (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

37.

Does miracle-working power prove that a man is pleasing to God? (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

38.

The coming of the Wicked one is after the working of whom? (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

39.

Was the man of sin to work miracles? (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

40.

What does the phrase deceivableness of unrighteousness mean? (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

41.

Unto (or in) what people does the Wicked one come? (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

42.

What do these people refuse to receive? (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

43.

What does God send to people who will not receive the love of the truth? (2 Thessalonians 2:11)

44.

Give two examples where God sent delusions to people so that they might believe a lie and be damned. (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

45.

In what did the people who did not believe the truth take pleasure? (2 Thessalonians 2:12)

46.

Had the Thessalonians received the strong delusions and believed a lie? (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

47.

What is the brief paragraph, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, called in the outline? (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

48.

Unto what had God chosen the Thessalonians and the other Gentile Christians? (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

49.

What are the two possible interpretations of the phrase sanctification of the Spirit? (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

50.

Through what other means (besides sanctification of spirit) had God chosen the Thessalonians? (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

51.

By what means had God called the Thessalonians? (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

52.

What is the goal to which God has called us? (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

53.

Which were the Thessalonians to do: (1) Stand fast; or (2) Search out the will of God for their own generation? (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

54.

What were the Thessalonians to hold fast? (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

55.

By what two means had they been taught? (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

56.

Why do we believe that the church now has no oral traditions that should be added to the writings of the apostles? (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

57.

In the outline what is the prayer in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 called?

58.

To what two people is this prayer addressed? (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

59.

God has given us everlasting _______________________________. (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

60.

Through what have we been given good hope? (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

61.

Did Paul feel that the Thessalonians were established firmly in the faith? (2 Thessalonians 2:17)

62.

In what two things did Paul pray that they would be established? (2 Thessalonians 2:17)

63.

Quote or write out from memory 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:14. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 begins, Let no man-. 2 Thessalonians 2:14 begins, Whereunto he-.