2 Thessalonians 1

The *Lord has not come yet

2 the Thessalonians

Ian Mackervoy

About the letter

1 The writers

Like 1 Thessalonians, this letter is from Paul, Silas and Timothy. The writer of this letter used the same style as 1 Thessalonians and other letters that Paul wrote. This shows that Paul was the main author. Silas and Timothy are included in the greeting (2 Thessalonians 1:1). In many verses, ‘we’ write. This shows that all three of them agreed. The handwriting was not Paul’s since he wrote just the final greeting and prayer (2 Thessalonians 3:17). It seems that Paul dictated the letter, maybe to Timothy or Silas.

2 Time of writing

Paul, Silas and Timothy wrote this letter soon after the first letter. They had received further news about the Thessalonians while they were still in *Corinth city.

These two letters to the Thessalonians may be the earliest of the letters of Paul that we have. Paul and his friends wrote them between AD 50 and AD 53. That is about 20 years after Jesus died and rose again to life. Paul was in *Corinth about 18 months. So, the date of the second letter must have been near the end of that period.

3 Purposes for the letter

Paul and his friends received news from Thessalonica after that church had received the first letter. This news showed that the Thessalonians still needed someone to teach them about some subjects. They had not understood some of what was in the first letter. So, the purpose of the second letter was to make things clear to them.

1 They must expect *persecution because they trust in the *Lord Jesus. But God has a purpose in allowing them to suffer and he will reward them (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). Paul and his friends write to give them strength and to encourage them.

2 The Thessalonians seem to have some strange ideas about the return of Christ. Some said that the *Lord had already come. But this is not right (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). Some thought that the *Lord would come at any moment. The return of the *Lord will be sudden. But, there are things that must happen before he comes (2 Thessalonians 2:3 12).

3 Some of the Thessalonian Christians were lazy. They had given up their work. It could be that they expected the *Lord to come very soon. They depended on their friends to keep them and feed them. Paul had mentioned this subject in the first letter (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Now he tells them what they should do to those who refuse to work (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13).

4 The plan of the letter

Chapter 1

Greetings from Paul, Silas and Timothy 1:1-

Thanking God for the Thessalonians 1:3-

The judgement of God and *salvation of Christians 1:5-

Prayer for the Thessalonians 1:11-

Chapter 2

The *Lord has not come yet 2:1-

The wicked man must come first 2:3-

Thanks to God for the Thessalonians 2:13-

Prayer for them 2:16-

Chapter 3

A request for prayer 3:1-

Confidence in God for them 3:3-

About those who are lazy 3:6-

Paul warns them to obey 3:14-

A prayer for *peace 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Signature and final prayer 3:17-

Chapter 1

Greetings from Paul, Silas and Timothy 1:1-2

v1 This letter is from Paul, Silas and Timothy. It is to the church in Thessalonica, which belongs to God our Father and the *Lord Jesus Christ.

v2 May God our Father and the *Lord Jesus Christ give you *grace and *peace.

Verse 1 This letter is from Paul, Silas and Timothy. The language is so like his other letters that it shows that Paul is the main author. The church in Thessalonica belongs to God our Father. God is the Father of both the writers of the letter and the Christians in Thessalonica.

Verse 2 It was typical for a *Jewish letter to begin with *grace and *peace. Here the writers add where the *grace and *peace come from. They come from God our Father and the *Lord Jesus Christ. In this greeting, the writers show that the *Lord Jesus, as well as the Father, is God. We receive God’s kindness when we do not deserve it. This is the *grace of God. It is the action of God for us because he loves us. We cannot earn his *grace; it is a gift from him. The *peace that God gives is in our hearts and minds. It makes us feel calm and well inside, and events cannot stop us feeling like this.

Thanking God for the Thessalonians 1:3-4

v3 We must always thank God for you, our *brothers and *sisters. It is right for us to do so, because your *faith is growing so much. And the love you all have for each other is increasing too. v4 This is why we ourselves are so proud of you. We are proud of you as we visit the churches of God in other places. We tell them how strong your *faith in God is, even in the troubles and *persecution that you have.

Verse 3 Paul, Silas and Timothy felt that they had a duty to thank God for these Christians. But it was more than a duty. They wanted to thank God for what he had done in the lives of these *brothers and *sisters. They were very grateful for the progress of the Thessalonians. So, when they prayed they thanked God for them.

They called these Christians their *brothers and *sisters. They called God ‘our Father’, meaning the father of the Thessalonians and of the writers. They all belong to the same family. They are *brothers and *sisters in the family of God.

Paul, Silas and Timothy gave thanks to God because the *faith of the Thessalonians was so much stronger than it had been. It was not that they were weak before. At the start of the first letter, the writers spoke about the work of *faith of these *believers (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Paul had hoped to come to Thessalonica to help them to grow in *faith (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Yet although Paul could not come, these Christians had grown so much stronger in *faith.

In all of that country, the people knew about the love that these Christians had for each other. However, the writers had urged them to love more (1 Thessalonians 4:10). They had asked the *Lord to cause the love of the Thessalonians to increase (1 Thessalonians 3:12). The love of these Christians was now more than it had been. They had done what the writers had asked them. And so, God had answered the prayer. That is why Paul and his friends thanked God.

Verse 4 News about the progress at Thessalonica had reached all of the regions of *Macedonia and *Achaia. They had heard how that church had started. They knew how the Thessalonians had received Paul and his friends. They knew that they had accepted the good news about the *Lord Jesus. Then, although Paul had to leave them, their belief in the *Lord continued to grow.

When Paul and his friends went to other churches, they spoke about the Thessalonians. They were so proud of them. They told how, although they had had much trouble, the Thessalonians remained loyal to the *Lord Jesus. These Christians suffered with quiet patience. The result of all this *persecution was to make their *faith in God so much stronger. The writers were so impressed and pleased by this that they wanted everyone to know about it. This should encourage all the Christians as they too suffered for their *faith in God.

The judgement of God and *salvation of Christians 1:5-10

v5 The judgement of God is right. And all this shows that he will accept you. As a result, you will be able to live in his *kingdom, for which you now suffer. v6 God will punish those who cause you to suffer. It is right that he should do so. v7 He will give relief to you who suffer and to us as well. This will be when the *Lord Jesus comes from heaven with his powerful *angels and with fire. v8 He will punish those who do not know God. And he will punish those who do not obey the *gospel of our *Lord Jesus. v9 He will destroy them for ever. The *Lord will send them away from him and from the *glory of his power. v10 When Jesus comes, on that day, all his people will give him *glory. All who trust in God will admire him. You have believed the message that we told you. So, you too will be among them.

Verse 5 The Thessalonians were firm and strong, as they had to suffer. They kept their belief in God through all the troubles that they had. All this is evidence both to the Thessalonians and to Paul and his friends. It shows that their *faith is genuine. And it shows that God’s judgement is right. When God judges all the people, these Christians will be safe. The *Lord Jesus will come. Then God will judge as guilty those who *persecute the Christians.

The Thessalonians were suffering because they believed in the *Lord Jesus. They believed that Jesus would come. And they believed that he would set up his own *kingdom. That *kingdom will never end. It is the *kingdom of God. All who believe in the *Lord Jesus now will live with him in that *kingdom.

To suffer for being a Christian is to suffer for the *kingdom of God. They suffer because they are loyal to the king. The *Lord Jesus is the king. The *Lord Jesus will come. Then God will bless all those who suffered for him. His judgement will be that, as they belong to Christ, they are able to live in that *kingdom. They will not have earned this for themselves. It is all by the *grace of God and a result of what the *Lord Jesus has done for them.

Verse 6 The judgement of God is proper and right. God will pay back those who *persecute Christians. They will receive trouble from the *Lord for what they have done. This trouble that they will suffer is the subject of verse 9. None of them will be able to go into the *kingdom of God.

Verse 7 The *Lord Jesus will come from heaven. Then he will punish those who cause Christians to suffer. At the same time, he will give rest to those who have suffered. This rest will be relief from all their troubles. And they will not suffer any more. He will take away those who love him, to be with himself. They will start the rest that he has promised. And they will live in the *kingdom of God. There they will enjoy him. And they will live with him in a life that has no end. The promise of this rest is not just for the Thessalonians. It is also for Paul, Silas and Timothy, since they too have suffered. They have suffered because of their trust in the *Lord Jesus.

Christ is now in heaven where we cannot see him. But then he will come and all people will see him. It will be a magnificent sight as he comes through the clouds. He will come in power with his army of *angels, and with fire. People will wonder and be afraid as he appears.

Verse 8 God has made the *Lord Jesus the judge on his behalf (John 5:22). He will give effect to the judgements of God. The writers believe that God will punish one group of people first. They are the people who have caused Christians to suffer (verse 6 above). But the judgement of God is much wider than that. It extends to all who do not know God. These people do not respect God. They do not *worship him or have *faith in him. They do not know him as their God and Father.

Those who do not obey the *gospel are those who have refused the *Lord Jesus. God will forgive all who accept the *gospel and believe in the *Lord Jesus Christ. God has dealt with their *sins by the death of the *Lord Jesus. But God will punish for their *sins those who have not obeyed the *gospel.

Verse 9 The life that God gives to Christians is not just being alive. It is a relationship for this life, and it continues after they die. But God will condemn those who do not know him (he will say that they are guilty). Their punishment will be that God will put them away from him for ever. They will never have another opportunity to turn to God and there will be no hope for them. The guilty ones will not see the honour and power of the *Lord Jesus. They will not share in the wonder and joy of the *kingdom of God.

Verse 10 At the time when the *Lord Jesus comes, the judgement of God will come into effect. Then the punishment of those who have not obeyed the *gospel will begin. The *Lord Jesus will receive honour and praise from those who believed in him. The *Greek refers to them as the ‘holy ones’. All who love him are looking forward and waiting for him to come. When he appears, they will give him a great welcome. The *glory of that day and of the *Lord will excite them with great joy.

Jesus will receive all the honour and the praise because of what he has done for his people. He has saved them from their *sins and he will call them up to meet him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The *Lord Jesus will be among them. And they will praise and admire him. He will change them to be like himself (1 John 3:2). Then all of them will reflect his *glory.

The Thessalonian Christians have put their trust in the *Lord Jesus. They believed the *gospel that Paul and his friends had *preached. Because of this, they will be included among those who will be with the *Lord Jesus on that day. They have died but the *Lord will raise them from the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Prayer for the Thessalonians 1:11-12

v11 That is why we always pray for you. We ask that our God will consider you fit for the life to which he has called you. We pray that his power will help you by *faith to do all the good things that please him. And so you will achieve what he desires for you. v12 In this way, the name of our *Lord Jesus will receive *glory from you. You also will receive *glory from him, by the *grace of our God and the *Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 11 In addition to thanking God for the Thessalonians, Paul, Silas and Timothy also pray for them. The prayer that follows is that through them the *Lord will receive honour. They ask that God will consider the Thessalonians ready to receive the life that is to come. That *salvation depends on the *grace of God and not on the works of the Thessalonians. God has called them and he will complete his promise to save them. This prayer does not mean that there was any doubt about that. They had already shown that God would accept these Thessalonian Christians (verse 5). Being sure that God will keep his promise does not mean that we should stop praying for it.

The writers want the Thessalonians to live to please God. They recognise that no one can do this in their own strength. Without *faith it is not possible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). So, the prayer is that God will help them by his power. He alone can give them the strength to do every good thing that they have the desire to do. Then by the power of God and by their *faith they will also be able to achieve what God wants from them.

Verse 12 The name of our *Lord Jesus means the person of Jesus. He is the *Lord and all the *glory is due to him. As the writers pray for the Thessalonians, the result that they look for is the honour of the *Lord Jesus. The prayer is that the *Lord Jesus will have *glory because of the *faith of the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians who have lived by *faith in the *Lord will also receive honour when the *Lord Jesus comes. They could never be good enough to deserve such a reward. But they will receive it because of the kindness of God and of the *Lord Jesus Christ. This *grace is from both God the Father and God the Son.

The *Lord Jesus shares in the lives of Christians here on earth. They also share in his life. So the *Scriptures talk about the *Lord Jesus living in them and the *believers as being in Christ. They will share together in the *glory of that time when the *Lord Jesus comes again. He will have *glory in them and they will have *glory in him.

Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
Corinth ~ a city in Achaia.
Achaia ~ the southern part of modern Greece, see Macedonia.
Macedonia ~ the northern part of modern Greece; see Achaia.
persecution ~ when enemies of God hurt people because they believe in Christ.
salvation ~ the result of God saving us from sin and punishment; the new life that God gives to believers in the Lord Jesus.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
peace ~ when we have no troubles in our mind or spirit; when every part of us is working as it should.
grace ~ God’s kindness to us in saving and helping us, that we do not deserve.
Jewish ~ describes people or things that are from the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
brothers ~ other men who are Christians and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
sisters ~ other women who are Christians and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus Christ his Son.
believers ~ Christians, that is those who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
Macedonia ~ the northern part of modern Greece; see Achaia.
Achaia ~ the southern part of modern Greece, see Macedonia.
Achaia ~ the southern part of modern Greece, see Macedonia.
Macedonia ~ the northern part of modern Greece; see Achaia.
kingdom ~ the place or territory where a king rules. The kingdom of God is not a place as such but it is where God is the king.
angel ~ a spirit person. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages.
spirit ~ spirits are alive, but we cannot see them.
gospel ~ the good news that God saves people from sin through Jesus Christ.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God.
glory ~ great honour and beauty.
persecute ~ to attack and hurt people because they believe in Christ.
worship ~ the act of giving honour to God (or an idol) with praise, thanks and respect. To worship is to give honour to God (or to an idol).
idol ~ something that a person makes to worship as a god.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God.
Greek ~ the language that Paul and his friends used to write this letter.
preach ~ to speak out the message from God and to teach his word.
Scripture ~ the books of the Bible.