2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

2 Thessalonians 1:1. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians

Paul loved to associate his fellow-workers with himself when writing to his brethren and sisters in Christ. Although he had a superior experience to theirs, he put Silvanus, and Timothy, his own son in the faith, with him as his fellow-evangelists in writing to «the church of the Thessalonians»

2 Thessalonians 1:1. In God our Father

What a wonderful expression! The Church is in God as God is in the Church, what a blessed dwelling-place for the people of God in all generations: «in God our Father»

2 Thessalonians 1:1. And the Lord Jesus Christ:s grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the apostle's usual salutation when he is writing to a Christian church. When he is writing to a minister, it is «grace, mercy, and peace,» for God's most prominent servants especially need great mercy on account of their heavy responsibilities and many shortcomings; but to the church Paul's greeting is, «Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.»

2 Thessalonians 1:3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

What a kind of sacred network Christian love makes, intertwisting every believer in Christ with every other believer! «The love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.» Oh, that this might really be the case in all the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ!

2 Thessalonians 1:4. So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,

One of the clearest proofs of the judgment to come is to be found in the present sufferings of the saints through persecutions and tribulations; for if they, for the very reason that they love God, have to suffer here, there must be a future state and time for rectifying all this that is now so wrong.

2 Thessalonians 1:5. That ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye do suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us,

For us who believe in Jesus there is a long Sabbath yet to come, to be spent with the apostles and the other holy ones around the throne of God and of the Lamb, even as Paul wrote to the Hebrews, «where remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.»

2 Thessalonians 1:7. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you,

The very people in whom Paul gloried, and over whom he rejoiced, were those for whom he continued still to pray; and he did well, for the highest state of grace needs preserving, and there is a possibility of going beyond the utmost height to which any have yet attained. Hence Paul says, «Wherefore also we pray always for you,»

2 Thessalonians 1:11. That our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfull all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.