FEATURES
FEATURES
2 THESSALONIANS 3:4 | 2163
2:11 d Ro 1:28 2:12 e Ro 1:32
2:13 f Eph 1:4 g 1Th 5:9 h 1Pe 1:2
2:15 i 1Co 16:13 j 1Co 11:2
2:16 k Jn 3:16 2:17 l 1Th 3:2 m 2Th 3:3
3:1 n 1Th 4:1 o 1Th 5:25 p 1Th 1:8
3:2 q Ro 15:31 3:3 r 1Co 1:9 s Mt 5:37
3:4 t 2Co 2:3
They per ish be cause they re fused to love the truth and so be saved . 11 For this rea son God sends them d a pow er ful de lu sion so that they will be lieve the lie 12 and so that all will be con demned who have not be lieved the truth but have de lighted in wick ed ness . e
Stand Firm
13 But we ought al ways to thank God for you , broth ers and sis ters loved by the Lord , because God chose you as first fruits a f to be saved g through the sanc ti fy ing work of the Spirit h and through be lief in the truth . 14 He called you to this through our gos pel , that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ .
15 So then , broth ers and sis ters , stand firm i and hold fast to the teach ings b we passed on to you , j whether by word of mouth or by let ter .
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ him self and God our Fa ther , who loved us k and by his grace gave us eter nal en cour age ment and good hope , 17 en cour age l your hearts and strengthen m you in ev ery good deed and word .
Request for Prayer
3 As for other mat ters , broth ers and sis ters , n pray for us o that the mes sage of the Lord p
may spread rap idly and be hon ored , just as it was with you . 2 And pray that we may be de liv ered from wicked and evil peo ple , q for not ev ery one has faith . 3 But the Lord is faithful , r and he will strengthen you and pro tect you from the evil one . s 4 We have con fi dence t
a 13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you b 15 Or traditions words here are difficult , yet his purpose is not to give a theological explanation of God ’ s role in the judgment of sinners but to comfort the persecuted Christians in Thessalonica . 2:13 – 17 It is crucial to connect these verses with the preceding ones . If one reads only up to v . 12 , the passage ends with judging unbelievers . But if one reads all the way to v . 17 , the passage closes with comforting the Thessalonian believers . 2:13 – 14 Comfort : God Ensures the Salvation of the Thessalonians . Paul comforts the Thessalonians with a thanksgiving about God ’ s election that guarantees they will not receive judgment on the day of the Lord but salvation . 2:13 ought . See note on 1:3 . loved by the Lord . . . God chose . . . sanctifying work of the Spirit . All three persons of the Trinity are involved : the Son loves , the Father elects , and the Spirit makes holy . firstfruits . In the OT , this refers to the first produce or animal that one offers to God . God chose the Thessalonian church as the first ( of many others whom God has also chosen ) fruit at the great endtime harvest . saved . . . through belief in the truth . Contrast the unbelievers who “ refused to love the truth and so be saved ” ( v . 10 ). 2:14 called . The theme of election or God ’ s initiative in the readers ’ salvation is important in both letters ( v . 13 ; 1 Thess 1:4 ; 2:12 ; 3:3b ; 4:7 ; 5:9,24 ). glory . The ultimate goal of God ’ s
WHO IS THE RESTRAINER ? redemptive work in believers ’ lives is not their justification but their glorification ( Rom 8:30 ). 2:15 Command : Stand Firm by Holding Fast to Paul ’ s Teachings . Paul corrects the crisis that has arisen from a new assertion about the day of the Lord by commanding the Thessalonians to hold fast to those traditions which he previously taught them . 2:15 stand firm . A fitting antidote to the problem of being “ unsettled ” ( v . 2 ). hold fast to the teachings . Clarifies how the Thessalonians are to stand firm : by holding fast to the teachings that Paul personally gave them , either orally (“ by word of mouth ”) or in written form (“ by letter ”). Significant by its omission is the third possible means of transmission : “ by a prophecy ” ( v . 2 ), which Paul likely considers to be the source of the false claim about the day of the Lord . 2:16 – 17 Concluding Prayer : Prayer That God Will Comfort the Thessalonians . Paul concludes with a prayer that emphasizes his intention throughout the passage to comfort the Thessalonians . 2:16 – 17 encouragement . . . encourage . Paul ’ s prayer includes a double reference to encouragement , which reflects his overall goal to comfort the persecuted and frightened Thessalonian church .
Members . The second major topic of the letter concerns idle church members . Paul issues various exhortations : general ones ( vv . 1 – 5 ), which are preparatory for the specific ones ( vv . 6 – 15 ) that deal with idle believers . 3:1 – 5 General : The Lord ’ s Work in Paul ’ s Ministry and the Thessalonian Church . Paul ’ s general exhortations , though covering disparate topics , are joined together by their common function of preparing the readers to obey the specific exhortations about disciplining believers who are living idly ( vv . 6 – 15 ). 3:1 spread rapidly . Or “ runs ”; combined with “ be honored ,” this suggests that Paul depicts the “ message ” ( gospel ) as a victorious runner in the athletic games who justly receives honor . just as it was with you . Paul commends his readers and so makes them predisposed to obey the specific exhortations of vv . 6 – 15 . 3:2 – 3 A clever contrast : Paul prays to be rescued from “ wicked and evil people ” because “ not everyone has faith ,” but he reassures his readers that “ the Lord is faithful ” and so will protect them “ from the evil one .” In this way Christ ’ s faithfulness is sharply contrasted with people ’ s lack of faith . 3:4 We have confidence . An expression frequently used in letters of Paul ’ s day to persuade readers to comply with the writer ’ s
3:1 – 15 Exhortations Concerning Idle Church request and so live up to the confidence the
Many proposals attempt to solve the “ riddle of the restrainer ” — to identify the thing and person that Paul refers to in both impersonal ( 2 Thess 2:6 ) and personal ( 2 Thess 2:7 ) terms :
1 . The Roman Empire and the Roman emperor 2 . The principle of law and order and the political leaders in general 3 . The proclamation of the gospel and Paul 4 . The presence of the church and the Holy Spirit 5 . The power of evil and Satan 6 . The false prophecy and the false prophet 7 . The activity and person of the archangel Michael
The last proposal , though not widely held , is strongly supported by allusions to Dan 10 – 12 . Michael , the patron angel of God ’ s people , is said to withstand ( restrain ?) the evil angels ( Dan 10:13,20 – 21 ) and so protect God ’ s people . Paul ’ s reference to the restrainer being removed (“ taken out of the way ,” 2 Thess 2:7 ) likely originates from Dan 12:1a , where Michael and his restraining force is removed , thereby ushering in a period of unparalleled distress for God ’ s people ( 2 Thess 2:3 – 4,8a ; Dan 12:1b ) that is then followed by their vindication and their enemies ’ punishment ( 2 Thess 2:8b – 14 ; Dan 12:1c – 3 ).
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