2 Thessalonians 1-3
Being Good and Doing Good
for Glory

In his greeting, wishing them the covenantal blessings of grace and peace, Paul mentions their growing faith in God's promises (they were already forgiven, justified and born again), and their abounding love for each other. He boasted to other churches about their faith and endurance in the midst of persecutions and afflictions from the local Jews who rejected the message of the Messiah (Acts 17). Note that Paul fails to mention their hope as he did in the opening of his first epistle, although they were enduring suffering in an exemplary manner (which would have to involve being rightly related to God, which is why they were being persecuted, and thus able to draw upon God's grace/power to endure).

The successful endurance of suffering is evidence of God's righteous judgment (same concept in Philippians 1:28). Verse 6 explains the righteous judgment: in order to be righteous, God must pay back evil with evil and good with good. Those who unjustly persecute them will face negative judgment, and those persecuted unjustly will face positive judgment or recompense.

Thus their successful endurance proves they will be worthy of the coming Millennial Kingdom.“Count worthy” in verse 5 is the same word used of the apostles rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer in Acts 5:41. It is an intensive form of the word used in verse 11, a term used to weigh the evidence and consider whether one deserves glory or punishment (Hebrews 3:3; 10:29).

Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy <2661> to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Luke 21:34 Take heed to yourselves lest...that Day come on you unexpectedly. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy <2661> to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

God will give relief/rest to those afflicted because of the gospel when the Lord Jesus is revealed as the future Judge (Matthew 25:30-34). This is not the Rapture, but the Second Coming, when Christ sets up His Kingdom, and rewards the faithful. He will also execute vengeance on the unfaithful, who don't pay attention to God nor obey Him. The issue is not belief or unbelief, but obedience. The word translated “know” God is not the normal word for relationship, but the word for “perceiving/seeing” It was used in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 of “paying attention” to those who were seeking to minister to them. (See Thayer's Lexicon #1492 for the range of meanings.) To equate “see” with being unregenerate is to not perceive accurately. Here, when linked with obedience, and the surrounding context, it refers to the Judaizers whose sins were forgiven/covered by participation in the Day of Atonement, but like those who were disobedient in the OT, didn't pay attention to God's revelation.

“Destruction” is used only four times in the NT, and always of the judgment of believers: of the church discipline of the sinning believer in 1 Corinthians 5:5 “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction <3639> of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”; in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 of believers walking in the darkness facing judgment; in 1 Timothy 6:9 of believers who seek wealth rather than God.

The penalty the Judaizers would pay is that of the unprofitable servant (see comments on Mt 25:30); they would be excluded from the presence of God (cf. Ezekiel 44) and the glory of His might (not be tossed into the lake of fire). Their punishment will occur when Christ comes to be glorified among His holy ones/saints, and admired among all those who have believed. The odds are that this is not the interpretation of this passage you've heard in evangelistic sermons, but it is that which best explains all the facts, and is consistent with all the rest of the Scriptures.

In light of the Second Coming of Christ to judge, Paul prays that God would ”count them worthy” (see on verse 5 above) of their calling/invitation to participate in the life and reign of Christ in His Kingdom, and would demonstrate His power in bringing to fruition their every desire for goodness, and good works prompted by their faith. He prays this so that Jesus may be glorified in them, and that they may be glorified (as in receive glory) in Him. The empowering and fruition is a function of God's grace/power. If there is no desire for goodness nor any faith-motivated good works, it's hard for God's grace to empower them, and thus no resultant glory. God responds to our desires and faith with His grace, He doesn't force any of those things upon us. It should be noted that Paul wouldn't be praying for this to happen if it were completely automatic.

Paul now turns to the deficiency in their hope. Satan had sown deceiving lies and doubt about the Day of Christ (the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus) and the Rapture (their being gathered together to Him -1 Thessalonians 4:17, two different things), to discourage the saints and diminish their hope (as he still does today). The Day of the Lord was a time of judgment and tribulation, the latter of which they definitely experienced, so it was possible to think they missed the Rapture. “The Day” is not just the twenty-four hour period in which Christ returns to earth, but in both the OT and NT can be referring to the Tribulation, the Second Coming, the Kingdom, and various judgments (the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the great white throne judgment.

So Paul reminds them of what he had previously told them (they might not have been the brightest crayons in the box, but they were lovable), that certain things had to occur before the Day of Christ.

• The first event that needed to happen before Christ returned was the Rapture he had told them about in the previous letter (1 Thessalonians 4:17), not some general apostasy (although the English world is almost a transliteration of the Greek). The word is used in only one other place of the departure from the customs of Moses (Acts 21:21), but the most telling lexical insight is that it is the feminine form of the neuter word for “divorce” or separation. It has the definite article in front of it, indicating a specific departure, which he says he already told them about. The most likely meaning, by a wide margin, is that of the Rapture in the previous letter (bolstered by “the gathering together to Him” in 2:1 above). Any other interpretation is a departure from Paul's meaning.
• The second event before the Second Coming is the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction (Daniel 9:27; 11:36). This is the Anti-Christ, who appears at the end of the age (and therefore can't be any person in history). He will set himself up as God, and oppose God. The sitting in the temple can't refer to the Millennial temple, since Christ will set that up, so it's either a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, or more likely a reference to usurping Christ's headship over the church, the NT temple (which is how Paul always uses the term). He is the one who will make and break the covenant with the regathered nation of Israel (Daniel 9:27).
• The third event which must occur before the Return of Christ is the removal of the Restrainer, which is preventing this Satanically energized being from taking over. The only thing capable of restraining such a supernatural evil is the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit who currently indwells the Body of believers, the church, is removed from the earth in the Rapture, the path is clear for evil to operate without hindrance. It is thought by some that the restraining force is the Holy Spirit working through the church, which is remotely possible, but judging by the succumbing of the church to Satan's agenda, it's more likely the Holy Spirit Himself.

When the Lord Jesus returns, He will destroy the Anti-Christ with a word. No contest. Many will be deceived by the Anti-Christ who determine truth by experience rather than Revelation (see 7QUESTIONS). Their experience will be that of miracles, signs, and wonders. The ignorant will correctly conclude it is supernatural, but fail to realize that there is a Light and dark side to the supernatural. All the pagan religions had supernatural manifestations. Only that which is in accord with God's revelation is the reality to be believed. See study on Satan on Truthbase.net for more. Satan, working though the miracles of the Anti-Christ will deceive those who are perishing (present tense, middle/passive voice - 2 Corinthians 2:15; 4:3) because (in the Greek “because” has two meanings, requital/in place of) they didn't accept the love of the truth that they might be saved (glorified and delivered from the wrath which comes upon the disobedient). Because of their rejection of the truth, God will send them a delusion (hardening them in their choice), that they will believe a/the lie (claims of the Anti-Christ), and be judged. This is like God hardening Pharaoh in his choices so that He could judge him (see comments on Romans 9). The reason for their lack of love for the truth is revealed to be their love of the pleasures of unrighteousness. Unless we find our pleasure solely in God and His provision, we will be susceptible to the seductions of Satan (a good motivation for sanctification).

In contrast to those who believe lies and are headed to judgment, the Thessalonians, who are believing the truth are headed to glory. Paul thanks God that He chose them (corporately -see comments on Ephesians 1) for salvation/glorification through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth. He called them to this through the gospel/good news of the Messiah's Kingdom, so they would obtain glory (not forgiveness). The word for “chose” is used only two other times in the NT (Philippians 1:22; Hebrews 11:25), means “to take” and here has the sense of taking to Himself, for His purposes. Note that this is not a reference to justification by faith, but to glorification by sanctification and believing the promises of God in contrast to the lies of Satan. God's purpose in calling the Gentile Thessalonians to Himself was to have them share in the Messianic blessings, and thus fulfill His promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through Him. This is not the choice of some individuals to get their sins forgiven and others to go to hell (a concept found nowhere in the Scriptures).

Since God's purpose is for believers to get glory, they should stand firm in the faith, and the things taught by Paul, both in person and via epistle.

Paul ends the chapter with a prayer, asking the God who loved us, and gave us the encouragement of the Messianic Age and hope of reward in it, through His grace, to encourage their hearts and establish (bring to fruition) every good work and word of the Thessalonians.

Paul asks for prayer that the true word will spread and be glorified/honored (obeyed) by all who hear it, as it was among the Thessalonians. He also asks for deliverance from unreasonable, evil, and faithless men. He expresses confidence that the Lord is faithful and will establish and protect the Thessalonians, and that they will do as he taught and commanded them. He prayed that God would guide their hearts into loyal love towards Him, and that they would have endurance (patient waiting) for Christ.

This chiastic section, centered in verse 8 addresses the behavioral deficiencies noted in 1Thess 4:11-12 of idleness, and 1Thess 5:14 of independence/rebellion. Believers are instructed to withdraw (not hang or fellowship with) believers who aren't walking according to the truth (cf 1Cor 5:11 -not even eat). Apparently some Thessalonians were just hanging around, imposing on the love of others, waiting for Christ to return. Paul reminds them of his example of hard work (chiastic center), so that he was not a burden on anyone, even though he had the right to be supported by those to whom he ministered. A good counter balance to giving alms is the principle that if someone doesn't work, they shouldn't eat. God created us to work (even before the fall), and work gives dignity and honor, as well as being the channel though which God meets our needs. The sluggardly are commanded to work, and pull their own weight.

Paul commands the Body to not be weary in doing well, a temptation when things are difficult (cf 1Cor 15:58). If anyone doesn't obey the written word, the members of the Body should note that badly-behaving believer, and have no association with him. The person is disconnected from the Head of the Body, and therefore that distance is dramatized so the person would realize their fault and repent. The goal is to make the person feel ashamed. Those who don't follow this command out of a unbiblical “love” wind up serving Satan's purposes rather than God's. However, the person is not to be viewed as an enemy, but a sinning brother/sister. The goal is repentance and restoration (see Mt 18; 1Cor 5).

Paul ends with a benediction of peace both in the present, in the midst of tribulation, and in the future in the Kingdom. He wishes the Lord would be intimate with each of them, as would His empowering and glorifying grace.