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Bible Class Commentaries:

2 Thessalonians

A

Bible Class Commentary

by

Henry T. Mahan

1

Christ glorified in his saints

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

vv. 1, 2. 'Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God and Christ.' A true church is more than a group of people banded together for religious and social functions. A true church is the work and building of the Father in Christ. He chose us, adopts us, calls us, regenerates us and receives us in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). A local church is a part of the great body of Christ -- in God and in Christ (Eph. 5:25-32).

v. 3. 'I give thanks to God for you, my brethren.' All blessings come from God (James 1:17, 18). Therefore, 'it is meet' (it is fitting) that we should give thanks to God, not only for the presence of faith and love but for the growth of it! Wherever the goodness of God is revealed, it is fitting for us to praise him. The welfare of our brethren ought to be so dear to us that we reckon their blessings to be our own.

v. 4. 'We glory in you.' We mention you with great rejoicing in the presence of other churches. Paul did not boast of their faith to shame other believers or to exalt his ministry, but to encourage other churches to imitate them.

He rejoiced in their patience and faith under great persecution and trial. Patience is the fruit and evidence of faith! There is nothing that will sustain us in trial but faith. The stronger our faith, the better we shall be able to endure trial and affliction. Failure under trial reveals unbelief or weakness of faith.

vv. 5, 6. There is a twofold lesson here. God's righteous judgment is shown us in a mirror.

1. The believer whose faith in Christ and love for the gospel bring upon him the wrath of the wicked (and this to try and prove his faith in the wisdom and purpose of God) will be exalted and glorified.

2. The wicked who prosper, who walk in pride and unbelief, having no fear of God's wrath, who mock and despise the grace of God, will be brought down (Deut. 32:35; Phil. 1:28; Ps. 73:12-22). God will set everything right, and justice will take place in his own time!

v. 7. 'To you who are distressed and afflicted along with the rest of us.' God had only one Son without sin, but none without suffering (2 Tim. 3:12-14; John 16:33). Christ will come from heaven as a Redeemer to his own people and as a Judge to the whole world. Paul represents the coming of Christ as one of horror and terror for all unbelievers. He will be accompanied by his mighty angels (the angels of his majesty), who will gather the elect and cast the wicked into hell (Matt. 13:41, 42; 24:31).

v. 8. What is to be the nature of that fire we do not know, but flame and fire are often used in the Scriptures when the anger of God is spoken of. However, two things are noted here:

1. God will vindicate his elect (Luke 18:7). Vengeance is not ours, nor are we to desire it, but rather we are to desire the good of all. Vengeance belongs to God (Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).

2. God will inflict vengeance with a view to his own glory, not only for our sake! This wrath will fall upon those who know not God and believe not the gospel of Christ (John 17:3). Ignorance of God and contempt for the gospel of his Son will bring eternal wrath.

v. 9. This shows the nature of the punishment upon those who obey not the gospel -- destruction without end, undying death and eternal banishment from the presence of the Lord. The perpetuity of death is the opposite of the glory of Christ and the redeemed -- as the one has no end, neither does the other!

v. 10. He will be glorified and admired of all, but he win not have this glory only for himself individually. It will be common to all believers. He shall be glorified in them. They are looked upon as nothing, vile and worthless now, but then they will be precious, full of dignity, when Christ shall pour forth his glory upon them (Eph. 2:7). 'You will be among that number because you believed our gospel.'

v. 11, 12. 'With all this in view we constantly pray for you that God will keep you from falling and grant unto you perseverance in his calling; for as the power to believe is of God, so is the sustaining power. We pray that God will fulfill his good pleasure and goodness towards you in Christ and that he will complete the work of faith which he began, so that in all things Christ may be glorified' (Phil. 1:6; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

2

The spirit of Antichrist revealed

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

vv. 1, 2. Every believer sets a high value on the return of our Lord, the resurrection of the dead and the day when we shall see Christ and be like him. But the apostle warns this early church against becoming unsettled, alarmed and excited by fanatics and false teachers who declare that the return of Christ is at hand or on a near fixed date! When any event is said to be near at hand and it does not arrive quickly, disappointment gives way to despair. 'Do not be disturbed by their claim to spiritual revelations or by their persuasive words or even by epistles addressed to you in my name!'

vv. 3, 4. 'Do not be deceived by any man into thinking that the day of the Lord is near at hand' (remember that this was written 1900 years ago in the very earliest days of the church), 'for there must come an apostasy (a falling away from the truth of the gospel, from the grace of God in Christ, and from salvation by grace through faith) of those who profess to know God and to be saved! And the man of sin, the son of perdition, must be revealed (the one who exalts himself above God, dwelling in the house of God, claiming to be God).' Many believe this man of sin (or Antichrist) to be an individual or a single person. Both Calvin and Gill say it is not an individual but a succession of religious leaders, or a spirit of antichrist. Both Gill and Calvin teach that this apostasy has occurred and that this spirit of antichrist certainly has possessed religion as a whole. The will of man is exalted above God in the churches, salvation has been reduced to works and deeds, God's sovereignty and reign over all things have been denied, and the spirit of antichrist reigns in most churches.

vv. 5-8. These verses seem to bear out the teaching of Calvin and Gill. For Paul says, 'You know what is restraining him from being revealed at this time (or taking over completely at this time) that he might be revealed in his appointed time (for that spirit of antichrist and rebellion against God is already at work in the world). He is restrained by the Holy Spirit, and when God's appointed day comes, this spirit of antichrist will totally dominate and the Lord Jesus wilt bring an end to him and his religious kingdom when he comes again!' (1 John 2:18; 2 Tim. 3:1-7.)

vv. 9-12. This antichrist spirit (false religion and righteousness of men as opposed to the righteousness of God in Christ) is motivated and masterminded by Satan (2 Cor. 11:13-15). It will be attended by great power, success and all sorts of pretended miracles, marvels and lying wonders (Matt. 24:24). Those who renew these teachers of false religion do so not because they have not heard or read the truth of Christ, but because they will not receive the truth. Therefore, because they will not love the truth nor receive it, God sends them strong influence and delusions, which lead them to hold even more strongly to their error. There are none so blind as those who will not see! Those who take pleasure in righteousness, even in their own self-righteousness, will reap the fruit of it.

v. 13. Lest these believers should be discouraged and fearful of their security in Christ because of his account of the Antichrist and his followers, Paul encourages them in this verse.

'I thank God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord.' It is only because of the grace of God that we do not perish with the apostates. -- Thank God he loved us first (1 John 4:10, 19).

'God chose you from the beginning to salvation.' We were elected to salvation in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-6).

'Through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the gospel.' Election is not salvation, but unto salvation. Those elected must be regenerated, born again, called by the Holy Spirit to genuine repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the agent and the word of God is the seed, instrument or foundation of faith. There is a threefold sanctification of the believer: set apart by the Father (Jude 1), made holy and unblameable by Christ (1 Cor. 1:2), and regenerated and progressively sanctified by the Spirit and the word (2 Thess. 2:13).

v. 14. It is by and through the gospel that men are called to obtain and share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:13-15).

vv. 15-17. 'So, brethren, stand firm in the faith and hold fast to the truth which you have been taught through our messages and epistles. And may God comfort you, encourage your hearts and make you steadfast in every good work and word!'

All church members, preachers and teachers do not have saving faith. They have a profession of faith, a form of godliness and the appearance of righteousness, but it is not the faith of Christ, which is the gift of God, nor the faith of God's elect, which is the operation of the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:18; 4:1).

3

Proficient in two things

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

v. 1. 'Brethren, pray for us.' The apostle Paul was himself a man of prayer. Evidently he surpassed all others in earnestness of prayer; nevertheless, frequently he requested all believers to pray for him and for all ministers of the gospel (1 Thess. 5:25; Heb. 13:18).

His concern is not so much for himself or the safety and welfare of the ministers themselves, but for the advancement and glory of the gospel of Christ. We should pray for the general health, gifts, wisdom, perseverance and safety of those who minister the gospel to us. But in prayer to God our chief concern is

1. That 'the word of the Lord' may he spread far and wide,

2. That doors may be opened in many places for the preaching of Christ (Col. 4:3), and

3. That the gospel may 'be glorified' or triumph in other places, as it has in you.

The gospel is glorified when men believe it, receive it and walk in holiness before God.

v. 2. Pray that true ministers of the gospel may be delivered

1. From religious Jews who, with a mad zeal of law and works, do strongly persecute the gospel and those who preach it (Rom. 15:30, 31), and

2. From false brethren in the church, who go by the name of Christ but who are in reality enemies of the gospel, tares among the wheat, and have their own designs in mind rather than the glory of Christ (2 Peter 2:1; 1 Tim. 4:1-3).

v. 3. This is said for the comfort of the believers, who might he disturbed by these words of Paul. When Paul writes of the subtlety of Satan, the presence of false teachers, the fact that all who profess to know Christ do not have true faith and the mystery of iniquity that is already at work, some may be troubled in mind and fearful of their own state. Paul is quick to add, 'God, who is faithful' (to his purpose, to his promises and to his elect) will not allow any true believer to be deceived, taken in by false doctrine, overcome by Satan, or fall away. He will 'stablish you and keep you' from the Evil One!

v. 4. The confidence which Paul had concerning these believers was not in their strength, wisdom and good behavior, but in the Lord -- in his grace in and towards them, in the power of his might, without whom they could do nothing. Through his enabling and strengthening them, they could do all things (Phil. 4:13).

'You will continue to walk in the faith of Christ and will do those things we taught and commanded you to obey.' Paul did not put upon them anything but by the commandment of the Lord. The false teachers bind upon their followers their own rules, laws and practices, which vary with the teacher, the age, the situation or the country in which they live. The commandments of God are the same for every believer, every generation, every country and every situation!

v. 5. Paul states here a summary of that which is most necessary for believers. Let everyone be directed in heart (that is, in truth and sincerity) to become proficient in two things: love for God and patient waiting for Christ's return. If our hearts are directed towards love for God and a desire for the return of Christ, other things will fall into place.

1. If we have a heart love for God, we will love all others. We will seek God's glory and the good of others. Christ the whole law rests on this and is fulfilled in this. This principle of love will overcome all adversaries and adversities.

2. Waiting for Christ will put the world in its proper place. We are not citizens of this world system, but we wait for our King and his kingdom. It will help us to endure the temporary trials and reproaches of men. It will give us comfort and joy and peace in waiting for ultimate redemption.

4

A warning to those who will not work

2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

In verses 6-12 Paul deals with a particular fault and problem that had arisen in the church. There were some people who were lazy, living idle lives, would not work at a trade and were simply living off the welfare and labour of others. This, Paul said, is a disorderly walk and is not to be permitted or encouraged.

v. 6. 'We command you in the name of the Lord Jesus.' This is a delicate subject. All believers are sympathetic towards those in need and are generous with their earthly goods and reluctant to say 'No' to any who are needy or hungry. But this command is of the Lord! 'If a man who is called a brother walketh disorderly,' this is not a man temporarily out of work or hard-pressed occasionally, but one who continues in this fashion out of laziness and choice, 'withdraw yourselves from him and him from you, for you were not instructed by us, or taught by us, to be idle or to live as beggars!'

v. 7. Even the apostle, who had the power and right to be totally supported and cared for by the church, worked with his hands, besides laboring among them in preaching and teaching the word (Acts 18:3; 1 Thess. 2:9). Paul was never idle nor lazy, but always busy doing what God called him and gifted him to do.

vv. 8, 9. 'We did not eat food freely without paying for it' (Acts 20:34, 35). The ministers of Christ are to study, pray and labour in the word (Acts 6:4). They are to live by the gospel and are to be supported by the church (1 Cor. 9:1-14). However, to set an example for these new believers and to discourage any loafing and laziness among them, Paul labored with his hands among them. He refused to be indebted to them lest any weak brother be offended and misled.

v. 10. He repeats what he taught them in person, 'If anyone will not work who is able to work, then do not let him share your food (turn him away from your table).'

v. 11. Those who do not work with their minds and hands usually spend their idle time working their tongues; they are busybodies. Having nothing constructive to do, their time is spent interfering in the private lives and business of others.

v. 12. Now as the apostle of the Lord Jesus, Paul corrects both of these faults he has dealt with.

1. He exhorts them, in the first place, to cultivate quietness, peace and repose. 'Be content with who you are, what you have and where God has placed you.'

2. 'Work and labour in honorable employment.' God has gifted every man with ability to do something (to make some contribution to the field of labour and life).

3. 'Eat your own bread which is earned by your own labour and bought with your own money. Rejoice and thank God for it, whatever it is! Be content with what you have.'

v. 13. A word of caution: although there are many who are undeserving and who abuse our liberality, we must not, on their account, leave off helping those who genuinely need our help. 'Do not be discouraged or weary of giving to the needy and feeding the hungry just because there are ill-mannered people who take advantage of you' (Gal. 6:9).

vv. 14, 15. 'If anyone in the church refuses to obey what I have declared in this letter, single out that person and do not associate or keep company with him. If you humor him and pacify him in his error, you will but encourage him to continue. But if you avoid him and let him know of your displeasure, he may be ashamed and repent. However, do not consider him an enemy or reprobate, but simply admonish and warn him as a brother.'

vv. 16-18. Paul's conclusion and benediction upon the brethren.