Book of 2 Thessalonians - Bible Survey

These believers would know that the prophets spoke of this day as "The great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5); "a day of trouble, and distress, a day of wasteness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness" (Zeph. 1:14-15). Thus, however great the glory and blessing of the reign of Christ, the day of the Lord, that leads to the Kingdom, would be ushered in by overwhelming judgments on the world.

It would seem that the enemy took occasion, by the persecutions and tribulations that the Thessalonian believers were passing through, to raise the terrible thought in their minds that the day of the Lord was present, and that the believers would have to pass through the horrors of this day before being taken to be with the Lord. The Apostle writes this Epistle to correct this error, not only for the Thessalonian Assembly but for all God's people who still think that the Church must pass through the great tribulation before the Lord comes to receive His own to Himself. Moreover, as ever, the Spirit of God, when correcting error, also unfolds solemn and precious truths for the warning, comfort, and establishment of believers.

The contents of the Epistle may be summarised as follows: First, the Apostle comforts believers in the midst of persecution, and fortifies them against being deceived with error, by instructing them in the truth (2 Thess. 1). Secondly, having instructed them in the truth he exposes the error and foretells the apostacy of Christendom and the manifestation of the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:1-12). Thirdly, he comforts believers by reminding them of their present portion and their future prospect in contrast to the coming doom of Christendom (2 Thess. 2:13-17). Finally, he instructs us as to the practical walk that is consistent with the coming of Christ (Chapter 3).

2 Thessalonians 1 brings into prominence the retributive character, not of Christ's coming to receive the saints, but of His day when He will be displayed in judgment of the troublers of His people, strangers to God and rejecters of the Gospel, and withal in publicly-awarded rest to those now troubled for the sake of righteousness and His name. 2 Thess. 2 dispels the alarm created by the pretence that the day of the Lord was actually come, by showing that this cannot be; for the Lord must come and gather His saints to Himself above, and the apostasy and man of sin must be revealed fully before that day. In the last chapter (2 Thess. 3) the apostle prays the Lord to direct their hearts into the patience of Christ as well as God's love. Christ patiently waits to come, and the saints should cultivate communion with Him in this.

The summary of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians is this. False teachers had come, taking advantage of the little light which the Thessalonians (as yet young in the faith) possessed on the Lord's return; and seizing the occasion of their tribulation, they had thrown them into trouble of mind by telling them, "The day is present." In opposition to this work of the enemy, Paul reassures them by writing to them this epistle, the object of which is to shew them that the day of the Lord was not yet present. These data are the key to the book.

In 2 Thessalonians we have, first, the saints set right from the confusion into which they had got, as if the dreadful persecutions they were in were the day of the Lord, whereas in that they would be at rest, and the wicked troubled. la chapter 2, the apostle appeals to Christ's coming, and their gathering together to Him, as the evidence that the day could not be there; and then shews what the development of wickedness on the earth would be before that day came, and contrasts their state. In the last chapter he asks their prayers, and gives them divers exhortations.

2 Thess. 1:1-12: Consolation in Persecution 2 Thess. 2:1-12: Teaching on Christ's Appearing 2 Thess. 2:13 – 3:5: Encouragement to Perseverance 2 Thess. 3:6-18: Admonition for Service and Conduct

The Division of Second Thessalonians

The scope and divisions of this Epistle are very simple. In the first chapter the Apostle shows that while the Thessalonians had tribulation, they suffered not in a punitive sense, but for the kingdom of God, and that God would recompense tribulation to those who troubled them. The punishment for the world comes when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven. While that day brings this for the world, it will bring glory for those who have believed. As already stated in the second chapter, the day of the Lord, what must take place before that day comes is made known. Words of comfort, prayer and exhortations conclude the Epistle. This gives us three divisions.

I. THE REVELATION OF THE LORD JESUS FROM HEAVEN (1) II. WHAT PRECEDES THE MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD (2:1-12) III. THANKSGIVING, PRAYER, EXHORTATIONS AND CONCLUSION (2:13-3:18)

The Assembly of the Thessalonians were troubled and distracted by some evilly disposed persons who took occasion by the persecutions they were suffering to teach the error that the day of the Lord had already come. Before, however, exposing the error, the Apostle, after the salutation (Vv. 1, 2), gives thanks for the spiritual condition of these believers (3, 4), comforts them by presenting the truth as to the day of the Lord (5-10), and encourages by his prayer on their behalf (11, 12).

the persecution the Christians in Thessalonica were experiencing, primarily from the Jews (1 Thess. 2:14–16; 3:3; 2 Thess. 1:4–7); their love and their interpersonal relationships (1 Thess. 1:3; 3:12–4:9; 2 Thess. 1:3; 3:1–16); the need to behave rightly and to work for a living (1 Thess. 4:11–12; 2 Thess.3:6–15); practical relations in the assembly (1 Thess. 5:12–28; 2 Thess. 3); the second coming of the Lord Jesus and the day of the Lord (1 Thess. 4:13–5:11; 2 Thess. 1:5–10; 2:1–12).

When Paul wrote his second Epistle to the Thessalonians, a fresh difficulty had been created in their minds owing to the persecution they were enduring, and the action of some unprincipled men who had gone so far as to forge a letter in Paul's name to support the idea that the day of the Lord was upon them. Had that been a fact, they would of course have already been virtually in the great tribulation. Paul begs them not to be for one moment shaken in their minds, and appeals to the truth he had established in his first Epistle, as to "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together to Him" (2:1).

(2 Thess. 2:1-2). In the second division of the Epistle, the Apostle takes up the special subject that led him to write again to the Thessalonian believers. The enemy, taking occasion by their trials and persecutions, had deceived them into thinking that the day of the Lord was present, and, therefore, believers, before reaching their final blessing, would have to pass through the great tribulation that the day of the Lord will bring upon all the world.