2 Thessalonians
The Second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, often
referred to as Second Thessalonians and written 2
Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the
Christian Bible. It is traditionally attributed to Paul,
because it begins, "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the
church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ;" (2 Thess. 1:1 ) and ends, "The salutation of
Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle:
so I write" (2 Thess. 3:17 )...
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Thessalo...
The first epistle to the Thessalonians was the first of all
Paul's epistles. It was in all probability written
from Corinth,
where he abode a "long time" (Acts 18:11, 18), early
in the
period of his residence there, about the end of A.D.
52.
The occasion of its being written was the return of
Timotheus
from Macedonia, bearing tidings from Thessalonica
regarding the
state of the church there (Acts 18:1-5; 1 Thess.
3:6). While, on
the whole, the report of Timothy was encouraging, it
also showed
that divers errors and misunderstandings regarding
the tenor of
Paul's teaching had crept in amongst them. He
addresses them in
this letter with the view of correcting these
errors, and
especially for the purpose of exhorting them to
purity of life,
reminding them that their sanctification was the
great end
desired by God regarding them.
The subscription erroneously states that this
epistle was
written from Athens.
The second epistle to the Thessalonians was probably
also
written from Corinth, and not many months after the
first.
The occasion of the writing of this epistle was the
arrival of
tidings that the tenor of the first epistle had been
misunderstood, especially with reference to the
second advent of
Christ. The Thessalonians had embraced the idea that
Paul had
taught that "the day of Christ was at hand", that
Christ's
coming was just about to happen. This error is
corrected
(2:1-12), and the apostle prophetically announces
what first
must take place. "The apostasy" was first to arise.
Various
explanations of this expression have been given, but
that which
is most satisfactory refers it to the Church of
Rome.
Link: https://bible-history.com/eastons/T/Thes...
SECOND EPISTLE. Genuineness. Polycarp (Ep. ad Philipp. 11)
alludes to 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:15, and so
attests it. Justin Martyr (Dial.Trypho, 193, sec. 32)
alludes to 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Irenaeus (iii. 7, section 2)
quotes 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Clement of Alexandria quotes 2
Thessalonians 3:2 as Paul's words (Strom. i. 5, section 554;
Paedag. i. 17). Tertullian (de Resurr. Carnis, chap. 24)
quotes 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 as part of Paul's epistles.
DESIGN. The report from Thessalonica after the first
epistle represented the faith and love of the church there
as on the increase, and their constancy amidst persecutions
unshaken. Their only error needing correction was that
Paul's description of Christ's sudden second coming (1
Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:2), possibly at any
moment, led them to believe it actually imminent. Some
professed to know by "the Spirit" (2 Thessalonians 2:2) it
was so, others declared Paul when with them had said so; a
letter purporting to be from him to that effect was
circulated among them (2 Thessalonians 2:2, in 2
Thessalonians 3:17 he marks his autograph salutation as the
test whereby to know his genuine letters). Hence some ceased
to mind their daily work, and cast themselves on the charity
of others as if their only duty was to look for Christ's
immediate coming. Paul therefore tells them (2 Thessalonians
2) that before the Lord shall come there must first be a
great apostasy, and the man of sin be revealed; and that to
neglect daily business would only bring scandal on the
church, and was contrary to his own practice among them (2
Thessalonians 3:7-9), and that believers must withdraw from
such disorderly walkers (2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2
Thessalonians 3:10-15).
DIVISIONS.
(1) 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; he commends the...
Link: https://bible-history.com/faussets/T/The...
LITERATURE
I. Importance of Studying 1 Thessalonians and 2
Thessalonians Together.
Those who hold to the Pauline authorship of the Epistle
unite in ascribing it to a time but little subsequent to the
writing of the First Letter. It is simply a second
prescription for the same case, made after discovering that
some certain stubborn symptoms had not yielded to the first
treatment. 2 Thess should be studied in connection with 1
Thessalonians because it is only from an understanding of
the First Epistle and the situation that it revealed that
one can fully grasp the significance of the Second. And more
than that, the solution of the problem as to whether Paul
wrote the Second Letter is likewise largely dependent on our
knowledge of the First. It would, for instance, be much
harder to believe that Paul had written 2 Thessalonians if
we did not know that before writing it he had used the
tender and tactful methods of treatment which we find in the
First Letter. It is as though one should enter a sick rook
where the physician is resorting to some rather strong
measures with a patient. One is better prepared to judge the
wisdom of the treatment if he knows the history of the case,
and discovers that gentler methods have already been tried
by the physician without success.
II. Authenticity.
1. Arguments against the Pauline Authorship:
The different treatment of the subject of the second coming
of Christ, the different emotional tone, and the different
relationships between Paul and the church presupposed in the
First and Second Epistles have been among the causes which
have led to repeated questionings of the Pauline authorship
of 2 Thessalonians. Scholars argue, in the first place, that
the doctrine concerning the coming of Christ which we find
in the Second Letter is not only differently phrased but is
contradictory to that in the First. We get the impression
from the First Letter that the Day of the Lord is at hand.
It will come as a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2), and one
of the main parts of Christian duty is to expect (1 Thess
1:9,10). In the Second Letter, however, he writer urges
strongly against any influence that will deceive them into
believing that the Day of the Lord is at hand, because it
will not be "except the falling away come first, and the man
of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, he that opposeth
and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that
is worshiped" (2 Thess 2:1-4)...
Link: https://bible-history.com/isbe/T/THESSAL...
appears to have been written from Corinth not very long
after the first, for Silvanus and Timotheus were still with
St. Paul. 2Th 1:1 In the former letter we saw chiefly the
outpouring of strong personal affection, occasioned by the
renewal of the apostle's intercourse with the Thessalonians,
and the doctrinal and hortatory portions are there
subordinate. In the Second Epistle, on the other hand, his
leading motive seems to have been the desire of correcting
errors in the church of Thessalonica. We notice two points
especially which call for his rebuke:-- First, it seems that
the anxious expectation of the Lord's advent. Instead of
subsiding, had gained ground since the writing of the First
Epistle. Second, the apostle had also a personal ground of
complaint. His authority was not denied by any, but it was
tampered with, and an unauthorized use was made of his name.
It will be seen that the teaching of the Second Epistle is
corrective of or rather supplemental to that of the first,
and therefore presupposes it. This epistle, in the range of
subject as well as in style and general character closely
resembles the first; and the remarks made on that epistle
apply for the most part equally well to this. The structure
is somewhat similar the main body of the epistle being
divided into two parts in the same way, and each part
closing with a prayer. ch. 2Co 2:16,17; 3:16 The epistle
ends with a special direction and benediction. ch. 2Co
3:17,18 The external evidence in favor of the Second Epistle
is somewhat more definite than that which can be brought in
favor of the first. The internal character of the epistle
too, as in the former case, bears the strongest testimony to
its Pauline origin. Its genuineness, in fact, was never
questioned until the beginning of the present century.
Link: https://bible-history.com/smiths/T/Thess...
