2 Thessalonians, Chapter 1
Copyright © 1999 Darroll Evans-All rights
reserved
2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus,
and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
The writing of Second letter to the
Thessalonians was so close to the first letter that it appears to be an
addendum to the first. The second letter begins in the same fashion as the
first with an almost identical Greek opening.
The second letter contains the word
"our" (Gr. heemoon-hmwn). In the first letter
the English words "which is" and "in the" have been added
by the KJV translators and have no Greek text counterparts.
The second letter is still from Paul, Silas,
and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians. That would seem to indicate
that the two letters were written weeks or a few months apart.
2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace unto you, and
peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse is the equivalent of 1
Thessalonians 1:1b. Why this split was made in the second letter and not in the
first is beyond me.
The English word "grace" appears
only 4 times in the gospels. In the four Gospels it is never used in a sentence
spoken by Jesus Himself. The English
word "Grace" is found once in Luke (KJV) and 3 times in John. In each
it is used to describe Jesus.
The Greek word that is often translated
"grace" (Gr. charis-cariV) is used 8 times in Luke and 4 times is the Gospel of
John. Grace (English or Greek) is not found in Matthew or Mark. By contrast,
Paul used "grace" approximately 100 times.
The only time the KJV translators use the
English word "grace," as spoken by Jesus, is in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Speaking to Paul, Christ said, "My 'grace' is sufficient for thee."
Next in Paul's opening, we come to peace.
God's peace is not just an absence of open conflict. God's peace is true
serenity. God's peace is calm in the midst of conflict, and calm in the eye of
the life's hurricanes.
The word peace (Gr. eireenee-eirhnh) indicates a serenity
that is not humanly available. Human peace brings no lasting effect. God's
peace brings an incomparable serenity in the midst of turmoil.
Grace and Peace appear in tandem throughout
Paul's writings. Without God's grace, true peace is impossible. True peace is available only through the Lord
Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because
that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity
of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience
and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
Our duty is to always respond to God's grace
with our thanks to Him. God has brought us grace and faith large enough to
encompass all our shortcomings. He has brought to us a love great enough to
overcome all our sins.
The faith we exhibit flourishes toward others
because it is based in His love. His love manifesting itself within us is the
only way we can ever exhibit true love. Love is a fruit of our salvation.
We gain the ability to speak boldly to others
concerning Christ because He loves us. Love is not an "end-all." It
must be shared. He shared, and therefore we share. He spoke, and therefore we
speak. He endured, and therefore we endure.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be
counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them
that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in
all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that
day.
The manifestation of His love in us is just
one indication of God's righteous judgment in our favor. He has judged us to be
worthy of the citizenship in His kingdom.
With that citizenship comes righteous suffering.
Many and perhaps most Christians refuse to consider suffering to be part of
their inheritance in Christ. Those that take that position have not read this
letter the Thessalonians.
Paul makes it plain that we will suffer at
the hands of the unrighteous. Furthermore, he also makes it plain that ours is
not to seek revenge for any wrong done against us. Paul states that God Himself
will repay with affliction those who afflict us.
He also tells us that God will give relief to
those that suffer affliction at the hands of the unrighteous. This retribution
or vindication will take place when our Lord and Savior is
"revealed" at His coming.
Please notice that Paul says that this
retribution shall overtake those do not "know" (Gr. eidosin-eidosin), or are not
acquainted with God and who do not "obey" (Gr. hupakouousin-
upakouousin), are not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Paul makes it plain that those in that
situation will be "punished" (Gr. tisousir-tisousir) with "everlasting" (Gr. aioonion-ainwion), or
age-long "destruction" (Gr. olethron-olethron) from the presence of the Lord.
Here we must address something that some
believe would be best left untouched. What is meant by the term "the Lord
(v. 9)?" Is it God the father or God the Son? Because of what follows, it
must be the Son.
Paul qualifies his statement by adding,
"and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified when
He comes to be glorified in His saints” (v. 10). That is a reference to
Christ's millennial reign.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you
worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in
him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because we have been chosen to receive
further benefits from close relationship with Christ Jesus, we ought to live in
a state of prayer. That means that we are to do nothing without consulting our
Father for His leadership.
We among all people have been chosen to be
His. We have been given the power, rights, privilege, ability, and
responsibility to commune with the Creator of all.
That responsibility was not given to us as a
throwaway gift. It is our duty to make Christ known in what we say and do.
Part of our inheritance in Christ is good
works. However, good works must be understood.
Our salvation does not come through good works.
Instead, good works come because of our salvation.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
(NKJV)