II
Thessalonians 2:1-12
I.
II
Thessalonians 2:1-2
a.
V.
1
i.
Paul
is making a request of his fellow Christians, which specifically relates to the
coming of the Lord Jesus, and of our being gathered to him
ii.
Could
be “gathered together before him”,
indicating judgment
iii.
Episynagoges, “gathering
together”, is an allusion to I Thess. 4:17
iv.
Cf.
Isaiah 56:8; Psalm 106:47; Mark 13:27
b.
V.
2
i.
Nous refers to the
“mind” as the seat of thinking and understanding
ii.
“through
a spirit” could mean a spirit-filled utterance
1.
Paul
had told them to “test the spirits”
iii.
Unclear
how they were misled, or the specific nature of their misunderstanding, but was
probably related to “messianic woes”
iv.
The
verb “unsettled” indicates a restless tossing, as a ship securely moored, or
even shaken loose from is moorings
v.
“unsettled”
is continuing, “alarmed” is sudden, like a jolt
vi.
Paul
doesn’t think its Thessalonians, he thinks it’s a forgery claiming to be his
II.
II
Thessalonians 2:3-12
a.
V.
3
i.
“The man of lawlessness” will be revealed,
just as Jesus was
ii.
Apostasia almost always refers
to religious rebellion in the NT Apokalypsis
used also of Christ in 1:7
iii.
The
beginning of the “man of lawlessness” doesn’t coincide with his manifestation
iv.
Compare
to contrast
1.
Jesus
and the Lawless One
a.
Both
have a parousia, both here hidden from human sight, both powerful figures, both
work in tandem (Jesus with God, Lawless One with Satan)
b.
V.
4
i.
Cf.
Isaiah 14:4-20, Ezekiel 28:1-10; Daniel 11:36; Mark 13:14-19
ii.
The
temple had been violated three times: by Antiochus in the 3rd
century BC, by Pompey in the 1st century BC, and by Caligula in 41
AD.
iii.
Naos probably refers
to inner sanctuary
iv.
Paul
is writing against the imperial cult
v.
The
imagery expresses “the reality and menace of the power of evil which attempts
to deny the making and power of God.” – I. Howard Marshall
vi.
F.
F. Bruce would say that the question is not “who is the lawless one?”, but
“Lord, is it I?”
c.
V.
5
i.
Paul
reminds them of his teaching when he was there, and does so by introducing to
us things we have never heard him say.
1.
It
is interesting to think about what other things he said, but never wrote, and
also to give thanks that we are able to glean as much as we are from his
letters.
d.
V.
6
i.
This
reference to something they already knew leaves many questions we have unanswered
ii.
Most
commentators accept “to hold back”
iii.
There
is a restrainer exercising restraining force
e.
V.
7
i.
“mystery”
in Paul’s day referred to something hidden.
ii.
Because
Paul knew, and the Thessalonians knew, we do not.
1.
Many
have speculated, such as Luther musing that it referred to the Pope, or others
attributing it to Hitler or Communism.
f.
V.
8
i.
Cf.
Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 19:21
ii.
For
“breath” see Psalm 33:6
g.
V.
9
i.
Paul
labels the miracles as false not because they aren’t real, or powerful, but
because of their source
ii.
The
“parousia is according to the energizing power of Satan”
1.
Cf.
Revelation 13:2
h.
V.
10
i.
It
might sound like predestination, but this verse makes it clear that God allows
them to be deceived after they make
their decision, and indeed because of it
ii.
Cf.
I Corinthians 1:18
i.
V.
11
i.
God
sends the delusion after they have
already chosen to reject the truth
ii.
Cf.
I Kings 22:23; Isaiah 29:10; Ezekiel 14:9; Romans 1:24-32
iii.
“The thought is not of two pre-determined
classes of people whose character and destiny is fixed by God, but is simply
descriptive of the actual character of certain people as being on their way to
destruction (and thus in a sense already experiencing something of that
process) and of others as being on their way to salvation (and already experiencing
the saving power of God).” – I. Howard Marshall
iv.
“Wrong-doing
is a lie, for it is a denial of God’s sovereignty; right-doing is a truth, for
it is a confession of the same.” – Joseph Barber Lightfoot
j.
V.
12
i.
The
goal of God’s activity in v. 11 is the judgment mentioned here
ii.
They
delight in wickedness so that evil has become good
