II Thessalonians 2:1-12

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 3^rd century BC, by Pompey in the 1^st 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