Second Letter to the Thessalonians ~ Part 1

Note: To examine the graphics in this series, click on them for a pop-up version.

We paused our ongoing story of Sha’ul’s Second Missionary Journey as we dug into his first letter to the Thessalonians while in Corinth. Now we begin to explore his second letter, which he wrote soon after his first.

Introduction

Sha’ul’s first letter seemingly caused some misunderstanding among the Thessalonians, many of whom interpreted it as saying that the second coming of Yeshua would be taking place right away. Therefore, Sha’ul sends this second letter to clarify this misunderstanding. He points to some of the events that will precede the second coming and admonishes them to continue working for their own support and the Lord. [1]

 

 

 

Greetings

1¹ From: Sha’ul, Sila and Timothy

To: The Messianic Community of the Thessalonians, united with God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah:

² Grace to you and shalom from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Thanksgiving

³ We have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers, as is appropriate, because your trust continues to grow greater, and the love you each have for one another continues to increase.

Trust in God and love … for one another. Yeshua called these the two greatest mitzvot (commandments; Mark 12:28–31).

⁴ Therefore, we boast about you in the congregations of God because of your perseverance and trust in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through.

In the rest of this chapter, Sha’ul gives comfort and encouragement for the persecutions and troubles already spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 2:14.

⁵ This is clear evidence that God’s judgment is just, and as a result, you will be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you are suffering. ⁶ For it is justice for God to pay back trouble to those who are troubling you, ⁷ and to give rest along with us to you who are being troubled, when the Lord Yeshua is revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels…

God will reward His people with rest and repay those who oppose Him at the future revelation of the Lord Yeshua from heaven. Until then, the Believer must trust that God, in His time, will handle unjust situations. Angels are often presented as participating in executing God’s extraordinary judgments and thus are described as powerful (cp. Mattityahu 25:31; Mark 8:38).

⁸ in a fiery flame. Then he will punish those who don’t know God, that is, those who don’t listen to the Good News of our Lord Yeshua and obey it.

The phrase those who don’t know God is a reference to unbelieving Gentiles (1 Thessalonians 4:5). Those who don’t obey the Gospel is probably a reference to many Jews who had an opportunity to hear Yeshua or the Gospel through the ministry of the emissaries but rejected it.

⁹ They will suffer the just penalty of eternal destruction, far away from the face of the Lord and the glory of his might. ¹⁰ On that Day, when he comes to be glorified by his holy people and admired by all who have trusted, you will be among them because you trusted our witness to you. ^[2]

The penalty of eternal destruction is described as being away from the Lord’s presence. The word “destruction” does not imply ceasing to exist or annihilation but separation from God in a miserable state. This is why it is described as eternal. There will be a time when God throws all His enemies into the lake of fire to be eternally judged (Revelation 20:11–15).

In our next post, we will continue to explore Shaul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians beginning in 2 Thess. 1:11.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order by F. LaGard Smith

^[2] 2 Thessalonians 1:1–10.​