An Exegetical Study of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE END TIMES: AN EXEGETICAL STUDY OF 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-12 Chad A. Damitz The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, KY The Text on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (1) Moreover, we urge you brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him (2) not to be quickly shaken in mind or in a constant state of being troubled, neither by a spiritual gift of prophecy, nor a spoken word, not by a letter, as if from us, saying that the Day of the Lord has come. (3) Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, because it will not be until the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, is revealed. (4) He is the one who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God. (5) Do you not remember that when I was with you, I was repeatedly telling you these things? (6) And as to the present, you know that which restrains him, that he may be revealed in his time. (7) For indeed the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only the one who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way (8) and then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth and will bring to an end by the glorious appearance of his coming; (9) whose coming is by the powerful influence of Satan, in all power--both signs and wonders of falsehood (10) and in every deceit of unrighteousness for those that are perishing, this is because they did not love the truth so that they might be saved. (11) And for this reason, God sends them an inward working of delusion to believe what is false, (12) for the purpose that all may be judged, having not believed the truth but delighted in unrighteousness. The Interpretation (2:1)Ἐρωτῶμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί... Paul introduces a change from thanksgiving and prayer in the previous chapter with the preposition δὲ in the phrase Ἐρωτῶμεν The first person plural of eρωτῶμεν suggests that Paul and Silas were both writing this letter, even though in 3:16 Paul states: “I write this greeting with my own hand.” See Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 1996), 397-398. δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφο “Moreover, we urge you, brothers.” This epistolary section is addressed to new believers Paul uses the vocative case for brothers, a case used for a noun identifying the person or thing being addressed. Names in the vocative case are offset using comas. in Thessalonica in the first chapter, indicating an urgency to listen to the teaching they are about to receive from Paul because false teaching has infiltrated the community (v.2). Though eρωτῶμεν has a present active indicative mood, it could be argued as an imperative since he is urging them not to be shaken or alarmed, as if the day of the Lord has already come. See D.A. Carson and Gene Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians. Vol. 12 (Leicester: Eerdmans Publishing, 2002), 301. Furthermore, the Greek preposition ὑπὲρ “regarding” further clarifies that the members were concerned about whether Jesus was coming soon or not. Paul is going to correct these errors from the Gnostic teachers. Linda Bridges, Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. (Macon: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 2008), 230. The two nouns, “coming” τῆς παρουσια Parousia was a Greek term expressed in the Hellenistic world to indicate the visit of a human ruler to a city. Ceremonies would be held and honors given to this human ruler or god. Early Christians applied this word to Jesus’ eschatological coming in glory (Matt. 24:27; 37,39; Jas. 5:7,8; 1 Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23). See Maarten J.J. Menken, 2 Thessalonians. (London: Routledge Press, 1994), 96. and “being gathered” επισυναγωγης This idea of the Lord gathering his people into one place is an eschatological theme found in the Old Testament prophecies concerning God gathering his dispersed people from exile to the promised land. (Is. 27:13; 43:4-7; Jer. 31:8). See Maarten J.J. Menken, 2 Thessalonians, 96. are only governed by one article with the conjunction καὶ and are therefore considered to be the same event. This gathering is argued by post-tribulationists to explain both nouns have the same referent because of the TSKS construction. However, some scholars argue that this is a misinterpretation of Sharp’s rule because the nouns of the verses are impersonal substantives. In Greek, when two nouns are brought together with καὶ and the article precedes the first noun, there is a close connection between the nouns. However, sharp’s rule states that when this construction consists of personal nouns which are singular and not proper names, they always refer to the same person. Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 270-271. Therefore, both nouns might not be referring to the same event but could be separate as dispensationalists would argue. (2:2) εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι... The object in this construction, εἰς τὸ μὴ of ερωοτωμεν has two infinitives: σαλευθῆναι, The word for shaken implies violent unsettling and is the same Greek word used for the Earthquake that shakes the foundation of the prison Paul and Silas were in (Acts 16:26) and the disturbance of the crowd (Acts 17:13). Therefore, to be “shaken from their minds” suggests that they were not mentally strong. Also, the verbs for shaken and trouble refer to the psychological state awaiting unbelievers when the appearance of the Son of Man returns in Matt 24:29. See George Buttrick, John Knox, Paul Scherer, Walter Bowie, Samuel Terrein, Nolan Harmon, The Interpreter’s Bible (New York: Abingdon Press, 1955), 325. an aorist that looks at the action without completion and θροεῖσθαι, which defines the action as continual: “we urge you not to be quickly shaken in mind or in a constant state of being troubled.” James Frame, The International Critical Commentary of the New Testament. (Greenwood: Attic Press, 1979), 245. This suggests that the Thessalonians have either had trouble doctrinally before or Paul is trying to prevent them. It is most likely true that the Thessalonians have already had trouble and that is why Paul uses the adverb quickly ταχέως to admonish them gently but earnestly. There should be no excuse for them to fall prey to the falser teachers because they understood the scriptures well (1 Thess. 5:2). See Gary Shogren, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervans Press, 2012), 272. In the next phrase, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος μήτε διὰ λόγου μήτε δι' ἐπιστολῆς “neither by a spiritual gift of prophecy, nor a spoken word, nor by a letter,” these three nouns are functioning as genitives of source. They all clarify the two infinitives σαλευθῆναι and θροεῖσθαι as being the reason for the difficulty in the Thessalonian church. David Alan Black, It’s Still Greek to Me. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 51. Moreover, the instrument or means διὰ by which these two infinitives are effected by stands together in negative correlation with the triple μήτe being due to μηδὲ. Frame, The International Critical Commentary, 246. Paul is stating the teaching they received through the spirit, the word, and the letter did not come from him but false teachers. Through the spirit, πνεύματος, was by means of a spiritual gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 14:12; 1 Th. 5:19-20). Whatever medium this “life giving spirit” had on the community, allegedly it had Paul’s authority just as the Thessalonians said about the spoken word and the letter they received. Paul intends to correct this mistake. Tremper Longman III and David Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians-Philemon (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 2006), 462. The construction ἡ ἡμέρα is most commonly used with the meaning “the period between sunrise and sunset Frederick William Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 436..” However, the construction τοῦ κυρίου is added here as an appointed day for the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The verb ἐνέστηκεν is used by Paul to negate that it is present and argue for a future day of trouble. Paul describes in the following verses what events must first take place. Longman and Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 463. (2:3) μή τις ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατήσῃ κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον...Paul’s language here is emphatic: “Do not let anyone deceive you in any way Paul has been using negative intensifying compounds with μή in verse 3 and μήτε in verse 2 to strengthen his argument of warning these believers not to be shaken, troubled, or deceived by anyone. .” First, the verb he prefers ἐξαπατήσῃ, is in the subjunctive, referring to Satan’s subtle deception (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14). This deception is not a complete alteration with what Paul said about the coming of the Lord, but a subtle perversion. For example, it is true Christ is coming and will judge the living and the dead. However, Satan wanted the Thessalonians to believe that the day was upon them, causing the church to worry. [Gary Shogren, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 277]. Second, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ “because it will not be if not shall have come” is a rare expression of the Aorist subjunctive with the negation μή. This elliptical condition is incomplete because the corresponding apodosis does not follow. Paul could have been using a rhetorical device known as anacoluthon to emphasize his urgency to warn. A.T. Robertson, A Grammar of the New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1934), 1023. Other scholars suggest that these incomplete sentences (anacolutha), are not rare in Paul’s letters (Gal. 2:3-5; 2 Cor. 8:12-14; Rom. 5:12-14). Afterwards, Paul states the day of the Lord will not come until three events occur: the apostasy, the man of lawlessness is revealed, and the restrainer removed (v. 6-7). Although the temporal adverb πρῶτον helps to clarify the sequence of events in which the apostasy would be followed, the absence of ἔπειτα (then) verifies these events will occur simultaneously. The difficulty is interpreting how long these events will transpire before the end. Charles Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids: Paternoster Press, 1990), 243. Scholars such as Marshall argue that it could be interpreted as three separate events which he calls “a timetable of apocalyptic events.” Paul and other New Testament writers express that this time of apostasy will be an increase of wrongdoing and opposition to God (Matt 24:10; Mk. 13:5; Lk. 8:13; Jude 18; 2 Tim. 3:1-9). The leader of this rebellion, ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας, can be translated as the “man of sin” or “of lawlessness” (Ps. 89:22). 1 John 3:4 states “everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness: and sin is lawlessness ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία. This definition of sin speaks to the character of one who rejects the law or will of God to pursue the will of the self [W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Tappan: Fleming Revell Company, 1940), 317. He is identified as the son of destruction ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας not only because he “opposes” God but because he “exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped (2 Thess. 2:4; Dan. 11:36-37). Michael Holmes, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 1998), 230-31. Moreover, this genitive of relationship ὁ υἱὸς ὁ υἱὸς is used in a figurative sense to indicate a particular quality; this construction is more common in Semitic influence than in Greek. See [James Hope Moulton, Wilbert Francis Howard, and Nigel Turner. A Grammar of New Testament Greek. Vol.III. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1908), 207] τῆς ἀπωλείας “son of perdition” is paralleled to Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, “The Christ, the Son of God (Matt. 16:16). Christ will be revealed in all his glory and the Antichrist (1 Jn.2:18) will be followed by his destruction in the lake of fire with the rest of God’s enemies (1 Thess. 5:3; Rev. 17:8). Walter Elwell, Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989), 1090. Daniel’s prophecy in 11:30-45 and Paul’s teaching in 2:3-4 are clearly paralleled. They both state that the “man of sin” will influence the world with smooth words and deceive those who forsake the holy covenant by acting wickedly, fulfilling the apostasy in 2:3. Then, he will persuade others to become godless and persecute those who remain loyal to God’s covenant ( Dan. 11:32-35). G.K. Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians: IVP New Testament Commentary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 207. Finally, this lawless one who will (2:4A) ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα...“oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship The Greek term used here σέβασμα is a comprehensive term expressing any object of worship (Acts 17:23). It can describe temples, alters, statues, idolatrous images, etc. See [David Williams, New International Biblical Commentary: 1 and 2 Thessalonians (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1992), 125. ,” will meet his end under God’s judicial judgment (Dan. 11:45; 2 Thess. 2:8) when he sets himself in the temple as God. λεγόμενον θεὸ refers to would be gods and the true living God. Paul articulates this phrase to prevent believers from placing the true God in the same position with the idols of the pagan world. Frame, Thessalonians, 255. (2:4B) ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσαι, ἀποδεικνύντα ἑαυτὸν ὅτι ἔστιν θεός... Next, the lawless one commits the greatest blasphemy “so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God” ( Is. 14:14; 47:8; Ezek. 28:9). This is known as the abomination of desolation ( Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Matt. 24:15-16; Mk. 13:14). Scholars interpret this event in (3) ways: Occurred during first and second temple Judaism before its destruction in AD 70 Possible antichrists were the King of Tyre (Ezek. 28:2), the King of Babylon (Isa. 14:3), Antiochus Epiphanes in 169 B.C. (Dan. 9:27; 12:11), Pompey, the Roman general who entered the Holy of Holies in 63 B.C. (Josephus, Antiq. 14:69-76), and Gaius Caligula who attempted to place his statue in Jerusalem in A.D. 40 (Philo, Leg. 203-346; Josephus, Antiq. 18:261-309 [18.8.2-9] See Holmes, The NIV Application Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 231., the current rebuilt temple under the new covenant, the church (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16), or God’s heavenly temple (Ps. 11:4; Acts 7:49; Heb. 8:1-2). Ibid, 231. First, since Paul has already stated in his letter that the man of lawlessness has not yet been revealed (v. 3, 6-8), we can eliminate first and second temple Judaism of the past. Second, the noun ναὸν (temple) is made definite by the article and the possessive genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (of God). This explains a physical building was intended, not believers who are the temple of the living God (1 Cor. 6:19). Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, 246. The best clue in the text is the conjunction ὥστε with the infinitive. It indicates tendency or purpose not realized. Therefore, the lawless one will attempt to dethrone God’s heavenly throne not in a physical place, but through the powers of this dark world and through the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12). Turner, The International Critical Commentary of Thessalonians, 256. (2:5) Οὐ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ἔτι ὢν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταῦτα ἔλεγον ὑμῖν... This is now the fourth time in these two letters where Paul expresses the first person singular and the fourth of six instances where Paul exhorts them to remember what they had been taught (1 Thess. 2:9; 3:4; 4:1; 5:1-2; 2 Thess 3:10). Gordon Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2009), 285. The first person implies that he felt personally responsible for the instruction he gave to the Thessalonians and the writing of the letter (1 Thess. 5:27), even though it was written with the assistance of Timothy and Silvanus. Paul’s authority implies that the church already accepted apostolic authority. Martin, The New American Commentary on Thessalonians, 238. Moreover, Paul applies a stative verb ἔλεγον (“I said”) with a transitive preposition πρὸς(“with”). πρὸς is the only preposition whose force is overridden by the verb, making it static or an undefined duration Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 359. : “Do you not remember when I was yet with you, I was repeatedly telling you these things?” The imperfect tense of ἔλεγον also verifies the view Paul was in Thessalonica longer than the three Sabbath days (Acts 17). Williams, New International Biblical Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 126. (2:6A) καὶ νῦν τὸ κατέχον οἴδατεκαὶ νῦν τὸ κατέχον οἴδατε, εἰς τὸ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ καιρῷ...“and as to the present, you know that which restrains him, that he may be revealed in his time.” Scholars have also stated νῦν in the temporal sense: “and now to pass a further point,” to put an emphasis on the new subject, but they have already been instructed on this. Rather, the focus is on κατέχον as contrasted with the one who will be removed ὁ κατέχων ἄρτι. For more information, see Turner, International Critical Commentary, 262-263. The church knew about Paul’s previous teaching concerning the apostasy and the man of lawlessness. Also, they “knew” the unnamed restrainer (v. 6-7) as either the Roman government, the archangel Michael, an angel of Satan, the Holy Spirit, or the pre-tribulation church. Andreas Kostenberger, Scott L. Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown. (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009), 454. In Greek, the usage of the neuter gender κατέχον is an abstract expression where a singular appears when one would naturally look for a plural. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 411. This verse is synonymous with ὁ κατέχων in the next verse, implying the same object or person. κατέχον means to prevent the doing of something or cause to be ineffective; to hinder, prevent, or restrain and ὁ κατέχων means that which restrains and who restrains it. Therefore, God is working through his special agents of creation, angelic beings, to restrain the lawless one before he is ultimately destroyed by God in the end. See, BDAG, Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament, 532 Therefore, the best explanation is this person is Michael and his angels fighting against the adversary (Dan. 10:13; Rev. 12:7). Lastly, this restraint is placed on the man of lawlessness for a purpose that he should be revealed “in the time that is right for his revealing.” This shows God is in control and the lawless one’s fate is determined. Shogren, Exegetical Commentary on New Testament, 284. (2:7A) τὸ γὰρ μυστήριον ἤδη ἐνεργεῖται τῆς ἀνομίας...τῆς ἀνομίας is the descriptive genitive in subordinate relation to the subject of the clause τὸ μυστήριον. Black, It’s Still Greek to Me, 50 The text would therefore be rendered: “For indeed the mystery of lawlessness is already working.” Though this mystery is presently at work in the world, it won’t be fully revealed until the second coming of Christ for at least two reasons: God is concealing this truth to harden unbelievers (Rom. 11:25; 2 Thess. 2:11-12) and transform Christians at the appointed time (1 Cor. 15:51), or the mystery is too difficult to grasp because it transcends human understanding. BDAG, Greek-Engish Lexicon of New Testament, 662. (2:7B) μόνον ὁ κατέχων ἄρτι ἕως ἐκ μέσου γένηται...“only the one who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way.” There is an ellipsis in this passage. μόνον is related to ἕως and identifies a limitation involved with the mystery until the object is removed and the Antichrist is revealed. Turner, The International Critical Commentary on Thessalonians, 264. Though we can only speculate on who this restrainer is, the text implies that the end was not immediate (v. 2). Paul clarifies “the one who restrains” is still actively present in the world, further justifying the parousia has not yet come. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians: Pillar New Testament Commentary, 319. (2:8) καὶ τότε ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ κύριος [Ἰησοῦς] ἀνελεῖ Some scholars translate αναλοι as a present instead of a future. See Robertson, Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 212. τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ...The conjunction καὶ and adverb τότε denote that Paul is no longer referring to the present but to the future when the lawless one will be revealed and destroyed by the Lord. Turner, The International Critical Commentary on Thessalonians, 265. The phrase τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ is referring to the passage in Isaiah 11:4: “And He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked (NASB).” Moreover, καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ declares that God will not only destroy the evil one with the breath of His mouth, but also with the appearance of his coming. τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ refers to an unexpected personal appearance of hidden divinity. It is used both of Jesus’ incarnation (2 Ti. 1:10) and his appearance in judgment (1 Ti. 6:14; 2 Ti. 4:1; 8; Tit. 2:13). BDAG, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament, 386. This defeat is not only focused on the man of sin but also the destruction of all evil (1 Cor. 15:24), culminating in the establishment of the Kingdom of God. (2:9) οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία κατ' ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει καὶ σημείοις καὶ τέρασιν ψεύδους... This passage speaks about the coming of the antichrist. Paul uses the same word ἡ παρουσία from verses 1 and 3, and οὗ is the relative pronoun that refers to the lawless one in verse 8. The παρουσία means the state of being present at a place (1 Cor. 16:17; Phil. 2:12). When Christ returns at the end of the age, he will make his presence felt by the revelation of his power to judge the world (Mt. 24:4; 1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Pet. 3:4). The lawless one will mimic God’s power under the influence of Satan, bringing false power, signs, and wonders to the Earth upon those who are perishing. BDAG, Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament, 780-81. Since the unrighteous will have no love for the truth, they will be deceived and follow the strong delusion that God permits from Satan (Col. 1:21; Eph. 4:17-19; Rom. 1:25). George Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. XI (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1955), 329. Some scholars suggest that πάσῃ and δυνάμει are connected with all three nouns (power, sign, and wonders) and that ψεύδους is to be taken with all three substantives, rendering the phrase: “in all power, signs, and wonders of falsehood.” Others restrict the adjective πάσῃ and translate the two nouns: “In all power--both signs and wonders of falsehood.” Turner, The International Critical Commentary, 269. The latter interpretation is more correct because only God is all-powerful, and Acts 2:22 and Hebrews 2:4 specifies that only Jesus has this unique power: δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις οἷς ἐποίησεν δι' αὐτοῦ ὁ θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, καθὼς αὐτοὶ οἴδατε. (2:10) καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ ἀδικίας τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις, ἀνθ' ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς... This verse describes the trickery of the lawless one and how it affects the deceived. Not only does he come with false signs and wonders, but also with any other plan to forward his deception. The word for deception, ἀπάτῃ, expresses the idea of seduction that comes from wealth (Mt. 13:22; Mk. 4:19), empty deceit (Col 2:8), pleasure that involves one into sin, or deceptive trickery from an outside force (2 Thess. 2:10). BDAG, Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament, 99. Clearly the wicked will perish not only because of the schemes of the devil, but because they did not have a love for the truth. There is only one passage (Lk. 11:42) where ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας “the love of the truth” is used with the objective genitive and the adverbial negation οὐκ. This means “they did not love the truth” rather than “the truth did not love them.” Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 499. Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Truth, has a love for his creation, desiring that no one perish but all come to repentance in faith (2 Pet 3:9). However, when He came to His own people (Jn. 1:11), they did not “receive” ἐδέξαντο Him to be “saved” σωθῆναι. This infinitive communicates the purpose of the main action which we recognize by the preposition εἰς τὸ. Steven M. Baugh. A First John Reader: Intermediate Greek Reading Notes and Grammar (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company, 1999), 119. Consequently, Paul is declaring that since they do not receive this truth to be saved, their only other option is to perish (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3). The verbal participle ἀπολλυμένοις describes the unbelieving world as experiencing destruction by being put to eternal death (Mk. 1:24; Lk. 4:32; Rom. 14:15). This death is described as being lost, fading from beauty and splendor, (Js. 11:11; Rev. 18:14) and of the way of the godless, which is lost in darkness (Ps. 1:6). Moreover, it emphasizes the failure to obtain what one anticipates, such as heavenly rewards (Mt. 10:42; Mk. 9:41) or lose their connection with God just as wine that has lost its flavor or sheep that have gone astray from their shepherd ( Jer. 27:6; Ezek. 34:4; Jn. 6:12). BDAG, The Greek English Lexicon of The New Testament, 116. (2:11) καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμπει Paul expresses “send” in the present tense but context indicates that this is a future event. It will come after the people have embraced the deception of Satan and his man of lawlessness. See Shogren, Exegetical Commentary on New Testament, 293. αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει... [And for this reason, God sends them an inward working of delusion so they believe what is false]. Since they have rejected the gospel, God begins to execute judgment upon them by sending a strong delusion so they can’t distinguish between the truth of the gospel and the falsity of Satan. Paul comments in other passages where God allows sinners to indulge in the sin and errors they have approved (Ps. 80:12-13; Rom. 1:24; 2 Tim. 4:4) by giving the man of lawlessness the ability to propagate these lies. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians: Pillar New Testament Commentary, 323-324. God will πέμπει “send” this strong delusion: The idea here is someone, whether human or transcendent, is dispatched to communicate a message (Lk. 20:11; 2 Cor. 9:3). In the context of this passage, the sending is an idea of moving from one place to another. It takes on the meaning to instruct, commission, or appoint. BDAG, The Greek English Lexicon of The New Testament, 794. Therefore, God has appointed this strong delusion just as he did when he hardened the Israelites in the Old Testament (Isa. 6:9-10). For example, God sent a spirit to energize false prophets before Ahab and Jehoshaphat to bring down their alliance (1 Kgs 22:19; 2 Chr. 18:18-22). Shogren, Exegetical Commentary on New Testament, 293. The next phrase, ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, is the only occurrence in the New Testament where πλάνης is a genitive of the object and signifies the aim of active inward energy: “the state of being deceived.” In addition, the nominative subject ὁ θεὸς, is emphatic, suggesting the reality it is God who is working out his moral purposes through the evil agencies to bring this strong delusion. Frame, The International Critical Commentary, 272. It’s important to recognize that God does not cause their unbelief, but he sets the stage for them to demonstrate it. For example, an undercover cop doesn’t participate in the evil of setting someone up, he simply pretends to follow so that the trap is set to capture the evildoer. Genuine believers will not be deceived in this way because we have been “saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (NASB v.13).” (2:12) ἵνα κριθῶσιν πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀλλὰ εὐδοκήσαντες τῇ ἀδικίᾳ...[in order that all may be judged, having not believed the truth but delighted in unrighteousness]. The purpose of πέμπει in the previous verse is contingent upon the purpose in εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι. Therefore, the ἵνα κριθῶσιν πάντες clause depends on εἰς τὸ: “that all might be judged.” Most scholars syntactically agree that this is a purpose clause because God is sending the delusion to fulfill the destiny of both the righteous and the unrighteous. The BDAG states: “In many cases purpose and result cannot be clearly differentiated, and hence ἵνα is used for the result that follows according to the purpose of the subject of God. As in Semitic and Greco-Roman thought, purpose and result are identical in declarations of the divine will. BDAG, The Greek Lexicon of The New Testament, 477. Furthermore, the aorist active participle πιστεύσαντες “having believed” is used eight times to describe believers (Mk. 16:16; 2 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 4:3), and negatively, of those who did not believe (2 Thess. 2:12; Jude 5). It’s considered an independent substantival, with the aspectual force of gnomic and continual: “everyone who continually does not believe.” Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 620-21. The aorist participle ὐδοκήσαντες and the dative noun τῇ ἀδικίᾳ This noun indicates an act that violates the standards of right conduct and the quality of injustice, unrighteousness, and taking pleasure in wickedness. In a broader sense, it can refer to the essence of the evil world (Lk. 16:8; 18:6). Lastly, the term is often found in Semitic languages (cp. 2 Km 3:34; 7:10; Hos. 12:8) but also in nonbiblical Greek (Eranos 9, Mlt. 73f; Polyaenus 1). are an example of the instrumental dative case of “cause.” The syntactical structure expresses the idea of cause, motive, or occasion and changes between the idea of association and means: “delighted in unrighteousness.” Robertson, A Grammar of The New Testament, 532. Unlike believers, who are producing the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5), the wicked are sowing corruption and reaping the consequences. The use of these two aorist participles strengthen the idea that Paul was thinking about the path they had chosen when they rejected the gospel more than the lifestyle that resulted from the choices they made. Martin, The New American Commentary Volume 33, 250. These warnings by Paul were a sober reminder to the Thessalonians not to be shaken in mind or alarmed by deception (v. 2-3) so they would avoid perishing with the world. His purpose in admonishing the Thessalonians was to care for their souls. In the remaining verses (v. 13-16), Paul reminds them they have been saved by the truth of the gospel for the glory of the Lord, who loves and comforts their hearts. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barker, Kenneth and Kohlenberger, John. Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994. Barton, John, and Muddiman. The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Baugh, Steven M. A First John Reader: Intermediate Greek Reading Notes and Grammar. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company, 1999. Beale, G.K. 1-2 Thessalonians: IVP New Testament Commentary. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003. Black, David Alan. It’s Still Greek to Me. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998. Bridges, Linda. Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Macon: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 2008. Buttrick, George, Knox, John, Scherer, Paul, Bowie, Walter, Terrein, Samuel, and Harmon, Nolan. The Interpreter’s Bible. New York: Abingdon Press, 1955. Carson, D.A., France, R.T., Motyerand, J.A., Wenham, G.J. New Bible Commentary. Downer’s Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1994. Carson, D.A. and Green, Gene. The Letters to the Thessalonians. Vol. 12. Leicester: Eerdmans Publishing House, 2002. Danker, Frederick William. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Elwell, Walter Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989. Fee, Gordon The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2009. Frame, James Everett. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. Greenwood: The Attic Press, Inc., 1979. Holmes, Michael. 1 and 2 Thessalonians: The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 1998. Kostenberger, Andreas, Kellum, Scott L., and Quarles, Charles L. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009. Longman III, Tremper, and Garland, David The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians-Philemon. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 2006. Menken, Maarten J.J. 2 Thessalonians. London: Routledge Press, 1994. Moulton, James Hope, Howard, Wilbert Francis, and Turner, Nigel. A Grammar of New Testament Greek. Vol. 3. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1908. Robertson, A.T. A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. Nashville: Broadman, 1934. Shogren, Gary Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervans Press, 2012. Vine, W.E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Tappan: Fleming Revell Company, 1940. Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996. Wannamaker, Charles A. The Epistle to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990. Williams, David New International Biblical Commentary: 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1992. Teaching Handout: Summary of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Introduction: The culture attempts to influence our beliefs about the apocalypse “end times.” What are some rumors you have heard before concerning the end of the world? How did this make you feel (upset, nervous, skeptical)? Transition: The Thessalonians had also been alarmed about rumors that the Day of the Lord was already present and Paul writes to instruct them. Background of 2 Thessalonians: 1.) Authorship: The Apostle Paul [possibly Silvanus and Timothy] 2.) Date: A.D. 52-54; immediately following his first letter to the Thessalonians 3.) Destination of the Letter: To the church at Thessalonica The Purpose of the Letter: 1.) The persecution from the Jewish mobs and others in the city had grown worse, causing the Christian community to despair. He wanted to write to comfort them in Christ (2 Thess. 2:16-17). 2.) Because of their increased persecution, false prophets were convincing them that the end was already present, even writing a false letter (2:2) 3.) The nearness of Christ’s return caused believed to neglect their vocational responsibilities. Paul writes to not walk in idleness but to continue in their vocations (2 Thess. 2:11). Outline of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12: (taken from Michael Martin) Regarding the Day of the Lord (2:1-17) The issue identifies (2:1-2) The Eschatological error corrected (2:3-10) Rejection or acceptance of the Truth (2:11-15) Concluding prayer (2:16-17) Concluding Observations How did Paul address the Thessalonians? What misconceptions do we have about the end of the age? Who do you think the man of lawlessness is based on the text? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Thessalonians that we can apply or avoid in our life?