An Exegetical Study of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The Interpretation

(2:1) ρωτ μεν δεὲ μ ς Ἐ ῶ ὑ ᾶ , δελφοίί ἀ ... Paul introduces a change from thanksgiving and prayer in the previous chapter with the preposition δὲὲ in the phrase ρωτ μὲν Ἐ ῶ 1 δὲὲ μ ς ὑ ᾶ , δὲλφο ἀ "Moreover, we urge you, brothers." This epistolary section is addressed to new believers 2 in Thessalonica in the first chapter, indicating an 1 The first person plural of eρωτ μεν ῶ 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. urgency to listen to the teaching they are about to receive from Paul because false teaching has infiltrated the community (v.2). 3 Furthermore, the Greek preposition πὲὲρ ὑ "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. 4

The two nouns, "coming" τ ς παρουσια ῆ 5 and "being gathered" ὲπισυναγωγης 6 are only governed by one article with the conjunction καιὲ 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. 7

Therefore, both nouns might not be referring to the same event but could be separate as dispensationalists would argue.

3 Though eρωτ μεν ῶ 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. 4 Linda Bridges, Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. (Macon: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 2008), 230. 5Parousia 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. 6 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;Jer. 31:8). See Maarten J.J. Menken,2 Thessalonians,96. 7 In Greek, when two nouns are brought together with καὶ ὶ 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.

(2:2) ε ς τοὲ μὴὲ ταχείως σαλευθ ναί ἰ ῆ ... The object in this construction, ε ς τὸὸ μὴὸ ἰ of ερωὸτωμεν has two infinitives: σαλευθ ναι ῆ , 8 an aorist that looks at the action without completion and θρὸε σθαι ῖ , which defines the action as continual: "we urge you not to be quickly shaken in mind or in a constant state of being troubled." 9 This suggests that the Thessalonians have either had trouble doctrinally before or Paul is trying to prevent them. 10

In the next phrase, μηήτὲ διαὲ πνὲυήματος μηήτὲ διαὲ λοήγου μηήτὲ δι ' πιστολ ς ἐ ῆ "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 σαλὲυθ ναι ῆ and θροὲ σθαι ῖ as being the reason for the difficulty in the Thessalonian church. 11 Moreover, the instrument or means διαὲ by which these two infinitives are effected by stands together in negative correlation with the triple μηήτ e being due to μηδὲὲ . 12 8

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 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, πνὲυήματος , was by means of a spiritual gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 14:12;(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(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. 13

The construction μὲήρα ἡ ἡ is most commonly used with the meaning "the period between sunrise and sunset 14 ." However, the construction τοῦ κυριήου is added here as an appointed day for the appearance of the Lord 16 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.

deception (2 Cor. 11:3;1 Tim. 2:14). 17 Second, τι αὲν μηὲ λθ " ὅ ἐ ἔ ῃ because it will not be if not shall have come" is a rare expression of the Aorist subjunctive with the negation μηή . 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. 18

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 πρ τον ῶ helps to clarify the sequence of events in which the apostasy would be followed, the absence of πὲιτα ἔ (then) verifies these events will occur simultaneously. The difficulty is interpreting how long these events will transpire before the end. 19

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, νθρωπος τ ς νομιήας ὁ ἄ ῆ ἀ , can be translated as the "man of sin" or "of lawlessness" (Ps. 89:22). 20 He is identified as the son of destruction υ οὲς τ ς ὁ ἱ ῆ πωλὲιήας ἀ not only because he "opposes" God but because he "exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped (2 Thess. 2:4;. 21

Moreover, this genitive of relationship υ οὲς ὁ ἱ 22 τ ς πωλὲιήας " ῆ ἀ son of perdition" is paralleled to Συὲ ὲ Χριστοὲς υ οὲς το θὲο ἶ ὁ ὁ ἱ ῦ ῦ, "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). 23

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 Moreover, Paul applies a stative verb λὲγον ἔ ("I said") with a transitive preposition προὲς ("with"). προὲς is the only preposition whose force is overridden by the verb, making it static or an undefined duration 33 : "Do you not remember when I was yet with you, I was repeatedly telling you these things?" The imperfect tense of λὲγον ἔ also verifies the view Paul was in Thessalonica longer than the three Sabbath days (Acts 17). 34

(2:6A) καιὸ ν ν τὸὸ κατείχὸν ὸ δατεκαιὸ ν ν τὸὸ κατείχὸν ὸ δατε ῦ ἴ ῦ ἴ , ε ς τὸὸ ἰ πὸκαλυφθ ναι α τὸὸν ν τ αυτὸ καιρ ἀ ῆ ὐ ἐ ῷ ἑ ῦ ῷ..."and as to the present, you know that which restrains him, that he may be revealed in his time." 35 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. 36

In Greek, the usage of the neuter gender κατὲήχον is an abstract expression where a singular appears when one would naturally look for a plural. 37 This verse is synonymous with ὁ κατείχων in the next verse, implying the same object or person. 38 Therefore, the best 33 Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 359. 34 Williams, New International Biblical Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 126. 35 Scholars have also stated ν ν ῦ 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 κατέχων ρτὶ κατείχὸν means to prevent the doing of something or cause to be ineffective; to hinder, prevent, or restrain and κατείχων ὁ 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 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. 39 (2:7A) τοὲ γαὲρ μυστὴίρίον δὴ νεργε ταί τ ς νομίίας ἤ ἐ ῖ ῆ ἀ ...τ ς νομιήας ῆ ἀ is the descriptive genitive in subordinate relation to the subject of the clause τοὲ μυστηήριον . 40 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)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(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. 41

(2:7B) μὸίνὸν κατείχων ρτι ως κ μείσὸυ γείνὴται ὁ ἄ ἕ ἐ ..."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. μοήνον is related to ως ἕ and identifies a limitation involved with the mystery until the object is removed and the Antichrist is Some scholars suggest that παήσ ῃ and δυναήμὲι are connected with all three nouns (power, sign, and wonders) and that ψὲυήδους is to be taken with all three substantives, rendering the phrase: "in all power, signs, and wonders of falsehood." Others restrict the adjective παήσ ῃ and translate the two nouns: "In all power--both signs and wonders of falsehood." 49 The latter interpretation is more correct because only God is all-powerful, and καιὲ τὲήρασι καιὲ σημὲιήοις ο ς ποιήησὲν δι ἷ ἐ ' α το θὲοὲς ν μὲήσ μ ν ὐ ῦ ὁ ἐ ῳ ὑ ῶ , καθωὲς α τοιὲ ο δατὲ ὐ ἴ .

(2:10) καίὲ ν παίσ παίτ δίκίίας το ς πολλυμείνοίς ἐ ῃ ἀ ῃ ἀ ῖ ἀ , νθ ἀ ' ν τὴὲν ὧ γαίπὴν τ ς λὴθείίας ο κ δείξαντο ε ς τοὲ σωθ ναί α τουίς ἀ ῆ ἀ ὐ ἐ ἰ ῆ ὐ ... 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, παήτ ἀ ῃ, 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). 50 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 γαήπην τ ς ληθὲιήας ἀ ῆ ἀ "the love of the truth" is used with the objective genitive and the adverbial negation ο κ ὐ . This means "they did not love the truth" rather than "the truth did not love them." 51 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" δὲήξαντο ἐ Him to be "saved"

σωθ ναι ῆ . This infinitive communicates the purpose of the main action which we recognize by the preposition ὲ ς τοὲ ἰ . 52 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 πολλυμὲήνοις ἀ 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. Rom. 1:24;2 Tim. 4:4) by giving the man of lawlessness the ability to propagate these lies. 55 God will πὲήμπὲι " 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. 56 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; 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)." Therefore, the να κριθ σιν παήντὲς ἵ ῶ clause depends on ὲ ς τοὲ ἰ : "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. 59

Furthermore, the aorist active participle πιστευίσαντες " 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." 60 59 The BDAG states: "In many cases purpose and result cannot be clearly differentiated, and hence να ἵ 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. 60 Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 620-21.

The aorist participle δὸκὴίσαντες ὐ and the dative noun τῇ δικιή ἀ ᾳ 61 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." 62

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. 63

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.