Silvanus and Timothy being with Paul when this epistle was written, it has been generally held that it was, as well as the first epistle, sent from Corinth during the eighteen months that Paul remained there (Acts 18:1111And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11)), but how long after the first epistle is not known.
There is evidence in this epistle that the saints at Thessalonica had been disturbed in their minds and were troubled by some supposed message or letter as from Paul, that the day of the Lord was come (2 Thess. 2:22That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (2 Thessalonians 2:2)); and this appears to have had the more effect, seeing that they were passing through persecution. Paul instructs them on the subject of the day of the Lord, and proves that it could not have come.
Christians constantly misconstrue this epistle, and say that Paul was showing that the Thessalonians were wrong in living in daily expectation of the Lord. They make this mistake because they do not distinguish between the Lord coming for His saints (which is the hope set before them), and “the day of the Lord”, which is connected with judgment. (Compare Isa. 13; Joel 2; Amos 5:18-2018Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. 19As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18‑20).) The Thessalonians were right in expecting the former, but were wrong in thinking that the judgments of the latter had come.
Probably written from Corinth about A.D. 53.
2 Thess. 1
Paul with Silvanus and Timotheus unto the assembly of [the] Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace.
Thanks are given to God that their faith grew exceedingly, and their love one to another, so that Paul made his boast of them to other assemblies for their endurance and faith in all their persecutions; but he does not here connect their endurance with hope, which had received a rude shock.
Their sufferings were a token of their being counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for they suffered for it. When God should act in righteous judgment He would punish those who troubled them, and the persecuted would be sheltered and be at rest—at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, taking vengeance on them that know not God (sinners in general), and them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be everlastingly punishea when the Lord comes to be glorified in His saints and admired in all that believe, and they had believed.
Paul prayed for them that God would count them worthy of the calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them, and they in Him.
2 Thess. 2
It is proved that the day of the Lord could not have come, because, 1, the Lord had not come, and they had not been gathered together unto Him, as explained in the first epistle; and, 2, the Antichrist had not yet been revealed, the man of sin, the son of perdition (the one to be destroyed).
Though only a man he will exalt himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped, and will sit down in the temple of God claiming that he is God. Cf. Rev. 13:11-1811And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:11‑18).
2 Thess. 2:6-126And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:6‑12). The mystery of lawlessness was at that time at work, but the full development of it was hindered by a restraining power in the government of God, because the Holy Spirit and the assembly were still on earth.
When the Holy Spirit is gone at the rapture of the church, then the restraint will be removed and the lawless one (who will be destroyed by the breath of the Lord's mouth and by the brightness, or appearing of His coming: comp. Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)) will be fully revealed. His coming is after the working, of Satan, with miracles and wonders of deceit in them that perish. They would not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved, and now a strong delusion is given them, so that they believe a lie, that all may be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (This is the end of mere profession. It will be led by Antichrist, and be judged with him.)
But Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians, for God had chosen them to salvation by sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ through the gospel.
They are exhorted to stand and hold fast the instructions they had received both by word of mouth and by Paul's epistles. He prays for them.
2 Thess. 3.
Paul asks their prayers for himself and for the word of the Lord.
He had confidence that the Lord would stablish them and keep them from evil; and that they would obey what was enjoined on them. And desires that the Lord might direct their hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.
They were enjoined to withdraw from every brother who walked disorderly and who did not obey the apostolic injunctions. The apostle appealed to his own behavior among them, and his labor for them.
They should all work and eat their own bread. (Waiting for the Lord should not make them idle.) They should not faint in well-doing.
They should keep no company with a disobedient brother; but admonish him, and not count him as an enemy.
" Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace continually in every way. The Lord be with you all."