The apostle's main design in this Epistle is to correct a most disquieting error that had arisen upon this point.

I. THE PANIC IN THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH.

1. It was concerning the date of the second coming of Christ. "Touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto him." The facts of this august event had been prophetically described in the First Epistle.

(1) It was the personal coming of Christ in "the day of the Lord" to judge the quick and the dead.

(2) It was an event involving their "gathering together unto him" to meet the Lord in the air: a happy meeting, a marvellously glorious sight.

2. The misapprehension caused a sort of panic. "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled" - like a ship tossed upon a stormy sea. It was this deep agitation of mind, this consternation and surprise, which led to the unsettled spirit that manifested itself in the Thessalonian Church. Errors in the region of dispensational truth often have this tendency.

3. The panic was due to one or other of three sources. "Neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us."

(1) It may have had its origin in some pretended revelation or spiritual utterance in the Thessalonian Church. Our Lord had predicted false alarms of this sort. "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe him not" (Matthew 24:23).

(2) Or it may have come "through word," that is, word of mouth, supposed to be spoken by the apostle during his visit to Thessalonica.

(3) Or "through letter as from us," apparently forged letters such as had already become rife in the early Church.

II. THE GROUND OF THE PANIC. "As that the day of the Lord is now present." This is the correct translation; not "it is at hand."

1. It could inspire no terror for the Thessalonians to know that the day was at hand, for this had always been the apostle's teaching, as well as that of all Scripture (Matthew 24.; Romans 13:12; Philippians 4:5; Hebrews 10:25, 37; James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7). They had been already familiar with the doctrine, which ought rather to have filled their hearts with transcendent gladness.

2. Their disquietude and distress arose from the belief that the Lord had already come without their sharing in the glory of his kingdom. Their relatives were still lying in their graves without any sign of resurrection, and they themselves saw no sign of that transformation of body in themselves that was to be the prelude to their meeting the Lord in the air. The apostle tells them distinctly that the day has not come, and that the signs of its approach had not yet been exhibited. - T.C.

There lies a maritime figure in the word "shaken." Wordsworth well paraphrases it. "In order that you may not soon be shaken off from the anchorage of your firmly settled mind, and be drifted about by winds of false doctrine, as a ship in your harbor is shaken off from its moorings by the surge of the sea." They are warned against being driven out of their ordinary state of mental composure — shaken out of their sanctified common sense. "Thrown off their balance," is what we might say; "or be troubled:" the clause has a slightly climactic force — thrown into a state of unreasoning, and frenzied confusion (Matthew 24:6).

(J. Hutchison, D. D.)

I. From THE ERROR DISPROVED, observe that the time of Christ's coming must be patiently expected. Not rashly defined or determined. But is this such an error (James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 13:12)? Why then should the apostle speak so vehemently against the nearness of Christ? I shall show —

1. That the apostle had reason to say that the day of the Lord was at hand.(1) With respect to faith: for faith gives a kind of presence to things which are afar off (Hebrews 11:1). Therein it agrees with the light of prophecy (Revelation 20:12). The Second Coming is as certain to faith as if He were already come (Philippians 4:5).(2) With respect to love. Love will not account it long to endure the hardships of this present world until Christ comes to set all things to rights (Genesis 29:20). Faith sees the certainty of it, and love makes us hold out till the time come about.(3) As comparing time with eternity (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). The longest time to eternity is but as a drop in the ocean. All the tediousness of the present life is but like one rainy day to an everlasting sunshine (2 Corinthians 4:17).(4) Paul speaks to particular men, whose abode in the world is not very long. Eternity and judgment are at hand, though Christ tarry long till the Church be completed (2 Peter 3:9). Now what is long, and afar off to the whole Church, considered in several successions of ages is short to particular persons. Christ is ready to judge at all times, though the world is not ready to be judged. The Coming of Christ is uncertain, that men in all ages might be quickened to watchfulness, and make preparation (Luke 12:40; Matthew 24:42).

2. The seducers had little reason to pervert the apostle's speech, and the apostle had good reason to confute their supposition that Christ would come in that age.(1) To inquire after the time is curiosity (Acts 1:7). It is a great evil to pry into our Master's secrets, when we have so many revealed truths to busy our minds about. It is ill manners to open a secret letter. The practice of known duties would prevent this curiosity which tends not to edification.(2) Much more was it a sin to fix the time (Matthew 24:86).(3) The fixing of the time did harm —

(a)It drew away their minds from necessary duties.

(b)It pleased Satan who is the author of error.

(c)It had a tendency to shake faith in other things when their credulity was disproved by the event.

(d)It showed a diseased mind, that they were sick of questions when they had so much wholesome food to feed upon (1 Timothy 6:4).

(e)It engendered strife.

II. THE EFFECT THIS ERROR WAS LIKELY TO PRODUCE. Trouble and unsettledness, in which is a two-fold metaphor, the one taken from a tempest, the other from the sudden alarm of a land fight.

1. Errors breed trouble in the mind: they do not only disturb the Church's peace (Galatians 5:12), but personal tranquility (Galatians 1:7). How? —(1) They are on unsound foundation, and can never yield solid peace. We only find soul rest in true religion; others are left to uncertainties (Jeremiah 6:16).(2) Because false peace ends in trouble. Every erroneous way is comfortless eventually. False doctrine breeds anxiety, and cannot quiet conscience; but truth breeds delight (Proverbs 24:13, 14; Matthew 11:28-30).

2. Christians should be so established as not to be easily shaken.(1) Let us see how this is pressed.

(a)From the encouragement of the great hope (1 Corinthians 15:58; Acts 20:24).

(b)From its absolute necessity (Colossians 1:28).(2) Let us inquire what is necessary to this establishment.(a) A clear conviction of the truth, not some fluctuating opinion about it (James 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Peter 3:16, 17; Ephesians 4:14).(b) A resolution to adhere to the truth. The heart must be established by grace as well as the mind soundly convinced (Hebrews 13:9; 1 Corinthians 7:37; Acts 21:13). This resolution of the heart is by faith and love (Hebrews 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Ephesians 1:7).(3) The opposite to this is inconstancy (Galatians 1:6; Matthew 11:7; Proverbs 14:15), of which the causes are —

(a)Want of solid roofing in the truth (Matthew 13:5, 20).

(b)Want of mortification (2 Timothy 4:10).

(c)A readiness of mind which disposes men to conform to their Company, as the looking glass represents every face that looks into it (Jeremiah 38:5).

(d)Want of a thorough inclination to God, so that they are right only for a while or in some things (1 Kings 2:28; Hosea 7:8).

(e)Want of holiness and living up to the truths we know (1 Timothy 3:9).

(f)Libertinism. Men think they may run from one sect to another as the wind of interest blows. They would die rather than change their religion, but think nothing of the differences among Christians when their turn is to be served.

(T. Manton, D. D.)

Two anecdotes of two very different men well illustrate that practical combination of energetic discharge of duty with Advent expectation which these Epistles have secured to the Church. When was once, after intense labour, unbending himself at a game of chess, some morbid precisian who was near, asked him what he would do if he knew that the Lord's coming was even at hand, "Finish the game," said the bishop, boldly; "for His glory I began it." General Lee wrote a striking story to his son, "Last century, in New England, a day of sudden and unaccountable gloom, known yet by tradition as 'the dark day,' occurred while the senate of the State was sitting. The universal impression was that doomsday had indeed come. Suddenly a well-known member stood up, 'President,' said he, 'I propose that lights be brought in, and that we pass to the order of the day. If the Judge comes He had best find us at our duty.'"

(Bp. Alexander.)

These are the three ways in which the Thessalonians were in danger of being deceived and so troubled. A fanatical spirit had insinuated itself, and, as in all such cases, fraud was sure to follow closely on its footsteps.

I. SPIRIT. Voices had been heard in their assemblies which professed to come from those who had the gift of prophecy. These had to be tried, for they might be full of error (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

II. WORD. Not simply any rumour that might be gaining currency, or any reckoning as to the time which men might make; nor some unwritten saying of our Lord, or oral message from the apostle; but simply ordinary teaching in the Church. It would thus seem that unscrupulous or fanatical men, getting a footing in the Church, were busy in misleading and so troubling believers.

III. LETTER. "As from us," is not to be connected with all three terms, for the spirit, as of the absent Paul, could not have been feigned. The manifestation must have been present in his own person. And so, if it cannot be attached to the first, it should not be to the second. Confining it to letter it refers not to some misconstruction of Paul's former Epistle, but to actual fictitious letters. Such are hinted at in 1 Thessalonians 3:17. False or fanatical brethren had made such letters current in the Thessalonian community. Nor is this so very extraordinary. Literary forgeries, meant as pious frauds, were not uncommon, and the offence, daring as it was, is somewhat softened to our view when we reflect that Paul's letters, while they had the authority, were not yet invested with all the sanctity with which we now regard them. It is quite conceivable, then, that there were some who thought they were serving a good purpose, one that Paul had himself at heart, in circulating, perhaps anonymously, as a representation of Pauline teaching, letters which, as they thought, cleared up the obscurities of his instruction.

(J. Hutchison.)

I. WAYS AND MEANS GOD HAS APPOINTED TO SETTLE CHOICE AND OPINION IN RELIGION.

I. The light of nature antecedently to external revelation will sufficiently convince us of the being of God and our dependence upon Him (Romans 1:19, 20). For I must know there is a God, or else I cannot believe in a revelation from Him. Nature will tell us that there is a First Cause of all things, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, that it is reasonable that He should be served by His creatures; that He will reward or punish men as they disobey or serve Him: but how He is to be served, and how after disobedience return is possible is revealed in the Word of God.

2. The written Word shows us the true way of worshipping and pleasing God, and being accepted with Him: therefore it is a sufficient direction to us. There is enough to satisfy conscience, though not to please wanton curiosity (2 Timothy 3:15; Psalm 19:105). There we have many things evident by the light of nature made more clear, and that revealed which no natural light has shown.

3. The natural truths of the Word of God are evident by their own light. The supernatural truths, though above natural light are not against it, and fairly accord with principles which are naturally known, and are confirmed —

(1)By antecedent testimony (John 5:39; 2 Peter 1:19).

(2)By evidence in their own frame and texture (2 Corinthians 4:2-4).

(3)Subsequent evidence, that of the apostles (Acts 5:32).

4. The Word being thus stated and put into a sure record is intelligible on all necessary matters (Psalm 25:8). To think otherwise were blasphemy or folly.

5. Besides, the illumination of the Spirit accompanies the Word and makes it effectual (2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 1:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 2:14).

6. There are promises of direction to humble and sincere minds (Psalm 25:9; Proverbs 2:4, 5; John 7:17; James 1:5).

II. THE CHRISTIAN WHO IS THUS ESTABLISHED IS FORTIFIED AGAINST —

1. Pretended revelations, "Spirit"; because: —(1) Having his mind thus settled, he may boldly defy all revelations pretended to the contrary (Galatians 1:8). Any doctrine if different from, or besides the written Word, a Christian may reject.(2) A Christian is on better terms, having the written Word, than if God dealt with him by way of revelations (2 Peter 1:19).(3) It is not rational to expect new revelation, now the canon of faith is closed up (Hebrews 2:1, 2; Matthew 28:20; John 17:29).(4) If any such be pretended, it must be tried by the Word (Isaiah 8:20; 1 John 4:1).(5) They that despise ordinary means, and pretend to vision or inspiration are usually such as are given over to error as a punishment (Micah 2:11).

2. Unwritten tradition "Word." This should not shake the mind of a settled Christian, for it has no evidence of its certainty, and would lay us open to the deceits of men, blinded by their own interests and passions; and if such tradition be produced as has unquestionable authority it must be tried by the Scripture.

3. Epistle as from us —(1) Supposititious writings which the Church in all ages has exploded, having received only those which are theirs whose names they bare.(2) False expositions. These are confuted by inspection of the context, scope of the writer, comparing of obscure places with plain and clear.

(T. Manton, D. D.)

Genuine enthusiasm is the zeal of love for Christ and for human souls, guided by the Word of God. It is a very different thing from that blind zeal which is the fire and fervour of an overheated imagination, which exalts itself above the written Word, and is more properly named fanaticism, which is not a virtue but a vice. Wesley besought his followers to shun this rock in sober faith, saying, "Give no place to a heated imagination. Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions, or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the devil Therefore, 'Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God.' Try all things by the written Word, and let all things bow down before it."

Paul, ThessaloniansThessalonicaAlarmed, Already, Arrived, Christ, Claiming, Composure, Disturbed, Effect, Either, Epistle, Excited, Fancying, Letter, Letters, Message, Mind, Moved, Present, Pretended, Prophecy, Purporting, Quickly, Readily, Report, Revelation, Saying, Shaken, Spirit, Spiritual, Suggestion, Supposed, Troubled, Unsettled, Yet1. Paul urges them to continue stedfast in the truth received;
3. shows that there shall be a departure from the faith,
9. and a discovery of Antichrist, before the day of the Lord comes;
15. repeats his exhortation to stand firm, and prays for them.

2 Thessalonians 2:2

     5395   lordship, human and divine
     8107   assurance, and life of faith

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

     1615   Scripture, sufficiency
     5391   letters
     8750   false teachings

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

     8353   tolerance

2 Thessalonians 2:2-3

     9220   day of the LORD

Everlasting Consolation and Good Hope
'Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace. 17. Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.'--2 THESS. ii. 16, 17. This is the second of the four brief prayers which, as I pointed out in my last sermon, break the current of Paul's teaching in this letter, and witness to the depth of his affection to his Thessalonian converts. We do not know the special circumstances …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Election
Now, first, I shall speak a little concerning the truthfulness of this doctrine: "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation." Secondly, I shall try to prove that this election is absolute: "He hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation," not for sanctification, but "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Thirdly, this election is eternal, because the text says, "God hath from the beginning chosen you." Fourthly, it is personal: "He hath chosen you." Then we …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Grace and Holiness.
"Now God Himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."--1 THESS. iii. 11-13. There are few more precious subjects for meditation and imitation than the prayers and intercessions of the great Apostle. …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Sixteenth Day. Holiness and Truth.
Make them holy in the Truth: Thy word is Truth.'--John xvii. 17. 'God chose you unto salvation in sanctification and belief of the Truth.'--2 Thess. ii. 12. The chief means of sanctification that God uses is His word. And yet how much there is of reading and studying, of teaching and preaching the word, that has almost no effect in making men holy. It is not the word that sanctifies; it is God Himself who alone can sanctify. Nor is it simply through the word that God does it, but through …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Colossians iii. 17
Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. This, like the other general rules of the gospel, is familiar enough to us all in its own words; but we are very apt to forbear making the application of it. In fact, he who were to apply it perfectly would be a perfect Christian: for a life of which every word and deed were said and done in the name of the Lord Jesus, would be a life indeed worthy of the children of God, and such …
Thomas Arnold—The Christian Life

Approbation and Blessing.
"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."--2 THESS. i. ii, 12. Two words sum up the Christian life--Grace and Glory; and both are associated with the two Comings of the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace particularly with the first Coming, …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

The Edict of Banishment, 1729-1736.
But Zinzendorf was not long allowed to tread the primrose path of peace. As the news of his proceedings spread in Germany, many orthodox Lutherans began to regard him as a nuisance, a heretic, and a disturber of the peace; and one critic made the elegant remark: "When Count Zinzendorf flies up into the air, anyone who pulls him down by the legs will do him a great service." He was accused of many crimes, and had many charges to answer. He was accused of founding a new sect, a society for laziness; …
J. E. Hutton—History of the Moravian Church

Fifteenth Day. The Holy Spirit.
But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet: because Jesus was not yet glorified.'--John vii. 39. 'The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things.'--John xiv. 26. 'God chose you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.'--2 Thess. ii. 13. (See 1 Pet. i. 2.) It has sometimes been said, that while the Holiness of God stands out more prominently …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Calling of the Regenerate:
"Whom He did predestinate, them He also called."--Rom. viii. 30. In order to hear, the sinner, deaf by nature, must receive hearing ears. "He that hath ears let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 29; iii. 6, 13, 22). But by nature the sinner does not belong to these favored ones. This is a daily experience. Of two clerks in the same office, one obeys the call and the other rejects it; not because he despises it, but because he does not hear God's call in it. Hence …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

First Day. God's Call to Holiness.
Like as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.'--1 Pet. i. 15, 16. The call of God is the manifestation in time of the purpose of eternity: 'Whom He predestinated, them He also called.' Believers are 'the called according to His purpose.' In His call He reveals to us what His thoughts and His will concerning us are, and what the life to which He invites us. In His call He makes clear to …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Third Wall.
The third wall falls of itself, as soon as the first two have fallen; for if the Pope acts contrary to the Scriptures, we are bound to stand by the Scriptures, to punish and to constrain him, according to Christ's commandment; "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Perseverance of the Saints Proved.
The following considerations, taken together, seem to me to establish the truth of the doctrine in question beyond reasonable doubt. 1. God has from eternity resolved upon the salvation of all the elect. This we have seen. No one of this number will ever be lost. These are given to Christ from eternity, as a seed to serve him. The conversion, perseverance, and final salvation of the elect, we have seen to be secured. Their conversion, perseverance, and salvation, are secured by means of the grace …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Conflict and Comfort.
"For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."--COL. ii. 1, 2. Although he was in prison the Apostle was constantly at work for his Master, and not least of all at the work of prayer. If ever the words …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, as the Way, for Sanctification in General.
Having shown how a poor soul, lying under the burden of sin and wrath, is to make use of Jesus Christ for righteousness and justification, and so to make use of him, go out to him, and apply him, as "he is made of God to us righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30, and that but briefly. This whole great business being more fully and satisfactorily handled, in that forementioned great, though small treatise, viz. "The Christian's Great Interest," we shall now come and show, how a believer or a justified soul …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Holy Spirit Bringing Forth in the Believer Christlike Graces of Character.
There is a singular charm, a charm that one can scarcely explain, in the words of Paul in Gal. v. 22, 23, R. V., "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance." What a catalogue we have here of lovely moral characteristics. Paul tells us that they are the fruit of the Spirit, that is, if the Holy Spirit is given control of our lives, this is the fruit that He will bear. All real beauty of character, all real Christlikeness in us, …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Discerning Prayer.
INTRODUCTORY. BY D.W. WHITTLE. To recognize God's existence is to necessitate prayer to Him, by all intelligent creatures, or, a consciously living in sin and under condemnation of conscience, because they do not pray to Him. It would be horrible to admit the existence of a Supreme Being, with power and wisdom to create, and believe that the creatures he thought of consequence and importance enough to bring into existence, are not of enough consequence for him to pay any attention to in the troubles …
Various—The Wonders of Prayer

Concerning God's Purpose
1. God's purpose is the cause of salvation. THE third and last thing in the text, which I shall but briefly glance at, is the ground and origin of our effectual calling, in these words, "according to his purpose" (Eph. i. 11). Anselm renders it, According to his good will. Peter Martyr reads it, According to His decree. This purpose, or decree of God, is the fountainhead of our spiritual blessings. It is the impulsive cause of our vocation, justification, glorification. It is the highest link in …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

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