New Testament Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 2

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 2 Apostasy is to precede the Second Coming—Gospel prepares men for eternal glory.
1 NOW we beseech you, brethren, ^aby the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, ^aor be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by ^bletter as from us, as that the ^cday of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: ^afor that day shall not come, except there come a ^bfalling away first, and that ^cman of ^dsin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who ^aopposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know ^awhat withholdeth that he might be ^brevealed in his time. 7 ^aFor the ^bmystery of ^ciniquity doth already work: only ^dhe who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that ^aWicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his ^bcoming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all ^apower and ^bsigns and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be ^adamned who ^bbelieved not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning ^achosen you^a to salvation through ^bsanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our ^agospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.	13^a God hath from the beginning chosen you When and of what evidence do we have of the selection? Well if one will review through the commentary upon Zechariah chapter 3, it is there that the LORD GOD Elohim 'hath chosen Jerusalem' (verse 2), which Jerusalem was the name atributed to those who were the followers of Jehovah, that is 'these that did stand by him' (verse 7) in that pre-mortal realm of events. And at that time when addressing the Lord Jehovah and those chosen followers who stood by him, God the Father addressed them, 'O JESUS/Jehoshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at', that is they are a paculiar people. Thus they (we) were so chosen according to the terms of the atonement, that is the Lord Jehovah's seccessful compliance to those terms so set forth by God that day in verse 7, 'If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my chare, then though shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk [Zion and Jerusalem] among these that stand by.' This in the nutshell which Zechariah presented as his fourth vision according to the record of the Jews which they have preserved of it, is the everlasting covenant of the Father made with the Son and his fellows before the foundaton of the world. At which we were so chosen as belonging and pertaining to the Lord Jehovah as the followers of him over Lucifer who was named Satan by God the Father just prior to his being cast out of heaven and as a result of this judgment council in the premortal heaven.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath ^aloved us, and hath given us everlasting ^bconsolation and good hope through ^cgrace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.