2:3, 4 the falling away. The Day of the Lord cannot occur until a deliberate abandonment of a formerly professed position, allegiance, or commitment occurs, (the term was used to refer to military, political, or religious rebellion). Some have suggested, on questionable linguistic evidence, that this refers to “departure” in the sense of the Rapture. Context, however, points to a religious defection, which is further described in v. 4. The language indicates a specific event, not general apostasy which exists now and always will. Rather, Paul has in mind the apostasy. This is an event which is clearly and specifically identifiable and unique, the consummate act of rebellion, an event of final magnitude. The key to identifying the event is to identify the main person, which Paul does, calling him the “man of sin.” Some texts have “man of lawlessness,” but there is no real difference in meaning since sin equals lawlessness (1 John 3:4). This is the one who is called “the prince who is to come” (Dan. 9:26) and “the little horn” (Dan. 7:8), whom John calls “the beast” (Rev. 13:2–10, 18) and most know as the Antichrist. The context and language clearly identify a real person in future times who actually does the things prophesied of him in Scripture. He is also called “the son of perdition” or destruction, a term used of Judas Iscariot (John 17:12). “The falling away” is the abomination of desolation that takes place at the midpoint of the Tribulation, spoken of in Dan. 9:27; 11:31 and Matt. 24:15 (see notes there). This man is not Satan, although Satan is the force behind him (v. 9) and he has motives like the desires of the devil (cf. Is. 14:13, 14). Paul is referring to the very act of ultimate apostasy which reveals the final Antichrist and sets the course for the events that usher in the Day of the Lord. Apparently, he will be seen as supportive of religion so that God and Christ will not appear as his enemies until the apostasy. He exalts himself and opposes God by moving into the temple, the place for worship of God, declaring himself to be God and demanding the worship of the world. In this act of Satanic self-deification, he commits the great apostasy in defiance of God. For the first 3½ years of the Tribulation, he maintains relations with Israel, but halts those (cf. Dan. 9:27); and for the last 3½ years, there is great tribulation under his reign (cf. Dan. 7:25; 11:36–39; Matt. 24:15–21; Rev. 13:1–8) culminating with the Day of the Lord.
2:5 I told you. The imperfect tense is used indicating repeated action in past time. Apparently, Paul on numerous occasions had taught them the details of God’s future plans. Here, he reminded them of the issues which proved the false teachers wrong about the Day of the Lord. Paul had before told them that the revealing of the Antichrist preceded the Day of the Lord; since he has not yet been revealed they could not possibly be in that Day.
2:6 restraining. While the Thessalonians already had been taught and thus knew what was restraining the coming of the Antichrist, Paul does not say specifically in this letter; thus many suggestions have been made to identify the restraining force of vv. 6, 7. These include: 1) human government; 2) preaching of the gospel; 3) the binding of Satan; 4) the providence of God; 5) the Jewish state; 6) the church; 7) the Holy Spirit; and 8) Michael. Whatever now restrains the Antichrist of vv. 3, 4, 8–10 from being revealed in the fullness of his apostasy and evil, must be more than human or even angelic power. The power that holds back Satan from bringing the final apostasy and unveiling of his Satan-possessed false Christ must be divinely supernatural. It must be God’s power in operation that holds back Satan, so that the man of sin, the son of destruction, won’t be able to come until God permits it by removing the restraining power. The reason for the restraint was so that Antichrist would be revealed at God’s appointed time and no sooner, just as was Christ (cf. Gal. 4:4), because God controls Satan.
2:7 the mystery of lawlessness. This is the spirit of lawlessness already prevalent in society (cf. 1 John 3:4; 5:17), but still a mystery in that it is not fully revealed as it will be in the one who so blatantly opposes God that he blasphemously assumes the place of God on earth which God has reserved for Jesus Christ. The spirit of such a man is already in operation (cf. 1 John 2:18; 4:3), but the man who fully embodies that spirit has not come. For more on mystery, see notes on Matt. 13:11; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:4, 5. taken out of the way. This refers not to spatial removal (therefore it could not be the rapture of the church) but rather “a stepping aside.” The idea is “out of the way,” not gone (cf. Col. 2:14 where our sins are taken out of the way as a barrier to God); see note on vv. 3, 4. This restraint will be in place until the Antichrist is revealed, at the midpoint of the Tribulation, leaving him 42 months to reign (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:5).
2:8 And then the…revealed. At the divinely decreed moment in the middle of the Tribulation when God removes the divine restraint, Satan, who has been promoting the spirit of lawlessness (v. 7), is finally allowed to fulfill his desire to imitate God by indwelling a man who will perform his will as Jesus did God’s. This also fits God’s plan for the consummation of evil and the judgment of the Day of the Lord. the Lord will consume. Death occurs at God’s hand (cf. Dan 7:26; Rev. 17:11) and this man and his partner, the false prophet, will be cast alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone, where he will be eternally separated from God. (Rev. 19:20; 20:10). His coming. The aspect of His coming in view here is not the rapture of the church, but the Lord’s coming in judgment on that day when He conquers the forces of Satan and sets up his millennial kingdom (Rev. 19:11–21).
2:9, 10 the lawless one. He will do mighty acts pointing to himself as supernaturally empowered. His whole operation will be deceptive, luring the world to worship him and be damned. The career of the coming lawless one is more fully described in Rev. 13:1–18 (see notes there).
2:10 those who perish. His influence is limited to deceiving the unsaved, who will believe his lies (cf. Matt. 24:24; John 8:41–44). They perish in the deception because of Satan-imposed blindness to the truth of the saving gospel. Cf. John 3:19, 20; 2 Cor. 4:4.
2:11 strong delusion. People who prefer to love sin and lies rather than gospel truth will receive severe, divine recompense, as do all sinners. God Himself will send judgment that insures their fate in the form of a deluding influence so that they continue to believe what is false. They accept evil as good and a lie as the truth. Thus does God use Satan and Antichrist as His instruments of judgment (cf. 1 Kin. 22:19–23).
2:12 condemned. As God has always judged willful rejection by giving men over to impurity and degrading passions (Rom. 1:24–28), so in the last days God will sovereignly seal the fate of those who persist in following Satan and his counterfeit Christ. As in all ages, those who habitually reject the truth are judged by being left to the consequences of their sin.
2:13, 14 salvation…sanctification. Just as there were specific elements in the character of the Antichrist (vv. 10–12), so there are characteristics of the saved. In these two verses, Paul swept through the features of salvation, noting that believers are “beloved by the Lord,” chosen for salvation from eternity past (cf. Rev. 13:8; 17:8), set apart from sin by the Spirit, and called to eternal glory, i.e., the sharing of the very “glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul’s main point in this section was to remind the Thessalonians that there was no need to be agitated or troubled (v. 2) thinking they had missed the rapture and thus were in the Day of the Lord judgment. They were destined for glory, not judgment and would not be included with those deceived and judged in that Day.
2:15 stand fast…hold. This direct exhortation called for appropriate response to the great truths Paul had just written. In place of agitation should come strength and a firm stand. In place of false teaching should come faithful adherence to the truth.
2:16, 17 Now may. This is one of many benedictions Paul has given in his letters. In it, he invoked God’s power based on His love and grace, as the true source of encouragement and strength (cf. 3:5, 16).
2 Thessalonians 3
3:1 pray for us. Paul frequently enlisted prayer support from the churches for his ministry (cf. Rom. 15:30–32; Eph. 6:18, 19; C
ol. 4:2, 3; 1 Thess. 5:25; Philem. 22). In particular, he asked them to pray that the word of God would continue to spread rapidly as it had been already (cf. Acts 6:7; 12:24; 13:44–49), and be received with the honor it deserved.
3:2 unreasonable and wicked men. These were Paul’s enemies at Corinth, where he ministered when he wrote (cf. Acts 18:9–17), who were perverse and aggressively unrighteous in their opposition of him and the gospel.
3:3 the Lord is faithful. Cf. Lam. 3:23. God is faithful in regard to creation (Ps. 119:90), His promises (Deut. 7:9; 2 Cor. 1:18; Heb. 10:23), salvation (1 Thess. 5:24), temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), suffering (1 Pet. 4:19), and here faithful to strengthen and protect from Satan (cf. John 17:15; Eph. 6:16; 1 Thess. 3:5).
3:5 Another of Paul’s benedictions (cf. v. 16; 2:16, 17), so common in his letters.
3:6 we command you. Paul’s directions were not mere suggestions but rather they carried the weight and authority of a judge’s court order which the apostle delivered and enforced (cf. vv. 4, 6, 10, 12). Here, he required separation so that obedient Christians were not to fellowship with habitually disobedient believers. This is further explained at v. 14. the tradition. There were false traditions (Mark 7:2–13; Col. 2:8) and true (cf. 2:15). Paul’s traditions were the inspired teachings he had given.
3:7 follow us. Paul called for them to imitate him (cf. v. 9; 1 Thess. 1:6) because he imitated Christ’s example (cf. 1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Eph. 5:1).
3:8–10 worked. The specific issue related to working diligently to earn one’s living. Though Paul had the “authority” as an apostle to receive support, he chose rather to earn his own living to set an example (cf. 1 Cor. 9:3–14; Gal. 6:4; 1 Tim. 5:17, 18).
3:11, 12 we hear. Word had come that, in spite of Paul teaching them to work and writing to them about it (1 Thess. 4:11), some were still not willing to work (cf. 1 Tim. 5:13). These were commanded to settle down and begin an ordered life of work.
3:13 do not grow weary. The hard working believers were tired of having to support the lazy, and were ready to stop all help to those in need, giving up all charity. Paul reminded them that the truly needy still required help and that the Thessalonians must not be negligent toward them.
3:14 do not keep company. This means to “mix it up” in the sense of social interaction. Blatantly disobedient Christians were to be disfellowshipped (v. 6) to produce shame and, hopefully, repentance if they refused to obey the Word of God. See Matt. 18:15–17; 1 Cor. 5:9–13; Gal. 6:1 for additional details on how to deal with those engaged in unrepentant and repeated sin.
3:15 enemy…brother. The purpose of this disfellowship discipline is not final rejection. While an unrepentant pattern of sin is to be dealt with decisively, it is to be continually kept in mind that the one with whom one deals is a brother in the Lord, so all further warnings to him about his sin are done with a brotherly attitude. For instruction on the manner of church discipline, see notes on Matt. 18:15–20.
3:16 the Lord of peace. Paul knew this characteristic of God would be most meaningful to reflect upon in light of the intense spiritual battle that raged all around the Thessalonians (cf. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 5:23). Cf. Paul’s other benedictions to this church in v. 5; 2:16, 17; 1 Thess. 3:11–13; 5:23.
3:17 a sign. Paul often wrote through a secretary (cf. Rom. 16:22). When that was the case, as most likely with this letter, Paul added an identifying signature (cf. 1 Cor. 16:21; Col. 4:18) so that readers could be sure he was truly the author (see note on 2:2).
3:18 Cf. 1 Thess. 5:28.
2 Thessalonians 1
1:2 a 1 Cor. 1:3
1:4 b 2 Cor. 7:4; (1 Thess. 2:19)
1:4 c 1 Thess. 1:3
1:4 d 1 Thess. 2:14
1:4 1 afflictions
1:5 e Phil. 1:28
1:5 f 1 Thess. 2:14
1:5 2 plain
1:6 g Rev. 6:10
1:6 3 affliction
1:7 h Rev. 14:13
1:7 i (1 Thess. 4:16); Jude 14
1:9 j Phil. 3:19; 1 Thess. 5:3
1:9 k Deut. 33:2
1:10 l Matt. 25:31
1:10 m Is. 49:3; John 17:10; 1 Thess. 2:12
1:10 4 NU, M have believed
1:11 n Col. 1:12
1:11 o 1 Thess. 1:3
1:12 p (Col. 3:17)
2 Thessalonians 2
2:1 a Mark 13:26; (1 Thess. 4:15–17)
2:1 b Matt. 24:31
2:2 c Matt. 24:4
2:2 1 NU the Lord
2:3 d 1 Tim. 4:1
2:3 e Dan. 7:25; 8:25; 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 13:5
2:3 f John 17:12
2:3 2 NU lawlessness
2:4 g Is. 14:13, 14; Ezek. 28:2
2:4 h 1 Cor. 8:5
2:4 3 NU omits as God
2:7 i 1 John 2:18
2:7 4 hidden truth
2:7 5 Or he
2:8 j Dan. 7:10
2:8 k Is. 11:4; Rev. 2:16; 19:15
2:8 l Heb. 10:27
2:9 m John 8:41
2:9 n Deut. 13:1
2:10 o 2 Cor. 2:15
2:10 p 1 Cor. 16:22
2:11 q Rom. 1:28
2:11 r 1 Tim. 4:1
2:12 s Rom. 1:32; 1 Cor. 13:6
2:13 t Eph. 1:4
2:13 u 1 Thess. 1:4
2:13 v 1 Thess. 4:7; (1 Pet. 1:2)
2:13 6 under obligation
2:13 7 being set apart by
2:14 w 1 Pet. 5:10
2:15 x 1 Cor. 16:13
2:15 y Rom. 6:17; 1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thess. 3:6; Jude 3
2:15 8 letter
2:16 z (Rev. 1:5)
2:16 a Titus 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:3
2:17 b 1 Cor. 1:8
2:17 9 strengthen
2 Thessalonians 3
3:1 a Eph. 6:19
3:2 b Rom. 15:31
3:2 c Acts 28:24
3:3 d 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Thess. 5:24
3:3 e John 17:15
3:4 f 2 Cor. 7:16
3:5 g 1 Chr. 29:18
3:6 h Rom. 16:17
3:6 i 1 Cor. 5:1
3:6 j 1 Thess. 4:11
3:6 1 NU, M they
3:8 k 1 Thess. 2:9
3:8 2 Lit. for nothing
3:9 l 1 Cor. 9:4, 6–14
3:11 m 1 Tim. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:15
3:12 n Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11, 12
3:12 3 encourage
3:13 o 2 Cor. 4:1; Gal. 6:9
3:14 p Matt. 18:17
3:14 4 letter
3:15 q Lev. 19:17
3:15 r Titus 3:10
3:15 5 warn
3:16 s John 14:27; Rom. 15:33; Phil. 4:9
3:17 t 1 Cor. 16:21
3:17 6 letter
3:18 u Rom. 16:20, 24; 1 Thess. 5:28
Introduction to First Timothy
Title
This is the first of two inspired letters Paul wrote to his beloved son in the faith. Timothy received his name, which means “one who honors God,” from his mother (Eunice) and grandmother (Lois), devout Jews who became believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 1:5) and taught Timothy the OT Scriptures from his childhood (2 Tim. 3:15). His father was a Greek (Acts 16:1) who may have died before Timothy met Paul.
Timothy was from Lystra (Acts 16:1–3), a city in the Roman province of Galatia (part of modern Turkey). Paul led Timothy to Christ (1:2, 18; 1 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 1:2), undoubtedly during his ministry in Lystra on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6–23). When he revisited Lystra on his second missionary journey, Paul chose Timothy to accompany him (Acts 16:1–3). Although Timothy was very young (probably in his late teens or early twenties, since about 15 years later Paul referred to him as a young man, 4:12), he had a reputation for godliness (Acts 16:2). Timothy was to be Paul’s disciple, friend, and co-laborer for the rest of the apostle’s life, ministering with him in Berea (Acts 17:14), Athens (Acts 17:15), Corinth (Acts 18:5; 2 Cor. 1:19), and accompanying him on his trip to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He was with Paul in his first Roman imprisonment and went to Philippi (Phil. 2:19–23) after Paul’s release. In additio
n, Paul frequently mentions Timothy in his epistles (Rom. 16:21; 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; Philem. 1). Paul often sent Timothy to churches as his representative (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; Phil. 2:19; 1 Thess. 3:2), and 1 Timothy finds him on another assignment, serving as pastor of the church at Ephesus (1:3). According to Heb. 13:23, Timothy was imprisoned somewhere and released.
Author and Date
Many modernist critics delight in attacking the plain statements of Scripture and, for no good reason, deny that Paul wrote the Pastoral Epistles (1, 2 Tim., Titus). Ignoring the testimony of the letters themselves (1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:1) and that of the early church (which is as strong for the Pastoral Epistles as for any of Paul’s epistles, except Rom. and 1 Cor.), these critics maintain that a devout follower of Paul wrote the Pastoral Epistles in the second century. As proof, they offer 5 lines of supposed evidence: 1) The historical references in the Pastoral Epistles cannot be harmonized with the chronology of Paul’s life given in Acts; 2) The false teaching described in the Pastoral Epistles is the fully-developed Gnosticism of the second century; 3) The church organizational structure in the Pastoral Epistles is that of the second century, and is too well developed for Paul’s day; 4) The Pastoral Epistles do not contain the great themes of Paul’s theology; 5) The Greek vocabulary of the Pastoral Epistles contains many words not found in Paul’s other letters, nor in the rest of the NT.
While it is unnecessary to dignify such unwarranted attacks by unbelievers with an answer, occasionally such an answer does enlighten. Thus, in reply to the critics’ arguments, it can be pointed out that: 1) This contention of historical incompatibility is valid only if Paul was never released from his Roman imprisonment mentioned in Acts. But he was released, since Acts does not record Paul’s execution, and Paul himself expected to be released (Phil. 1:19, 25, 26; 2:24; Philem. 22). The historical events in the Pastoral Epistles do not fit into the chronology of Acts because they happened after the close of the Acts narrative which ends with Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome. 2) While there are similarities between the heresy of the Pastoral Epistles and second-century Gnosticism (see Introduction to Colossians: Background and Setting), there are also important differences. Unlike second-century Gnosticism, the false teachers of the Pastoral Epistles were still within the church (cf. 1:3–7) and their teaching was based on Judaistic legalism (1:7; Titus 1:10, 14; 3:9). 3) The church organizational structure mentioned in the Pastoral Epistles is, in fact, consistent with that established by Paul (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1). 4) The Pastoral Epistles do mention the central themes of Paul’s theology, including the inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:15–17); election (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:1, 2); salvation (Titus 3:5–7); the deity of Christ (Titus 2:13); His mediatorial work (2:5), and substitutionary atonement (2:6). 5) The different subject matter in the Pastoral Epistles required a different vocabulary from that in Paul’s other epistles. Certainly a pastor today would use a different vocabulary in a personal letter to a fellow pastor than he would in a work of systematic theology.
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 622
