BY
Rev. HARRINGTON C.
LEES, M.A.
Vicar of St. Johns, Kenilworth
MARSHALL BROTHERS
KESWICK HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1905
-------
Preface
THE
writer of a book of this size almost inevitably finds himself dissatisfied at
the close. It is selective, and
therefore leaves much unsaid; suggestive, and, on that account, apt to be
disjointed. It is not a commentary, but
a brief guide for elementary students.
Questions of textual criticism, though not here discussed,
have been duly considered in relation to translation and comment. Any available source of information has been
utilized, especially the works of Lightfoot,
Farrar, Ramsay, Ellicott, and Conybeare and Howson.
Words within double inverted commas are intended as
translations, while single inverted commas enclose a paraphrase. May the Lord who gave
the Word make it increasingly a joy and
rejoicing to our hearts (Psa. 68: 11; Jer. 15: 16).
H.
C. L.
May, 1905.
* *
*
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PAGE 9
OUTLINE
OF THE FIRST EPISTLE PAGE 17
THE PUBLIC CHAR WTERISTICS
OF THE CHURCH PAGE 21
THE ADVENT OF THE APOSTLE PAGE 40
THE
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF
THE CHURCH PAGE
47
THE ADVENT OF THE LORD PAGE 56
THE
ABSENCE OF THE LORD PAGE 60
THE CONGREGATIONAL
CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE CHURCH PAGE 64
THE SECOND EPISTLE
TO THE THESSALONIANS PAGE 88
PERSECUTION PAGE 91
APOSTASY PAGE 95
* * *
[Page 9]
Introduction
THE
letters to Thessalonica mark a double epoch in Bible literature. Now first the epistle takes its place in the realm of Inspiration. As a medium for combining tender familiarity
with sublimity of topic a letter is unrivalled, and twenty-one such find their
place in the New Testament.
And if, as appears probable, the Gospels were written later,
we have in these two epistles the first use of the Greek tongue in the Bible -
the transition from the stately simplicity of the Hebrew to that flexible
delicacy of expression which Greek affords, for which, too, the Septuagint had
already paved the way. These two
suggestive points alone might occupy a whole essay.
Connection with the History in the Acts.
(About
51 A.D.).
The second missionary journey had not
long begun. The three pioneers, Paul,
Silas, and Timothy, driven by [Page10] the [Holy] Spirit from Asia, laid the foundations
of the
The
With the stripes of the Philippian
lectors still unhealed, the three men of God entered Thessalonica. There Pauls kinsman, Jason (Acts 17: 5; Rom.
16: 21), was living, and became their host,
perhaps their convert. They preached a threefold message:-
1. THAT THE
MESSIAH OF SCRIPTURE WAS TO SUFFER.
2. THAT HE WAS TO DIE AND RISE AGAIN.
3. THAT JESUS OF
having satisfied the conditions and proved
His claims.
The Apostles, as always, subjected themselves
to the test of Scripture, but the Jews, as a whole, were too prejudiced [Page 11] even to examine the question (Acts 17: 11). After three Sabbaths they fiercely rejected
the teaching, but the Apostles probably continued their labours for some weeks
longer, and their work was crowned with success.
Local
Hostility.
Envying the success of the mission, the Jews incited the scum
of the city to riot. In the Acts,
religious charges in Roman courts fail, while political succeed. Here the charge was political: these men were
working to overturn society, and introduce a new king. The Kingship of Christ had evidently been a
favourite topic of their preaching (1 Thess. 2: 12; 2 Thess. 1: 5), and, as in the case of Christ
Himself (Luke
23: 2; John 18: 36; 19: 12, 15, &c.), this was perverted into an
absurdly false accusation. Thessalonica
was a free city, governed by a demus, or popular assembly, and officials called politarchs.*
* This title, unknown elsewhere in literature, is confirmed by a
local inscription. Lukes accurate use
of titles is a most reassuring study for the doubter.
The title King was likely to
be obnoxious to them, and as it certainly was so at
Subsequent Movements of the
Party
The actions of the trio are not absolutely clear after this,
but the following items seem fairly probable.* All three removed to
* Lightfoot and Ramsay.
** To study the Pauline epistles
profitably the student should read them with the Acts,
- 1 and 2 Thess. at Acts 18: 5-11;
Gal. at Acts 18: 22, 23
(Ramsay), or 20:
3 (Lightfoot); 1 Cor.
at Acts 19, 10; 2 Cor. at Acts 20: 1; Phil., and Eph. Col.
and Phile. at Acts 28: 30.
So from the lodging, shared with Aquila
and Priscilla, in the intervals between meetings at the house of Justus, and
the weaving which provided the daily food, these letters were sent forth, rich
oil from the Jewish olive, pressed out for a Gentile community, and enriching
the whole Church of Christ.
* *
*
[Page 14
blank: Page 15]
THE FIRST EPISTLE
TO THE THESSALONIANS.
[Page 16 blank: Page 17]
Outline of
the First Epistle.
EVERY Church may be studied from three points
of view, its influence on outsiders, its individual piety, and its internal
harmony and economy. These will be
affected or modified by two forces, the influence of men and the influence of
God. Now the First Epistle consists of
five main sections, which deal with these very five questions. Three are descriptions of Thessalonian
characteristics, and they are linked together by two passages dealing with the
two external forces.
The outline of the Epistle is as
follows:-
SALUTATION 1: 1.
A, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH
(public, walk before men) 1: 2-10.
B. THE ADVENT OF THE APOSTLE. 1. His
Presence 2: 1-16. 2.
His Absence 2: 17-3: 13.
C. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH
(individual, walk before God) 4: 1-12.
[Page 18]
D. THE ADVENT OF THE LORD. 1.
His Presence 4: 13-18. 2. His Absence 5: 1-11.
E. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH
(congregational, walk before one another) 5: 12-24.
Final Greeting 5: 25-28.
Salutation, 1: 1.
The three men who had evangelised the City now join in sending
the Epistle:-
(1). PAUL, the Apostle of the Gentiles,
propagating a Yewish revelation in a
(2). SILVANUS, or Silas, a Prophet (Acts 15: 32)
was, like Mark, in turn the friend of both the Apostle of the Gentiles, and the
Apostle of the Circumcision (1 Pet. 5: 12). He possessed two qualifications, being a
Hebrew (Acts 15:
22) and a Roman citizen (16: 37).
(3). TIMOTHY, an Evangelist (2 Timothy 4: 5),
was a Eurasian (Acts 16: 1), an inhabitant of Lystra, a convert and
lifelong companion of Paul.
[Page 19]
It is interesting to note that when Paul sent his two friends
back to
The Church of the Thessalonians
What kind of men were they who were thus addressed? St. Luke tells us the converts were drawn
from three classes (Acts 17: 4, in
Alexandrian and Bezan MS.), the Jews, the devout men
or Proselytes (Gentiles who had previously embraced the Jewish faith), and the
Greeks (or heathen hitherto untouched).
Here, too, as elsewhere, in
In God and in the Lord Jesus Christ 1: 1
Amidst all her vicissitudes, the storm-tossed Church has a permanent
address, and her door of safe-keeping is double-locked, - in God, in
Christ (see Phil. 1: 1; 1 Thess. 2: 14, and cp.
John 10: 28, 29).
* * *
[Page 21]
SECTION A
THE
PUBLIC CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE CHURCH.
1: 2-10.
HER WALK BEFORE MEN,
Prayerful Mention, 1: 2.
Pleasing Memories, 1: 3.
Public Manifestation, 1: 4.
[Page 22
blank: Page 23]
THE PUBLIC CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE CHURCH 1: 2-10
This section deals with the Churchs walk before men, and the
Apostles personal testimony serves to introduce its wide reputation for
consistency. As usual, the first note is
in the major key, - We give thanks.
(a) Prayerful Mention,
1: 2. At our Prayertimes, when the three, with Aquila and other
Corinthian Christians (named in
(b) Pleasing Memories,
1: 3. A double trio of good
points, faith, love, hope, and work, toil, endurance. Faith works:
(c) Public
Manifestation, 1: 4. We give thanks,
knowing your election. The topic of election is a well-trodden battle-ground,
and the Apostles lines of proof are interesting here. They are two: He knows:-
1. Because of his own experience of his flock, ver. 5. He and his companions had spiritual liberty and power in
addressing them. We were what we were, because
you were what you were.
Spiritual freedom in the preacher is one evidence
of receptivity in the hearer. Atmosphere is a
factor to be reckoned with in evangelistic work; and the force, the realised presence of the [Holy] Spirit, and the conviction of success, for which St. Paul gives thanks in ver. 5, were to him a positive proof of the
election of his hearers.
2. Because
of their consistent life before the world. He gives three progressive illustrations, drawn
from the world of art, of what the grace of God had made them.
[Page 25]
(a) Ye became followers, or imitators, ver. 6. The word is derived
from the drama, and the thought occurs four times in the two epistles 1: 1,
6, 2, 14; 2: 3, 7, 9. It means to study from life, to
attempt to copy someone elses activities.
Nothing is too small to be worth noting if the mimic
is to give an accurate reproduction of what he has seen. The reference then is to outward
conduct. But this may be only a superficial
conformity; the actor ceases his representation directly the curtain rings down
and the people cease to watch him. His
imitation is only temporary. Christs scathing epithet hypocrites illustrates the danger of mere
imitation, for the hupokrites is
an actor. So the Apostle uses a
second illustration.
(b)
Ye became
examples, or
types ver. 7.
This illustration is derived from sculpture or engraving. It suggests not a temporary likeness, but a
permanent form; and that form must be implanted by a
force from without. As
applied to character (where we have the same metaphor of engraving) it suggests
that the true likeness is
only realised through the hand of another. We are His workmanship. Then, from
meaning a figure skilfully executed, it gains the sense of a pattern for
someone else, bearing the likeness ourselves we are [Page 25] to impress it on others. The art of
printing happily illustrates both thoughts; we are not only letters printed by
Christ, we are pages of type.
The character
of the Thessalonians had made a striking impression.
The instance
which
(c) From you sounded out the word, ver. 8.
The re-productiveness of the type turns his thoughts to another image
taken from the art of music. The
Thessalonians are like trumpeters, sounding a clear note that carries far, not
only to all
[Page 27]
If the note were only clearly sounded there was every reason
why it should carry far, and why the echoes should hang on the air, as the original
implies. And Thessalonica nobly sounded
the reveille for the district, carrying the music of the Gospel on her lips, as
well as its exquisite proportions in her life.
Perhaps we might press the figure a little further and say that she was
the trumpet through which the Lord sent His voice, not a trumpeter using her own. In after years the place was called the orthodox city and struck a Gospel chord in the
hearts of Goths, Slavs, Bulgarians, and Wallachians
successively.
* *
*
[Page 29]
SECTION B
THE COMING OF THE APOSTLE. 1. His presence, 2: 1-16. Having sketched the reputation gained
by the Church, the Apostle passes to the lesser of the two external forces
indicated in the outline, - the human agent who brought them the transforming
message. We can picture how when read
aloud to the gathering in Jasons rooms the lines would be punctuated with
corroborative nods and reminiscent smiles.
The passage is a wonderfully comprehensive description of what Gods
messenger ought, and ought not, to be.
Three kinds of men are mentioned, and each class is again sub-divided
into three:-
1. THE MESSENGER OF
ERROR, ver. 3.
2. THE UNWORTHY
MESSENGER OF TRUTH, vers. 4-6.
3. THE WORTHY MESSENGER
OF TRUTH, vers. 7-12.
1. The Messenger of Error, ver. 3.
(a) Deceit,
or rather error. The man described
by this title really believes the error that he teaches, but [Page 30] being blind he only leads others
into the ditch. He deceives because
himself deceived (2 Tim. 3: 13).
Saul of Tarsus, before his conversion was of this class.
(b) Uncleanness. This
is the false teacher with mixed motives; untrue even to his false creed, he
wants to get some gain for himself out of it.
Simon Magus may illustrate this type.
(c) Guile. This
is conscious deception. The man is wrong, and although he knows it yet persists. Elymas will perhaps
come under this heading.
2. The Unworthy Messenger of Truth, vers. 4-6.
Even a good man may be tempted to harbour unworthy aims. In Apostolic times, and to-day as well, the
three great temptations of the preacher are: Will it
please the people? Will it Pay me? Will it increase my reputation? He repudiates each of these in turn. He
used neither flattering
words nor a cloak of
covetousness, nor sought he glory.
(a) Flattering words, ver. 5. Obsequiousness [i.e., being too willing to serve or obey someone] may be used in order to get a hearing; smooth words may fill a
church without filling the
[Page 31]
(b) A cloak of covetousness, ver. 5. The preaching may be magnificent, while the real object is
self-enrichment. Only God can really test this.
(c) Nor of men sought we
glory, ver. 6. Many a man with not only a good
congregation, but a safe income, is tempted to work for the sake of reputation. To meet all these, the way of
victory is the solemn remembrance that God tests and attests (the word trieth in ver. 4
means both), and that mans opinion counts for nothing.
3. The
worthy messenger of truth, vers. 7-12.
The service that stands the test is the service of love and
the minister of God will try to be father (ver.
11), mother (ver.
7), and brother (ver.
9) to his flock.
THE MOTHER-SIDE OF THE MINISTRY.
As a nurse cherisheth her own children, ver. 7
R.V.
Three thoughts are implied in the words use here, sacrifice (children, things born,)
sustenance (nurse), and
tenderness (cherishes).
(a) Sacrifice. The life of children means the suffering, sometimes
the death of the mother. The man of God
bears much for his flock, without grudging.
Through him comes their life, and for them he travails night and day (ver. 9).
[Page 32]
(b) Sustenance. If the life is to
be maintained it must be by feeding. The food is the
Word of God, and that sincere milk, and strong meat, it is the ministers privilege to find [and disclose to his flock].
(c) Tenderness. The young life
needs careful guarding, if it is to survive manifold temptations; and there
must always be in the true pastors heart a mothers yearnings (affectionately
desirous) over their
failings, and pride in their triumphs.
THE FATHER-SIDE OF THE MINISTRY, ver. 12.
If the mother furnishes the tenderness, the father gives the
counsel, and with that, too, this many-sided minister of Christ is equipped.
(a) We exhorted. The
word means to encourage to further effort
one whose record is satisfactory.
(b) We comforted. This implies rather a stirring up to spiritual ambition one who
has rather lagged in the Christian walk.
(c) We charged. This
is the solemn appeal, sometimes the protest and warning
given to the stumbler. The Heavenly Father teaches His children to
walk (Hos. 11: 3), and
spiritual paternity in the minister carries with it the same duty, to
encourage, to [Page 33] spur, to command. Macedonians were always eager to maintain
their prestige. He bids them remember
their heavenly stock, and live worthily of their Royal parentage.
THE BROTHER-SIDE OF THE MINISTRY, ver. 9.
The Apostle calls them 18 times by this title in the first
epistle and 9 times in the second.
Again we may find three thoughts in his
treatment of the term:-
(a)
(b)
Helpfulness: We preach the Gospel. Every brother is glad to
render another brother a service, and St. Pauls ministry extended into giving
temporal help to others out of the proceeds of his weaving (Acts 20: 34).
[Page 34]
(c) Example.. Ye are witnesses how we behaved, ver. 10. A holy life God-ward, a just life man-ward, and a walk unblamed by his own conscience, - this
was the pattern their brother Paul showed to Jason, Aristarchus,
and the rest.
The man of God then gives the service of his heart, his head, and his hands in his threefold relationship to the souls he tends.
THE ENERGY OF THE WORD, ver. 13.
But after all, the man of God is only a man, and the real cause
of triumph is a force of Heaven, and not of earth. The word of God is energetic;
the good seed
will always work if it can find an entrance.
THE ENERGY OF THE FOE, vers. 14-16.
Trouble generally follows triumph in
missionary work Then appeared the tares also (Matt. 13: 26). The
Jews usually took pains to ensure that persecution because
of the word* (Matt.
13: 21)
should arise. Here the Gentiles carried
out the actual work, but the Jews planned it.
The synagogue struck the match and the assembly
(demus) kindled the fire.
[* Note the context here, it is shown in
verse 19 to be: the
word of the kingdom.]
Two interesting questions are worth
answering before this section closes.
(1) What was the [Page 35] crowning sin of the Jewish
nation? Not merely the rejection and
crucifixion of Christ. That did indeed
fill the cup of their iniquity nearly to the brim, but the Apostle says their
culminating crime was their anti-missionary spirit: forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved (ver. 16). Not only did they stay outside
the Kingdom themselves, but if they possibly could they would turn others from
the door. That sin filled up their cup
and sounded the knell of their occupation of the Promised Land.
The very words which had been used to usher them into their prospective
possession nearly two thousand years before (Gen.
15: 16)
are repeated to announce their exclusion from it.
(2) What is the meaning
of those difficult words, the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost? (ver. 16).
There seems to be a doubt as to the correctness of the A.V. translation,
for as a matter of fact the uttermost wrath had not come when
* *
*
[Page 38 blank: Page 39]
SECTION B. 2: 1 - 3: 13 (continued).
The Advent of the
Apostle.
2.
His Absence
2: 17 - 3: 13.
COMMUNICATION
BY LETTER. 2: 17.
COMMUNICATION
BY MESSENGER. 3:
2.
COMMUNICATION
BY PRAYER.
3: 10.
-------
[Page 40 blank: Page 41]
SECTION B. (continued).
THE ABSENCE OF THE
APOSTLE.
2: 17
- 3: 13.
The hatred of the Jews bereaved (orphaned, ver. 17) the parental heart of the Apostle,
and he was obliged to move to
What does he mean by Satan here? The phrase sometimes denotes the
anti-Christian influence of the synagogue (Rev. 2: 9).
Again in 2
Cor. 12: 7. Satan apparently means some form of
illness. But probably the first
suggestion is correct. Separated from
his beloved flock, what can the Apostle do?
The section gives us three answers.
He can write, - he can send Timothy, - he can pray.
(a) He can write. And indeed he does with a direct simplicity and
freshness of loving solicitude to which the whole epistle bears eloquent
witness.
[Page 42]
(b) He can send Timothy, 3:
2. Having been rejoined
by Silas and Timothy he had sent them back to
Remembering that in the parallel section (D) the subject is the
absent Christ, an interesting correspondence may be noted. The Lord being taken away for a little while (John 16: 19)
sent the Comforter (John 16: 7) to
his orphaned disciples (John
14: 18). Paul being taken away for a little while (2:
17) sent Timothy to be the comforter (3:
2) of the orphaned
church (2: 17).
Several points in the following verses may be briefly noted.
(1) Timothy has a three-fold character: brother, minister, fellow
labourer (ver. 2).
(2) Appointed, ver. 3, is
a military metaphor for a sentry posted by his officer.
(3) Moved
is an illustration drawn from the
wagging of a dogs tail, and means allured from faithful following by a tempting bait. The Christian in affliction remembers his duty to the Captain of his Salvation, and
stands his ground nor does the tempting [Page 43] possibility of a smoother path cause him to forget his
Master, and swallow the Devils bait.
(4) There is an interesting change of
mood in ver. 5, - lest he that is always tempting have tempted you (as we know he
has), and our labour have proved in vain (as we pray it
has not).
(5) Affliction and
distress, i.e., at
(6) Now we live ver.
8. In
his hardships he dies daily (1 Cor.
15, 31), but this gospel in Timothys mouth (ver. 6) makes him live again. They stand because Christ lives; Paul lives
because they stand.
(c) He can pray vers.
9-13.
Though the Thessalonians are absent, Jesus the Lord is always present, so to Him Paul
prays with very intense earnestness (huperekperissou), and the utmost simplicity (deoinenoi). It is worth noticing that out of 136 verses in these two epistles 24, or rather more than
one-fifth, are occupied with prayer, or teaching about
prayer.
(1) The Lord direct, or pilot,
ver. 11. The [Page 44] helm of Pauls vessel is in Divine hands, and his lifes voyage follows a
course laid down on a heavenly chart, The Lord Himself, in contrast to Pauls futile
efforts. This prayer was in all probability
granted, since we know that
(2) We notice in ver.
11 that prayer is offered to Jesus Christ
directly. Compare also Acts
7: 59, and John
14: 14, R.V. It is most convincing to find that the man
Jesus of Nazareth, who had been personally known by more than 500 people then living, is regarded in this first of the New Testament
writings as unquestionably God. They had
seen Him dead, - many of them, at least.
They saw Him again alive, and to them He was declared
to be the Son of God with power, by the
resurrection [out] from the dead (
(3) The Lord ver. 12. Two Persons of the Divine Trinity have
already been mentioned. May it not be
that here and in 2 Thess. 3: 5, we have
the third Person also? Basil thought so, at least (Cp.
2 Cor. 3: 18, R.V.,
and the Holy Ghost, the Lord, in the Nicene Creed).
* *
*
[Page 46 blank: Page 47]
SECTION C
THE INDIVIDUAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
CHURCH
4: 1-12.
Her Walk Before God.
AN OVERFLOWING LIFE, ver. 1.
A GOD-PLEASING LIFE, ver. 1.
The Commandment of Chastity,
vers. 3-8.
The Commandment of Charity,
vers. 9-10.
The Commandment of Calmness,
ver. 11.
The Commandment of Consistency,
ver. 12.
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[Page 48 blank: Page 49]
The Individual
Characteristics
of the Church, 4:
1-12.
In Section A (chap. 1)
An Overflowing Life, ver. 1.
Their life is to be an abounding,
or overflowing one. Thessalonica was a
famous centre of
A Life of Pleasing God, ver. 1.
Then it
is possible to please God. This is in
itself encouraging, for we are apt to think we cannot. The fulfilment of the possibility centres
round the will of God (ver. 3), and the commandments
given (ver. 2). Gods will for His people is their
sanctification (hagiasmos,
vers. 3, 4, 7; 2, 2: 13). The
word indicates the process, and means acquired holiness. Hagiosune is the
result of the process, active holiness (1, 3:
13; 2 Cor. 7: 1;
1. The Commandment of
Chastity, vers. 3-8.
The appalling corruptions of the Empire made the ever-perilous
possibility of uncleanness especially likely.
(a) Impurity is dishonour, vers. 3-5. A man can offer no greater insult to
his own manhood than impure living.
Greek aestheticism never grasped this. The meaning of the word vessel (ver.
4) has been much discussed. On the whole I think it refers to a mans
divinely given mastery of his bodily passions (cp. 1 Cor. 6: 18; 2 Cor. 4: 7). At any rate, if the decent veiling of the
terms makes the translation obscure, the general meaning is clear.
(b) Impurity is defrauding,
ver. 6. The greatest
wrong a man can do his fellow is in the matter
(see R.V.) of this same awful sin which God speedily avenges.
(c) Impurity is despising, ver. 8. It despises man, for it thinks lightly of his
rights. It despises God, because the
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
[Page 52]
2. The Commandment of Charity, vers. 9, 10.
The hot springs that
well up from the Spirit-filled life
(John 4: 14 R.V.)
are already overflowing; but there seems in these verses a hint that the spiritual knowledge of the Church was a
little in front of their practice, or at least that they were in danger of
resting satisfied with present attainments.
They made a noble response to the command. Famine was raging, and bread was at six times
its usual price; yet out of their deep poverty love found its overflow (2 Cor. 8: 2), not only
to the other Macedonians but to the poor at Jerusalem.
3. (The Commandment of Calmness, ver. 11)
Be ambitious to keep still. Ambition is a word often tarnished with mean
associations, but
[Page 53]
4. The Command of
Consistency.
Walk honestly,
or honourably (ver. 12). The Thessalonians were inclined
to be lazy. Perhaps the rich
Macedonian ladies (Acts 17: 4) had given too freely; perhaps expectations of
the Advent had unsettled the Church for her daily life (2: 3, 7-12). Greek thought, too, had yet to learn from Christianity the
dignity of work. Slavery discredits
free labour, and to the Greek the tradesman and the artizan
were incapable of intellectual and spiritual distinction. It was left for the Gospel, which, on the earthly side came from a
carpenters bench, and was carried abroad by fishermen, to show Thessalonica,
through the teaching of a weaver, that the beauty of holiness might well be
shown in the transforming of drudgery.
The aim of the Church should be to (need help
from no man ver. 12). So the Apostle in his Corinthian room,
dictating as he weaves, draws in and out those threads of the Word which shall
darn the holes (perfect, 1: 3, 10, same
word as mend, Matt. 4: 21) in the
spiritual garments of his absent children, turning his sermons into a prayer,
and his prayers into a sermon.
* * *
[Page 54 blank: Page 55]
SECTION D
THE ADVENT OF THE LORD
4: 13 - 5: 11.
His Presence, 4: 13-18.
A Revelation, ver. 13.
A Re-union, ver. 14.
A Return, ver. 16.
A Resurrection, ver. 16.
His Absence, 5: 1-11.
Sons of the Sunshine,
ver. 1-5,
Soldiers of Light, ver. 6-11.
-------
[Page 56 blank: Page 57]
SECTION D
The Advent of the Lord
His Presence, 4: 13-18.
In Section B. we
saw the relations between the Apostle and his converts described, first in his
presence, and then in his absence. So
now the relation between the Lord and His people is discussed in the same two aspects.
The teaching concerning the events at the Advent will be treated in a later
Chapter; we only note here the results upon the Church.
The introduction of the subject at ver. 13 may seem a little abrupt. The connection of thought is probably that the unsteadiness in daily work reproved in vers. 11-12 was caused by mistaken views of the Advent (2: 3, 5-12).
(1) A Revelation: We would not have
you [Page 58] ignorant. Faith does not mean blind ignorance; it is
often confidence in a revealed message. This Advent teaching unveils a hope which others have not. A heathen inscription discovered at
Thessalonica says
After
death no reviving,
After the grave no meeting again.
The Christian, on the contrary, finds the
prospects after death full of hope [in the First* Resurrection]: We shall ever be with the Lord.
[* Compare with Lk. 20: 35; Phil. 3: 11. Not all regenerate believers
will be raised at this time! See Heb. 11: 35b.]
(2) A Re-union: Those which sleep
will God bring (ver. 14). The
phrase, Those which sleep in Jesus, is very difficult to translate, for the
Greek is Through Jesus. And
again it is not certain whether these two words through
Jesus should be
attached to bring or sleep. If the former, then 2 Cor. 4: 14 is a
parallel passage and the reference is to the fulfilment of the atoning
work. But the translation Sleep through Jesus seems the more correct.
This will mean either that to the Christian death is only a sleep,
because Jesus has borne the full weight of deaths bitterness (Jesus died, ver. 14;
1 Cor. 15: 56, 57), or the words may mean that they had
been martyred in persecutions through their belief in Jesus (2: 14, 15).
[Page 59]
(3) A Return,
ver. 16. To the fact of the personal return of
Christ,
to the date he gives no definite clue.
It is not fair to say that the words we which
are alive imply that he expected to see the Advent. The phrase neither affirms nor denies
it. We
means we Christians, but
(4) A Resurrection. Not a resuscitation as in the three Old Testament and three Gospel instances, but a complete transformation, - it is raised a spiritual body. This was
an entirely new doctrine to the Greek world (Acts
17: 18, 32).
Shout (keleusma), the cry of the captain to his soldiers.* In
this Advent connection we may compare Matt. 25: 6.
[* See 2 Tim.
4, 5. cf. 2 Tim. 4: 7, R.V.]
The
Ever with the Lord: the words are the complement of Matt. 28: 20. Now He
is ever with us, then we shall be ever with Him.
Comfort:
the Advent is
meant to be a consolation, not a nightmare.
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[Page 60]
SECTION D (continued)
The Absence of the Lord
5: 1-11.
The joy
of the Advent re-union will doubtless be great, but what are we to say of the
space between? Pessimism and forgetfulness
are not to overwhelm the waiting Church, for the Master has provided
against it. There are two advantages which the Christian possesses over the
rest of mankind in regard to the Advent, - he can be restful
because he has certain
information to rely on; he can be ready because he has resources to
draw from. These two privileges are
spoken of here under two figures, daylight and armour.
Sons of the Sunshine,
vers. 1-5.
Concerning dates and
significant occurrences (ver. 1) the Apostle does not here write.
Christ had said a good deal about them, and the
Thessalonians had doubtless [Page 61] heard it by word of mouth. But
Soldiers of Light,
vers. 6-12.
If Advent knowledge gives the restfulness of the child, Advent
strength gives the readiness of the warrior. Drowsiness overtakes others, but
he who watches for the morning (Psa. 136)
keeps guard like a sentry. The world may
be drunk with frivolity; the Church is steadied by the anticipated joy of the marriage-feast.
Forewarned of her dangers,
she is already forearmed against her foes. The armour of Christs
soldier is a three-fold equipment of faith, hope and love as in 1: 3.
[Page 62]
The parallel description in Isa. 59:
17 and Eph.
6: 13
should be compared with this. Here the
breast-plate is a double one whose outer surface gleams with faith, and whose
inner lining glows with love. These
guard the Christians heart in temptation; his head is preserved by the helmet
whose plume is the Advent hope, and whose stout impenetrability is the
salvation won by Christ on the Cross. He whose brain is occupied with
the Advent is secure from pessimism, and he whose thoughts look back to
* *
*
[Page 63]
SECTION E
THE CONGREGATIONAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE CHURCH
Her walk before her own
members. Vers. 12-24.
WORD TO THE RANKS, vers. 12, 13.
WORD TO THE OFFICERS, vers. 14, 15.
THREE WORDS OF COUNSEL, vers. 16-18.
THREE WORDS OF WARNING, vers. 19-22.
-------
[Page 63 blank: Page 64]
SECTION E
The Congregational Characteristics
of the Church.
VERS. 12-24.
The Apostle has previously described the
Christians walk before the world and before God in Sections A. and C. This passage describes
his walk before his fellow-Christians. The terse sentences ring sharp and clear like military orders, perhaps
following up the thought in ver.
3.
The Macedonians were a soldierly people and the metaphors are at least
semi-military. We may indeed call them
rules for the Christian soldier in camp and on march, and if without appearing
to lower the dignity of the Epistle we may paraphrase to illustrate their
crispness, they will run something like the following:-
[Page 66]
A word to the Ranks vers. 12, 13.
Take the trouble to understand your officers. First, because they work
hard; second, because of their rank; third, because what they say is for your
good. Avoid quarrels.
Your work is to fight the foe, not one another.
A word to the Officers, vers. 14, 15.
(1) If your men can march, and will not, warn them.
(2) If they can and think they cannot, encourage them.
(3) If they are really unable, give them a helping hand.
(4) Keep your temper.
(5) Place your scouts against the ambushed foe;
his name is evil for evil.
(6) The best commander to follow is
General Good.
Applied to present day church-life
these thoughts are most suggestive. The
ministry is still sometimes unappreciated, because those concerned do not
trouble to get to know the man, or fail to estimate the amount of varied work
demanded of him. Christs regiments are still tempted to turn their
guns on one another instead of on the battalions of Satan. And it is equally important that the minister
of Christ should [Page 67] diagnose with careful patience the
symptoms of his people. Malingerers need
a stern treatment, but there are many who, for lack of a word of cheer, are
weary and footsore; all of us march best to the music of the band. There are some, too, on the sick-list needing
the ambulance and the bandage. The temptation to retaliation
has always to be keenly watched; and the best remedy is not negative
repression, but positive effort to
confer a benefit on the wrong-doer, whether he be
Christian or unbeliever.
THREE WORDS OF COUNSEL
1. Be joyful, ver. 16. As later to the Philippians, so to these other
2. Be prayerful, ver. 17. Constant intercourse with Heaven is the next
rule. Without
ceasing (adialeiptos) occurs four times in the New Testament
(
3. Be thankful, ver.
18.
There is something to praise God for in every event, if we could only
see the direction in which it is working.
We cannot see, but we can trust, because we know
(Rom. 8: 28).
THREE WORDS OF WARNING
1. Beware of spiritual constraint, ver. 19. The Holy Ghost is a fire. To put a light under a bushel is to extinguish
it. To neglect the prompting of the Spirit is to quench Him. They must
beware, too, of pouring water on the spiritual flame in anothers heart, lest
they find only the ashes left to reproach them. Perhaps the reckless enthusiasm of some in
the church had made the rest too cool and critical. Bengel finely says: The Spirit where He
is found is a fire; therefore He is not
to be quenched either in ourselves or in others.
2. Beware of spiritual callousness, ver. 20. Prophesying, or inspired preaching, is bound to
have some effect. If the hearers made something of it by obedience (which, be
it remembered, means attentive [Page 69] listening), then all is
well. But if they made nothing
of it (despise, exoutheneite) only spiritual hardening could result.
3. Beware of spiritual credulity, vers. 21, 22. This is the other extreme. Do not treat Gods Word as
mans, or, on the other hand, treat mans word as Gods. Test
the thing spoken by that which is written, the coin of the lips in the
flame of the Word. Hold the good fast. Throw away
evil in every form.
The God of Peace, ver. 23.
If successful war is to be waged without, God must have a peaceful
kingdom within from which to work. This
noble title is found in seven other passages (Rom.
15: 33; 16: 20; 1 Cor. 14: 33; 2 Cor. 13: 11; Phil. 4: 9; 2 Th. 3: 16; Heb. 13: 20).
Himself,
ver. 23 R.V. After the fifteen
imperatives which have gone before, the Apostle guards against the thought that
the emphasis of spiritual power is to be laid on the second person. It is easy to command, but whence comes the
power to do? He turns in answer from Ye to He,
from the second to the great Third
Person, Himself, that grand expression, as Bengel calls it. God is not only calling us to face our
responsibility, He undertakes to [work through us and enable us to] carry it out (ver. 24). [Page 70] It is a great task; no less than the annexation to His Kingdom of
every corner of our being.
And as if that were not enough, He adds the guardianship of the nature
annexed, so that no part of it, spiritual or intellectual or bodily, shall be
re-conquered by the enemy, but shall issue blameless at the Advent. It is helpful to notice in what a practical
way the Advent is brought to bear upon every subject discussed. Every section is clinched with the
thought. When Christ comes again, the
consistent witness of the Church will reach its consummation (1: 10); then
the judgment poured out upon the malevolent Jew will spend its force (2: 16); then the frequent intercessions for the absent flock shall find their
crowning answer (2: 20; 3: 13); then the walk with God shall, like
Enochs, terminate in a translation, and
the souls long parted by death find a joyful re-union (4: 16, 17); then
the watching soldier shall join his Captain (ver. 10); then the delicate inter-action of the
differing members shall issue in one personality whole and unblemished (ver. 23).
Final Greeting, vers. 25-28.
A SOLEMN CHARGE, ver. 27. The weighty words of this verse emphasise
not only the right of each individual church member to hear the whole word of
God, but also [Page 71] the Heavenly authority which was
immediately acquired by the earthly document (cp. 1 Th. 2: 13). It was
an official reading of liturgical importance.
The kiss, ver. 26, was the ordinary act of salutation, though
endowed in early Christian days with a special religious significance. We sometimes forget that in the estimation, even
of our English forefathers of the Sixteenth Century, shaking hands was a warmer
mode of greeting than the kiss.
These concluding verses are apparently
[Page 72]
Advent Teaching in Both Epistles
These two letters
are the epistles of the Advent. Not only
are they full of its practical bearing on Christian holiness, but nowhere else
do we find so many details of the events leading up to and accompanying the
Second Coming of Christ. These demand a
chapter to themselves; and as a great part of the Second Epistle is occupied
wholly with them, it seems best to treat the subject of the Advent here, and
afterwards to deal with what remains to be noted in the later letter.
A Personal Coming
The Church is looking for a Person rather than a thing, the Lord Himself (1. 4:
16; 1: 10), and not merely His Kingdom. The striking word parousia (personal presence in contrast to
previous absence, 1 Cor.
16: 17; 2 Cor. 7: 6; 10: 10), is six
times used to emphasise this fact (1 Thess.
2: 19; 3: 13; 4: 15; 5: 23; 2 Thess. 2: 1, 8).
The Attitude of the Faithful
Until the Lord comes, those who love Him are to be sustained by hope to endure (1. 1: 3)
what hardship may come, to serve with
expectancy (1. 1: 10), to be [Page 73] steadied with the sense of solemn reverence (1. 5: 6),
and to intelligently comprehend what has
been revealed on the subject (5: 1, 4).
The Apostle specially assures them that the Day of the Lord
was not actually imminent (2: 2:
2), and certain indications are given for
the guidance of the watching church. The Lord when He comes will find, not so much glory to rejoice in, but
shame to mourn over. The definite statements made on this subject here appear to necessitate
a belief in a pre-millenial date for the Advent (Luke 18: 8,
R.V.).
The Attitude of the Unfaithful
The second chapter of the second Epistle gives the following
account of the shadow-side of the picture; quotations here are from the R.V.
(a) Before Christ comes there will be the falling away, ver. 3. The words imply a rebellion of
those formerly loyal; they may
include both a lapse of Jews from theism to unbelief, and a decline of [regenerate] Christians from healthy faith to a state of doubt [leading into apostasy].
(b) This unhappy state is
to be produced by an evil force animated by Satan, ver. 9.
In the first instance it is spoken of as a system or principle, the mystery [Page 74] of lawlessness, (ver. 7), already working, even in Apostolic times.
(c) But the principle finds its representation ultimately in a Person called the lawless one (ver. 8).
(d) We note also
that on the other side there is a force working for good,- that which restraineth (ver. 6). This also is represented by a person, - one that restraineth now (ver. 7).
(e) The question
naturally arises, Who are these Persons and principles
good and bad? Many answers have been suggested, none
completely satisfactory. The lawless one has been said to be the Pope of Rome,
some great Anarchist, or some despotic ruler.
The restrainer
has been interpreted as the Power of Imperial Rome, the Holy Ghost in the
Christian Church, &c. I confess it
seems best to say I do not know who they are, and confine myself to indicating what they are. The personal manifestation of the principle
of evil will one day be unveiled
(ver. 8) in a kind of incarnation of Satan (ver. 9). He is
called the Man of Sin (ver. 3)
and the Lawless One (ver. 8),
for he revolts against God. He also
bears the name of the Son of Perdition, for
that is to be his end; curiously enough the name is only applied [Page 75] elsewhere to Judas (John 17: 12). This
mysterious personality evidently corresponds to the Anti-christ
of St. John (1 John
2: 18, 22;
4: 3). He will apparently possess miraculous powers
(ver. 9), which will induce men who let go [i.e., reject, apostasize from] the truth to accept the lie (ver. 11),
the great delusion of all time; possibly, however, this
miracle-working will be simply a gigantic fraud. Note that judicial blindness, even then, had begun
to accompany the working of lawlessness; God is sending
(ver. 11). The false teaching thus accredited by wonder-working, attempts to
overturn the worship of God, or indeed of anything except the Man of Sin
himself - (ver. 4).
The
He seats himself in the
On the other hand, Guinness, Elliott, and others have
collected many very striking points to prove the identity of the Papacy with
the Man of Sin and his workings. There
are others again who consider that the temple in question is a Jewish one
yet to be built, when the Jews are restored to their own land (Ezek.
37:
26 - [Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with
them (Israel): it shall be an everlasting
covenant with them: and I will give it them,
and multiply them, and will SET MY SANCTUARY in the midst of them for evermore,
R. V margin. Again (in the LXX): And I will make
with them a covenant of peace; it shall be an
everlasting covenant with them; and I will establish my SANCTUARY in the midst of them
for ever.]
A Parody of the Truth
The Coming of Christ for His People
The personal nature of the coming has already been dealt
with. We note further, that it will be
sudden, and heralded by the Lords victorious shout, by an archangelic
summons, and a trumpet call (1 Thess. 4: 16; cp. Matt.
24: 31
and 1 Cor. 15: 32).*
[*
Note. All three texts, have to do with the
resurrection of the the dead in Christ at
the end
of the Great Tribulation.]
The First Stage of the Advent is
Christs
Re-union with His People
The dead in Christ are first raised, and accompany the Lord (1
Cor. 4: 14, 16). The living in
Christ [that are alive, that are LEFT] are caught up from the earth (cp. same word in Matt. 13: 19, Acts 23: 10). We in ver.
17 means we
Christians [that are alive, that are LEFT]. The result of this rapture [of living saints] is a meeting with the Lord (1 Thess. 4: 17; 2 Thess. 2: 1). This
union [of both dead
and living saints] is of a festal character and is
celebrated by the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:
7, 9).
The same word translated meet is
used in connection with the same event in Matt. 25: 1, 6 [& 10].
Out of Christ*
[* That
is, not out of Christ as unregenerate; but out of Christ relative to the time of this rapture of those that are left
(1 Thess. 4: 17, R.V.),
and out-resurrection out from the dead.
(Phil. 3:
11, Lit. Gk.). cp. Lk. 20: 35; Rev. 20: 4-6.]
What becomes of the dead out of Christ
and the living [not found] in
the same spiritual condition at this first stage of the Advent?* They are omitted here from the reckoning, because they do not take part in
the event. But other passages supply the
information. The dead out
of Christ await their
resurrection until after the Millennium (Rev. 20: 5, cp. John
5: 29). The living out of Christ are simply at this stage left behind (see Matt. 24: 40; Luke 17: 35): left as totally as the disciples left their
nets, [Page 78] and the fever left Peters mother-in-law (Matt. 4: 20; 8: 15, where
the same word is used). The dead and
living in Christ on the other hand are taken away as Peter
and James, and John were taken from the other Apostles both on the Mount of
Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane, subsequently to return with
the Lord (Matt. 17:
1; 26: 37, same word).
[*
This first stage of the advent takes place before
the Great Tribulation commences.
Keep in mind, only those who watch and
make supplication, that ye may prevail to escape
stand before the Son of man (Lk. 21: 35, R.V.).
There is no mention of a resurrection out from
the dead at this first stage. See G.
H. Langs Firstfruits
and Harvest.]
The Second Stage of the Advent
This is reached when the Lord comes back with His saints [or holy ones (Jude 14); it also has reference to angels] to judge the earth and commence His [millennial] reign. That there will be two stages (not, of course,
two Advents) is clear from the fact that if the Lord comes back with His people, it
follows He must have taken them up to Him first (Jude
14; Col. 3:
4; Zech. 14: 5). We pause for a moment to inquire if
there is any interval of time between the two stages. Without attempting to
dogmatise on so uncertain a point I venture to think that there will be.
If the Marriage supper of the Lamb takes place immediately after the [first] rapture, [of living saints accounted worthy to escape
(Lk. 21: 36, A.V.)
the Great Tribulation events] an interval of some time appears
necessary (Matt. 25: 10. cp.
also Rev.
19: 7,
with 14: 15). Dr. Guinness calls it a halt in the journey, a pause in the royal progress. To [Page 79] reverently use a simile endorsed by the Lord Himself, we may say that as an earthly bridegroom and bride
celebrate their union by a brief period of absence before returning to
their daily sphere, so the Lord and His Bride before returning to
reign together over the earth (Rev. 3: 21; 2 Tim. 2: 11, 12) enjoy a brief time of fellowship [in heaven]
together.
Then, too, another consideration leads us to the same
conclusion, for the lot of the unready in Matt.
25: 12 is
not (at this stage) the outer darkness of judgment, but simply exclusion from
the feast.
If there is an interval, the length of time is not told us in
Scripture, but it is probable, in that case, that the final
development of the man of sin takes place between the two stages. The height of his impious audacity is reached
in the temporary absence of the witnessing Church, to be suppressed however by
the manifestation of the Lord (2 Th. 2: 8). The day-star of the advent then
(2 Peter 1: 19)
appears on investigation to be a double star.
This is found in other Scripture passages where, at first sight, no
interval was apparent. In Isaiah 61: 2, -
the acceptable year and the day of vengeance are - separated only by a comma.
Yet the space is already nineteen centuries wide. Christs
pause in the synagogue is most significant (Luke 4: 19). Another double-star passage is Isaiah 9: 6, 7.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
The testing of each Christian, and the giving of rewards for faithful
service, may probably be assigned to this time.
The standard of holiness is applied to each mans walk and conduct (1 Thess. 3: 13), and his
position regulated accordingly. Now comes
the promised rest (2 Thess.
1: 7) to
the labourers in the vineyard who have borne the burden and heat of the
day. Now the soul-winner is crowned with
the fruit of his toil (1 Thess.
2: 19). Now every corner of the life, spirit and soul
and body (1 Thess.
5: 23),
is searched with the clear ray of that holy Presence, and the results declared.
The
Presence, the Unveiling,
and the
Manifestation of the Lord
Christ then continues His triumphal and judicial progress, illumined by flames of glory and escorted by hosts of angels (2 Thess. 1: 7), as well as
by His redeemed. Then is he
seen by the eyes of unbelieving men for the first time since the
crucifixion. He shines forth in
convincing majesty, and the veil of unbelief drops from their hearts; [Page 81] admiration, too, at the transfigured company of redeemed souls brings
added lustre to the glory of the Redeemer (2 Thess. 1: 10). Three
words are used by
(1) Presence (parousia), usually translated
coming occurs in 1
Thess. 2: 19; 3: 13; 4: 15; 5: 23; 2 Thess. 2: 1; 2: 8. It denotes the personal
presence of Jesus Christ in contrast to that absence which is the special
feature of the present period, in which He is calling out His Church
[of the firstborn (Heb. 12: 23)*]. It is found in at least eleven other passages
in the New Testament in this sense, and is applied to the whole series of
events which will take place at the Advent.
[*
Note. Only firstborn
sons of God will reign in both Millennial and Eternal kingdoms. See Fistborn Sons Their Rghts and Risks
by G. H. Lang.]
(2) Revelation (apokalupsis) is
found in the special Advent sense in 2 Thess. 1: 7, and elsewhere in 1 Cor. 1: 7; 1 Pet. 1: 7, 13; 4: 13. It
denotes the removal of the existing barriers to sight and sense, which at present
intervene between the Bridegroom and His Bride (the Church [of the
firstborn]), and
also between the Judge and the judged (the world).
(3) Manifestation
(epiphaneia)
is translated [Page 82] Brightness in 2
Thess. 2: 8, and is elsewhere used in the
Advent sense in 1 Tim. 6: 14; 2 Tim. 1: 10; 4: 1, 8; Titus 2: 13. It
denotes that active shining forth of Christs Majesty which is, in His millennial
reign, to be such a complete contrast to his previous lowly walk on earth (cp.
Phil. 2: 6-11).
The three words together give a realisation of what Christ
will be at the advent, - present instead of absent, visible instead of veiled
from view, in glory instead of humiliation.
The Rod of Iron
The puzzle of the present time is
Right for
ever on the scaffold,
Wrong for ever on the
throne.
It will remain for the Advent to demonstrate that
Beyond the
dim unknown
Standeth God within the
shadow,
Keeping watch
above His own.
This will necessarily include not only the awarding of the
palm, but the meting out of punishment. Note the distinction
between (a) the judging of
believers in regard to their position in [or during the time of the coming] glory* (1 Thes. 2: 19; 1 Cor. 4: 5; 2 Cor. 5: 10), and the
judgment
of those out of Christ [Page 83] (b) at the beginning of the Millennium (2 Thess. 1: 8;
Rev. 19: 15);
and (c) at the end of the
Millennium (Rev. 20:
11).
[* Possibly TWO classes of persons are shown in verses
8 & 9, who are separated by the disjunction and. (1) The
unregenerate:
them that know not God and (2) the
regenerate:
and (disjunction) them that obey not the gospel: the first
class, - who shall
suffer punishment, even eternal
destruction from the face of the Lord - the second class, - and
(disjunction)
from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints.]
Our present concern is solely with (b). On the awful solemnity of future punishment
there rests an obscurity into which we cannot in this life fully penetrate. If we
had full light, our minds would be unable to grasp it. One day, however, we
shall understand (1 Cor.
13: 12). But Gods Word has definite information to
give, and to that we are bound to adhere, if we accept a revelation at
all. We know of a heaven only on the
same evidence which assures us there is a hell.
But it is desirable to carefully note what the Bible does not say, as
well as what it does. It does not say
that those who reject truth offered will in the Advent day have their rejection
condoned. Nor, on the other hand, does
it say that those who have never had an opportunity of acceptance will then, on
that ground, be condemned.
Who are the Objects of Condemnation?
1. The Man of Sin, that mysterious
personality and typical representative of all rebellion against God, will be
consumed, and his far-reaching influence paralysed, by the light of the Son of Righteousness (2 Thess. 2: 8).
2. Those who know not
God (2 Thess.
1: 8). That is, those who would not enter into the knowledge of Him, even
according to the light they had. Such
are those heathen (Rom. 1: 18, 28) who consciously disobey even such twilight
knowledge as they possess, - their responsibility for conduct to a Divine
Being. Whether this dim light is an
intuition of nature or, as I venture to think, the faint survival of primeval
truth and revelation, their position is plainly one which differs from that of
evangelised though hostile heathen. They
will be judged on what they had, not on what they lacked. But disobedience to a half truth is not the
less disobedience.
3. Those who obey not
the Gospel (2 Thess.
1: 8).
These will be, firstly, all those
who refused [or apostatised from] the light, and
persecuted those who welcomed it (2 Thess. 1: 6). Secondly, those (heathen) who
chose to abide by their false gods and rejected the truth. And, thirdly, those who while
grasping something of the truth fall away from what they know. They take pleasure in wrongdoing (2 Thess. 2: 12), and
refuse to follow Him Who is the only Way, the Truth,
and the Life (2 Thess.
2: 10, 12). Such
are the children of darkness and night (1 Thess. 5: 5). They wilfully close their eyes, and upon them
comes even now a punitive blindness (2 Thess. 2: 11; Rom. 1: 24), the
atrophy [Page 85] of the negligent, - universal in the world of nature,
as in that of grace. They are perishing
already (2 Thess. 2: 10). But at the Advent they will have a fair trial
(judged,
not condemned, in the first instance, 2 Thess. 2: 12, R.V.), and then will come their punishment,
sudden and decisive (1 Thess.
5: 3),
even banishment for ever from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1:
9; Luke 13:
27).
Such is the solemn tribunal which will usher in the triumph of
righteousness, the dominion of peace, the [millennial] reign of the Lamb.
Further than what is revealed we may not speculate. The justice of the Divine verdict we dare not
question. The very idea is a thoughtless
insult to our all-loving Father. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? But let it be remembered that
upon every one who sees and hears the truth, rests the responsibility of
welcoming it as a means of salvation and holiness (2 Thess. 2: 10, 13). None
need perish, but by their own action. Be it ours to open the door, as it shall be
His to enter in,* at this present time, so that
in the day which is coming it may be His to open the door, and ours to enter
in.
[* Rev. 3: 19-21.]
* * *
[Page 86 blank: Page 87]
THE SECOND EPISTLE TO
THE THESSALONIANS
-------
[Page 88]
The
Second Epistle to the
Thessalonians
A LARGE part of this Epistle has already been dealt with in the
preceding chapter on the Advent, and many of the phrases commented on in the first
Epistle recur in the second. But it
remains for us to sketch the outline, and indicate some points of interest not
yet touched upon.
The chapters of the A.V. appear to be the best analysis of the
Epistle. Each of these consists of three
parts - assurance of the well-being of believers, judgment on wrong-doers, and
prayer for preservation and peace.
OUTLINE
GREETING, 1:
1, 2.
SECTION A, 1:
3-12. PERSECUTION.
(a) Assurance of their welfare in persecution, vers. 3-5.
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(b) Penalty of persecutors, vers. 6-10.
(c) Prayer for further perfecting, vers. 11, 12.
SECTION B. 2.
APOSTASY.
(a) Re-assurance for saints in view or apostasy, vers. 1-7.
(b) Penalty of apostates, vers. 8-12.
(c) Prayer for steadfastness, vers. 13-17.
SECTION C. 3.
DISORDERLINESS.
(a) Assurance of preservation amid disorderliness, vers. 1-5.
(b) Judicial action towards the disorderly, vers.
6-15.
(c) Prayer for peace, ver. 16.
FINAL GREETING, vers, 17, 18.
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SECTION A
Persecution
2 Thess. 1:
3-12.
THE GRATIFICATION OF THE APOSTLE, ver. 3.
THE GLORY OF THE
LORD, ver. 10.
THE GROWTH OF THE
CHURCH, vers. 11, 12.
SECTION A.
1: 3-12.
Three points are specially noteworthy in this section.
1. The Gratification of the Apostle, verse 3.
He is
doubly thankful for what he hears of their spiritual life in its faith and its
love, its inner working, and its outward manifestation. Their inward life grows exceedingly like a
mighty tree; their faith has ceased to be merely a grain of mustard seed; amid
the bitter storms of opposition it has become more like the giant oak.
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Their outer life, too, is as satisfactory as their inward
experience. He changes the figure from that
of a tree to a river; their love overflows. In both cases the growth
has been constant, and shows every sign of continued progress.
2. The Glory of the Lord, verse 10.
Here
again a double thought finds expression with reference to believers, as they
will appear to the eyes of others, when accompanying the Lord on His triumphal
return to the earth.
Their holiness will bring glory to Him, for they are only the
mirrors, who reflect that which is His.
Their faith will bring amazement to the eyes of those who have witnessed
its constancy, as they realize the Divine source from which it sprang. But the glory and admiration will be all for
Him, and not for them; the perfected medium transmits all the light.
3. The Growth of the Church, verses 11,
12.
The
Apostles prayer for their growth again takes a two-fold form, and two points
call for comment. Firstly, the calling, of which they are to be counted worthy, is a [Page 93] future thing. It is therefore not their [eternal] salvation, but their coronation of which he speaks (cp. 1 Pet. 5: 10). The crown of joy [of glory R.V.] for soul-winning
(1
Thess. 2: 19), the crown of life for patient endurance (Rev. 2: 10), the crown of righteousness
for valour in the fight (2 Tim. 4: 8), the crown of glory for diligent ministration (1 Pet.
5: 4) - these are in the Apostles mind and
find their place in his prayers. He
would have his converts not saved so as by fire, but granted an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom* (2
Pet. 1: 11).
[*
NOTE. How sad, when we see the redeemed people of God
who appear to have given no thought for this abundant
entrance into Gods everlasting
kingdom! How sad, when the god of this age hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving,
that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ
should not dawn upon them (2 Cor. 4: 4, R.V.)!
They stumble at the word, being disobedient, (1 Pet.
2: 17,
R.V.); and are unwilling to believe the thousand years
(Rev. 20:
3, R.V.); and by
well-doing refuse to make their calling and election sure, (2 Pet. 1: 10)!]
Secondly, the good pleasure of
goodness is a
difficult phrase. Good
pleasure is used most
frequently of God in the New Testament, while goodness
is applied to man. It is tempting to
render the phrase Gods good pleasure for your good
life, but considering the parallel in work of
faith with power, it is perhaps safer to render your divine delight in active well-doing.
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SECTION B
Apostasy
2 Thess. 2:
1-17.
CLING TO THE WORD, ver. 15.
CLING TO THE LORD, ver. 17.
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blank: Page 97]
SECTION B.
2: 1-17.
With the
thought of the crowns in his mind, the Apostle beseeches his converts on behalf
of (verse 1) the Advent not to let it be stained by unfaithfulness, but glorified by their
steadfastness. He regards the
Day as a kind of naval review, and longs that in that great gathering together (verse 1),
those for whom he is anxious, may sail in with colours flying. They have been confused in mind (verse 2) with
reports that the day of Christs coming is actually imminent, whereas certain
preliminaries have yet to be fulfilled. He fears lest they should be tempted to
hastily slip their moorings (shaken,
verse 2). There are unsatisfactory members in the church, and he beseeches his faithful ones to sail away from (withdraw,
3: 6)
such. His confidence is that the Lord
will be their Pilot (direct,
3, 5). He
warns them of four false lights which may wreck them:-
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(a)
Pretended revelations from the spiritual world, 2: 2.
(b)
Alleged verbal messages from the Apostle,
2: 2.
(c)
False letters purporting to come from
him, 2: 2,
and chap. 3:
17.
(d)
The withholding of letters which had
actually been sent by him, 1 Thess. 5: 27.
He has
two great safeguards to offer.
1. Cling to the Word if you wish to be kept from delusion.
Note
that traditions (vese
15) include Scripture messages either
verbal, as at the first, or written, as afterwards. But always the word means the Gospel of
Christ, not the man-made additions thereto, or defective reports of succeeding
ages. It indicates the handing on of a
securely guarded and well-defined deposit.
2. Cling
to the Lord if you wish to be kept from defection.
He
Himself (2: 16)
is the one anchor which will keep the ship from drifting. Many of the thoughts in these concluding verses
are echoes of the first Epistle, and have already been dealt with, but I cannot
refrain from pointing out how the First and Second Persons of the [Page 99] Trinity are linked together as co-equal, with a singular verb in agreement. Note also that Salvation (verse 13) includes both initial belief, and daily
sanctification by the Holy Spirit.
Dr. Waller in his handbook to the Epistles of
St. Paul points out a very interesting line of study, Zechariah
4 and 5 are in marked contrast with one
another as illustrating the life controlled by good and by evil powers. The second chapter of 2 Thess. has some very interesting parallels with Zechariah 5 when the latter is read in the Greek
version, and the one throws considerable light upon the other. Compare unrighteousness
(adikia) in Zech. 5: 6, seated in verse 7, lawlessness (anomia) in verse
8, with the same words in 2 Thess. 2: 10, 4, 7. Compare
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[Page100]
SECTION C
3: 1-18.
The concluding verses of this letter
deal with dangers and foes, without and within the Church.
(a) Dangers from without, vers. 1-5.
(b) Dangers from Within.
3: 6-16
Certain mistakes as to the meaning of expressions in
He will, however, leave no shadow between himself, and any of
those to whom he writes in love; witness the twice-repeated and emphatic all
in vers. 16 and 18.
The phrase so I write
(ver. 17) probably means This
is my handwriting (cp.
Gal. 6: 11).
Thus the Epistle draws to its close, and never was its message
more needed than to-day. The marks of apostasy are clearer than ever in the professing
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[Page 103]
Maran Atha.
Even
so, come, Lord
Jesus.
Break up the
heavens, 0 Lord! and far,
Thro all yon starlight
keen,
Draw me, thy bride, a glittering star,
In raiment white and clean.
He lifts me to the golden
doors;
The flashes come and go;
All heaven bursts her
starry floors,
And shows her light below.
And deepens on and up! the gates
Roll back and far within
For me the Heavenly
Bridegroom waits,
To make me pure of sin.
The Sabbath of Eternity,
One Sabbath deep and wide -
A light upon the shining
sea -
The Bridegroom with His bride.
THE END