Chapter I.
(Vers. 1-3.)
(Verses 1-3.) Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He writes to them with solemn words; for the beginning of the discourse is contained in the head of the letter: and these three, by whose names it is written, are the same as in the first letter (1 Thessalonians 1:1).
We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. (Joan. XIII, 34.)
(Vers. 4, 5.)
(Verses 4, 5.) So that we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure; Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. For the very pressures themselves are examples of future merits in those who suffer, leading to glory; but in those who persecute, leading to destruction.
(Vers. 6-9.)
(Verse 6-9) For it is just before God to repay with affliction those who oppress you, and to grant rest to you who are afflicted, along with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. Since he said that the example of God's just judgment appears both for the good and for the wicked, therefore he followed by saying: Since it is just before God to render to each one according to his works. What is more just than for those who oppress the righteous in this world and make them suffer persecution, to suffer the same things in the future that they do: while they themselves rest with the other saints, who, coming out of great tribulation, will receive the eternal kingdom in the coming of the Lord from heaven; when he begins to come with his heavenly army and with fire to give vengeance to the pagans, who do not know that God the Father is Jesus Christ; and to the Jews, who, though claiming to know God, do not believe in the Gospel of Christ, which the Father God gave to them, in order to hand it down to his servants? May the presence of the Lord and the glory of his majesty consume them like a fire, so that they may pay the deserved punishment of eternal destruction, always enduring but never completely failing, so that the punishment itself may always in some way generate them, by which they are consumed.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) When he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. It contains a double meaning; for he will come to punish the wicked and to glorify the good. For he himself will appear glorious and marvelous to those who believe, following the example and faith of the apostles, when they are crowned, and the Gospel testifies to them on the day of the Lord. However, he will appear severe to the unbelievers, when they begin to be confined by eternal punishments. For the glory of the disciples is the crown, and its truth is the punishment of the unbelievers; because what was preached was not believed.
(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verse 11,12) In which we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He adds joy and prayers, that because they are devoted, God may be pleased to help them, so that they may complete the work begun to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; so that the perseverance of the disciples may be a testimony to the master for His glory. The authority of a teacher is in the trust of the students, when they make themselves more worthy in gratitude received.