Chapter Two
2 Thess. 2:1. We beseech you, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him,
2 Thess. 2:2. not to be quickly shaken in mind
He does not say when the resurrection will be, but that it will not follow now — this is what he teaches; since there were certain deceivers who said that the time of the general end and the coming of the Lord had already arrived. To no small consolation, the apostle also said that the faithful will be gathered to Him, to be together with Him, just as in the first epistle he said that the worthy, immediately after the resurrection, will be caught up to the Lord. What does the word "we beseech" mean? That is, we entreat you not to be shaken and not to turn aside from the correct conviction which you have held until now.
2 Thess. 2:2. "and not to be troubled either by spirit,"
That is, through prophecy. For some, hypocritically explaining prophecy, were deceiving the people, saying that the coming of the Lord had already occurred.
2 Thess. 2:2. nor by word,
That is, by teaching expressed in living language (orally).
2 Thess. 2:2. nor by letter, as if sent by us,
Deceivers confirmed what they were saying with forged epistles, as if sent by Paul.
2 Thess. 2:2. as though the day of Christ is already at hand.
Do not be alarmed, he says, that the day of the Lord has come, that is, the coming of Christ.
2 Thess. 2:3. Let no one deceive you in any way:
Not as a prophet, nor as a teacher, nor as one writing such a thing on my own behalf.
2 Thess. 2:3. For that day shall not come, unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
He will not come, he says, the coming of the Lord, unless the apostasy comes first, that is, the antichrist. The apostle called him the apostasy because he is truly such: he will cause many to fall away, even the elect, if possible. He also called him the "man of sin" because he will commit every lawlessness and will push others toward lawlessness. And he called him the "son of perdition" because he himself will also perish. But who is he? Is he Satan? No, but a certain man who has received all his power.
2 Thess. 2:4. Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped,
He will not lead people to idol worship; on the contrary, he will reject all gods and all objects of their veneration, or idols, and will declare himself alone to be god.
2 Thess. 2:4. so that he will sit in the temple of God as God,
It is not said: in the Jerusalem temple specifically, but simply: "in the temple," in every temple of God.
2 Thess. 2:4. passing himself off as God.
He did not say, the apostle, that he will call himself God, but that he will strive to show himself as God. For he will perform great deeds and show signs for the temptation of all.
2 Thess. 2:5. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I told you these things?
From this it is clear that the apostle transmitted great mysteries to the Thessalonians, and not in writing. Do you see that it is necessary to constantly speak about the same thing, to persistently repeat the same words? Here they heard the apostle speaking about this when he was among them, and yet again they had need of confirmation. Nothing extraordinary am I saying, he says, but the same thing I have always said. The apostle somewhat shames the Thessalonians, saying: "do you not remember?" Have you forgotten so quickly?
2 Thess. 2:6. And now you know what restrains, that he might be revealed in his own time.