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Bible Commentaries
Contending for the Faith Contending for the Faith
Paul's Encouragement; Suffering for Faith.Chapter 2
The Man of Lawlessness; End Times.Chapter 3
Exhortations on Work and Conduct; Final Greetings.
- 2 Thessalonians
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH
A Commentary On
THE BOOK OF SECOND THESSALONIANS
By ALLEN BAILEY
Publisher Charles Allen Bailey
Editor
Executive Editor - Joe L. Norton, Ph.D.
Copyright © 1998
Contending for the Faith Publications
4216 Abigale Drive, Yukon, OK 73099
[email protected] <http://[email protected]/>
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
All Rights Reserved
All scripture quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are taken from
The King James Version, KJV
Introduction
The Apostle Paul writes this second epistle to the Thessalonians a short time after the first epistle, but it is almost impossible to pinpoint exactly where Paul is when he writes this letter. Speculations have lead scholars to think he is in Athens, Corinth, or Rome. It seems more probable he is in Corinth. Acts 17:1; Acts 17:4 tells of the beginning of the church at Thessalonica. The writer says:
...now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:...And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few (Acts 17:1; Acts 17:4).
After the Jews of Thessalonica learn of Paul’s preaching the gospel at Berea,they stir up the people to the point that Paul has to leave immediately (Acts 1:13-14). His departure leads him to Athens (Acts 1:15). From Athens he goes to Corinth (Acts 18:1). It is in Corinth that Silas and Timothy, having been left in Thessalonica (Acts 17:14), join Paul again. In 2 Thessalonians 1:1, Paul implies that Silas and Timothy are still with him. This second epistle bears the name of all three, that is, "Paul, and Silvanus (Silas) and Timotheus." Since they are still together, it seems probable they are still in Corinth. Supposing this letter were written from Corinth, it would have been written about A.D. 52 or 53.
Paul has a specific purpose in mind when writing this letter: he has heard of the confusion among the church members about the return of Christ. False teachers or possibly a forged letter in the name of Paul has led many to believe that Christ is returning very soon (2:2). Because of this belief, they stop working, feeling there is no need to work since everything is going to be destroyed anyway. All this idle time causes many problems, especially when they start expecting the working church members to feed them. In this letter Paul teaches abut the events that will come before the return of Christ. The events mentioned are "a falling away first" (2:3) and "the man of sin" being revealed (2:3). Paul also takes opportunity in this letter to teach them the course of action to be taken on those who walk disorderly (3:6).
WORKS CITED
Arndt, William F. and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957.
Clark, Adam. Commentary Romans through Revelation. Vol. VI. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, n.d.
Coffman, James Burton. Commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1977.
Earle, Ralph, Th.D. Word Meanings in the New Testament.
Ellingworth, Paul and Euggene A. Nida. A Handbook on Paul’s Letters to the Thessalonians. United Bible Societies.
Gloag, P. J. The Pulpit Commentary on Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon. New York and Toronto: Funk and Wagnalls Company, n.d.
Green, Thomas Sheldon. A Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.
Johnson, B. W. The People’s New Testament. Delight, Arkansas: Gospel Light Publishing Company, n.d.
Kittel, Gerhard. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Vol. I, II, III, VIII. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978.
Kelcy, Raymond C. The Letters of Paul to The Thessalonians. Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Co., Inc., 1968.
Lipscomb, David. A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles. Nashville, Tennessee: Gospel Advocate Company, 1972.
MacKnight, James. MacKnight on the Epistles. One-Volume Edition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, Reprint, 1984.
McGarvey, J. W. and Philip Y. Pendleton. The Standard Bible Commentary, Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans. Cincinnati, Ohio: n.d.
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Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, 941.
Wigram, George V. and Ralph D. Winter. The Word Study Concordance. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Zerr, E. M. Bible Commentary. Vol. V. Bowling Green, Kentucky: Guardian of Truth Foundation, n.d.