Part 258

5:24. He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it.

5:25. Brethren, pray for us.

5:26. Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss.

5:27. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

5:28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS

In this Epistle St. Paul admonishes the Thessalonians to be constant in the faith of Christ and not to be terrified by the insinuations of false teachers telling them that the day of judgment was near at hand, as there must come many signs and wonders before it. He bids them to hold firm the traditions received from him, whether by word, or by epistle, and shews them how they may be certain of his letters by the manner he writes.

2 Thessalonians Chapter 1

He gives thanks to God for their faith and constancy and prays for their advancement in all good.

1:1. Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians. In God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

1:2. Grace unto you: and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3. We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you towards each other aboundeth.

1:4. So that we ourselves also glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith, and in all your persecutions and tribulations: which you endure

1:5. For an example of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer.

1:6. Seeing it is a just thing with God to repay tribulation to them that trouble you:

1:7. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels of his power:

1:8. In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9. Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his power:

1:10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be made wonderful in all them who have believed; because our testimony was believed upon you in that day.

1:11. Wherefore also we pray always for you: That our God would make you worthy of his vocation and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith in power:

1:12. That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians Chapter 2

The day of the Lord is not to come till the man of sin be revealed. The apostle's traditions are to be observed.

2:1. And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our gathering together unto him:

2:2. That you be not easily moved from your sense nor be terrified, neither by spirit nor by word nor by epistle. as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

2:3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition

A revolt. . .This revolt, or falling off, is generally understood, by the ancient fathers, of a revolt from the Roman empire, which was first to be destroyed, before the coming of Antichrist. It may, perhaps, be understood also of a revolt of many nations from the Catholic Church; which has, in part, happened already, by means of Mahomet, Luther, &c., and it may be supposed, will be more general in the days of the Antichrist. The man of sin. . .Here must be meant some particular man, as is evident from the frequent repetition of the Greek article: o`, 'the' man of sin, 'the' son of perdition, 'the' adversary or opposer. It agrees to the wicked and great Antichrist, who will come before the end of the world.

2:4. Who opposeth and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God.