Unpacking 2 Thessalonians
By Jonathan Mitchell
Part 1
This beginning essay will first investigate chapter 1, following Paul's salutation to the called-out community in first century Thessalonica (vss. 1-2). Our comments will begin with 1:3, and move, verse-by-verse on through to the end of the chapter. We will ignore the chapter break (Chapter 2), and continue on through 2:2, in this paper. Part 2 will be a separate essay which will cover 2:3 through the end of chapter 2. The theme of this investigation will be the time context to which Paul directs his remarks: was it to the present time of his audience, or was he speaking about future events? Along the way, we will make observations on each verse.
John A.T. Robinson (Redating the New Testament) concludes that this letter was written circa AD 50-51. With this in mind, it would be less than two decades before the mother community in Jerusalem would have been dispersed from that location. This would affect folks in far-off Asian Minor, since those in Jerusalem were considers leaders and pillars of the Christ movement, of which those in Thessalonica were a part. All of the communities to which the letters of the NT were written, were members of the Body of Christ.
While ignoring the traditions of "futurist" interpreters, we will simply unpack what Paul states in this letter, keeping in mind the greater context of which it was a part. So, let us begin.
3. We continue being indebted, and ought to be constantly expressing gratitude to God (or: We are continually owing [it] to be habitually acknowledging the goodness of Grace and the well-being from the joyous Favor in, and by, God) - always - concerning, and regarding, you, brothers (siblings, from the same Womb; = fellow believers; = Family members), according as (or: to the same degree as) it is continually valuable (pushes the scales down; is fitting and worthy), because your trust (or: faith, conviction, loyalty and faithfulness) is constantly flourishing (growing above; over-growing; exceedingly increasing) and the Love (acceptance, and the urge toward reunion) of each one of you all continuously abounds (exists in abundance) unto, and into the midst of, each other.
Notice that Paul is speaking of their current situation, letting them know that he considered their present state of being, in Christ, something for which he felt indebted to thank God about. Now, another way of reading that clause is given in the parenthetical expansion, which reads the Greek infinitive as,
"to be habitually acknowledging the goodness of Grace and the well-being from the joyous Favor,"
and the dative form of the noun "God" as, "in, and by, God," rather than "to God." Either reading makes sense to the immediate context. He was thankful for their spiritual situation, or (or, perhaps, and) he was giving the credit to God's Grace and Favor, in regard to them, which had produced their flourishing of trust and faithfulness (etc.), and which had given birth to the Love that was characterizing their mutual fellowship.
4. so that we ourselves boast in (take pride in the sphere of) you folks among God's summoned-forth ones (among those called-out-folks, from God; or: in union with the called-out, covenant-communities of God) over your steadfast remaining under to give support (or: persistent, patient endurance), as well as faithfulness (or: loyalty; trust; faith), within all your pursuits (or: chasings, persecutions and harassments) and the pressures (squeezings; constrictions; contractions; tribulations; oppressions; ordeals) which you habitually have again (or: sustain; hold up [in]; bear).
Now he lets them know that he takes pride in them, even boasting to other communities, because of the Fruit of the Spirit which they have displayed, despite their pressures and ordeals.
5. [This is] a display-effect (result of pointing-out; demonstration) of God's just, rightwised (in accord with the Way pointed out) deciding (separating for an evaluation or a judging; [cf Phil. 1:28]), [leading] unto your being deemed fully worthy of God's realm and kingdom (or: of commensurate value, from the sovereign influence, which is God, in the reign of God; [cf Rev. 3:4]), over (or: on behalf of) which, you also continue having sense-affected, and sense-related, experiences (or: normally feel emotions; or: repeatedly suffer),
He calls this "a display-effect, a result of a pointing-out, and a demonstration" of "God's just, rightwised (in accord with the Way pointed out) deciding (separating for an evaluation or a judging)." Paul is saying that God had evaluated their maturity in Christ which was demonstrated by their behavior of "steadfast remaining under to give support," (etc.). And what was the result of God's decision about them? They were "being deemed fully worthy of God's realm and kingdom," (etc., as on offer in the parenthetical expansion).
They were even yet continuing to have a wide spectrum of experiences, emotions, and even suffering (the Greek verb has this semantic range). Now Paul's sentence continues on...
6. since, in fact, in regard to a person who observes the Way pointed out - a rightwised person - [it is right], in the presence of God (or: if, after all, [it is] the right thing with, and beside, God [= on God's part]), to repay pressure (or: squeezing and oppression; ordeal; trouble) to those continuously pressuring (squeezing; oppressing; troubling) you folks, [cf Acts 17:13]
Here, Paul begins to expand upon the results of God's evaluation: a decision that would affect their adversaries - letting those folks reap what they had been sowing into the called-out community. He would give, to these who were bringing the pressure and the ordeals, "the right thing" for them: pressure (or: squeezing and oppression; ordeal; trouble). In Gal. 6 we are instructed:
7. Do not be continually led astray (or: Stop being caused to wander, and being deceived); God is not one to be sneered at (be scorned, with up-turned nose; mocked, with indirect contempt), for 'Whatever a person is in the habit of sowing, this also he will be reaping,'
8. because the person continually sowing into the flesh of himself (= with a view to his estranged inner being, his "old man"), will progressively reap corruption (spoil; ruin; decay) forth from out of the flesh, or of the natural realm (or: the one habitually sowing into the natural realm, or system, will of, and from, himself continue to harvest decay from the natural realm, system, or [flesh-based religion])...
A harvest usually comes within the same "crop season" as that of the sowing of the seeds. The repaying of the pressuring would be soon to come.
7. and to (or: for; in; with) you - the folks being continuously pressed - relaxation (ease; a relaxing of a state of constriction; relief; [cf Rev. 14:13]), together with us, within the midst of this uncovering of(or: centered in the unveiling, and laying bare, from; or: in union with this apocalyptic disclosure, which is; or: in the sphere of the revelation about) the Lord (or: Master) Jesus, moving away from an atmosphere (or: moving from [the] sky; separating off [a] heaven), in company with agents of His inherent Power (or: along with folks with the message about His Ability; with messengers from a means of Influence, which is Him) -
Likewise, the Thessalonian called-out folks would receive relaxation (ease; a relaxing of a state of constriction; relief) - along with Paul and his companions (cf 1 Cor. 12:26).
OK, up to this point of the first part of vs. 7, we can see that Paul is speaking into their current situation - and his (together with us)! It would be those very folks who were bringing the pressure who would be receiving pressure, from God. All of that, for both parties, was something that involved these first century people.
But, you might ask, what about the rest of the verse? This part sounds apocalyptic and futuristic. Well, yes, on both counts. It was apocalyptic language (Paul often used this kind of rhetoric), but the future would be in their lifetimes, most likely very soon. That is when they needed the "ease and a relaxing of a state of constriction, and relief."
Well, then, what does Paul mean by "within the midst of this uncovering of the Lord Jesus"? First of all, let us consider other possible renderings of this phrase that are on offer:
"centered in the unveiling, and laying bare, from...or: in union with this apocalyptic disclosure, which is...or: in the sphere of the revelation about...the Master, Jesus."
This was something that was ongoing from the birth of Jesus. It happened to Saul, on the road to Damascus, when he was still the adversary (the 'satan') to the followers of Jesus. Jesus spoke to Saul from the sky, within Paul's atmosphere. God's agents had been on hand to minister to Jesus during His wilderness testing, at His Gethsemane ordeal, after His resurrection, and (Acts 1) when the risen Christ moved on into the sphere of the clouds (our atmosphere, or 'heaven'). Rev. 2:1 instructs us that He is continuously moving about among the called-out communities (the lampstands, in that context). He told those at Ephesus that He would come to them if they did not change their thinking (Rev. 2:5). This One, "with eyes like a flame of fire," would bring judgment to some in Thyatira (Rev. 2:20-22). He comes to immerse (baptize) folks with Holy Spirit and Fire (Mat. 3:11-12). He is the same to us, "yesterday, today and on into the ages" (Heb. 13:8). Keep in mind: "our God is a consuming Fire" (Heb. 12:29).
8. within (or: in the sphere of) Fire, of a flame [with other MSS: in union with a blaze from fire] continuously giving justice [cf Acts. 2:3; Heb. 10:27; 12:29; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 11:5; 21:8] (or: repeatedly imparting the effects of a rectifying dealing and right-making, from out of the Way pointed out, while creating and maintaining a rightwised relationship) among (or: for; in; with; to) those not having seen, and so not knowing or perceiving, God; even (or: also) among (or: for; in; with; to) those not continuously listening to, nor paying attention or obeying, the message of goodness, ease and well-being, which is our Lord, Jesus (or: from, and about, our Master and Owner: Jesus). [cf Mal. 3:1-3; Act 2:3]
In my translation of the NT, I am including the bracketed references, inserted above, for the reader's consideration. Especially relevant to this verse is the prophecy in Mal. 3:1-3 which apocalyptically describes the purification process that the Messiah would effect upon His people. All of God's dealings with humanity have a good end in view, whether it seems like it, or not. God is good.
So, what about this "giving justice"? Let us consider the alternate expanded rendering of this phrase:
"repeatedly imparting the effects of a rectifying dealing and right-making, from out of the Way pointed out, while creating and maintaining a rightwised relationship."
The giving justice... which includes the making right... is a good thing.
Now the description which Paul gives, of those who would be receiving the experience of God's fire, fits the Judaizers, and those of the Jewish religion, in Paul's day. Those were the main sources of the pressure and persecution that was coming upon these folks in Thessalonica... and upon other locations of the called-out communities of Christ. But it would also include those of "the nations" (Ps. 79:6), for through the work of Christ, the two ancient categories (circumcision and uncircumcision) had been dissolved, so that now there was only one: a new humanity (Eph. 2:15).
9. These certain folks who will proceed paying the thing that is right (incur justice, fairness and equity which characterize the Way pointed out): ruin in, and pertaining to, this Age (or: an unspecified period of being on the point of death; or: ruin or worthlessness associated with the age; eonian pestilence or plague; destruction characteristic of this age and era; or: life-long pestilence) [coming] from the Lord's face (or: [spreading] from the Face, and Presence, of the Master), even from the glory and assumed appearance of His Strength (or: and [spreading] from the manifestation which calls forth praise regarding, and having the character of, the strength from, Him) - [cf Gen. 32:30; Ps. 80:7; Isa. 2:10-22; 6:5-7; Ezk. 39:24-29; Mal. 4:1-6; Rev. 1:16; 14:10-12]
Notice, again, the specific reference, "These certain folks." These were the same ones referred to in vs. 6, above. God would be bringing them to ruin, and this would happen for "an unspecified period... that is associated with the age" in which they were living. The adjective that modifies the term "ruin, destruction, worthlessness, being at the point of death, pestilence," is aionion, and can simply refer to "life-long" ruin or pestilence. Now the fact that this is from "the Lord's face" means that He is the source of their experiencing this judgment. As given in the parenthetical expansion, this phrase indicates that it will come from our Master's Presence... and He is always present with us. Within Him we live, are moved, and exist (Acts 17:28). The "assumed appearance of His Strength" - His Strength's glory - can have any manifestation that He chooses. Paul, of course, leaves this open-ended. God does what He wants, when He wants to do it.
10. whenever He may come and go, to be given an assumed appearance within (or: be made glorious in the midst of, and in union with; to have repute centered in the sphere of) His set-apart folks (holy, sacred people), and to be wondered at (marveled at; admired) within, and among, all the folks believing and trusting, because our testimony (or: evidence; witness) [imparted] upon you, was believed (received with faith) and trusted, in that day.
This verse is a continuation of vs. 9, and it begins with a dependent clause about the probability (the verb is in the subjunctive) of His coming and going in the earth. This verb means either to come, or to go. We find the present participle of it in Rev. 1:8b, "the One Who was and continued being, and the One presently and continuously (or: progressively) coming and going, the Almighty Force." Our God is always on the move.
Now get ready for this: His activity is
"to be given an assumed appearance within (or: be made glorious in the midst of, and in union with; to have repute centered in the sphere of) His set-apart folks (holy, sacred people)."
What? Yes. Christ within us is our expectation of glory (or, an assumed appearance which calls forth praise) - Col. 1:27. Again, Paul was speaking to Christ's set-apart folks. And he continues...
11. Unto which end, also, we always continuously pray (or: think and speak toward a having of goodness, ease and well-being) concerning you, in order that our God would account you worthy of The Calling (or: of equal value to this invitation; [cf vs. 5, above]) and would fulfill every delight (intent from good thought; imagined well-being) of virtue (or: from goodness) and work of faith, in inherent Power (or: may make full every good disposition of excellence and action from trust and allegiance, in union with Ability and a means of Influence),
Observe: "unto which end" - i.e., that which he had just been saying, above - "we always continuously pray concerning YOU!" This is not about some far-off, so-called "end of the world" event.
As usual, Paul now gives them a purpose clause:
"in order that our God would account YOU worthy of The Calling..."
This parallels his statement about the Kingdom, i.e. God's realm, in vs. 5, above. Next he expands upon this idea in the remainder of the verse:
"fulfill every delight (intent from good thought; imagined well-being) of virtue and work of faith,"
and then tells them that this would be done
"in inherent Power."
Once again, this "union with Ability and means of Influence"(Greek: dunamis), comes from Christ within us (cf Phil. 4:13).
12. so that the Name and Designation of our Lord, Jesus [other MSS add: Christ], would be given an assumed appearance, and may be invested with glory (glorified; imagined; made to be a manifestation and a reputation which calls forth praise), within you folks, and you within Him, according to (down from; in line with; on the level of) the Grace and joyous Favor of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ (or: from our God, and from [the] Owner/Master, Anointed Jesus).
This verse opens with another purpose clause: it is all about the Name (Jesus) and Designation (Lord) being invested with a manifestation which calls forth praise. And, all of the above was to come into being within THEM! He ends re-affirming that this is from Grace (or: joyous Favor) which is from our God, and Anointed Jesus.
1. Now we are asking (or: requesting) you, brothers (siblings; = community members), over [the topic of] the (this) Presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ (or: concerning our Master, Jesus Christ, [being] present; [cf Phil. 4:5]), and our being gathered together upon (or: and of us being fully led together and assembling on the basis of) Him: [Heb. 10:25]
Although this had traditionally been interpreted as a reference to a future event, we read it as speaking of their present situation. The Lord was already present both within and among them. They were a called-out community that was continuously being gathered together upon Him. He was, and is, the basis of our assembling. Paul is now proceeding to expand upon the subject which he brought up in 1:6, above, and he continues this topic in the following verse...
2. in regard to this, you folks are NOT at any point to be quickly shaken (tossed, as by the sea, or caused to totter, like a reed) away from The Mind (or: from the mental sense of a perception; or: away from the ability to be aware and to reason; or: off from wits and intelligence), nor to be continuously disturbed (alarmed; startled), neither through a spirit (or: a breath-effect; an attitude), nor through a word (or: reason; a thought; a patterned message; an idea), nor through a letter - as if by (through) us - since seeing that the Day of the LORD (or: the Master; or: [= Yahweh]) has been set in place (or: and as thus, for this cause: because the Day from the Lord [other MSS: Christ], and which is the Lord, has been placed in, made to stand in, and has stood within so as to be here)! [cf 1 Thes. 5:5]
[comment 1: this may have come later - in AD 70;comment 2: the Day of Yahweh was a term that figured a time of judging and hard times, in the Old Testament; e.g., cf Joel 1:15 and 2:1-2; Jer. 30:7; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14-18; comment 3: the final clause may be an affirmation of the present situation, and thus, why they should not be shaken]
Once again, the Day of the Lord was the eschatological event in which they were presently living. This Day did not end, for Christ is this Day, and:
"you all are (or: exist being) sons of (from; associated with and having the qualities of; or: which are) Light and sons of (from; associated with and having qualities of; or: which are [the; this; a]) Day!" (1 Thes. 5:5).
We posit here that the "the Day of the Lord" was an ongoing day that continued into our present time, and will continue into the future, for it is also the Day which is the Lord (genitive of apposition). This phrase has a history, in the OT, so let us consider other aspects of this Day...
The "Day of Yahweh" was a term that figured a time of judging and hard times, in the Old Testament [e.g., cf Joel 1:15 and 2:1-2; Jer. 30:7; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14-18]. It was obviously considered to be something to be alarmed about, and inwardly shaken. The term "presence" has more than one significance:
a) it can refer to His ongoing presence, via His Spirit (e.g., when two or three, or more, are gathered in His name, Matt. 18:20); it can refer to His solidarity and identity with His body, as Jesus stated in Matt. 25:35-40; it can refer to Him dwelling in His temple, John 14:20;
b) or, it can refer to His presence for a specific work, such as judging His people, or intervening in history to bring deliverance or rescue. He dwells in our atmosphere (heaven; sky) so He is ever present, and He is "continuously walking about within the midst of the seven golden lampstands (i.e., the churches)," and He walks with feet "like white brass (or: bronze; fine copper - a figure of His judging process) as having been set on fire in a furnace" and eyes "as a flame of fire" - Rev. 2:1; 1:14-15. But in 2:5, He says that He may come unto them and remove their lampstand. In Rev. 2:16 He threatens to quickly come to them and fight against them with the sword of His mouth. He threatened to come to Sardis as a thief (3:3).
I therefore suggest that Paul is also including a special presence concerning the expected destruction of Jerusalem that Jesus foretold. This was a time of shaking the heavens and the earth (Heb. 12:26), and it not only affected the Jews, but also the called-out communities of that period, as this letter suggests, and as we see from the letter sent from John to the 7 communities in 1st century Asia Minor (Rev. 2 and 3), as cited above. This letter was written prior to the Jewish revolt and the coming of the Lord in judgment via Rome. But the Thessalonians, and Paul, were already living in the Day of the Lord.
Jonathan
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