I Corinthians 2, Wisdom of the Spirit

Paul began his letter to Corinth by reminding his readers of the life available in the Holy Spirit and confronting them for divisions based on various leadership choices.  He continues to discuss these issues, focusing on spiritual wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2: 1-5, Weakness in Jesus
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

Jesus is the priority; it is to his kingdom, his country, to which we belong.  This membership, and the accompanying wisdom, is much simpler (and yet much deeper) than any temporary eloquence of speech or philosophy.

1 Corinthians 2:6-10a, A different wisdom

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The shortterm "wisdom" of the world is very different from the longterm eternal wisdom offered by the crucified and resurrected Messiah.

The Old Testament quote in verse 9 is from Isaiah 64:4.

1 Corinthians 2: 10b-13, The Holy Spirit reveals God's thoughts
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Paul emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, acting internally, aiding the believer to begin to see things from God's perspective.  This follows an argument similar to that expressed in Romans 8 (which was written from Corinth.)

1 Corinthians 2: 14-16, Have the "mind of Christ"
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

This is a significant theme of Paul's: if one is constantly immersed in the temporary social and intellectual realm of "earth" then one has a mindset very different from that given by the Holy Spirit, given to those who are part of the kingdom of heaven.  (In this way -- as to be elaborated later -- the followers of the Messiah are to be "ambassadors", remembering our "true country" while living in this one.)

The Old Testament quote in verse 16 is from Isaiah 40:13. Even when speaking to Gentiles, Paul repeatedly relies on the Jewish ("Old Testament") scriptures.

I Corinthian 1, A Higher Calling

After reading the book of Acts, we have looked at some early letters by the apostle Paul -- his letters to the Galatians and the Thessalonians.  We will now look at his letters to Corinth, before returning to read through one of the gospels.

The church begun in Corinth was in the midst of a pagan and chaotic society.  Paul wrote several letters to the church dealing with practical concerns and questions that they had posed to him. Over the next three weeks we look at the "First Letter" to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 1:1-3, Greeting
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this fairly traditional greeting, Paul lays out the writers (he and Sothenes) and addresses the people of the Corinth church, reminding them of their high calling.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9, General calling

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge--because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Paul elaborates on this calling. The people of the church have been provided everything they need through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13, Concerns about divisions

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

One sign of the love of God is a unity and common encouragement among the followers of God. Paul is distressed that in Corinth the Christians are breaking into factions, depending upon which teacher they claim as theirs.  

Sadly, this has only gotten worse over the millenia since.

1 Corinthians 1:14-17, Division caused by baptism

I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

One of the conflicts in Corinth is over baptism.  Here the conflict is related to the identification with a certain teacher, not the mode of baptism. But note how uninterested Paul is in baptism as he says, "I didn't baptize anyone... well except Crispus and Gaius.  Oops, right, I also baptized the household of Stephanas...."  Paul would be shocked that modern churches have moved the dispute to the "mode" of baptism.  None of these disagreements should allow conflict among the people of God's kingdom!

1 Corinthians 1:18-25, The "Weakness" of the Gospel
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

The Old Testament quote in verse 19 is from Isaiah 29:14.

The earthly, naturalistic view of things -- in which the current "wisdom" fad is all that matters -- is shortsighted. Yes, it may bring a certain social standing, as all fads do. Paul is not going to give himself over to the human hierarchy of scholarship.  Elsewhere, Paul will make careful intellectual arguments about the case for Christ (see Acts 17: 16-34 in Athens, and the arguments in the letter to the Romans) but he is not subservient to intellectual "wisdom".

1 Corinthians 1 26-31, God's standards are utterly different
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

The Old Testament quote in verse 31 is from Jeremiah 9:24.

Why has God chosen this path?  Why does he work with the weak, poor, humble?  I'm not sure we are eager for the answer....  But it has been God's plan through ancient Israel, from his choice of Abraham, Judah, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David.  Jesus repeated this message throughout his ministry.  Paul will elaborate on Jesus and this ministry of the "weak" or "foolish" in the next chapter.

Acts 19, Paul in Ephesus

Leaving Antioch on his third missionary journey, Paul returns to modern Turkey, to towns he has previous visited. One of them is the relatively large city of Ephesus.

Acts 19:1-7, Baptizing followers in Ephesus
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when You believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" 

"John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

Paul arrives at Ephesus to learn of disciples of Jesus who know of John's baptism, but do not know of Pentecost.  These disciples (coincidentally about 12) may not even know of the crucifixion and resurrection (and its meaning) and so are not yet fully aware of Who Jesus is.

Acts 19:8-12, Synagogue in Ephesus
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Paul stays in Ephesus for two years, so it plays a central role in his ministry. Ephesus was a large port city in that day, on the Kaystros River, but it would be destroyed by an earthquake in the seventh century and now its ruins are a tourist designation, five miles from the ocean, as the Kaystros has filled with silt.  I spent an afternoon there in summer 2012, a tourist among the ruins.

Acts 19:13-17, Seven sons of Sceva
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [One day] the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Luke records a strange event in which even the evil spirits acknowledge Paul ... but aren't willing to abide by fake exorcists!

Acts 19:18-22, Giving up their books and beliefs
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in  power.

After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

The NIV footnotes say that a drachma (verse 19) was a silver coin worth about a day's wages.  The gospel has made a serious dent in the finances of the worshipers of Artemis!  (Then, as today, people react strongly to beliefs that hurt their pocketbooks!)

Acts 19:23-27, Demetrius and the sellers of Artemis

About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related  trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that  man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."

Poor Artemis, unable to defend herself!  (One should always be suspicious of any deities -- Artemis, Allah, Jesus -- that rely on their followers to protect them!)

Acts 19:28-34, "Great is Artemis"
When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.

Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in  unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

It is good that the "disciples" don't let Paul address the crowd!

Acts 19:35-41, City clerk: "The courts are open...."
The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.

If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it."

After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Luke's impression of the city clerk here is considerably better than his account of Gallio of Corinth, of the previous chapter.

It is likely that Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians during his three years in Ephesus.

Acts 18, Paul in Corinth; Third Journey Begins

Paul has spent time in Athens, talking to the Greeks, and now moves further west to another Greek city, a center of commerce and Greek culture.

Acts 18:1-8, Paul in Corinth
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.

A turning point occurs. Paul begins to understand that the Gentiles are more receptive to the gospel and decides to go to them first.  Still, he continues to care about his Jewish brothers and sisters and we will see Paul speaking to Jews in the synagogues in later chapters. 

Luke notes that the local synagogue ruler becomes a believer.

Acts 18:9-11, Stay  in Corinth!
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."  So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word  of God.

With encouragement from the divine vision, Paul devotes portions of two years to building the church in Corinth.  He will later send them letters, working through a number of practical and theological problems.

Acts 18:12-17, Attack before Gallio
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court. "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."

Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things."  So he had them ejected from the court.

Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Luke expresses surprise at the apathy of Gallio.  

Acts 18:18-22, Journey to Ephesus
Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus. When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

Paul returns home to the church in Antioch.  The trip is covered quickly in Luke's telling, other than the vow made in Cenchrea (a port of Corinth.)  At Cenchrea Paul apparently gets on a ship and crosses the Aegean to Ephesus, a port city on the opposite side.  Ephesus is a major city in this time and Paul had set up a significant ministry there.  Later he will write them a letter which comes into our canon as the Epistle to the Ephesians.

It is not clear what vow Paul is taking in Cenchrea. It may be one begun there, intended to end in Jerusalem in Acts 21:20-26. If so, Paul may be taking a Nazarite vow -- see this Stackexchange page.

Acts 18:23-28, A new trip! And growth in Ephesus!

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

The third missionary journey begins, with a return through Asia Minor, visiting the churches (synagogues) developed in the previous journeys.  

Meanwhile, Luke digresses to tell us of Apollos in Ephesus.  Apparently Apollos knows of Jesus, but not of Pentecost.  The knowledge Apollos has might be equated with that one has after reading the gospel of Mark or Matthew.  Luke emphasizes that because Apollos knew the Scriptures (that is, what Christians today would call the Old Testament) and because Apollos knew about Jesus, he was able to accurately link the Jewish Scriptures to the Messiah.  (I would love to know what Apollos taught! Could it be summarized in the book of Hebrews?)

II Thessalonians 3, Work While Waiting

Paul has elaborated on the "Second Coming" of the Messiah-Savior.  Now he clarifies the type of lives we should live as we await the return of the Messiah.

2 Thessalonians 3: 1-5, Pray for us, deliver us from evil

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

===

3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the word of the Lord will [ae]spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it was also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from troublesome and evil people; for not all have the faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, [af]and He will strengthen and protect you [ag]from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing, and will do, what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you [ah]keep away from every brother or sister who [ai]leads a [aj]disorderly life and not one in accordance with the tradition which [ak]you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to [al]follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined way among you, 8 nor did we eat [am]anyone’s bread [an]without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a role model for you, so that you would [ao]follow our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now we command and exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to work [ap]peacefully and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good.

14 If anyone does not obey our [aq]instruction [ar]in this letter, take special note of that person so as not to associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 And yet do not regard that person as an enemy, but [as]admonish that one as a brother or sister.

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every [at]circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

17 [au]I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul asks for continued prayer to aid the continued growth of the church.  He is aware that this return of Jesus may still be some distance away and there is much work to do.

2 Thessalonians 3: 6-9, We were a model for you

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.

Paul set a standard of hard work while among the Thessalonians and he wants them to emulate that. Idleness is not a kingdom ethic.

2 Thessalonians 3: 10-12, Work; do not be idle

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.

This is a famous passage, later quoted by many people, including both the Jamestown explorer, John Smith, and Vladimir Lenin.  Paul's message is a simple one: in a community we all must be involved. Everyone has a part.  Idleness is not a kingdom ethic; in fact, work is a natural part of the kingdom! Adam and Eve were given work to do in perfect Eden, long before the Fall. (See Genesis 2:15.) God's plan involves good (healthy) work for all of us.

2 Thessalonians 3: 13-15, Do what is right & insist on this in the Church

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.

Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

The confrontation described here occurs only within the church. It is to be done with love and concern.

2 Thessalonians 3: 16-18, Paul, servant of the Lord of Peace

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul ends the letter as he began it, with an emphasis on grace and peace.

II Thessalonians 2, The Second Coming

Paul has mentioned the returning Messiah in his first letter to the Thessalonians and again briefly in the first part of his second letter.  Now he describes this Second Coming in more detail.

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4, The second coming of the Messiah

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

===

2 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the [i]coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your [j]composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a [k]message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the [l]apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above [m]every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [n]He who now restrains will do so until [o]He is [p]removed. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His [q]coming; 9 that is, the one whose [r]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false [s]signs and wonders, 10 and with [t]all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God [u]will send upon them [v]a deluding influence so that they will believe [w]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [x]judged who did not believe the truth, but [y]took pleasure in wickedness.

Stand Firm

13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you [z]from the beginning for salvation [aa]through sanctification [ab]by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, [ac]that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter [ad]from us.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

Request for Prayer

A "man of lawlessness" will apparently appear prior to the Messiah's return.  It is possible the Paul is responding to rumors that Jesus has already returned a second time.  

2 Thessalonians 2: 5, We talked about this!

Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

Paul is continuing a conversation begun in Thessalonica when he was with the church.

2 Thessalonians 2: 6-12, The Man of Lawlessness

And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Paul expects a "man of lawlessness" who will dramatically attack the believers (and possibly Israel?) This "man" will be deceptive, with even counterfeit miracles.  

We will try to look more closely at these ideas when we get to the book of Revelation.

2 Thessalonians 2: 13-14, But you share in Glory

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As he has done in other places, Paul is quick to remind the believers that they have a better alternative, for they are part of the growing eternal kingdom.

2 Thessalonians 2: 15-17, and so you should be stable and faithful
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

The fundamental response to all of this is simple: Live faithful lives.  Paul will elaborate on this in the next chapter, as he closes out this short letter.

II Thessalonians 1, Temporary Suffering, Longterm Glory

Shortly after Paul wrote a letter to the church in Thessalonica, he wrote a follow-up letter.  This follow-up letter explains more about the second advent of Jesus and how the church is to respond in the meantime, while patiently waiting for Jesus's return.

2 Thessalonians 1: 1-2, Paul, Silas and Timothy greet you!

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

===

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. 4 As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your [a]perseverance and faith [b]in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is [c]a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering. 6 [d]For after all it is only right [e]for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, [f]when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with [g]His mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified among His [h]saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will consider you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Man of Lawlessness

Just as in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul is writing this along with coworkers Timothy and Silas. (The Greek name Paul uses here for Silas is "Silvanus".)  This greeting, standard for Paul, wishes the Thessalonians, "grace" and "peace".  I think most of us understand "peace" but "grace" is a little more complex, for here it relies on the freedom and forgiveness provided by the Savior-Messiah. (See this article for more on "grace and peace".)

2 Thessalonians 1: 3-7a, Encouraged by suffering

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. 

The Thessalonians continue to suffer in some way, probably in persecution from the authorities and some Jews who have been confronting Paul's message.  Paul wants the young church to know that suffering has a purpose. 

As always, Paul is upbeat at the beginning of his letter, encouraged by the growth of his readers.

2 Thessalonians 7b-10, Blazing fire
This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

Paul explicitly mentions the return of the Messiah as a final time of judgment and restoration.  He describes "blazing fire", most likely an image of a bright noonday sun. (John has a more detailed description of what the returning Messiah might look like in Revelation 1: 12-18.)

2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12, Be worthy!

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul prays for the Thessalonians, for their growth and fulfillment as faithful followers of the Messiah.

The NIV footnotes say that the ending of verse 12 could be translated "God and Lord, Jesus Christ" just as easily as "God and Lord Jesus Christ."  The Greek has no punctuation; Paul could be identifying Jesus as both God and as Lord (or Master).

The next chapter focuses on this returning Messiah.