CHAPTER 2

(A.D. 54)

THE SECOND COMING

¹Now we beseech you, Brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (refers to both the Rapture and the Second Coming), and by our gathering together unto Him (this phrase refers strictly to the Rapture),

²That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled (false doctrine does this), neither by spirit (messages in tongues and interpretation, which purport to be of the Lord, but really were not), nor by word (pertaining to those who claimed to have a Word from the Lord), nor by letter as from us (someone had written a letter claiming certain prophetic things, and evidently had signed Pauls name to it, which means it was a forgery), as that the Day of Christ is at hand (should have been translated, the Day of the Lord, because this is how the best manuscripts read; the Day of the Lord refers to all events after the Rapture; some were claiming, even in Pauls day, that the Second Coming was about to take place, which of course was wrong).

³Let no man deceive you by any means (in other words, dont listen to that which is Scripturally incorrect): for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (should have been translated, for that day shall not come, except there come a departure first; this speaks of the Rapture, which, in essence, says the Second Coming cannot take place until certain things happen), and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (this speaks of the Antichrist, who must come upon the world scene before the Second Coming);

⁴Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God (pertains to his declaration of himself as Deity), or that is worshipped (the Antichrist will put down all religions, at least in the area which he controls, making himself alone the object of worship); so that he as God sits in the Temple of God (refers to the Jewish Temple, which will be rebuilt in Jerusalem; the Antichrist will take over the Temple, making it his religious headquarters), showing himself that he is God. (This proclaims his announcement of Deity as it regards himself.)

⁵Dont you remember, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (So, there was no excuse for the Thessalonians to be drawn away by false doctrine.)

⁶And now you know what withholds (speaks of the Church) that he might be revealed in his time. (This speaks of the Antichrist who will be revealed or made known after the Rapture of the Church.)

⁷For the mystery of iniquity does already work (concerns false teaching by false teachers): only he (the Church) who now lets (who now hinders evil)will let(will continue to hinder), until he (the Church) be taken out of the way. (The pronoun he confuses some people. In Verses 4 and 6, the pronoun he refers to the Antichrist, while in Verse 7 he refers to the Church.)

⁸And then (after the Rapture of the Church) shall that Wicked (the Antichrist) be revealed (proving conclusively that the Rapture takes place before the Great Tribulation [Mat. 24:21]), whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His Mouth (should have been translated, the Breath of His Mouth [Isa. 11:4]), and shall destroy with the brightness of His Coming (both phrases refer to the Second Coming):

⁹Even him(the Antichrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan (means that Satan is the sponsor of the Antichrist) with all power and signs and lying wonders (proclaims the fact that the Antichrists rise to power, at least in the beginning, will be very religious),

¹⁰And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them who perish (refers to the fact that all lying powers and lying signs and lying wonders will be used to deceive the world); because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved (they rejected Christ and the Cross).

¹¹And for this cause (the rejection of Christ and the Cross) God shall send them strong delusion (if one doesnt want the Truth, God will see to it one receives a delusion), that they should believe a lie (should have been translated, that they should believe the lie; the Greek Text has the definite article the lie, which refers to a specific lie; that lie pertains to anything that leads a person away from the Cross):

¹²That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth (who would not accept the Cross), but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (The Greek has the definite article, which actually says, the unrighteousness, specifying a particular unrighteousness; it is really referring to the results of rejection of the Cross of Christ.)

THANKSGIVING

¹³But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you (refers to those who did not succumb to the lies of false teachers), Brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) and belief of the Truth (concerns itself not with the who of Salvation [in other words, who will be saved], but rather the manner of Salvation and Sanctification; people are saved by trusting Christ and the Cross; Believers are Sanctified by continuing to trust Christ and the Cross; the Cross is the means of all things pertaining to God, as it relates to humanity):

¹⁴Whereunto He (God) called you by our Gospel (Jesus Christ and Him Crucified [I Cor. 1:17-18, 21; 2:2]), to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (This pertains to the wonder that comes with Salvation, and all because of what Christ did at the Cross.)

¹⁵Therefore, Brethren, stand fast (refers to standing fast in the Gospel Paul had Preached unto them), and hold the traditions which you have been taught (refers to what Paul had taught them, which was the Truth), whether by word, or our Epistle. (This is what he had preached to them when he was personally with them, and, as well, by the Epistle he had already sent them, and the second one he is now writing.)

¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (proclaims the Apostle giving the Resurrection Name of our Lord), and God, even our Father (refers to relationship), which has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace (all made possible by the Cross),

¹⁷Comfort your hearts (the Holy Spirit comforts us), and stablish you in every good word and work. (The foundation principle for this accomplishment is a proper understanding of the Cross of Christ.)