2Th 2:1

Vv 1-12: The Man of Sin destroyed by Christ at his coming.

Vv 1,2: Warning against false claims.

CONCERNING THE COMING: Not “by the coming” (as in AV). Paul refers to the subject at hand, which he has been discussing in 2Th 1:5-12. “Coming” = “parousia”, a coming alongside, a visible presence (See Lesson, “Parousia”).

AND OUR BEING GATHERED TO HIM: “Epi-sunagoge”: “Our assembling” (RSV). The same word occurs as a noun in Heb 10:25, having to do with the assembling together of the church for the communion service. But this reference is “about” the return of Christ — as the previous phrase and the whole context states: “assembly”, then, must be the great assembly: the final gathering of believers (living and dead) (Mat 23:37; Mark 13:27; Luke 13:34; 1Th 4:17) to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

WE ASK YOU, BROTHERS: This is the apostle’s introduction to an exhortation or request of great importance (cp 1Th 4:1; 5:12; Phi 4:3).

2Th 2:2

NOT TO BECOME EASILY UNSETTLED: “Easily” (“tacheos”) actually means “quickly”, or “hastily”, “Unsettled” (“saleuo”) = agitated, tossed, as by the action of strong wind or waves.

ALARMED: “Throemai”: put in a tumult. This word is used in a similar sense with regard to the return of Christ in Mark 13:7 and Mat 24:6.

PROPHECY: This is, literally, “spirit”, Gr “pneuma” — here referring to the (supposed) “revelation” and teaching of a false prophet (cp 1Jo 4:1; 1Th 5:19,20; 1Co 14:12,32). They needed to “discern the spirits” and recognize the spurious (1Co 12:10).

REPORT: “Logos” — a word-of-mouth communication, possibly purporting to come from Paul (cp his expression: “this we say unto you by the word of the Lord”: 1Th 4:15).

OR LETTER SUPPOSED TO HAVE COME FROM US: The “supposed to have come from us” probably refers to all three forms of forged communication: spirit, report, and letter. Judaizers had resorted to publishing their own letters of commendation for the Corinthian ecclesia (2Co 3:1); this problem was acknowledged at the Jerusalem conference (Acts 15:24). In view of the prevalent forgeries, and in order positively to prove his own authorship, Paul sent his letters by the hand of accredited representatives (2Co 2:3,4,13; 7:6-8; 8:16-24). Furthermore, he sometimes signed his letters (2Th 3:17; Col 4;18; 1Co 16:21); at least once, he wrote the whole letter himself (Gal 6:11).

SAYING THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS ALREADY COME: The “day of the Lord” or “of Christ” is Paul’s common expression of reference to the “parousia” or visible return of Christ (1Th 1:10; 5:2). Whereas the KJV has “at hand”, the NIV is better: “has already come”; cp “has come” (RSV) or “is present” (RV). The expression is very strong in expressing suddenness or imminence: things present as distinguished from things to come (cp usage, Rom 8:38; 1Co 3:22; Gal 1:4; Heb 9:9).

It was not erroneous to teach, as Paul himself did, that Christ might soon come: Paul clearly believed himself that he might live to see that day (1Th 4:13-18), and he was no longer a young man. The error that was being foisted upon the Thessalonians was that the final events immediately preceding the return of Christ had already commenced.

2Th 2:3

Vv 3-9: The Man of sin revealed.

See Lesson, Man of sin.

See Lesson, Man of sin, first century.

See Lesson, Man of sin, Zec 5.

See Lesson, Man of sin = Beast of Revelation.

Vv 3-9: The parallels between the “Man of Sin” and the Serpent of Eden are many and obvious. How could it be otherwise when the “Man of Sin” is Scripturally defined as the “Seed of the Serpent?” “Like father, like son”, certainly!”: