Second Epistle to the Thessalonians

^A future according to the operation of Satan. Then, exhorting them to stand manfully and hold the traditions which they were taught by him, he commands that they have no communication with the unruly, but rather that they cast them out: for he indicates that those who are of such a kind live meddlesomely. And he commands generally that whoever does not obey his words should be cast out from the congregation. And finally, having prayed for peace for them, he concludes the Epistle with a greeting written by his own hand, which he indicated was the sign of all his Epistles.

OF THEODORET

Since in the former Epistle he wrote as if he were entirely intending to go to them, and to fulfill that which was lacking to them, and gave many signs of affection, and yet did not go: for this reason he adds this Epistle in place of his own coming. But that he did not go to them, one may conjecture from this: since in the former Epistle he had deferred writing about the times of the coming of the Lord, as being a matter that brought them no usefulness, now he writes about it: which he would not have done if he himself had gone to them. But for this cause he writes about the times. Certain seducers ^B were saying that the coming of the Lord was already at hand: which if it were true, Christ would be found a liar. For He Himself in the Gospels gave signs of His coming, which had not yet come to pass. He is forced, therefore, himself also to discourse concerning the signs that will happen before the coming and ^C concerning the coming of the Antichrist, through all things declaring the prophecies of the Lord to be true.

CHAPTERS OF THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

1. Thanksgiving for the faith and love and patience of the Thessalonians, for their honor and the retribution of those who afflict them: and a prayer for their glorious perfection to the glory of Christ, 2. Concerning the end, that it will be after the Antichrist who is to be sent for the refutation of the Jews who did not believe in Christ, 3. Thanksgiving concerning the calling, 4. That they may be prayed for, and for the work of the Gospel, 5. Exhortation to labor and to the avoidance of those who are idle and meddlesome, 6. Prayer for peace, which is from God.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

PROŒMIUM

^A 1, 1, 2. Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So also in the first Epistle he began the exordium, and observe the annotations there: "In God our Father." For the Church exists in the Father and the Son, not as the churches of the Greeks and many other heretics. "Grace to you and peace." For he knows how great the grace and peace of God is, and that it works an alleviation in afflictions; wherefore he continually wishes these things for them.

CHAPTER I

^B Gratiarum actio de fide Thessalonicensium et charitate ac patientia ad illorum honorem et afflictionum ultionem: et precatio pro ipsorum perfectione gloriosa ad Christi gloriam.

1, 3-5. We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of all of you toward one another abounds. [We boast] of ourselves in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and the tribulations which you endure, for a manifestation of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.

^C He teaches them two things: that the temptations which happen to them are worthy not of lamentation but of thanksgiving, and that for those things which they suffer and for those which they endure, thanks are to be rendered to God. — [PHOT.] If it is right to give thanks for the good works performed by others, what must they suffer who are touched by envy toward those who do good? "As it is fitting." Either you will understand that he says it is just, or "Magnificently" must be supplied, so that the sense is: Magnificently, as is fitting, we ought to give thanks to Him who has bestowed great things. "Because it grows exceedingly." For in the word [ὑπεραυξάνει], the preposition is significant of excellence and vehemence. But how does it happen that faith is increased? When, upon temptations and tribulations coming upon one, one is not shaken. "And love abounds." It implies that even for the bearing of temptations, loving and clinging to one another contributes much. For he showed from these things that the love of all toward one another was equal, and that

no one had more or less in it. ^A «In you ^A we glory in the churches of God.» In the first epistle he said that the churches do not need to learn from us about you; for they know. How then does he say here that we glory in you? He did not say, We teach, but We glory. It is possible to glory even among those who know. If, then, your noble deeds provide us with occasions for glorying, why are you troubled and distressed over the temptations that are the conduits of these noble deeds? «For your patience.» He shows that they also had a long time in their temptations. For this is what patience denotes. «In all your persecutions.» Now patience is the endurance of the postponement of rewards; but greater and more admirable is the patience in suffering temptations and afflictions. ^B «A manifestation of the just judgment of God.» By manifestation, he means the proof and the test. For you are enduring these things so that the just judgment of God might be proven, and that you might be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven; as if he were to say: For this reason God permits you to be in afflictions, so that when He renders to you the kingdom of heaven, He might display it, and provide as if for a trial and proof and test of His own just judgment. Observe also that to suffer for Christ provides the kingdom of heaven according to just judgment, and not according to grace. Through this he greatly lifted their minds to heights and persuaded them to despise their afflictions. «For which you also suffer.» On account of which, he says. Since εἴπερ (if indeed) is ἐπείπερ (since), ^C «If indeed it is just with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to you who are afflicted rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, who shall pay the penalty, eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He comes to be glorified in His saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed.» If indeed it is just with God. Understand the word "If indeed" (ἐπείπερ) as either a declaration and confirmation or as a question, as if he had said: "If in fact God deems this just," as if He is altogether prone to judge it just. This is what we are accustomed to say: "If God hates the wicked," as if it were manifest that He does hate them. «Rest with us.» Since he said "rest," lest they should say, "What then? Until we find a solution to our evils, will the evils surrounding us remain, and will there be no repayment at all?" he adds, "with us," so that he might take them as partakers both in the struggles and in the apostolic crowns. ^D «At the revelation of the Lord.» By revelation, he means the coming. By describing the second coming of Christ, he gives them cause to expect the greatest things, and to rejoice in that very coming, even before the reward.

^A «With the angels of his power.» As if he had said: With the angels who excel in his power, or as the angels who are powerful, that is, with his powerful angels. «In flaming fire.» In the revelation of the Lord Jesus, which will occur in a flame of fire. For regarding this, David also says: ^B «Fire shall go before him, and shall burn up his enemies round about.» [Phot.] The phrase «in the flame of fire,» he says, alludes to the kind of punishment which those who do not know God, and have not obeyed the Gospel of Christ, will pay. Or, by the flame of fire, he signifies the very Lordly presence, indicating that it will come to pass with a burning fire. For so also those before us have understood it. «To those who do not know God.» Here he also says another thing by way of proof, that those who afflict them will certainly pay the penalty. For since he says above, «to those who afflict you,» in order that they might not fall into unbelief as to whether God truly intends to punish their persecutors on their account, he says that even if it be not for your sake, He will punish them for His own sake. For He pays the penalty due to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey His Gospel. But if He pays it to these, much more so to those who hinder others from obeying, such as those who now afflict you, he says. «Eternal destruction.» Where, then, are those who say that the punishments there do not last forever? «From the face of the Lord.» For there is no need, he says, for any great labor for this. For by the mere face of Christ, that is, by His manifestation, the one sort will be in punishment, and the other in honor. Which will be, he says, «with the glory of his might,» as if he had said: As soon as His face appears, and with it the glory of His might, the sinners will be immediately snatched into punishment. ^C «When he shall come to be glorified.» That which he says, «to be glorified,» is understood in two ways: both that it is a glory to Him that there are many saints to whom He intends to bestow His goods (for just as our salvation is His riches, so also His glory is that many are found in glory), and because He will be glorified by the saints who behold Him sitting in the paternal glory as God and Judge of all. It can also be understood in a third way: that the saints will cause Him to be glorified by the incorporeal powers, as they behold how great a reward He will deem them worthy of. «In all who believed.» In, that is, through all. For just as the saints will provide an occasion for Him to be glorified, so also for Him to be admired because He deemed those who in the present life seemed so vile and abject, such that they suffered persecution from all and were being killed, worthy of such and so great goods. ^D «Because our testimony to you was believed in that day, in which we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfill every good purpose of goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in

and our brethren in him according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. ^B God shall be held in admiration because faith was had in our testimony and preaching. And how, from the fact that they believed their preaching, shall God be held in admiration? Because, he says, if you had not heard us, you would by no means have been deemed worthy of such great blessings; and not being deemed worthy, you would not have provided an occasion of glorification and admiration to Christ for those things by which He glorified you. "In that day." On the day that will then be, it shall become manifest that you believed; for now many also feign faith. "For which we also pray." To this very end, he says, we pray, that God may also be glorified and held in admiration in you, "that He may count you worthy of this calling." What then? Were they not already called? Assuredly; for we are all called, but we do not all enter in. And the five virgins manifest this, as does he who had the filthy garments. By "calling," therefore, he means that which also has entrance joined to it. We pray, he says, that God may fulfill every good counsel of His toward you. The counsel and purpose of God is that all men should be saved and attain eternal blessings. And He will also fulfill the work of faith in you by His own power; for this follows from that. For if He fulfills the work of faith, perfecting you, He will altogether fulfill His own purpose as well. Observe, however, that he did not say "faith," but "the work of faith." "That the name of the Lord may be glorified." For if these things come to pass, he says, just as God will be glorified in His saints, as we said above, so also will He be in you; for He is glorified, as we also said above, when He imparts such blessings to His servants. And it will be to His own glory as well that ^C they are endowed with such good things. Or understand it this way: If He fulfills the work of your faith in power, that is, through the endurance of afflictions, God will be glorified in you, because He made you powerful and gave you strength for this; and you will be glorified in God, because you showed yourselves worthy of divine love and aid. "According to the grace of our God." For all these things are the grace of Christ; since we, he says, are neither sufficient nor worthy of these things, but His grace accomplishes all things through us.

CHAPTER II

Concerning the end, which will be after the Antichrist who is to be sent for the condemnation of the Jews who did not believe in Christ.

II, 1, 2. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." ^D O excellent praise of the saints! For he showed that they also will be gathered unto Christ, so that they too may appear with Him and come together at the same time with Him. "That ye be not soon." What then do we beseech and exhort you? That you be not soon, he says, shaken or frightened...

^A by the ignorance and fear of the mind. For it must be known that certain corruptors appeared among them who said that the day of the second advent of Christ was at hand, and they were troubling and frightening them. Paul, indeed, does not say when it will be, but he points out that it is not at hand now, by mentioning the signs of the advent. "Neither by spirit." For false prophets were saying these things. He speaks of "spirit," that is, as a gift or grace; for in order to include the false prophets, he said generally that even if anyone possessing the gift of prophecy should say this, do not believe him. Or he calls it "spirit," meaning the unclean spirit. For it was through an unclean spirit that the false prophets spoke. The blessed John assented to this second interpretation. "Nor by speech." For they were persuading them that the day of the Lord was at hand by a certain plausible argument. "Nor by epistle." For they were also forging epistles as if in the name of Paul, and this he clearly manifests.

[II, 3, 4] "Let no man deceive you by any way: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

Because he said that it is not at hand, he subsequently mentions the signs of its very approach, and reveals a great mystery. "By any way." Neither by spirit, he says, nor by speech, nor by epistle. "Except there come a falling away." By "falling away" he means the Antichrist himself, because he is destined to separate many from Christ. Or he calls "apostasy," or falling away, the very separation from God, and the thing itself which is signified by the name. "And that he be revealed." For the error which occupies the world will be extinguished, and the seduction of idols will cease, and then that wicked one will be revealed. For the Lord also said this: "The Gospel will be preached in all the ends of the earth for a testimony unto them, and then shall the end come."

"The man of sin." Who is this? Is it Satan? By no means. But some man who receives his entire operation. ^B By imitation of the Savior, Satan comes in a man in his entirety. Another [interpretation]: He calls the Antichrist himself the man of sin. For neither will Satan be the Antichrist, but a man obsessed and directed by Satan. He calls him the man of sin because he himself will sin most grievously, and will force others to do so. He calls him the son of perdition because he will destroy many and he himself will be destroyed. And he says that he will be some Hebrew man, advanced in the knowledge of every magic and witchcraft. "Who opposeth and exalteth." For he will oppose and lift himself up by his own pride not only against the God over all, but also against idols. For he will not lead men to idolatry, but [will cause them] to worship him as God. For this reason he says he will be exalted above all

^A that is called God or an object of worship. "In the temple of God." He does not mean the one that was in Jerusalem, but the Churches of God. "Ostentatious." He does not say "Saying," but "Ostentatious," that is, endeavoring to show by works and signs and miracles that he is God. From outside we must supply: "By no means shall the coming of the Lord arrive," he says.

II, 5-8. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I was saying these things to you? And now you know what is restraining him, so that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of iniquity is already at work: only he who now restrains, until he be taken out of the way; and then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and will abolish by the radiance of his coming.

Therefore he was handing down many mysteries unwritten, and not only through epistles; as if he were to say: I am saying nothing new, but what I was saying when present. "And now you know what is restraining." By "restraining" he means that which hinders and is an impediment. But what is this? Many say it is the Holy Spirit; others, however, the Roman Empire, who also think better: for unless this is dissolved, he will not come. For this reason also the blessed Paul spoke so obscurely, not wishing to incur inopportune and superfluous enemies among the Romans. For if they had heard that he said the Roman Empire would be dissolved, they would have afflicted both him and all the believers, as those who were awaiting its dissolution. For if this one does not appear, Christ will not be manifested: therefore from the fact that they desire Christ to be manifested immediately, they also desire ^B the dissolution of the Roman principate to happen immediately. But if he meant it about the Holy Spirit, what would prevent him from saying openly that the grace of the Spirit restrains him from being manifested?

"And now you know what is restraining." [PHOT.] So that he may not be revealed now, but in his own time. Such as when the time ordained for him and permitted by God should arrive. For if he were not being restrained, he would be present even now. Thus the wicked one is always raging against the believers and desires their affliction, but he is restrained and hindered. Another. [SEV.] The Holy Spirit restrains and hinders the coming of the lawless one. Therefore, he says, after this has been taken out of the way and has departed on account of the wickedness of men, then the lawless one will have room to be revealed and to rise up, with no one hindering. He said also that the mystery of iniquity has received a beginning, since even the Manichaeans said the devil is the God of the Law, and Marcion says ^C the Father of Christ is not the God of the Law. And Manes even calls himself Christ and the Paraclete: and from that time the devil was introducing the unbelief of men. "For the mystery of iniquity is already at work." By "mystery of iniquity" he refers to Nero, as one who was a type of the Antichrist. For indeed Nero was both perverse and desired to be called God. But he calls him a "mystery" because Nero did not shamelessly do what the Antichrist will do, but was acting sparing and covertly, he says, indeed under ^D Satan: for Satan himself through me-

^A mid-Nero worked the things that seemed good to him.

COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

And he will abolish, he says, by His coming, the Lord the Antichrist, whose Antichrist's coming will be according to the working of Satan. For through him the devil will perform all things. "In all power and signs." He foretold these things, lest those who were present then might be deceived. He will show, he says, all power. Of "falsehood" [means], either that he is about to act according to a phantasm, and to deceive the eyes, or because they lead to a lie, or because he is able in every matter to deceive and harm those who believe. Or, as has been said, he will perform the signs for a phantasm and mere appearance. "In those who perish." Do not be afraid when you hear these things about him. For he will have power in those who perish, who even before he came did not believe in Christ. "Because they did not receive the love of the truth." He calls Christ the "love of the truth." For because of the love He had for us, and that He might teach things that are true, He deemed it worthy to become man. He hints, however, that he will have power among the Jews. For these did not receive Christ, nor did they believe Him, as Christ himself says to them, "I came in the

^A name of my Father, and you did not receive me; another will come in his own name, and you will receive him." — "For this reason, God will send to them." Do not take this "will send" as though God were truly sending him; rather, it refers to the permission which comes from God—it is common for Paul to speak in this way. He says "the working of error," that is, an active error and one having power to lead astray. See the care taken in his words. He did not say: "That they might be punished." For all who had not believed in Christ were about to be punished even if the Antichrist had not come, nor had been believed by them. But he says "that they may be judged," that is, that they may be condemned even in this, and that their mouths may be stopped even by this. For what could they say, why they did not believe in Christ? Because, they say, it has been written: "The Lord your God, the Lord is one." ^B But they will hear primarily that this openly proclaims the Trinity. Yet, let us leave aside the fact that it secures the worship of one Sovereign for the sake of the argument. How then did you believe the Antichrist as God? Do you see how they are hemmed in? They did not believe Christ because He was God, yet they will both believe and worship the Antichrist as God, even though he explicitly says: "I am God." What then will they say? That he works signs? But Christ worked more and greater signs. Or will they say that he was testified to by the Scriptures? Yet, Christ is testified to as Savior, while the Antichrist is testified to as a destroyer. And what harm will his arrival do to the faithful at all? Rather, it will become an occasion for them to gain crowns. But he will deceive those who were already self-condemned even without him; for he says that he has power only in those who are perishing. "But they delighted in injustice." For many ask why the Antichrist is to come; for what use, they say, is his arrival? And we say: in order that those who are approved may be made manifest. But if you do not accept this explanation, take ^C the Apostle himself stating the cause: "That all might be judged," he says, "who did not believe the truth." For since the Jews, who did not believe in Christ, could use a veil and say: "Therefore we did not believe that Christ is God because it is written: 'One God, from whom are all things'," and, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." In order, therefore, that they may not even put forward these claims, the Antichrist will stop their mouths. How? When, since they did not believe the Christ—even though Christ said clearly, "I am God"—they believe and worship the Antichrist as God, what will they have to say? That he performed signs? But Christ performed more and greater signs. Or that he was testified to by the Scriptures? Yet Christ is testified to as Savior, and the Antichrist as a destroyer. And simply read the paragraph above. "Having delighted," that is, having conspired and labored together with ^D injustice, that is to say, with the Antichrist.

(this is the first page of the chain)

CHAPTER III.

Thanksgiving concerning the calling.

^A We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation, in sanctification of spirit and faith of the truth, into which He called you through our Gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal consolation and good hope in grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

^A "And these things shall be," he says, "at their own time. We are bound to give thanks to God, that He chose you." That is to say, He elected you. He chose you unto salvation, but He chose you in the sanctification of the Spirit, that is, by sanctifying us with His holy Spirit. "And in faith of the truth." That is, through true faith. For when we had contributed only this, He Himself sanctified us through the Spirit. For this reason he first said, "The sanctification of the Spirit," indicating that we would not have believed at all unless the grace of the Spirit had sanctified us. "Into which He called you." Into which Spirit, or into which sanctification, he says, God called you through the Gospel. For being called from thence, we believe in Christ, and we are sanctified by the Spirit. ^B "For the obtaining of glory." For this reason, he says, God called us unto spiritual sanctification, that He might obtain glory for His own Son. For it is glory to Christ that many are to be saved through faith in Him, just as he said above: "To be glorified in His saints." Observe, however, in how great honor man is held, in that Christ considers our salvation to be His own glory. "Therefore, brethren, stand." "Do not be cast down," he says, "by temptations." "Whether by word." For indeed, the apostles handed down matters both in an unwritten and a written manner, and both are worthy of being guarded. Therefore, also the unwritten tradition of the Church is to be guarded. "Now our Lord." Again, after the exhortation, he confirms with a prayer the things which he has advised. "And God and our Father." Where are those who say that on this account the Father is greater, because He is mentioned first? For behold, here the Son is mentioned first. "Eternal consolation." But what is the eternal consolation? The hope of future goods, which for this reason he also calls "good." "In grace." But this hope God gave through His own grace, not on account of our good works. "Comfort your hearts." For this, truly, is consolation for Christians before the hope of the things to come: that they be established and firm in every good work and word. For what is equal to consolation, such as our being conscious that we please Christ by the things from which we live and conduct ^C

our conversation so that we might please Christ? ^A “In every word.” By "work" he signifies actions; by "word," right doctrines.

CHAPTER IV

An exhortation to prayer for him and for the work.

^B III, 1-5. "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as it is with you; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. For all men have not faith, but the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we trust in the Lord concerning you, that you both are doing and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ."

Having prayed for them above, he now asks for their prayer in return. At the same time, he exalts their own frame of mind, because they are worthy to pray for their teacher. "That the word of the Lord may run." Not that he might be delivered from dangers (for he was set for this purpose, as he says in the first epistle), but that the preaching might run and be believed by all. "Even as it is with you." This contains a commendation: Just as with you, he says, it ran and was believed. "From unreasonable and wicked men." He speaks of those who were opposing the preaching, such as Alexander the coppersmith was. "For all men have not faith." As if he were saying: It is not for everyone to believe, but for those who are worthy to believe; just as if one were to say: It is not for everyone to serve in royal courts, but for those who are worthy. Therefore, those in whom there is no faith are the ones who oppose. "But the Lord is faithful." For since He chose you for salvation, as he says above, He is faithful, that is, truthful, to establish you as though you were wavering, and to guard you, so that Satan might not prevail against you. ^C "And we trust." Lest they think that everything would come to them from God who had been announced to them and who had elected them to salvation, and thus remain slothful, he demands from them also an operation of good works. "The things which we command you," he says, "you are doing, and will do." As if he were to say: God is indeed truthful who chose you for salvation, but nonetheless your works are also necessary. For this reason he did not even dare to say simply, "We trust concerning you," but added, "In the Lord." And he adds: "The Lord direct." That is, make them to be led by a straight path, for there are many things that pull one away from it.

[OECUMENIUS.] The blessed Basil, in his writings to Amphilochius, notes this: that it is to the Spirit that Paul prays, saying, "And the Lord direct into the love of God the Father, and into the patience of Christ." For what Lord could it be, other than the Spirit, who was about to direct their hearts into the love of God and the Father and into the patience of Christ? And no one prays to any other than God. "And into the patience of Christ." Where he says "patience," he alludes to afflictions. He says "patience" so that we may endure, for... ^D