The Word Made Fresh
1Paul, Silas, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We should always give proper thanks to God for you, friends, because your faith is growing plentifully, and your love for one another is growing as well. 4That is why we boast to the other churches about your sincerity and faith in the midst of your suffering and the persecutions you have had to endure. 5You are evidence of the righteous judgment of God, for your suffering makes you worthy of God’s kingdom.
6God’s justice will repay those who harm you with troubles of their own. 7When the Lord Jesus appears in heaven with his mighty angels, those of us who are being afflicted will have relief. 8God’s fiery vengeance will afflict those who don’t know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will all suffer everlasting punishment and destruction when they are separated from the Lord’s presence and the glory of his strength. 10He will be glorified by his saints, and all who have believed will marvel on that day because you believed the witness we gave to you. 11So, we will always pray for you and ask God to make you worthy of the call, and that God’s power will use every good decision and every faithful work 12so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, all because of the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentary
Although called the second letter to the Thessalonians, many scholars are reluctant to ascribe the present epistle to Paul, citing a number of styles and differences in content.
1-2: The greeting is nearly identical to the one of 1 Thessalonians, the only difference being the double use of “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
3-4: His thanksgiving for them in this second letter is much briefer, though I am sure no less heart-felt, mentioning again the persecutions they have suffered (compare 1 Thessalonians 1:6).
5-12: Their persecution is evidence of God’s activity because a certain amount of affliction must be suffered before the judgment of the world and the resurrection of the dead (compare Romans 8:18-22). Everyone must suffer some affliction, it seems, and when Christ returns his followers will enjoy restoration while the actions of his enemies will be punished. The language about “mighty angels” and “fiery vengeance” are among those things we would not expect Paul to write, but the remainder of the paragraph does mirror Paul’s sentiments elsewhere. However, the idea that Jesus might return with angels is not new with Paul (see Matthew 13:49, 25:31), and the accompanying flaming fire is an Old Testament image (remember the burning bush — Exodus 3:2).
Takeaway
We can’t expect to be free from all suffering in this life, and even the most faithful among us may have to endure much pain. But there is a life to come, friends, and we want to be in that number. Be patient in suffering. Keep the faith. Trust the Lord for the outcome of our struggles and the future reward because of our faithfulness.