2 Thessalonians 2
DODD2 Thessalonians 2:1
Paul cautions the Thessalonians against expecting the day of judgment immediately, and foretels the appearance of antichrist that was first to come. 2 Thes. II. 1—12.
THES. II. 1. NOW we beseech you, brethren, 2 THESSALONIANS II. 1. SPOKE in my former letter of the coming of Christ, and I have just been mentioning it to you again; but I am afraid you should
Paul lets them know the day of Christ was not ju
misunderstand what I have written upon that subject, and therefore I must beseech you, brethren, with respect to the intended and much desired appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, of which I then spoke, That ye be not soon moved from [the steadiness of your] mind, nor troubled, either by the suggestion of any pretended spirit of prophecy and revelation in others, or by the report of any word, which we may be said to have dropped, or by the sense which any may put upon what we have written in the former epistle, which you have really received, or any other which may be brought to you, as from us, as if the great day of Christ were just at hand, and to be continually looked for. Let no man deceive you by any means which he may use so as to persuade you of this, lest, finding yourselves mistaken in that expectation, you should be brought to doubt of the faith you have received, or, in apprehension of so speedy a dissolution of the world, you should be less attentive to some of its concerns than duty or prudence will require. For you may be assured, with respect to this great and important day, that [it shall not come] till there come first an amazing and shameful apostasy in the Christian church itself; and the
a The appearance of our Lord.] Cradock would render this the apostasy, concerning the appearances, as if he had said, with relation to what I wrote in the former epistle of Christ’s coming, and our being caught up into the air to meet him, (compare 1 Thes. iv. 17.) supposing this to be used for this here, as it certainly is, 1 Cor. viii. 25; and Vitriga (Observ. lib. i. cap. vi. 50) has said so much to vindicate it, that I could not but prefer this rendering. Mr. Howe takes it as we do in our translation, and speaks of it as the most solemn adjuration in the Bible; (Howe on the Spirit, Vol. II. p. 70.) and then shews how pernicious the consequences of that error might have been, which the apostle endeavours so solicitously to guard against.
b The day of Christ were at hand.] Yet it was what the primitive Christians confidently expected, and some tell us, they were the more desirous of man whom, that
they might not be spectators of so dreadful a scene as they supposed it would be. See Reeve’s Apol. Vol. I. p. 30. But if it really were so, it was an instance of a double mistake in these good men.
c An apostasy.] Dr. Whitby understands this, either of the revolt from the Romans, or the falling away of many Christian converts to Judaism, through prejudices in favour of the perpetuity of the Mosaic law, or expectations of the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, or the fear of persecution; on each of which topics he enlarges with great propriety. And Vitriga is large in shewing, that great apostasy prevailed in the Christian church between the days of Nero and Trajan. (Observ. lib. iv. cap. 7.) Yet I have thought it my duty to explain this difficult but important context, as referring to what Mr. Joseph Mede, with a great propriety, calls the apostasy of the latter times, and I must refer to his learned
em, the man of sin would first be revealed.
an of sin be revealed, that antichristian power, which is to raise itself by such enormous mischiefs; yet it is so surely doomed to destruction, by the just though long delayed vengeance of God, that I cannot forbear calling him that assumes it, the son of perdition, as our Lord himself called Judas the traitor; (John xvii. 12;) I now speak of one who opposes himself to the interest of true religion, by arts and enterprises in former generations unknown, and, as pride often goes before destruction, insolently exalts himself above all that is called God, or the object of religious worship, taking upon him to control Divine institutions, and to model every thing according to his own arrogant pleasure. So that he himself, as God, sets himself in the church, which is the temple of God, shewing himself with such pompous parade, and such despotic authority assumed over the consciences of men, that so far as actions can speak, he in effect asserts that he is God, nothing human, and indeed nothing created, having a right so to dictate.
This is an event of so great importance, that I have formerly mentioned it. Remember ye not, that being yet with you, though I spent so very little time among you, I nevertheless told you these things, and gave you such warnings concerning them as I imagined you could not so soon have forgot? And now, though it is a tender subject, which it is not convenient to speak of in too explicit a manner, I persuade myself, that ye know what restrains him from being revealed in (what otherwise might seem) his own time. For the mystery, of iniquity, the hidden design of corrupting and overthrowing Christ’s kingdom, which has so many artful ways of insinuating itself
and judicious writings on this head, and to Dr. Benson’s Dissertation on the Man of Sin, to vindicate the reasonableness of an interpretation which I have by no means room to discuss at large.
d Above all that is called God, &c.] The usurpation of the papacy in Divine things is so unequalled, that if these words are not applicable to it, it is diffi-
cult to say, who there ever has been, or can be, to whom they should belong. The manner in which the pope has exalted himself above magistrates is equally remarkable and detestable; but I do not apprehend it so immediately referred to here, as his taking upon him to control every thing in religion. Ἰωάννη has exactly the signification here given it. See Acts xvii. 23.
Christ shall destroy the wicked one at his coming,
into the minds of sinful men, and of introducing its own tyrannical, avaricious, and ambitious schemes into the church, does already in some measure work,ᵉ amidst all the peculiar engagements to the most humble, disinterested, and upright conduct, which an age and ecclesiastical state like ours brings along with it. Only there is one that hindereth, till he be taken out of the way,ᶠ secular powers at present are a restraint, but when that is taken away, and different scenes in Providence open, these iniquitous principles, that are secretly fermenting, will break out in all their force. And then the ungodly one shall be revealed, and appear as it were unveiled in all his native deformity; even he who shall bring the greatest infamy and the greatest misery on the Christian world. Nevertheless, though his reign may be of some considerable duration, it shall not be perpetual; for the Spirit teaches us to regard him as sentenced to inevitable ruin, as one whom the Lord will certainly at length destroy; and how firmly soever he may seem established by human policy and power, he shall find himself unable to withstand the breath of his mouth, which shall kindle all around him a consuming flame, in which all his pomp and pride shall vanish. And indeed he will not only in some measure humble and abase, but utterly
• The mystery of iniquity doth already work.] As Dr. Whitby explains the man of sin, of the rebellious and unbelieving Jews, he must of course explain this, of the turbulent and seditious principles which evidently prevailed among them; and it is agreeable to his scheme to interpret the impediment spoken of in the next clause, of Claudius Cesar, whose favours obliged them so, that they could not immediately break out, but who was soon taken away by a violent death, which gave them the opportunity they seemed so much to wish for. See Whitby in loc. But it appears much more reasonable to understand the passage before us of the antichristian spirit, which began to work in the Christian church then, in the pride and ambition of some ministers, the factious temper of many Christians, the corruption of many Christian doctrines, the imposing unauthorized severities, the wor-
ship of angels, &c. of all which things the papacy availed itself, for acquiring and exercising its iniquitous dominion; and so he that hindereth will refer to the imperial power, of which we shall presently speak, but of which prudence obliged St Paul to write with a caution, which unavoidably occasioned some obscurity.
ᶠ There is one that hindereth, &c.] Dr. Geddes very properly explains this of the Roman emperor, who would not suffer ecclesiastical power to grow to an exorbitant height, while he held his seat at Rome. See Geddes’s Tracts, Vol. II, p. 10; and as many good modern commentators give it the same turn, so it is observable that Tertullian, Augustine, and Chrysostom, all agree in saying, that antichrist was not to appear till after the fall of the Roman empire. See Archbishop Tillotson, Vol. II, p. 193.
w o eceive the world with lying wonders.
eradicate and abolish him, by the resplendent brightness of his coming, when truth shall beam in upon men’s minds with all its energy, and its most formidable enemies shall fall before it.
In the mean time, the monster of iniquity shall prevail, [even he] whose coming is according to the energy of Satan, whose interest he shall reestablish, where it seems to be overthrown. That malignant and deceitful spirit shall therefore endeavour to promote this antichristian kingdom to the utmost, by all lying power, and signs, and wonders, by a variety of fictitious miracles, so artfully contrived and so strongly supported by an abundance of false testimonies, that many shall be entangled, deceived, and undone by them.
And, in the conduct of this most iniquitous design, recourse will be had to all manner of unrighteous deceit, which shall be managed with the utmost art and address, among those wretches, who shall many of them finally perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved by it, but preferred those secular views which such dishonest practices promoted, to the great prospects of their everlasting happiness in an invisible world. And for this cause, when they have for a limited time been permitted to trifle with the message of his mercy, and the strivings of his Spirit, God will in righteous judgment give them up to a reprobate and insensible mind, and will send upon them the energy of deceit; he will suffer them to deceive others, till they are deceived themselves too; so that they shall believe the lie which they have so long taught: That they may all be condemned at last, who believed not the truth, though offered to them with sufficient evidence, but, on the contrary, had
ns and wonders.] It is construction will very fer & value to all the s well as the last, and atural as to refer the us miracles of the church ve grown up to such a degree of extravagance and effroneven to make their own popes ast h Energ, of deceit.] Those most ulous popish legends, which hav gained such credit as to be admitte their public offices, furnish out a m fecting comment upon these words.
Reflections on the frauds and corruptions of the papacy.
pleasure in unrighteousness,¹ and imposture, ii. when it might serve their present interest, to 2Thes. which all considerations of conscience and ii. 12 honour, religion, and future hope, were sacrificed. And this I leave upon record, that such as are not entirely incorrigible, may be alarmed by this dreadful representation, and that others may be warned to stand at the remotest distance from the tents of these wicked men, and, though it should be at the greatest hazard, to maintain the cause of God and of truth against them.
IMPROVEMENT.
LET us behold with humble reverence the depths of the Divine counsels and judgments: God hath been pleased to suffer the craft of Satan to display itself, in reducing from his allegiance a great part of the Christian world, yet has he taken the wise in his own craftiness, so far as to make that very apostasy from Christianity an additional proof of its Divine original. Who that had only examined the genius of that holy religion, could have imagined that such a mystery of iniquity should have arisen in it, and that man of sin have been revealed? Surely, when the particulars of the description come to be compared with the accomplishment, it may seem owing to some judicial infatuation, that men of deep policy and great penetration, with this very passage of scripture in their hands, should have suffered the marks of antichrist to be so very apparent, even in many instances, beyond what might have seemed absolutely necessary for establishing that secular kingdom which they sought; particularly, that the pope on high day should set himself on a high throne, in the temple of God, to be there solemnly adored, and should have permitted his parasites so expressly to boast that he is God, and to give him, in some of their licensed and authorized works,ᵏ Divine titles.
¹ Hal! pleasure in unrighteousness.] I cannot but think this refers to many of the priests and others in the Romish church, who impose on the people known delusions, merely out of regard to secular interest; and it wears so dreadful an aspect on such, and on those, who, on the like principles, act the same part in the protestant world, if such there be, that I cannot but hope it may be the means of producing in time some great reformation, when it shall please God powerfully to impress on the professed teachers of others a serious sense of the importance of their own salvation, and to make them feel how contemptible all worldly emoluments are, when compared with truth of doctrine, and purity of worship and discipline. ᵏ Divine titles.] See Mr. Barker’s sermon at Salter’s Hall, in the lecture against popery; and Mr. Chandler’s account of the conference in Nicholas Lane.
St. Paul thanks God on account of the Thessalonians.
The scandalous and extravagant pretences which the followers of the papacy have made to miracles, exceeding in number, and some of them in marvellous circumstances, those of Christ and his apostles, plainly display the energy of Satan, that father of frauds, pious and impious. And the most incredible lies, which they have, by solemn and irrevocable acts, made essential to their faith, shew the strength of delusion, beyond what could have been imagined, had not fact led us into the theory. How dreadful is it to think of some of the expressions which the Spirit itself uses, when speaking of these artifices in deceit! that they should be abandoned by God to believe a lie, that they may all be damned who have pleasure in unrighteousness; that they might bring upon themselves eternal aggravated damnation. Who would not tremble, who would not grieve for so many of our fellow men, yea of those, who, degenerate as their form of Christianity is, we must yet call our fellow Christians, who are thus dishonoured, enslaved, and endangered? The Lord grant that they may not be utterly undone! Let them despise us, let them, by most solemn execrations annually repeated, devote us to destruction, and prepare against us all the instruments of it in their power, yet will we still pray for them. The Lord grant that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are led captive by him at his pleasure! (2Tim. ii. 26.) Let us recommend to Divine compassion the souls drawn after artful and wicked leaders, in the simplicity of their hearts, and take comfort in this thought, that the time will come, when the Lord shall destroy this son of perdition with the breath of his mouth and the brightness of his coming. May the remnant of God’s people among them take the alarm, and come out from them in time, and be separate, that they may not be partakers with them in their plagues; (Rev. xviii. 4.)
2 Thessalonians 2:13
Paul returns thanks to God for his mercy to the Thessalonians in supporting them hitherto, and addresses such exhortations to them, and prayers for them, as might most effectually conduce to their continued establishment, desiring also their prayers for him amidst his various labours and dangers. 2 Thes. II. 13, to the end. III. 1—5.
BUT we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren,
2 THESSALONIANS II. 13.
SUCH corruptions as these will at length arise in the church, and we have hinted that something of this spirit is already beginning to work. But blessed be God that so little of it appears among you; on the contrary, we are sensible that we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, whom we have
VOL. 5.
great reason to address, as beloved of the Lord, because that cordial zeal with which you have embraced the gospel, and that resolution with which you retain it in the midst of afflictions and persecutions, give us ground cheerfully to conclude, that God hath, of his wise counsels and abundant grace, from the beginning of his work and plan for the redemption of men, chosen you to eternal salvation; for a participation of which you are prepared by that sanctification, which is the work of the Holy Spirit on your hearts, and that belief of the truth, which hath so effectual a tendency to promote it. This is God’s appointed way of obtaining an interest in this salvation, to which he hath called you by our gospel, even to the obtaining the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; that glory which his mercy hath prepared, and to which his faithful care shall at length conduct all his obedient followers, in which they shall fully enjoy the rich provisions of his love, and be made like him in holiness and happiness. Therefore, brethren, let me exhort you to stand fast, and strongly to retain the instructions which you have learned of us, whether by word or by our former letter, as you may be assured you have there a genuine representation of the contents of those important doctrines with which we are intrusted. And may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, who hath loved us in so surprising a manner, and given [us] by his gospel such a fund of everlasting consolation, and such good hope through his overflowing grace, when, without it, we could not have had any glimmering of hope, or prospect of comfort for ever. May he, I say, by the rich communication of his love and mercy, comfort your hearts, and may he strengthen and confirm you, making you ready for every good word and work, that his name may be glorified, and your present satisfaction and future reward may abound. As for what remains, I shall not enlarge, but must beseech you, brethren, that ye would pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run a free and unobstructed course every where, and be greatly glorified, as through ay run and be glorified.] Some think the races, which co words allude to the applause given a part of the Grecian se that made a s eedy progress in
es his con dence in their regard to his precepts.
his grace [it is] among you; And that we, whom he hath honoured with the office of dispensing it, may be delivered from unreasonableᵇ and wicked men, who are endeavouring as much as possible to prevent the propagation of the gospel, by destroying or confining us. We cannot wonder at it, for all men have not faith,ᶜ and there are so many corruptions opposing its progress, and they are so powerfully abetted by the great enemy of souls, that we have rather reason to admire the Divine agency, in making it so successful as it is. But, whatever difficulties we meet with, this is our comfort, that the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we devote our labours, and have committed our souls, is invariably faithful; who will strengthen and keep both us and you from the evil one and all his works. He will indeed preserve us from every thing that would on the whole be hurtful to us, and overrule to our truest good what has the appearance of evil. And we have a cheerful confidence in the fidelity and grace of our blessed Lord, with respect to you, that by his powerful influence you are and will be established in every good resolution, so that in every instance ye both do and will do the things which in his name we give you in charge. And may we have the pleasure of seeing this our confidence happily answered more and more! May the Lord direct your hearts into the more vigorous and constant exercise of the love of God, and into the exercises of that patience under all your trials and afflictions which becomes the disciples of Christ,ᵈ and is agreeable to his example.
Bishop Wilkins ob- of the Spirit, Vol. II. p. 192. But I signify absurd, con- understand it of that upright and who are not to be fix- disposition which would engage r, and whom no topics receive the testimony of the apostlesᵉ [The patience of Christ.] We ren- the patient waiting for Christ, but un- the Xgion may rather signify Christi- tience, or that patience with which himself suffered the many injuries afflictions through which he passed.
Reflections on the sanctification of the Spirit.
IMPROVEMENT.
SEC. 111. How wisely and happily does the apostle unite the views of the grace of God and the duties of men, while he represents our choice to salvation in a light so worthy of God, since this salvation is still to be obtained through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Our spirits must be sanctified by the operation of the Divine Spirit: the truth must be not only speculatively, but powerfully and practically believed, or all our hopes will be vain. But surely, were it possible that salvation could any other way be obtained, it would be much less desirable, or rather, that which did not imply a sanctified spirit, and an heart open to receive and obey the truth, would not deserve the name of salvation. Blessed be God, who in this view hath called us to obtain salvation and glory by Jesus Christ, even God our Father who hath loved us. From him do these everlasting consolations flow. It is by his blessed and gracious operation we are strengthened and established in every good word and work. His fidelity stands engaged to do it, if we humbly commit ourselves to him, and wait upon him. The prayers of the apostles, dictated no doubt from above, concur with the promises to encourage our hopes, that he will direct our hearts into the love of God and the patience of Jesus Christ. On the exercise of that love and that patience doth the happiness of life chiefly depend. Too ready are our weak hearts to wander from it, and to faint under the difficulties that lie in our way. Let us call on him to preserve and maintain the graces he hath implanted, that they may be exerted with growing vigour and constancy even unto the end. Unreasonable and wicked men will oppose the progress of the gospel, which has so powerful a tendency to promote holiness and comfort; and, as there are those that have not faith, they will be ready to labour its destruction. But when the prayers of Christians are frequently engaged, that the word of God may run and be glorified, there is great reason to hope that much of their perverse opposition may be overruled to most contrary purposes, so that the wrath of man shall praise him, and the remainder of that wrath be restrained; (Psal. lxxvi. 10.)