2 Thessalonians (Behold the Lord is Coming)
Author: Paul.
Date: About A.D.51 from Corinth..
Key Place: Thessalonica
To whom written: To the Church at Thessalonica and all believes everywhere.
Key people: Paul, Silas and Timothy.
Key verses:
“For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of His coming.”(2:7-8)
“We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.”(3:11)
Background:
Paul wrote this 2-letter within a few months after he wrote the first one. When Paul, Silas and Timothy had visited in during Paul’s 2-Missionary journey, they stayed for a very short time due to the persecution which rose against them (Acts:17:1-10). This has prompted Paul to write his 1-letter to Thessalonians. When Paul learnt that the Thessalonians responded to his letter and were growing well and at the same time Paul came to know that there was false teaching spreading regarding the Christ’s 2-coming, which has prompted Paul to write the 2-letter very soon. The 2-letter was to correct them from false teaching about Jesus Christ’s 2-coming.
Purpose: Paul and his friends received news from Thessalonica after that church had received the first letter. This news showed that the Thessalonians still needed someone to teach them about some subjects. They had not understood some of what was in the first letter. So, the purpose of the second letter was to make things clear to them.
- They must expect persecution because they trust in the Lord Jesus. But God has a purpose in allowing them to suffer and he will reward them (1:5-10). Paul and his friends wrote to give them strength and to encourage them.
- The Thessalonians seem to have some strange ideas about the return of Christ. Some said that the Lord had already come. But this is not right (2:1-2). Some thought that the Lord would come at any moment. The return of the Lord will be sudden. But, there are things that must happen before he comes (2:3‑12).
- Some of the Thessalonians Christians were lazy. They had given up their work. It could be that they expected the Lord to come very soon. They depended on their friends to keep them and feed them. Paul had mentioned this subject in the (1 Thess.5:14). Now he tells them what they should do to those who refuse to work (3:6-13).