First and Second Thessalonians

by Nathan Eubank

  25. See Catechism 385, 675.

  26. E.g., 1 Cor 2:7; Col 1:26. See T. J. Lang, Mystery and the Making of a Christian Historical Consciousness: From Paul to the Second Century, BZNW 219 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2015).

  27. See the discussion of parousia in the commentary on 1 Thess 4:15.

  28. E.g., 2 Macc 14:15. The Pastoral Epistles use epiphaneia to describe Jesus’s future coming, as well as his past coming. See 1 Tim 6:14; 2 Tim 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13.

  29. Lives: Themistocles 30.3. Antiochus IV, mentioned above, took the name “Epiphanes” to claim that he was a manifestation of the divine. Second Maccabees describes the Jews praising God because he “always comes to the aid of his heritage by manifesting [epiphaneia] himself” (14:15).

  30. Malherbe, Letters to the Thessalonians, 434.

  31. See also 1 Kings 22:23; Ezek 14:9; compare 2 Sam 24:1 and 1 Chron 21:1.

  32. God as Truth is a Johannine description, but the Pauline Letters assume that truth characterizes God.

  33. City of God 20.19 (my translation). The Catechism of the Council of Trent says of biblical texts such as Exod 7:3 and Rom 1:26, 28, in which God is said to hand people over to sin, “These and similar passages, we are not at all to understand as implying any positive act on the part of God, but his permission only” (trans. Theodore Alois Buckley [London: George Routledge, 1852], 574).

  34. This reflection is indebted to Kevin L. Hughes, Constructing Antichrist: Paul, Biblical Commentary, and the Development of Doctrine in the Early Middle Ages (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2005). See also Anthony C. Thiselton, 1 & 2 Thessalonians through the Centuries, BBC (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011), 213–17.

  35. According to Thiselton (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 217), Joachim of Fiore (1135–1202), a Catholic, had already suggested that a pope would be the lawless one.

  36. See especially City of God 20.

  37. Catechism 675–76.

  38. On the obligation to give thanks (“ought”), see commentary on 2 Thess 1:3. On praying “always,” see commentary on 1 Thess 1:2 and 5:17.

  39. For a longer argument, see Fee, First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, 301–2.

  40. E.g., Plutarch, De Pythiae oraculis 16.

  41. Super ad Thessalonicenses II reportatio 2.3.58 (my translation).

  42. The word translated as “possess” (peripoiēsis) appears in 1 Thess 5:9 (“gain” salvation).

  43. See Catechism 456–60, 1996–99.

  44. Rigaux, Les Épitres aux Thessaloniciens, 689.

  45. See especially Dei Verbum (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation) 9; Catechism 74–83.

  46. Translated into English by Jared Wicks, “Six Texts by Prof. Joseph Ratzinger as peritus before and during Vatican Council II,” Gregorianum 89 (2008): 233–311.

  47. Wicks, “Six Texts by Prof. Joseph Ratzinger,” 274.

  48. See Henri de Lubac’s explanation of the quotation of 1 John 1:1–4 in the opening of Dei Verbum in his commentary on the latter in La Révélation divine, 3rd ed., Traditions chrétiennes (Paris: Cerf, 1983).

  49. See Matthew Levering, Engaging the Doctrine of Revelation: The Mediation of the Gospel through Church and Scripture (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014).

  50. Edith Humphrey, Scripture and Tradition: What the Bible Really Says (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 25–44.

  51. To be more precise, the 1984 NIV exacerbates the tendency of the KJV by leaving no positive uses of “tradition.” The 2011 NIV contains one positive use of “tradition” (1 Cor 11:2). The NLT contains one positive use (2 Thess 3:6).

  52. Super ad Thessalonicenses II reportatio 2.3.60.

  53. See Povl Otzen, “‘Gute Hoffnung’ bei Paulus,” ZNW 49 (1958): 283–85.

  Rebuke of the Idle

  2 Thessalonians 3:1–18

  After offering encouraging and complimentary remarks, Paul broaches the second major issue in the letter. Some in the Thessalonian church have refused to work for a living, despite Paul’s repeated reminders to follow his example by earning their own food. This passage has sometimes been used as an excuse to ignore the needy, but Paul’s concern is that Christians who are able should work to support themselves and for the good of others.

  Request for Prayer (3:1–2)

  1Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, 2and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith.

  [3:1]

  The NABRE translates the phrase to loipon as finally, but something like “As for the other matters . . .” would be more accurate (see commentary on 1 Thess 4:1). Paul is not near the end of the letter but rather is about to turn to a second major issue: members of the church who refuse to work. Paul begins by asking them to pray that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified. The “word of the Lord” refers to the gospel message (see 1 Thess 1:8, where Paul speaks of it echoing forward from the Thessalonians). It is the word about the Lord Jesus, but for Paul it is also the word from the Lord. The image of the word of the Lord running loose in the world is similar to various biblical descriptions of the efficacy of God’s speech. Psalm 147 speaks of God’s word running swiftly on the earth, having been sent by God (v. 15). In Isa 55 God speaks of his word going forth from his mouth and accomplishing what it is intended to accomplish (v. 11). As recent converts who probably did not have intimate knowledge of the Scripture, the Thessalonians might have thought first of the divine message as a triumphant runner: the image of the word “speeding forward” or “running” and being “glorified” could evoke the image of a runner winning a race and being praised.

  [3:2]

  Paul also asks them to pray that God would rescue him, Silvanus, and Timothy from people he refers to as perverse and wicked. The NABRE doesn’t translate the definite article, but Paul says “the perverse and wicked people,” which could mean that he is worried about a specific group.1 Second Thessalonians is focused on the Thessalonians’ own suffering and reveals very little about what was happening in Paul’s life, but we know from 1 Thessalonians that Paul had endured many difficulties on this missionary journey through Macedonia (1 Thess 2:2). The request ends with the obvious observation that not all have faith. “Faith” (pistis) could refer to belief or trust in the gospel (Latin fides qua creditur) or to “the faith” itself, the gospel message (Latin fides quae creditur). Commentators sometimes suggest that if Paul is the author, he couldn’t have meant the latter because talk of “the faith” is thought to be characteristic of later times, but Paul refers to “the faith” in this way already in Gal 1:23.

  Additional Prayer for the Thessalonians (3:3–5)

  3But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 4We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you [both] are doing and will continue to do. 5May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

  [3:3]

  Chapter and verse divisions as well as punctuation are later additions to the biblical text designed to make it easier to navigate, but sometimes these aids make it easy to miss connections in the original text. Verse 2 ends with the word pistis (“faith”), and the next word is pistos (faithful). The lack of faith on the part of those who are a danger to Paul is contrasted with the faithfulness of the Lord, who can be counted on to strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. “Strengthen” suggests that Jesus will empower the Thessalonians to resist evil, and “guard” indicates that Jesus will also act on their behalf. The phrase “from the evil one” (apo tou ponērou) is identical to the final words of the Our Father (“deliver us from evil”) and can be translated either as “from the evil one” or “from evil.” The preceding discussion of the deceit of Satan (2:9–12) suggests that the NABRE is correct to see a reference to the devil here (see Eph 6:16; Matt 5:37; 6:13; 13:19; John 17:15).

  [3:4]

  Paul expresses confidence t
hat the Thessalonians are doing and will continue to do all the things that we instruct you (see 1 Thess 4:11). Paul does seem to have been pleased with the Thessalonians’ progress to a certain extent (2 Thess 1:3–12), but the rhetorical effect of stating that he is confident in their continued obedience is to encourage and reinforce this behavior. As Theodoret puts it, Paul offers this encouragement in order to establish them in their good habits.2 This statement of confidence also prepares for 3:6–12, where we learn that some of the Thessalonians were not following Paul’s instructions on a particular matter. At the same time, Paul does not appear to be disingenuous in claiming to be confident they will follow his instructions.

  [3:5]

  This section concludes with a prayer that the Lord would direct their hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ (see 1 Thess 3:11). He has already commended them for their love and endurance (2 Thess 1:3–4), but he prays that they continue and increase on this path because, as John Chrysostom puts it, “There are many things that distract us from love.”3 The phrases “love of God” and “endurance of Christ” could be interpreted in a number of ways. “The love of God” may denote primarily God’s love for them, but this would also imply their own response. The “endurance of Christ” could refer to Christ’s own endurance or to their own endurance in imitation of Christ, or even to their patient endurance as they wait for Christ to return. The letter is filled with references to the hardship they were enduring, and just before this prayer Paul says that the Lord will strengthen them and protect them from the evil one (3:3). The most likely interpretation is that he prays that their hearts would be drawn to Christ’s endurance in the face of suffering, so they would behave similarly.4 A similar thought is expressed in 1 Thessalonians when Paul gives thanks that they have become imitators of the Lord by enduring tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1:6).

  Those Who Refuse to Work (3:6–15)

  6We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. 7For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, 8nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. 9Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. 10In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. 11We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. 12Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food. 13But you, brothers, do not be remiss in doing good. 14If anyone does not obey our word as expressed in this letter, take note of this person not to associate with him, that he may be put to shame. 15Do not regard him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.

  NT: 1 Thess 2:9; 4:9–12; 5:14

  Catechism: work, 2427–28; daily bread, 2830; love for the poor, 2443–49

  Lectionary: 2 Thess 3:6–10, 16–18; Memorial of Saint Monica

  In this section Paul turns to the second major issue in the letter: apparently some in the congregation are refusing to work. Paul’s concern regarding this issue goes all the way back to when he was in Thessalonica and founded the church. He and his associates worked to support themselves and taught the Thessalonians that they should follow this example (1 Thess 2:9; 4:9–12; 2 Thess 3:6–10). When he wrote 1 Thessalonians, Paul apparently did not yet see a crisis in this area, though his special attention to the issue and his encouragement to progress (4:11) suggest that perhaps he thought some in the congregation were reluctant to follow his instructions.5 At some point after writing 1 Thessalonians, Paul received word (3:11) that some in the church were shirking this instruction.6 In response, Paul fires off the most pointed rebuke of his otherwise warm Thessalonian correspondence.

  New Testament scholars have often argued that the trouble with idleness was linked to †eschatological confusion: if the day of the Lord has already come, why bother working?7 This argument has a certain appeal because it links the two major issues of the letter. Paul himself never links these two issues, however, and his warnings about the need to work began while he was still with them, seemingly before their eschatological confusion had set in. Other scholars have offered sociological explanations. The most plausible of these is the suggestion that the congregation was sharing possessions and some members were taking advantage. We know that Paul and other early Christians stressed the importance of sharing possessions and giving alms.8 We also have evidence of some taking advantage of this generosity, accepting aid when it was not needed.9

  [3:6]

  After expressing confidence that the Thessalonians would obey his instruction (3:4), Paul puts this to the test by commanding them to stay away from any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way. The “disorder” Paul has in mind here is a refusal to work (see commentary on 1 Thess 5:14). Certain members are neglecting the apostolic tradition of working for a living, preferring instead to loaf and meddle in other people’s affairs. Paul adopts a solemn tone, commanding the Thessalonians in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ to shun or stay away from these people (see below on 3:14).10

  [3:7–9]

  Paul restates the tradition that is being neglected by some with a “not X but Y” structure reminiscent of 1 Thess 2:1–8: the apostles did not take anyone’s food without paying for it; instead, they worked tirelessly so they would not be a burden to any of the Thessalonians. We know that Paul was happy to accept financial assistance in other contexts (see commentary on 1 Thess 2:9–12). The apostles had the right or the “authority” to receive payment from the Thessalonians, a right that came from a command of Jesus himself (1 Cor 9:14; see also Matt 10:10; Luke 10:7). In this case, however, Paul deemed it necessary to forgo this right in order to give them a model to imitate. He did not eat food received free from anyone, and neither should they. This instruction is meant to prevent freeloading, not table fellowship.

  Why was it so important to Paul that his converts work for a living instead of mooching off of others? Two reasons are given in this passage, both of which echo concerns mentioned in 1 Thessalonians. One reason is not to burden others. To state the obvious, taking other people’s food while refusing to work is self-centered and fails to attain to the other-oriented way of life to which Paul exhorted his churches (1 Thess 4:9–12). The second reason is that this behavior is disorderly and meddlesome. He describes those who refuse to work as behaving in an ataktōs (“disorderly”) fashion (2 Thess 3:6), a word that suggests undisciplined or even illicit behavior. They are failing to “work quietly” (see 1 Thess 4:11)—that is, to be modest and unassuming—and are instead assuming that others should pick up their slack. He also accuses the idle of “minding the business of others” (2 Thess 3:11), which is a play on words in Greek. They should be workers (ergazomai), but instead they are busybodies (periergazomai)—that is, people who meddle in other people’s affairs instead of minding their own business (see 1 Tim 5:13).

  [3:10]

  Paul reminds them of what he said when he was in Thessalonica: if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. Despite the relative neglect of 2 Thessalonians, this line has become a proverb sometimes called the Golden Rule of work, which is not a bad description of the meaning of the saying here (see Matt 7:12). One should work and share resources as one wants others to do. Note that Paul’s command is not addressed to the “unemployed,” those willing to work but unable to find it, like the people standing around without work in the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16). It is addressed to those who could be gainfully employed but choose not to be, those who are “unwilling” to work. The verb translated as “should that one eat” is a third-person imperative, something common in Greek but notoriously difficult to translate into En
glish. Some translations give the impression that Paul is commanding the church to stop the idle people from eating (RSV: “let him not eat”), but the command that Paul gave to the Thessalonians would have been addressed first and foremost to the idle people themselves, as is the similar command in verse 12. They are to stop burdening others and work with their own hands.11

  [3:11–12]

  Some unnamed person has informed Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy that some of the Thessalonians are being disorderly, acting like busybodies instead of working. There is no indication of how large or organized this group is. Paul commands them solemnly in the Lord Jesus Christ that they must work quietly and eat their own food. “Quiet” (hēsychia) refers not to suppressing noise but rather to living in an orderly way. The related verb hēsychazō appears in 1 Thess 4:11 when Paul admonishes them to aspire to “live a tranquil life.” Instead of shirking their duties and minding other people’s business, they ought to work in tranquility and earn their own living. The command in verse 12 is addressed only to Such people—that is, those individuals who are not working. Perhaps Paul was not entirely certain about who the offenders were. He does not name them or address them in the second person. Instead, he gives the command in a way that leaves anyone who is refusing to work feeling addressed.

  LIVING TRADITION