BIB361 Early Pauline Epistles

BIB361 Early Pauline Epistles
- Introduction 1:1-12
  - Salutation 1:1-2
    - Authors
      - Paul
      - And Silas
      - And Timothy
    - Recipients
      - to the church of the Thessalonians
      - in God our Father
      - and the Lord Jesus Christ
      - almost exactly the same wording as I Thes. except add "our" with "Father"
    - Blessing
      - Grace to you and Peace
      - Same as I Thes. but then adds next phrase
      - From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
      - notice the repetition! redundancy? purpose?
      - emphasis on God the Father and Lord Jesus the Messiah
  - Thanksgiving and Prayer in light of their suffering 1:3-12
    - Thanksgiving 3-5
      - Thanksgiving
        We ought to always give thanks to God concerning you brothers
        just as this is fitting/appropriate
      - Reason
        Because your faith is growing abundantly
        and because the love of each one of you is increasing/abounding toward one another
        Result
        We boast about you
        we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God
        we boast about your patience and faith in all the persecutions and trials which you are going through
        This is evidence of God's just judgment
        "this" - their faith, love and patience in trials
        is evidence of God's just judgment
        the Thessalonians prove God right
        They are considered worthy to experience the Kingdom of God, which they are suffering for
    - God's vindication of believers 6-10
      - since justice is from/of God, He will pay back trouble/tribulation to those who are troubling you
        cf. Isa 66 esp. v. 15 for background language
      - He will pay back relief to you who are suffering
        with us
        in the revelation of the Lord Jesus -
        different word than Parousia
        from heaven
        with the messengers of His power
        in flames of fire
      - He will give vengance/vindication
        on those who do not know God
        and who do not obey the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus
      - They will pay the punishment of eternal destruction
        from the presence of the Lord
        from the glory of His strength
        "from" can mean separation - i.e. they will be separated from His presence and glory
        "from" can mean source - i.e. the punishment comes from His presence and His gloryious strength - very strong punishment
        quoting Isa 2:10, 19, 21 - They will flee "from the dread of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty
      - When He comes
        to be glorified in/by His Saints/Holy ones
        cf. Psa 89:7 "In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him."
        to be marveled at by all who believe in that day
        because our testimony among you was believed
        notice again the focus on future eschatology - reward and punishment of the Gospel
    - Prayer 11-12
      - we always pray for such things concerning you
      - so that our God may do this:
        that He may consider you worthy of His calling
        that He may fulfill/fill every good wish/desire/purpose and work of faith with His power
      - Result:
        The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you
        you may be glorified in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ
- Correct Teaching on the Day of the Lord 2:1-12
  - Don't be discouraged by false ideas that the Day of the Lord has already come 1-2
    - I ask you brothers
    - Concerning these things
      - concerning the parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ
      - and concerning our gathering together with Him
    - for this purpose
      - so that you would not be so quickly/easily shaken from your mind
      - or troubled
        cf. Matt. 24:6, Mk 13:7 frightened by wars and rumors of wars
      - cause
        either through a spirit
        or through a word
        or through a letter
        as if it were from us
      - content
        saying that the Day of the Lord
        has already arrived
  - The man of lawlessness must come first 3-4
    - don't let anyone deceive you in any way
    - because it will not happen except the apostasy will come first
    - and the man of lawlessness will be revealed - the son of destruction
      - who opposes
      - and exalts himself above everything that is called God or worshipped
      - with the result that he will sit in the temple of God
      - advertising himself that he is God
  - He is currently being held back 5-7
    - I told you these things
      - don't you remember
      - that I said these things to you
      - while I was still with you
    - You now know what is holding him back - so that he will be revealed in the proper time
    - For the mystery of lawlessness is already working
    - Only the one holding him back is still doing so
    - until he is out of the way/not in the midst
  - The punishment of the man of lawlessness 8
    - Then the lawless one will be revealed
    - the Lord Jesus will destroy/do away with him by the spirit/breath of His mouth
    - and He will make him nothing by the appearance/splendor of His Parousia
  - The coming of the man of lawlessness 9-12
    - The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan
      - with all false power and signs and wonders
      - in all deception of unrighteousness
    - to those being destroyed
      - they do not receive the love of the truth which is the other option
      - so that they would be saved
    - because of this God sent them a working of deception
      - so that they would believe the lie
      - so that they all would be judged/condemned
        not believing the truth
        but delighting in unrighteousness
- Thanksgiving and Encouragement 2:13-17
  - Thanksgiving 13
    - We ought always to give thanks concerning you brothers, beloved by the Lord
    - Almost exact duplicate of 1:3
  - Reason 13-14
    - Because God chose you
      - from the beginning/as firstfruit
      - into salvation
        in sanctification by the Spirit
        and faith in the truth
      - into which salvation He also called you
        through our Gospel
        into possession of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
  - Implication/Response 15
    - therefore, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions/teachings
    - which you were taught whether through word or through epistle from us
  - Prayer 16-17
    - May this same one - Our Lord Jesus Christ and our God and Father
      - who loved us
      - and gave us an eternal comfort and good hope in grace
    - comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word
- Regarding Prayer 3:1-5
  - Finally, brothers, pray for us
  - content of prayer requested
    - so that the Word of the Lord may advance and be honored
    - just as also toward you
    - and so that we may be rescued from the wicked and evil men
  - for not all are of the faith
  - but the Lord is faithful
    - who will establish you
    - and guard you from the evil (one)
  - We are convinced in the Lord about you
    - that the things which we commanded you
    - you are doing them
    - and you will do them
  - May the Lord guide your hearts
    - in the love of God
    - into the patience of Christ
- The Unruly Idle 3:6-15
  - Stay separate from the unruly idle 6-12
    - Command 6-10
      - Command 6
        Brothers, I command/encourage you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ - strong warning
        for you to keep away/stand aloof from all brothers
        who are living as unruly idle/lazy/disorderly
        and are not living according to the tradition/teaching cf. 2:15
        which they received from us
      - Reason 7-10
        For you know how it is necessary to imitate us 7a
        Reason 7b-10
        because we were NOT unruly idle among you 7b
        neither were we freeloaders 8-9
        The Fact 8
        neither did we eat bread from anyone without paying
        because we worked in labor and hardship night and day
        cf. I Thes. 2:9, 3:10
        so that we would not be a burden to any of you
        cf. 2 Cor 12:14 children don't support parents, parents support children
        The explanation 9
        not that we did not have the right (for support)
        but so that we could give ourselves to you as a model
        so that you would imitate us
        We also told you plainly 10
        When we were with you
        We told this to you
        If someone is not willing to work
        judged by willingness, not ability
        place for welfare/charity, not welfare cheats
        neither let him eat
        the two go together
    - Reason 11-12
      - We heard there are unruly idle among you 11
        we heard
        what we heard
        there are some among you who are living as unruly idle
        explanation/elaboration
        not busy working
        but busybodies/meddlers
        wordplay in original language
      - We urge them to work to eat 12
        we strongly urge them
        We command
        and we urge
        to these ones
        in the Lord Jesus Christ
        to work to eat
        so that working with stillness/without disturbance
        they may eat their own bread
  - Take note of them so as not to associate with them 13-15
    - Positively - do good 13
      - brothers, you yourselves, do not give up
      - while doing good
    - negatively - do not associate with bad 14-15
      - if someone is not obedient to the words of this letter 14a
      - Do not associate with them 14b-15
        What to do 14b-d
        don't associate with them
        take note of them - recognize what they are doing
        so as not to associate with them
        so that they will be ashamed - positive peer pressure
        How to do it 15
        neg. how not to do it
        not thinking of them/considering them
        as an enemy
        pos. how to do it
        but admonishing/exhorting them
        as a brother
- Conclusion 3:16-18
  - peace wish/prayer 16
    - May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace
      - through everything
      - in every way/manner
    - May the Lord be with all of you
  - autograph/greeting 17
    - The greeting with my own hand - Paul
    - Which is the sign in all my epistles
    - This is how I write
      - possibly to counteract possible forgery
      - cf. 2:2 epistle supposedly from us
  - Blessing 18
    - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you