Paul's Confusion about Thessalonian Confusion

Introduction:

God’s people face two sources of discouragement:

Physical: Like the Thessalonians continued to endure.

Doctrinal: False teaching, sorting out the truth.

The Word of God makes it clear to us that we are to be a people searching out the truth and learning to discern truth from error.

Error is subtle and not always obvious.

Not everyone always has pure motives.

Truth and error are in conflict.

The strength to obey while remaining in our right minds depends upon being confident that we know the what and the why of the truth.

Paul’s Pastoral Request

As the letter’s main body begins, Paul continues his pastoral tone and makes a request of the Thessalonians.

We should take note of how kind the words are.

Paul does not press them with urgent exhortations or commands.

He addresses them as brothers.

He frames his request, which will be expressed in 2 Thess. 2:2, as being on the matter of “the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering upon Him.”

This echoes Paul’s teaching in 1 Thess. 4:16-17.

Paul had taught the Thessalonians much about the coming of the Lord.

2 Thess. 2:5.

1 Thess. 4:13-5:11.

The problem, then, that has motivated the writing of this letter is on this topic.

Paul addressed it right away when the letter began.

Paul’s Pastoral Concern

The Thessalonians, Paul worries, have been quickly shaken and terrified.

Note 2 Thess. 2:15 where Paul brings this to a conclusion.

Look at the two passage lists and the importance of standing firm in the truth.

Paul marvels, ala Galatians, at how quickly the Thessalonians have had their feet kicked out from under them…so to speak.

Note the two terms “shaken” and “terrified.”

He then delineates the possible sources.

“Through Spirit”

“through word”

Through letter.

It has been attributed to Paul or comes from someone claiming Paul as the authority.

Note how this contrasts with 2 Thess. 2:15.