An Introduction to the 2nd Letter to the Thessalonian Church

Introduction: In 2010, the Book ‘Unbroken’ hit the shelves and spent 4 years on NYT best seller list. This biography recalls the amazing story of Louis Zamperini, childhood hoodlum turned Olympic record-breaking runner, turned Air Force pilot in WWII. Zaperini survived a sea crash, survived 47 days on a life raft, who survived some of the most notorious POW camps in Japan during the war. Later Zamperini was rescued and gave his life to Christ in the late 40’s at a Billy Graham Crusade he attended with his wife. Zamperini concluded his life as a speaker at Christian crusades, proclaiming God’s providence in saving Zamperini through all these difficult trials. Zamperini was known for visiting many of the Japanese captors who tortured him and seeking reconclilation with them. Many became believers in Christ through this gracious act of forgiveness.

One amazing aspect of this story was the continual hope that Zamperini found as a means of his survival. While adrift 47 days in the ocean, Zamperini constantly had confidence of his rescue. While a POW facing the daily beatings, malnutrition, and dehumanizing treatment from the guards, Zamperini always found his hope that the war would end and his abuse would cease. Strangely enough, his hope was based on earthly faculties, never heavenly ones. His rescue was not guaranteed so his hope was not a confident expectation, more just wishful thinking. Yet, it was this wishful thinking that was the motivation Zamperini needed to survive.

Isn’t our hope in something greater than the American military, and random circumstance? We don’t trust in man’s military victories, we trust in the Faithful God who promises to save all who come to Him through Jesus. God promised a Messiah who would come and he did. This Jesus who died for sinners upon the cross is promised to one day come again- to annihilate all of sin, evil and the devil from this world and to establish a new earth where followers of Jesus will dwell with him in perfect peace for all eternity. This is a hope much greater than Zamperini ever had during those troublesome days until the day he gave his life to Christ.

The 2nd letter to the Thessalonian church is one centered on the return of Christ. It is primarily regarding eschatalogical hope as we await the expected Lord in his return. Paul doesn’t dive very deep in eschatalogical doctrine as much as he applies the hope of the return of Christ to the present day church as it awaits his Savior?

In what manner will we await the Lord’s return? This is the important question that paul deals with in his second letter to this dear church. All of this letter is set in the context of the 2nd coming of Christ. He will write for them and for us as to how we are to live in an expectation of Jesus’ return.

As with every letter, we gain better understanding as we look at three introductory categories: the AUTHOR, AUDIENCE AND AIM of the letter. After this, we will focus on a key themes thorughout Paul’s message.

Author

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

The apostle Paul, who once persecuted the Christian church as an arrogant Jew, was saved from his ignorance by the Lord Jesus and called to become a herald of the good news of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. It is believed that Paul was converted sometime in 33 AD. It wasn’t until 46-48 AD that Paul started his missionary journyes.

Every city that Paul visited on his missionary journeys was a strategic visit to make disciples of Jesus Christ. He would visit the Jewish synagogue upon his arrival and share the gospel message to the Jews there. When many of the Jews rejected his message, Paul continued to preach to Gentiles. In this he saw both Jews and Gentiles come to faith in Christ, were gathered together to be discipled, and a church was formed. It was his second missionary journey, which he started around 50 AD, that we find our study regarding Thessalonica.

Read Acts 17:1–10

Paul identifies himself as the author of this letter which he penned while he was living in Corinth the year and a half of ministry there. It is believed that during that time, both letters to the church of Thessalonica were written. How do we find dates and piece together when the letters were written?

Paul leaves Thessalonica and goes to Berea and ends up ministering in Athens. From Athens he ends up a year and a half in Corinth. Paul mentions this time frame to in his 1 letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thess 3:1-9

From this we understand that Timothy was sent back to Thesslonica to check on the health of the new believers there who were facing persecution for their faith. Let us be reminded that Timothy was a disciple of Paul. Timothy, who is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 1:1, is not only a traveling companion with Paul, but he pastors and ministers to the people of Thessalonica. From a historical perseptive, Luke mentions this in Acts 18:1-5.

Paul leaves Athens to Corinth, at which time Timothy and Silas join back up with him and give him the status of the church at Thessalonica. It was in Corinth then that Paul pens the two letters. A date for this can be established becuase Luke tells us in Acts 18:12 that Gallio was proconsul of Achaia which was 51-52 AD. Therefore these letters are dated within that time frame, written only months apart from each other.

2 Thessalonians 1:1 “1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Paul also mentions Silvanius and Timothy. Silvanius is the Latin name for Silas who is mentioned in Acts as a traveling companion to Paul. He began his travels with Paul after Acts 15 when Paul left Jerusalem on his second missionary journey. He was involved with Paul’s ministry to Silas is mentioned multiple times in greetings to the NT letter from Paul. He was a close companion and ministry partner in the Paul’s gospel ministry. The third person mentioned is Timothy, Paul’s disciple who was just mentioned.

Application:

As we think about the author and his companions, we can be challenged to see that in light of the immenent return of Christ, the church’s role is to equip and send out others to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ. Paul was entering cities, sharing Christ, discipling new believers, training them and sending them out. This is the healthy function of the church until Jesus comes agian. We do this faithfully and we do this regarless of the conditions of this world that we find ourselves in. Each of us is called to this mission individually just as the church is called to this missio corporately.

Audience

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

The people of Thessalonica were citizens of a very important city of the Roman world. Thessalonica was the major city of the region known as Macedonia. The Roman proconsul lived in Macedonia among the 200,000 people. This city was a hub of commerce and trade. Its location made it a melting pot for trade for two reasons: It was situated on the Egnatian Way and it was a port city to the Thermaic Gulf. The Egnatian Way was a Roman highway built that connected the east and the west of the kingdom. It was the I-40 in the Roman world and it allowed tradesman and visitors to flow through this city. Not only did this road make Thessalonica a trade city but being a port on the gulf was also a plus. The variety of Jews and Gentiles trading and living in this city made it a perfect place of ministry for Paul. When Paul began to preach the gospel, Jews and Gentiles were saved and a church was formed. These Thessalonians church members are the ones to whom Paul writes.

Paul calls them a church meaning that they are literally “called out ones.” The true church is made up of those who have been called out of their sinful lifestyles and called to live lives set apart for the gospel ministry, serving Christ faithfully by sowing gospel seeds, and finding joy in Christ alone as their chief treasure, which is counter cultural from the world’s view of Jesus. That is why he states they are the church “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” They are not a gathered group of polythesists who worship the Roman god pantheon. Nor are they a club of animists who worship the trees and forest spirits. Paul is reminding them that they are called out ones by God the Father through Jesus and sent into the world.

Application: The Thessalonians live in context very similar to ours. They had the Egnatian way that brought commerce to their city. We have Fed Ex, International Paper, Merck as a well as many others large manufacturing companies who bring in steady streams of citizens and cultures to our city. While we do not depend so much on the Mighty Mississippi for trading, we are still a major hub of commerce in the US. The Thessalonians lived in a similar environment for ministry where a multitude of cultures collided into their city and those people from distant lands needed the gospel. God has sent many cultures to our great city and we have the good news of the hope of salvation that we need to share with them! We are the church-the called out ones who have been ordained to spread gospel seed to the areas of Bartlett/Raleigh. This will only be accomplished when we live like the church we are called out to be!

Paul states in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 “1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;”

Paul asks for the gospel to move about quickly, (Lit. to RUN) about. Let this be our prayer as we minister to the community of Barlett and the Nations.

Aim

We will categorize the three main points of this letter as follows:

1. Steadfastness in Persecution (chapter 1)

Chapter 1 is an appendix to the encouragment that Paul gives towards the church in his first letter. Paul is amazed at the faithfulness of the Thessalonian church as it endures persecution. He states in 1 Thessalonians 2:14 “14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,”

2 Thessalonians 1:4 “4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.”

Now in light of the 2nd coming of Christ, Paul encourages all believers to suffer well just as the Thessalonians did. We know that Christ is coming again and therefore our suffering is limited in its scope. In addition, Paul told the Romans

Romans 8:18 “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Therefore we will be challenged to suffer well with the churches across the globe who are called to endure until the end…the day when Jesus returns in all his glorious might and power.

I know this is especially meaningful to those African brothers and sisters in the county of Nigeria. Records show that since 2009, over 18K churches have been destroyed, 55K Christians have been killed and 21K have been abducted all by the Boko Haram and the enemies of Christ and his church.

We must as Christians pray for our bothers and sisters in high areas of persection and we must all endure our own persecutions until the Lord comes again.

Symeon, a fourth-century martyr, said, “May the Cross of our Lord be the protection of the people of Jesus; the peace of God be with the servants of God and establish your hearts in the faith of Christ, in tribulation and in ease, in life and in death, now and for evermore.”

2. Steadfastness to Scriptural Truth (chapter 2:-12)

In connection to Paul’s earlier letter and his instruction on the coming of the Lord, false teachers come into Thessalonica and they convince believers that the Lord has already come.

Paul writes,

2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 “1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.”

Paul will pronounce the judgmnet of God on the wickedness of such false teachers and then urge the church to stand firm in the truth. He writes in v 15

2 Thessalonians 2:15 “15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”

This is such an important message for our day that we not waver from teh truth of God that has been given to us in his word. These truths have been passed down from the prophets of the OT, the apostles and prophets of the NT that serve as the bedrock for our faith. It is the sufficient word of God that grounds us to Christ as we study to undestand from about the truth of Him that is revealed to us.

Christianity is not undergirded by feelings and experiences that are subjective and unsteady. Our faith is rooted in the unchanging word of God that leads us to salvation and that guides us in sanctification. It’s unchangeableness is what prepares us for the attacks of the evil one who sends false teachers into our lives and paths to turn us away from the truth.

Friends, be aware that there are false teachers for every situation and occasion. They are the records in the old jukeboxes. You put in a coin and push a selection and your song plays. What is see in the church is a host of false teachers to fit your needs. If you are interested in doctrinal study…there are false teachers to lead you to false doctrine. If you are interested in godly parenting…there are false teachers to lead you to some substitute to how God wants you to parent your children.

The accessibility to those false teachers have ever increased in a digitial world. No longer does these charlatans have to come knock on your door nor do they need paid programming on local TV or radio. Now they are a click away on social media. They are on instagram, TikTok, youtube and facebook. Its a click away.

We have to be so rooted and grounded in truth of what God’s word says that we can discern from error when it comes our way. But secondly, we must lean in on the people in our lives that God has given us to help us understand the Bible better.

I can speak for myself, Adam and Stuart and tell you we are not the greatest bible scholars on this planet. We might be a good C- if you measured us against the whole. But what I see in the church today is that people are falling prey to doctrinal failure about God and the church and their pastors are the last to find out about it. The reason….people are going to Youtube for answers to their questions instead of the men God has called to lead them spiritually.

Whats worse is that AI is the next phase of this trouble. This weekend at the mens conference, Owen Stachan stated that young people today are having more conversations with AI chatbots now that they are real people. They sit and chat with computers instead of engaging in real flesh and blood conversations. Now where do you think this generation is gonna get their questions answered about the Bible?

Not their pastors. Not thier church community. Not the person discipling them. Church we have to wake up and trust the Bible teachers God have given us. I love the resources out there that help the church and I never want to dissuade you from learning outside the teaching of this church. But somewhere and somehow are need for quick returns have pushed your pastors to the back of the ieducational meal train. This is not how the Lord built his church.

If you need help understanding the Bible, ask us. We will help you and if we don’t know the answers, we will find them out together. This is what Paul is doing for the Thessalonian church when he says “Hold to the traditions that you were taught.”

He says it again in 1 Corinthians 11:2 “2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.”

Let’s look at the third area of emphasis:

3. Steadfastness in Church faithfulness (chapters 2:13-3:17)

Finally, Paul is gonna focus on role of the church in its faithfulness as it awaits the Lord’s return. The church must remain vigilent in this war that we face, as we learned in Ephesians. LIkewise, Paul calls the church to action in steadfastness, most particulary in two areas:

Prayer for Kingdom Growth

Paul asks the church to pray that the gospel will continue to advance in his ministry and in all the churches. Paul already commended the Thessalonians of their faithful proclamation of the gospel to their community. He writes

1 Thessalonians 1:8 “8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.”

Paul was boastful of their efforts in gospel proclamation and in his second letter he asks for their prayers to follow suit. He desires to see the unbelievers saved and he calls teh church to be fervent in prayer in those ways.

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 9:38

“38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.””

Paul asked the Colossian church also:

Colossians 4:3 “3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;”

2. Church Discipline

Thessalonica will face what every church faces…sin within its body. Paul calls the church there to be steadfast in its dicipline of its members who are in sin. Particularly, these members have fallen into idleness because of their belief in false teaching.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 “6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.”

Lords Supper

1689 London Baptist Confession reads:

paragraph 1

The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and showing to all the world the sacrifice of himself in his death,1 confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment, and growth in him, their further engagement in, and to all duties which they owe to him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other.

paragraph 2

In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick or dead, but only a memorial of that one offering up of himself by himself upon the cross, once for all;3 and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same.4 So that the popish sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most abominable, injurious to Christ's own sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect. Paragraph 7

Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.