2 Thessalonians 2:6-The Omnipotence of the Holy Spirit Working Through the Church Prevents the Day of the Lord from Taking Place

2 Thessalonians 2:6 So now each and every one of you possess an accurate comprehensive knowledge of that which is preventing this in order that he himself has been revealed during his own distinct period of time. (My translation)

Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 reminds the Thessalonian Christian community that each of them possess an accurate comprehensive knowledge of that which is preventing the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place.

That which is preventing the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place is the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through church age believers who are obedient to His teaching in the Word of God.

Paul then asserts that the purpose of this manifestation of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit through the church is so that the Antichrist himself will be revealed during his own distinct period of time.

The implication being that if the omnipotence of the Spirit was not performing this function through the church, then the Antichrist would be manifested to the world.

Paul’s statement in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 presents the logical result of his teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 with 2 Thessalonians 2:5 functioning as a parenthetical remark about this teaching.

This would indicate that the day of the Lord is not taking place when the Antichrist will be revealed through his rebellion against God as a result of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself in the lives of individual church age believers, whom He indwells, obeying His teaching in the Word of God.

The adverb of time nun, “now” is emphasizing the moment when Paul and Silvanus were writing Second Thessalonians and the Thessalonian Christian community was hearing this letter read to them for the first time.

The word marks a chronological shift from Paul teaching them about the eschatological day of the Lord in the past when he was living with them prior to his abrupt departure from them to when he wrote Second Thessalonians.

It is also marking a chronological shift from the manifestation of the Antichrist in the future during the seventieth week of Daniel to the day and age Paul and the Thessalonians were living in which the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself in the lives of individual church age believers prevented this manifestation of the Antichrist.

The verb katechō pertains to preventing someone from doing something by restraining or hindering.

The referent of the neuter singular form of this verb katechō is the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, who indwells every church age believer, working through the individual members of the church who are in fellowship with Him through obedience to His teaching in the Word of God.

Therefore, the verb katechō here in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 is expressing the idea that the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through church age believers, who obey His teaching in the Word of God, is preventing the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place.

This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the word is used in relation to Paul explaining to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 what must take place first before the eschatological day of the Lord can take place.

Namely, when the Antichrist is manifesting to the world His rebellion against God during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week of Daniel.

Now, the verb oida here in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 is expressing the idea that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community possessed an accurate comprehensive knowledge that the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through church is preventing the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place.

Thus, it is expressing the idea that each member of the Thessalonian Christian community possessed an accurate comprehensive knowledge of the church’s relation to the eschatological day of the Lord.

They received this accurate comprehensive knowledge when Paul and Silvanus taught them about the eschatological day of the Lord when they were living with the Thessalonian Christian community prior to their abrupt departure from them due to persecution.

Following this assertion that the Thessalonians possessed an accurate comprehensive knowledge of that which prevents the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place is a purpose clause.

It is composed of the articular infinitive conjugation of this verb apokalyptō which is the object of the preposition eis (εἰς), which can be interpreted as either a marker of purpose or result, thus, the infinitive conjugation of this verb can be interpreted as either an infinitive of purpose or result.

An infinitive of purpose indicates the purpose or goal of the action or state of its controlling verb, which in our context is the verb katechō and answers the question “Why?” in that it looks ahead to the anticipated and intended result.[1]

Therefore, this indicates that the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through the church prevents the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place “in order that” the Antichrist is revealed to the public during his own distinct period of time.

The emphasis with this infinitive is God’s “intention” rather than the “effect,” which is indicated by the prepositional phrase en tō heautou kairō (ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ καιρῷ), “during his own distinct period of time,” which modifies it.

This prepositional phrase refers to the extent of time within which the Antichrist will be revealed to the human race and refers to the seventieth week of Daniel when the Antichrist will manifest his rebellion against God.

It is distinguished from the church age when the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through the church prevents this rebellion from taking place.

It is distinguishing the manifestation of the Antichrist’s rebellion against God during the seventieth week from the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself during the church age through the body of Christ, which prevents this rebellion from taking place.

It also emphasizes the Antichrist’s participation in the action of being revealed to the world since this will take place when he displays himself as God inside the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem during the midway point of the seventieth week of Daniel according to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

Therefore, this prepositional phrase en tō heautou kairō (ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ καιρῷ), “during his own distinct period of time” is making a point in distinguishing the period of history in which the Antichrist will take center stage.

The fact that the Spirit’s work in the church is hindering his manifestation indicates that this prepositional phrase is emphasizing the fact that God is controlling the Antichrist’s manifestation to the world through this work of the Spirit in the church.

He cannot appear until God removes the church, which is indwelt by the Spirit, at the rapture.

Therefore, this prepositional phrase implies that God is the one who ordains the period of time in which the Antichrist will manifest himself to the world by his rebellion against Him.

It is thus God who ordains when the eschatological day of the Lord will take place.

Therefore, the emphasis here with the infinitive conjugation of the verb apokalyptō is upon God’s “intention” of having the omnipotence of the Spirit manifesting itself through the church to prevent the eschatological day of the Lord from taking place.

In other words, the infinitive of purpose would express the idea that God was in sovereign control of events.

God was manifesting His sovereign control over human events and His control over the manifestation of the Antichrist and thus His control over when the eschatological day of the Lord will take place through the work of the Holy Spirit manifesting His omnipotence through the church.

Thus, the infinitive of purpose would serve as a great encouragement to the Thessalonian Christian community because it would communicate to them that God was in control of events.

Specifically, it would encourage them because it would communicate to them that the eschatological day of the Lord and the manifestation of the Antichrist cannot take place because God determines when these events take place.

God employs the omnipotence of the Spirit working through obedient members of the church to prevent these events from taking place in order that they will take place during the period of human history which He has ordained for them.

This interpretation fits with the context of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 since Paul is attempting in this passage to calm the fears of the Thessalonians that the eschatological day of the Lord was absolutely not taking place in their day and age.

So therefore, in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-6, Paul presents two pieces of evidence which will mark the fact that the eschatological day of the Lord is taking place.

First, the Antichrist must revealed publicly to the world through his rebellion against God.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit who indwells the church must be removed from the earth at the rapture in order for the Antichrist to be revealed to the world.

Paul’s statements recorded in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 assert that the eschatological day of the Lord is absolutely not taking place unless the Antichrist has first rebelled against God by presenting himself in the rebuilt Jewish temple as God.

The apostle asserts in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 that the Spirit who indwells each member of the church and restrains evil and the manifestation of the Antichrist must be removed in order for the eschatological day of the Lord to be present.

So therefore, a comparison of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 with 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 indicates that the manifestation of the Antichrist’s rebellion against God and the Holy Spirit’s removal from earth will signal that the eschatological day of the Lord is taking place.

[1] Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (p. 590). Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software.