2 Thessalonians 3:3c-The Lord Jesus Christ Will Protect the Thessalonians from the Evil One

2 Thessalonians 3:1 Correspondingly, each one of you, brothers and sisters, please begin and continue to make it your habit of occupying yourselves with praying on behalf of each one of us that the message originating from and about the Lord would be propagated. Consequently, that it is honored just as it in fact is honored among all of you. 2 Likewise, that each one of us would be delivered from perverse, yes evil people because faith by no means is a characteristic which belongs to all. 3 But the Lord does inherently possess the characteristic of being faithful, who will strengthen each and every one of you. Consequently, He will protect each one of you from the evil one. (Lecturer’s translation)

2 Thessalonians 3:3 contains three declarative statements.

The first asserts that the Lord does inherently possess the characteristic of being faithful.

The second asserts that the Lord will strengthen each member of the Thessalonian Christian community.

The third and final statement asserts that the Lord will protect each member of the Thessalonian Christian from the evil one and also presents the result of the second declarative statement.

Therefore, this would indicate that each and member of the Thessalonian Christian community would be protected from the devil “as a result of” the Lord Jesus Christ strengthening their post-justification faith in the gospel.

The reference to “the evil one” is of course a reference to the devil and Satan.

If you recall, 2 Thessalonians 2:7 mentions that Satan was active during the days of Paul and the Thessalonians by attacking the church and will continue to do so until the Spirit and the church are removed from earth at the rapture.

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. 7 For the mystery which is characterized by a distinguishable lawlessness for its own benefit is already at work only until the one who now prevents it from being revealed causes Himself to depart from the midst of the world. (Lecturer’s translation)

2 Thessalonians 3:3 is the fourth time in the Thessalonian epistles that Paul mentions the activity of Satan against the members of the body of Christ whether himself, Silvanus and Timothy or the Thessalonian Christian community.

1 Thessalonians 2:17 However, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned from each one of you for a short period of time (in presence, never in heart), we made every effort with great desire to see the faces of each and every one of you 18 because each one of us wanted to enter into the presence of each one of you (On the other hand, I Paul wanted to enter into the presence of each one of you in fact on more than one occasion) but Satan hindered us. (Lecturer’s translation)

1 Thessalonians 2:18 contains two assertions.

The first states that Paul and Silvanus wanted to enter into the presence of each member of the Thessalonian Christian community, but Satan hindered them from doing so.

The second is an emphatic parenthetical remark, which is embedded into the first assertion.

Paul emphatically asserts that independently of Silvanus, he attempted to visit the Thessalonians in fact on more than one occasion.

This parenthetical remark reveals that the apostle Paul is author of First Thessalonians and not Silvanus and Timothy.

Satan hindered these two from visiting the Thessalonians in the sense that he resisted and interfered with their attempts to do so.

1 Thessalonians 3:1 Therefore, because I existed in the state of not being able to endure it any longer, I thought it best to be left alone in Athens. 2 Also, I have sent Timothy our brother as well as fellow-worker for the one and only God with regards to the proclamation of the one and only gospel about the one and only Christ in order to strengthen each and every one of you, yes for the purpose of exhorting and encouraging for the benefit of your faith. 3 Specifically that absolutely no one would be unsettled by these adversities because you yourselves are well aware of the fact that each one of us are destined for this. 4 For in fact when we were living among of all of you, each of us kept on telling each one of you repeatedly that each of us was about to suffer adversity as it in fact did take place as also each one of you are well aware of. 5 Because of this, and because I myself could endure it no longer, I sent Timothy in order to ascertain the status of the faith of each one of you for fear that perhaps the tempter had successfully caused each of you to sin so that our labor might be without result. (Lecturer’s translation)

When Paul employs the verb peirazo in 1 Thessalonians 3:5, the word is not simply referring to Satan tempting the Thessalonians to sin.

But rather, it speaks of a successful attempt by Satan to cause the Thessalonians to sin.

This is indicated by the fact that Paul would obviously not be concerned about an unsuccessful attempt since this would bring him great joy, which it did according to 1 Thessalonians 3:6.

This verse asserts that he received information from Timothy that they were continuing to obey the gospel.

If you recall in 1 Thessalonians 2:14 Paul asserts that the Thessalonian Christian community was suffering persecutions from their own Gentile countrymen.

Now, in 1 Thessalonians 3:5 the apostle Paul asserts that he sent Timothy because he was concerned that Satan might have successfully caused them to sin by no longer obeying the gospel because of the pressure of this persecution at the hands of their own countrymen.

The implication is clear that the non-believing Gentile community in Thessalonica were agents used by Satan in order to stop the Thessalonian Christian community from obeying the gospel.

In fact, Paul asserts in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 that he was hindered from visiting Thessalonica several times.

Satan’s persecution of the Thessalonians through the agency of the non-Christian is an example of the unregenerate people of Satan’s cosmic world system and organization hating God’s children, which John taught about in 1 John 3:13, which echoes the Lord Jesus Christ teaching recorded in John 15:18-25 and 17:12.

1 John 3:13 Therefore, brothers and sisters if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that the world does at any time hate any one of you and we agree that they do hate all of you, then each one of you must continue to make it your habit of not being taken by surprise. (Lecturer’s translation)

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. 7 For the mystery which is characterized by a distinguishable lawlessness for its own benefit is already at work only until the one who now prevents it from being revealed causes Himself to depart from the midst of the world. 8 Consequently, then the one who is characterized by a distinguishable lawlessness will be revealed, whom the Lord will execute as a criminal with the breath from His mouth. Specifically, whom He will cause to come to an end by the unique manifestation produced by His arrival. 9 The one whose appearance will as a certainty be in accordance with activity produced by Satan with the manifestation of all types of supernatural power, specifically with all types of miracles, yes with all types of wonders, which produce a lie. (Lecturer’s translation)

2 Thessalonians 2:9 continues a section which began in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 and ends in 2 Thessalonians 2:12.

In this section, Paul attempts to correct and reassure the Thessalonians that the eschatological day of the Lord does not precede the rapture or resurrection of the church.

He teaches that the Spirit, who indwells each member of the church and prevents the appearance of Antichrist and thus the seventieth week of Daniel from beginning, must be removed from earth before the Antichrist can manifest himself.

Thus, the Spirit and the church must be removed before the seventieth week can take place since Daniel 9:27 teaches that the seventieth week begins with Antichrist establishing a treaty with the nation of Israel.

Therefore, Paul is addressing in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 the relationship between the church as well as the rapture and the eschatological day of the Lord, i.e., the seventieth week of Daniel and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 continues to describe the character of the Antichrist and his actions during the seventieth week of Daniel.

It asserts that the appearance of the Antichrist will as a certainty be in accordance with activity produced by Satan, which will manifest itself with all types of supernatural power.

Specifically, this supernatural power will manifest itself with all types of miracles as well as with all types of wonders, both of which produce a lie.

The noun energeia speaks of the activity of Satan with emphasis upon his power. Satan of course is the greatest enemy of God and the church who is an angel and also known as “the devil.”

The proper noun Satanas, “Satan” functions as a genitive of production indicates that the Antichrist’s arrival or appearance on the pages of world history as a public figure will certainly possess the characteristic of being in accordance with activity “produced by” Satan.

This third declarative statement in 2 Thessalonians 3:3 echoes the Lord’s teaching recorded in Matthew 6:13.

The apostle John in 1 John 5:18 speaks of the child of God’s protection from Satan and his kingdom.