6. 2Thessalonians Chapter two
I copied and pasted my exegesis on 2Th chapter two in the NT. It is a very fascinating eschatology chapter which every born again believer must know about clearly and correctly. It becomes more and more relevant as we approach end time no matter how any believer looks at the events happening throughout the world these times.
The way how I wrote it is that a verse number is followed by word, phrase, or clause in that verse and then colon. Then I explained each of them for the reader to understand them easily.
Chapter II: Paul is exhorting Thessalonian church people to know about the timing of Jesus’ second coming and rapture correctly, that is, they do not keep wondering if they are very near to happen and consequently neglect their daily routine businesses.
This confusion among Thessalonian church people about the subject must have come around because of few people who started spreading out erroneous information about it. More importantly he said, “cometh as a thief” in 1Th 5:2.
There shall be many rumors (Mat 24:6) in diverse places at diverse times as the end time approaches on earth. Therefore it is utmost important for every Christian to hold on to the Bible for truth, and to discern between what is erroneous rumor and what is not regarding end time prophecy. Knowing or having the real truth or information to ignore false ones is very important. If we know the truth and hold on to it, then we shall be free indeed (Joh 8:32).
1. by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: that is, in regard to Christ second coming. This was referred to as ‘the day of Christ’ in the next verse.
by our gathering together unto him: referring to rapture (1Th 4:13-18). See Joh 12:32; Mat 24:31. This verse clearly shows that HIS second coming right after the 3 and half years of tribulation period and rapture are concurrent or one following right after the other event. See also 1Cor 15:20-24 and especially pay attention to the phrase ‘afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming’ in verse 23.
2. shaken in mind: So Thessalonian church people were shaken in mind that rapture would happen soon. Apostle Paul alluded to rapture in the last verse.
Their mind was focused on rapture in which they will meet Christ in the air (1Th 4:17) more than Christ’s second coming itself. In fact they are concurrent events, one following after another immediately.
Many people fail to understand this verse in connection with rapture; they just assume that it was all about Jesus second coming alone when in fact Paul was talking about the timing of rapture in connection with HIS second coming.
the day of Christ: This exact phrase appears two more times elsewhere in the Bible (Php 1:10, 2:16). All these three verses refer to HIS second coming exactly. Another phrase ‘the day of the Lord’ (1Th 5:2; 1Cor 5:5; 2Cor 1:14; 2Pe 3:10) also means HIS second coming. Notice the word 'Lord' in the phrase signifying Christ as opposed to 'LORD' which points to Jehovah. The phrase ‘the day of the LORD’ with all capital letters 'LORD' specifically refers to the 3 and half years of tribulation period and appears numerous times in the OT only (Isa 13:6, 9; Jer 46:10; Eze 30:3; Joe 1:15; Zep 1:7; and etc). See Dan 9:27; Rev 13:5; Mat 24:15, 21, 24 in regard to false christ (son of perdition). During the second coming of Christ in the air (Act 1:9-11), HE will suddenly take up saints both in the grave and alive to heaven (1Cor 15:52-54), so called rapture (1Th 4:13-18; Mat 24:30, 31). Compare 'gathering together unto him' in the last verse with 'gather together' in Mat 24:31. Then this proves post tribulation rapture very decisively. See item #4 in Theology menu.
at hand: that is, rapture is going to happen soon. Paul used the phrase “the day of Christ” in this verse to indicate rapture more than HIS second coming; very likely this word ‘rapture’ or other appropriate vocabulary was not available back then.
Paul explains to them in this chapter that it is yet to happen and son of perdition must emerge to the public first, so do not get disturbed by misinformation or by his first letter, especially in 1Th 4:13-18, 5:2. They probably neglected their daily businesses or duties because of it and it became a major issue or talking point among them at that time.
This verse clearly shows that HIS second coming at the conclusion of 3 and half years of tribulation period, that is the close of second half of 70th week of Daniel in Dan 9:24-27, will lead to rapture in which both live and dead saints sleeping in the grave will be caught up to heaven to meet HIM in the air and will come back to earth with HIM to live 1,000-year Christ kingdom (Rev 20:4).
by spirit: that is, devil spirit. Satan loves to spread rumor or misinformation to make people panic unnecessarily.
by word: by mouth or media outlet. Rumor or misinformation shall be growing more intensely as the end time approaches.
nor by letters as from us: Paul certified this 2nd epistle that it was come from him at 3:17. See annotation on 3:17.
3. for that day: the day of Christ at which time born again believers alive and sleeping in the grave will be caught up in the air to meet Christ.
except there come a falling away first: referring to apostacy, a new heresy (false religion) come out. This is explained in the next verse what this ‘falling away’ means, that is, man of sin (son of perdition), false christ, will show himself as god. That new heresy shall be false christ himself with signs and lying wonders (v 9). Paul was talking about a brand new heresy, then none of present day cults can be considered as what Paul was referring as ‘falling away’ which implies very outrageous heresy with a very significant implication, that is, a super heresy unheard of since creation. In other words nobody claimed to be christ and demanded to be worshipped by people worldwide. There might have been minor heresies here and there throughout men’s history since creation.
Man of sin…the son of perdition: referring to the false christ (Mat 24:24; Mar 13:22) who shall reveal his identity in the middle of 7-year period (70th week of Daniel, Dan 9:27). The beast in Rev 13:1-10 is the type of this lawless man in this verse. He is nobody but false christ but many people call him antichrist incorrectly. Apostle John defined the term very nicely in 1Joh 2:18, 22, 4:3; and 2Joh 1:7. Therefore this son of perdition in this verse is not antichrist.
the son of perdition: The word ‘perdition’ means everlasting punishment in hell (lake of fire) literally, to which unsaved people go after death. Here it might mean Satan figuratively in order that ‘the son of perdition’ refers to false christ (the beast) in Rev 13:1, 2. He is the son of Satan (devil). All three of them, Satan (devil), the beast (false christ), and the false prophet (13:11-18, 16:13, 19:20, 20:10), shall be cast into the lake of fire to torment them eternally (Rev 20:10). These three are false trinity, counter parts of real Trinity, GOD the Father, Son Christ, and Holy Ghost respectively. Judas Iscariot, one of the Jesus' twelve disciples and who betrayed HIM, was called by this description (Joh 17:12). Both Judas Iscariot and false christ are the past and future instruments of Satan respectively. See annotation on verse 9.
4. sitteth in the temple of God: this is not a physical temple (G2411) as many people misunderstand but it is the spiritual temple (G3485).
In the original Greek, there are two different words for each type of temple but they are translated into the same word as temple in the English Bible.
The physical temple in Greek is hieron (G2411, Mat 12:5, 6, 24:1) and the spiritual temple in Greek is naos (G3485, Mat 23:16, 17).
We believers are called temple (G3485, spiritual temple) of God as in 1Co 3:16. There are many verses in the NT which translated this Greek word (G3485) to the English word, temple.
For example, see Rev 3:12, 7:15, 11:1, 2, 16:1. These verses and other verses with this Greek word (G3485) sound like physical temple. Then most English readers of the NT might misinterpret the scripture very easily understanding them as physical temple when in fact they referred to spiritual temple instead.
so that he as God sitteth in the [spiritual] temple of God: referring to false christ. He claims as if he is the spirit of god, that is, he is god and supernatural like god.
This false christ is the “prince” (Dan 9:26) and was said to cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and abomination in the middle of the week (7-year period) (Dan 9:27).
This may not mean literal sacrifice and oblation to be stopped but it simply means he will prohibit people to worship real GOD the Father and require them to worship him instead.
He is also the beast who will require people on earth to worship him as god (Rev 13:8) and was said to blaspheme GOD (Rev 13:4-8).
And then there will come out another beast called the false prophet (Rev 16:13, 19:20, 20:10). He was said to exercise all the power of the first beast (false chirst) and to cause people to worship the first beast (13:11, 12), and was said to require everybody on earth to receive a mark in order to buy or sell [food] in the future (Rev 13:16-18).
One of the four temptations with which Satan tempted Christ was that Christ worship him (Mat 4:9, 10).
Satan was a former angel who rebelled against GOD the Father and wanted to be like HIM or to be called another god. He and other angels who followed him were cast out of heaven unto earth since GOD knows when, and they were tempting men on earth ever since (Rev 12:7-13).
that he is God: There were few or many times when somebody called himself as god before and certainly there will be more false gods in the future.
5. I told you these things: that is, he mentioned about second coming of Christ and rapture (v 1) in the first letter to Thessalonian church people (1Th 5:2).
He did not mention about false christ (man of sin or the man of perdition, verse 3) in the first letter but he might have told them in person when he was with them in Thessalonica.
He wrote this second letter to them after he heard about their reaction to the first letter from Timothy and/or Silvanus (v 2, 1:1).
6-7 Here, Paul is addressing about 'man of sin' or ‘son of perdition’ (false christ) in verse 3.
6. what withholdeth: so something or somebody had been withholding that false christ to come out, to wield his religious authority, and to deceive many maybe more than 2,000 years ago!
7. for the mystery of iniquity: referring to the plan of Satan to reveal false christ (the beast, Rev 13:1, 8), man of sin (v 3, the son of perdition), or that Wicked (v 8) at the beginning of second half of 7-year period, that is, the beginning of 3 and half years of tribulation period. Apostle Paul called mystery of Christ that Gentiles are fellowheirs of GOD with Jews on equal basis through the salvation work of Christ who died on the cross for both Jews and Gentiles’ sins (Eph 3:1-7). And then we have another kind of mystery, mystery of false christ orchestrated by Satan himself.
already work: Paul said this more than 2,000 years ago! Nevertheless the idea of false christ was conceived by Satan probably ever since Gen 3:15 or ever since the angel-turned Satan and his cohorts (angels) (Mat 25:41) were expelled from heaven to earth (Rev 12:7-9) because of his rebellion against GOD. Now the Satan in Rev 12:9 is also called the great dragon, that old serpent, the Devil. Then the serpent in Gen 3:1 is his representative, the only representative of Satan among all beasts created by GOD, that is, he entered into the serpent and led him to tempt Eve to eat the fruit of the tree which was in the middle of the garden (Gen 3:3), which was forbidden by GOD (Gen 2:16, 17).
only he (mystery of iniquity, Satan) who letteth (restrain, hinder), will let (restrain, hinder): Paul was referring to Satan literally, that is, Satan is looking for the right time for that false christ (mystery of false christ) also known as son of perdition or man of sin (v 3) to come out but he is using Roman Catholic Church to restrain the man of sin (false christ). RCC is the oldest and the most powerful and corrupt (heretic) church supported by Satan.
until he be taken out of the way: that is, until RCC is removed from the world religious superpower so to speak (Rev 14:8, 17:5, 16, 18:2). RCC was not present during Paul’s time. Then It is not clear what or who was in his mind as to be taken out of the way to facilitate the false christ to emerge as a new world religion leader. Was he thinking about orthodox Jews who opposed gospel vehemently? Was there a religious superpower dominating world religion during his time like RCC nowadays? Maybe he did not have any particular cult in his mind to be taken out of the way. Instead he might have imagined or have been prescient about some future religious superpower to emerge in the foreseeable future. Are pope and his followers in RCC aware their collapse or dissolution soon or later in the future? But the real church of Jesus Christ shall stand forever! (Mat 16:18), that is, true Bible believing and abiding Protestant churches stand until Christ second coming and thereafter into 1,000 year Christ kingdom, and then thereafter forever without end!
It seems very improbable for RCC to be dissolved no matter how one looks at it but it should fail completely in order for the man of sin (false christ, Rev 13:1) to emerge. It is interesting to read Apostle John’s vision in which that false christ rise up out of the sea in Rev 13:1 as if he was coming up from the depth of sea suddenly without notice or sign. Satan supports many cults on earth to deceive and to draw people away from the gospel of Christ, and RCC is the oldest and most powerful and influential cult on earth, which had withdrawn many people from gospel and deceived them into everlasting hell. In other words there are millions and millions of innocent people who identify themselves as Catholic after being blindfolded by Catholic church heresy.
They could have been witnessed by Protestant churches and consequently have been saved from eternal hell or eternal damnation into lake of fire to which all unsaved or unbelieving people shall be end up with as second death (Rev 20:14) after the first, common death. Everybody shall die once as the first, common death regardless of whether they are saved or not. People who got saved before the first death shall not face the second death in the lake of fire but shall go to eternal heaven after the first, common death. So the false christ (son of perdition) will prevail and defeat RCC after all and reveal his identity. Ten horns (kings) were said to burn the woman sitting upon the beast, which represents RCC (Rev 14:8, 17:3, 5, 16, 18:2), and this will open up the door for the false christ to come out. RCC was very powerful and dominant world religion since its inception more than 1,000 years ago. Then false christ will take it over to become a new world religion eventually.
8. And then shall that Wicked (false christ, man of sin, the son of perdition, v 3; Rev 13:1-8; Dan 9:27) be revealed….
and shall destroy with...coming: referring to Christ second coming (Rev 19:11-16). So nobody on earth will be able to overcome that wicked man (false christ, man of sin) until when Christ will come back to earth and shall destroy him.
9. Even him (false christ)...Satan: Satan will be behind what everything false christ will do or is capable of doing miracles; This is very much analogous to what GOD the Father was behind or support every miracles Christ did during HIS life on earth.
after the working of Satan: referring to Satan's deceiving works through false christ to lead people away from the truth of gospel in Christ.
with all power...wonders: Satan will empower false christ with miracle performing capabilities (Rev 13:2).
10. the love of the truth: referring to the love of trinity, that is, GOD the Father, Christ the Son, and Holy Ghost. False christ will pervert the only truth in the Bible and will mislead many people worldwide just like his predecessor (RCC) did, which he replaced (verse 7) but his perversion shall be a lot more outlandish than RCC had done from Biblical stand point of view.
11. GOD shall send them [that perish] strong delusion: that is, GOD will make lost people hopeless by making them believe lies and deceiving wonders, selling themselves into deeper lost state without any possibility of coming back to the truth of the gospel. See Rev 13:8. GOD'S mercy toward men is not endless, that is, HE will cut off HIS mercy once for all at some point without recourse (Luk 13:24-30) and HE even makes reprobate and hopeless men (sinners) fall into deeper sin by believing lies (Rev 22:10, 11). Gospel is only for those who open up their hearts and are willing to receive it gladly. GOD would not force unwilling minded people to believe definitely but rather HE would cause them to fall hopelessly.
12. truth: believing in Jesus Christ, true salvation.
Unrighteousness: referring to false christ so called man of sin or son of perdition in verse 3, or ‘a lie’ in the last verse. It will be reality that people will accept or believe in false christ and reject true Christ during last day very unfortunately. These lost people did not respond to the true gospel in Jesus Christ during peaceful time but they will embrace false christ as their saviour at the last day.
13. through sanctification of the spirit…truth: that is, truly born again believers shall not be deceived by false christ but maintain and hold on the truth to resist him. On the contrary lost people will believe in his lies and get lost into eternal damnation, hell or lake of fire (vv 10-12).
14. Whereunto he (Father, GOD, Jehovah) called you….
by our gospel: that is, by our preaching the word of GOD.
15. stand fast, and hold tradition: Believers are to sand fast with the truth in the Bible in order to resist temptation and deception from Satan (Eph 6:10-18).
Oh heavenly Father, we thank thee for giving us thy precious word so that we hold on the truth during the coming perilous time. We shall be patient and our focus is to spread the gospel diligently until that glorious appearing of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, and also to love one another. Praise the LORD and Alleluia. Amen
