About 2 Thessalonians
Stand firm in the traditions you received - the Day of the Lord has not come yet, and while you wait, live responsibly and do not grow weary of doing good.
"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."
2 Thessalonians 3:5
Written
circa AD 51-52
Author
Paul
Genre
Epistle
Position
14th NT book - Paul's Letters
Authorship
The Apostle Paul with Silas and Timothy, written from Corinth shortly after 1 Thessalonians. The Thessalonians had received a letter falsely claiming Paul said the Day of the Lord had already come, causing panic.
Historical Context
Some in Thessalonica believed the Day of the Lord had arrived and had stopped working, expecting the end imminently. Paul corrects this misunderstanding with a description of what must happen before Christ returns.
Purpose
To correct eschatological panic and the resulting idleness - reassuring the church that the Day of the Lord has not yet come while calling the disorderly to get back to work.
Key Message
Stand firm in the traditions you received - the Day of the Lord has not come yet, and while you wait, live responsibly and do not grow weary of doing good.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
2 Thessalonians 2 contains the NT's most detailed description of the man of lawlessness - one of the most debated passages in prophetic interpretation.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 - If a man will not work, he shall not eat - is one of the most practically direct economic instructions in the NT.
The restrainer who holds back the man of lawlessness (2:7) has been variously identified as the Holy Spirit, the Roman Empire, or the church.