image not available48 ¢ Tiuoruy carnacer to this argument, ho katéchdn must refer to God. Parallels to the idea of God as the one who closes a woman's womb include Genesis 2:18 and examples from rabbinic and Iewish apocalyptic literature (Aus 1977, 546— 48). Among the patristic writers who expressly stated or assumed that itis God “who restrains” are Theodore of Mopsuestia and Theodorct of Cynis (Aus 1977, 548) Following this viewpoint, a case can be made that 16 katéchon refers to God's will regarding the mission to the Gentiles. There is, in fact, no effec- tual difference between use of ti katéchon as referring to the mission of the Gentiles and to its referring to God’s will or plan that the gospel first be preached to all people before the parousia, Aus himself cannot clearly distinguish between the two. They are, in fact, one and the same. Although this may not nevessavly imply the use of ho karéchdn as either referring to the preacher or to God himself, these two also are closely linked. Aus's effort to distinguish between the two only ends in frustration when he himself points to the reference by Paul in the following verses (13-14) to “our gospel” as the vehicle of salvation among the Thessalonians. By this hie does not imply that salvation has its origins in his gospel. Rather it is Goll himself who calls (verse 14). The role of the preacher and the one whom he represents are inseparably linked, yet in no way confused.* With this we come to our fifth and final interpretation: t© katéchdn as the preaching of the gospel and ho katéchan as the preacher, prototypically the apostle Paul himself. This view is defended by Cullmann on the basis of the question asked in Jewish apocalyptic literature concerning the reason for the parousia’s delay. The most frequent response referred to Israel's lack of repentance. That answer firmly sets the stage for the Chistian view Cf the apocalyptic nevessity of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, a view expressed most clearly in Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10. These texts in turn highlight the chronological order of events preceding the end: “first” (Mfark) the gospel must be preached fo all the Gentiles and “then” (Met- thew) shall the end come. It is important to note that in these passages the Anichrist’s appearance follows the preaching of the gospel, just as in our view of 2 Thessalonians 2. Other possible parallels include Revelation 6:1— 8; 19:11ff and 11:3, where Cullman interprets the first horseman as being the preecher of the gospel throughout the world who immediately precedes the End, Acts 1:5-9, 00, relates the proclamation of the gospel worldwide to the question of the kingdom’s delay, also illustrating the early Christian view of missionary activity as the prelude tor and apocalyptic sign of the coming new age." The immediate context further strengthens this interpretation, Verses 9-12 refer w the perdition of those who will not receive the love of the truth. The audience in verses 13-15 is contrasted with those who reject the apestle’s preaching. Even the whole preceding chapter trests the relation of apocatyptic events to persons accepting oF rejecting the gospel, ‘These internal, contextual, grammatical” and source considerations allimage not available