INTRODUCTION

The writer of this letter used the same style as 1 Thessalonians

and other letters that Paul wrote. This shows that Paul was the main author.
Silas and Timothy are included in the greeting (2 Thessalonians 1:1). In many
verses, „we‟ write. This shows that all three of them agreed. Paul wrote this
epistle from Corinth during his second missionary journey,” around A.D. 50–
51. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to members of the Church in Thessalonica. The
themes of first Thessalonians and second Thessalonians are similar, suggesting
that he wrote second Thessalonians to clarify and expand on the first epistle. It
appears that the Thessalonians had received a fraudulent letter that claimed to
be from Paul, which caused some to believe that the Second Coming had
already occurred (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2). “In the short interval between the
two epistles the Church suffered from persecution [2 Thessalonians 1:4]; the
prospect of an immediate return of the Lord fostered an unhealthy excitement
[2 Thessalonians 2:2]”. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians in order to strengthen the
faith of these members and to correct doctrinal misunderstandings.

CONTENTS
Thessalonians had a huge lack of understanding about the return of Christ for
His church and so 2nd Thessalonians is a support letter or a follow up to 1st
Thessalonians and in referencing 1st Thessalonians, he almost saying that they
should be read together and not separately because it will give them a broader
picture. Some had expected Jesus to return very soon and so they had quit their
jobs and Paul wrote “we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at
work, but busybodies” (1st Thess 3:11) so “we command and encourage in the
Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2nd
Thess 3:12) because “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2nd
Thess 3:10b). In other words, keep working and witnessing and don‟t be
concerned about the exact time of Jesus‟ return.

Purpose
Paul and his friends received news from Thessalonica after that
church had received the first letter. This news showed that the Thessalonians
still needed someone to teach them about some subjects.
They had not understood some of what was in the first letter. So, the purpose of
the second letter was to make things clear to them.

 They must expect persecution because they trust in the Lord Jesus. But
God has a purpose in allowing them to suffer and he will reward them
(2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). Paul and his friends write to give them strength
and to encourage them.
 The Thessalonians seem to have some strange ideas about the return of
Christ. Some said that the Lord had already come. But this is not right
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). Some thought that the Lord would come at any
moment. The return of the Lord will be sudden. But, there are things that
must happen before he comes (2 Thessalonians 2:3‑12).
 Some of the Thessalonians Christians were lazy. They had given up their
work. It could be that they expected the Lord to come very soon. They
depended on their friends to keep them and feed them. Paul had
mentioned this subject in the first letter (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Now he tells them what they should do to those who refuse to work
(2 Thessalonians 3:6-13).

THEMES OF THE EPISTLE

In correcting their misunderstanding about the return of Christ,

Paul explains that the Lord will not come right away (2Th 2:1-3). Therefore
they need to continue with steadfastness and patience for which they had been
commended. "STEADFASTNESS WHILE WAITING FOR THE COMING
OF CHRIST".

Key verses: 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold
the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may
our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and
given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts
and establish you in every good word and work."

Address and Greeting (2 Thess. 1:1-2)

The wording resembles the first letter's address except for

the addition of "our" in the phrase, in God our Father. This clarifies that God is
being presented, not as the Father of Jesus but as the Father of his people and,
specifically, of the church of the Thessalonians. The greeting also parallels the
first letter's , but it is expanded by the addition of from God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ, which becomes Paul's regular form of greeting in later letters
( Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2 and for
variants, cf. 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philem. 3).

Thanksgiving and Prayer (2 Thess. 1:3-12)

In the Greek, verses 1 to 10 form a single (complex) sentence. Nevertheless,

this sentence exhibits a definite movement in the thought from thanksgiving to
encouragement. Some have suggested that, compared with the earlier letter, this
epistle's thanksgiving reflects certain coolness (verses. 3-4). Such a charge,
however, must be offset by the affectionate address of verse 3 ("brothers") and
the boast in verse 4 about the Thessalonians' perseverance and faith. In verses 5
to 10, Paul encourages his readers by reference to "the day" of Jesus return.
These verses, and more specifically verses 7 to 10, reveal a poetic structure such
that A. S. Way, The Letters of St. Paul (London: Macmillan, 1921), describes
them as the "Hymn of the Second Coming." The remaining verses in this
section (verses. 11-12) constitute not so much a prayer as a report of prayer,
although the difference is more stylistic than real. Effectively these verses are
Paul's prayer for his readers.

The Man of Lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:1-12)

We come now to the heart of the letter, where Paul attempts

to put right some wrong ideas about the Parousia . How Paul learned about the
problem we are not told. This is one of the most difficult passages of the NT to
interpret, largely because it presupposes Paul's oral teaching (verses. 5"don't
you remember," verses 6 "you know"), which gave his Thessalonian readers the
key to unlock its meaning That key now being lost, his later readers must
approach the passage with caution. While he regards the intervening and more
prosaic verses 5-7 to be possibly Paul's own "contribution to the account of the
rise and fall of Antichrist".

Stand Firm (2 Thess. 2:13-17)

With relief, Paul turns from discussing the delusion of those who
are perishing to give thanks again for those who are being saved. The structure
of this thanksgiving is almost identical with that of the introductory
thanksgiving of this and other letters. So much so, indeed, that some suggest
that this could be the remnant of another epistle that has been incorporated into
this ( Schmithals, pp. 193f.). Nothing can be proven, of course, and it is better
therefore to regard these verses as simply resuming the earlier thanksgiving in
much the same way as 1 Thessalonians 2:13 takes up again the introductory
thanksgiving of that letter. In the closing verses of this section 16-17,
thanksgiving turns to petition, with Paul praying that God, Father and Son,
would encourage and strengthen the Thessalonians.

Request for Prayer (2 Thess. 3:1-5)

As in 1 Thessalonians 5:25, Paul closes the letter by asking for

prayer for himself and his colleagues (having just prayed for the Thessalonians,
2:16.). The two passages show a similar structure, with the same verb, the same
vocative brothers. In this case, however, unlike 1 Thessalonians 5:25, their
particular needs are stated. But the focus of the passage soon shifts from the
human weakness expressed in Paul's "standing in the need of prayer' to divine
strength, and from their own needs to the needs of others. Surely, this marks
true followers of Christ; like their Lord, they are so sure of God and so free
from preoccupation with their own wants, that their energies flow naturally
towards others and their needs-especially God's people. Verse 5 takes the form
of a wish-prayer (1 Thess. 3:6-13).

Warnings Against Idleness (2 Thess. 3:6-15)

Paul returns to the theme of idleness touched on in the earlier letter ( 1 Thess.
4:11, and 5:14). Obviously, the problem persisted. Judging by the more
peremptory tone of the warning, it appears to have worsened. The amount of
space allotted to the matter measures how seriously Paul regarded it. But still
his pastoral concern is uppermost. The object of the exercise is to help the
erring, not to punish them or make the other members feel good. In all matters
of church discipline, this distinction is of prime importance.

Final Greetings (2 Thess. 3:16-18)

The letter ends with two short wish-prayers (1 Thess. 3:6-13) that the peace of
the Lord of peace might be with them and that the Lord himself might be with
them also.
Theology
In his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul addressed specific issues related
to their lives. He wrote about false prophets, and about faithful and responsible
living, and he also corrected their views on the second coming of Christ. It is
helpful to distinguish the specific teachings Paul included in these letters from
the more basic, underlying theological commitments that undergirded
everything he taught. As in his other letters, Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians
grew out of the heart of his theology, which we have called his eschatology.

Doctrine of Salvation

Paul attempted to cool off the Thessalonians' overheated eschatology by

drawing their attention to dimensions of salvation in Christ they had largely
ignored. Under the influence of false prophets, many Thessalonians had almost
completely identified salvation with the blessings that will come with the return
of Christ. Nothing else mattered except the salvation that would come at Christ's
return. To counter this overemphasis on the future, Paul pointed out that the
salvation that will be applied when Christ returns depends upon the salvation
that has already taken place. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 offer a helpful statement
of the outlooks

Morality

Paul countered the overheated eschatology in Thessalonica not only by

emphasizing the past and present aspects of salvation, but also by stressing
ethical Christian living. He called you to this through our gospel, that you
might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

Historical Position

A third way Paul sought to correct the Thessalonians' overheated eschatology

was in his description of their historical position relative to the events preceding
Christ's return. You will recall that a number of believers in Thessalonica were
confused about historical events that were to accompany the Lord's return.
Some of them had even been tricked into thinking that Christ had already
returned, and that they had missed his coming. Others believed that although
Christ had not yet come, he would certainly arrive in the immediate future.
2 Thessalonians 2:1- 8
 CONCLUSION

As we reflect on Paul's responses to the

Thessalonians, we see how his eschatology resolved many of their practical
problems, and also how it can guide us today. Many Christians today still focus
inappropriately on Christ's return, ignoring the importance of the present. But
Christ has not called us to treat our current responsibilities in his kingdom as
irrelevant. Rather, he has appointed this as a time for us to remain faithful to
him, to grow in sanctification, and to be his witnesses in the world. The heart of
Paul's theology speaks to us today, just as it did to the Thessalonians back then.
It encourages us to remain faithful and holy while we await our Lord's return
and the fullness of the age to come.

Bibliography

 Raymond E. Brown, AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT,

New York : a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group,1997.
 David J . Williams , UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE COMMENTARY
SERIES 1 & 2 Thessalonians , USA : Baker Books,2011.
 New Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, USA :
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,2016.

 https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/2thess-lbw.htm
 https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/eo/2th/2th000.cfm
 https://thirdmill.org/seminary/lesson.asp?vs=HPT&ln=3
 KERALA UNITED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
KANNAMMOOLA , TRIVANDRUM

ASSIGNMENT

SUBJECT: NEW TESTAMENT

TOPIC : II THESSALONIANS
NAME: LINU .L
CLASS: BD – I .B

SUBMITTED TO
REV. NINAN JACOB