The historical setting of the biblical message is of paramount importance to understanding the teachings of the scriptures. When the historical events are not kept within the era in which they occurred, then error of all kinds begins to replace the truth as the false doctrines increase with the passage of the years. A wrong understanding of Matthew 24 has led to the misunderstanding of the subject in the letters.

Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 5:1-4 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Paul’s letter isn’t about something that will happen hundreds of years in the future from that time. The message to the Thessalonians church is the message of Jesus in different words. Compare Paul’s words that the day of the Lord to Jesus in Matthew 24:36 where he said But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. The day of the Lord is a reference to the impending destruction of Jerusalem and Paul repeated it in his own words.  

Then in verse 2, Paul wrote of the return of Jesus as the thief in the night coming to plunder. It would be sudden. Jesus said, that if the Goodman of the house knew when the thief would come, he would have watched (Matthew 24:43). Paul continued in verse 3 with peace, safety and the word destruction olethros--pronounced: ol'-eth-ros (G3639) destruction, ruin and death. Paul wrote that day again in verse 4 that it should not overtake them as a thief. There is total harmony with gospels in Paul’s letter.  The message of Jesus was repeated by Paul.

In part XIX, it was written that the reason for God sending retribution upon Jerusalem would be given. It is found in II Thessalonians 1:6-10. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Those verses must be looked at in the context and in light of the message in Matthew 24.

First to be studied are the two words recompense and tribulation in verse 6. Recompense antapodidomi--pronounced: an-tap-od-ee'-do-mee (G0467) means to render or repay (See Romans 12:19-it is the same word for repay of verse 6). The word tribulation is the same one found in Matthew 24 thlipsis--pronounced: thlip'-sis (G2347) anguish, persecution, trouble. God is going to pay back all the unbelievers who caused trouble and persecuted the members of the body of Christ. Verse 7 is parallel with the verses that speak in Matthew 24 to a representative appearance of Christ. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God chose various ways and means to carry forth his plans.  And in verse 7, the Roman army was Christ’s representative and became his presence (parousia-see discussion in Part IX). The word revealed is the translation of apokalupsis--pronounced: ap-ok-al'-oop-sis G0602) defined by appearing, revealed, uncovering and manifestation. The Greek genitive case is used in the verse to indicate that the mighty angels were the possessions of Jesus acting from heaven and were the representatives designated to carry out God’s plan for Jerusalem. (The Roman army more than likely never knew that they were part of God’s plan to bring retribution to the Jews for denying and killing his Son. DEC)

Verse 8 gives the reason for destruction of Jerusalem and the death of the unbelievers. Verse 7 must be included in the context of verse 8 because verse 7 gives the reason for what follows verse 7: Jesus shall be revealed 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  Obey is the Greek word hupakouo--pronounced: hoop-ak-oo'-o (G5219) and literally means to listen attentively and to heed the teaching. (See Mathew 13:13-15; 15:8-9; Mark 7:6) The flaming fire is the Roman Army that burned Jerusalem and which expressed God’s wrath through vengeance for denying him and not obeying the gospel. The first mention of fire is in Matthew 3:10-12. In Acts 2: 17-21, Peter quotes the prophet Joel. The word fire is found in verse19 and verse 20 and has to point to A.D. 70. Peter’s words are parallel with everything John the Baptist and Jesus spoke in the gospels. Paul’s words in II Thessalonians 1:7-8 is parallel to Matthew 24:29-30.

Some expositors are troubled by verse 8 and suggest that know not God might be the pagans/Gentiles and those that didn’t obey the gospel were the Jews. There is some merit to that view, but let’s examine the verse from the perspective of the various contexts. Jesus spoke to the Jews and the flaming vengeance was upon the Jews in Jerusalem. Further, the Greek word translated and kai--pronounced: kahee (G2532) is a coordinating conjunction which links like subjects. The context determines the meaning and, it is reasonable to conclude that them that know not and the ones who obey not are the same persons or equal in standing. Since the assembly/church at Thessalonica had both Gentiles and Jews, the reference can include both Gentiles and Jews as those who know not God and who would not obey the gospel.  Along with the Jews, unbelieving Gentiles/pagans would have died in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Verse 9 tells what happened to those identified in verse 8. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; those words were a dire warning to the unbelievers that they would be destroyed. There is a wealth of meaning in the words in verse 9. Punished is the first word that needs examination: dike--pronounced: dee'-kay (G1349) Due to the length of the word study, it will begin in Part XXI.

© 09-18-2012 DEC