1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; 2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [For a similar salutation, see 1 Thess. 1:1.] 3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet [just], for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth [Paul acknowledged himself obliged to give thanks because his prayer at 1 Thess. 3:12, 13 had been answered by the Thessalonians doing the things which he prayed they might do. Thus he very forcefully recognizes the good in his converts that he may be listened to with patience when he begins to correct their faults]; 4 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure [The faith and love of the Thessalonians were such that, spontaneously, of their own accord, Paul and his companions delighted to tell of it to the churches at Corinth, Cenchreæ and in other parts of Achaia. Though the persecutions which arose while Paul was in Thessalonica were still continuing, yet they neither exhausted the patience of the Christians so as to drive them to forsake God, nor their faith so as to lead them to mistrust God. We should [30] observe that the churches are commonly called, by Paul, as here, churches of God, though sometimes churches of Christ]; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus [The patience and faith of the Thessalonians were a manifest token (i. e., pledge, proof or demonstration) of that coming day wherein God will disclose the righteousness of his judgments, and wherein all apparent violations of justice shall be rectified (Eccl. 3:16, 17; Phil. 1:28). The purpose of this judgment will be that those who suffer for the kingdom of God may graciously be counted worthy of the heavenly joys of that kingdom, and that the wicked may be punished. If it is indeed a righteous thing (and who can doubt it?) for God to recompense evil for evil, so that those who afflict the righteous shall themselves be afflicted, and those who have suffered affliction for righteousness' sake may find rest with their fellow-Christians when Jesus, who is now hidden from their sight in heaven, reveals himself to human vision with the angels which display his power, and with that flaming fire which at once shows forth his glory and consumes his enemies (Heb. 10:27; 12:29), rendering vengeance as a great judge, not as a resentful potentate, to them that willfully know not God--Ex. 5:2; Rom. 1:28; Luke 12:47, 48; Rom. 2:14, 15 (principally Gentiles), and them that obey not the gospel (principally Jews)--Rom. 10:3, 16. In verse 6 Paul draws a comparison between the law which forbids retaliation to the individual (Rom. 12:17), and that which accords it to all government, especially the government of God himself, under whose rule unforgiven iniquity never escapes punishment [31] (Heb. 2:2; Rev. 20:12). He does this to show that God is under the second and not under the first law. In verse 7 we are reminded that the negative happiness of heaven is rest from all afflictions, sorrows, pains, persecutions, etc. (Heb. 4:9; Rev. 14:13; 21:4). It is the quiet haven of the storm-tossed bark. Continuing the thought, Paul says further of the objects of God's vengeance--]: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. [In that day when Jesus comes to be glorified, those who refuse to know God, and those who disobey the gospel, shall receive a punishment which is here clearly described as eternal. The word "destruction" imports the wreck or dissolution of the organism, but not the annihilation of the essence. The rest of the sentence implies banishment and separation from the presence of the Lord with all its joys, and from all participation in that manifestation of his power which will show itself in the glorification of his redeemed (Matt. 25:41; Col. 3:4). The latter thought is expanded by Paul throughout the remainder of the chapter. In that day Jesus shall be "marvelled at in all them that believe," because they shall reflect his glory as a mirror gives back the radiance of the sun (2 Cor. 3:18). The parenthesis ("because," etc.) is injected into the thought for the purpose of identifying the Thessalonians with the believers, and so with the glorification promised to believers.] 11 To which end [i. e., with a view to this glorious consummation; viz.: of being glorified in Christ] we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power; 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [Paul prays that the Thessalonians may be counted worthy of the gospel invitation, so that they may [32] receive, according to the fullness of God's limitless power, all the blessings to which they have been invited; viz.: all the graces and glories that ever the goodness of God desired to bestow, and every aspiration or heavenly ideal for which their own faith prompted them to strive; that thus their lives might glorify Christ, and be glorified by Christ, according to the gracious purposes of God in Christ. Jesus is glorified in his saints by their reflection, and the saints are glorified in Jesus by his impartation of his divine excellencies.]

[TCGR 30-33]