2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, God’s Judgment in Light of Persecution

What do people who are going through persecution for their faith in Christ need. They need encouragement to remain true to Christ, encouragement that their suffering is not in vain, and hope that righteousness wins out in the end. That is exactly what Paul is offering them in this second letter he writes to them.

^2:1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.

³ We owe thanks to God always for you, brothers and sisters, as is deserving, because your faith has grown abundantly and your love has increased, all of you, for one another. ⁴ Consequently, even we boast about you to the churches of God because of your endurance and faithfulness amid all your persecutions and the afflictions which you are bearing up under. ⁵ This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you are considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering, ⁶ since it is considered righteous before God to repay those who afflict you with affliction ⁷ and to give you rest, along with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the messengers of his power. ⁸ In flaming fire he will pay vengeance to those who don’t know God and don’t obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus. ⁹ Such will suffer justice, eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be honored in His saints and marveled at among all those who believe, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ For this reason we always pray for you that our God will judge you worthy of his calling and fulfill your resolve to do good and your work of faith powerfully, ¹² that the name of our Lord, Jesus, might be honored among you, and you honored in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord, Jesus Christ.

If we were not calling God “God,” what would we call Him? Lord? Certainly! In this opening of the letter Paul refers to God the Father ten times (v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 twice, 6, 8, 11, and 12). He refers to the Lord Jesus six times (v.1, 2, 7, 8, 12 twice). But there is one reference to “Lord” that is not specified (v.9). Is this Jesus or the Father? It could be either or both, because throughout these remarks Paul, in essence, equates God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are both the person in whom the church of Thessalonica exists (v.1), both the source of grace and peace (v.2), both of whom unbelievers are failing to submit to (v.8), and both the ones whose grace will lead to the honoring of the saints (v.12). Such an equating of the two is inappropriate unless Jesus is fully God, as the Father and the Spirit are.

As typical, Paul begins his letter, after the salutation, with a prayer report. He reports how he has thanked God for their faithfulness to Christ despite persecution (vv.3,4), and that he is praying for them that God will continue to judge them faithful (vv.11,12).

Once again Paul marvels and expresses gratitude to God for the perseverance of the Thessalonians while being persecuted. His first letter expressed his concern that they might defect from the faith under persecution and the relief he felt when Timothy reported that they were holding strong. This second letter, written perhaps months after the first, reflects that they are still undergoing persecution and affliction by their enemies. But they are still holding strong, showing “endurance and faithfulness.”

Their perseverance is evidence that they are truly saved, or as Paul puts it, that God has rightly judged that they are worthy of the kingdom (v.5). In fact, as God has evaluated, they are deserving of “rest” along with all who have suffered for the gospel, and their enemies are deserving of “vengeance” (vv.6,7). He says this rest will come, as will the vengeance, when Jesus comes, when he is revealed from heaven with the angels of his power (v.7). Believers may have to wait exoneration and vindication until the return of Jesus. Jesus’ appearance to judge will be in flaming fire, a common descriptor of Yahweh when he judges (Exodus 3:2 ff; Exodus 19:18; Daniel 7:9-10), another evident way Paul equates the Father and the Son in esteem.

The specific judgment on unbelievers, here described as those who don’t know God and don’t obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus, a probable indication of unbelieving Gentiles (commonly referred to by Jews as those who don’t know God) and unbelieving Jews (who though they claim to be law-keepers have shown otherwise by their rejection of the Messiah and his gospel). They will suffer eternal destruction from the face of the Lord (v.9). Is this annihilating destruction or cessation of existence, or continuing destruction or ruin in a conscious state?

Does eternal destruction mean non-existence forever? The term translated “destruction” is the Greek olethros, which can mean destruction, ruin, or death, in New Testament era literature.6 If the sense of “ruin” is the focus, this could describe continuous ruination, rather than out-and-out destruction. (page 36, Apocalypse Then)

But when vengeance comes upon unbelievers, honor will come to believers. Paul’s testimony is that Jesus will come to be honored “in” his saints, his holy ones, believers (v.10). Indeed, the name of the Lord Jesus will be honored but we also will be honored in him (v.12). It will be a glorious day.

For the Thessalonians, and all who belong to Christ and are suffering persecution, this is our hope and our encouragement.