2 Thessalonians 2:15

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. THEREFORE. God's sovereign choice, so far from being a ground for inaction, is the strongest incentive to perseverance in action. Compare the argument (Philippians 2:12), 'work out your own salvation, FOR it is God that worketh in you,' etc. We cannot explain the theory; but to the sincere the practical acting is plain. 'Privilege first, duty afterward' (Edmunds). STAND FAST - so as not to be 'shaken or troubled' (2 Thessalonians 2:2). HOLD - so as not to let go. Adding nothing, subtracting nothing (Bengel). The Thessalonians had not held fast his oral instructions,...

He deduces this exhortation on good grounds from what goes before, inasmuch as our steadfastness and power of perseverance rest on nothing else than assurance of divine grace. When, however, God calls us to salvation, stretching forth, as it were, his hand to us; when Christ, by the doctrine of the gospel, presents himself to us to be enjoyed; when the Spirit is given us as a seal and earnest of eternal life, though the heaven should fall, we must, nevertheless, not become disheartened. Paul, accordingly, would have the Thessalonians stand, not merely when others continue to stand, but with a more settled stability; so that, on seeing almost all turning aside from the faith, and all things full of confusion, they will, nevertheless, retain their footing. And assuredly the calling of God ought to fortify us against all occasions of offense in such a manner, that not even the entire ruin o...

13-15 When we hear of the apostacy of many, it is a great comfort and joy, that there is a remnant according to the election of grace, which does and shall persevere; especially we should rejoice, if we have reason to hope that we are of that number. The preservation of the saints, is because God loved them with an everlasting love, from the beginning of the world. The end and the means must not be separated. Faith and holiness must be joined together as well as holiness and happiness. The outward call of God is by the gospel; and this is rendered effectual by the inward working of the Spirit. The belief of the truth brings the sinner to rely on Christ, and so to love and obey him; it is sealed by the Holy Spirit upon his heart. We have no certain proof of any thing having been delivered by the apostles, more than what we find contained in the Holy Scriptures. Let us then stand fast in t...

Verse 15. _THEREFORE, BRETHREN, STAND FAST_] Their obtaining eternal glory depended on their _faithfulness_ to the grace of God; for this _calling_ did not necessarily and irresistibly lead to faith; nor their faith to the sanctification of the spirit; nor their sanctification of the spirit to the _glory_ of our Lord Jesus. Had they not _attended_ to the _calling_, they could not have _believed_; had they not _believed_, they could not have been _sanctified_; had they not been _sanctified_ they could not have been _glorified_. All these things depended on each other; they were _stages_ of the great journey; and at any of these stages they might have halted, and never finished their Christian race. _HOLD THE TRADITIONS WHICH YE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT_] The word παραδοσις, which we render _tradition_, signifies any thing _delivered_ in the way of _teaching_; and here most obvio

THEREFORE - In view of the fact that you are thus chosen from eternity, and that you are to be raised up to such honor and glory. STAND FAST - Amidst all the temptations which surround you; compare the notes on Ephesians 6:10. And hold the traditions which ye have been taught On the word “traditions,” see the notes on Matthew 15:2. It means properly things delivered over from one to another; then anything orally delivered - any precept, doctrine, or law. It is frequently employed to denote that which is not written, as contradistinguished from that which is written (compare Matthew 15:2), but not necessarily or always; for here the apostle speaks

EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—The apostle now proceeds to the principal object which he had in view in writing this Epistle. The Thessalonians had adopted erroneous notions concerning the advent; they supposed that the day of the Lord was imminent, and, in consequence of this belief, they were thrown into a state of excitement and alarm. The apostle reminds them of his former instructions on this subject; how he bad told them that before the coming of the day of the Lord there should be a great apostasy, and the man of sin, whose nature and characteristics he had described to them, should be revealed; but that at present there was a restraining influence which prevented his appearance. When that restraining influence was removed, the man of sin would be revealed, accompanied with powers and signs and wonders of falsehood, and would succeed in deceiving those who were destitute of the love of the...

THEREFORE, BRETHREN, STAND FAST,.... In the doctrine of the Gospel in general, and in the article of Christ's second coming in particular, and not in the least waver about the thing itself, nor be shaken in mind, and troubled as if it was just at hand; and the rather it became them to be concerned that they stood fast in the truth, and persevered unto the end, since there was to be a falling away, and the mystery of iniquity was already working, and antichrist would shortly appear, whose coming would be with all deceivableness, of unrighteousness; and they had the greater encouragement to continue firm and unmoved, seeing they were chosen from eternity unto salvation through sanctification and belief of the truth, and were called in time by the Gospel to the enjoyment of the glory of Christ in another world. AND HOLD THE TRADITIONS WHICH YE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT: meaning the truths of the Go...

2 Thessalonians 2:1. _Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand._ In the Church of Christ, the teaching has always been that Christ is coming quickly, and that teaching must never be withdrawn, for he is coming quickly, as he said to John in the Revelation. At the same time, this teaching has given an opportunity to certain presumptuous people to prophesy that at such and such a time Christ will come. They know nothing about it, and their prophecies are not worth the breath they spend in uttering them, and we have today what the apostle wrote to the Thessalonians:...

III. THANKSGIVING, PRAYER, EXHORTATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Chapter S 2:13-3:18 _ 1. Thanksgiving and prayer (2 Thessalonians 2:13)_ 2. Prayer for the Word and for deliverance (2 Thessalonians 3:1) 3. Exhortations (2 Thessalonians 3:6) 4. Conclusions (2 Thessalonians 3:16) 2 Thessalonians 2:13 What blessed reasons are stated here to give thanks to God for what He has done for us and for all who believe! Brethren, beloved of

FURTHER THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER. In contrast to the men mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:10, Paul thanks God for the Christians whom God chose for salvation. The paragraph concludes with a brief doxology. 2 THESSALONIANS 2:15. TRADITIONS: here refers to the actual teaching given by the apostle, whether oral or written....