2 Thessalonians 1:8

διδους, for διδοντος, D*G latt.: a false concord; cf. Rev. passim, and Papyri.

Χριστου added to Ιησου by אAG &c.; see note on 1 Thessalonians 2:19.

8. διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι θεόν, rendering vengeance to those that know not God: see the reff. under 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Ἐκ-δίκη-σις, derived from ἔκδικος (1 Thessalonians 4:6; see note) through ἐκδικέω, carries no thought of vindictive passion; it is the inflicting of full justice on the criminal (echoing δικαίας κρίσεως, δίκαιον, 2 Thessalonians 1:5 f.; and echoed by δίκην in 2 Thessalonians 1:9)—nothing more, nothing less: cf. for the noun, frequent in the O.T., Romans 12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Luke 18:3; Luke 18:7; add to the O.T. parallels above, Isaiah 66:15 (ἀποδοῦναι … ἐκδίκησιν αὐτοῦ), Ezekiel 25:14. Δίδωμι ἐκδίκησιν is Hebraistic (= נָתַן נְקָמָה). Διδόντος transfers to the Lord Jesus the dread prerogative reserved in the O.T. for God alone: “Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord” (Deuteronomy 32:35, quoted in Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30); as Jesus himself declared, “The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Son” (John 5:22); cf. Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16, &c.

The objects of the Divine anger were styled in Jeremiah 10:25 ἔθνη τὰ μὴ εἰδότα σε, and in Psalms 78:6 ἔθνη τὰ μὴ ἐπεγνωκότα σε; but ἐκδίκησις does not occur in that O.T. connexion (only ὀργή, θυμός); and it may be doubted whether Gentiles as such are intended here. If they are (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:5, and note), the co-ordinate clause, καὶ τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσιν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ κ.τ.λ., must apply, by contrast, to Jewish rejecters of the Gospel; but the distinction seems out of place, and would be inadequately expressed for its purpose. Moreover disobedience was a form of sin common to Jewish and Gentile persecutors; with this St Paul taxes rejecters of Christ indiscriminately in Romans 10:12-16, and even Gentiles specifically in Romans 11:30 (cf. Acts 14:2; Acts 19:9); the fundamental Isaianic passage—see note above on 2 Thessalonians 1:7—speaks of “the disobedient” without distinction. On the other hand, ignorance of God can be with equal force ascribed to Jewish misbelievers: see John 8:54 f., and passim; Titus 1:16; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6. In a Hebraistic strain like this, despite the distinguishing articles, the conjoined, parallel datives may be read as synonymous, the second enhancing upon the first. So conceived, the two form one extended category including, with the Thessalonian oppressors, all who in their estrangement from God (cf. Ephesians 4:18) disobey His message conveyed in the Gospel of Christ, their disobedience being the consequence and full expression of a wilful ignorance. If it be insisted, however, that the double article marks off distinct categories, these must be represented by the Gentile and Jewish elements respectively of the anti-Christian agitation at Thessalonica. Romans 1:18-25 shows how Gentile idolatry sprang from a self-chosen ignorance of God, and brought on itself a “revelation of wrath” in the frightful immorality of contemporary Paganism; in 1 Thessalonians 2:14 ff., it was indicated how Jewish resistance to the Gospel, by its spitefulness, was bringing down a great ἐκδίκησις on the nation: this text pursues the penal consequences of those sins to the Last Day. Supposing τὰ μὴ εἰδότα θεόν to designate Gentile idolaters, it is not meant that Divine “vengeance” will fall on the heathen as such and for the mere fact of their “not knowing God” as Christians do; St Paul speaks quite otherwise in Romans 2:14. It is due to men who “do not think God worth having in their knowledge” (Romans 1:28), and who show their hatred toward Him by their hatred of His children (cf. John 15:24; 1 John 3:13). Each will be judged according to his personal responsibility and share in the common offence (see 2 Corinthians 5:10); this we may argue from δικαία κρίσις (2 Thessalonians 1:5). The men denounced at Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 1:6) definitely refused to know God. For μὴ with participles, see note on 1 Thessalonians 2:15.

“The gospel (good news)” is a “call,” a summons of God as well as a message from God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:12, &c.); therefore faith in it takes the form of obedience, which is faith in exercise; see Romans 1:5; Romans 16:19; Romans 16:26; Romans 6:16; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 1:14, &c. Such obedience had for its testing point the acknowledgement of Jesus as “Lord” (1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:10; Acts 9:5 ff.). In the First Epistle the Apostles spoke repeatedly of “the gospel of God”; here it is “the gospel of our Lord Jesus,” partly to balance the parallel expression referring to “God” (see 2 Thessalonians 1:1, &c.), and partly in keeping with the eschatological context (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7, and note on 1 Thessalonians 3:13). “Of our Lord Jesus” is subjective, while “of God” is objective genitive in this connexion; see note on 1 Thessalonians 2:2, and Romans 1:1 f.