2 Thessalonians 1 - Introduction
ΠΡΟΣ - ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΙΣ - Βʹ -... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΣ - ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΙΣ - Βʹ -... [ Continue Reading ]
The address (2 Thessalonians 1:1-2) is followed first by a thanksgiving (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10) which passes into a prophetic piece of consolation, and then by a brief prayer (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).... [ Continue Reading ]
περὶ ὑμῶν : Your thankless situation (4 f.) only throws into more brilliant relief your personal character and bearing under adverse circumstances. ὅτι is best represented by our colloquial “because,” which includes both the causal and the objective senses of the word; what forms matter for thanksgi... [ Continue Reading ]
The single article groups ὑπομονὴ and πίστις as a single conception = faith in its special aspect of patient endurance (_cf._ on Revelation 13:10), faithful tenacity of purpose. M. Gebhardt, in his _L'Italie Mystique_ (pp. 318 f.), observes that “the final word of Dante's belief, of that ‘religion o... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔνδειγμα, in apposition to the general thought of the preceding clause; it does not matter to the sense whether the word is taken as an elliptic nominative or an appositional accusative. “All this is really a clear proof of (or points to) the equity of God's judgment,” which will right the present i... [ Continue Reading ]
After noting the principle of recompence (2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 _a_), Paul proceeds (7 _b_ 10), to dwell on its time and setting, especially in its punitive aspect. He consoles the Thessalonians by depicting the doom of their opponents rather than (9 _c_, 10) their own positive relief and reward. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Those who know not God_ are of course not pagans as such but immoral pagans, in the sense of Romans 1:28 f. _Those who refuse obedience to the gospel_ are, as the repetition of the article suggests, a different class of people, perhaps drawn both from Jews and pagans. But as Paul never seems to con... [ Continue Reading ]
The overwhelming manifestation of the divine glory sweeps from before it (pregnant ἀπὸ) into endless ruin the disobedient (Psalms 76:7) _men who_ (see Moulton, 91 f.) _shall pay the penalty of_ (see Proverbs 27:12, LXX) _eternal destruction_ (the common apocalyptic belief, see Volz, _Jüd. Eschat._,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπιστώθη, like the variant ἐπιστεύθη, is suggested by πιστεύουσιν (_cf._ a similar instance in 2 Thessalonians 3:3). The abrupt parenthesis (“you included for”) shows how Paul was thinking of the Thessalonians especially, while he depicted the bliss of the saints in general. ἐνδοξ., in one sense the... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ κ. τ. λ., we pray as well as render thanks (2 Thessalonians 1:3) for you. Unable any longer to give the Thessalonians their personal example and instructions the time for that had passed (ἐπιστώθη) Paul and his colleagues can still pray for them. The duties of a preacher or evangelist do not cea... [ Continue Reading ]
Here at any rate it is impossible to take χάριν in a universalistic sense (so Robinson, _Ephesians_, pp. 225 f.), as though it implied that Christians were put on the same level as O.T. saints. The idea is the merciful favour of God, to the exclusion of human merit. The main topic of the letter is n... [ Continue Reading ]