_HE WILLETH THEM TO CONTINUE STEADFAST IN THE TRUTH RECEIVED; SHEWETH THAT THERE WILL BE A DEPARTURE FROM THE FAITH, AND A DISCOVERY OF ANTICHRIST, BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LORD COME: AND THEREUPON REPEATETH HIS FORMER EXHORTATION, AND PRAYETH FOR THEM._ _Anno Domini 52._ TO excite the attention of t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WE BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, BY THE COMING, &C.— Dr. Heylin has it, _Now, with respect to the coming,_ &c. _and our being assembled with him,—I desire, brethren,_ 2 Thessalonians 2:2 _that you would not inconsiderately change your sentiments, and be alarmed by any revelation, or discourse, or lette... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THAT DAY SHALL NOT COME, EXCEPT, &C.— "The day of Christ shall not come, except there come the apostacy first." The apostacy here described is plainly not of a civil, but of a religious nature; not a revolt from the government, but a defection from the true religion and worship. In the original... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER YE NOT, &C.— The apostle thought it a part of his duty, as he made it a part of his preaching and doctrine, to forewarn his new converts of the grand apostacy that would infest the church, even while he was at Thessalonica. From these verses it appears, that the man of sin was not then reve... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THAT WICKED BE REVEALED, &C.— When the obstacle mentioned in the preceding verse should be removed, _then shall that Wicked,_ &c. Nothing can be plainer than that _the lawless_ (ο ανομος), as the Greek signifies,—_the wicked one_ here mentioned, and _the man of sin,_ must be one and the s... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE COMING IS AFTER, &C.— The apostle was eager to foretel the destruction of the man of sin; and for this purpose, having broken in upon his subject, he now returns to it again, and describes the other qualifications by which this _wicked one_ should advance and establish himself in the world. He... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE GOD HATH FROM THE BEGINNING CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION, &C.— The apostle saw the full evidences of God's intention of mercy and goodness towards them. The original word ειλετο signifies a voluntary favourable designation, appointment, and choice of a person to any particular purpose and end; no... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRADITIONS— This probably refers to the prophesy concerning _the man of sin_ in the preceding verses, and to the explication which the apostle had given of some particulars respecting it by word of mouth. _INFERENCES.—_With humble reverence let us behold the depths of the divine counsels and jud... [ Continue Reading ]