deadness to the world which is not tlie object of his sincere desire, and whicii he docs not aim to have. Any one, if he will, may make elevated attainments in the divine life; or he may make his religion merely a religi<jn of tbrm, and know little of its l>ower and its consolations.
'20. Despise not prophesyinus. On the subject of prophesyings in the early christian church, see Notes on 1 Cor. xiv. 1, seq. The reference here seems to be to prrachimr. They were not to undervalue it in comparison with other things. It id possible that in Tlicssalonica, as a|>- pears to have been the case subsequently in Corinth (comp. 1 Cor. xiv. 19), there were tiiose who regarded the power oi* working miracles, or of speaking in unknown tongues, aa a much more eminent endowment than that of stating the truths of religion in language easily understood. It would not be unnatural that comparisons should be made between these two classes of endowments, much to the disadvantage of the latter; and hence may have arisen this solemn caution not to disregard or despise the ability to make known divine truth in intelligible language. A similar counsel may not be inapplicable to us now. The oflice of setting forth the truth of God is to be the permanent otfice in the churcii; that of speaking foreign languages by miraculous endowment, was to bo temporary. But the office of addressing mankind on the great duties of religion, and of publishing salvation, is to be Go<rs great ordinance for converting the world. It shouUI-nol be despisid, and no man commends his own wisilom who contemns ittor (1.) it is God's appointment — the means which he has designated for.-^vinir TK'ii. (2.) It has too much to entitle it to respect to make it pro-
21 Prove " all things; hold per to despise or contemn it. There is nothing else that has so mucli power over mankind as the preaching of the gospel; tliere is no other institution of heaven or earth among men that is destined to exert so wide and permanent an influence as the christian ministry. (3.) It is an influence which is wholly good. No man is made the poorer, or the less respectable, or more miserable in life or in death, by following the counsels of a minister of Christ when he makes known the gospel. (4.) He who despises it contemns that which is designed to promote his own welfare, and which is indispensable for his salvation. It remains yet to be shown that any man has promoted his own happiness, or the welfare of his family, by aflfecting to treat with contempt the instructions of the christian ministry.
21. Prove all things. Subject everything submitted to you to be believed to the proper test. The word here used (hoxtfid^its), is one that is properly applicable to metals, referring to the art of the assayer, by which the true nature and value of the metal is tested. See Notes, 1 Cor. iii. 13. This trial was usually made by fire. The meaning here is, that they were carefully to examine everything proposed for tlieir belief They were not to ref eive it on trust; to take it on assertion; to believe it because it was urged with vehemence, zeal, or plausibility. In the various opinions and doctrines which were submitted to tliem for adoption, they were to apply the appropriate tests from reason and the word of God, and what they found to be true they were to embrace; what was false they were to reject. Christianity does not require men to disregard their reason, or to be credulous. It does not expect them to believe anything because others say it is so. It does not make it a duty to receive as undoubted truth all that synods and councils have decreed; or all that is advanced by the ministers of religion. It is, more than any other form of religion, the friend of free inquiry, and would lead men everywhere to understand the reason of the opinions which they entertain. Comp. Acts xvii. 11, 12. 1 Pet. iii. 15. ^ Hold fast that which is good. Which is in accordance with reason and the word of God; which is adapted to promote the salvation of the soul and the welfare of society. This is just as much a duty as it is to " prove all things." A man who has applied the proper tests, and has found out what is truth, is bound to embrace it and to hold it fast. He is not at liberty to throw it away, as if it were valueless; or to treat truth and falsehood alike. It is a duty which he owes to himself and to God, to adhere to it firmly, and to suffer the loss of all things rather than to abandon it. There are few nwre important rules in the New Testament than the one in this passage. It shows what is tlie true nature of Christianity, and it is p rule whose practical value cannot but be felt constantly in our lives. Other religions require their votaries to receive everything upon trust; Christianity asks us to examine everything. Error, superstition, bigotry, and fanaticism attempt to repress free discussion, by saying that there are certain things which are too sacred in their nature, or which have been too long held, or which are sanctioned by too many great and holy names, to permit their being subjected to the scrutiny of common eyes, or to be handled by common hands. In opposition to all this, Christianity requires us to examine
22 Abstain aiicc of evil.
evcrythinff — no matter by whom belli; by what councils ordained; by what vencrabli'noss of antiquity sustained; or by what sacrednc.ss it may bo invested. Wo arc to receive no opinion until we are cmivinced that It is true; we are to be subjected to no jviins or penalties tor not bolievinjT what we do 7iol perceive to be true; we are to be proliibited from examining' no opinion which our fellow-men regard as true, and which they seek to make otiicrs believe. No popular current in favour Dfany doctrine; no influence which name and rank and learning can give it, is to commend it to us as ccrUiinly worthy of our belief By whomi'oever held, we are to examine it freely before we embrace if; but when we are convinced that it is true, it is to be held, no matter what current of popular opinion or prejudice may be against it; no matter what ridicule may be poured upon it; and no matter though the belief of it may require us to die a martyr's death.
2"2. Abstain from all appearance of evil. Not only from evil itself, but from that which seems to be wrong. There are many things which arc known to be wrong. They arc positively forbidden by the laws of heaven, and the world concurs in the sentiment that they are wicked. But there are also many things alwut which there may be' some reasonable doubt. It is not quite easy to determine in the case what is right or wrong. The subject has not been fully oxamincd, or the question of its morality may be so ditbcult to settle, that tiio inind may be nearly or quite balanced in regard to it. There are many things A'liich, in themselves, may not appear to us to be positively wrong, but which are so considered
23 Ar d tiie \'ery God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I praj/ God your whole spirit and soul
by largo and respectable portions of the community; and for us to do them would be rcgardod as inconsistent and improper. There arc many things, also, in respect to which there is groat variety of sentiment among mankind — where one portion would regard them as proper, and another as improper. There are things, also, where, whatever may be our motive, we may be certain that our conduct will be regarded as improl)cr. A great variety of subjects, such as those pertaining to dress, amusements, the opera, the ball-room, games of chance and hazard, and various practices in the transaction of business, come under this general class; which, though on the supposition that they cannot be proved to be in themselves positively wrong or forbidden, have much the ^appearance' of evil, and will bo so interpreted by others. The safe and proper rule is to lean always to the side of virtue. In these instances it may be certain that tliere will be no sin connnilted by abstaining; there m«y be by indulgence. No command of God, or of propriety, will be violated if we decline complying with these customs; but on the other hand we viay wound the cause of religion by yielding to what possibly is a mero temptation. No one ever does injury or wrong by abstaining from the pleasures of the ball-room, the theatre, oragla.ssofwine; who can indulge in them without, in the view of large and respectable portions of the community, doing that which has the ' appearance' at least of ' evil V and body be preserved blameless ' per to pray that God would make his people entirely holy. A prayer for perfect sanctification, however, should not be adduced as a proo/" that it is in fact attained in the present life. ^ Your whole spirit and soul and body. There is an allusion here, doubtless, to the popular opinion in regard to what constitutes man. We have a body; we have animal life and instincts in common with the inferior creation; and we have also a rational and immortal soul. This distinction is one that appears to the mass of men to be true, and the postle speaks of it in the language commonly employed by mankind. At tlie same time, no one can demonstrate that it is 7iot founded in truth. The body we see, and there can be no difference of opinion in regard to its existence. The soul (rj ■^xv — pi^yche), the vital principle, the animal life, or the seat of the senses, desires, affections, appetites, we have in common with other animals. It appertains to the nature of the animal creation, though more perfect in some animals than in others, but is in all distinct from the soul as the seat of conscience, and as capable of moral agency. See the use of the word in Matt. xxii. 37. Mark xii. 30. Luke x. 27; xii. 20. Acts XX. 10. Heb. iv. 12. Rev. viii. 9, et al. In the Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy this was distinguished from the higher rational nature (6 vov^, to TCvivjxa) as this last belonged to man alone. This psyche (■^xv) ' soul,' or life, it IB commonly supposed, becomes extinct at death. It is so connected with the bodily organization, that when the tissues of the animal frame cease their functions, this ceases also. This was not, however, the opinion of the ancient Greeks. Homer uses the term to denote that which leaves unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
the body with the breath, as escaping from the tpxo^ obovtonv — the fence or sept of the teeth — and as also passing out through a wound. This ■^vx^ — psyche — continued to exist in Hades, and was supposed to have a definite form there, but could not be seized by the hands. Ody. ii. 207. See Passoiv, 2. Comp. Prof Bush, Anasta. pp. 72, 73. Though this word, however, denotes the vital principle or the animal life, in man it may be connected with morals — just as the body may be — for it is a part of himself in his present organization, and whatever may be true in regard to the inferior creation, it is his duty to bring his whole nature under law, or so to control it that it may not be an occasion of sin; Hence the apostle prays that tlie ' whole body and souf — or animal nature — may be made holy. This distinction between the animal life and the mind of man (the anima and animus, the ^vxr; and the Ttvivixa), was often made by the ancient philosophers See Plato, Timfe. p. 1048, A. Nemesius, de Nat. Hom. 1 Cit. Glyca, p. 70. Lucretius, iii. 94. IIG. 131.' Juvenal, xv. 146. Cicero, de Divinat. 129, as quoted by Wetstein in loc. A similar view prevailed also among the Jews. Rabbi Isaac (Zohar in Lev. fol. 29. 2), says, " Worthy are the righteous in this world and the world to come, for lo, they are all holy; their body is holy, their soul is holy, their spirit, and their breath is holy." Whether the apostle meant to sanction this view, or merely to speak in common and popular language, may indeed be questioned, but there seems to be a foundation for the language in the nature of man. The word here rendered spirit (rtvivfia), refers to the intellectual ot higher nature of man; that which is the seat of reason, of coftKcience.
24 Failliful is he • that calleth you, who also will do //.
and of responsibility. This is immortal. It has no necessary connection with the body, as animal lite or tlie psyche (4*;^) has, and consequently will be unaH'octed by death. It is this which distinguishes man from the brute creation; this which allies him with higher intelligences around tlie throne of God. If Be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle does not intimate here that cillier the body or the vital principle will be admitted to heaven, or will be found in a future state of being, whatever may be the truth on that cnibjecL The prayer is, that they might be entirely holy, and be kept from transgression, until the Lord lesus should come; tliat is, until he should come either to remove them by death, or to wind up the aliairs of this lower world. See Notes on cii. i. 10. By his praying that the ' body and tlie soul' — meaning here the animal nature, tlie seat of the affections and passions — might be kept holy, there is reference to the fact that, connected as they are with a rational and accountable soul, they may be the occasion of sin. The eame natural propensities; the same excitability of passion; tlie same affections which in a brute would involve no responsibility, and have nothing moral in their character, may be a very different tiling in man, who is placed under a moral law, and who is bound to restrain and govern all his passions by a reference to that law, and to his higher nature. Yov a cur to snarl and growl; for a lion to roar and rage; for a hyena to be fierce and untamcable; for a serpent to hiss and bite, and for the ostrich to leave her eggs without concern (Job xx.xix. 14), involves no blame, no guilt for them, for they are not
25 Brethren, pray for us. tJ() Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
accountable; but lor man to evince the same temper, and the same want of allection, docs involve guilt, for he has a higiier nature, and all these things should be subject to tiie law which God has imposed on him as a moral and accountable bemg. As tliese things may, therefore, in man be tlie occasion of sin, and ought to be subdued, there was a fitness in praying that they might be • preserved blameless' to the coming of tlie Saviour. Com p. Notes on 1 Cor. L\. 27.
24. Faithful is he that callelh you That is, your sanctification after all depends on him, and as he has begun a work of grace in your hearts, you may depend on his faithfulness to complete it. See Notes on ch. iv. 3. Phil. i. 6. 1 Cor. i. 9.
2-5. Brethren, pray for us. A request which the apostle often makes. Notes on Heb. xiu. 18. He was a man of like passions as others; liable to the same temptations; engaged in an arduous work; often called to meet with opposition, and exposed to peril and want, and he peculiarly needed the prayers of the people of God. A minister, surrounded as he is by temptations, is in great danger if he has not the prayers of his people. Without those prayers, he will be likely to accomplish little in the cause of his Master. Ilis own devotions in the sanctuary will be formal and frigid, and the word which he preaches will be likely to come from a cold and iieavy heart, and to fall also on cold and heavy hearts. There is no way in which a people can better advance the cause of piety in tlieir own hearts, than by praying much for their minister.
2G. Greet all the brethren with an holy Kiss. See Notes on Rom. xvi. 10
27 I ' charge you by the Lord, ihat this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Je-
27. I charge you by the Lord. Marg-., adjure. Gr., 'I put you under oath by the Lord' — upxi^u vfidi tbv xvptoK. It is equivalent to binding persons by an oath. See Notes on Matt. xxvi. 63. Comp. Gen. xxi. 23, 24; xxiv. 3. 37; 1. 25. "f That this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. To all the church. Comp. Notes on Col. iv. 16. The meaning is, that the epistle was to be read to the whole church on some occasion on which it was assembled together. It was not merely designed for the individual or individuals into whose hands it might happen to fall, but as it contained matters of common interest, and was designed for the wliole body of believers at Thessalonica, the apostle gives a solemn charge that it should not be suppressed or kept from them. Injunctions of this kind occurring in the epistles, look as if the apostles regarded themselves as under the influence of inspiration, and as having authority to give infallible instructions to the churches.
In regard to the subscription at the close of the epistle, purporting that it was written from Athens, see the Intro. § 3. These subscriptions are of no authority, and the one here, like several others, is probably wrong.
From the solemn charge in ver. 27, of this chapter, that 'this epistle should be read to all the holy brethren,' that is, to the church at large, we may infer that it is in accordance with the will of God that all Christians should have free access to the Holy Scriptures. What was the particular reason for this injunction sus Christ be with you. Amen. The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.
in Thessalonica, is not known, but it is possible that an opinion had begun to prevail even then that the Scriptures were designed to be kept in the hands of the ministers of religion, and that their common perusal was to be prohibited. At all events, whether this opinion prevailed then or not, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the Holy Spirit, by whom this epistle was dictated, foresaw that the time would come when this doctrine wdild be defended by cardinals and popes and councils; and that it would be one of the mrnns by which the monstrous fabric of the Papacy would be sustained and perpetuated. It is worthy of remark, also, that the apostle Paul, ui his epistles to the Thessalonians, has dwelt more fully on the fact that the great apostasy would occur under the Papacy, and on the characteristics of that grand usurpation over the rights of men, than he has anywhere else in his epistle. See 2 Thess. ii. 11. It is no improbable supposition that with reference to that, and to t;ounteract one of its leading dogmas, his mind was supernaturally directed to give this solemn injunction, that the contents of the epistle which he had written should be communicated without reserve to all the christian brethren in Thessalonica. In view of this injunction, therefore, at the close of this epistle, we may remark, (1.) that it is a subject of express divine command that tlie people should have access to the Holy Scriptures. So important was this considered, that it was deemed necessary to enjoin those who should receive the word of Goa, under the solemnities of an oath, and by all the force of apostolic authority, to communicate what tlicy had received to others. (*J.) Tiiis injunction had retcrence to all the members of tlie church, for they were all to bo made acquainted with the word of God. The command is, indeed, that it be ' read' to tlioin, but by parity of rea- Foninfj it would follow that it was to be in their han<ls; that it was to be accessible to them; that it was in no manner to be withheld from thern. Probably many of them could not read, but in some way the contents of revelation were to be made known to them — and not by prenchino^ only, but by readinsr the words of inspiration. No part was to be kept back; nor were they to be denied such access that they could fully understand it; nor was it to be insisted on that there should be an authorized expoimder of iL It was presumed tiiat all tlie members of the church were qualified to understand what had been written to them, and to profit by it It follows, therefore, (3.) that there is great iniquity in all those decisions and laws which are desijrned to keep the Scriptures from the common people. This is true (a) in roi^rence to the Papal comminion, and to all the ordinances there wliich prohibit the free circulation of the Sacred Volume amonf; the people; {!>) it is true of all those laws in slave-holding' communities which prohibit slaves from being taugiit to read the Scriptures; and (<-) it is true of all the opinions and dogmas which prevail in any community where the risrht of ' private judgment' is denied, and where fi^ee access to the volume of inspiration is forbidden. The richest blessing of heaven to mankind is the Bible; and tliere is no book ever written so admirably adapted to the common mind, and so fitted to elevate the sunken, the ignorant, and the degraded. There is no more decided enemy of the progress of the human race in intelligence, purity, and freedom, than he who prevents the free circulation of this holy volume; and there is no sincerer friend of the species than he who 'causes it to be read by all,' and who contributes to make it accessible to all the families and all the inhabitants of the world.
For a general view of Thessalonica; of tlie establishment of the cfiurcn riiere; of the character of the church, and of Uie clesijrn for which the apostle addressed these letters to it, see the Introduction to tlie First Epistle.
This epistle appears to have been written soon after the first, and from the same place — Corinth. See Intro, to the First Epistle, { 3. The proof of this indeed is not certain, for there are no marks of time or place in the epistle by which these points can be determined. The probability resti upon tliese grounds: (1.) That the same persons — Paul, Silas, and Timothy — are associated in both epistles, and are mentioned as being together at tlie time when they were written (1 Thess. i. 1. 2 Thess. i. 1); but as there is reason to believe that they did not continue long together, it is to be presumed that one epistle was written soon after the other. (2.) Paul refers to an error which had grown up, apparently in consequence of a misimderstanding of his first epistle (ch. ii. 1, 2); an error which he regarded as of great magnitude, and which was producing very unhappy results (ch. iii. 11, 12), and it was natural that he should hasten to correct that error as soon as possible. (3.) There is some probability, as Benson has remarked, that the epistle was written before the troubles came upon him at Corintli under the administration of Gallio (Acts.wiii. 12 — 10), and yet that he saw that tlie storm was approaching, and hints at it in ch. ii. 2, " And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men." If so, this epistle was written but a few months at farthest after the first We may regard the evidence, therefore, as sufficiently clear, that this epistle was written at Corinth some time during tlie latter part of A. D. 53, or the beginning of A. D. 54.
There is little doubt as to the design for which it was written. Either by a false interpretation of his former epistle, or by an epistle forged in his name and sent to them, the opinion had become prevalent in the church at Thessalonica tliat the Saviour was about to appear, and that the end of tlie world was at hand. See ch. ii. 2. Comp. Ilujr's Intro. } IM, and Stuart's Notes on the same, pp. 741, seq. To correct this impression was the leading desi^ of this epistle. Some had become alanneo, and were?♦ (Ixxvii^
Buffering from unnecessary apprehension (ch. ii. 2); and some, under the natural belief that labour then was useless, and that property was of no value, had given up all attention to their worldly concerns (ch. iii. 10, 11); and it was of the utmost importance that the error should be corrected. This was done in this second epistle, and in doing it, Paul, as was usual, intermingled several other topics of importance, adapted to the condition of those to whom he wrote.
This epistle, though short, has great permanent value, and is indispensable to a proper understanding of the great doctrine of the Second Advent of the Redeemer. It was written, indeed, to correct an error in a single cliurch, and at a particular time, but history has shown that tliere is a tendency to that same error in all ages, and that there was need of some permanent inspired statement to check it. It was inferred from the First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, that he meant to teach tliat the day of judgment was not far off. Had not this second epistle been written to correct that false interpretation, and to show what was his belief, it would have been charged on him that he was mistaken, and then the inference would have been naturally made that all the prophecies respecting that event were false. The distance between this and absolute infidelity, it is easy to see, is very small. Paul, by his prompt explanation, arrested that danger, and showed that he intended to teach no such doctrine as had been drawn from his first letter to them. This epistle, therefore, is of importance to show (1.) that the apostle did not believe, or mean to teach, that the end of the world was near. There are many expressions, indeed, which, like those in First Thessalonians,. would seem to imply that the apostle held that belief, but the explanation of an inspired apostle of his own sentiments at the time, settled that matter. No one nas now a right to charge that belief on him, or on others who then used the same language. No one can pretend that they held the opinion that the end of the world was near. There is no stronger language on that subject in any of their writings than occurs in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, and Paul in the second epistle expressly says that he held no such opinion, and meant to teach no such thing. (2.) This epistle is a standing rebuke of the kind of interpretation whicli attempts to determine the time when the Saviour will come, and of all those theories wliich represent " the day of Christ as at hand." The declarations in the Scriptures are positive and abundant that the time of his appearing is not made known to mortals (Notes on Acts i. 7), and it is not possible now to make out a stronger argument to prove that that time is near, than could have, been made out from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians; and yet Paul deemed it necessary to write them a second letter, expressly to show them that the interpretation whicli they put on his language was unauthc-ized. The truth is, that it was not the design of God to make known to men the exact time when the Lord Jesus will return to judgment; and all attempts since the time of Paul to settle that have failed, and all will doubtless continue to fiiil, as they always have done.
PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothcus, unto ' the church of the ThessaJonian^ in God our Father and die Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace * unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is
This cliapter comprises the ing points: —
(2.) An expression of t>a»ixs r'or the progress which the Tnetsalonians had made in pie'.y, n^*^ fcsiiecial- 1 y for the manner in \' >> /cn they had boen enabled to lw.i iheir trials.
(3.) An asstiraT'f 'J.at the manner in which they Ip.c' oeen enabled to boar their triald v as f Ji evidence that they were true Cli/lfitians. Ver. 5.
(4.) A dech 'ifion that those who.nad prrsccute'I them, and all others who were v/iclfed, would be punished when tb*? Lord Jesus should come, and tliat w'lon this should occur the righteoue would appear in glory and honour. Vs. (5 — 10.
(.").) Tho expression of an earnest desire th-ii they might be prepared for thf' Eolemn scenes of that day. Vs. 11 12.
meet, becau.se that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth:
4 So that we ourselves f^lory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure; ''
ANAXT8IS OF THE CHAPTOl.
3. We are bound to thank God always for you. Notes on 1 Thess. i. 2. ^ As it is meet. As it is fit or proper. ^ Because that your faith growfth exceedingly. It would seem probable from this that I'aul had heard from them since his first epistle was written. He had doubtless received intelligence of the error which prevailed among them respecting his views of the coming of the Lord Jesus, and of the progress which the truth was making, at the same time. IT And the charity of every one of you all toward each other. Your mutual love.
4. So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God. Tliat is, we mention your example to other churches, and glory in it, as an evidence of what the gospel is fitted to do. See Notes on 1 The.ss. ii. 19, 20. Com p. Notes en 2 Cor. ix. 2. H For your patience. Your patient endurance of trial.-^. ^^ And Jailh. Fidelity, or constancy. You have shown unwavering confidence in God in your afflictions. ^ In all ynur persecutions and trihulalions that yc endure. See Notes on 1
5 Which is " a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy
Thess. ii. 14; iv. 13. It would seem from this that the persecutions and trials to which the apostle referred in his first epistle were still continued. 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God. The word ' which'' is supplied by our translators, and there may be some doubt to what the apostle has reference as being ' a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.' The general sense seems to be, that the fact that they were thus persecuted was an evidence that there would be a future judgment, when the righteous who were persecuted would be rewarded, and the wicked who persecuted them would be punished. The manner in which they bore their trials was an indication also of what the result would be in regard to them. Their patience and faith under persecutions were constantly showing that they would ' be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they were called to suffer.' It is evident that a relative must be supplied here, as our translators have done, but there has been a difference of view as to what it refers. Some suppose that it is to ^patience' others to 'persecutions and tribulations,^ and others to the whole sentence preceding. The latter is probably the true construction, and the sense is, that the endurance of affliction in a proper manner by the righteous is a proof that there will be a righteous judgment of God in the last day. (1.) It is evidence that there will be a future judgment — since the righteous here suffer so much, and the wicked triumph. (2.) These tilings are now permitted in order that the character may be de- V(;loped, and that the reason of the Bentence in the last day may be seen.
of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: *
(3.) The manner in which these afflictions are borne is an evidencetin indication Qvhiv^fut) of what the results of the judgment will be. The word rendered ' manifest token' (tvhii/yfM), occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means an indication, token, proof — anything that shows or points out how a thing is, or is to be (from ivSuxw/M, to show, to point out). The meaning here is, therefore, that the course of events referred to — the persecutions which they endured, and the manner in which they were borne — furnished a proof that there would be a righteous judgment, and also afforded an indication of what the result of that judgment would be We may, in general, learn what will be the issues of the judgment in the case of an individual from the manner in which he bears trials. IF Of the righteous judgment of God. That there will be a just judgment hereafler. The crimes of the wicked who go unpunished on the earth, and the sufferings of the good who are unavenged, are a demonstration that there will be a judgment, when all these inequalities will be adjusted. •[ That ye may be counted worthy. As the result of your affliction, that you may be fitted for the kingdom of God. This does not mean that Christians will merit heaven by their sufferings, but that they may show that they have such a character that there is a fitness or propriety that they should be admitted there. They may evince by their patience and resignation, by their deadness to the world and their holy lives, that they are not disqualified to enter into that kingdoiri where the redeemed are to dwell. No true Christian will ever
6 Seeing * it is a righteous thing j feci that he is worthy on his own ac- I count, or tliat he Ims any claim to eternal lite, yet ho may have evidence tliat he has tiie clinracterislics to wiiich God lias promised salvation, and is fittod to dwell in heaven. II Of ihc khiL^doin of Hod. In heaven. See Notes on Matt. iii. 2. ''l^ For which ye also stiffir. The suflermjTs which you now endure are because you are professed heirs of the kiiifrdom; that is, you are persecuted because you are Christians. See 1 Thess. ii. 14.
0. Seciiiff it is a righteous thiucr with Hod to recompense Iribxdution to them that trouble you. The sense is, 'There will be a luture judgment, because it is proper that God should punish those who now persecute you. It is not right that they should go unpunished, and triumph for ever. It is not an arbitrary thing, a thing which is indiflbrcnt, a thing which may or may not be done; it is a jw<t and proper thing that the wicked should be punished.' The doctrine is, that tiie tlitiire punishment of the wicked is just and proper; and that, bcinc; just and proper, It will be inflicted. Many suppose tJiat there would be no justice in the eternal punishmeni of the wicked; that the threatening of that punishment is wholly arbitrary; that it might easily be dispensed witli, and that because it is unjust it will not be ififlicted, and need not be dreaded. But that it is just and proper, a very slight degree of reflection must show. For (1.) it is inconceivable that God should threaten such punishment unless it were just. How can it be reconciled with his perfections that he can hold up before mankind the assurance that any of them will be pimished for ever, unless it be right that it should be so J Can tve believe that he deliberate y with Cod to recompense tribula tion to them that trouble you;
threatens what is wrong, or that, in the face of the universe, ho publicly declares his intention to do what is wrong? ('J.) Men themselves believe that it '\s just that the wicked should be punished. They are constantly making laws, and aflixing penalties to them, and executing them, under tiie belief that it is riglit. Can they regard it as wrong in God to do the same thing! Can tiiat be wrong in him which is right in tliemselves? {}).) If it is right to punish wickcdnc.-s here, it is not wrong to punish it in the future world. There is nothiii!» in the two places which canchani'e the nature of what is dcme. If it in right for Gotl to visit the sinner iiert; with the tokens of his displeashro, there is nothing which can maku it wrong lo visit him in like mauiuT in the future world. Why shouKi that be wrong in another world which is rigiit and proper in this? (4.) It will be a righteous thing for God to punish the wicked in a future state, for they are not always punished here as they deserve. No one can seriously maintain that there is an equal distribution of rewards and punisliments on the earth. Many a man goes to the grave having received 710 adequate punishment for his crimes. Many a murderer, pirate, robber, traitor, and plunderer of nations under the name of a con- (lueror, thus dies. No one can douiit that it would be a 'just' tiling to punish them here if they could bo arrested. Why should it bo any the less 'just' to punish them whon they enter another world? In like manner, many a man lives a life of profligiicy; or is an open scofier; or aims to cast ofT the government of God; or is a.seducer of innocence; and yet lives in the midst of wealth, and goes down in calmness and peace to the grave. I's. l.\.\iii. 3 — 5. Job
7 And to you who are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord
xxi. 23 — 33. Why is it not 'just' that such an one should be punished in tlie future world? Comp. Ps. Ixxiii. 16 — 20. But, if it is right that God should punish the wicked m the future world, it will be done. For (1.) there is nothing to hinder liirn from doing it. He has all power, and has all necessary means of inflicting punishment, entirely at his disposal. (2.) It would not be right not to do it. It is not right for a magistrate to treat the righteous and the wicked alike, or to show that he has as much regard to the one as to the other. (3.) It cannot be believed that God has uttered a threatening which he never meant to execute, or to appear before the universe as having held up before men the terror of the most awful punishment which could be inflicted, but which he never intended to carry into effect. Who could have confidence in such a Being ] Who could know what to believe when he makes the most solemn declaration 1 (4.) The Judge of all the earth "wdl do right;" and if it is right to declare that "the wicked shall be turned into hell," it will not be wrong to inflict the sentence. And if, on the whole, it is right that the sinner should be punished, it will be done. ^ Them that trouble you. Those who persecute you. See 1 Thess. ii. 14.
7. And to you who are troubled. That is, ' it will be a righteous thing for God to give to you who are persecuted rest in the last day.' As it will be right and proper to punish the wicked, so it will be right to revard the good. It will not, however, be in precisely the same sense. The wicked will deserve all that they will suffer, but it cannot be said that
Jesus * shall be revealed from heaven with ' his mighty angels.
the rigliteous will deserve the reward which they will receive. It will be right and proper, because (1.) there is a fitness that they who are the friends of God should be treated as such, or it is proper that he should show himself to be their friend; and (2.) because in this life this is not always clearly done. They are often less prospered, and less happy in their outward circumstances, than the wicked. There is, therefore, a propriety that in the future state God should manifest himself as their friend, and show to assembled worlds that he is not indifferent to character, or that wickedness does not deserve his smiles, and piety incur his frown. At the same time, however, it wdl be owing wholly to his grace that any are ever admitted to heaven. ^ Rest. The future happiness of believers is often represented under the image of rest. It is rest like that of the weary labourer after his day of toil; rest, like that of the soldier after the hardships of a long and perilous march; rest, like the calm repose of one who has been racked with pain. See Notes on Heb. iv. 9. The word rest here (aviaif) meaiK a letting loose, a remission, a relaxation; and hence composure, quiet. 2 Cor. ii. 12; vii. 5. If With us. That is, whh Paul, Sdas, and Timothy. Ver. 1. It would increase the comfort of the Thessalonians derived from the anticipation of the future world, to reflect that they would meet their religious teachers and friends there. It always augments the anticipated joy of heaven to reflect that we are to share its blessedness with them. There is no envy among those who anticipate heaven; there will bo none there. They who desire hea
8 In • flaming firf, ' taking ' vengeance on ihcni that know ' not God, and '' that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
vcn at all, desire that it may bo shared in the hifihcst defrrec by all wlio are dear to tliem. Il When the Ijord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven. Shall appear; sliall come from heaven. Notes, 1 Thcss. iv. 6. ♦" U'i7/t his mie^hty auQeh. ^hirj?., aufffls of his power. So the Greek. The sense is, that ang-els of exalted rank and glory will accompany him. Notes on 1 Thess. iv. 10. Matt x.xiv. 31; XXV. 31.
8. In Jlaniinjn fire. This is a circumstance which is not noticed in the account of his appearmg in the parallel place in 1 Thess. iv. 16. The object of the apostle here seems to be to represent him as coming amidst vivid flashes of lightning. He it commonly described as coming in clouds, and to that common description there is here added the image of incessant lightnings, as if the whole heavens were illuminated with a contmiied blaze. IT Taking vengeance. Marg., yielding. Gr., giving. The word vengeance is used in the sense of punishment, for there cannot be in Go<l what literally corresponds with the passion of revenue. Comp. Notes on Rom. xii. 19. "T On them that know not God. On all who are strangers to him; that is, who are livinjj in heathnnisii darkness, or who, having heard of him, have no practical ac(]naintance with him. ^ And that obey not the go.<ipel of our Lord Jesus Christ. >Vho do not embrace it, and practise its precepts in their lives. Comp. Notes on Rom. ii. 9.
9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. See Notes on Matt XXV. 41. 4G. The word
9 Wlio shall be punished with everlasting destruction ' from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory •^ of his power;
which is here rendered destruction (jAi'^v), is different from that which occurs in Matt. xxv. 46, and wiiich is there rendered punishment — xo>jar ai^. The word oXt^v — olethron — occurs only here and in 1 Cor. v..">. 1 Thess. V. 3. 1 Tim. vi. 9; in each of which places it is rendered destruction. It docs not denote annihilation, but is used in the same sense in which we use the word when we say that a thing is destroyed. Thus health is destroyed when it fails; property is destroyed when it is burned or sunk in the ocean; a limb is destroyed that is lost in battle; life is destroyed when one dies. In the case before us, the destruction, whatever it be, is (1.) to be continued for ever; and (2.) is to be of the nature of punishment. The meaning then must be, that the soul is destroyed as to the great purposes of its being — its enjoyment, dignity, honour, holiness, happiness. It will not be annihilated, but will live and linfrer on in destruction. It seems difficult to conceive how any one can profess to hold that this passage is a part of the word of God, and yet deny the doctrine of future eternal punishment It would not be possible to state that doctrine in clearer language than this. It never is stated in clearer language in any creed or confession of tiiitli, and if it be not true that the wicked will be punished for ever, it must be admitted I that it would not have been possible to reveal the doctrine in human language. ^ From the presence oftlie I Iy>rd. That is, a part of tlicir punj i^hrnent will consist in being ban- I ished from tlie immediate presence
10 When he shall come to be " glorified in his saints, and to be
of the Lord. There is a sense in which God is everywhere present, and in that sense he will be in the world where the wicked will dwell, to punish them. But the phrase is also used to denote his more immediate presence; the place where are the symbols of his majesty and glory; the home of the holy and the blessed. It is in that sense that the word is used here, and the idea is, that it will be one of the circumstances contributing' to the deeper wo of the place of punishment, that those who dwell there will be banished from that holy abode, and will never be permitted to enter there. ^ And from the glory of his power. The meaning seems to be, that they will not be able to endure the manifestation of his power and majesty when he shall appear, but will be driven away by it into outer darkness. See ch. ii. 8. The Saviour, in describing- his Second Advent, uses this language: " They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." Matt. xxiv. 30. There will be a great exhibition of both. The power wdl be seen in the convulsions of nature which wdl precede or attend him; in the resurrection of the dead; and in the bringing of all to judgment: and the glory will be seen in his own person; tlie dignity and number of his attendants; and the honour that shall then be conferred on him as the final Judge of all mankind. By the manifestation of that power and glory the wicked will be driven away into eternal ruin. They will not be able to stand befor6 it, and though, in common with the righteous, they may see the majesty of the Redeemer in the last day, yet they I
admired * in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was beheved) in that day.
will be driven away to witness it no more.
10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints. That is, the redeemed in that day will be the means of promoting his glory, or the universe will see his glory manifested in their redemption. His chief glory as seen in that day will be connected with the fact that he has redeemed his people; and he will come in order that all the appropriate honour of such a work may then be manifested. He will be ' glorified' then by the numbers that shall have been redeemed; by their patience in the trials through which they have passed; by the triumphs which religion shall have made on the earth; by their praises and songs, and by their ascent with him to the realms of blessedness. •[ A7id to be admired in all them that believe. This may either mean that he will be admired among or by them that believe; oi that the ground of the admiration which he will receive in that day wdl be what will be seen in them; that is, their graces, their numbers, their joys, their triumphs wdl be the occasion of producing admiration of him — for he will be regarded as the source of it all. Tindal renders it, "and to be made marvellous in all them that believe." The latter interpretation seems to me to be the correct one. The general idea is, that Cinist in that day will be manifested in a glorious manner, and that the source of his highest triumphs will be what is seen in the saints. His main honour when he returns to the world will not be the outward splendours which will attend his coming, nor the angels that will accompany him, nor the manifestation of his power over the elements, bii* t.'io cliurcli which he has redeemed, ft will then be seen that he is worthy of universal admiration, for having' redeemed that church. He shall then be admired or glorified in his people, (1.) for having conceived the jilan of redeeming them; (2.) for being willing to become incarnate and to die to save tliom; (H.) for the defence of liis church in all its persecutions and trials; (I.) for raising his people from the dead; (5.) for the virtues and graces which they will exhibit in that day. This appropriate honour of Christ in the church has never yet been fully seen. His people on earth have, in general, most imperfectly reflected his image. They have in general been:omiMiratively few in number, and scattered upon tlie earth. They have been poor and despised. Often they have been persecuted and regarded as the ' filth of the world and the oft-scouring of all tilings.' The honours of this world have been witldield from them. The great have regarded it as no honour to be identified with the church, and the proud have been ashamed to be enrolled among the followers of the Lamb. In the last day all this will be changed, and the assembled church will show to admiring worlds how great and glorious is its Redeemer, and how glorious was the work of redemption. •[ Bicanse our testimony amoii<r you was believed. The meaning of this seems to be, that they would be among the number of those who would in that day lunour the Saviour, btcaxute they had embraced what the apostle had preached to them respecting these future scenes. Thus interpri'ted, this clause should be regarded as eonnected witJi ver. 7, ' And to vcju calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of hi>s goodness, and the work of faith with power; it is a righteous thing tliat he should give rest with us, because our testimony among you was believed.' That is, you have shown that you are true Christians, and it is proper that you should partake of the triumphs and hopes of that day.
11. Wherefore also we pray always for you. Notes, 1 Tiics.s i. 2. "^ Thai our God would count you worthy of this calling. Marg., 'or, vouchsafe.' The meaning is, ' that he would regard you as worthy of this calling.' See Notes on ver. 5. IT Of this callinff. Notes, Eph. iv. 1. The ' calling' here, is that wliich had brought them into the kingdom, and led them to become Christians. 1[ And fulfil all the frond pleasure of his frnodncss. That is, make the work of salvation complete and cf^ Icctual. Oldshauscn has well e.vpressed the sense. " May God fill you with all that gootl which is pleasing to him." The thoughts in the passage arc, (1.) that the purjxjse towards them on the part of God was one of 'goodness' or benevolence; (2.) that there was a state of min(l which would be regarded by him as pleasing, or as his 'good pleasure;' and (3.) that Paul wished that this might be accomplished in tlicm. He desired that tliere might be in them everything which would be pleasing to God, and which his benevolence was fitted to secure. II And the work of faith. The work which faith is adapted to produce on the soul. See 1 John v. -J, •>. *; With power. Efiectually, completely. — The apostle prays that so much power may be exerted as will be sutficient to secure the object. The work of religion on the soul is always represented in the Bible as one of po'cer.
12 That "the name of our Lord Jesu^ Cliri-5t may be glorified in
12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, that the Lord Jesus himself may be honoured among you; the 'name often denoting the person. The idea is, that the apostle wished that the Lord Jesus might be honoured among them by the fair application and development of the principles of his religion. ■[ And ye in him. That you may be regarded and treated as his friends when he shall come to judge the world. ^ According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is, that you may experience all the honour which his grace is fitted to impart.
In view of the exposition given of this chapter, we may remark: —
(1.) That the wicked will certainly he punished when the Lord Jesus shall come to judgment. Words cannot reveal this truth more plainly than is done in this chapter, and if it is not to be so, then language has no meaning.
(2.) The punishment of the wicked will be eternal. It is impossible for language to teach that doctrine more clearly than is done in this chapter. If it were admitted to have been the intention of God to teach the doctrine of eternal punishment, it is impossible to conceive that he could have chosen more plain and positive language to express the dociri-ne than has been done here. Can it be, then, that he means to trifle with men on so solemn a subject, by using words which have no meaning?
(3.) It will greatly aggravate the punishment of the wicked that it will be " a righteous thing" for God thus to punish them. If they were to suffer as martyrs; if in their sufferings they could feel that they were oppressed and crushed beneath you, ana ye in him, according tc the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
mere power; if they could feel that they were right and that God waa wrong; if they could get up a party in the universe against God, sympathizing with them as if they were wronged, the case would be changed. A man can endure suffering much more easily when he has a good conscience, and feels that he is right, than he can when he feels that what he endures is deserved. But the sinner in hell can never have this consolation. He will for ever feel that God is right and that he is wrong, and that every pang which he endures is deserved.
(4.) If it be a " righteous thing" that the wicked shall be punished, then they never can be saved by mere justice. No one will go to heaven because he deserves or merits it. All dependence on human merit, therefore, is taken away in the matter of salvation, and if the sinner is ever saved, it will be by grace, and not by justice.
(5.) If it is a "righteous thmg" that the sinner should perish, he wil. perish. God will do right to all.
(6.) It is amazing that the mass of men have so little concern about their future condition. God has plainly revealed that he will destroy the wicked for ever, and that it will be a righteous thing for him to do it; and yet the mass of mankind are wholly unconcerned, and disregard all the solemn declarations of the Bible on this subject, as if they were idle tales. One would suppose that the very possibility of eternal suffering would rouse all the sensibilities of the soul, and lead to the earnest inquiry whether it is not possible to avoid it. Yet the mass of men feel no concern in this inquiry. It is impossible to get them ever to think of it. We cannot get them even to ask the queiition seriously, whoUior they tlienisclvos ure to bo Imppy or miserable to all eternity. Tliis stupidity unci indiflerence is tlic most unaccountable fact on earth, and probably distinguisiies this world from all others.
(7.) It is rational to tliink of religion; to reflect on eternity; to be serious; to be atixious about the ftiture state. If there is even a possihilitij tliat we may be miserable for ever, it is proper to be serious about it. And if tliore is a solemn declaration of God that it will be a 'righteous thing' tor him to punish the wicked, and that he will " pimish them with everlasting destruction." assuredly the mind skoulJ be concerned. Is there anything more worthy the calm and sober attention of the human soul than sucli solemn declarations of tlic infinite God!
The main object of this chapter is to correct an erroneous impression which had been made on the minds of the Thessalonians respecting the second coming of the Saviour, either by his own former letter, or by one forged in his name. They had received the impression that that event wa^ about to take place. This belief had produced an unhappy effect on tlieir minds. Ver. 2. It became, therefore, necessary to state the truth on the subject, in order to free their minds from alarm; and this purpose of the apostle leads to one of the most important prophecies in tlie New Testament. The chapter comprises the following points: —
I. An exhortation that they would not be alarmed or distressed by the expoctition of the speedy coming of the Saviour. Vs. 1, 2.
II. A statement of the truth that he would not soon appear, and of the eha/acten sties of a great apostasy which nuist intervene before his advent. Vs. a— 12.
In this part of the chapter, tlie apostle shows that he did not mean to teacii that that event would soon happen, by stating that bcfnrr that there would occur a most melancholy ajjostasv, which would require a considerable time before it was matured.
(«) That day would not come until there should be a great apostasy, and a revelation of the man of sin.
{b) The character of this man of sin was to be such that it could not be mistaken: he would be opposed to God; would exalt himself above all that is called God; and would sit in the temple showing himself as God. Ver. 4.
(c) There was a restraint then exercised which prevented the development of the great apostasy. There were indeed causes then at work which would lead to it, but they were then held in check, and Go<l would restrain them until some future time, when he would sufler the man of sin to be revealed. Vs.
(</) When that time should come, then that ' wicked' one would be revealed, with such marks that he could not be mistaken. His coming would be after the working of Satan, with power and signs and lying wonders, and under him there would be strong delusion, and the belief of a lie. Vs. 8—12. This great foe of God was to be destroyed by the coming of the Saviour, and one object of his appearing would be to put an end to his dominion. Ver. H,
III. The apostle then says, that there was occasion for thankfulness to G«l that he had chosen them to salvation, and not loll them to be destroyed. Vs. \',\, 14.
IV. An exhortation to stand fast, and to maintain what they had been taught (ver. 1")), and a prayer that God, who had given them a good
OW we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our
1. JSoio loe beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase 'by the coming,' is not here, as our translators seem to have supposed, a form of solemn adjuration. It is not common, if it ever occurs, in the Scriptures, to make a solemn adjuration in view of an event, and the connection here demands that we give to the phrase a different sense. It means, respecting his coining; and the idea of Paul is, 'In regard to that great event of which 1 spoke to you in my former epistle — the coming of the Saviour — I beseech you not to be troubled, as if it were soon to happen.' As his views had been misunderstood or misrepresented, lie now proposes to show them that there was nothing in the true doctrine which should create alarm, as if he were about to appear. ^ And by our gathering together unto him. There is manifest allusion here to what is said in the first epistle (ch. iv. 17), "then we shall be caught up together with them in the clouds;" and the meaning is, 'in reference to our being gathered unto liim, I beseech you not to be shaken in mind, as if that event were near.'
2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind. The word here used signifies, properly, to be moved as a wave of the sea, or to be tossed upon the waves, as a vessel is. Then it means to be shaken in any way. See Matt, xi. 7; xxiv. 29. Luke vi. 33. Acts iv. 31. Heb. xii. 26. The reference here is to the agitation or alarm felt from the belief that the day of judgment would soon occur. It is uniformly said in the Scriptures, that the approach of the Lord Jesus to
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shsiken judge the world, will produce a great consternation and alarm. Matt. xxiv. 30, " Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn." Rev. i. 7, "Behold, he Cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him; and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Luke xxiii. 30, "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall on us; and to the hills. Cover us." Comp. Isa. ii. 21, 22. Of the truth of this, there can be no doubt. We may imagine something of the efiects which will be produced by the alarm caused in a community when a belief prevails that the day of judgment is near. In a single year (1843) seventeen persons were admitted to tl)e Lunatic Asylum m Worcester, Mass., who had become deranged in consequence of the expectation that the Lord Jesus was about to appear. It is easy to account for such facts, and no doubt, when the Lord Jesus shall actually come, the effect on the guilty world will be overwhelming. The apostle here says, also, that those who were Christians were ' shaken in mind and troubled' by this anticipation. There are, doubtless, many true Christians who would be alarmed at such an event, as there are many who, like Hezeldah (Isa. xxxviii. 1, 2), are alarmed at the prospect of death. Many real Christians might, on the sudden occurrence of such an event, feel that they were not prepared, and be alarmed at the prospect of passing through the great trial which is to determine their everlasting destiny. It is no certain evidence of a want of pi(!ty to be alarmed at the approach of deatli. Our nature dreads death, and though there may bo a in mind, or be trouVIod, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by let- well-founilccl Iiojk; of heaven, it will not always preserve a delicate i)hyeical frame from trembling when it comes. ^ Or be Iroiibled. Tliat is, disturbed, or terrified. It would seem tJiat this beliet' had produced much consternation among tiicni. H Acither by spirit. By any pretended spirit of prophecy. But whether tliis refers to the predictions of those who were false prophets in Tlicssalonica, or to sometliing which it was alleged the apostle Paul had himself said there, and which was construed as meaning that the time was near, is not certain. This depends much on the question whether the phrase ' as from us,' refers only to tlie letters which had been sent to them, or also to the ' word' and to the 'spirit,' here spoken of. See Oldshausen on the place. It would seem, from the connection, that all their consternation had been caused by some misconstruction which had l)ccn put on the sentiments of Paul himself, for if there had been any otlier source of alarm, he would naturally have referred to it It is probable, therefore, that allusion is made to some representation which had been given of what he had said under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and that tlie e.xpecL-ition that the end of the world was near, was supposed to be a doctrine of inspiration. Whether, liowever, the Thessalonians themselves put tliis constniction on wiiat he said, or whether those who Had caused the alarm represented him as teaching this, cannot be determined. ^ Aor btj word. That is, by public instruction, or in preaciiing. It is evident that when the •postle was among them, this subject, from some cause, was prominent in iiis discourses. See ver. 5. [t had been inferred, it seems, from 8* what he said, that he meant to teach that the end of the world was near. ^iVor btj letter. Either the one which he had bcliirc written to them — the First Epistle to tiie Thessalonian.s — or one which had been forged in his name. % As/rnjnus. Tliat is, Paul, Silas, and Timothy, who are united in writing the two epistles (1 Thess. i. 1. 2 Tiiess. i. 1), and in whose names a letter would be forged, if one of this description were sent to them. It has been made a question, whetlicr tlie apostle refers here to the former epistle which he had sent to them, or to a forged letter; and on this question critics have been about equally divided. The reasons for the Ibrmer opinion may be seen in Paley's llorm Paulinie, in loc. The question is not very important, and perhaps cannot be easily settled. There are twoor three circumstances, however, which seem to make it probable that he refers to an epistle which had been forged, and which had been pretended to be received from him. (1.) One is found in the expression ' as from us.' If he had referred to his own former letter, it seems to me that the allusion would have been more distinct, and that the particle ' as' (wj) would not have been used. This is such an expression as would have been employed T/the reference were to such a Ibrged letter. (2.) A second circumstance is found in the e.xpressjion in tiie next verse, " Let no man drcrive you by any means," which looks as if Xhej were not led into this belief by their own interpretation of his tbnner epistle, but by a deliberate attempt of some one to delude them on tlie subject (3.) Periiaps a third circumstance would he tbund in tJie fact that it was not uncommon in the early times of Christianity loatteirpt
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
to impose forged writings on the churches. Nothing would be more natural for an impostor who wished to acquire influence, than to do this; and that it was often done is well known. That epistles were forged under the names of the apostles, appears very probable, as Benson has remarked, from ch. iii. 17, Gal. vi. 11, and Philem. 19. There are, indeed, none of those forged epistles, extant which were composed in the time of the apostles, but there is extant an epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, besides the two which we have; another to the Laodiceans, and six of Paul's epistles to Seneca — all of which are undoubted forgeries. See Benson in loc. If Paul, however, here refers to his former epistle, the reference is doubtless to 1 Thess. iv. 15, and v. 2, 3, 4, which might easily be understood as teaching that.he end of the world was near, and to which those who maintained that opinion might appeal with great plausibility. We have, however, the authority of the apostle himself that he meant to teach no such thing. H As that the day of Christ is at hand. The time when he would appear — called ' the day of Christ,' because it would be appointed especially for the manifestation of his glory. The phrase ' at hand,' means near. Grotius supposes that it denotes that same year, and refers for proof to Rom. viii. 38. 1 Cor. iii. 22. Gal. i. 4. Heb. ix. 9. If so, the attempt to fix the day was an early indication of the desire to determine the very time of his appearing — a disposition which has been so common since, and which has led into so many sad mistakes.
3. Let no man deceive you by any means. That is, respecting the coming of the Lord Jesus. This implies that there were then attempts to deceive, and that it was t f great importance for Christians to be on their guard. The result has shown that there is almost no subject on which caution is more proper, and on which men are more liable to delusion. The means then resorted to for deception appear from the previous verse to have been either an appeal to a pretended verbal message from the apostle, or a pretended letter from him. The means now, consist of a claim to uncommon wisdom in the interpretation of obscure prophecies of the Scriptures. The necessity for the caution here given has not ceased. % For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. Until an apostasy (oTioe-tasM) shall have occurred — the great apostasy. There is scarcely any passage of the New Testament which has given occasion to greater diversity of opinion than this. Though the reference seems to be plain, and there is scarcely any prophecy of the Bible apparently more obvious and easy in its general interpretation; yet it is proper to mention some of the opinions which have been entertained of it. Some have referred it to a great apostasy from the Christian church, particularly on account of persecution, which would occur before the destruction of Jerusalem. The ' coming of the Lord' they suppose refers to the destruction of the holy city, and according to this, the meaning is, that there would be a great apostasy before that event would take place. Of this opinion was Vitringa, who refers the ' apostasy' to a great defection from the faith which took place between the time of Nero and Trajan. Whitby also refers it to an event which was to take place before the destruction of Jerusalem, and supposes that the apostasy would consist in a return from the Christian to the Jewish faith by raultitudes of professed
not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man
converts. The ' man of sin,' nccordinj to him, means tlic Jewish nation, eo characterized on account of its eminent wickedness. Hammond explains the aposta.sy by the defection to the Gnostics, by the arts of Simon Wagns, whom lie siipixjscs to be the man of sin, and by the ' day of the Lord' he also understands the destruction of Jerusalem. Grotius takes Caius Cesar or Calig^ula, to be tlic man of sin, and by the apostasy he understands his abominable wickedness. In the beginning of his government, he says, his plans of iniquity were concealed, and tlie hopes of all were e.xcitcd in regard to his reign; but his secret iniquity was sulwequently ' revealed,' and his true character understood. Wetstein understands by the ' man of sin,' " Titus and the Flavian house." He says tliat he does not understand it of the Roman Pontiff, who " is not one such as the demonstrative pronoun thrice repeated designates, and wlio neither sits in the temple of God, nor calls himself God, nor Caius, nor Simon Gioriae, nor any Jewish Impostor, nor Simon Magus." Koppe refers it to the king mentioned in Dan..xi. 36. According to him, the reference is to a great apostasy of the Jews from the worship of God, and the ' man of sin' is the Jewish people. Others have supposed that the reference is to Mohammetl, and tliat the main characteristics of the prophecy may be found in him. Of the Papists, a part atilrm that the apostasy is the falling away from Rome in tlie time of the Retbrmation, but the greater portion suppose thnt the allusion is to Antichrist, who. they say, will appear in the.vorld l>efbre the great day of judgment, to coinliat religion and the nints. See these opinions stated at
of sin * be revealed, the ' son of perdition:
length, and examined, in Bishop Newton on the Prophecies, Diss, xxii. Some more recent expositors have referred it to Napoleon Bonaparte, and some (as Oldshausen) stippose that it refers to some one who has not yet appeared, in whom all tlie characteristics here specified will be found united. Most Protestant commentators have referred it to the great apostasy under the Papacy, and, by the ' man of sin,' they suppose there is allusion to the Roman Pontiff, the Pope. It is evident that we are in better circumstances to understand the passage than those were who immediately succeeded the apostles. Eighteen hundred years have passed away since the epistle was written, and the 'day of the Lord' has not yet come, and we have an opportunity of inquiring, whether in all that long tract of time any one man can be found, or any series of men have arisen, to whom the description here given is applicable. If so, it is in accordance with all the proper rules of interpreting prophecy, to make 6uch an application. If it is fairly applicable to the Papacy, and cannot be applied in its great features to anything else, it is pro per to regard it as having such an original reference. HappiJy, the ex pressions whicii are used by the a|X)s tie are, in themselves, not ditficult of interpretation, and all that the expositor has to do is, to ascertain whether /;i any one great apostasy all the things here mentinncd have nccurred. If so, it is fair to apply the prophecy to such an event; if not so, we must wait still Ibr its tulfilmenL The word rendered 'falling away' (ortodrowio, apostasy), is of so grnrral a. character, that it may be applied to any dcjKirture from the feith as it was received in the time of the apostles. It occurs in the New Testament only here and in Acts xxi. 21, where it is rendered ' to forsake' — " thou teachest all the Jews which are among us to forsake Moses" — apostasy from Moses — drtoffT'afftai/ drto Mwjaswj. The word means a departing from, or a defection. See the verb used in 1 Tim. iv. 1, " Some shall depart from the faiih" — o-TiostriSovtM. Comp. Notes on that passage. See also Heb. iii. 12. Luke viii. 13. Acts V. 37. The reference here is evidently to some genera] falling away, or to some great religious apostasy that was to occur, and which would be under one head, leader, or dynasty, and which would involve many in the same departure from the faith, and in the same destruction. The use of the article here, • ZAe apostasy' (Gr.), Erasmus remarks, 'signifies that great and before-predicted apostasy.' It is evidently emphatic, showing that there had been a reference to this before, or that they understood well that there was to be such an apostasy. Paul says (ver. 5), that when he was with them, he had told them of these things. The writers in the New Testament often speak Df such a defection under the name of Antichrist. See Rev. xiii. 14. 1 John ii. 18. 22; iv. 3. 2 John 7. ^ And that man of sin. This is a Hebraism, meaning a man of eminent wickedness; one distinguished for depravity. Comp. John xvii. 12. Prov. vi. 12, in Heb. The use of the article here — o w^purco; — ' the man of sin,' is also erapliatic, as in the reference to ' the falling away,' and shows that there is allusion to one of whom they had before heard, and whose character was well known; who would be the wicked one by way of eminence. See also ver. 8, ' that wicked'— o aivofio^. There are two general questions in regard to the proper interpretation of tiiis appellative; the one is, whether it refers to an individual, or to a series of individuals of the same general character, aiming at the accomplishment of the same plans; and the other is, whether there has been any individual, or any series of individuals, since the time of the apostle, who, by eminence, deserved to be called ' the man of sin.' That the phrase, ' the ma7i of sin,' may refer to a succession of men of the same general character, and that it does so refer here, is evident from the following considerations: (1.) The word ' king' is used in Dan. vii. 25; xi. 36, to which places Paul seems to allude, to denote a succession of kings. (2.) The same is true of the beast mentioned in Dan. vii., viii., Rev. xiii., representing a kingdom or empire through its successive changes and revolutions. (3.) The same is true of the " woman arrayed in purple and scarlet" (Rev. xvii. 4), which cannot refer to a single woman, but is the emblem of a conthmed corrupt administration. (4.) It is clear that a succession is intended here, because the work assigned to ' the man of sin,' cannot be supposed to be that which could be accomplished by a single individual. The statement of the apostle is, that there were then tendencies to such an apostasy, and that the ' man of sin' would be revealed at no distant period, and yet that he would continue his work of ' lying wonders' until the coming of the Saviour. In regard to this 'man of sin,' it may be further observed, (1.) that his appearing was to be preceded by ' the great apostasy;' and (2.) that he was to continue and perpetuate it. His rise was to be owing to a great departure from the faith, and then he was to be the principal agent in continuing it by ' signs and lying wonders.' He was not himself to originate the defection, but was to be the creation, or result of it He was to rise upon it, or grow out of it, and, b)' artful arm nf^cmcnt^ ailaptcd to that purpose, was to perpetuate it. Tlie question then is, to whom this phrase, descriptive of a succession of individuals so eminent for wickedness that tlie name Uhc man of sin' could be applied, was designed by tlie spirit of inspiration to refer. Bisliop Newton has shown that it cannot refer to Caligula, to Simon Magus, to the revolt of the Jews from tlie Romans, or to the revolt of the Jews from the faith, or to the Flavian familv, or to Luther, as some of the Papists suppose, or to one man who will appear just before the end of the world, as others of the Romanists suppose. See his Dissertations on the Prophecies, xxii. pp. 393 — 102. Comp. Oldshausen, in loc. The argument is too long to be inserted here. But can it be referred to tlie Papacy 1 Can it denote the Pope of Rome, meaning not a single Pope, but the succession? If all the circumstances of the entire passage can be shown to be fairly applicable to him, or if it can be shown that all that is fairly implied in the lanffuatre used here has received a fulfilment in him, then it is proper to regard it as having been designed to be so applied, and then this may be numbered among the prophecies that are in part fulfilled. The question now is on the applicability of the phrase * the man of sin' to tiie Pope. Tiiat his rise was preceded by a great apostasy, or departure from tlie purity of the simple gospel, as revealed in the New Testament, cannot reasonably be doubted by any one acquainted witli Uie history of tlie church. That he is the creation or result of that apostasy, is equally clear. That he is the grand atrent in continuing it, is equally manifest. Is the phmsc iti-clf one that is prf>- perly applicable to him? Is it proper to speak of the Pope of Rume, as he htLi sjtually appeared, as ' the man of sin!' In reply to tliis, it might be sufficient to refer to the general character of the Papacy, and to its influence in upholding and perpetuating various forms of iniquity in the world. It would be easy to show that there has been no dynasty or system tliat has contributed so much to uphold and perpetuate sins of various kinds on the earth, as the Papacy. No otlier one has been so extensively and so long the patron of superstition; and tliere are vices of the grossest character which have all along been fostered by its system of celilncy, indulgences, monasteries, and absolutions. But it would be a better illustration of the meaning of the phrase ' man of sin,' as applicable to the Pope of Rome, to look at the general character of the Popes themselves. Though there may have been some exceptions, yet there never has been a succession of men of so decidedly wicked character as have occupied the Papal throne since tiie great apostasy commenced. A very few references to the characters of the Popes will furnisli an illustration of this point. Pope Vagilius waded to tlie Pontifical throne through the blood of his predecessor. Pope Joan — tlio Roman Catholic writers tell us — a female in disguise, was elected and confirmed Pope, as John VIII. Platina says, that "she became with child by some of those that were round about her; that she miscarried, and died on her way from the Lateran to the temple." Pope Marcellinus sacrificed to idols. Concerning Pope Ilonorius, the council of Constantinople decreed, " We have caused Honorius, the late Pope of Old Rome, to be accursed; for tliat in all things he followed the mind of Sergius the heretic, and confirmed his wicked doctrines." The council of Basil thus condemned Pope Eugeniua; " We condema and do
4 Who opposeth and exalteth "
pose Pope Eugenius, a despiser of the holy canons; a disturber of the peace and unity of the church of God; a notorious offender of the whole universal church; a Simonist; a perjurer; a man incorrigible; a schismatic; a man fallen from the faith, and a wilful heretic." Pope John II. was publicly charged at Rome with incest. Pope John XIII. usurped the Pontificate, spent his time in hunting, in lasciviousness, and monstrous forms of vice; he fled from the trial to which he was summoned, and was stabbed, being taken in the act of adultery. Pope Sixtus IV. licensed brothels at Rome. Pope Alexander VI. was, as a Roman Catholic historian says, "one of the greatest and most horrible monsters in nature that could scandalize the holy chair. His beastly morals, his immense ambition, his insatiable avarice, his detestable cruelty, his furious lusts, and monstrous incest with his daughter Lucretia, are, at large, described by Guicciardini Ciaconius, and other authentic Papal historians." Of the Popes, Platina, a Roman Catholic, says: "The chair of Saint Peter was usurped, rather than possessed by, monsters of wickedness, ambition, and bribery. They left no wickedness unpractised." See the New Englander, April, 1844, pp. 285, 286. To no succession of men who have ever lived could the appellative, ' the man of sin,' be applied with so much propriety as to this succession. Yet they claim to have been the true ' successors' of the apostles, and there are Protestants that deem it of essential importance to be able to show that they have derived the true 'succession' through such men. IF Be revealed. Be made manifest. There were, at the time when the aiwetle wrote, two remarkable things,
(1.) that there was already a tendency to such an apostasy as he spoke of; and (2.) there was something which as yet prevented the appear ance or the rise of the man of sin. Ver. 7. When the hindrance which then existed should be taken out of the way, he would be manifested See Notes on ver. 7. Tf The son oj perdition. This is the same appellation which the Saviour bestowed on Judas. See it explained in the Notes on John xviii. 12. It may mean either that he would be the cause of ruin to others, or that he would himself be devoted to destruction. It would seem here rather to be used in the latter sense, though this is not absolutely certain. The phrase, whichever interpretation be adopted, is used to denote one of eminent wickedness..
4. Who opposeth. That is, he is J distinguished as an opposer of the " great system which God has revealed for human salvation, and of those who vvould serve God in purity in the gospel of his Son. No Protestant will doubt that this has been the character of the Papacy. The opposition of the general system to the gospel; the persecution of Wickliffe, of John Huss, of Jerome of Prague of the Waldenses and the Reform ers; the Inquisition, the cruelties in the reign of Mary, and the massacre of St. JBartholomew in France, are obvious illustrations of this. ^ And exalteth himself above all that is called God. That is, whether among the heathens or the Jews; above a false God, or the true God, This could be true on ty of one who set aside the divine laws; who undertook to legislate where God only has a right to legislate, and whose legislation was contrary to that of God. & Any claim of a dominion over con- 1 science, or any arrangenient to set I
God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the tem-
aside the divine laws, and to render tlioni nug-iitory, would corrcsixind with what is implied in this description. It cannot be supposed that any one would openly claim to be superior to God, but the sense must be, that the enactments and ordinances of the 'man of sin' would pertain to the province in which God only can legislate, and that the ordinances made by iiim would be such as to render nugatory the divine laws, by appointing others in their place. No one can reasonably doubt tliat all that is here affirmed may be found in the claims of tlie Pope of Rome. Tlie assumpn tions of the Papacy have related to the following tilings: (1.) To authority above all the inferior orders of tlie priestliood — above all pastors, bishops, and primates. (2.) Authori'yaboveall kings and emperors, "deposing some, and advancing others, obliging them to prostrate themselves before him, to kiss his toe, to hold his stirrup, to wait barefooted at his gate, treading even upon tiie neck, and kicking off the imperial crown with his foot." Newton. Thus Gregory VII. made Henry IV. wait barefooted at his gate. Thus Alexander III. trod upon the neck of Alexander I. Thus Celestin kicked off the imperial crown of Henry VI. Thus tlie right was claimed, and asserted, of hying nations under interdict, of depotjing kings, and of absolving their subjects from their oaths of allegiance. And thus the Pope claimed the right over all unknown lands that might be diecovercd by Colum- Dns, and apportioned the Now World as he pleased — in all these things claiming prerogatives which can ai>- pertain only to God. (8.) To nu- Ihority over the conscience, in matters which can pertain only to God himself, and where he only can legislate. Thus it has been, and is, one
pie of God, shewing himself that he is God.
of the claims set up for the Pope that he is infallible. Thus he ' forbids what God has commanded,' as the mcrriage of the clergy, commu nion in boiii kinds, the use of tlie Scriptures for the common people. Tiius ho has set aside the second commandment by the appointment of image-worship; and thus he claims the power of the remission of sins. Multitudes of things which Christ allows his people are forbidden by the Papacy, and many things are enjoined, or allowed, directly contrary to the divine legislation. •[ Or that is icorsltipped. oi^aafxa. This word means an object of worship. Sec Acts xvii. J3, where it is rendered devotions. It may be applied to the worship of a heathen divinity, or of the true God. ♦ It may refer to a person, an idol, or a place. Probably Paul refers here to the herocs and other subordinate divinities of the heatlien mytliology.' Oldshausen. No one can doubt that tlie Pope has claimed higher honours, as the vicegerent of Christ, than was ever rendered in tiic ancient ' hero worship.' 1[.So thut he, as God. That is, claiming the honours due to God. This e.xpression would not imply that he actually claimed to he the true God, but only that he sits in the temple, and manifests him.self as if he were God. He claims such honours and such reverence as the true God would if he should appear in human form. It should be observed here, Iiowevcr, that there is much reason to doubt the gtmiinencss of this phrase — *os (JixC — ^ eiov. Mill supposes that it was inserted from tlie context. It is marked with an asterisk in the Vulgate, the Coptic, and the Syriac, and is omitted by many of the fathers. Sec Mill and VVeliJtein. It is rejected bv Gritsbach and Lochmann, and marked as doubtful by Hahn. It is defended, however, by Matthaei, Koppe, Knapp, and Schott. The sense is not materially affected whether it be regarded as genuine or not. •|[ Sitteth in the temple of God. That is, in the christian church. It is by no means necessary to understand this of the temple at Jerusalem, which was standing at the time this epistle was written, for (1.) the phrase ' the temple of God' is several times used with reference to the christian church, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ii. 21. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. Rev. iii. 12; and (2.) the temple was the proper symbol of the church, and an apostle trained amidst the Hebrew institutions would naturally speak of the church as the temple of God. The temple at Jerusalem was regarded as the peculiar dwellingplace of God on earth. When the christian church was founded, it was spoken of as the peculiar dwellingplace of God. See the passages referred to above. He dwelt among his people. He was with them, and walked with them, and manifested himself among them — as he had done in the ancient temple. The usage in the New Testament would not lead us to restrict this language to an edifice, or a ' church,' as the word is now commonly used, but rather to suppose that it denotes the church as a society, and the idea is, that the Antichrist here referred to would present himself in the midst of that church as claiming the honours due to God alone. In the temple at Jerusalem, God himself presided. There he gave laws to his people; there he manifested himself as God; and there he was worshipped. The rei^n of the ' man of sin' would be as if he should sit there. In the christian church he would usurp the place which Grod liad occupied in the temple. He would claim divine attributes and homage. He would give laws and responses as God did there.
He vi'ould be regarded as the head of all ecclesiastical power; the source from wliich all authority emanated; the same in the christian church which God himself was in the temple. This does not then refer primarily to the Pope as sitting in any particular church on any particular occasion, but to his claiming in the cliurch of Christ the authority and homage which God had in tlie temple at Jerusalem. In whatever place,. whether in a cathedral or elsewhere, this authority should be exercised, all that the language here conveys would be fulfilled. No one can fail to see that the authority claimed by the Pope of Rome, meets the full force of the language used here by the apostle. If Showing himself that he is God. This does not necessarily mean that he actually, in so many words, claimed to be God; but that he usurped the place of God, and claimed the prerogatives of God. If the names of God are given to him. or are claimed by him; if he receives the honours due to God; if he ■ asserts a dominion like that of God, ■ then all that the language fairly implies will be fulfilled. The follo\' ing expressions, applied to the Pope of Rome by Catholic writers without any rebuke from the Papacy, will show how entirely applicable this is to the pretended head of tlie church. He has been styled 'Our Lord God the Pope; another God upon earth; king of kings and lord of lords. The same is the dominion of God and the Pope. To believe that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he decreed, is heresy. The power of the Pope is greater than all created power, and extends itself to things celestial, terrestrial, and infernal. Tiie Pope doeth whatsoever he listeth, even things unlawful, and is more than God.' See the authority for these extraordinary declarations in Bishop Newton on the Prophecies, xxiL How can it be
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these thinefs?
doubtcil tliat tJjc reference hero ia to the Papacy? lianguaije could not be plainer, and it is not possible to conceive tliat anything can ever occur which would furnish a more manifest fiilfilmont of this prophecy. Cndced, interpreted by the claims of the Papacy, it stands amongr the very clearest of all the predictions in the Sacred Scriptures.
5. 'Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? The whole subject of the second advent of the Saviour seems to have constituted an important part of the instructions of Paul when at Thessalonica. He now refers them to what he had told them reipecting' the great apostasy, to show that his views had not changed, tnd that he did not mean to have them understand that the world would soon come to an end. He had stated Uttsc things to them, implying that a considerable interval must elapse before the Saviour would ippear. Much of the obscurity of this prophecy arises from the fact, that the apostle alludes to things which ho had told them when with them, of which we have now no knowledge. Hence, what would be perfectly clear to them, on reading this letter, is now difficult to be unierstood.
6. And now ye know what wilh- \oldeth. Marg., holdelh. The reference is, to something that then eperated to constrain or hold back the obvious tendency of things, S9 tliat the • man of sin' should not at once appear, or so that things should not soon so develope tliemsolves as to give rise to this antichristian power. There were causes at work even then, which woxild ultimately I lead to this; but there was also I
6 And now ye know wliat ' withholdelh, that he might be revealed in his time.
something which checked the tendency of tilings, so that the revelation or development of the ' man of sin' was put olT to a future period. The obvious meaning of this would be, that, when the apostle wrote, there was a tendency to what would occur under the great apostasy, and that this would soon develope itself if it were not restrained. If the reference is to the Papacy, this would consist in corruptions already existing in the church, having a resemblance to those which afterwards existed under that system, or which were the germ of that s>-stem. If there was a tendency towards tlie concentration of all power in an individual in the church, — if tliere was an assumption of authority by one class of ministers above another, — if there was a denial of the ' parity of the clergy,' the tendency would have been'to that ultimate assumption of authority which is found in the Romish hierarchy. But conjecture is useless as to what was the precise form in which this tendency then began to develope itself. That the corruptions early began in tlie church which terminated in the Papacy, and which led on directly to it, we know; and that the apostle was able to foresee and predict such a final development, shows that he was under the influence of inspiration. It is not known precisely what is referred to by the phrase ' what withholdeth,' ro xari- Xov. The phrase means properly, something that holds back, or restrains. The word hero is in the neuter gcn(]cr, ^What withholdeth.' In the following verse it is in tho masculine gender, o zoTf;t"»» — ' he that letteth,' or withhoideth; and the reference would seem to be to
7 For the mji-stery of iniquity doth already " work: only he
who now letteth, tvill let, until he be taken out of the way.
some agency or state of things under the control of an individual, or of some civil power, that then operated aa a restraint on the natural tendency of things. Of this, the apostle says, they had had full information; but we can only conjecture what it was. The restraining power of anything controlled by an individual, or of any government, or the restraining power of God, would meet all that the phrase implies. The most natural interpretation is that which refers it to civil power, meaning that there was something i,i the form of the existing administration which would prevent this development until that restraint should be removed. Tlie supposition that there was even then a tendency to concentrate all ecclesiastical power at Rome, and that while the civil authority remained there it would not sutfer ecclesiastical power to grow to the exorbitant height which it ultimately reached, will meet all that is implied in the language. ^ That he misht be revealed in his time. The nian of sin. The meaning is, that there was then a restraint operating which would prevent the development of this antichristian power until the proper time; that is, till the state of the world should be such that in the divine arrangements it would be proper to permit it. It was not to be permitted until the gospel should be extensively preached, and had had an opportunity of showing" its fair eftects on the nations; until it had beccme so planted and established tliat even the rise of this antichristian power could not effectually uproot it. Had the ' man of sin' been permitted to rise at once, the consequence might have been that the new religion would have been crushed, so that it could never have revived again. There was then a providential arrangement by which this growth of wickedness should be checked and restrained, until the new religion should take deep root in the earth, and its perpetuity should be secured. Then the great trial was to be permitted under the ' man of sin.'
7. For the mystery of iniquity. On the meaning of the word 7nystery, see Notes on Rom. xi. 25. Comp. 1 Cor. ii. 7. Eph. i. 9; iii. 3, Col. i. 26. It means properly that which is hidden or concealed; not necessarily that which is unin'^'ligible. The 'mystery of iniquity' seems here to refer to some hidden or concealed depravity, — some form of sin which was working secretly and silently, and which had not yet developed itself Any secret sources of iniquity in the church — any tiling _ J tliat tended to corrupt.its doct.-ines, ^ and to destroy the simplicity of the faith of the gospel, would correspond with the meaning of tlie word. Doddridge correctly supposes that this may refer to the pride and ambition of some ministers, the factious temper of some Christians, the imposing of unauthorized severities, the worship of angels, &c. ^ Dolh already work. There are elements of these corruptions already existing in the church. Bishop Newton maintains that the foundations of Popery were laid in the apostle's days, and that the superstructure was raised by degrees; and this is entirely in accordance with the siatements of the apostle Paul. In his own time, he says, there were things which, if not restrained, would expand and ripen into that apostasy. He has not told us particularly to: what he refers, but there are Ksevefal '* intimations in his writings, as well us in other parts of tlie New Testament, tluit even in the apostolic a^ro tliero existed tlio elements of tiioso corruptions whicii were atlerwards developed and imbodied iu the Papacy. Even " then," says Bi.shop Kewton, " idolatry was stealing^ into the church (I Cor. \. 14), and a voluntary lumiility and worshipping of angels." [Col. ii. 18. See, however, my Note on that passajje.] " Tlicre existed strife and divisions (1 Cor. iii. 3), an adulterating and handling the word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. ii. 17; iv. 2), a gain of godliness, teaching of things for filtiiy lucre's sake (1 Tim. vi. 5; Titus i. 11), a vain observation of festivals (Gal. iv. 10), a vain distinction of meats (1 Cor. viii. 8), a neglecting of tlie body (Col. ii. 23), traditions, and comniandments, and doctrines of men (Col. ii. 8. 22)." Comp. 3 John 9, " Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence." These things constituted the elements of the corruptions which were afterwards developed in the Papacy, and which are imbodied in that system. An eye that could sec all, would even then have perceived tliai if tiiere were no restraint, these incipient corruptions would grow up into that system, and would be expanded into all the corruptions and arrogant claims which have ever characterized it Comp. 1 John iv. 3. ^ Only he who now IcUelh. Who now hinders, or restrains — o xarixu>¥. This is tjje same word which is used in vcr. G, and rendered ' withholdeth,' except that it is there in tlic neuter gender. There can be no doubt that there is reference to the same restraining power, or the same power under tlic control ol un individual; but what that was, is not quite certa in. It was.'Jonie power whicii oporatod as a ciicck on the growing corruptions then existing, end wiiich prevented their full development, but which was to be removed at no distant period, and whose removal would give an opportimity lor those corruptions to dcvclopc themselves, and for the full revelation of the man of sin. Such a supposition as that the civil power of Rome was such a restraint, operating to prevent tlie assumption of the ecclesiastical claims of supremi"cy wiiich atlerwards characterized tiie Papacy, will correspond with all that is necessarily implied in the language. If Will let, until he be taken out of the way. This will bo an effectual check on those corruptions, preventing their full development, until it is removed, and then the man of sin will appear. The supposition wiiich will best suit this language is, that there was then some civil restraint, preventing the development of existing corruptions, but that there would be a removal, or withdrawing of that restraint; and that tiien tlie tendency of tiie e.xisting corruptions would be seen. It is evident, as Oldshausen remarks, that lliis resisting or restraining power must be something out of the church, and distinguished from theantichristinn tendency itself; von dor Kirche und vom Antichristenthum. It is necessary, tiiereforc, to understand this of the restraints of civil power. Was tiiere, then, any fact in history which will accorcl with this interpretation 1 The belief among the primitive Christiana was, that what hindered the rise of the man of sin was the Roman empire, and therefore " they prayed tor its peace and welfare, as knowing that when the Roman empire shoula be dissolved and bnjkcn in pieces; tlio empire of the man of sin would bo raised on its ruins." lip. Newton. How tliis revolution was ellbcted, mny be seen by the statonirnt of Maciiiavel. " The emperor of Rome, quitting Rome to dwell at Constantinople" (in the fourth century, under
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
Constantime), " tlie Roman empire began to decline, but the church of Rome augmented as fast. Nevertheless, until the coming in of the Lombards, all Italy being under the dominion of either emperors or kings, the bishops assumed no more power than what was due to their doctrine and manners; in civil affairs they were subject to the civil power. Bui Theodoric, king of the Goths, fixing his seat at Ravenna, was that which advanced their interest, and made them more considerable in Italy, for there being no other prince letl in Rome, the Romans were forced for protection to pay greater allegiance to the pope. The Lombards having invaded and reduced Italy into several cantons, the pope took the opportunity, and began to hold up his head. For being, as it were, governor and principal of Rome, the emperor of Constantinople and the Lombards bare him a respect, so that the Romans (by mediation of their pope,) began to treat and confederate with Longinus [the emperor's lieutenant], and the Lombards, not as subjects, but as equals and companions; which said custom continuing, and the pope's entering into alliance sometimes with the Lombards, and sometimes with the Greeks, contracted great reputation to their dignity." (Hist, of Florence, B. i. p. 6, of the English translation.) A more extended quotation on the same subject, may be seen in Newton on the Prophecies, pp. 407, 408. To any one acquainted with the decline and fall of the Roman empire, nothing can be more manifest than the correspondence of the facts in history respecting the rise of the Papacy, and the statement of the apostle Paul here. The simple facts are these. (1.) There were early corruptions in the church at Rome, as