2 Thessalonians 1:10–2:2

At the revelation of the Lord Jesus, from heaven, with the angels of his power, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed.

"Who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His might, when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed."

There are many men, who form good hopes not by abstaining from their sins, but by thinking that hell is not so terrible as it is said to be, but milder than what is threatened, and temporary, not eternal; and about this they philosophize much. But I could show from many reasons, and conclude from the very expressions concerning hell, that it is not only not milder, but much more terrible than is threatened. But I do not now intend to discourse concerning these things. For the fear even from bare words is sufficient, though we do not fully unfold their meaning. But that it is not temporary, hear Paul now saying, concerning those who know not God, and who do not believe in the Gospel, that "they shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction." How then is that temporary which is everlasting? "From the face of the Lord," he says. What is this? He here wishes to say how easily it might be. For since they were then much puffed up, there is no need, he says, of much trouble; it is enough that God comes and is seen, and all are involved in punishment and others in vengeance.

"And from the glory of His might," he says "when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed."

Is God glorified? Yea, he says, in all the Saints. How? For when they that puff so greatly see those who were scourged by them, who were despised, who were derided, even those now near to Him, it is His glory, or rather it is their glory, both theirs and His; His indeed, because He did not forsake them; theirs, because they were thought worthy of so great honor. For as it is His riches, that there are faitful men, so also it is His glory that there are those who are to enjoy His blessings. It is the glory of Him that is good, to have those to whom He may impart His beneficence. "And to be marveled at," he says, "in all them that believed," that is, "through them that believed." See here again, "in" is used for "through." For through them He is shown to be admirable, when He brings to so much splendor those who were pitiable and wretched, and who had suffered unnumbered ills, and had believed. His power is shown then; because although they seem to be deserted here, yet nevertheless they there enjoy great glory; then especially is shown all the glory and the power of God.

"Because our testimony unto you was believed in that day."

That is, when those are brought into public view, who have suffered unnumbered ills, designed to make them apostatize from the faith, and yet have not yielded, but have believed, God is glorified. Then is shown the glory of these men also. "Judge none blessed," it says, "before his death." On this account he says, in that day will be shown those who believed.

It contains a double meaning; for he will come to punish the wicked and to glorify the good. For he himself will appear glorious and marvelous to those who believe, following the example and faith of the apostles, when they are crowned, and the Gospel testifies to them on the day of the Lord. However, he will appear severe to the unbelievers, when they begin to be confined by eternal punishments. For the glory of the disciples is the crown, and its truth is the punishment of the unbelievers; because what was preached was not believed.

When the people who now oppose the Gospel and exalt themselves see that those whom they tormented have become partakers of endless glory, then the glory of God will be openly revealed. For their glory is His glory, so that by the very means through which He glorifies the saints, He Himself is also glorified. Just as His wealth consists in the fact that there are faithful ones, so also His glory consists in the fact that there are such people who will enjoy His blessings.

That is, through those who believed. Here the preposition "in" (εν) is used instead of "through" (δια). For when He deems worthy of such glory those who are wretched and persecuted by all, then His power will be revealed. And in another sense, when those who endured countless afflictions, being compelled to abandon the faith, and yet did not abandon it, stand in the midst of the judgment seat, then the glory of God and their glory will be revealed.

He will be wonderful, he says, God on that day, because "you believed our testimony" and preaching, that is, because you believed and made yourselves worthy of those blessings which will then be granted to the faithful. He well said above: "on that day," for then they will show themselves in deed to be truly believing, but now many pretend to be believers. Therefore the Wise One also says: do not count a man happy before his death.

because our testimony has been believed by you They also call their testimony evangelical teaching, that which indeed was entrusted to them, because they received evangelical teaching from those preaching it.

Then when he says, "when he shall come," he treats of the saints' reward. And first, he sets out the reward; second, the merit of the saints, at "those who have believed."

He commends the glory of the saints as regards its essence, a participation in the glory of God, when he says "to be glorified"; and as regards its overflow, at "and to be made wonderful."

He says, therefore, "when he shall come." Christ is most certainly glorious; "that every tongue may confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:11). "To be glorified in his saints," because the good is diffusive of itself; or "to be glorified in his saints," who are his members, and in whom he dwells, and in whom he is glorified when his own glory, namely, the glory of the head, flows down all the way to his members. "You are my servant, Israel, because in you I will be glorified" (Isa 49:3).

And this will surpass all wonder, hence he says, "to be made wonderful." For wonder is a stupor that results from tremendous impressions made on the imagination. But so great will be the glory of the saints that it cannot enter the thoughts of men, and this is why he says "to be made wonderful." "They will wonder at the suddenness of an unhoped-for salvation" (Wis 5:2).

Then he sets out the saints' merit, at "in all those who have believed." And he sets out first, the merit of faith; second, the support of prayer, at "wherefore we also."

He says, therefore: there will be this glory "because our testimony was believed upon you," which we believed concerning Christ, "in that day," i.e., for the sake of that day, since the good things we do are done for the sake of that day.

And he says this "testimony" is "upon you," i.e., beyond human understanding. "Many things are shown you beyond the understanding of man" (Sir 3:25). For faith has no merit where human reason offers proof. Unless it were "upon you," there would be no great merit in believing.

Or he says "upon you," i.e., for you who submit it rules over your intellect so that it humbly believes. "Bringing into captivity every intellect unto the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). Thus the Gloss explains it.

Or it can be understood in another way that is more according to the letter: I say that Christ will be glorified in you, who have believed, on the day of judgment, when the Apostles will stand as judges. And then the "testimony" which is "upon you," i.e., the testimony concerning the promptitude of your faith, will be certain and "believed," i.e., believable.

I said, "Salvation through this religion, through which alone true salvation is promised and truly promised, has never been lacking to anyone who was worthy of it, and the one to whom it was lacking was unworthy of it." I did not mean this as though anyone were worthy according to his own merits, but as the apostle says, "God's purpose in election" does not depend on deeds but is applied according to him who calls—Rebekah was told, "The elder shall serve the younger"—and he asserts that this call depends on the purpose of God. Hence Paul says, "Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace." Similarly, he says, "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Concerning this call he says, "that he may consider you worthy of his calling."

"To which end also we pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power."

"That He may count you," he says, "worthy of calling"; for they were not called. Therefore he has added, "and fulfill every desire of goodness." Since he also who was clothed in filthy garments, was called, but did not abide in his calling, but for this reason was the more rejected. "Of the calling," namely that to the bride-chamber. Since the five virgins also were called. "Arise" it says, "the bridegroom cometh." And they prepared themselves, but did not enter in. But he speaks of that other calling. Showing therefore what calling he is speaking of, he has added, "And fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power." This is the calling, he says, that we seek. See how gently he takes them down. For that they may not be rendered vain by the excess of commendation, as if they had done great deeds, and may not become slothful, he shows that something still is wanting to them, so long as they are in this life. Which also he said in his Epistle to the Hebrews. "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." "Unto all wellpleasing," he says, that is, His gratification, persuasion, full assurance. That is, that the persuasion of God may be fulfilled, that nothing may be wanting to you, that you may be so, as He wills. "And every work of faith," he says, "with power." What is this? The patient endurance of persecutions, that we may not faint, he says.

What then, were they not called? Yes, they were. But the apostle is not speaking of that calling; for according to that one, many are called. He who did not have wedding garments was also called (Matt. 22:25), and the five virgins were also called (Matt. 25:11), but neither he nor they entered. The calling that the apostle means here is that which is confirmed by deeds, and which is properly the true calling, just as genuine faith is active faith. Therefore he adds the following.

Such, he says, is the calling I mean, that "every good pleasure" of God, that is, everything that is pleasing to Him, might be fulfilled in you, and that you might appear such as God desires you to be, lacking nothing. Here the apostle also humbles their pride, so that they would not become exalted by the many praises, showing by this that they are still imperfect.

May God make, he says, your endurance of persecutions perfect. In what way? "In power," that is, by strengthening and fortifying you. For endurance is a work of faith, so that whoever does not have endurance does not show the work of faith either.

so that our God may make you worthy of his calling that is, understood to make worthy. Here he asks that that calling be understood according to a purpose. On this account, in order that they might separate what is universal from that which is special, they added 'his.' In order that they might show that there is not power or merit in man, but in God alone.

may complete every act of his goodness As though they should say, May virtue be bestowed upon you by God, that through it your faith may be filled up with effort.

Then when he says, "wherefore we also pray," he adds the support of prayer, and first, he sets out what he prays; second, to what purpose he prays, at "that the name"; third, how he can obtain what he prays for, at "according to the grace."

He prays for one thing on God's part and two things on our part.

He says, therefore, "wherefore," i.e., on account of that day, "we also pray always." "Without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers" (Rom 1:9); "far be this sin from me in the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you" (1 Sam 13:23). But for what? "That our God would make you worthy of his vocation," i.e., that he might cause you to live in the world in a manner worthy of his calling. "I beseech you that you walk in a manner worthy of the calling by which you have been called" (Eph 4:1).

And on our part he asks for two things: on the part of the will, that he may fully enjoy every goodness; hence he says "and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness," i.e., fulfill in you your desire for every good thing. "Who works in us both to will and to accomplish, according to his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

And on the part of the understanding, that it may perfectly believe. And so he says "and the work of faith." "For with the heart one believes unto justice, while with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom 10:10). And you accomplish this "in power," i.e., in constancy and fortitude, so that no fear causes you to stop confessing him.

Or it can be understood this way: "wherefore," i.e., on account of that day, "we also pray" that God may deign to give you that to which he has called you. "To this you were called, that you should possess the blessing by inheritance" (1 Pet 3:9). And that he might fulfill every good thing you desire, which he does in eternal life, when we will have God. "Who satisfies your desires with good things" (Ps 102:5). Similarly, that he may fulfill "the work of faith," which will happen when we see then face to face what we see now through a mirror and in an enigma (1 Cor 13:12).

"That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

He spoke there of glory, he speaks of it also here. He said, that they are glorified, so that they might even boast. He said, what was much more, that they also glorify God. He said, that they will receive that glory. But here too he means; For the Master being glorified, the servants also are glorified. For those who glorify their Master, are much more glorified themselves, both by that very thing, and apart from it. For tribulation for the sake of Christ is glory, and that thing he everywhere calls glory. And by how much the more we suffer anything dishonorable, so much the more illustrious we become. Then again showing that this also itself is of God, he says, "according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ"; that is, this grace He Himself has given us, that He may be glorified in us, and that He may glorify us in Him. How is He glorified in us? Because we prefer nothing before Him. How are we glorified in Him? Because we have received power from Him, so that we do not at all yield to the evils that are brought upon us. For when temptation happens, at the same time God is glorified, and we too. For they glorify Him, because He has so nerved us; they admire us, because we have rendered ourselves worthy. And all these things are done by the grace of God.

If all that has been said will be in you, then even in this life, the apostle says, the name of the Lord will be glorified in you. For when they see you enduring every trial out of love for your Master, this will be to His glory — that is, that He is so good that His servants are ready to die for Him, and so powerful that He strengthens you in endurance. But you also will be glorified in Him, in that you prove so faithful that you endure all things. For the glory of a servant is to be faithful to his Master. And in another sense: suffering for Christ is glory, because it makes people more pure, always ready to give themselves over to death, showing themselves to be above death.

And this, says the apostle, depends on God, and not on us; His grace is both this—if, he says, the Lord is glorified in us, when we prefer nothing over Him, as the sweetest of all, and also this—if we are glorified in Him, when we receive from Him the strength to endure all trials.

That is, that you may be seen to be His worshippers, and therefore that you my be glorified in Him. And lest, when their own merits rather than to the grace of God, therefore they fittingly say, according to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. After the thanksgiving and praises and prayer they begin to make clear their intentions to those to whom they wrote out the letter.

But to what purpose? "That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him," i.e., that it be to the glory of Christ. And that through you, both in the present and in the future, the name of Christ may be glorified by your good deeds. "That they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matt 5:16). The opposite is said of the wicked: "the name of God is blasphemed through you" (Rom 2:24; Isa 52:5).

But how can we obtain this? "According to the grace of our God," which is the root of all our good works. "By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor 15:10).

Now it is right and necessary, as in all divine Scripture, so here, faithfully to explain the time of which the apostle wrote, and the person and the point. This is so that the reader will not from ignorance miss either these or any similar particular and thus miss the true sense of the text. This was what the inquiring eunuch understood when he asked Philip, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak this? Of himself, or of someone else?" He feared lest, having explained the lesson unsuitably to the person, he should wander from the right sense. And the disciples, wishing to learn the time of what was predicted, implored the Lord: "Tell us," they said, "when shall these things be? And what is the sign of your coming?" And again, hearing from the Savior the events of the end, they desired to learn the time of it, that they might be kept from error themselves. They also wished to be able to teach others, just as, when they had learned, they set right the Thessalonians, who were going wrong. When, then, one understands these points properly, knows properly these points, his understanding of the faith is right and healthy. But if he fails to understand, he immediately falls into heresy. Thus, Hymenaeus and Alexander and their followers were beside the time when they said that the resurrection had already taken place. The Galatians, too, were after the time in continuing to think circumcision was an important issue.

And further, not to know when the end is, or when the day of the end will occur, is actually a good thing. If people knew the time of the end, they might begin to ignore the present time as they waited for the end days. They might well begin to argue that they should only focus on themselves. Therefore, God has also remained silent concerning the time of our death. If people knew the day of their death, they would immediately begin to neglect themselves for the greater part of their lifetime. The Word, then, has concealed both the end of all things and the time of our own death from us, for in the end of all is the end of each, and in the end of each the end of all is comprehended. This is so that, when things remain uncertain and always in prospect, we advance day by day as if summoned, reaching forward to the things before us and forgetting the things behind. … The Lord, then, knowing what is good for us beyond ourselves, thus stabilized the disciples in a correct understanding. They, being taught, set right those of Thessalonica, who were likely to err on the very same point.

And the blessed Apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says: "Now we beseech you, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together at it, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letters as from us, as that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for (that day shall not come) except there come the falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth (will let), until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: (even him) whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." And Esaias says, "Let the wicked be cut off, that he behold not the glory of the Lord."

For that he did not depart, we may conjecture from hence: for he says in this Epistle, "We beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." For in his first Epistle he said, "Concerning the times and the seasons ye have no need that aught be written unto you." So that if he had gone, there would have been no need of his writing. But since the question was deferred, on this account he adds this Epistle, as in his Epistle to Timothy he says, "They subvert the faith of some, saying that the Resurrection is already past"; that the faithful henceforth hoping for nothing great or splendid, might faint under their sufferings.

For since that hope supported them, and did not allow them to yield to the present evils, the devil wishing to cut it off, as being a kind of anchor, when he was not able to persuade them that the things to come were false, went to work another way, and having suborned certain pestilential men, endeavored to deceive those who believed into a persuasion that those great and splendid things had received their fulfillment. Accordingly these men then said that the Resurrection was already past. But now they said that the Judgment and the coming of Christ were at hand, that they might involve even Christ in a falsehood, and having pointed out to them that there is hereafter no retribution, nor judgment-seat, nor punishment and vengeance for those who had done them evil, they might both render these more bold, and those more dispirited.

"Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him; to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind."

When the Ressurection will be, he has not said, but that it will not be now, he has said. "And our gathering together unto Him." This also is no little matter. See how the exhortation also is again accompanied with commendation and encouragement, in that He and all the Saints will certainly appear with us. Here he is discoursing concerning the resurrection and our gathering together. For these things will happen at the same time. He raises up their minds.

Now I am aware that your teachers, sirs, admit the whole of the words of this passage to refer to Christ; and I am likewise aware that they maintain He has not yet come; or if they say that He has come, they assert that it is not known who He is; but when He shall become manifest and glorious, then it shall be known who He is. And then, they say, the events mentioned in this passage shall happen, just as if there was no fruit as yet from the words of the prophecy. O unreasoning men! understanding not what has been proved by all these passages, that two advents of Christ have been announced: the one, in which He is set forth as suffering, inglorious, dishonoured, and crucified; but the other, in which He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians, who, having learned the true worship of God from the law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety to the God of Jacob and God of Israel; and we who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons — our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage— and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified; and sitting each under his vine, i.e., each man possessing his own married wife.

At least, when the apostles were preaching and the eyewitnesses of Jesus were teaching his precepts, no minor dispute in the church took place among Jewish believers about those of the Gentiles who were converted to the faith; the question was whether they ought to keep the Jewish customs or if the burden of clean or unclean meats ought to be taken away so that it would not be a load upon those Gentiles who abandoned their traditional customs and believed in Jesus. Furthermore, in the epistles of Paul, who was contemporary with those who had seen Jesus, there are some statements to be found which concern certain disputes about the resurrection, and about the view that it had already occurred, and about the question whether the day of the Lord was already present or not.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now hinders must hinder, until he be taken out of the way." What obstacle is there but the Roman state, the falling away of which, by being scattered into ten kingdoms, shall introduce Antichrist upon (its own ruins)? "And then shall be revealed the wicked one, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.

To what has been said it must also be added that we must not affirm that after the ascension the Lord Christ is not Christ but only the begotten Son. The divine Gospels and the history of the Acts and the epistles of the apostle himself were, as we know, written after the ascension. It is after the ascension that the divine Paul exclaims "Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." … And again when writing to the same a second time, he says, "Now we beseech you, brothers, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him."

He does not say when the resurrection will be, but that it will not follow now — this is what he teaches; since there were certain deceivers who said that the time of the general end and the coming of the Lord had already arrived. To no small consolation, the apostle also said that the faithful will be gathered to Him, to be together with Him, just as in the first epistle he said that the worthy, immediately after the resurrection, will be caught up to the Lord. What does the word "we beseech" mean? That is, we entreat you not to be shaken and not to turn aside from the correct conviction which you have held until now.

The Apostle taught what will happen in the future regarding the punishments of the wicked and the rewards of the good. Here he announces what will happen in the future as regards the dangers to the church that will arise during the time of the Antichrist. And first, he sets forth the truth about future dangers; second, he admonishes the Thessalonians to persevere in the truth, there at "therefore, brethren."

Concerning the first, he does two things, for first, he excludes a falsehood; second, he gives instruction regarding the truth, at "for unless." And his exclusion of falsehood has three parts, for first, he shows that by which they should be persuaded; second, he shows that to which they should be persuaded, at "that you be not easily moved"; third, he forestalls that which could move them, at "neither by spirit."

Now he persuades them by three means. First, by means of his own prayers, at "we beseech you", and not by commanding them. "Having complete confidence to command you in Christ Jesus to perform the necessary thing, for the sake of charity I rather beseech you" (Phlm 5:8).

Second, by the coming of Christ, which is desirable to the good even though terrifying to the wicked. "Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord" (Amos 5:18); "and not only to me, but also to those who love his coming" (2 Tim 4:8); "come, Lord Jesus" (Rev 22:20).

Third, by the desire and love of the whole congregation of the saints, "unto him", namely where Christ is, for "where the body is, there will the eagles be gathered" (Matt 24:28). Or "unto him", i.e., in the same, for all the saints will be in the same place and glory. "Gather to him his saints" (Ps 99:5).

Deceivers have a way of counterfeiting letters under the name of some well-known person in order to mislead, so that the authority of the name may recommend something which would never be accepted on its own.

Therefore, not to know the times is something different from moral decay and the love of vice. For when the apostle Paul said, "Don't be easily shaken in your mind nor be frightened, neither by word nor by epistle as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand," he obviously did not want them to believe those who thought the coming of the Lord was already at hand. Neither, moreover, did he want them to be like the wicked servant and say, "My Lord will not be coming for a long time," and deliver themselves over to destruction by pride and immoral behavior. Thus, Paul's desire that they should not listen to false rumors about the imminent approach of the last day was consistent with his wish that they should await the coming of their Lord fully prepared and ready for the journey, with lamps burning.

All this you repeat with great piety and truth, praising the happiness of those who love the coming of the Lord. But those to whom the apostle said, "Be not easily moved from your mind as if the day of the Lord were at hand," evidently loved the Lord's coming. The purpose of the doctor of the Gentiles in saying this was not to break them away from the love which burned in them. Rather, he did not want them to put their faith in those from whom they heard that the day of the Lord was at hand, lest, perhaps, when the time had passed when they thought he would come and they realized that he had not come, they might think that the other promises made to them were also false and might despair of the mercy of faith itself. Therefore, it is not the one who asserts that he is near nor the one who asserts that he is not near who loves the coming of the Lord but the one who rightly waits for him, whether he be near or far, with sincere faith, firm hope and ardent love.

And, what was worse than all, some attempted merely to report words as if they were said by Paul, but others even to forge Epistles as written by him. On this account, cutting off all access for them, he says, "Be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us." "Neither by spirit" he says, glancing at the false prophets.

"That ye be not quickly shaken," he says, "nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is now present."

Here he seems to me to intimate that certain persons went about having forged an Epistle, as if from Paul, and showing this, said that the Day of the Lord is at hand, that thence they might lead many into error. Therefore that they might not be deceived, Paul gives security by the things he writes, and says, "be not troubled, either by spirit or by word": and this is the meaning of what he says: Though any one having the spirit of prophecy should say this, believe it not. For when I was with you I told you these things, so that you ought not to change your persuasion from the things which you were taught. Or thus, "by spirit": so he calls the false prophet, speaking what they spoke by an unclean spirit. For these men, willing the more to be believed, not only endeavored to deceive by persuasive words, (for this he shows, saying, "or by word,") but they also showed a forged letter, as from Paul, declaring the same thing. Wherefore pointing out this also, he has added, "or by letter as from us." Having therefore secured them on every side, he thus sets forth his own doctrine.

"And not to be troubled either by spirit," that is, through prophecy. For some, hypocritically explaining prophecy, were deceiving the people, saying that the coming of the Lord had already occurred.

"Nor by word," that is, by teaching expressed in living language (orally).

"Nor by letter, as if sent by us." Deceivers confirmed what they were saying with forged epistles, as if sent by Paul.

"As though the day of Christ is already at hand." Do not be alarmed, he says, that the day of the Lord has come, that is, the coming of Christ.

But of what is he trying to persuade them? "That you be not easily moved from your sense." It is one thing to be moved and another to be terrified. Now the one who is moved from his sense loses what he had previously held fast. The Apostle says, in effect, "do not easily let go my teaching." "Who easily believes is light of heart" (Sir 19:4). But terror is a kind of trepidation with fear of what opposes one. And so he says "nor be terrified." "The sound of terror always in his ears" (Job 15:21). And if there is peace, they always suspect treacheries. "For since wickedness is always fearful, it gives testimony for its own condemnation" (Wis 17:10).

Then when he says, "neither by spirit", he forestalls that which could move them, first, in particular, second, in general, at "let no man."

Now someone can be deceived by a false revelation. Hence he says, "neither by spirit", i.e., if someone announces to you as a revelation by the Holy Spirit, or from the Holy Spirit, something contrary to my teaching, do not "be terrified." "Do not believe every spirit" (1 John 4:1). "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and see nothing" (Ezek 13:3). Sometimes even Satan transfigures himself into an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14); "I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets" (1 Kgs 22:22).

Second, someone can also be deceived by reasoning, or a false exposition of Scripture, and so he says "nor by word." "Their word spreads like gangrene" (2 Tim 2:17). "Let no one deceive by foolish words" (Eph 5:6).

Third, someone can be deceived by an authority quoted but wrongly understood. "As our most beloved brother Paul has written to you in accord with the wisdom given to him, speaking as in all his letters of things in which there are certain points difficult to understand, which the unlearned and unstable twist as they do the other Scriptures" (2 Pet 3:15-16).

But what were they being deceived about? "As if the day of the Lord were at hand."

And he says "nor by epistle as sent from us", because his first epistle to the Thessalonians, if it is not understood well, seems to say that the Lord's coming is at hand, as when it says, "then we who are alive" (1 Thess 4:16).