Smoodock's Blog

In my previous study we saw that the persecution Paul wrote about in 1Thessalonians 2:14-16 was the same persecution he mentioned in 2Thessalonians 1:6-10. Both texts refer to the same event that occurred during the first century AD. Neither one could possibly refer to an event 2000 years later, but both mentions of persecution clearly referred to events leading up to Jesus’ coming to judge Jerusalem in 70 AD, when the text claims it is a righteous thing for God to repay tribulation to those who persecute his disciples (2Thessalonians 1:6), and to repay rest to his disciples who endured tribulation for the sake of his name. This rest, remember, is likened to the “rest” or Promised Land, which the Israelites refused to enter under Moses (Hebrews 4:2), and the “rest” which Christ’s disciples labored to enter during the first century AD (Hebrews 4:9-11). In other words Christ is the Promised Land.

Bear in mind, also, that the Thessalonian church was undoubtedly the most immature church that Paul founded. The reason being, he was expelled from Thessalonica long before he intended to leave. There was much more to do and to teach those who had so recently embraced Jesus as their Savior. On cannot underestimate the ease with which these new believers could be exploited by their enemies. Not knowing what was formerly understood as true was really false doctrine of the Jews (cp. Mark 7:9-13). Therefore, a letter, under the pretense that it was from Paul (cp. 2Thessalonians 2:2), could do much damage to confuse and take away the peace of these new believers. Thus, persecution (2Thessalonians 1:6; compare with 2:2) can take many forms (cp. 1Thessalonians 4:13). Apparently, the enemies of the believers at Thessalonica had either masqueraded as Paul through a letter or had disturbed the believers’ peace with false doctrine (2Thessalonians 2:2)

With this in mind, we can now compare 2Thessalonians 1:6:10 with 1Thessalonians 4:13 to 5:11. There are a number of similar things to consider. Do they speak of the same thing, or is there an obvious reason why we should say they speak of different events? Clearly, both texts are speaking of the coming of the Lord (cp. 2Thessalonians 1:7 with 1Thessalonians 4:15), and both texts show the Lord coming with his angels (2Thessalonians 1:7 and 1Thessalonians 4:16). Now, some may seek to make a difference between “his mighty angels” in 2Thessalonians and “the voice of an archangel” in 1Thessalonians. I wonder, if those same folks would try to say when MacArthur returned to the Philippines during World War II, that he returned alone or would they admit that he did so with many mighty men?

Continuing in noting the parallels between 2Thessalonians 1 and 1Thessalonians 4, both texts point to a time of judgment and reward (2Thessalonians 1:6-10 and 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 5:2-3). Moreover, as I hinted above both texts show a time of suffering (2Thessalonians 1:6 and 1Thessalonians 4:13; compare both with 2Thessalonians 2:2). It seems the enemies of the faith, the Jewish authorities at Thessalonica, were confusing the immature brethren there and causing them much distress and sorrow, especially concerning brethren who had died (1Thessalonians 4:13). We discover these same concerns when we come to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, and it, too, is related to the coming of the Lord. There some folks claimed there was no resurrection from the dead, which, if true, denied the resurrection of Christ. Paul argued, if Christ wasn’t raised then the believers’ faith was in vain, as was his own preaching. Indeed, he would have been a false teacher! Moreover, if believers have hope in Christ only in this life, we are to be pitied above all people (1Corinthians 15:12-19), because all who have hope in Christ will suffer persecution (cp. Acts 14:22). On the other hand, Christ **is** risen, and is the firstfruits of those who sleep, and as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive (1Corinthians 15:20-23), and the Lord would bring them with him at his coming (1Thessalonians 4:14)

Finally, we have the same time statements in both texts. The punishment of the evildoers and the reward of the saints was to occur in 70 AD when the Lord came in the person of the Roman armies to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple (2Thessalonians 1:6-10). Compare this with the phrase: “we who are alive and remain until the coming of Christ” (1Thessalonians 4:15, 17). Thus, the time element was to be fulfilled in the first century AD, at the coming of the Lord to judge Jerusalem for persecuting the saints (cp. Matthew 23:34-36).