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Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1 verses 5–10
Having mentioned their persecutions and tribulations, which they endured principally for the cause of Christ, the apostle proceeds to offer several things for their comfort under them; as,
I. He tells them of the present happiness and advantage of their sufferings, Th2 1:5. Their faith being thus tried, and patience exercised, they were improved by their sufferings, insomuch that they were counted worthy of the kingdom of God. Their sufferings were a manifest token of this, that they were worthy or meet to be accounted Christians indeed, seeing they could suffer for Christianity. And the truth is, Religion, if it is worth any thing, is worth every thing; and those either have no religion at all, or none that is worth having, or know not how to value it, that cannot find in their hearts to suffer for it. Besides, from their patient suffering, it appeared that, according to the righteous judgment of God, they should be counted worthy of the heavenly glory: not by worthiness of condignity, but of congruity only; not that they could merit heaven, but they were made meet for heaven. We cannot by all our sufferings, any more than by our services, merit heaven as a debt; but by our patience under our sufferings we are qualified for the joy that is promised to patient sufferers in the cause of God.
II. He tells them next of the future recompence that shall be given to persecutor and persecuted.
1.In this future recompence there will be, (1.) A punishment inflicted on persecutors: God will recompense tribulation to those that trouble you, Th2 1:6. And there is nothing that more infallibly marks a man for eternal ruin than a spirit of persecution, and enmity to the name and people of God: as the faith, patience, and constancy of the saints are to them an earnest of everlasting rest and joy, so the pride, malice, and wickedness of their persecutors are to them an earnest of everlasting misery; for every man carries about with him, and carries out of the world with him, either his heaven or his hell. God will render a recompence, and will trouble those that trouble his people. This he has done sometimes in this world, witness the dreadful end of many persecutors; but especially this he will do in the other world, where the portion of the wicked must be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. (2.) A reward for those that are persecuted: God will recompense their trouble with rest, Th2 1:7. There is a rest that remains for the people of God, a rest from sin and sorrow. Though many may be the troubles of the righteous now, yet God will deliver them out of them all. The future rest will abundantly recompense all their present troubles. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. There is enough in heaven to countervail all that we may lose or suffer for the name of Christ in this world. The apostle says, To you who are troubled rest with us. In heaven, ministers and people shall rest together, and rejoice together, who suffer together here; and the meanest Christian shall rest with the greatest apostle: nay, what is far more, if we suffer for Christ, we shall also reign with him, Ti2 2:12.
2.Concerning this future recompence we are further to observe,
(1.)The certainty of it, proved by the righteousness and justice of God: It is a righteous thing with God (Th2 1:6) to render to every man according to his works. The thoughts of this should be terrible to wicked men and persecutors, and the great support of the righteous and such as are persecuted; for, seeing there is a righteous God, there will be a righteous recompence. God's suffering people will lose nothing by their sufferings, and their enemies will gain nothing by their advantages against them.
(2.)The time when this righteous recompence shall be made: When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, Th2 1:7. That will be the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God; for then will God judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed, even Jesus Christ the righteous Judge. The righteousness of God does not so visibly appear to all men in the procedure of his providence as it will in the process of the great judgment-day. The scripture has made known to us the judgment to come, and we are bound to receive the revelation here given concerning Christ. As,
[1.]That the Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. Now the heavens retain him, they conceal him; but then he will be revealed and made manifest. He will come in all the pomp and power of the upper world, whence we look for the Saviour.
[2.]He will be revealed with his mighty angels (Th2 1:7), or the angels of his power: these will attend upon him, to grace the solemnity of that great day of his appearance; they will be the ministers of his justice and mercy in that day; they will summon the criminals to his tribunal, and gather in the elect, and be employed in executing his sentence.
[3.]He will come in flaming fire, Th2 1:8. A fire goeth before him, which shall consume his enemies. The earth, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. This will be a trying fire, to try every man's work, - a refining fire, to purify the saints, who shall share in the purity, and partake of the felicity, of the new heaven and the new earth, - a consuming fire to the wicked. His light will be piercing, and his power consuming, to all those who in that day shall be found as chaff.
[4.]The effects of this appearance will be terrible to some and joyful to others.
First, They will be terrible to some; for he will then take vengeance on the wicked. 1. On those that sinned against the principles of natural religion, and rebelled against the light of nature, that knew not God (Th2 1:8), though the invisible things of him are manifested in the things that are seen. 2. On those that rebel against the light of revelation, that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. This is the great crime of multitudes - the gospel is revealed to them, and they will not believe it; or, if they pretend to believe it, they will not obey it. Note, Believing the truths of the gospel is in order to our obeying the precepts of the gospel: there must be the obedience of faith. To such persons as are here mentioned the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ will be terrible, because of their doom, which is mentioned, Th2 1:9. Here observe, (1.) They will then be punished. Though sinners may be long reprieved, yet they will be punished at last. Their misery will be a proper punishment for their crimes, and only what they have deserved. They did sin's work, and must receive sin's wages. (2.) Their punishment will be no less than destruction, not of their being, but of their bliss; not that of the body alone, but both as to body and soul. (3.) This destruction will be everlasting. They shall be always dying, and yet never die. Their misery will run parallel with the line of eternity. The chains of darkness are everlasting chains, and the fire is everlasting fire. It must needs be so, since the punishment is inflicted by an eternal God, fastening upon an immortal soul, set out of the reach of divine mercy and grace. (4.) This destruction shall come from the presence of the Lord, that is, immediately from God himself. Here God punishes sinners by creatures, by instruments; but then he will take the work into his own hands. It will be destruction from the Almighty, more terrible than the consuming fire which consumed Nadab and Abihu, which came from before the Lord. (5.) It shall come from the glory of his power, or from his glorious power. Not only the justice of God, but this almighty power, will be glorified in the destruction of sinners; and who knows the power of his anger? He is able to cast into hell.
Secondly, It will be a joyful day to some, even to the saints, unto those that believe and obey the gospel. And then the apostle's testimony concerning this day will be confirmed and believed (Th2 1:10); in that bright and blessed day, 1. Christ Jesus will be glorified and admired by his saints. They will behold his glory, and admire it with pleasure; they will glorify his grace, and admire the wonders of his power and goodness towards them, and sing hallelujahs to him in that day of his triumph, for their complete victory and happiness. 2. Christ will be glorified and admired in them. His grace and power will then be manifested and magnified, when it shall appear what he has purchased for, and wrought in, and bestowed upon, all those who believe in him. As his wrath and power will be made known in and by the destruction of his enemies, so his grace and power will be magnified in the salvation of his saints. Note, Christ's dealings with those who believe will be what the world one day shall wonder at. Now, they are a wonder to many; but how will they be wondered at in this great and glorious day; or, rather, how will Christ, whose name is Wonderful, be admired, when the mystery of God shall be finished! Christ will not be so much admired in the glorious esteem of angels that he will bring from heaven with him as in the many saints, the many sons, that he will bring to glory.
You; and to you who are troubled rest with us, at the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven with His mighty angels, and in a flame of fire, to take vengeance upon those who know not God, and upon those that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them who have believed in Him.".
Paul also refers to this event when he says, "If, however, it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with His mighty angels, and in a flame of fire."
We are obliged from time to time to recur to certain topics in order to affirm truths which are connected with them We repeat then here, that as the Lord is by the apostle proclaimed as the awarder of both weal and woe, He must be either the Creator, or (as Marcion would be loth to admit) One like the Creator-"with whom it is a righteous thing to recompense tribulation to them who afflict us, and to ourselves, who are afflicted, rest, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed as coming from heaven with the angels of His might and in flaming fire." The heretic, however, has erased the flaming fire, no doubt that he might extinguish all traces herein of our own God.
"If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the Angels of His power."
The phrase "If so be that" here is put for "because," which we also use, in speaking of things that are quite evident and not to be denied; instead of saying, "Because it is exceedingly righteous." "If so be," he says, "that it is a righteous thing" with God to punish these, he will certainly punish them. As if he had said, "If God cares for human affairs," "If God takes thought." And he does not put it of his own opinion, but among things confessedly true; as if one said, "If God hates the wicked," that he may compel them to grant that He does hate them. For such sentences are above all indisputable, inasmuch as they also themselves know that it is just. For if this is just with men, much more with God.
"To recompense," he says, "affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest." What then? Is the retribution equal? By no means, but see by what follows how he shows that it is more severe, and the "rest" much greater. Behold also another consolation, in that they have their partners in the afflictions, as partners also in the retribution. He joins them in their crowns with those who had performed infinitely more and greater works. Then he adds also the period, and by the description leads their minds upward, all but opening heaven already by his word, and setting it before their eyes; and he places around Him the angelic host, both from the place and from the attendants amplifying the image, so that they may be refreshed a little. "And to you that are afflicted rest with us," he says, "at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the Angels of his power."
“Since indeed” suggests confirmation, not doubt. It is as if Paul had said that since the source of righteousness can judge what is righteous, just as God has promised rest for those who suffer for his name, so tribulation will come for those who make tribulation for the faithful.
When Paul says “since indeed,” he means it as an affirmation without any shred of doubt. When we are in the habit of making an affirmation, we say “Since indeed this is true,” meaning “This is to be treated as true without any question.” Therefore God is said to be just, when, coming as the enforcer of the law, there is reward for us who have suffered for the faith and punishment for the godlessness of our persecutors.
If indeed,
a conjunction of cause, is used in this case not for the purpose of doubting but for affirmation, as if he were saying, "Since it is just for God to do this."
He had just said before that the judgment of God is just; he repeats this when he says, it is just for God to repay trouble to those who trouble you. And this is the sense, Nothing is more just than when they are afflicted who cause affliction to the good, and they wo suffer receive rest.
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SUMMARY
2 Thessalonians 1:6 offers profound reassurance to persecuted believers, affirming that God, in His inherent righteousness, will justly recompense those who inflict suffering upon His people. This verse underscores the divine certainty of ultimate justice, providing comfort and hope to those enduring tribulation while serving as a sober warning to oppressors that their actions will not go unaddressed by a perfectly just God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. Antithesis is central, contrasting the suffering endured by the righteous with the tribulation that will be justly meted out to their oppressors. This stark opposition highlights the divine reversal of fortunes. Lexical Repetition and Paronomasia are evident in the use of the cognate Greek words thlîpsis ("tribulation") and thlíbō ("to trouble"). This deliberate wordplay emphasizes the poetic justice of God's recompense, where the very nature of the suffering inflicted is returned to the inflictor. Furthermore, the phrase "it is a righteous thing" implies a Divine Passive or Divine Agency, where God is the implicit, yet undeniable, actor behind the "recompense." This underscores His sovereignty and active involvement in upholding justice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
2 Thessalonians 1:6 stands as a powerful testament to the biblical truth that God is a God of justice, who neither overlooks nor ignores the suffering of His people. This divine attribute is foundational to the entire biblical narrative, from the covenant promises to the prophetic warnings and the ultimate eschatological consummation. It assures believers that their present trials are seen and accounted for, and that the scales of justice, though seemingly imbalanced in the present, will ultimately be righted by God's sovereign hand. This truth provides immense comfort, enabling believers to persevere in faith without resorting to personal vengeance, knowing that ultimate vindication belongs to the Lord. It also serves as a solemn warning to those who oppose God's people, reminding them of the inescapable reality of divine accountability.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, 2 Thessalonians 1:6 offers a profound anchor in a world often marked by injustice and suffering. It calls us to a deeper trust in God's sovereign character, reminding us that He is perfectly righteous and will ensure that all wrongs are ultimately made right. When we face opposition, unfairness, or persecution for our faith, this verse encourages us not to despair or seek personal revenge, but to rest in the assurance that our God sees, knows, and will act. It cultivates patience and perseverance, knowing that our present light and momentary troubles are working for us an eternal weight of glory. Simultaneously, it serves as a powerful reminder for all, including believers, of the seriousness of causing harm or trouble to others, for God's justice is impartial and applies to all. Our response to injustice should therefore be marked by faith, prayer, and a commitment to living righteously, leaving the final judgment in God's capable hands.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse encourage believers to seek revenge against those who trouble them?
Answer: Absolutely not. While 2 Thessalonians 1:6 speaks of God's righteous recompense, it is a declaration of divine justice, not a mandate for human vengeance. The Bible consistently teaches believers to refrain from personal retaliation, instead entrusting justice to God. As Romans 12:19 clearly states, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord." This verse provides comfort and assurance to the persecuted that God sees their suffering and will act on their behalf, freeing them from the burden of seeking retribution themselves. It encourages patience, faith, and a focus on living righteously, leaving the final judgment in God's capable hands.
What kind of "tribulation" will God recompense to those who trouble believers?
Answer: The "tribulation" that God will recompense is a divinely administered form of suffering that is proportionate to the trouble inflicted upon His people. The Greek words for "tribulation" (thlîpsis) and "trouble" (thlíbō) are closely related, suggesting a "like-for-like" principle, though from God's hand. This recompense is not merely human suffering but a just divine judgment, culminating in the ultimate punishment described in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. This includes "flaming fire" and "eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." It is a manifestation of God's perfect justice, ensuring that those who reject Him and oppress His people will face the consequences of their actions.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
2 Thessalonians 1:6 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus, who is both the righteous Judge and the suffering Savior. The "righteous thing with God" to recompense tribulation is perfectly embodied in Christ's dual role. On one hand, Jesus himself endured immense tribulation and persecution, identifying with the very suffering of His people (/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - He Was Despised and Rejected"). His crucifixion was the ultimate act of injustice, yet through it, He became the means by which God's perfect justice and mercy were simultaneously satisfied (/romans/3-25-26 "Romans 3:25-26 - God's Righteousness Displayed in Christ"). On the other hand, Christ is the appointed Judge through whom all recompense will be administered (/john/5-22 "John 5:22 - The Father Has Committed All Judgment to the Son"). The future "tribulation" recompensed to oppressors will occur at His glorious return, when He comes "with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance" (/2_thessalonians/1-7-8 "2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 - The Revelation of the Lord Jesus"). Thus, the assurance of divine justice in 2 Thessalonians 1:6 is not a detached theological concept but is intrinsically tied to the person of Jesus Christ, who will bring both "rest" to the afflicted and righteous judgment upon those who trouble them, ultimately establishing His eternal kingdom where righteousness dwells (/2_peter/3-13 "2 Peter 3:13 - New Heavens and a New Earth, Where Righteousness Dwells").