Thietland of Einsiedeln — Commentary on Scripture

2 Thessalonians 1:3

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

Indeed, we must note that in the first letter he does not say 'we ought to give thanks,' but 'we give thanks.' For truly there is a greater virtue in what he says, 'we ought to give thanks,' because indeed somebody can freely give thanks for some thing; but truly he who says that he ought, shows that he, too, is a debtor. Therefore the Apostle shows that he, too, is a debtor.

because your faith is increasing greatly, and because the charity of each of you toward one another is abundant
Certainly with these words they show the connection and narration of the first letter, since they show to them the progress of the same persons, in order that they might love the good things which they were more devotedly doing. In this act preachers are instructed that, while they know that their hearers have made progress, they must desire to show to them the same progress. To the extent that they give attention to their own progress, they should also love more firmly the good things which they do, and they should try to be imitators of the Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 1:4

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

As if they should say, "You have thus far made progress in faith and patience, so that not only the children in the Church but we also, apostolic men, may take pride in the same faith and patience."

2 Thessalonians 1:5

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

so that you may be held worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer
The persecutions and tribulation did not make them worthy, but rather the grace of God that bestows to them the power of enduring those things patiently.

2 Thessalonians 1:6

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

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.

2 Thessalonians 1:7

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

with a repose with us
Beautifully do they say 'with us'; to the extent that they who were imitators of the apostles shall have fellowship with them in the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore John says "that you may have fellowship with us," (1Jn 1:3) And because this is rest, it is conferred not here, but in the future, to the saints.

2 Thessalonians 1:8

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

by a flame of fire
Perhaps it is about that which is read in the Apocalypse of John, "and fire came down from heaven and consumed them." (Rev 20;9)

who are not obedient to the Gospel
And this even refers to evil Catholics who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord though they say they believe, but they do not live according to what they believe.

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

He says of destruction because there death will be without death, destruction without weakening, and fire without light. apart from the face of the Lord and apart from the glory of his virtue The sentence goes out condemning the impious, when the same Lord says, "Go you cursed ones, into the eternal fire (Mt. 25:41)."

2 Thessalonians 1:10

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

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.

2 Thessalonians 1:11

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

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.

2 Thessalonians 1:12

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.

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Such is the saying of the Lord, "If someone should say to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'there,' do not believe it (Mt 24:23)."

2 Thessalonians 2:5

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

And, that is, Christ would not come unless the Antichrist came first.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

at the brightness of his return
because His coming will be in a flash of lightning, as that passage says, "just as a flash of lightning goes forth from the east." Mt.24:27

2 Thessalonians 2:11

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Note that the Apostle did not hesitate to say that God sends to them the working of error, since then God is said to send it, when He allows to send it with the Devil. For God permits the Devil to do this with a just and hidden judgment, because he acts unjust and uneven intention. But what follows, who have not believed in the truth, is similar to that passage of the same Apostle, "because though they knew God they did not worship him as God or give Him thanks" (Rom 1:21). And right after that, "For that reason God gave them over to a reprobate frame of mind, that they may do those things which are not fitting." (Rom 1:28) Nevertheless, we must note that those who were judged shall be deceived, secretly by the just judgments of God, whom God himself did not cease to judge since the beginning of the sin of the rational creature. Even those who were described and led astray shall be justified at the last and open judgment of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who, having been judged most unjustly, shall judge most justly.

2 Thessalonians 2:12

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Yet we must always give thanks to God for you
We should note that he had said this at the beginning of the epistle.

brothers, beloved of God as if he should say, his unspeakable and immeasurable gifts. But not that those who he said to be about to be loved by God cannot in any way be mistaken. No one, therefore, disputed that they are of great merit; wherefore the Apostle calls them beloved in the judgment of him who can neither deceive nor be deceived.

by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth
He added 'of the Spirit' because this sanctification is in the Spirit and is acquired in the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

With these words they show that they were converted to faith by his teaching. The purpose was for the acquisition of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. As if he should say, "Therefore you were drawn to the faith by our teaching, so that you might obtain for yourselves the glory of the Lord."

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

and who has given us an everlasting consolation
For He is their Fater, He consoles them, and they cannot be his sons without consolation. And because there is consolation in prosperous lands, Paul adds "eternal" so that he might separate earthly consolation from that which is in eternal things.

and good hope in grace
Becase there is hope in prperous times, he added "good" so that he might separate earthly hope from that which is in heavenly things.

2 Thessalonians 3:1

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Concerning other things, brothers, pray for us
In this act of humility he leaves us an example.

so that the Word of God may advance
That is, be completed and become acceptable.

and be glorified, just as it is among you
As if he were to say, because I cannot prevail with my eloquence and merits, pray that the word of the Lord may be glorified at least by your prayers. To such a degree the word of the Lord was glorified among them, that they might show that they understood their teaching was God's.

2 Thessalonians 3:12

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

Why does he direct them to eat their bread in silence? Plainly, lest they lose by immoderation of language the work which they acquired for their sustenance and that of others.

Revelation 20:1

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

key to the bottomless pit. this is because he has in his power the hearts of those whom he hardens, and of those whom he opens to believing. The bottomeless pit is the great number of the faithful peoples, because just as it is incomprehensible, so also is the great number of peoples.