返回Preface
Preface
Preface
The Apostle Paul writes the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians for the following reason. In the first epistle he wrote to them that he strongly desired to see them, and since he did not attain what he desired, being unable to endure the separation any longer, he sent Timothy to them, showing by this how greatly he wished to come to them. But since even after this he had no opportunity to go to them and correct the deficiencies of their faith, for this reason he adds a second epistle to the first, wishing to substitute his epistles for his personal presence. And that he did not go to them is clear from the following: in the first epistle he did not write about when the coming of the Lord would be, which they did not need to know; but now he writes about this as well. Indeed, if he himself had been with them, he would not have written about it now. He writes about this matter out of necessity. Certain deceivers were saying that the coming of the Lord had drawn near and, what was most dangerous of all, were fabricating certain words supposedly spoken by Paul and epistles supposedly written by him. But this was devised by the devil in order to shake the believers. And since the believers considered the hope of the resurrection a great consolation, because they expected that they would receive a reward for virtue and would see their persecutors fittingly punished, the devil sent in his servants to teach that the coming of Christ and the judgment were already at hand, in order to show that in the future there is neither recompense, nor judgment, nor punishment, so as to destroy the hopes of the saints and make the enemies of the Gospel more brazen. They even accused of lying Christ Himself, who said that there would be certain signs of His coming: for if these signs had not occurred, and the resurrection, as they falsely claimed, had already taken place, then clearly Christ would prove to be a liar. For this reason Paul writes this epistle and speaks about the coming of the Lord, not revealing the actual time, but pointing to the sign of that time — the Antichrist; he greatly comforts those oppressed by afflictions, and in conclusion he indicates to them a special mark by which they should recognize his genuine epistles.
The Apostle Paul writes the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians for the following reason. In the first epistle he wrote to them that he strongly desired to see them, and since he did not attain what he desired, being unable to endure the separation any longer, he sent Timothy to them, showing by this how greatly he wished to come to them. But since even after this he had no opportunity to go to them and correct the deficiencies of their faith, for this reason he adds a second epistle to the first, wishing to substitute his epistles for his personal presence. And that he did not go to them is clear from the following: in the first epistle he did not write about when the coming of the Lord would be, which they did not need to know; but now he writes about this as well. Indeed, if he himself had been with them, he would not have written about it now. He writes about this matter out of necessity. Certain deceivers were saying that the coming of the Lord had drawn near and, what was most dangerous of all, were fabricating certain words supposedly spoken by Paul and epistles supposedly written by him. But this was devised by the devil in order to shake the believers. And since the believers considered the hope of the resurrection a great consolation, because they expected that they would receive a reward for virtue and would see their persecutors fittingly punished, the devil sent in his servants to teach that the coming of Christ and the judgment were already at hand, in order to show that in the future there is neither recompense, nor judgment, nor punishment, so as to destroy the hopes of the saints and make the enemies of the Gospel more brazen. They even accused of lying Christ Himself, who said that there would be certain signs of His coming: for if these signs had not occurred, and the resurrection, as they falsely claimed, had already taken place, then clearly Christ would prove to be a liar. For this reason Paul writes this epistle and speaks about the coming of the Lord, not revealing the actual time, but pointing to the sign of that time — the Antichrist; he greatly comforts those oppressed by afflictions, and in conclusion he indicates to them a special mark by which they should recognize his genuine epistles.