Good morning, Bereans. We are continuing our study of 2 Thessalonians this morning and will be looking at verse 5 of chapter one. Verses 3-10 are one sentence in the Greek and their theme is the second coming of Yeshua. As I said in our introductory message on 2 Thessalonians, over a quarter of 1 Thessalonians and nearly half of 2 Thessalonians deal with problems and issues regarding the second coming of Christ. The Thessalonians were enduring persecution because of their faith. They were under pressure. And they had been faithful and persevering and steadfast. The persecution was intensifying. So, in order to encourage them to continue to endure, Paul reminds them of the coming of Yeshua, their great hope.
The key statement in this text is in verse 7, "When the Lord Yeshua is revealed." Verse 10 says it in a briefer way: "When He comes." The Second Coming of Yeshua is then the theme here.
In verses 1-2, we see Paul's salutation. He uses a standard letter form of the first century. Verses 3-10 describe Paul's confidence in the believers and confidence in God's judgment on the unbelievers. Last week we looked at verses 3-4 which were basically Paul's thanksgiving to God for the Thessalonians faith, love, and endurance in the midst of persecutions. Verses 5–10 constitute an expansion of Paul's thoughts on the persecutions the Thessalonians were enduring and the destiny of both the persecuted and their persecutors. This morning we are just going to look at verse 5.
This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV
"This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God"—what is your first thought here? What is the evidence that God's judgment is right? The Greek sentence is an elliptical construction that demands that the reader supply the words "this is" (as the ESV has done or something similar). Alternatively, the first word of the Greek sentence is "evidence" and may be understood as an accusative in apposition to some element in the previous verse. So, the evidence of this just judgment is found in the previous verse.
Therefore, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV
Some say that the Thessalonians' suffering was evidence of the righteous judgment of God. Others say it was the Thessalonians' "perseverance and faith" in the midst of suffering that was evidence of the righteous judgment of God. There are several other views on this text, but we're not going to get into them. This text is difficult! The scholars are all over the place in their interpretations. I would like to have just skipped this verse. Would you have noticed? Yeah, I'm sure you would have. So, let's attempt to figure it out.
The primary rule of hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation) is called the "analogy of faith." The analogy of faith is the rule that Scripture is to interpret Scripture. This means that no part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture. Another principle of hermeneutics is that the implicit (that which is suggested though not plainly expressed) is to be interpreted by the explicit (that which is clearly stated).
So, maybe there are other texts that may help us in our interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 1:5. The ideas presented in our text are strikingly similar to those in Philippians 1:27–28, where Paul speaks of the steadfastness of the church in the face of opposition. This is exactly what is going in in Thessalonica. Let's look at that text and see if it can help us understand our text.
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, Philippians 1:27 ESV
Worthy behavior here involves perseverance in suffering. Hang on to that thought.
and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. Philippians 1:28 ESV
Paul wants the Philippians to understand and expect suffering. Paul says, "and not frightened in anything by your opponents." The word "not" is medeis in the Greek and means, "in no way." "Frightened" is pturo. The verb occurs only here in the Greek Bible. It is used outside the Bible for a frightened horse running away. It came to mean, "to be intimidated." Paul is telling them: "In no way be intimidated by your adversaries." "Opponents" is antikeimai. It means "to resist or oppose or enemy." So, antikeimai is someone who resists you or opposes you. We would say enemies.
We could translate this, "In no way intimidated by those who oppose you." Who was opposing them, who were their enemies? Well in the founding of the church, it was those who owned the slave girl with the python spirit. Paul and Silas had caused them to lose money.
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. Acts 16:16 ESV
The literal Greek reads, "She had a spirit, a python." That's the same term as a python snake. This referred to the legendary snake in Greek mythology that guarded the Delphic Oracle in Central Greece. Apollo supposedly killed this snake, and the snake's spirit dwelled in the priestess there. So, a "python spirit" referred to a spirit that enabled someone to predict the future. Such people generally spoke with the mouth closed, uttering words completely out of their control and were known as "ventriloquists."
But in the letter of Philippians, we see that their persecution was from the Jews. Notice Paul's language,
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. Philippians 3:2 ESV
Three times he says, "Look out." They are all in the imperative. He is saying, "Be on the constant look out for, dogs, evil workers, and the mutilation." Paul has one hostile group in mind and describes it in three ways. Who are they? If you compare the word "mutilate" in verse 2, to the word "circumcision" in verse 3, you'll know he's talking about the Judaizers.
For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Yeshua and put no confidence in the flesh—Philippians 3:3 ESV
The Judaizers were a group of people who went around in the first century promoting Judaism. They were pushing Judaism on the believers. They were saying that in order to be a Christian, one must first come through the door of Judaism. He must be circumcised and keep the law.
Paul says they are to be continually looking out for "the mutilators." The word "mutilation" is the Greek word katatome. There is a pun in the Greek here which is not seen in the English. The word "circumcision" in verse 3 is the Greek word peritome. It means: "to cut around." In verse 2, Paul uses katatome ("to mutilate"). Paul is saying, "We are the peritome but they are the katatome." Paul is telling them that all they were doing was physically mutilating their bodies, it had no spiritual significance. "You Jews think that you are circumcised, but in fact, you are only mutilated."
The "adversary" of the Philippian Christians was Judaism. Until A.D. 70 and the destruction of the temple, the main problem was the relation between the new faith of the Messiah and the old heritage of the Hebrew people.
"This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God"— what exactly does this mean? The word "clear sign" is from the Greek word endeixis. It means an omen or proof. It was a Greek law term, proof obtained by appeal to facts. In other words, they can look at the facts and this gives them proof. It is a proof of "destruction" (apoleia, which is best translated as "destruction").
Paul goes on to say, "but of your salvation." The word "salvation" is the Greek word soteria, which in this context means "deliverance." We could translate it like this, "Which is to them a proof of destruction, but to you of deliverance."
So, what does verse 28 mean? I think that what Paul is saying here is that God is the author of the gospel, therefore, those who are striving and suffering for it may expect deliverance from God, and those who oppose it may expect God's judgment. This very identical thought is found in Hebrews 10.
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:32-39 ESV
He encourages these Hebrew believers to hang on because in a very little while Christ will return as He said He would. If they turned back to Judaism, they would suffer "destruction"—this is the same word found in Philippians (apoleia, destruction). If they continue in the faith, they will save their lives.
I also think that Romans 8 may give us some insight here on our text.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18 ESV
This theme of suffering and glory is the same theme Paul takes up in 1 Corinthians 2.
But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV
Here Paul quotes from Isaiah 64:4. Isaiah's message was given to encourage the pilgrim community that the sufferings they experienced were of little consequence when compared to their future blessing. Paul is doing the same thing here in our text.
This verse is not talking about the sufferings of this life, that is, the sufferings of being human. Paul was talking about the suffering of "his" time (i.e., the eschatological sufferings of the transition period). It was persecution for the cause of Christ.
In our text in Romans 8, the glory that Paul said was about to be revealed in them was the glory of the New Covenant age. Paul told his first-century audience that this glory was about to be revealed.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:19 ESV
"The creation"—here is the Greek word ktisis, which can be translated as either "creation" or "creature," depending upon the context. It is sometimes used of physical creation, and it is at times used of men. In this text it is better translated "creature" because it is not referring to physical creation but rather to the believing remnant of Israel.
Notice what Paul tells us about the "creation" here (the believing remnant of Old Covenant Israel). He states that they "wait" (from the Greek word apokaradokia). The translation "waits" here is very weak. It is a word that literally means: "to sort of stretch your head up, to stand on your tiptoes." This intense watching implies nearness. Paul just said in verse 18 that the glory was about to be revealed.
The words "eager longing" are from the Greek word apekdechomai. This word speaks of an attitude of intense yearning and eager waiting for the coming of the Lord. Again, this implies that it would happen soon. In other words, it was about to be revealed.
This anxious longing and eager waiting was for the "revealing of the sons of God"—what they are looking for is for God to reveal those who are His true sons. In the Tanakh, Israel is quite frequently identified in both the singular and the plural as God's son.
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, Exodus 4:22 ESV
But in the New Covenant, it is no longer racial. The sons of God are those who have faith in Messiah.
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. Galatians 3:7 ESV
This would have been a shocking statement to Paul's Jewish opponents. They deeply believed that they were God's sons because they were genetically descended from Abraham.
The Jews saw themselves as the exclusive children of God. But Yeshua corrected them.
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Matthew 3:9 ESV
The Jews also saw themselves as God's vine. Notice what Isaiah said.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! Isaiah 5:7 ESV
But whom did Yeshua say was the true vine?
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1 ESV
Yeshua was the true vine, the true Israelite, the true son of God. And all those, and only those, who put their faith in Him were also the true sons of God. In Galatians 4 Paul, in the context of talking about the sons of God, says:
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. Galatians 4:21-22 ESV
Now notice that some of Abraham's sons were born of a slave woman and were in bondage to the Law. But he also had sons by the free woman. Paul is here contrasting the covenants. Those under the Law were in bondage. Notice what Paul says in our text in Romans 8.
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:21 ESV
The creation, believing Israel, is going to be set free from slavery. Back to Galatians.
But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Galatians 4:29-31 ESV
The Jews persecuted the Christians, but God said, "cast out the slave woman and her son." This is physical Israel who has no heir-ship. It is the brethren (Christians) who are the children of God. And in A.D. 70, God cast out the slave woman and her sons, and made it clear to all the world that those who believe in Yeshua the Messiah are the true sons of God.
Please remember that it was the Jews who were the main instigators of persecution against the Christians throughout most of the first century. The Jews were saying that they were the true sons of God. But God said that His true sons are the Christians—those who believe in Yeshua.
I think that this is the idea in our text in 2 Thessalonians 1:5 as well.
This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV
OK, so in Philippians their perseverance in the midst of persecution is the "sign of salvation" for the Philippians. But the perspective of 2 Thessalonians 1:5 is somewhat different. The "sign" or evidence here does not point to the salvation of the Thessalonians but rather that God's judgment is right. The immediate antecedent in verse 4 is not their "persecutions and trials" but rather their "perseverance and faith."
Gordan Clark writes, "Persecutions and afflictions are not the antecedent. The announcement is ‘your perseverance and faith' during your afflictions. And this perseverance is the evidence that God will righteously judge—not the unbelievers, but the Thessalonians." And by "righteously judge" here I think he means vindicate.
Clark goes on to say, "If God granted endurance to the Thessalonians, it was evidence or at least an indication that he would do more later on."
The fact that they are enduring persecution and affliction for Christ's sake is a sure token of God's righteous judgment, which will be vindicated in them and in their persecutors at the second coming of Christ. It will be manifest that they are the sons of God as their Jewish persecutors are judged and destroyed.
Those who were persecuting them were doing so because they had not trusted in Christ. They had, in fact, rejected the gospel (cf. vss. 8-10). On the other hand, the endurance and faith in such conditions was clearly the work of God within the hearts of these believers. In the future, each would be dealt with accordingly.
God's judgment is just when he judges Israel/Jerusalem for their sin, and the Gentiles inherit the kingdom of God. It is believers that are worthy of the kingdom not Israel.
"That you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering." "Considered worthy" is from the verb kataxioo, which means, "to deem, declare, or count as worthy." "May be considered worthy" is an aorist passive infinitive. The passive voice implies that God the Father is the agent. It does not mean to make worthy. In other words, their endurance demonstrates their worthiness, not to enter the kingdom, which can only be done by faith in Christ, but to share in the rule and reign of Christ as promised in other places.
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21 ESV
if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 2 Timothy 2:12 ESV
Endurance in suffering produces reward/blessedness. Our endurance does not earn us a spot in the Kingdom. It demonstrates that we are worthy of it.
Commenting on "may be considered worthy," G.K. Beale, in his commentary, writes, "Christians are those on behalf of whom Christ has paid the penalty of sin, but they must have the badge of good works as evidence that Christ paid their purchase price in order to be considered worthy of passing through final judgment and entering the kingdom. Therefore, both faith in Christ's work and human good works are absolutely necessary for being considered worthy of salvation."
Does that bother you? If it doesn't bother you, you must have a high view of your good works. So, we must believe in Christ's work on our behalf, and we must have good works also. What question should you be asking when someone says good works are necessary for salvation? Exactly what are good works? Good works would have to be defined as obedience. So, then we must ask, "How much obedience do I need?" Is 80% good enough? Is it 90%? Or maybe 95% obedience? We know that it's not 100% obedience, because nobody does that—nobody.
How much obedience is enough? Nobody can answer that question. Which means we never know if we are doing enough, and, therefore, we never know if we are going to make it to heaven if getting to heaven is based upon our obedience.
Is this doctrine of "no obedience, no salvation" the doctrine of Paul? Is this the ground of justification before God set forth in the New Testament? NO! It is not.
and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Yeshua, Romans 3:24 ESV
The Greek word used here for, "grace" is charis and the word for gift is dorean. It means: "gratuitously (lit. or fig.) -without a cause, freely." "Grace as a gift"—the expression is redoubled to show that all is of God and that nothing in this act of justification belongs to or proceeds from man.
For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19 ESV
Your assurance of salvation comes not from your works but from understanding your identity. Look at yourself in Adam. Though you had done nothing, you were declared a sinner. Look at yourself in Christ, and you see that though you have done nothing, you are declared to be righteous. That is the parallel. We must get rid of all thoughts of our actions as far as gaining or keeping salvation. We are made righteous because of the obedience of Yeshua and Yeshua alone! Yeshua the Christ lived a sinless life in total obedience to the law of God and then died a substitutionary death on our behalf. And it is through His obedience, and through His alone, that we are made righteous.
"The many will be made righteous"—the people whom the Father has given to Christ are "made" righteous. The word "made" is kathistemi. It means "to set down in the rank of, or to place in the category of, to appoint to a particular class." The word has the same meaning and the same force on both sides of the parallel. We are made righteous on the grounds of Christ's obedience alone.
Paul says that they are worthy of the "kingdom of God"—this refers to the reign of God in human hearts now. The Kingdom of God has broken into human history with the ministry of Christ. The Kingdom was inaugurated at the first coming of Christ and was consummated at his second coming in AD 70.
In verse 4, Paul talked about their persecutions and afflictions that they were enduring. And in verse 5 he talks about their suffering. Believers, it is utterly crucial how we respond to suffering in our lives. We saw last week that suffering can cause a believer to fall away if he is not grounded in the Word. But the Thessalonians were enduring and even growing in the midst of the suffering. We saw last week that suffering is a grace gift from God. That may be hard to grasp when you are in the midst of suffering. So, to help us see the truth of this, let's look at several benefits of suffering in a believer's life.
1. Suffering matures us in our practical Christian lives.
We suffer because it is a training tool. God lovingly and faithfully uses suffering to develop personal righteousness, maturity, and our walk with Him.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Hebrews 12:5-6 ESV
The word "disciplines" is from the Greek word paideia, which means "tutorage; education or training; by implication disciplinary correction." And the word "chastises" is the Greek word mastigoō, which means "to flog (literally or figuratively): - scourge." God uses suffering and pain in our lives to train us, to mature us. Verse 6 is found in slightly different form in no less than five books of the Bible.
for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:12 ESV
"Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore, despise not the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17 ESV
Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, Psalms 94:12 ESV
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Revelation 3:19 ESV
God repeats it so often so that we won't forget and lose the comfort of realizing that Divine chastening proceeds from love for the purpose of maturing us.
2. Suffering weans us from self-reliance.
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 ESV
Many men and women have testified that God taught them this lesson. By His taking away of all the things they had mistakenly depended on, they have become dependent upon Him. We suffer to bring about continued dependence on the grace and power of God. Suffering is designed to cause us to walk by God's ability, power, and provision, rather than by our own. It causes us to turn from our resources to His resources.
3. Suffering is an evangelistic tool.
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. Philippians 1:12-13 ESV
When believers handle suffering joyfully and with stability, it becomes a marvelous testimony to the power and life of Christ that we claim and name. Suffering provides key opportunities to manifest and magnify the power of God through His servants in order to verify and confirm the messenger and his message.
4. We suffer to develop our capacity and sympathy in comforting others.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV
Often God sends suffering to give us an opportunity to minister to one another. How can I help those in need unless God causes someone to be in need? In the midst of the suffering of others, we must see an opportunity to minister in His name.
5. We suffer to keep down pride.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV
The Apostle Paul had been given special revelations and he had seen as one who had been caught up to the third heaven. Therefore, he saw his thorn in the flesh as an instrument of God to help him maintain a spirit of humility and dependence on the Lord.
There are many reasons given in the Bible why God sends suffering into our lives, but the supreme reason is the ultimate reason for all he does—His glory!
6. We suffer to bring glory to God.
Yeshua taught his disciples this lesson in John 9.
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" John 9:1-2 ESV
The disciples either hadn't studied the sufferings of Job at all or they had studied them but hadn't learned much from them. Their false assumption, similar to that made by Job's friends, was that there must have been a terrible sin to warrant the blindness. Yeshua corrects their misunderstanding by teaching that this suffering was not a result of personal sin.
Yeshua answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:3-5 ESV
Yeshua tells them that the man was blind, not because either he or his parents sinned, but rather that God might be glorified in the healing of the man.
Here is where we find comfort in our suffering. This is not an isolated case wherein the suffering served the purpose of glorifying God. All suffering is designed to glorify God. When we are in the midst of suffering, we must remember that in this ultimate sense, all is right with the world. Things are operating as they should. Not one thing happens in our lives that God has not planned to happen.
When we are in the midst of a severe trial, it can be very difficult to celebrate God's glory. When we are hurting, we tend to be rather consumed with ourselves and find it difficult to say with much sincerity, "I sure am glad this disaster in my life is glorifying you, Lord. Please let me know any time that I can suffer great pain to bring you glory."
This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV
What I think Paul is saying here is that their endurance in the midst of their suffering was evidence of God's righteous judgment that would be displayed at the Parousia when it would be manifested that they are His sons and their enemies would be destroyed. Your endurance in suffering demonstrates that you are worthy of the Kingdom. They were abiding in Christ and their discipleship was made obvious to all.