1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
Paul uses here a softer version of appeal (“we request”) than he more frequently uses elsewhere (“I urge” or “I exhort,” e.g., Rom. 12:1, 1 Cor. 1:10). Hardly would a commanding approach be necessary with the Thessalonians whose Christlikeness was exemplary. However, the issue of concern is critical, not just for holding to right doctrine but for the impact right thinking has on the believers’ peace in the Lord. Paul was not concerned about truth for truth’s sake only, like that of the Pharisees and Sadducees who spent their time in theological debates. Right thinking affects right living.
The peace he desired for them—as seen in the salutation in both letters to them, “Grace and peace to you” (1 Thess. 1:1, 2 Thess. 1:2) —was being threatened by some rumors that had come in among them. The disturbing teaching had come to them that “the Day of the Lord has come.” Paul had addressed this issue in his first letter in relation to those who had died already, that they would not miss out on the day of the Lord’s return. Now, though, false teaching had arisen that the Day of the Lord had already come and that therefore, the living believers had missed out on it. To be sure, this would be quite disturbing! From where would this teaching have come?
Certainly not the apostle Paul. Someone had been passing off this false teaching as having Paul’s authority. Whether this came in the form of a pseudepigrapha (that is, a letter falsely asserted to have been written by the apostle) or someone claiming to have special insight into the “spirit” of Paul’s meaning, is not important. The point is that Paul did not teach that the Day of the Lord had already come! But who would want to propagate that notion?
We do know that when Paul had been in Thessalonica he preached first among the Jews at the synagogue there. His message unambiguously conveyed that Jesus rose again from the dead. Some believed the gospel message and joined Paul “along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks . . .” but “the Jews [became] jealous” (Acts 17:1–4). A group of them set about to undermine Paul’s teaching, trying to agitate and stir up any who would listen to the apostle wherever he went (Acts 17:13). False teachers today continue to misrepresent Paul’s teaching and thereby disturb the newfound peace of those who come to faith. We need to help new believers stand firm on the clear Word of God.
Lord, help me recognize and stand against false teaching about Your return.
0 Comments