COMMENTARY ON 2 THESSALONIANS 2

Luca Signorelli(Wikimedia Commons)

 

 1 And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him:  2 That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.  3 Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,  4 Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God.  5 Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time.  7 For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way.  8 And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him,  9 Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,  10 And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying: 11 That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.  12 But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of God, for that God hath chosen you firstfruits unto salvation, in sanctification of the spirit, and faith of the truth:  13 Whereunto also he hath called you by our gospel, unto the purchasing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  14 Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.  15 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope in grace,16 Exhort your hearts, and confirm you in every good work and word. 

(DOUAY-RHEIMS BIBLE, 2 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 2)

OUTLINE

THE GREAT APOSTASY AND THE COMING OF THE ANTICHRIST (V.1-7) 

•  Exhortation against false teachings on the imminent day of judgment (v. 1-2)

•  On the four signs that must precede the advent of the Antichrist (v. 3-7):

1. A revolt (Apostasy);

2. The manifestation of the wicked one;

3. A hindrance , which restrains his manifestation;

4. A period of power and persecution;

 THE ANTICHRIST DESCRIBED (V. 8-12)

• The wicked one shall be revealed (v. 8)

•  The seduction of iniquity (v. 9- 12)

THANKSGIVING (V. 13-14)

EXHORTATIONS (V. 15-17)

COMMENTARIES

1 And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him:

Saint Paul warns the Thessalonians against false teachings concerning the imminent coming of Christ. To reassure them, he explains the signs that must precede the judgment and the advent of the Antichrist. (Chrysostom, Homily 3 on Second Thessalonians)

2 That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

That is, do not be troubled by rumours concerning these things. Also, pay no heed to false teachers and their prophecies, as if the Holy Spirit had revealed to them that the Day of Judgement is imminent (Augustine, The City of God, bk. 20, ch. 19).

3 Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Two signs must precede the Judgement: a revolt and the advent of the Antichrist. This rebellion (Greek: ἀποστασία, apostasy) means the universal defection of nations from the Roman Empire, the Pope, and ultimately the Faith. After this, the Antichrist shall be revealed. He will be a specific individual—the most wicked of men, the personification of sin, destined to destroy himself and others. (Cornelius à Lapide, Commentaria in omnes divi Pauli epistolas, vol. 1 (Antwerp, 1614), p. 753).

4 Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God.

The Antichrist will claim Divine honours in the temple of Jerusalem. According to Saint Irenaeus, Jerome, and Chrysostom, he will present himself as God and demand to be worshipped as such. Suárez describes him as a false believer who will abolish idolatry and promote the Mosaic Law to deceive the Jews and be accepted as their Messiah (Manning, The Present Crisis, pp. 29–34).

6 And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way.

A perpetual barrier (κατέχον) hinders the revelation of the Antichrist. This restraining power is referred to as "that which holdeth" and "he who holdeth," suggesting that it is both a system and a person. According to St. Augustine, there are two opposed mysteries: the mystery of Godliness and the mystery of iniquity led by Satan.

The mystery of Godliness was fulfilled by the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. In contrast, the kingdom of Satan will be consummated by the advent of the lawless one (ὁ ἄνομος), who will reject both Divine and human law, causing disorder and revolutions. Some Church Fathers believed that the Roman Empire was the barrier to his coming, while others thought it was the Holy Spirit or the apostolic power. These interpretations are complementary to each other. As a whole, they indicate that Christendom and its head, the Vicar of Christ, are the forces preventing the mystery of iniquity.

The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Apostolic See until God allows its removal. Just as Christ delivered Himself when His time had come, His Mystical Body must also endure suffering, apparent defeat, and persecution. As Christ rose from the dead, His Church will rise again in glory. Rome will become apostate from the Church and the Vicar of Christ, returning to paganism, idolatry, and imperial greatness. Once again, Christians will be cruelly persecuted in the city of seven hills, and many will be martyred. Having lost its sacred status before God, as ancient Jerusalem did after rejecting Christ, the eternal city will eventually be destroyed for its transgressions. (Manning, The Present Crisis, pp. 45–92).

8 And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him;

The expression "Spirit of His mouth" shows how easily God can triumph over His foes. It refers to the prophecy in Isaiah 9:4: "But he shall judge the poor with justice and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth, and he shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked" (Haydock, p. 427). Aquinas points out that Christ shall kill the son of perdition with the Spirit of His mouth, meaning the zeal of the Holy Spirit for justice. The brightness of His coming shall destroy him and bring to light what is hidden in darkness (Aquinas, Commentary on Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians).

9. Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders; 

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem explains that the coming of the lawless one is described as “according to the work of Satan,” because the devil will use him as a personal instrument, performing false miracles and illusions through him. These will include events such as making people believe they see a dead man raised to life, the lame walking, and the blind receiving sight, even though no actual healing occurs (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15).

In like manner, Augustine holds that “signs and lying wonders” represent either Satan’s attempt to deceive men through sensible images, or real miracles wrongly attributed to the devil. God allows this trial so that ''all may be judged who have not believed the truth but have preferred wickedness” (Augustine, The City of God, bk. 20, ch. 19).

Finally, Aquinas argues that the man of sin will be a free individual acting under Satan’s inspiration. He shall deceive many through worldly powers and by working miracles. That is to say, the Antichrist will control treasures of gold and silver and shall perform great prodigies, insomuch as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Aquinas, Commentary on Saint Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians).

10 And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying 11 That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.

God shall send them the operation of error; that is to say, He will allow them to be deceived as a punishment for having rejected the truth and embraced the false teachings of the Antichrist (Haydock, p. 427).

14 Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle

Saint Paul admonishes them to hold fast to the truth, and to observe the traditions and instructions received from the apostles and elders (Acts 16:4). As many teachings were not written down, he exhorts the faithful to follow not only his letters but also the doctrines transmitted orally. (Aquinas, Commentary on Saint Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians).

REFERENCES

Aquinas, Thomas. Commentary on Saint Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians. Available at: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~2Thess (Accessed: 21 October 2024).

Augustine. The City of God. Book 20, Chapter 19. Accessed 8 October 2024. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120120.htm#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20God%20(Book%20XX).

Catena Bible and Commentaries. 2 Thessalonians 2 - Catena Bible & Commentaries. Available at: https://catenabible.com/2thes/2 (Accessed: 21 October 2024).

Chrysostom, John. Homily 3 on Second Thessalonians. Accessed 8 October 2024. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/23053.htm.

Cornelius à Lapide, Commentaria in omnes divi Pauli epistolas, vol. 1 (Antwerp, 1614)

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15, (New Advent, 2023) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310115.htm [accessed 22 October 2024].

Haydock, George Leo. Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary. Compiled by Rev. George Leo Haydock. New York: Edward Dunigan and Brother, 1859.

Manning, Henry Edward. The Present Crisis of the Holy See Tested by Prophecy: Four Lectures. London: Burns & Lambert, 1861.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SACRED SCRIPTURES

The sacred letters are referred to by the Church Fathers with the following common terms: ἱερὰ γραφή, ἱερὰ γράμματα, θεία γραφή, sacra scriptura, sanctæ litteræ, libri divini. They are called sacred not only because they deal with divine matters and contain heavenly doctrine, but,  most importantly, because God is their author. The knowledge contained in the Bible is not brought forth by human will but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

 For the Jews, who accept only the Old Testament, inspiration is called "the Letters" (Dan. IX, 2) or "the Law", a name also used by Christ (John X, 34; XV, 25).  Additionally, it is known as the codex of the twenty-four books.

 The Greek and Latin Fathers use the terms to define the sacred volumes: γραφή, γραφῶν, scriptura, scripturarum. These names are already used by Christ and the apostles to denote the writings of the Old Testament.

Since the time of Chrysostom, the Holy Writ is known as the Holy Bible, the book par excellence. 

By the time of Tertullian, the division into the Old and New Testament is already established among the Latins. 

DEFINITION:

The books(1) written by sacred authors(2), inspired by God(3), and received as such by the Church(4).

 1. Books: These consist of letters, words, phrases, and a language that may be more or less elegant. They are subject to the same conditions of interpretation, and preservation as other writings.  

 2. By sacred authors: This refers to the secondary authors(instrumental cause). They are called holy because they write about God's revelation to humanity. 

3. Inspired by God: This indicates the principal author, God Himself. The books contain the main chapters of divine revelation, and all the actions and words recounted in them are written through divine inspiration. As a result, the essence of the Holy Scriptures does not require that all their content be divine in itself. There are many things in Scripture that are said or done by men that are less certain; indeed, some are vile, some shameful, and some impious, which cannot be considered divine at all but belong to Scripture because God inspired the writers to record them.

Scripture differs from:

•  Secular books, not only in terms of the subject matter (Revelation) but especially in terms of the inspiration by which God becomes the author. 

• Tradition, as Tradition may contain the unwritten word of God. 

•  Private revelations: These revelations, although they may contain the word of God, refer to the Scriptures but do not belong to them, as the authors were not divinely inspired. 

4. Received by the Church: It is possible that one or another book, such as the Third or Fourth Book of Esdras, was written by a divinely inspired author and yet does not belong to Scripture, because there is uncertainty regarding its divine origin. Moreover, it is the Church’s role to determine which books are divinely inspired and which are not.

DIVISION 

The sacred books are divided in various ways:

a) the Old and New Testaments:

A Testament is a covenant or agreement, and includes the promises that God made out of sheer generosity: He bound Himself to mankind, bestowed upon them the highest blessings, and promised them the kingdom of heaven as an inheritance. 

The Old Testament contains God's revelation to the ancient Hebrew people through Moses, the Prophets, and the Hagiographers.

The New Testament includes what, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostles and evangelists transmitted to the Church of Christ.

b) Protocanonical and deuterocanonical books:

The Protocanonical Books were the first to be included in the canon. These are the books whose divine authority has always been universally admitted in the Church.

 The Deuterocanonical Books, whose authority was not equally certain and recognized at the beginning of the Church.

c) Both Testaments are also divided into Legal, Historical, Wisdom, and Prophetic books.

THE 46 BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament consists of 46 books divided into 4 sections:

Pentateuch (Book of the law or  Five books of Moses):

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

Historical (16 books)

• Josue(Joshua)
•  Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 3 Kings
• 4 Kings
• 1 Paralipomenon
• 2 Paralipomenon
• 1 Esdras
• Nehemias(2 Esdras )
•  Tobias(Tobit)
•  Judith
• Esther
• 1 Machabees
• 2 Machabees

Wisdom (7 books)

• Job
•  Psalms
•  Proverbs
•  Ecclesiastes
• The Canticle of Canticles
• Wisdom
• Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

Prophetic (18 books)

Major Prophets

• Isaias(Isaiah)
• Jeremias
• Lamentations
•  Baruch
• Ezechiel
• Daniel

Minor Prophets

• Osee
• Joel
•  Amos
• Abdias
• Jonas
• Michaeas
•  Nahum
• Habacuc
• Sophonias
•  Aggaeus
• Zacharias
•  Malachias

THE  27 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

Historical (5 books)

• The four Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John;
•  The Acts of the Apostles

Wisdom (19 books)

Pauline epistles:

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Hebrews

General epistles:

• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

Prophetic (1 book)

• Apocalypse (Revelation) 

Types of Papal Documents: From Encyclicals to Apostolic Letters

 The Church is governed by the Roman Pontiff through papal acts such as laws, decrees, rescripts, and sentences. These documents are classified according to their content and form.

Regarding content, we have constitutions, motu proprios, litterae apostolicae, and epistolae pontificiae.

As for the form, we have bulls, briefs, letters, chirographs, allocutions, and oracles.

ACCORDING TO THEIR CONTENT

CONSTITUTION

Christus Dominus(Pius XII) 
 AAS-45(1953)

Papal constitutions are issued directly by the Roman Pontiff. These decrees address matters of doctrine or discipline, establish permanent norms on important issues, and are binding on all the faithful, as well as on specific groups or individuals. e.g., ineffabilis Deus (1854) proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception,andProvidentissima Mater Ecclesia (promulgated the Code of Canon Law of 1917).

MOTU PROPRIO

Sacrorum antistitum (S. Pius X)
AAS-02 (1910)

It is also issued by the pope. These documents address matters of discipline and establish laws on issues of lesser significance than a constitution. e.g., Cum juris canonici (created the Pontifical Committee to interpret the canons of the Code).

LITTERAE APOSTOLICAE

Maxima inter munera (Pius XII)
AAS-36 (1944) 

As the Motu proprio,  the Apostolic letters (litterae apostolicae) are executive acts that concern disciplinary matters. They are issued by the Congregations, as well as by the Roman Pontiff.  These letters address issues such as canonisations, the creation of cardinals, the erection of new dioceses, etc.

EPISTOLAE PONTIFICIAE

Mediator Dei (Pius XII)
AAS-39 (1947)

These are used by the pope in his role of supreme teacher to explain sound doctrine, instruct, congratulate, etc. When addressed to the whole Church, they are called ENCYCLICALS; if addressed only to some individual, they are called epistolae or litterae pontificiae. Sometimes they are issued by congregations, and then they are called epistulae circulares.

ACCORDING TO THEIR FORM

BULL

It is a parchment document to which a leaden seal is affixed employing a silk cord. On one side of the seal appear the heads of Saints Peter and Paul, and on the other side the name of the reigning Pontiff. Bulls are the most formal of all papal documents in external ink. They are the vehicles of the Constitution.

BRIEF

A brief deals with matters of importance second only to bulls. It is also a parchment document, but the seal it bears is of red wax on which is impressed the image of Saint Peter pulling a net from the sea. Hence it is called the seal of the fisherman's ring.

LETTERS

These are documents that are addressed to specific individuals. They can be given by the Pope or by Congregations. They are written on plain paper and carry only an ink seal.

CHIROGRAPHS

It is a handwritten document by the pope, as the name suggests.

ALLOCUTIONS

Allocutions are formal speeches made by the Pope, usually in the presence of the Sacred College of Cardinals at the consistory. They often reveal the Holy See's policy on current political or social issues.

ORACLES

These are favours that the Pope grants orally to individuals in private audiences. They are not issued in writing.

THE ACTS OF THE ROMAN CURIA 

The acts most proper to the Roman Curia are the decrees, instructions, declarations, decisions, resolutions, and sentences.

DECREES

A decree of the Holy Office 
AAS-12 (1920)

Issued solely by a Congregation and constitutes an administrative, non-formal law. 

INSTRUCTION

Instruction of a congregation 
AAS-41(1949)

Instructions are also issued solely by a Congregation and constitute an administrative law, although it is more directive and less prescriptive than a decree. 

DECISIONS AND RESOLUTIONS

Resolution- Sacred Congregation of Rites
AAS-01 (1909)

These interpret the law but result from disputes between two or more interested parties, the matter being summarily discussed in an extrajudicial manner before a congregation. 

SENTENCES

Sentence of the Roman Rota
AAS-01 (1909)

These are written decisions of the Roman Rota, delivered after formal trials.