The Bare Facts --
Overviews and Outlines --
Bible Studies: Whole Book -- Part of Book -- Thematic --
Sermons -- Bibliographies
What will happen at the end of time? Who hasn't wondered that? Certain authors in recent years have forged entire careers out of speculating on the answer to that question. In virtually all eschatological work, one runs the risk of focusing on the tomorrow and not sufficiently on the today. Paul balances these two concerns in this letter. He explains to the saints in Thessalonica that the hope of the Second Coming still lies in the future. He describes in considerable detail what will happen as history draws to a close. However, he does not simply waive all responsibility for today. Paul's emphasis is very much on present behavior with an eye toward a future hope.
Left: "St. Paul" by Domenico Beccafumi.
The Bare Facts
Who: The book's opening verse refers to three writers: Paul, Silvanus,
and Timothy. As in 1st Thessalonians, we can deduce that one of this trio
was the main writer and that this main writer was Paul. Some have questioned the
Pauline origin of this book, but their objections simply do not hold water.Where: Corinth. Compare 1 Thessalonians 3:6 with Acts 18:5.
Assuming these represent the same event, we can site the letter's writing in
Corinth.When: Paul spent the years 50-53 in Corinth. Apparently
this second letter was penned shortly after the first, perhaps in 51 or 52.
What: Second Thessalonians is very much a follow-up to the first
letter. In it, Paul continues to encourage the people to Godly living.
He also attempts to set clear certain matters concerning the second coming.
Memorable Passages
Overviews and Outlines
- 2 Thessalonians:
Introduction, Outline, and Argument
- A good overview by Daniel Wallace.
- Bible Basics
- A very brief list of facts, but it includes a wav file pronouncing the
book's title.
- The Second
Letter to the Thessalonians
- An outline and introduction by Barry Smith.
- Easton Bible Dictionary:
Thessalonians, Epistles to the
- The article from M.G. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
- Catholic
Encyclopedia: Thessalonians, Epistles to the
- The appropriate entry from the public domain edition of this venerable
reference work.
- Columbia
Encyclopedia: Thessalonians
- A brief article from the 2001 edition of this reference work.
- Bible Explained
- This is a commentary by an energetic fellow named Ted Wade. He
provides brief notes on each chapter and most verses for the entire Bible.
-
Luther Productions
- A very brief overview including key verses.
- The Blue
Letter Bible
- An excellent source for text, cross-references, concordance, language
helps, commentaries, and more.
Bible Studies: Whole Book
- 2 Thessalonians:
Looking for the Returning Lord
- A lengthy, verse-level commentary and set of notes by David Griffiths, a
native of Wales who has ministered for many years in the United States through
the Assemblies of God.
- 2 Thessalonians: An
Exegetical and Devotional Commentary
- A 9-part study by J. Hampton Keathley, III.
- Second
Thessalonians--A Study Guide
- A set of executable outlines by Mark Copeland.
- Love the
Lord Bible Studies: 2 Thessalonians
- A 5-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry.
They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if
they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.
- Talks for Growing
Christians
- A nifty study, which includes a brief sermon, question, and answers.
A project from Talks for Growing Christians.
-
Tertullian
- An extract from Against Marcion arguing against Marcion's exclusion
of this book from the canon.
- John
Calvin's Commentary
- The commentary of the 16th-century
French
reformer.
- Geneva Notes
- In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study
Bible. These are the notes from that edition.
- Coffman's
Commentary
- A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church
of Christ scholar.
- Matthew Henry's
Commentary
- The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by
the great English Puritan writer..
-
John Wesley Notes
- Over his career, the
founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire
Bible.
-
JFB Commentary
- The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).
- Clarke's
Commentary
- The first chapter for this book from
Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century
commentary.
- John Gill's Exposition of the
Entire Bible
- The commentary of the
17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.
- Scofield
Reference Notes
- The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible. From a
dispensationalist viewpoint.
- Treasury
of Scripture Knowledge
- A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference.
Developed by
R.A. Torrey.
- David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible
- David Guzik, a former senior pastor at Clavary Chapel Simi Valley in
California, provides a verse-by-verse commentary. Currently Guzik directs the
Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany.
-
Introductory Lectures
- A set of lectures by William Kelly
-
Comments on 2 Thessalonians
- Notes by F.B. Hole
-
Comments on Second Thessalonians
- A chapter-based commentary by L.M. Grant
- Barne's Notes on the
New Testament
- Educated at Princeton seminary, Albert Barnes was a dedicated student of the
Bible. Though passed over by the biographical sketches of influential
theological writers, his notes on the New Testament continue to be quite popular
even today.
- John S. C. Abbott and
Jacob Abbott Illustrated New Testament
- Well known throughout the late 1800's for their
prolific writings on various subjects, John and Jacob Abbott decided to put to
paper their personal study and translation of the original Greek New Testament.
Included are 50 woodcut illustrations from the original printing.
- John Darby's Synopsis
of the New Testament
- These synopses were originally written and
published in French and introduced book-by-book. Only the New Testament is
available.
- Paul's
Letters to the Thessalonians
- A nice-looking but unreviewed commentary by Ronald Dart.
- The Jerome Bible
Commentary
- A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D. Is English
isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy. Although Catholic in
orientation, this source has some good material for study.
Bible Studies: Part of Book
- The Pauline
Summer School of Prayer (2 Thes 1:1-12)
- A sermon by Ken Gehrer.
- The Savior's
Supper and the Second Coming (1:3-10)
- A 1980 sermon by
John
Piper
-
Sermons on the Antichrist (2:1-10)
- Eight sermons by Thomas Manton
- The "Temple of God in
2 Thessalonians 2:4: Literal or Metaphorical?
- A short study by Daniel Wallace.
-
The Mystery of Iniquity (2:7)
- A sermon by John Wesley.
- The Scripture Sufficient
without Unwritten Traditions (2:15)
- A sermon by Thomas Manton.
Sermons
- 2
Thessalonians: Restrainers of Lawlessness
- The appropriate sermon from
Ray C. Stedman's Adventuring through the Bible series.
-
Homilies of St. John Chrysostom
- A collection of 5 homilies by this
great Eastern preacher.
- Studies
in Second Thessalonians
- A 4-sermon series by
Ray C. Stedman. Scroll down to find them.
- C.H. Spurgeon
- A listing of sermons, some of which are available online, by the
great British Baptist.
-
Sermon
Outlines
- Links to sermon outlines from
SermonLinks.
-
Articles, Books, and Bibliographies
- The
Thessalonian Letters: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
- A special issue of this journal from Fall 1999. Contains seven
articles.
- A Selected
Bibliography for 1 and 2 Thessalonians
- A brief list of sources compiled by David Malick.
-
Two-Age Bibliography
- A list of recommended sources, mostly scholarly in nature, provided by a
website devoted to the "Redemptive Historical" school of theology.
Memorable Passages
- Love the Lord Bible Studies: 2 Thessalonians
- A 5-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry. They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.
- Talks for Growing Christians
- A nifty study, which includes a brief sermon, question, and answers. A project from Talks for Growing Christians.
- Tertullian
- An extract from Against Marcion arguing against Marcion's exclusion of this book from the canon.
- John Calvin's Commentary
- The commentary of the 16th-century French reformer.
- Geneva Notes
- In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study Bible. These are the notes from that edition.
- Coffman's Commentary
- A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church of Christ scholar.
- Matthew Henry's Commentary
- The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by the great English Puritan writer..
- John Wesley Notes
- Over his career, the founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire Bible.
- JFB Commentary
- The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).
- Clarke's Commentary
- The first chapter for this book from Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century commentary.
- John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
- The commentary of the 17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.
- Scofield Reference Notes
- The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible. From a dispensationalist viewpoint.
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
- A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference. Developed by R.A. Torrey.
- David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible
- David Guzik, a former senior pastor at Clavary Chapel Simi Valley in California, provides a verse-by-verse commentary. Currently Guzik directs the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany.
- Introductory Lectures
- A set of lectures by William Kelly
- Comments on 2 Thessalonians
- Notes by F.B. Hole
- Comments on Second Thessalonians
- A chapter-based commentary by L.M. Grant
- Barne's Notes on the New Testament
- Educated at Princeton seminary, Albert Barnes was a dedicated student of the Bible. Though passed over by the biographical sketches of influential theological writers, his notes on the New Testament continue to be quite popular even today.
- John S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott Illustrated New Testament
- Well known throughout the late 1800's for their prolific writings on various subjects, John and Jacob Abbott decided to put to paper their personal study and translation of the original Greek New Testament. Included are 50 woodcut illustrations from the original printing.
- John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament
- These synopses were originally written and published in French and introduced book-by-book. Only the New Testament is available.
- Paul's Letters to the Thessalonians
- A nice-looking but unreviewed commentary by Ronald Dart.
- The Jerome Bible Commentary
- A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D. Is English isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy. Although Catholic in orientation, this source has some good material for study.