2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 1 Thess. 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians chapter two is an important passage concerning future things.  The Apostle John was the “Apostle of the Apocalypse,” if you will; he was the human author of the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Paul was the “Apostle of the Church” (Eph. 3:1-13) and especially the “Apostle to the Gentiles” (Eph. 3:8; Gal. 2:9; Rom. 1:5). 

I believe it is helpful to keep this in mind as you study this chapter.  Paul is not presenting a full “eschatology” but is rather responding to a specific issue raised by the Thessalonian believers.  They are shaken in mind and troubled by the thought that they are already in the day of Christ.  They may have heart this idea:

·        From false teachers (by spirit, false teachers are deceiving spirits, 1 Tim. 4:1);

·        In someone’s preaching or philosophy (by word); or

·        By letter, probably one that was claimed to be from Paul.

This is helpful background information as Paul’s concern here is to encourage one of his churches.  He is not giving a full-blown eschatology.  There is no mention of Israel, even though Paul believed Israel had a definite place in the future (Rom. 11).  He doesn’t actually get beyond telling us what must precede the Day.  He does not tell us what takes place during that Day.  The issue he is concerned with is, our gathering together to Him.

You will note that in v1 Paul mentions two things: the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.  How are we to understand this?  I have friends who believe this passage indicates our gathering to Him does not happen until He comes (i.e. at the end of the seven years of tribulation).  This is, of course, the post-tribulation view of the rapture.  You should understand that I went to a seminary where the faculty was divided between the post- and ­pre- views of the rapture.  Thus I am familiar and was required to think through this doctrine (and many others).

To me Paul is not referring to these twin concerns in chronological order.  He is speaking of the general topic (the coming, Greek parousia, the return of Christ to earth) and then the specific topic (our gathering).  This was the topic that he had spoken of in the first letter (1 Thess. 4:13-18).  It is quite likely that what he said then had triggered the current issue that was troubling the Thessalonians.  You can understand their concern if they understood that Paul told them they would be gone from earth when that day of His wrath (Rev. 6:17) was being played out.  He had told them, after all, that they would be delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10), something he reminds them of at the end of 2 Thess. 2 (v13-14).