Scofield Reference Bible Notes/2 Thessalonians

by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield

Book Introduction - 2 Thessalonians

Read first chapter of 2 Thessalonians
WRITER: The Apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 1:1)
DATE: Second Thessalonians was evidently written very soon after Paul's first letter to that church. The occasion may well have been the return of the bearer of the former Epistle and his report.
THEME: The theme of Second Thessalonians is, unfortunately, obscured by a mistranslation in the A.V. of 2 Thessalonians 2:2 where "day of Christ is at hand" (See Scofield "1 Corinthians 1:8") should be, "day of the Lord is now present" (See Scofield "Is 2:12"). The Thessalonian converts were "shaken in mind" and "troubled," supposing, perhaps on the authority of a forged letter as from Paul, that the persecutions from which they were suffering were those of the "great and terrible day of the Lord," from which they had been taught to expect deliverance by "the day of Christ, and out gathering together unto him" (2 Thessalonians 2:1)
The present letter, then, was written to instruct the Thessalonians concerning the day of Christ, "and our gathering together unto him" 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 and the relation of the "day of Christ" to the "day of the Lord." First Thessalonians had more in view the "day of Christ"; the present Epistle the "day of the Lord."
The Epistle is in five divisions:

• Salutation, 1:1-4
• Comfort, 1:5-12
• Instruction concerning the day of the Lord and the man of sin, 2:1-12
• Exhortations and apostolic commands, 2:13-3:15
• Benediction and authentication, 3:16-18

CHAPTER 1

Verse 7

angels
(See Scofield "Hebrews 1:4").

CHAPTER 2

Verse 2

day of
(See Scofield "Isaiah 2:12").

Verse 3

for that day
The order of events is:

• (1) The working of the mystery of lawlessness under divine restraint which had already begun in the apostle's time 2 Thessalonians 2:7
• (2) the apostasy of the professing church 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Luke 18:8; 2 Timothy 3:1-8.
• (3) the removal of that which restrains the mystery of lawlessness 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7. The restrainer is a person--"he," and since a "mystery" always implies a supernatural element (See Scofield "Matthew 13:11") this Person can be none other than the Holy Spirit in the church, to be "taken out of the way" ; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17.
• (4) the manifestation of the lawless one 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10; Daniel 7:8; 9:27; Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:2-10
• (5) the coming of Christ in glory and the destruction of the lawless one 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:11-21
• (6) the day of Jehovah 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Isaiah 2:12

Verse 7

mystery
(See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").

Verse 10

saved
(See Scofield "Romans 1:16").

Verse 13

salvation
(See Scofield "Romans 1:16").

Verse 16

through grace
Grace (in salvation). vs. 1 Timothy 1:14,15; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").