Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: 2 THESSALONIANS #2 - 2:1-17)
C. 2:1-12 PROGRAM FOR THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY
a. 2:1-4 THE ORDER OF TARES FIRST - THEN WHEAT
E-roTOmen [2065]de huMAS, a-delPHOI, huPER tes pa-rouSIas [3952]tou KuRIou IeSOU ChrisTOU,
Now we ask you, brethren, as to the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ,
kai heMON e-pi-su-na-goGES ep' auTON; eis to metaCHEos sa-leuTHEnai [4531]huMAS aPO tou noOS,
and our gathering together unto him; 2that you be not quickly shaken from your:mind,
meDE throEISthai [2360], MEte diA PNEUma-tos,
nor be troubled, either by spirit,
MEte diA LOgou, MEte di' e-pi-stoLES hos di' heMON, hos HOti eNESte-ken [1754]he heMEra tou KuRIou;
or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is on;
ME tis huMAS e-xa-paTEse[1818]kaTA meDEna TROpon: HOti eAN me ELthehe a-po-staSIa [646]PROton,
3let no one beguile you in any wise: for not unless the falling away come first,
kai a-po-ka-luphTHE[601]ho ANthro-pos tes a-noMIas [266], ho huiOS tes a-poLEIas [684],
and the man of :lawlessness be revealed, the son of :destruction,
ho an-tiKEIme-nos [480] kai hu-pe-raiROme-nos [5229] ePI PANta leGOme-non TheON
4he that opposes and exalts himself against every one called God
eSEbas-ma [4574]; HOSte auTON eis ton naON [3485]tou TheOU kaTHIsai [2523],
or an object of worship; so that he sits in the temple of :God,
a-po-deikNUNta [584] he-auTON HOti esTIN TheOS.
setting himself forth as being God.
b. 2:5 Do you not remember, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
Ou mne-moNEUe-te [3421], HOti, Eti on pros huMAS, TAUta Ele-gon huMIN?
c. 2:6 And now you know what restrains, so that he be revealed in his own :season.
kai nun to kaTEchon [2722] OIda-te, eis to apo-ka-luphTHEnai [601]auTON en to auTOU kaiRO [2540].
d. 2:7 AN ORDER OF INWARD WORKING: THEN OPEN MANIFESTATION
to gar muSTEri-on [3466]Edee-nerGEItai [1754]tes a-noMIas [458]:
For the mystery of :lawlessness does already work:
MOnon ho kaTEchon [2722]ARti, HEos ek MEsou [3319]GEne-tai [1096].
only there is :one that restrains now, until he become out of themidst.
e. 2:8-10 AN ORDER OF DESTRUCTION AT MANIFESTATION OF JESUS' PRSENCE!
kai TOte a-po-ka-luphTHEse-tai [601]ho Ano-mos [459],
And then shall be revealed the lawless one,
hon ho KUri-os IeSOUS a-neLEI [355]to PNEUma-ti [4151]tou STOma-tos [4750]auTOU,
whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of his :mouth,
kai ka-tarGEsei [2673]te e-pi-phaNEIa [2015]tes pa-rouSIas [3952]auTOU:
and bring to naught by the manifestation of his :presence:
HOU es-tin hepa-rouSIa kat' eNERgei-an [1753]tou Sa-taNA [4567]
9himwhose :presence is according to :Satan's working
en PAseduNAmei [1411]kai seMEIois [4592]kai TEra-sin [5059]PSEUdous [5579],
with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood,
kai en PAseaPAte [539]a-diKIas [93]tois a-pol-luMEnois [622];
10and with all deceit of unrighteousness for the perishing;
anth' hon ten aGApen tes a-leTHEIas [225]ouk eDExan-to [1209], eis to soTHEnai [4982]auTOUS.
in that they received not the love of the truth, that they be saved.
f. 2:11-12 AN ORDER OF DECEPTION FOR THE WICKED
kai diA TOUto PEMpei [3992] auTOIS ho TheOS eNERgei-an [1753] PLAnes [4106],
And for this cause:God sends them a working of error,
eis to piSTEUsai [4100] auTOUS to PSEUdei [5579]:
that they should believe the lie:
HIna kriTHOsin [2919]HApan-tes hoi mepiSTEUsan-tes [4100]te a-leTHEIa [225],
12that they all might be judged who believed not the truth,
alLA eu-doKEsan-tes [2106]te a-diKIa [93].
but had pleasure in :unrighteousness.
D. 2:13-17 THE PLAN OF GOD'S SALVATION
a. 2:13-14 GOAL OF GLORY: THROUGH PATH OF SANCTIFICATION
HeMEIS de oPHEIlo-men [3784]eu-cha-riSTEIN [2168]to TheOPANto-te peRI huMON,
But WE are bound to thank :God alway for you,
a-delPHOI e-ga-peMEnoi [25]huPO KuRIou,
brethren beloved of theLord,
HOti EIla-to [138] huMAS ho TheOS ap' arCHES [746]eis so-teRIan [4991]
because :God chose you from thebeginning unto salvation
en ha-gi-asMO[38]PNEUmatos [4151]kai PIstei a-leTHEIas:
in sanctification of theSpirit and by belief of thetruth:
eis ho eKAle-sen [2563] huMAS diA tou eu-ag-geLIou heMON,
14unto which he called you through our :gospel,
eis pe-riPOIe-sin [4047]DOxes [1391]tou KuRIou heMON IeSOU ChrisTOU.
to theobtaining of our :Lord Jesus Christ's glory.
b. 2:15 A PLAN ACCOMPLISHED BY A REVELATION OF TRUTH
Ara oun, a-delPHOI, STEke-te [4739], kai kraTEIte [2902]tas pa-raDOseis [3862]has e-diDACHthe-te [1321],
So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you were taught,
EIte diA LOgou, EIte di' e-pi-stoLES [1992]heMON.
whether by word, or by letter of ours.
c. 2:16-17 A STABLISHMENT BY GOD UNTO GOOD WORKS
AuTOS de ho KUri-os heMON IeSOUS ChrisTOS,
Now our :Lord Jesus Christ himself,
kai TheOS ho paTER heMON ho a-gaPEsas [29]heMAS kai dous paRAkle-sin [3874]ai-oNIan [166]
and God our :Father who loved us and gave eternal comfort
kai elPIda [1680] a-gaTHEN en CHAri-te [5485],
and good hope in grace,
pa-ra-kaLEsai [3870] huMON tas karDIas kai steRIxai [4741]en panTI ERgo kai LOgo a-gaTHO.
17comfort your :hearts and stablish in every good work and word.
NOTE: “Mysteries” in the Bible, especially when mentioned in the NT, have the sense of what was hidden in OT times, but now, especially through the Apostle Paul, have been made clear in NT times. Perhaps one of these outstanding mysteries concerns the “One New Man' of Ephesians 2 and 3. The Lord by His Spirit through Paul lays out God's eternal purposes to save Gentiles on the same basis as Jews - “by grace through faith.” - and allows them to share in the same blessings originally given to Jews. The riches of Romans 9:4-5 - 8 points - are now for both Jews and Gentiles - only the latter need notbe circumcised and keep the Jewish laws. As a matter of fact, not even Jews can be completely “Torah Observant”, for 200 of the 613 Torah laws are connected with the Temple, and since its destruction in 70 AD, it has no longer been possible for Jews to be 100% Torah Observant. Jesus has fulfilled the types and shadows of the OT, and in Himwe now have all that they pointed to. The book of Galatians and Acts 15 make this eminently clear.
But the “mystery” that Paul unfolds in this chapter is also most important for both Jews and Gentiles to fully understand. 2:7 tells us that the “mystery of lawlessness” already works. However the Holy Spirit restrains Satan from revealing the manifestation of this spirit in the Antichrist until God's appointed time. Jesus said in Luke 21:24 that Jerusalem would be trodden down of the nations until the seasons of the nations are fulfilled. In 1967, though Israel pleaded with Jordan not to join the other Arab nations in attacking them, they would not listen. In 6 days Jerusalem fell back to Israel from the nations after 1900 years. In Luke 21:32, Jesus tells us that the generation of 1967 will not pass away till all thingsbe accomplished concerning the Second Advent. Weare that generation. God told Moses that His people Israel from the time of the Abrahamic Covenant, 1996 BC to the Exodus - 1466 BC, would be 4 generations, making a generation 100 years.
So weare of the generation that will see the return of Jesus, which could take place anytime between now and past our mid-century. Times? Jesus said we won't know the day or hour. But the mystery of iniquity is about to be manifested. When it is, we will knowthe time is getting short. Is it here yet? No. Are there deceivers to confuse us? Yes. Therefore let us stick with God's Word, especially thischapter, and we won't be deceived or in confusion. George Muller is very helpful at this point. See what Jesus said about Jewish tradition in Matthew 15.
One dear brother was asked, “Are you pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib - pre-mill, post-mill, a-mill?” He answered, - “I'm Pan-mill - I believe everything will pan out okay in the end!” Though this is a bit facetious - yet it has wisdom in it.
I sensed the Spirit speaking to me years ago, - “You are interested in end-time events in the Book of Daniel and Revelation, aren't you?” I agreed with Him that I was. “But”, He continued, “What progress have you made in letting Christ live out the Sermon on the Mount and other NT teachings through your life?” I confessed that I lacked here. “When Galatians 2:20 is a reality in your life, then I will enlighten you clearly on end-time events,” He said. It is only now at 86 that I see more clearly the meaning of Scripture on this subject.
Please then, let none of us pass lightly over 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and especially thischapter. Let this be our Plumbline for end-time events. Let not anyvoice or writing lead us away from this plumbline. Thenthe smile of God will rest upon us, and His peacewill rule in our hearts!
Finally note 2:15 - “holdthe traditions which you were taught whether by word, or by letter of ours.” The Jews had traditions - the Oral tradition of Talmud and Mishneh. They are interesting, but are noton the level of Paul's letters and traditions. Let us be wise and discerning. Let us choose the right Plumbline of tradition, the one Godendorses. The NT Heendorses. It is the key to interpret the OT. None other will do. Let the NT word mean what itwants to mean - not what many interpreters and commentaries suggest it means. One minister gave a Commentary to a black preacher friend. He couldn't wait for his reaction. Finally he received this word, “Well, it's just amazing how much light the Bible sheds on that Commentary!” - J.A.W.