2 Tessalonicenses 2
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Tessalonicenses 2:2
Vernon McGee - apparently someone had been circulating a letter or an oral word among the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had come. It is interesting that there is always a group of super–duper saints who seem to think they get direct information from the Lord. They don’t think they need to study the Word of God; they imagine they get their information directly through dreams or visions or special revelations. Now, friend, I admit that it is much easier to pick up all your information in a telephone conversation than it is to go to school or take up the Bible and study it, but it won’t be coming straight from God. So there was circulating in Thessalonica a word that had come to them, and it was a special “revelation,” something that Brother Paul had not told them. (2 Thessalonians 2 Commentary - 'Thru the Bible') Keathley - Following the previous negatives (“may not be shaken … or be disturbed”), each false claim is preceded by the Greek, mete, “and not” or “neither…nor.” This suggests that those who were bothering the church with the false information were making three distinct claims as to its source. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 Correction) By a spirit (literally "neither by a spirit") - This phrase suggests that false teachers can get their false message from lying spirits (Satan, demons, other false teachers, their own fallacious thinking). This is a clear contrast with Paul and all teachers of truth for they receive their message from the Holy Spirit. Keathley on by a spirit - This undoubtedly refers to the claim of some to a prophetic utterance made in the power of the Spirit of God. There were evidently those in the church with the gift of prophecy, but the church and the leaders were to carefully examine and accept only what was from God. In other words, was it in keeping with both the Old Testament and with what they had heard from Paul, an apostle (1Th 5:19-20; 2Th 2:15)? Hiebert on by a spirit - denotes a prophetic utterance professedly given under the operation of the Spirit. Philip Comfort on by a spirit - This is a metonymy for revelation given by Spirit-inspired prophecy. John warned of this lying spirit: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (1Jn 4:1-3-note) In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians he commanded the saints to carefully examine all teachings: Do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine (dokimazo in the present imperative = continually as enabled by the Spirit) everything carefully; hold fast (katecho also present imperative) to that which is good." (1Th 5:20,21-note) The Thessalonians would have been unlikely to have been so shaken and disturbed if they had imitated the pattern of the noble minded saints at Berea: Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received (dechomai = they "put the welcome mat out for") the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11-note) In his first letter Paul had written For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit (1Th 2:3-note) Comment: One wonders if this testimony of the truth of what he had written was given in a sense to prepare them for "error...impurity...(and) deceit" that led to him writing a second letter? And for this reason (1Th 2:10-12) we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. (1Th 2:13-note) Comment: In this case the message the Thessalonians had received and accepted was in fact not the word of God's message but the word of men and it had the opposite effect of the Word of God! The Word of God "performs its work in you who believe" by renewing one's mind and stabilizing one's faith, whereas the lies of the adversary produce a sense of doubt and dread. By...a message (word) - Someone brought a personal (vocal) message to the Thessalonian church and alleged the message was from the apostle himself when in fact it was not. John
2 Tessalonicenses 2:5
Vernon McGee - Paul hadn’t hesitated to talk about these things. Some say that a preacher shouldn’t dwell on these topics. Well, Paul did. Paul says, “When I was with you, I told you about him.” (Thru the Bible Commentary) THOUGHT - I can only reiterate Dr MacArthur's point on growing tendency of younger evangelical leaders who tend to shy away from prophecy with rationalizations like "There's so much confusion in this area… No one can really understand it… How can we know who has the correct interpretation… It just results in arguments over meaning and timing and doesn't really contribute to one's sanctification, etc, etc" I think this approach is not only naive but it is even potentially dangerous because if conservative evangelicals choose to not rightly divide the Word (2Ti 2:15+) regarding prophecy, then who will? Just guess who will fill the void of prophetic illiteracy and will incorrectly divide the word? My guess is you guessed it - the cults! The cults love prophecy and major in concocting sensationalistic, erroneous interpretations, interpretations that would easily be spotted as erroneous by those who have been schooled in eschatology. Those who have not been well grounded in prophecy, will not be able to discern truth from error (cf Heb 5:14+) when the cultists propound their false doctrine. Remember that when it was originally written, 25 percent of the Bible was prophetic and to date approximately 80 per cent has been fulfilled… and fulfilled with 100 per cent accuracy. It follows that the remaining 20 per cent will also be completely fulfilled in God's perfect timing! Related Resource: Eschatology — Article Index | GotQuestions.org The purpose of prophecy for us as saints is not to satisfy our curiosity about the future, but to exert a sanctifying effect on our present (1Jn 3:2,3+, 2Pe 3:11+, 2Pe 3:14+)! Beloved, you can mark it down, that for what (Whom) you are looking will (should) radically impact for what (Whom) you are living! If you doubt this principle, take some time and write down specific promises which God has given for the future, and as you write these down you can know that they will certainly be fulfilled as written. The effect of prophecy should renew our minds so that instead of being hopeless, we should be hopeful (hope filled). Joseph Parker in a classic sermon on Acts 2:22-36 The Effect of Pentecost Upon Peter wrote that "The fulfillment of prophecy is not something which God has been arduously trying to do and has at last barely accomplished. The fulfillment of prophecy is not a divine effort; God is not a great giant trying to carry some infinite globe up an infinite hill, and at last just succeeding in unloading the burden. The fulfillment of prophecy is a natural process, and it comes to express a natural end. Prophecy is not to God a mere hope, it is a clear vision of what must be, and of what He Himself will bring to pass. You do not prophesy that the child will become a man; you speak of his manhood as future, but quite certain; you say what he will be, strong, wise, chivalrous, gentle, prudent, brave—and in so saying you are not expressing the result of an arduous effort on your part which you hope to bring to a successful issue, but you are taking your stand by the side of God when He created the typal Adam, and you say this is God's purpose and Adam shall come to this estate." S Franklin Logsdon wrote that "The primary purpose of prophecy then is to comfort, to encourage, to warn." (The Holy Spirit At Work - Chapter 14 - "The Spirit Knows the Future") H W Beecher on the Purpose of Prophecy - I am profoundly affected by the grandeur of prophecy. God unveils the frescoed wall of the future, not so much that we may count the figures, and measure the robes, and analyze the pigments; but that, gazing upon it, our imaginations may be enkindled, and hope be inspired, to bear us through the dismal barrenness of the present. Prophecy was not addressed to the reason, nor to the statistical faculty, but to the imagination; and I should as soon think of measuring love by the scales of commerce, or of admiring flowers by the rule of feet and inches, or of applying arithmetic to taste and enthusiasm, as calculations and figures to these grand evanishing signals which God waves in the future only to tell the world which way it is to march. Jesus spoke of the inestimable value of prophecy: And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe. (Jn 14:29) From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am [He] (see discussion of "ego eimi"). (Jn 13:19) Abraham Kuyper - As Christ declares, the purpose of prophecy is to predict future things so that the events predicted having come to pass, the Church may believe and confess that it was the Lord's work. In the Old Testament Jehovah repeatedly extols the value of prophecy:- Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. (Isaiah 41:23) Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you. (Isaiah 42:9) Adrian Rogers - About the year 100 to 165 A.D., there was a brilliant philosopher whose name was Justin. He was not a believer, but he began to study Bible prophecy. And, as Justin studied Bible prophecy, this great intellect became convinced that the Bible is the inspired Word of God—so much that he died for his faith, and we now call him Justin the Martyr. What brought Justin to believe is this. And, I want to quote his words. Listen to his testimony. He said, "To declare a thing shall come to pass long before it is in being and then bring it to pass, this or nothing is the work of God." What he's saying is this: that fulfilled prophecy is one of the great confirmations that there is a God and that God is the God of this book. "Things which must come to pass" (Revelation 1:1). You can bank on it—the sureness of it. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19) And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'" (Isaiah 44:7, 8) Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure. (Isaiah 46:9, 10) In Ezekiel God gives a prophecies some 63 times and follows with the statement that when it comes to pass "they will know that I am the LORD (Jehovah)." (e.g., Ezek 37:12, 13, Ezek 37:27, 28, etc) And as Warren