2 Tessalonicenses 1
John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Tessalonicenses 1
Phillips - It will be a day of "splendor unimaginable." Amazing! Unbelievable! Awesome! So, over against their present persecutions, privations, and pains, Paul sets that glorious day when we shall be paraded before the universe to hear the cheers and hosannas of the angels. As Paul told the Corinthians, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17). The angelic hosts have long wondered about the mystery of God's interest in, love for, and dealings with the human race generally and the church particularly. When He laid the earth's primeval foundations, they sang and shouted for joy (Job 38:4-7). They visited this planet on numerous occasions during the Old Testament age. They crowded around the cradle and awoke the echoes of the Judean hills when heaven's Beloved was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8-15). They dogged His earthly pathway from His cradle to His grave. They are now servants of those who are salvation's heirs (Heb. 1:14). They desire to look into these things (1 Peter 1:12). One day they will understand. The church will be God's object lesson to the universe of His grace, kindness, and wisdom (Eph. 1:7; 3:10). They have glimmerings of it now. They will see it fully then. The coming of Christ in glory will make it all clear. He will be gloried in His saints. An admiring universe will look at us and glorify Him. Be marveled at (2296)(thaumazo rom thauma = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, marvel, be struck with admiration or astonishment, be surprised by the unexpected (WE THINK WE CAN IMAGINE HIS FUTURE GLORY -- BUT WE CANNOT AND IT WILL BE BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION! O GLORIOUS DAY!). Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form (Mt 9.33). Be surprised (Gal 1:6). It denotes incredulous surprise. Luke uses thaumazo to express reaction to miraculous events or to teaching (cf. Lk 1:63; 2:18; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14; 20:26). Believed (4100)(pisteuo) means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust. In context of the NT it means to accept God, Jesus, His Gospel, as true, genuine, or real and have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of God to do what He promises to do. The idea is to entrust oneself to God in complete confidence. For our testimony to you was believed (pisteuo) - NIV, ESV have "because you believed our testimony to you." The testimony of Paul, Silvanus and Timothy in Thessalonica was received and believed by the recipients of this letter. Ray Stedman on for our testimony to you was believed - That last clause, "because our testimony to you was believed," is simply Paul's way of expounding on the little word all: all who have believed. In fact the New International Version renders it, "this includes you because you believed our testimony." That is what Paul means. God will not glorify us because we have lived a good, decent life, or anything like that. Scripture never puts it on that basis. Rather, our glorification is based upon the fact that we have believed that Another did something for us. Another died in our place, and God has honored the death of that Other to such a degree that he offers to accept us, with our terrible record of failure and defeat, and to offer us an eternity of delight and glory with him. That is what the apostle is setting forth here. (Sermon)
2 Tessalonicenses 1
Phillips says "Paul himself seems to have been overwhelmed at the magnificence of this prospect. As usual, when Paul found himself overwhelmed, he prayed! "Wherefore also we pray always for you," he says. Paul did not pray just when he was in a tight corner; he also prayed when he was in a bright corner." (Ibid) A T Robertson on to this end also - So Col. 1:29+ ("For this purpose also"). Probably purpose with reference to the contents of 2 Thes 1:5-10. We have had the Thanksgiving (2 Th 1:3-10) in a long, complicated, but rich period or sentence. Now he makes a brief Prayer (verses 11 and 12) that God will fulfil all their hopes and endeavours. Paul and his colleagues can still pray for them though no longer with them. (Word Pictures) We (Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) pray (present tense - continually, cf 1Th 1:2+ above) for you always (pantote - at all times), that (hina - purpose, introduces content of prayer) our (intimacy, personal relationship) God will count you worthy of your calling - Paul has just stated that their persecutions and afflictions were "a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering." (2 Th 1:5+). Count you worthy can mean "make worthy," for it ultimately is the Spirit's sanctifying work which makes us worthy. Your calling speaks of the effectual call of the Spirit which is opposed to a general call (as in Mt 22:14).