Auditorium Class Fall 2013

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

2:1-12 Paul cautioned the Thessalonians not to be deceived by anyone to believe that the day of Christ was at hand. Paul said that there would first be an apostasy and the “man of sin” would be revealed. Wickedness was already at work, but the Lord would destroy the lawless one when he came. A love for the truth would keep one from being deceived by this lawless one.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 2:1-12 Questions Paul did not want the brethren to be troubled thinking that what was “at hand”? (2) What would come first before the day of Christ? (3) From verses 3-4; 9, describe the man of sin. From verse 5, what surprised Paul? (2 Peter 1:13, 3:1) When the Lord came, he would destroy this wicked one. Until that time, what two things were (or are) going on? (6-7) From verses 9-11, what would cause one to perish? From verse 12 what will cause one to be saved?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 2:13-17 Paul was thankful for the Thessalonians because they were beloved of God. These brethren had heard the gospel and believed it. Paul wanted them then to stand fast and hold to the apostle’s doctrine whether it came by word or by letter. The Lord Jesus and God the Father give us hope through grace, comfort us, and establish us for every good word and work.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 2:13-17 Questions According to verse 13, what does God use to save man? (John 6:44-45; John 8:32, 1 Peter 1:23, Romans 1:16) According to verse 14, what is the intended result of man’s response to the gospel? (1 Thessalonians 4:17, Romans 2:7) What kind of traditions matter? Consider verse 15 in connection with verses From a positive standpoint, what is unquestionably possible to do? (Luke 8:15, John 8:31, 2 Peter 1:10, Jude 24)

The coming of the Lord (1-8) Beware of deception (9-12)

The coming of the Lord (1-8)

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 The day of the Lord was not “at hand”. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Other passages using the word here translated “at hand”: Romans 8:38 “nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come” 1 Corinthians 3:22 “or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” 1 Corinthians 7:26 “good for the present distress” Galatians 1:4 “deliver us from this present evil world” 2 Timothy 3:1 “perilous times shall come.” Hebrews 9:9 “a figure for the time then present” The Lord would not come until there had been a “falling away” and “the man of sin” had been revealed.

Consider again how the “day of the Lord” is used in the following contexts. Is there anything that would limit this day to “AD70” and the destruction of Jerusalem? 1 Thessalonians 4: Thessalonians 1: Peter 3:1-11 Consider again how the “day of the Lord” is used in the context of Joel and Matthew. Each of these contexts limits the “day of the Lord” to something within that book’s own respective period of history. Joel 2:1-11, reference 1:4, 2:25 Matthew 24:1-34, reference 24:15-16, 33-34

Consider the next few slides regarding how we understand any literature that is written in our own language.

Rules Of Hermeneutics = Plain Sense Taking the obvious meaning for a verse should be one of the top two or three rules of hermeneutics (after the Bible does not contradict itself). Notice how this is expressed in David Cooper’s Golden Rule Of Interpretation: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages, and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” In other words, we should always accept a text at simple face value, unless something else in the Bible forces us to do otherwise. Slide taken from “The Plain Meaning of Scripture” Pat Donahue -

Understand The Bible Like Anything Else As we know, the Bible is to be understood just like any uninspired document written by men. Ephesians 3:3-4 says “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge.” II Corinthians 1:13 reads “For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand …” (NASV). To understand uninspired literature, we take what it says at face value unless something dictates otherwise. Clearly we should do the same with inspired texts. After all, God is communicating with us in our language (not his). Slide taken from “The Plain Meaning of Scripture” Pat Donahue -

Literal Language Is The Rule Notice further this quote from D.R. Dungan’s book “Hermeneutics: The Science of Interpreting the Scriptures” (pg.184, ): “All words are to be understood in their literal sense, unless the evident meaning of the context forbids. - Figures are the exception, literal language the rule; hence we are not to regard anything as figurative until we feel compelled to do so by the evident import of the passage. … here great caution should be observed. We are very apt to regard contexts as teaching some theory... in our minds. And having so determined, anything to the contrary will be regarded as a mistaken interpretation; hence, if the literal meaning of the words shall be found to oppose our speculations, we are ready to give to the words in question some figurative import that will better agree with our preconceived opinions. Let us be sure that the meaning of the author has demanded that the language be regarded in a figurative sense, and that it is not our theory which has made the necessity.” Slide taken from “The Plain Meaning of Scripture” Pat Donahue -

Conclusion The following quote found often found in Albert Barnes’ commentaries sums up well what I have been trying to say about taking the Bible for what it says in a direct way: “Because it seems to be the most obvious. It is that which will strike plain men as being the natural meaning; men who have not a theory to support, and who understand language in its usual sense.” It seems for the most part we have gotten away from taking the plain and obvious meaning of passages. And it is leading to false conclusions. God has made his law the way "he hath pleased" (Psalms 115:3). Not accepting what he says because it is hard, or we don't agree with it, or don’t like it, or can't understand how it could be that way, or because we don't think it is fair is totally disrespectful towards his authority (Matt 28:18). Slide taken from “The Plain Meaning of Scripture” Pat Donahue -

Review the events at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in 1 and 2 Thessalonians and 2 Peter 3. (2 Thessalonians 2:1):  God will bring the dead in Christ with him (they will rise first) 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16  Those in Christ who are alive when Jesus comes will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thessalonians 4:17  Jesus will come with his mighty angels 2 Thessalonians 1:7  Jesus will take vengeance on those that do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of Christ 2 Thessalonians 1:9  The earth and the works in it will be burned up 2 Peter 3:7, 10 Why would we not understand that the Lord’s return, the resurrection of the dead and the destruction of this earth is literal in these passages?

Beware of deception (9-12)

Examples:  Gen 3:4-6, 2 Corinthians 11:3 “ye shall not surely die”  Galatians 1:8-9; 3:1; 5:7 “who did hinder you”  1 Kings 13 “but he lied unto him” (18) Love the truth that we may be saved:  John 8:31-32 “ye shall know the truth”  Matthew 5:6 “hunger and thirst”  Matthew 7:7 “seek and ye shall find”  John 7:17 “he shall know of the doctrine”  Acts 15:2; 17:11; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 2:15 read, study and discuss the scriptures

Schedule 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18