I picked up my children from school this afternoon, and one was upset and concerned because he had gone to the wrong place (for some reason) and could not find me. He feared he had been left behind at school. I would never knowingly do that if it was in my power, of course, but the fear pops into a child’s head, just like the fear you have got on the wrong plane or train in an adult’s mind. Thankfully, it was nothing a good hug could not fix.
The Thessalonian church were worried that they had been left behind in a sense as well. Except it was a far greater concern than missed parents or missed transport; it was a concern that they had missed Jesus’ return. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to calm their concerns. They had not been left behind. They had not missed the final completion of their salvation. Neither have you.
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians had covered the topic of Christ’s return. When Christ came, both the living and dead in Christ would rise to be with him (1 Thess. 4:13-18). That actual date would come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:1-8). They were not destined for wrath but salvation, and this was cause for encouragement (1 Thess 5:9-11).
In his second letter, Paul taught that at Christ’s return would bring good news for believers and doom for unbelievers who rebel against God and persecute God’s faithful (2 Thess 1:5-12).
But what if they had missed it? That was what worried the Thessalonians. Somehow, they had come to believe that they had missed Christ’s return, somehow. In some way, it had already begun. But if that was the case, why were they still undergoing persecution and affliction?
Paul turned to this worry in chapter 2. The main topic Paul addressed was “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him” (v.1). Word had reached Paul that some of them had become “quickly shaken in mind or alarmed” (v.2) and he asked that they not be so.
Perhaps through ill intent, or a misunderstanding, the Thessalonians believed that Paul had taught Jesus had already returned. Paul, who had not made it there in person to find out, thought this was due to “either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come” (v.2).
Whether by some prophetic utterance or a claimed teaching, or a forged letter claiming to be from Paul, somehow they had the wrong end of the stick. But what mattered more to Paul than how they had been led amiss was the content of that teaching. It was certainly not apostolic teaching from Paul.
Paul proceeded to explain why they had not been left behind. “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction” (v.3).
Just as you cannot put away clean clothes until they have been washed, dried, and folded, so too Jesus would not return without specific events first. Paul described those as a rebellion, and the revelation of the man of lawlessness.
As Jesus taught before he died, there would be various signs that preceded his return and the end of the age (cf. Matthew 24, Luke 22, Mark 13). Some of these involve the advance of the Gospel. Some are signs of God’s pending judgement. And some are signs of opposition to God.
Paul is speaking here of signs indicating opposition to God. Paul indicates that there will be a period of more intense rebellion against God and the revealing of a final, single Antichrist figure before Jesus returned. Since that had not happened yet, the Thessalonians could relax. Jesus had not returned and forgot about them.
Fears of Jesus’ return seem to pop up like mushrooms throughout Church history, and it is no less true today. Go to some sections of a Christian bookstore, and you can have your fill of fiction and non-fiction claiming it has happened, is happening, or will happen next week.
The truth is, we do not know for sure. No man knows the hour (Matt. 24:36). It could be next week. It could be yet a while longer. We should not get overly worried about world events, but focus on the big picture – Jesus is coming back.
Instead, like the virgins of Jesus’ parable (Matt. 25), we should be ready for Christ’s imminent return. Ready to endure a period of trial if necessary, and ready to not follow false Christs that arise. And ready not to submit to the rebellion of this present age, even if it means we suffer at the hands of everyone from political and economic elites to our unbelieving neighbours, friends, and family.
The final completion of our salvation at Christ’s return awaits. They had not missed it. Neither have you.