Ambrosiaster : He writes to them with solemn words; for the beginning of the discourse is contained in the head of the letter: and these three, by whose names it is written, are the same as in the first letter. — Commentary on 2 Thessalonians Haimo of Auxerre : The first letter that was written to the them, where it comes to the place where the Apostle speaks of the role of the elect who are still alive on the Day of Judgment, saying, "Then we who are still alive, who are left, suddenly will be caught up with them to meet Christ in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17), they were upset and utterly terrified, since they thought that the Apostle was saying that in his own lifetime, and thus in theirs, too, the Lord would come in judgment. They were afraid that they would be cast into the dungeon of eternal punishment with the Devil, because, as latecomers to the faith, they were imperfect. So the Apostle wrote this second letter to them as soon as he learned of their despair. In it he indicated to them that the Day of Judgment was not yet imminent in their lifetime. He also announces the coming and the death of the Antichrist. John Chrysostom : The greater part of men do and devise all things with a view to ingratiate themselves with rulers, and with those who are greater than themselves; and they account it a great thing, and think themselves happy, if they can obtain that object. But if to obtain favor with men is so great an advantage, how great must it be to find favor with God? On this account he always thus prefaces his Epistle, and invokes this upon them, knowing that if this be granted, there will be nothing afterwards grievous, but whatever troubles there may be, all will be done away. And that you may learn this, Joseph was a slave a young man, inexperienced, unformed, and suddenly the direction of a house was committed to his hands, and he had to render an account to an Egyptian master. And you know how prone to anger and unforgiving that people is, and when authority and power is added, their rage is greater, being inflamed by power. And this too is manifest from what he did afterwards. For when the mistress made accusation, he bore with it. And yet it was not the part of those who held the garment, but of him who was stripped, to have suffered violence. For he ought to have said, If he had heard that thou didst raise thy voice, as thou sayest, he would have fled, and if he had been guilty, he would not have waited for the coming of his master. But nevertheless he took nothing of this sort into consideration, but unreasonably giving way altogether to anger, he cast him into prison. So thoughtless a person was he. And yet even from other things he might have conjectured the good disposition and the intelligence of the man. But nevertheless, because he was very unreasonable, he never considered any such thing. He therefore who had to do with such a harsh master, and who was intrusted with the administration of his whole house, being a stranger, and solitary, and inexperienced; when God shed abundant grace upon him, passed through all, as if his temptations had not even existed, both the false accusation of his mistress, and the danger of death, and the prison, and at last came to the royal throne. "Grace to you and peace," he says, "from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." — Homily 2 on 2 Thessalonians John Chrysostom : This blessed man therefore saw how great is the grace of God, and on this account he invokes it upon them. And another thing also he effects, wishing to render them well-disposed to the remaining part of the Epistle; that, though he should reprove and rebuke them, they might not break away from him. For this reason he reminds them before all things of the grace of God, mollifying their hearts, that, even if there be affliction, being reminded of the grace by which they were saved from the greater evil, they may not despair at the less, but may thence derive consolation. As also elsewhere in an Epistle he has said, "For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life." — Homily 2 on 2 Thessalonians