ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE I. (1:1-2) 1Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly of Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1-2. The superscription differs from that of I 1:1 (q. v.) in adding after πατρι the ἡμῶ , thus expressing the sense of common fellowship in the Father (cf. I 1:3); and in adding after εἰρήν the clause with ἀπο which makes explicit the source of the divine favour and spiritual prosperity, God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The clause with ἀπο appears in all Pauline superscriptions except I; Colossians 1:1, however, omits καὶκυρίουἸ .Χ Usually ἡμῶ (א A, et al., omit) is found after πατρό (BD, et al., here; א A, et al., in Galatians 1:3), except in Galatians 1:3 (BD, et al.) where it is put after κυρίο On the inscription πρὸςθες B (א BA, et al.), see on I 1:1. II. AND PRAYER (1:3-12) Word has come to Paul, probably by letter, informing him of the increased discouragement of the faint-hearted (1:3-2:17) and the continued troublesomeness of the idlers (3:6-15). Cast down by the persistent persecution, worried by the assertion of some that the day of the Lord is present, and anxious lest they might not be deemed worthy of entrance into the kingdom, the faint-hearted had given utterance to their despair by saying that they were not entitled to the praise of their faith and love, and especially of their endurance which Paul had generously given in his first epistle. To these utterances, reflected in the letter from Thessalonica, Paul replies at once in the Thanksgiving (vv. 3-10) and Prayer (vv. 11-12) by insisting that he ought to thank God for them, as is most proper under the circumstances because their growth in faith and brotherly love is steady (v. 3). In fact, contrary to their expectations, he is boasting everywhere of their endurance and faith in the midst of persecution (v. 4). They need not worry about their future salvation, for their constant endurance springing from faith is positive proof that God the righteous Judge will, in keeping with his purpose, deem them worthy of entrance into the kingdom on behalf of which they as well as Paul are suffering (v. 5). It will not always be well with their persecutors, for God, since he is righteous in judgment, will recompense them with affliction as he will recompense the converts with relief from the same, a relief which Paul also will share (vv. 6-7a). God will do so at the Great Assize (vv. 7b-10) when the wicked, those, namely, who do not reverence God and do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus, will receive as their punishment separation forever from Christ, on the very day when the righteous in general, and, with an eye to the faint-hearted, all who became believers will be the ground of honour and admiration accorded to Christ by the retinue of angels. In order to reach this glorious consummation, however, the converts must be blameless in goodness and love; hence Paul prays as the converts were praying not only that God may deem them worthy of his call, that is, acquit them at the last day, but also, to insure this acquittal, that he may perfect them morally; in order that finally the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified in virtue of what they are, and that they may be glorified in virtue of what the name of our Lord Jesus has accomplished. This glorification is in accordance with the divine favour of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That the purpose of 1:3-2:17 is the encouragement of the faint-hearted is evident from the emphasis put on the certainty of the readers’ salvation (1:5-12, 2:13-17), and from the express statement, purposely added after the destruction of the Anomos, that the advent of the Anomos is intended not for believers, but for unbelievers who have doomed themselves (2:8-12). That Paul is replying to a letter from Thessalonica is a hypothesis (not excluded by ἀκούομε 3:11) which admirably accounts for the emphasis on ὀφείλομε (v. 3, 2:13), καθὼςἄξιο (v. 3), αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ (v. 4) and και in εἰςὃκαι (v. 11), and for the exegetical difficulties in 3:1-5. See Bacon, Introd. 72. 3We ought, brothers, to thank God always for you, as it is proper, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love for one another of each one of you all is increasing, 4so that we ourselves are boasting of you in the assemblies of God, of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and afflictions which you bear— 5proof positive of the righteous judgment of God that you should be deemed worthy of the kingdom of God for which you too as well as we are suffering;— righteous judgment of God, we say, 6if indeed (as it certainly is) righteous in God’ s sight to recompense affliction to those who afflict you; 7and to you who are afflicted, relief with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with his angels of power, 8in fire of flame, rendering vengeance to those who know not God and to those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9who shall be punished with eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, 10when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and admired in all those who became believers (for our testimony to you was believed) in that day. 11To which end we too, as well as you, pray always for you that our God may deem you worthy of the calling and may fulfil every resolve after goodness and work of faith in power; 12in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in it, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. εὐχαριστεῖνὀφείλομενκτλ . “ We ought, as is manifestly fitting, proper, worth while, in spite of your remonstrances, to thank God always for your growing faith and brotherly love.” To account for the emphasis on ὀφείλομε , a word only here and 2:13 in Paul’ s thanksgivings, and on καθὼςἄξιο which resumes it, it may be assumed that Paul is replying to the utterances of the faint-hearted, communicated to him in a letter from Thessalonica, to the effect that they did not consider themselves worthy of the kingdom or entitled to the praise accorded them in the first epistle. Since καθώ in Paul is slightly causal (Bl 78:1), it cannot indicate the degree (Th. Mops.) or the manner (Wohl. who refers to 1 Corinthians 8:2) of εὐχαριστεῖν but must resume and explain ὀφείλομε (Born Dob.). If ὀφείλομε stood alone, it might be interpreted as a general expression of personal obligation (Romans 15:1) in view of the progress of the readers, or as a liturgical formula εὐχαριστεῖ ). Similarly if we had had εὐχαριστοῦμε and καθὼςἄξιόνἐστιν the latter clause might have expressed what was proper in view of the growth of the converts or have been purely liturgical . The resumption, however, of ὀφείλομενινκαθώςκτλ reveals not liturgical tautology (Jowett) but an emphasis due to special circumstances.— That Paul is no slave of epistolary form is evident from the present thanksgiving. Here as in 1 Corinthians 1:4, Colossians 1:3, the πάντω of the common πάντοτεπερὶπάντωνὑμῶ (I 1:2) is omitted; the prayer which is usually associated with the thanksgiving (I 1:2) is omitted here as in 1 Corinthians 1:4; here as in Romans 1:8 he passes directly from εὐχαρ . τοὅτ , while the prayer comes in Romans 1:10 and here in v. 11. In Philippians 1:3, Colossians 1:3, the thanksgiving and prayer are closely united as in I 1:2, but a further προσεύχεσθα is added in Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9 as in v. 11 below. The address ἀδελφοι usually comes later (I 1:4, Galatians 1:11, etc.: it does not appear at all in Col. Eph.); its place here at the start betrays at once Paul’ s affection for his converts.— ἄξιο is rare in Paul, but common elsewhere in Gk. Bib.; on ἄξιο cf. 1 Corinthians 16:4, 1 Corinthians 16:4 Mac. 17:8. Th. Mops. takes it as = δίκαιο (Philippians 1:7); its presence here prepares the way for καταξιωθῆνα (v. 5) and ἀξιώσῃ (v. 11). ὅτιὑπεραυξάνεικτλ . With causal ὅτ dependent on εὐχαριστεῖ (I 1:1, 2:13), he gives the reason for the thanksgiving, namely, the very abundant growth of the tree of religious life , and the abundance of the fruit of the same (cf. Philippians 4:17, Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:10) in their ethical life as manifested in the brotherhood (ἡἀγάπ (sc. η and cf. I 3:12) εἰςἀλλήλου , or φιλαδελφί ). This thanksgiving differs from that in I where “ work of faith,” “ labour of love,” and “ endurance of hope” are mentioned, and also from I 3:6 where faith and love are referred to. In thus singling out brotherly love, Paul expresses his appreciation of the fact that love to brothers (I 4:9) is abounding as he exhorted (I 4:10) and prayed (I 3:12) in his first letter. But in order to make plain that he includes in his praise each and every one of them, even the idlers who are troublesome (3:6-15), he adds to ἡἀγάπηεἰςἀλλήλου not only the individualising ἑνὸςἑκάστουὑμῶ (I 2:11) but also πάντω , which precludes any exception. ὑπεραυξάνει , only here in Gk. Bib., is classic. Paul is fond of compounds with ὑπέ (see I 3:10); if he does not find them he coins them. On the simple αὐξάνει , see 2 Corinthians 10:15; on πλεονάζει , here as usual intransitive, see I 3:12; on ἡπίστιςὑμῶ , see I 1:8, 3:2 ff. αὐξάνει and πλεονάζει , only here in Gk. Bib., are in synonymous parallelism; cf. πλεονάζει and περισσεύει in I 3:12 cf. 2 Corinthians 4:15). Olshausen (apud Lü n.) takes ὑπεραυξάνε as indicating that the converts were guilty of extravagance in their religious zeal, thus introducing a thought like that of Ps. Sol. 5:19 (cf. 5:6) ἐὰνὑπερπλεονάσῃἐξαμαρτάνε Schrader and Pelt suggest that I 3:12 is in mind, and that the omission of καὶεἰςπάντα shows that the converts do not love the Gentiles. Schmiedel and Holtzmann, on the assumption that II is a forgery, find here a literary reminiscence of I 2:11 and 3:12. Wrede (85) is less certain, but thinks that πάντω might easily come from I 1:2 (so Schmiedel).— The emphasis on the progress of faith (ὑπεραυξάνε , not αὐξάνε , as Chrys. notes) is evidence that II is written after, not before (Grot. Ewald), I. 4. ὥστεαὐτοὺςἡμᾶςκτλ The consequence of their progress in faith and brotherly love is that Paul and his associates can and do boast of them everywhere. We have, however, not ἡμᾶ alone but αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ ; a contrast is intended. In I 4:9, αὐτοὶὑμεῖ finds its antithesis in ἡμᾶ supplied from the subject of γράφει ; here no antithesis to αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ is distinctly stated, though ἐνὑμῖ , the emphatically placed object of καυχᾶσθα , suggests the Thessalonians. Precisely what prompts the expression is uncertain; probably Paul has in mind the utterances of the faint-hearted to the effect that their faith and love, and especially their endurance (which, as ὑπέρκτλ shows, is the main theme of Paul’ s exultation) were not worthy of the praise bestowed by the Apostle in I. To these remonstrances he replies: “ So that we ourselves, contrary to your expectations, are boasting.” Had Paul written not αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ but καὶἡμᾶ , the point would have been that the converts as well as Paul found the Thess. an object of boasting; or that Paul as well as others in general or in particular the αὐτοι of I 1:9 found the Thess. an object of boasting. But αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ indicates not a reciprocal relation but a contrast. Bacon (Introd. 74) interprets differently: “ The Thess. had written that they boasted of the apostles against the slanderers; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:14.” In this “ significant and inimitable ὥστεαὐτοὺςἡμᾶ ” κτλ (Bacon), Wrede (cf. Schmiedel) finds an assertion of apostolic dignity , and also a literary reminiscence of I 1:8-9 ὥστ … ἡμᾶ … αὐτοι — In αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ (Bא , et al.; cf. αὐτὸςἐγω Romans 7:25, Romans 7:9:3, Romans 7:15:14, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 12:13), αὐτού gets the emphasis; in ἡμᾶςαὐτού (ADGFKL, et al.; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:13, 1 Corinthians 7:35, 1 Corinthians 11:13, Romans 16:2) ἡμᾶ ἐνὑμῖν . ἐνκαυχᾶσθαικτλ The two clauses with ἐ specify respectively the object and the place of boasting. By putting the contrasted persons ἡμᾶ and ἐνύμῖ side by side, and by choosing ἐνκαυχᾶσθα instead of καυχᾶσθα , he intensifies the point . The place is described, as in 1 Corinthians 11:16, without geographical limitations, as “ the churches of God” (I 2:14). To insist that every church founded up to this time has heard Paul boast, orally or in writing, of the Thessalonians, or to restrict the reference to the churches of God in Corinth and its vicinity (or more exactly to the church of God in Corinth and the brethren round about), is to forget the enthusiasm of Paul and the compliment which he is paying to his readers (cf. ἐνπαντὶτόπῳ I 1:8). On this interpretation, see Dob. For ἐνκαυχᾶσθα (Bא A; ἐγκαυχᾶσθα P), DEKL, et al., have καυχᾶσθα , and GF καυχήσασθα The compound is rare in Gk. Bib. (Psalms 51:3, 73:4, 96:7, 105:47; cf. Psalms 100:1 Clem. 21:5); it is always construed with ἐ of the object. Of the mainly Pauline words καυχᾶσθαι , κατακαυχᾶσθαι , καύχημ and καύχησι (I 2:19), καυχᾶσθα is in Gk. Bib. usually construed with ἐ , rarely with ἐπι (Psalms 5:12, Psalms 48:7, Sir. 30:2, Proverbs 25:14); cf. Romans 5:2 with 5:3. Here, as in Galatians 6:13, the clause with ἐ precedes the verb. Polycarp 11:3 has our verse in mind when he writes de vobis etenim gloriatur in omnibus ecclesiis; cf. 11:4 et non sicut inimzicos tales existimetis with 3:15 of our letter. ὑπὲρτῆςὑπομονῆςκτλ The clause with ὑπέ resumes ἐνὑηῖ , and specifies the qualities about which he boasted, namely, their endurance and faith manifested in persecutions. Though faith and persecution are inseparable, as the omission of the article before πίστεω reveals, the ethical takes precedence of the religious from which it springs and of which it is the fruit and evidence (Calvin). The selection not of faith and brotherly love (v. 3) but of faith and endurance, and the position of ὑπομονη before πίστι (cf. Philemon 1:5) are probably due to the utterances of the faint-hearted who had remonstrated against Paul’ s praise of their endurance and faith (I 1:3) in his first epistle. Here ὑπέ (contrast 2 Corinthians 7:14, 2 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Corinthians 12:15) is equivalent to περι (2 Corinthians 10:8; see below 2:1 and cf. I 5:10). In view of the context and of the usage elsewhere in I, II, πίστι is “ faith” not “ faithfulness” (Bengel, Lü n., Born; cf. Galatians 5:22). Unnecessary is the assumption of a hendiadys whether fidei vestrae firmitatem (Th. Mops.) or ὑπομονὴἐνπίστε (Grot.). ἐνπᾶσιντοῖςδιωγμοῖςκτλ The fourth prepositional phrase in this verse (cf. I 3:7-8 for a similar heaping up of prepositions), namely, ἐνπᾶσι … ἀνέχεσθ , states the circumstances in which (I 3:3) their endurance and faith were manifested: “ in all your persecutions and afflictions that you are bearing.” The ὑμῶ binds together the virtually synonymous διωγμοῖ and θλίψεσι ; and the αἷ , which refers to both nouns, agrees in ender with the nearer. The πᾶσι intimates that the persecutions have been repeated (“ not in one but in all,” Ephr.); and the ἀνέχεσθ , that they are still going on; while the emphasis on both πᾶσι and ἀνέχεσθ serves to convey rare praise for the unexceptional constancy of their endurance and faith. The construction assumed above is on the whole the simplest. Some commentators (e. g. Lü n.), forgetting that the presence of ταῖ (which DGFP omit) does not prevent ὑμῶ from uniting the synonymous words , attach πᾶσι to διωγμοῖ alone (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:7), making αἶςἀνέχεσθ parallel to ὑμῶ (cf. Philemon 1:5, and Colossians 1:4 τὴνπίστινὑμῶνκαὶτὴνἀγάπηνἤνἔχετ , where faith and love are not synonymous): “ in all the persecutions you have and the afflictions which you are bearing.” On the other hand, Dob., who takes ἕνδειγμ as a predicate noun after αἶςἁνέχεσθ , breaks the rhythm by putting a comma after θλίψεσι , and is also led to understand ἀνέχεσθ of the necessity of enduring: “ which you have to endure as a proof,” etc. In the Gk. Bib., διωγμό means usually not “ pursuit” (2 Mac. 12:23) but “ persecution” (Lamentations 3:19, Mark 4:17, Matthew 13:21, Romans 8:35, 2 Corinthians 12:10). On the meaning of θλίψι , see I 1:6. The persecutions which marked the beginnings of Christianity in Thessalonica (I 1:6, 2:14) and which were going on when Paul wrote I (3:3; cf. 2:14 ff.) still continue, as the presents ἀνέχεσθ and πάσχετ show.— Since ἀνέχεσθα in Gk. Bib., when not used absolutely, is construed not with dat. but either with gen. (Genesis 45:1, Isaiah 46:4, 63:15, Isaiah 46:2 Mac. 9:12 and N. T.) or with accus. (Job 6:26 (where A has gen.) Isaiah 1:13, Isaiah 1:3 Mac. 1:22, Malachi 1:4 Mac. 13:27), αἶ is probably not directly governed by ἀνέχεσθ (Fritzsche, who notes Eurip. Androm. 981, Lft., Mill.) but is an attraction for ὦ , or less likely for ἄ Cod. B gets rid of the difficulty of the unusual attraction by reading ἐνέχεσθ , a rare word in Gk. Bib. (with dat. Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:3 Mac. 6:10; with ἐ and dat. Ezekiel 14:4, Ezekiel 14:7). But not even Weiss (35) accepts the reading of B. On the change of ἀ — and ἐ — , see Galatians 5:1 where D and a few minuscules read ἀνέχεσθ With our passage, compare 1 Corinthians 4:12 διωκόμενοιἀνεχόμεθ The ἐ which K reads before αἷ comes from the preceding— σι (Zim). 5. ἔνδειγμακτλ The faint-hearted need not worry about their future salvation, for the fact of their unexceptional endurance and faith in all their persecutions is itself a “ token,” “ guarantee,” “ positive evidence” of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5), already in purpose and soon to be declared, that they be deemed worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they, and Paul too, are continually suffering. The εἰςτὸκαταξιωθῆνα expresses the purpose of δικαίαςκρίσεω Since the object of boasting specified in v. 4 is not suffering, but the constancy of their endurance and faith in the midst of persecution, ἕνδειγμ is to be taken not with the idea of suffering alone, whether with ἀνέχεσθ or with ἐνπᾶσι … ἀνέχεσθ (Calv. et al.), but with the idea of endurance and faith in spite of persecutions, that is, with ὑπὲ … ἀνέχεσθ (De W., Lü n., Lillie, Ell., Lft., Mill., and others). ἔνδειγμ is probably an accus. in direct apposition with the preceding (cf. Romans 8:3, Romans 12:1); but it may be a nominative, in which case ὅἑστι is to be supplied on the analogy of Php 1:28. Ephr. and some minuscules read ἐνδείγματ ; Theophylact and Codex 442 have εἰςἔνδειγμ (cf. Romans 3:25); so similarly g, Vulg Ambst Syr. Arm have in exemplum. The distinction between the passive ἕνδειγμ (only here in Gk. Bib., but classic; cf. Plato, Critias, 110 C) and the active ἔνδειξι (in Gk. Bib. confined to Paul; Romans 3:25 f. 2 Corinthians 8:24, Philippians 1:28) is negligible; the meaning is demonstrationem (Th. Mops.), ostentamen (Tert. apud Swete). That εἰςτόκτλ is to be connected not with ἀνέχεσθ (Bengel) leaving ἔνδειγμ … θεου as a parenthesis, or with ἔνδειγμ … θεου (Schott), or with ἔνδειγμ (Wohl.), but with δικαίαςκρίσεω is usually admitted (De W., Lü n., Lft., Vincent, Dob., et al.). But εἰςτο , since the telic sense is not always evident in Paul (see I 2:12), might denote either the content of the judgment , or the “ object to which it tended” (Ell.; Lillie), or the result conceived or actual (Lü n.). In Paul, εἰςτο is most frequently of purpose (BMT 409); and this is the probable meaning here (so among others De W. Alford, Ewald, Dob.). καταξιό , only here in Paul (but frequent in Ignatius), means either “ beseech” (2 Mac. 13:12) or, as elsewhere in Gk. Bib., “ deem worthy” (Luke 20:35, Acts 5:41, Acts 5:4 Mac. 18:3). It intensifies the simple άξιό (a word used by Paul only in v. 11, but found elsewhere in the N. T. and frequently in Lxx). In the N. T. καταξιό and ἀξιό (except. Acts 15:38, Acts 28:22 where the meaning is “ beseech,” “ command,” as regularly in the Lxx) are to be rendered not “ make worthy,” but “ deem worthy” (cf. SH 30 ff.). Dalman (Worte Jesu, I, 97) observes that “ to be worthy of the future æ on” is a common rabbinical expression. On βασιλεί , see I 2:12. ὑπὲρἦςκαὶπάσχετ . “ For which you too (as well as we, that is, the writers) are suffering.” The present tense designates the sufferings as going on; ὑπὲρἦ makes plain that the motive or goal of suffering is none other than the future kingdom of God; και implies a fellowship in present sufferings of readers (at home) and writers (in Corinth), and prepares the way for the significant ἄνεσινμεθ ʼ ὑμῶ (v. 7). It is probable that και here and μεθ ʼ ἡμῶ (v. 7) are due to Paul’ s experiences in Corinth (cf. 3:2); on και , cf. I 2:13, 3:5, 5:25, 2 Corinthians 1:6. Most commentators, however, interpret και (which F omits) as implying a correspondence not between Paul and his readers in reference to suffering, but between present suffering and future glory; so, for example, Lft., who compares 2 Timothy 2:12, and Ell. who notes Romans 8:17, Acts 14:22 and says: “ και with a species of consecutive force supplies a renewed hint of the connection between suffering and the καταξιωθῆναικτλ ” (cf. also Wohl., Dob. and others). In the phrase πάσχεινὑπέ (Philippians 1:29, 1 Peter 2:21, Acts 9:16), ὑπέ may indicate advantage (Lft.), “ object for which” (Ell.), the motive or goal (“ to gain which” ; Lü n. Schmiedel, Dob.); but it is probably equivalent to περι (cf. v. 4, 2:1; also πάσχεινπερι 1 Peter 3:18 B and 2:21 A). On the thought of v. 5, cf. especially Philippians 1:28-30. 6-7a. εἴπερδίκαιονκτλ . The “ righteous judgment of God” (v. 5) is not only positive, the salvation of the readers (v. 5), but also positive and negative, in keeping with the principle of recompense sharply stated as the ius talionis, namely, θλίψι for your persecutors and ἄνεσι for you who are persecuted (cf. Luke 16:25). The principle is put conditionally , “ not indeed as if there were the least doubt respecting the righteousness of any part of the divine procedure in judging the world. On the contrary, it is the very certainty of that truth, as something altogether beyond cavil, that emboldens the writer, by a sort of logical meiosis, to argue from it conditionally” (Lillie; cf. Pelagius: hic “ si tamen” confirmantis sermo est, non dubitantis). ἄνεσινμεθ ʼ ὑμῶ . As there is a present fellowship of readers and writers in suffering (καὶπάσχετ v. 5), so also will there be a future fellowship in “ rest” or “ relief” from suffering,— a genuinely Pauline touch (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 1:6 ff. Philippians 1:30). On the positive side, ἄνεσι is entrance into the kingdom (v. 5) and eternal fellowship with the Lord . θλίψι is, according to v. 9, eternal separation from Christ, the precise opposite of I 4:17. The moral ground of ἅνεσι , not expressed at this point, is faith leading to endurance as v. 4 shows, the ὑμῖ who are persecuted being those who have exhibited an unusual endurance inspired by faith. The same stress on faith is seen in v. 10, “ all who became believers,” and in the explanatory clause with ὅτ The moral ground of θλίψι , not stated in our verse, is, in the light of v. 8, which describes “ those who do not reverence God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus,” the lack of faith and its moral expression. Though the ius talionis is here exhibited in its clearest form (Ell.), the persecutors of the readers are not the only ones who are to receive θλίψι , as is evident from Romans 2:8 ff. where the disobedient receive ὀργὴκαὶθυμός , θλίψιςκαὶστενοχωρί (cf. also I 4:6, Romans 12:19, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Colossians 3:24 ff., etc.). In Romans 8:18 ff., the believers are to get δόξ for their παθήματ ; in 2 Corinthians 4:17, δόξ for θλίψι On the Mosaic lex talionis, see the notes of Charles on Jub. 4:31, 48:14 and Montefiore on Matthew 5:38 ff.— εἵπε is found in Gk. Bib., apart from Paul, only Judith 6:9 Sus. (Th.) 54, 4 Mac. 11:7. The condition is of itself colourless, the truth or error of the assumption being found, if at all, in the context; here and elsewhere (unless 1 Corinthians 8:5 is excepted), the context implies the truth of the condition with εἴπε (Romans 3:30, Romans 3:8:9, Romans 3:17, 1 Corinthians 15:15, 2 Corinthians 5:3). Chrys. makes εἴπε = ἐπείπε — παρὰθεῷ (1 Corinthians 7:24) or παρὰτῷθεῷ (so A here; cf. Romans 2:11, Romans 2:13, Galatians 3:11, 1 Corinthians 3:19) = “ in the eyes of,” indice Deo; the day of judgment may here be in mind.— On δίκαιο , cf. Philippians 1:7; on θλίβει , I 3:4; on ἀνταποδιδόνα (I 3:9) as the expression of judicial recompense, cf. Romans 12:19 = Deuteronomy 32:35; also Isaiah 35:4, 59:18, 63:7, 66:4, Isaiah 35:6, Jeremiah 28:6, 24, 56 f. Sir. 32:11, etc.— ἄνεσι (2 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 2:7:5, 2 Corinthians 2:8:13; Acts 24:23; Lxx) denotes a let up from restraint; hence “ liberty,” “ license,” or, as here and 2 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Corinthians 7:8:13, “ relief” as opposed to θλίψι ; cf. ἀνάψυξι Acts 3:19. ἡμῶ refers here not to all Christians (De W.), not to the saints in Israel (Bengel, Ewald), but, in view of the specific ὑμᾶ and ὑμῖ and of καὶπάσχετ , which balances μεθ ʼ ἡμῶ , to Paul and his two associates (Lü n., Ell., Lft., Born, Mill., Dob.). In μεθ ʼ ἡμῶ as in αὐτοὺςἡμᾶ (v. 4), Schmiedel inclines to see the hand of a forger putting Paul in a position of apostolic eminence. On the other hand, Dob. remarks on μεθ ʼ ἡμῶ : “ these two little words belong to the genuine Pauline touches for the sake of which no one, with any feeling for the way in which the mind of Paul works, can give up the authenticity of this brief epistle.” 7b-10. The description of the advent unto judgment begins with a temporal phrase, ἐντῇἀποκαλύψεικτλ . which is to be attached to ἀνταποδιδόναικτλ (v. 6). First, with three prepositional adjuncts (cf. I 4:16), the external features of the revelation are described; then the function of the person revealed is indicated, the punishment of those who deserve it; then (v. 9), with οἵτινε resuming τοῖςμὴεἰδόσινκτλ and with δίκηντίσουσι resuming διδόντοςἐκδίκησι , the character of the punishment is exhibited, eternal separation from Christ; and finally, with ὅτανἔλθῃ (v. 10), which is grammatically connected with τίσουσι , the beginning of the eternal fellowship of the saints and all believers with their Lord is suggested, in that, because of what they are, honour and admiration are asscribed to Christ. In writing πᾶσιντοῖςπιστεύσασι to balance τοῖςἁγίοιςαὐτου , instead of τοῖςπιστεύουσι , Paul passes purposely from the general to the specific, having in mind the faint-hearted, as the parenthetical clause with ὅτ which refers distinctly to the welcome accorded to the gospel demonstrates. The ἐντῇἡμέρᾳ which belongs with the infinitives is suspended temporarily by the parenthesis, only to take its place at the end with a solemn effectiveness. As in I 4:16-17 so here it is Paul himself who is responsible for the rhythmical description in which only such features are mentioned as serve both to bring out the value of the judgment and to inspire hope and assurance in the hearts of the faint-hearted. Though the description abounds in reminiscences from the Lxx, there is but one approximately exact citation. ἀπὸπροσώπο … ἰσχύοςαὐτου (Isaiah 2:10; cf. ὄτανἕλθῃ 2:10 and ἐντῇἡμέρᾳἐκείνῃ 2:11). The passage abounds in allusions to or reminiscences of the Lxx, but the only exact quotation is in v. 9, taken from the refrain of Isa 2:10 which is repeated in 2:19, 21: ἀπὸπροσώπουτοῦφόβουκυρίουκαὶἀπὸτῆςδόξηςτῆςἰσχύοςαὐτοῦ , ὅτανἀναστῇθραῦσαιτὴνγῆ ; cf. ἐντῇἡμέρᾳἐκείνῃ 2:11, 17. Though the citation is evident, τοῦφόβο is omitted. Furthermore in v. 8 there is an apparent allusion to Isaiah 66:15: ἰδοὺγὰρκύριοςὡςπῦρἣξεικαὶὡςκαταιγὶςτὰἄρματααὐτοῦἀποδοῦναιἐνθυμῷἐκδίκησιναὐτοῦκαὶἀποσκορακισμὸναὐτοῦἐνφλογὶπυρό Paul, however, is composing not copying, as the unique parallelism τοῖςμὴεἰδόσινθεὸνκαὶτοῖςμὴὑπακούουσινκτλ suggests. At the same time, such passages as Jeremiah 10:25 (cf. Psalms 78:6): ἔκχεοντὸνθυμόνσουἐπὶἓθνητὰμὴεἰδότασεκαὶἐπὶγενεὰςαἳτὸὄνομάσουἐπεκαλέσαντ and Isaiah 66:4: ὅτιἐκάλεσααὐτοὺςκαὶοὐχὑπήκουσάνμου , ἐλάλησακαὶοὐκἤκουσα (cf. Isaiah 65:12) may have been running in his mind. In v. 10, where ἐνδοξασθῆνα and θαυμασθῆνα are in parallelism (cf. the description of God in Exodus 15:11), there seems to be a reminiscence of Psa 88:8: ὁθεὸςἐνδοξαζόμενοςἐνβουλῇἁγίων , μέγαςκαὶφοβερὸςἐπὶπάνταςτοὺςπερικύκλῳαὐτου , and of Ps. 67:35 : θαυμαστὸςὁθεὸςἐντοῖςἁγίοιςαὐτου ; cf. also Isaiah 49:3 and 66:5: εἴπατε , ἀδελφοὶἡμῶν , τοῖςμισοῦσινὑμᾶςκαὶβδελυσσομένοις , ἵνατὸὄνομακυρίουδοξασθῇ (cf. v. 12 of our chapter) καὶὀφθῆἐντῇεὐφροσύνηαὐτῶν , καὶἐκεῖνοιαἰσχυνθήσοντα Other words and phrases suggest the influence of non-canonical Jewish literature; e. g. ἀποκάλυψι (cf. Apoc. Bar. 29:3 with the note of Charles), ἀγγέλωνδυνάμεωςαὐτου , ὅλεθροςαἰώνιο (4 Mac. 10:15 (A); cf. Eth. En. 84:5 Ps. Sol. 2:35 (cf. 3:13) ἀπώλειααἰώνιο or (Gebhardt) αἰῶνο ). On the other hand, τίνεινδίκη , a classic expression, is not found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. ; so also the construction διδόναιἐκδίκησίντιν (Lxx has, however, ἀποδιδόνα or ἀνταποδιδόνα ; cf. Numbers 31:3, Sir. 12:6, 32:23). The aorist πιστεύσασι (v. 10) instead of the present is due to the situation. It happens that “ the gospel of our Lord Jesus” like “ the gospel of his Son” in Romans 1:9 is unique in Paul. While McGiffert (EB 5054) throws out the hint that vv. 6-10 are a possible interpolation, Born (cf. Find. lvii and Moff. Introd. 80) suggests that in vv. 6-10a or vv. 7b-10c Paul is citing or alluding to a Christian hymn. It has also been conjectured (cf. Encyc. Brit.11 XXVI, 841) that in vv. 7b-10 Paul is adapting to his own purposes a fragment of a Jewish apocalypse or a psalm like one of the Psalms of Solomon. The adaptation would consist in the insertion of Ἰησου (vv. 7, 8) and of the parenthesis ὅτ … ἐφ ʼ ὑμᾶ (v. 10); and in the substitution of εὐαγγελίῳ (v. 8) for, say, λόγῳ (cf. 2 Chronicles 11:4 A), and of πᾶσι and πιστεύσασι (v. 10) for, say, πιστεύουσι (Isaiah 28:16 B). The insertion of Ἰησου would occur to any Christian; but the change from λόγῳ to εὐαγγελίῳ betrays the hand of Paul, for ὑπακούειντῷεὐαγγελίῳ is found elsewhere in N. T. only Romans 10:16 ; and the change from πιστεύουσι to πᾶσινπιστεύσασι is, as the inserted clause with ὅτ demonstrates, due to one of the two main purposes of the epistle, the encouragement of the faint-hearted. Attractive as the hypothesis is and accounting as it does excellently for the position of ἐντῇἡμέρᾳἐκείνῃ , it is unnecessary (cf. Clemen, Paulus, I, 119). For Paul himself, it must be remembered, is quite competent in the Spirit to produce a rhythmical psalm, apocalypse, or prophecy. The description is fragmentary; expected details such as the burning fire, the angels of punishment, the torture of the wicked in the fire of hell in the presence of the righteous are conspicuously absent. The external features of the revelation are few in number and are selected with a view to enhancing the dignity of the Judge. The reason why he executes judgment is clearly stated; the sentence is pronounced simply as eternal separation from Christ, with no details as to the manner of executing the sentence or the nature of the separation. The reward of the righteous, the character of the future felicity is not dwelt upon; in fact, the reward is only intimated— in virtue of what the believers are, Christ receives glory and admiration. The concentration upon the essential and the sole interest in values which signalise the description point rather to the free composition of Paul, influenced by O. T. and later Jewish literature, as is also the case in I 4:16-17. 7b. ἐντῇἀποκαλύψεικτλ . With this clause, the time of the ἀνταποδοῦνα (v. 6) is indicated, “ at the revelation of the Lord Jesus” = “ when the Lord Jesus is revealed” . “ The advent is here conceived of not as a Parousia , but as a revelation (so 1 Corinthians 1:7; cf. Luke 17:30) of the Messiah, just as in the first epistle of Peter” (Briggs, Messiah of the Apostles, 90 ff.; cf. 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 1:13). Of the twenty-two instances of ἀποκάλυψι in the Gk. Bib., thirteen are in Paul. In the Lxx the word is used literally of uncovering (1 Reg. 20:30) and metaphorically of disclosing works or secrets (Sir. 11:27, 22:22, 42:1). In Paul, it denotes regularly a prophetic revelation in the Spirit; here, however, and in 1 Corinthians 1:7, it is equivalent to παρουσί Underlying this use of ἀποκάλυψῖ may be the idea that the Son of Man is hidden before God and that the elect, though they know him in the Spirit, do not behold him visibly until he comes to function as Messiah (cf. Eth. En. 48:6, 62:7; also revelabitur of the Messiah in 4 Ezra 13:32 Apoc. Bar. 39:7, etc.; see J. Weiss in Meyer on 1 Corinthians 1:7). Mill., however, who discusses carefully (141-151) ἀποκάλυψι in connection with ἐπιφἀνει (2:8) and παρουσί concludes that ἐπιφάνει or manifestation is also a “ revelation of the divine plan and purpose which has run through all the ages, to find its consummation at length in the ‘ one far-off divine event’ to which the whole creation is slowly moving.” On ὁκύριοςἸησοῦ , see I 2:15; L reads τοῦκυρίουἡμῶνἸ . Χ ἀπ ʼ οὺρανοῦκτλ . With three prepositional phrases (cf. I 4:16), the revelation is described in reference to the place “ from heaven,” to the attendant retinue “ with his angels of power,” and to the manner “ in a fire of flame.” (1) The ἀπ ʼ οὑρανου seems to imply that the Messiah is hidden in heaven, concealed from the sight of men, though he operates in the souls of believers; hence he must be revealed “ from heaven” (cf. Romans 1:18), namely, by coming down from heaven (I 4:16) either toward the earth and within the range of human vision, or to the earth. (2) The ἄγγελοιδυνάμεωςαὐτου suggests the ἄγγελοςδυνάμεω (Test. xii, Jude 1:3:10) and “ all the angels of power and all the angels of principalities” (Eth. En. 61:10); and invites the translation “ his angels of power” (cf. αὐτου in Revelation 13:3, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:13). (3) The manner in which the revelation is pictured, ἐνπυρὶφλογί , is in keeping with the descriptions of theophanies in the O. T., for example, Exodus 3:2 where the ἄγγελοςκυρίο appears ἐνπυρὶφλογὸςἐκτοῦβάτο and Isaiah 66:15 κύριοςὡςπῦρἥξε (cf. Psalms 49:3, etc.). Usually αὐτου is taken solely with δυνάμεω and the gen. is explained as possessive: “ which serves to mark that to which the ἄγγελο appertained and of which they were the ministers; exponents and instruments of his power” (Ell.). Dob. regards “ his power” as a periphrasis for “ his.” Calv. observes: angelos potentiae vocal in quibus sham potestatem exseret (cf. Bengel and Schmiedel). Some Gk. fathers (e. g. Theophylact and Œ cumenius) and some moderns (e. g. Piscator, Flatt, Jowett) interpret with A. V. “ his mighty angels.” Still others (see Lillie, ad loc.), taking δύναμι = “ host” (cf. Psalms 32:6, Psalms 32:4 Reg. 21:5, etc.), translate “ the host of his angels” (cf. Pesh). Hofmann avoids the difficulty but spoils the rhythm by joining αὐτου with διδόντο Since the position of αὐτου allows it, it is simpler to take “ angels of power” as a class and αὐτου as a gen. poss. governing both ἄγγελο and δυνάμεω On ἄγγελο , see on I 4:16 and Charles’ s notes on Eth. En. 61:10 and Slav. En. 20:1.— The phrase ἐνπυπὶφλογό (א AKLP, etc.) is found also in Sir. 8:10, 45:19 Exodus 3:2 (B) Ps. Sol. 12:5, Acts 7:30 (ACE); the easier reading ἐνφλογὶπυρὀ (BDEGF, et al.) occurs also in Isaiah 66:15, Exodus 3:2 (AF) Acts 7:30 (א DB, et al.); compare the rather frequent φλὸξπυρό (Isaiah 29:6, Daniel 7:9, Sir. 21:9, etc.). The reference is to the glorious brilliancy of the revelation. Some commentators however (see Lillie), because of the present connection with judgment, assume that the fire is a burning, purifying fire (cf. the ποταμὸςπυρό in Daniel 7:10) as in 1 Corinthians 3:13; and join the ἐ closely with διδόντο , thus specifying the manner or instrument of punishment. Still others (e. g. Lft., Dob.) are inclined to make the fire do double service. On the idea involved, see Bousset, Relig2 320. 8. διδόντοςἐκδίκησινκτλ . The revelation of the Lord Jesus is further described by the loosely attached διδόντο as a revelation unto judgment, resuming the thought of v. 6 but putting it generally. The objects of the divine justice are defined in a unique parallelism as “ those who do not know (that is, respect and worship) God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” Since ἔθνεσι does not appear in the first member (contrast I 4:5, Jeremiah 10:25, Psalms 78:6), and since the repetition of the article is not incompatible with synonymous parallelism (cf. Psalms 35:11), it is not certain, though the usage of Paul makes it probable, that the Gentiles are in mind in the first member (cf. I 4:3, Galatians 4:8, Romans 1:28, Ephesians 2:12) and the Jews in the second member (cf. especially Romans 10:16). Though the statement is general, Paul may have had in mind distinctly τοῖςθλίβουσινὑμᾶ (v. 6) who were both Gentiles, the official persecutors and Jews, the instigators of persecution. The distinction, assumed above as probable, is made among others by Ephr., Grot., Lü n., Lillie, Ell., Dob. On the other hand, since ἔθνεσι is omitted and the article repeated in the second member is unobjectionable, the parallelism may be synonymous , and non-Christians, irrespective of race, may be meant (e. g. Calv., Vincent, Mill.); in fact, Paul refers to the disobedience of the Gentiles (Romans 11:30); but does not, as the O. T. (e. g. Jeremiah 9:6) does, speak of the Jews as not knowing God. Still other interpreters, while distinguishing two classes, take the first member as referring to the Gentiles with a distinct allusion to Jeremiah 10:25, and the second as referring to both Jews and Gentiles (e. g. Lft., Schmiedel, Born, Wohl.).— Though the first member of the parallelism may have been influenced unconsciously by Jeremiah 10:25 and the second by Isaiah 66:4, yet the parallelism as a whole is unique and the second member distinctly Pauline; for ὑπακούειντῷεὐαγγελίῳ is not found in Lxx, Ps. Sol., Test. xii, or Apost. Fathers, and is found elsewhere in N. T. only Romans 10:16.— The exact phrase “ the gospel of our Lord Jesus” is, like “ the gospel of his Son” in Romans 1:9, unique in the N. T. The substitution of “ our Lord Jesus” for “ Christ” is natural in view of the divine name ὁκύριοςἡμῶνἸησοῦ (see on I 2:19); and in Romans 1:9 “ the gospel of his Son” is natural in view of Rom 1:3 τοῦυἱοῦαὐτου In our passage, א AGF add Χριστου to Ιηστου — On διδόναιἐκδίκησίντιν , cf. Numbers 31:3, Sir. 12:6 and Deuteronomy 32:43, Sir. 32:23 ; more frequent in Lxx is ποιεῖνἐκδίκησινἔντιν (Exodus 12:12, Numbers 33:4, Ezekiel 25:17, etc.). On ἐκδίκησι (Romans 12:19, 2 Corinthians 7:11), see ἔκδικο I 4:6.— GF insert και before ἐνπυρι ; DGF read διδού for διδόντο ; Stephanus begins v. 8 with in flamma ignis; PL insert τό before θεό conforming to I 4:5.— ὑπακούει (Romans 6:12 ff.) is common in Lxx and construed usually with gen., sometimes with dat. (2 Chronicles 11:4 (A) Jeremiah 3:25). 9. οἵτινεςδίκηνκτλ . “ Men who shall pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord Jesus and from the glory of his strength.” With οἵτινε , designating a class, τοῖςμὴεἰδόδι … Ἰησου (v. 8) is resumed; similarly with δίκηντίσουσι , the διδόντοςἐκδίκησι (v. 8) is resumed. An advance over v. 8 is, however, made in that the penalty is announced as an eternal banishment from Christ. ὄλεθροναἰώνιο . This phrase, in apposition with δίκη , occurs elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. only 4 Mac. 10:15 (A); it is equivalent (see I 5:3) to ἀπώλειααἰώνιο or αἰῶνο in Ps. Sol. 2:35 (cf. Eth. En. 84:5). The destruction resulting from the supernatural conflict or as here from a forensic judgment involves for Paul not the annihilation of the wicked (for they exist after death even if they are not raised from the dead) but their separation from Christ, as the defining clause with ἀπο intimates. In the light of αἰώνιος , ὄλεθρο might mean the definitive supernatural act belonging to the age to come; but in view of ἀπόκτλ ., it must rather refer to the destruction whose consequences are age-long, that is, to Paul and to the N. T. in general, “ eternal” (Mark 3:29, Matthew 25:46; cf. Daniel 12:2). Beyond the statement of the fact of an eternal banishment and separation, Paul does not go; he says nothing of πῦραἰώνιο (Jude 1:7, Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41). ἀπὸπροσώπουκυρίονκτλ . The banishment from Christ is expressed in language drawn from the refrain of Isa 2:10, Isaiah 2:19, Isaiah 2:21: ἀπὸπροσώπουτοῦφόβουτοῦκυρίουκαὶἀπὸτῆςδόξηςτῆςἰσχύοςαὐτου . In citing this passage, however, Paul omits τοῦφόβο , leaving προσώπο (see I 2:17) to be explained as “ face,” “ presence,” and ἀπο as a preposition after an implied verb of separation. Then in the second member of the virtually synonymous parallelism, “ face” becomes “ glory,” the halo of majesty which lightens the face of the Lord; and “ the Lord” becomes “ his strength,” the fons et origo of the glory (ἰσχύο being a genitive of origin). Thus, with a concentration upon the essential, the θλίψι of v. 6 is defined as an eternal separation from the glorious presence of Christ, this penalty being the direct opposite of the reward of the believer (v. 10), namely, as I 4:17 states that reward, πάντοτεσὺνκυρίῳ . The classic distinction between ὅ and ὅστι (found in every letter of Paul except I and Phile.) is apparently observed by Paul (Bl 50:1); hence quippe qui, “ men who” (Ell., Lft., Mill.; also SH. on Romans 1:25).— δίκ , a classic word, rare in N. T. (Jude 1:7, Acts 28:4) but common in Lxx, means either “ justice” (Sap. 1:8), “ suit at law” (Job 29:16) or “ punishment” (Sap. 18:11, 2 Mac. 8:11, 13, 4 Mac. 6:28, 9:32). τίνει is found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only Proverbs 20:22, Proverbs 20:24:22, 44, Proverbs 20:27:12 ; the phrase τίνεινδίκη is classic, but is not found elsewhere in Gk. Bib.; it is equivalent to τίνεινζημία (Proverbs 27:12), or ζημιοῦ (1 Corinthians 3:15); cf. ἐκδικεῖνδίκη (Leviticus 26:25, Ezekiel 25:12); ἀποδιδόνα or ἀνταποδιδόναιδίκη (Deuteronomy 32:41, Deuteronomy 32:43).— With the phrase ὄλεθροςαἰώνιο (see Vincent, ad loc.) is to be compared ζωὴαἰώνιο (Romans 2:7, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:22 f. Galatians 6:3), destruction being the opposite of life. The adjective or its equivalent αἰῶνο is common in the Lxx (e. g. Sir. 15:6, 17:12, 45:15; Ps. Sol. 2:35); its meaning is to be determined not from Greek etymology but from the usage of ע ו ל ם , that is, long duration whether looking forward or backward, to futurity or antiquity (BDB). The exact duration intended depends upon the writer; in Eth. En. 10:11 the ζωὴαἰώνιο is five hundred years; in Daniel as in the N. T. the age to come is of unlimited duration; hence αἰώνιο “ belonging to the age” means to Paul “ eternal” and “ everlasting.” A reads ὀλέθριο (cf. 3 Reg. 21:42 Sap. 18:15). On the duration of punishment in Jewish literature, see Bousset, Relig2 320, Volz, Eschat 286 ff., and Kennedy, Last Things, 316; on αἰώ , see Dalman, Worte Jesu, I, 120 ff.— That ἀπο is local, as in Galatians 5:4, Romans 9:3, 2 Corinthians 11:3, is generally admitted (Piscator, Riggenbach, Lü n., Ell., Lft., Born, Vincent, Mill., Dob. et al.). Grammatically possible, however, is (1) the causal sense of ἀπο , frequent in Lxx, but infrequent in N. T. (Bl 40:3), “ at the presence of,” the thought being that the very face of the Lord causes destruction. In this interpretation, no hint is given that destruction consists in eternal separation. “ It is sufficient that God comes and is seen and all are involved in punishment and penalty” (Chrys. apud Ell.). (2) The ἀπο may indicate source,— “ the eternal destruction which proceeds from the face,” etc. (cf. Acts 3:19; so apparently Grot., Schmiedel, Find., Wohl.). (3) Possible also grammatically but “ pointless in sense” (Find.) is the explanation of ἀπο as temporal, “ from the time of the revelation of the Lord” (see Lillie for names). Much simpler is it to take ἀπο of separation. That Paul says not ἀπο but ἀπὸπροσώπο (only here in Paul; cf. Acts 5:41, Acts 7:45, Revelation 6:16, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 20:11) κυρίο is due to the influence of Isa 2:10.— On δόξ , see I 2:6; on ἰσχύ (Ephesians 1:19, Ephesians 6:10), rare in N. T. but common in Lxx, see especially 1 Chronicles 16:28, Psalms 146:5.— DGF omit του before κυρίο — In his references to the destruction of the wicked (vv. 6 a, 8-9), Paul refrains from details, contenting himself with the fact of eternal separation. Furthermore, since ἐνπυρὶφλογό describes not the means of punishment but the manner of the Christophany, it is probable that “ his angels of power” are not the angels of punishment (Eth. En. 62:11 f.) but the attendant retinue of angels who accord to Christ glory and admiration by reason of his saving work manifested in the saints and believers who stand before the βῆμαΧριστου (v. 10). 10. ὅτανἔλθῃκτλ . With this relative conditional sentence designating the time of δίκηντίσουσι , Paul resumes the point of vv. 5, 7a and indicates the beginning of the future salvation of the readers which is eternal fellowship with the Lord. This indication is put in a unique parallelism the language of which betrays the influence of the Lxx: “ when he comes (ὅτανἔλθῃ balancing ἐντῇἀποκαλύψειτοῦκυρίο v. 7) to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all who became believers … in that day.” Though the parallelism is synonymous, the presence in the second member of πᾶσι and of the aorist τοῖςπιστεύσασι ( instead of the expected present τοῖςπιστεύουσι ; cf. I 2:10, 13) indicates an advance from the general to the specific. Included in the number of the saints are particularly the faint-hearted Thessalonians who became believers when they welcomed the word (I 1:6 ff. 2:13 ff.); “ for,” as the parenthetical clause with ὅτ (separating “ in that day” from the infinitives to which it belongs) explains, “ our witness (= our gospel) which was directed to you was believed” . Both ὅτα and ἐντῆἡμέρᾳ (a phrase only here in Paul; cf. Luke 10:12, Luke 10:17:31, 2 Timothy 1:18, 2 Timothy 4:8) seem to have been influenced by Isaiah 2:10 ff.; on the other hand, the total phrase ἐνδοξασθῆνα … τοῖςπιστεύσασι , though it shows traces of resemblance to Psalms 88:8, 67:36 Isaiah 49:3, Isaiah 66:5, is unique. The verb ἐνδοξάζεσθα , here and v. 12 (cf. Isaiah 66:5), like ἐνκαυχᾶσθα (v. 4), is unclassic; it is found about thirteen times in the Lxx, usually with ἐ . This ἐ is in the Lxx to be explained either as (1) of place where θαυμαστὸςἐντοῖςἁγίοιςαὐτου ; cf. 1 Mal 3:14 א ); (2) of instrument (Isaiah 49:3 (B); cf. δοξάζεσθαιἐ Isaiah 5:16, etc.); or (3) of ground (Isaiah 45:25, Sir 38:6; cf. δοξάζεσθαιἐ Sir. 48:4; θαυμάζεσθαιἐ Isaiah 61:6 (B). The ἐ is not δια (Sir. 10:30) or ὑπο (Sir. 3:20)). Were Paul distinctly quoting Psalms 88:8, 67:36, it would be natural to take ἐ of place where, “ among” (Michaelis, Van Ess., and others noted by Lillie; so also Dob.), in spite of the fact that the local sense does not fit v. 12 . This theory, however, does not compel us to assume that the persons who accord the glory and admiration are not “ his angels of power” but Christians. On the other hand, since Paul is not quoting, and since his interest is not in the external features of the judgment but is in the character of the people (cf. v. 8) present, it is more probable that ἐ is to be understood not of place, or even of instrument (Chrys., Bengel; ἐ = δια with gen.), but of ground (Grot., Lü n., Ell., Lillie, Lft., Schmiedel, Born, Find., Wohl., Mill., et al.); cf. Pelagius: “ he himself is to be glorified in his members which shall shine with the brightness of the sun” (on this ἐ , see Galatians 1:24, 1 Corinthians 6:20). In virtue of what the saints and all believers are (by reason of the death and the indwelling of Christ), the attendant angels ascribe glory and admiration to Christ. This view of ἐ is also applicable to the ἐ of v. 12. There is no hint that the glory which proceeds from the Lord has already entered into the Christians.— On θαυμάζεσθαιἐ , cf. Sap. 8:11 (ἐ of place), Sir. 33:4 (א ; ἐ of instrument), and Isaiah 61:6 (B; ἐ of ground).— οἱἅγιοιαὐτου is in synonymous parallelism with πάντεςοἱπιστεύσαντε ; both refer to Christians irrespective of race.— That ὅτ … ὑμᾶ is parenthetical was noted by Th. Mops., Zim. and Wohl. less naturally connect ὅτ with the preceding infinitives, “ to be glorified and admired in the fact that our witness,” etc.— τὸμαρτύριο (see I 1:5) = τὸεὐαγγέλιο (v. 8); τὸμαρτύριονἡμῶ (which is equivalent to τὸεὐαγγέλιονἡμῶ 2:14, I 1:5 and τὸκήρυγμαἡμῶ 1 Corinthians 15:14) is the witness, inspired by God (1 Corinthians 2:1) or Christ (1 Corinthians 1:6), which we preach. It is the witness which is (not “ against” you; Luke 9:5, Numbers 35:30 A; but) “ over” you .— ἐπιστεύθ = “ was believed,” as πιστεύσασι suggests, the reference being to the welcome given to the gospel at the beginning. It is interesting that πιστεύεσθα in this sense is used with an impersonal subject elsewhere in the N. T. only Romans 10:10 (contrast 1 Timothy 3:16). Lft. joins ἐπιστεύθ with ἐπι and paraphrases thus: “ belief in our testimony directed itself to reach you.” Hort and Moff. accept Markland’ s conjecture ἐπιστώθ (which Cod. 104 reads). Hort explains in connection with vv. 4-5 that “ the Christian testimony had been confirmed and sealed upon the Thessalonians.” He compares 1 Corinthians 1:6, Psalms 92:4, Psalms 92:5 and πιστοῦσθαιἐπίτιν 1 Chronicles 17:23 (which is doubtful) and 2 Chronicles 1:9. The conjecture, however, is unnecessary. 11-12. Though the faint-hearted may thus be assured of their being deemed worthy of the kingdom, yet (cf. I 5:8 ff.) they must be blameless (cf. I 3:13) in order to enter into the same. Since blamelessness is possible only through the power of God, Paul adds a prayer: “ to which end (namely, the future salvation implied in v. 10; cf. ἄνεσι v. 8 and εἰςτὸκαταξιωθῆνα v. 5), we too as well as you pray always that our God may deem you worthy (that is, acquit you at the judgment) of the calling (of God mediated by the preaching of our witness; cf. 2:14) and (that the acquittal may follow) bring to completion every resolve after goodness and every work inspired by faith in power” (that is, of the Spirit). This prayer for moral perfection is to the eventual end “ that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you (that is, as in v. 10, in virtue of what you are) and you may be glorified in it” (that is, in virtue of what his name accomplishes). And this blessed consummation is “ in accordance with the divine favour of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 11. εἰςὃκαὶπροσευχόμεθακτλ . Though εἰςο is loosely attached to the preceding and refers to the idea of salvation implied in v. 10, it is yet tempting (with Lft.) to connect it directly with εἰςτὸκαταξιωθῆνα (v. 5), the controlling idea of vv. 5-12 being that the faint-hearted may be assured of their being deemed worthy of the kingdom. In this case, εἰςο denotes purpose “ to which end,” and is resumed by ἴν (likewise telic) ἀξιώσῃ (cf. ἄξιο v. 3). The και before προσευχόμεθ is interesting. In the letter from Thessalonica to Paul it appeared that the fainthearted, though anxious about their salvation, were nevertheless praying constantly that God would equip them with the Spirit whose presence guaranteed a blameless life and the acquittal at the last day. This prayer Paul reciprocates, “ we too as well as you pray” (και as in I 2:13; cf. Colossians 1:9). That εἰςο indicates purpose is recognised by De W., Riggenbach, Lillie, Lft., Born, Vincent, Find., Mill., and others. The objection that it is logically impossible (e. g. Lü n., Dob.) overlooks Paul’ s recognition of the facts of religious experience and his interest in righteousness as essential unto future salvation (cf. I 3:13, 5:8-9). To be sure salvation is assured to those who are in Christ, but the test of being in Christ is ethical. Those who deny the telic force of εἰςο take it of reference (Lü n., Ell., Schmiedel, Dob., et al.). On εἰςτοῦτοἵν , cf. Romans 14:9, 2 Corinthians 2:9; on ἵν … εἰςὃκαι , cf. Colossians 1:28 f.; on εἰςο , see further 2:14, Philippians 3:16.— Bacon sees the force of και but interprets differently: “ it is clear that they had assured him of their prayers in his behalf, as requested I 5:25” (Introd. 72). Others see in και the intimation of a correspondence between prayer on the one hand and on the other hope (Ell.), witness (Find.), or thanksgiving (Riggenbach, Wohl., Dob., Moff.).— Influenced by I 5:25 D inserts a second και before περὶὑμῶ On πάντοτ , see I 1:2; on προσεύχεσθαιπερι , see I 5:25. For the prayer at this point, cf. Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9. ἵναὑμᾶςἀξιώσῃκτλ . Since ἵν resumes εἰςο , it is to be taken not epexegetically as introducing the content of the prayer, but finally, “ to which end, namely, that.” The ὑμᾶ , emphatically placed, resumes the specific ὑμᾶ of vv. 10, 5. “ The calling” (1 Corinthians 7:20, Ephesians 4:1) is, in view of “ our God,” to be interpreted not as “ your calling” (1 Corinthians 1:26, Ephesians 4:4) but as “ God’ s calling” (Romans 11:29, Philippians 3:14; cf. Vulg vocatione sua), the reference being to God’ s act of calling in the past (I 2:12, 4:7, 5:24) mediated through the preaching of the gospel (2:14), i. e. “ our witness to you” (v. 10). ὁθεὸςἡμῶ , a characteristic phrase in our letters (see I 2:2), intimates that just as there is a common suffering of Paul and his readers (καὶπάσχετ v. 5), and a common relief (μεθ ʼ ὑμῶ v. 7), so also there is a common fellowship in God, the ultimate source of salvation. Many interpreters find difficulty in referring κλῆσι to the past, on the ground, apparently, that the historical call of God of itself involves future salvation. Paul, however, while practically certain that all believers will be acquitted at the βῆμαΧριστου because of the presence in them of Christ or the Spirit as the power unto righteousness, reckons with the possibility that believers may fall out of the realm of grace and disregard the promptings of the Spirit (cf. I 3:13, 5:8 ff. Galatians 5:4, 2 Corinthians 6:1, and the implications of Php 2:12). To avoid the supposed difficulty, κλοῆσι , contrary to Paul’ s usage, is understood of the future glory and blessedness (Th. Mops. ut dignos vos bonorum illorum exhibeat deus, in quorum et vocati estis fruitionem; cf. Calv., Riggenbach, Ell., Lft., Mill., et al.) either on the analogy of Php 3:14, of ἐλπί in Colossians 1:5, or of the Synoptic “ invitation” to the Messianic Supper (Matthew 22:3, Matthew 22:8; cf. Chrys., Schmiedel, Wohl. et al.). Others, contrary to usage, take ἀξιό to mean “ to make worthy” (Grot., Flatt, Dob. et al.). Better Pelagius: “ that ye may be found worthy of that to which you have been called” (cf. Ephr., Born, Find. et al.). G reads τῆςκλήσεωςὑμῶ ; KL ὁθεὸςὑμῶ Outside of Paul, κλῆσι occurs infrequently in the Gk. Bib. (2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 3:1, 2 Peter 1:10, Judith 12:10 (A) Jeremiah 38:6, Jeremiah 38:3 Mac. 5:14). καὶπληρώσῃκτλ . Since ἀξιώσῃ means not “ make worthy” but “ deem worthy,” πληρώσῃ is not synonymous with ἀξιώσῃ but rather, as Lillie remarks, “ regards the process by which alone the object of the Apostle’ s heart could be secured. Whom he counts worthy, he first makes worthy.” In order that God may acquit the believers at the judgment, he must by the power of the Spirit perfect in them every resolve after goodness and every work that faith inspires. πῦσανεὐδοκίανἀγαθωσύνη . The first of the parallel objects of πληρώσῃ touches the inner purpose, “ every resolve (not ‘ desire,’ as if with Cod. 17 ἐπιθνμία were read) that they have after goodness” (the genitive is objective). The phrase εὐδοκίαἀγαθωσύνη does not appear elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. In εὐδοκί as in εὐδοκεῖ (I 2:8), the prominent thought is that of “ will,” “ resolve,” “ consent.” “ Goodness” (ἀγαθωσύν , elsewhere in N. T. only Galatians 5:22, Romans 15:14, Ephesians 5:9) is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) akin to χρηστότη ; over against κακί it denotes singleness of heart (Sap. 1:1; cf. Colossians 3:22, Ephesians 6:5). καὶἔργονπίστεω . “ And every work of faith.” This second of the parallel objects of πληρώσῃ refers to the activity inspired by faith, that is, not specifically endurance in persecution (Chrys.), but generally, as the omission of the articles suggests, love (cf. I 1:3). Paul prays that God may perfect not only the resolve but the accomplishment of the same. ἐνδυνάμε . “ In power,” that is, in the power of God (Ephr.). The phrase, which is to be construed with πληρώσῃ , puts the stress on the energy exercised by the divine (Romans 1:4, Colossians 1:29). The δύναμιςθεου is Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24) or the Spirit (I 1:5) without whose aid the resolve after goodness and the attainment of love would be impossible. ἀλαθωσύν is quite frequent in Koheleth; cf. also Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:35; εὐδοκί , apart from Luke 2:14, Luke 10:21, Matthew 11:26, is employed in N. T. only by Paul (of God Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9; cf. Sir. 32:5, 41:4; of men Romans 10:1, Philippians 1:15); on its meaning, see SH or Zahn on Romans 10:1, also Kennedy, Sources, 131.— Since εὐδοκί need not refer to God’ s good will, “ goodness which is his good pleasure” (Grot.), “ his good pleasure proceeding from his goodness” (Calv.), or “ his good pleasure in the goodness of men” (Dob.), it is unnecessary, especially in a context in which moral excellence is in mind, to take ἔργονπίστεω = “ work which is faith” (gen. of apposition), that is, God’ s work of faith (Calv., Dob.). In fact most commentators rightly refer both εὐδοκί and ἔργο to the Thessalonians (De W., Lü n., Ell., Lillie, Lft., Mill. and especially Schmiedel and Wohl. who note the progress from will to deed ). This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/iccnt/ III. (2:1-12) The discouragement of those converts who feared that they were not morally prepared for the day of judgment (1:3-12) was intensified by the assertion of some, perhaps the idle brethren, supported, it was alleged, by the authority of Paul, that the day of the Lord was actually present. Paul, who receives news of the situation orally or by letter, together with a request for information about the Parousia and Assembling, is at a loss to understand how anything he had said in the Spirit, orally, or in his previous epistle, could be misconstrued to imply that he was responsible for the misleading assertion, “ the day of the Lord is present.” Believing, however, that the statement has been innocently attributed to him, and feeling sure that a passing allusion to his original oral instruction concerning times and seasons will make plain the absurdity of the assertion, and at the same time quiet the agitation of the faint-hearted, he answers the request in words not of warning but of encouragement (cf. also vv. 13 f.). “ Do not be discouraged,” he says in effect, “ for the day of the Lord, though not far distant, will not be actually present until first of all the Anomos comes; and again be not discouraged, for the advent of the Anomos is intended not for you believers, but solely for the unbelievers, and destruction sudden and definitive is in store both for him and for them.” The exhortation falls roughly into four parts (1) the object of the exhortation (vv. 1-2); (2) the reason why the day of the Lord is not present (vv. 3-8a); (3) the triumph of the good over the evil in the destruction of the Anomos (v. 8b. c); and (4) the spiritual significance of the Parousia of the Anomos (vv. 9-12). There is no formal counterpart in I either of the exhortation or of the preceding prayer (1:11-12); furthermore the material of 2:1-12 like that of 1:5-12 is, compared with I, almost wholly new. 1Now brothers, in reference to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet him, we ask you 2not to be readily unsettled in your mind or to be nervously wrought up by the statement made by Spirit, orally, or by letter, as if we had made it, that the day of the Lord is present. 3Let no one deceive you in any way whatever: for (the day of the Lord will not be present) unless first of all there comes the apostasy and there be revealed the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, 4the one who opposes and exalts himself against every one called God or an object of worship so that he sits (or, attempts to sit) in the temple of God and proclaims (or, attempts to proclaim) that he himself is really God. 5You remember, do you not, that when I was yet with you, I used to tell you these things? 6And as to the present time, you know the spirit or power that detains him (or, is holding sway), in order that he (the lawless one) may be revealed in his appointed time. 7For, the secret of lawlessness has already been set in operation; only (the apostasy will not come and the Anomos will not be revealed) until the person who now detains him (or, is now holding sway) is put out of the way. 8And then will be revealed the Anomos whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and will destroy with the manifestation of his coming. 9Whose coming, according to the energy of Satan, attended by all power and signs and wonders inspired by falsehood 10and by all deceit inspired by unrighteousness, is for those destined to destruction; doomed because they had not welcomed the love for the truth unto their salvation. 11And so for this reason, it is God that sends them an energy of delusion that they may believe the falsehood; 12that (finally) all may be judged who have not believed the truth but have consented to that unrighteousness. 1-2. First stating the theme as given him in their letter, “ concerning the advent and the assembling to meet him” (v. 1), Paul exhorts the readers not to let their minds become easily unsettled, and not to be nervously wrought up by the assertion, however conveyed and by whatever means attributed to him, that the day of the Lord is actually present (v. 2). 1. ἐρωτῶμενδὲὐμᾶςἀδελφοι . In this phrase (which = I 5:12), δε marks a transition from the thanksgiving and prayer (1:3-12) to a new epistolary section, the exhortation (vv. 1-12). But the same people are chiefly in mind here as in 1:3-12, the faint-hearted, though the converts as a whole are addressed, and that too affectionately, “ brothers” (1:3). ὑπὲρτῆςπαρουσίαςκτλ . The prepositional phrase, introduced by ὑπέ = περι (see 1:4 and I 3:2, 5:10), announces the two closely related subjects about which the readers of I had solicited information, “ the coming of our Lord Jesus” and “ our assembling unto him.” The addition of ἐπ ʼ αὐτό intimates that not only the well-known muster of the saints (cf. Mark 13:27 = Matthew 24:31) that precedes the rapture (I 4:17) is meant, but also the sequel of the rapture (σὺνκυριῳεἶνα , I 4:17). Since ἐρωτά is rare in Paul (see on I 4:1), it is not strange that ἐρωτάωὑπέ is unique in Paul; he uses, however, παρακαλεῖνὑπέ (see on I 3:2) as well as παρακαλοῦμενδὲὑμᾶςἀδελφοι (I 4:10, 5:14; cf. Romans 15:30, Romans 15:16:17, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 16:15); cf. further οὐθέλομενἀγνοεῖνπερι (I 4:13, 1 Corinthians 12:1, and 2 Corinthians 1:8 (א AC, et al.) where BKL have ὑπέ ). On the exact phrase ἡπαρουσίακτλ cf. I 5:23.— ἐπισυναγωγη (elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only 2 Mal 2:7, Hebrews 10:25; cf. Deiss. Light, 101 ff.) refers to the constant hope of the Jews that their scattered brethren would be gathered together in Palestine (Isaiah 27:13, Sir. 36:13, 2 Mac. 2:18; cf. the ἐπισυνάγει under the leadership of the Messiah in Ps. Sol. 17:28. 50), a hope which passed over, with some changes, into Christian apocalyptic; see for details Schü rer, II, 626 ff.; Bousset, Relig2 271 ff.; and Volz. Eschat. 309 ff. Swete (on Mark 13:27,) observes that ἐπισυναγωγη in Hebrews 10:25 “ is suggestively used for the ordinary gatherings of the church, which are anticipations of the great assembling at the Lord’ s return.” On ἐπι for πρό , here due to the substantive, cf. Galatians 4:9 and especially Habakkuk 2:5 . 2. εἰςτὸμὴταχέωςκτλ . The object of ἐρωτῶμε is specified by two infinitives, one aorist σαλευθῆνα which looks at the action without reference to its progress or completion; the other present, θροεῖσθα which defines the action as going on; hence, “ we urge you not to be easily unsettled and not to be in a constant state of nervous excitement.” The phrase σαλευθῆναιἀπὸτοῦνοό , which is not found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib., suggests that the readers were driven from their sober sense like a ship from its moorings. The word νοῦ , frequent in Paul (cf. Rom. 1:45), means here not “ opinion” (Grot.) but, as elsewhere in the N. T., “ mind,” the particular reference being not so much to the organ of thought as to the state of reasonableness, “ their ordinary, sober, and normal state of mind” (Ell.). Thus driven from their mind, they fell into a state of alarm, agitation, nervous excitement which, as the present tense shows, was continuous. On the analogy of παρακαλεῖνεἰςτο (I 2:12) or τὸμη (I 3:3) and δεῖσθαιεἰςτο (I 3:10) or τὸμη (2 Corinthians 10:2), ἐρωτῶμενεἰςτὸμη is natural, and that too as an object clause (BMT 412). Parallel to this negative exhortation is the independent negative prohibition μήτιςκτλ (v. 3). Wohl., however, takes εἰςτὸμη as final and finds the content of the exhortation in μήτιςκτλ a construction which is smoother and less Pauline.— σαλεύει , only here in Paul but common elsewhere in Gk. Bib., is used literally “ of the motion produced by winds, storms, waves,” etc. (Thayer; cf. Psalms 17:8 and σάλο Luke 21:25), and figuratively of disturbance in general (Ps. 9:27, Psalms 9:12:5; cf. especially Acts 17:13 of the Jews in Berœ a). It is sometimes parallel to (Job 9:6, Nahum 1:5, Habakkuk 2:16) or a variant of (Isaiah 33:20, 1Mac. 9:13) σείει ; and it is construed with ἀπο in the sense of “ at” (Psalms 32:8), “ by” (1 Mac. 9:13 (A) Ps. Sol. 15:6), or as here “ from” (cf. 1:9); Vulg. has a vestro sensu (cf. 4 Reg. 21:8 = 2 Chronicles 33:8 Dan. (Th.) 4:11). DE add ὑμῶ after νοῦ ; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:14.— θροεῖσθα , indicating a state of alarm (cf. θροῦ Sap. 1:10, 1 Mac. 9:39), occurs elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only Son 5:4, and Mark 13:37 = Matthew 24:6, an apocalyptic word of the Lord which, so some surmise (Wohl., Mill., Dob.), Paul has here in mind. On θροεῖσθα , see Kennedy, Sources, 126, and Wrede, 48 f.— On μη … μηδε cf. Romans 14:21; EKLP, et al., have μήτ due probably to the following sequence where D has μηδέ , μηδέ , μήτ , and F μηδέ , μήτ , μηδε Though μήτ is common in Gk. Bib. (3 Reg. 3:26, Hosea 4:4, etc.), it occurs only here in Paul; see Bl 77:10. διὰπνεύματοςκτλ . The instrument or means by which the σαλευαθῆνα and θροεῖσθα are effected is specified in three parallel clauses standing together in negative correlation , διὰπνεύματος , διὰλόγο and δι ʼ ἐπιστολῆ In the light of I 5:19, πνεῦμ (anarthrous as often in Paul) refers clearly to the operation of the Spirit in the charisma of prophecy; λόγο , in the light of ἐπιστολῆ , means probably an oral as contrasted with an epistolary utterance (v. 15, Acts 15:27); and ἐπιστολη is probably an allusion not to a forged or an anonymous letter, but to I. Chrys. apparently understands πνεῦμ either of the spirit of prophecy or of false prophets who deceive by persuasive words (διὰλόγο ; cf. Ephr.). λόγο is sometimes understood of the “ reckoning” of times and seasons, or of a real or falsified λόγοςκυρίο (see Lü n.); but it is usually explained as an oral utterance inspired (=διδαχη 1 Corinthians 14:6. 1 Corinthians 14:26; cf. λόγοςσοφία and γνώσεω 1 Corinthians 12:8) or uninspired. ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ . “ As if said by us.” Since this clause is separated from the construction with the triple μήτ , it is not to be construed with the infinitives σαλευθῆνα and θροεῖσθα ; and since the three preceding phrases with δια are closely united in negative correlation, ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ is to be connected not with ἐπιστολῆ alone, not with both ἐπιστολῆ and λόγο , but with all three prepositional phrases. The reference is thus not to the unsettlement and agitation as such, and not to the instruments of the same, but to the unsettling and agitating cause conveyed by these instruments, the statement, namely, “ that the day of the Lord is present.” While it is possible that some of the converts, perhaps the idle brethren, had themselves said in the Spirit, or in an address, that the day had actually dawned, and had supported their assertion by a reference to an anonymous letter attributed innocently to Paul, it is probable, in view of the unity of the negative correlation with the triple μήτ , that an actual utterance of Paul in the Spirit, or in an address, or in his first epistle (cf. Jerome, Hammond, Kern and Dob.) had been misconstrued to imply that Paul himself had said that “ the day of the Lord is present,” thus creating the unsettlement and nervous excitement. That the three instruments specified do not exhaust the number of actual instruments about which Paul was informed, or of possible instruments which he thinks may have been employed, is a natural inference from v. 3: “ let no one deceive you in any way,” the ways mentioned or other possible ways. In writing ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ , Paul does not deny that he has used such instruments, or that he has expressed himself in reference to times and seasons; he disclaims simply all responsibility for the statement: “ the day of the Lord is present.” The context alone determines whether or not ὡ (1 Corinthians 4:18, 1 Corinthians 4:7:25, 1 Corinthians 4:9:26, 2 Corinthians 5:20, etc.) indicates an erroneous opinion. That ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ is to be joined with all three substantives is regarded as probable by Erasmus, Barnes, Lft., Mill. ,Dob., Harnack, Dibelius, et al. (1) Many scholars, however (from Tertullian to Moff.), restrict the phrase to ἐπιστολῆ , and interpret it as meaning ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶνγεγραμμένη (Thayer, 681), or ὡςἡμῶνγεγραφότωναὐτή . According to this construction, some of the converts either (a) ἐνπνεύματ (or ex falsis visionibus quas ostendunt vobis, Ephr.), or (b) in an oral address (Chrys.; cf. Ephr. ex commentitiis sophismati vesbis quae dicunt vobis) or in the charisma of διδαχη , or (c) in a forged letter (Chrys., Theodoret, Ell. and many others; cf. Ephr. per falsas epistolas minime a vobis scriptas tamquam per nos missas) asserted that the day is present. But while some of the converts might innocently make such an assertion in the Spirit or in an address, inspired or not, they could not innocently forge a letter. And if they had done so, Paul would scarcely have written as he now writes. Hence, many commentators content themselves with the supposition that an anonymous letter had been attributed, innocently or wilfully, to Paul; or that Paul suspected that a letter had been forged. (2) Still other scholars (Theodoret, Grot., De W., Lü n., Lillie, Ell., Schmiedel, Vincent, et al.), influenced doubtless by v. 15, join ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ with both λόγο and ἐπιστολῆ According to this view, πνεῦμ is understood of an utterance of some of the converts in the Spirit, λόγο of a pretended oral word of Paul, and ἐπιστολη of an anonymous or a forged letter. (3) A more recent theory (Dods, Askwith in his Introd. to Thess. Epistles, 1902, 92 ff., and Wohl.) connects ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ closely with the infinitives, and explains that Paul is here disclaiming not the Spirit, or word, or letter, but simply the “ responsibility for the disturbance which has arisen” ; and that ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ means “ as if such disturbance came through us.” This attractive suggestion seems to overlook the evident detachment of ὠςδι ʼ ἡμῶ from the negative correlation with the triple μὴτ (cf. Dibelius). ὡςὅτιἐνέστηκενκτλ . The actual statement of some of the converts, based on a misconstruction of Paul’ s utterance by Spirit, by word, or by his first epistle, is now given: “ that the day of the Lord is present.” That this statement is not a word of Paul has already been indicated by ὡςδι ʼ ἡμῶ The second ὠ may be separated from ὅτ , in which case the judgment of the first ὡ is reiterated, “ as if we said that” ; or ὡςὅτ may be equivalent to a simple ὅτ “ that,” in which case the utterance is quoted without further qualification: “ to wit that the day of the Lord is present” (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19). ἐνέστηκε means not “ is coming” (ἔρχετα I 5:2), not “ is at hand” (ἤγγικε Romans 13:12), not “ is near” (ἐγγύςἐστι Philippians 4:5), but “ has come,” “ is on hand,” “ is present.” The period indicated by ἠμέρ has dawned and the Lord is expected from heaven at any moment. Paul of course had not expressed any such opinion; and it is with a trace of impatience that, after noting what first must come, he asks: “ Do you not remember,” etc. (v. 5). It is this misleading assertion that accounts both for the increased discouragement of the faint-hearted to encourage whom Paul writes 1:3-2:17, and for the increased meddlesomeness of the idle brethren to warn whom Paul writes 3:1-18. ὡςὅτ occurs elsewhere in Gk. Bib. 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:11:21, 2 Corinthians 5:2 Reg. 18:18 Esther 4:14. ; for other examples, mostly late (since recent editors no longer read ὠςὅτ in Xen. Hellen. III, 2:14; Dion Hal. Antiq. 9:14; Josephus, Apion, I, 58), see Wetstein on 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 11:21. In late Gk. ὡςὅτ = ὅτ = “ that” (Sophocles, Lex. sub voc.). Moulton (I, 212), however, urges that this usage appears “ in the vernacular at a rather late stage” and so takes ὡςὅτ = quasi with most interpreters. But while the sense “ as if,” “ on the ground that” would fit most of the instances in Gk. Bib., it does not fit 2 Corinthians 5:19. Since ὡςὅτ cannot mean “ because,” and since the reading ὅτ (Baljon, Schmiedel) for ὡςὅτ in 2 Corinthians 5:19 is pure conjecture, there remains only the sense “ to wit that” (so Dob. here, and Bernard, EGT on 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 11:21).— ἐνίστημ is used in N. T., apart from 2 Timothy 3:1, Hebrews 9:9, only by Paul; in Romans 8:38, 1 Corinthians 3:22, ἐνεστώ is contrasted with μέλλω “ The verb is very common in the papyri and inscriptions with reference to the current year” . Lillie cites Josephus, Ant. XVI, 6:2 οὐμόνονἐντῷἐνεστῶτικαιρῷἀλλὰκαὶἐντῷπρογεγενημέν “ where the former reference equally with the latter excludes all idea of future time.” That ἐνέστηκε = “ is present” is recognised by many commentators (e. g. Cumenius, Kern (jetz eben vorhanden), Riggenbach, Alford, Ell., Lillie, Find., Wohl., Mill.). Many other interpreters, however, perhaps “ from the supposed necessity of the case rather than from any grammatical compulsion” (Lillie), are inclined to explain “ is present” to mean “ is at hand.” Grot. notes that it is “ common to announce as present what is obviously just at hand” and interprets, nempe hoc anno; Bengel defines by propinquitas; Schmiedel and Dob., on the assumption that the Thess. could not have meant “ is present,” understand ένέστηκε of the future which is almost present. Against all such restrictions, see Lillie’ s exhaustive note in defence of the translation “ is present.” — On ἡἡμέρατοῦκυρίο (1 Corinthians 5:5), see I 5:2; D omits η and GFP omit του ; K, et al., read Χριστου for κυρίο 3-8a. Allow no one, Paul continues, to delude you into such a belief whatever means may be employed (v. 3a). Then, choosing to treat the question given him (v. 1) solely with reference to the assertion (v. 2), and having in mind the discouragement of the faint-hearted, he selects from the whole of his previous oral teaching concernin times and seasons only such elements as serve to prove that the assertion (v. 2) is mistaken, and proceeds to remind them that the day of the Lord will not be present until first of all the apostasy comes and a definite and well-known figure, variously described as the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, etc., is revealed,— allusions merely with which the readers are quite familiar, so familiar, indeed, that the Apostle can cut short the characterisation (v. 4), and appeal, with perhaps a trace of impatience at their forgetfulness, to the memory of the readers to complete the picture (v. 5). Then, turning from the future to the present, he explains why the apostasy and the revelation of the Anomos are delayed, and so why the day of the Lord is not yet present. To be sure, he intimates, the day of the Lord is not far distant, for there has already been set in operation the secret of lawlessness which is preparing the way for the apostasy and the concomitant revelation of the Anomos; but that day will not actually be present until the supernatural spirit which detains the Anomos (or, which is holding sway) for the very purpose that the Anomos may be revealed only at the time set him by God, or the supernatural person who is now detaining the Anomos (or, who is now holding sway), is put out of the way (vv. 6-7). And then there will be revealed the lawless one (v. 8a). 3. ὅτιἐὰνμὴἔλθῃ . The ὅτ introduces the reason why the readers should not be alarmed or excited (v. 2), or, more directly, why they should not allow themselves to be deceived about the time of the day of the Lord in any way whatever, the ways mentioned in v. 2 or in any other way; and at the same time it starts the discussion of the theme (v. 1) “ concerning the advent and the assembling unto him.” However, in the treatment of the theme, only such points are brought to the memory of the readers as make clear (1) that the Parousia will not be present until first of all there comes the apostasy and there be revealed the Anomos (vv. 3-4); (2) why the day of the Lord is not yet present (vv. 5-8); and (3) what the significance is of the advent of the Anomos,— points selected with a view to the encouragement of the faint-hearted. The clause with ὅτ remains unfinished; from v. 2 we may supply after ὅτ “ the day of the Lord will not be present” . On the rare prohibitory subj. in the third person (1 Corinthians 16:11), see BMT 166; in view of 1 Corinthians 16:11, 2 Corinthians 11:16, it is unnecessary to construe μήτι with ἐρωτῶμε , and to take εἰςτὸμη (v. 2) as indicating purpose. The clause with μήτι is quite independent; it is not probably parenthetical, although ὅτικτλ may be connected directly with vv. 1-2.— As θροεῖσθα (v. 2) suggests the μὴθροεῖσθ of Mark 13:7 = Matthew 24:6, so ἐξαπατής recalls the βλέπετεμήτιςὑμᾶςπλανήσῃ of Mark 13:5 = Matthew 24:4. ἐξαπατά , frequent in Lxx, is in the N. T. used chiefly by Paul.— On κατὰμηδένατρόπο , “ evidently a current phrase” (Mill.), which strengthens μήτι , cf. 3 Mac. 4:13, Malachi 4:4 Mac. 4:24, 10:7; also κατὰπάντατρόπο Romans 3:2. Though κατα (v. 9, 1:12, 3:6) is common in Paul, it does not appear in I. ἡἀποστασί . The article suggests that “ the apostasy” or “ the religious revolt” is something well known to the readers; in fact, instruction upon this and cognate points had already been given orally by Paul (vv. 5 ff., I 5:1). The term itself is at least as old as the time of Antiochus Epiphanes who was “ enforcing the apostasy” (1 Mal 2:15), that is, of Judaism to Hellenism; thereafter, as one of the fearful signs of the end (cf. Eth. En. 91:7), it became a fixed element in apocalyptic tradition (cf. Jub. 23:14 ff. 4 Ezra 5:1 ff. Matthew 24:10 ff.). Paul, however, is probably thinking not of the apostasy of Jews from Moses, or of the Gentiles from the law in their hearts, or even of an apostasy of Christians from their Lord (for Paul expects not only the Thessalonians (I 5:9, II 2:13 ff.) but all believers (1 Corinthians 3:15) to be saved), but of the apostasy of the non-Christians as a whole, of the sons of disobedience in whom the prince of the power of the air, the evil spirit, is now operating (cf. Ephesians 2:2). This apostasy or religious revolt is not to be identified with “ the mystery of lawlessness” (v. 7), for that mystery, already set in operation by Satan, precedes the apostasy and prepares the way for it; it is therefore something future, sudden, and final, like the revelation of the Anomos with which apparently it is associated essentially and chronologically. Whether this definitive religious revolt on earth synchronises with the revolt of Satan (Revelation 12:7 ff.) in heaven, Paul does not say. On the term, see Bousset, Antichrist, 76 ff., and Volz. Eschat. 179. That the revolt is not political, whether of all peoples (Iren. V, 25:2) or of Jews (Clericus, et al.) from Rome, and not both political and religious (see Poole, ad loc., and Wohl.), but solely religious, is probable both from the fact that elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. ἀποστασί is used of religious apostasy (Joshua 22:22 (B) 3 Reg. 20:13 (A) 2 Chronicles 29:19, 2 Chronicles 33:19 (A) Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 2:1 Malachi 2:15, Acts 21:21), and from the fact that in vv. 3-12, as elsewhere in the apocalyptic utterances of Paul, there is no evident reference to political situations. (It is not evident that τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχωνἄρτ in vv. 6-7 refer to Rome). Furthermore, it is unlikely (1) that heresy is in mind, since “ the doomed” here (v. 10) and elsewhere in Paul are outside the Christian group, “ the saved” (Hammond and others (see Poole) find the prophecy fulfilled (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1 ff.), while Cyril of Jerusalem (Cat. 15:9) sees the fulfilment in the heresies of his own day); or (2) that ἡἀποστασί = ὁἀποστάτη (cf. Iren. V, 25 apostata, and Augustine, de civ. dei, 20:21, refuga), the abstract for the concrete (so Chrys. and others); or (3) that Belial is meant, on the ground that this word is rendered once in Lxx by ἀποστασί (3 Reg. 20:13 A) and several times in the later Aquila (e. g. Deuteronomy 15:9, Judges 19:22, Judges 19:1 Reg. 2:12, 10:27, 25:17, Ps. 16:27, Nahum 1:11).— Whether πρῶτο (without a following ἔπειτ I 4:17 or δεύτερο 1 Corinthians 12:28) belongs to both ἔλθῃ and ἀποκαλυφθῇ , indicating that the coming and revelation are contemporaneous,— “ the day will not be present until, first of all, these two things happen together” (Schmiedel, Dob.); or whether και at is consecutive (Ell., Find., Mill.), pointing out the result of the coming, is uncertain (cf. Mt.). In any case, the two things are not identical, although they are apparently associated both essentially and chronologically. ἀποκαλυφθῇ The Anomos, described in the following words, is indeed in existence, concealed, perhaps imprisoned, somewhere, as ἀποκαλυψθῇ intimates; but the place of concealment, whether in heaven (cf. Ephesians 6:12), in the firmament, on earth, or in the abyss, is not stated. That he is influencing “ the doomed” from his place of concealment is nowhere suggested; it is hinted only (vv. 6-7) that at present (that is, in the time of Paul) there is a supernatural spirit or person that directly by detaining him (or keeping him in detention) or indirectly (by holding sway until the appointed time of the coming of the Anomos) prevents his immediate revelation. This function of τὸκατέχο or ὁκατέχωνἄρτ is not, however, permanent; indeed, it is exercised for the purpose (God’ s purpose) that the Anomos may be revealed in his proper time, the time, namely, that has been appointed by God. Not until then will the Anomos be revealed, then when the supernatural spirit or person is removed. Since Paul does not describe the place or conditions of concealment, it is impossible to ascertain precisely what he means. His interest is not in the portrayal of the movements of the Anomos but is in his character (vv. 3-4) and his significance for the unbelievers (vv. 9-12). Paul uses φανερό (Colossians 3:3) and ἀποκάλυψι (1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:7) of the advent of Christ, but not ἀποκαλύπτει (contrast Luke 17:30, Luke 17:4 Ezra 7:28, 13:22). The revelation or Parousia of the Anomos (v. 9) is perhaps intended as a counterpart of that of the Messiah (1:7); but whether Paul is responsible for the idea or is reproducing earlier Christian or Jewish tradition is uncertain. In the later Asc. Isa. 4:18, the Beloved rebukes in wrath “ all things wherein Beliar manifested himself and acted openly in this world.” ὁἄνθρωποςτῆςἀνομία = ὁἄνομο (v. 8), for ἄνθρωποςἀνομία like υἱόςἀνομία (Ps. 88:23) is a Hebraism, designating a person as belonging to a lawless class or condition. This phrase, like ὁυἱὸς , τῆςἀπωλείας , ὁἀντικείμενοςκαὶὑπεραιρόμενοςκτλ ., and ὁἄνομος is not a proper name but a characterisation of a person, and that too a definite person, as the article in each of the four phrases makes plain. It is evident that the figure in question is not Satan but a man, a unique man, however, in whom Satan dwells and operates. Chrys. observes: “ Who is this person? Satan? Not at all; but ἄνθρωπόςτιςπᾶσαναὐτοῦδεχόμενοςτὴνἐνέργειαν ” So complete is the control of Satan over his peculiar instrument that it is natural to hold with Th. Mops. that the parallel between the incarnation of Christ and the indwelling of Satan in the Anomos is all but complete. While ἄνθρωποθεου is quite frequent in the Lxx (cf. also 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:17), ἄνθρωπο with an abstract gen. (Sir. 20:26, 31:25, Luke 2:14) is less frequent than ἀνή For the equivalence of ἄνθρωπος , ἀνή , and υἱό in this construction, cf. ἄνθρωτοςαἱμάτω (Sir. 31:25) with ἁνὴραἱμάτω (2 Reg. 16:7 f. and often in Psalms; see Briggs, ICC on Psalms 5:7); and cf. υἱὸςθανάτω (1 Reg. 20:31, 2 Reg. 12:5) with ἀνὴρθανάτο (3 Reg. 2:26).— Instead of ἀνομία (Bא , Tert. et al.), the majority of uncials (, et al.) read ἁμαρτία In the Lxx, A frequently reads ἁμαρτί where B reads ἀνομί (e. g. Exodus 34:7, Isaiah 53:12, Ezekiel 16:51, Ezekiel 29:16); occasionally A has ἀνομί where B (Ezekiel 36:19) or א (Ps. 108:14) has ἁμαρτί As these variants and the parallelism in Job 7:21, Psalms 31:5, Isaiah 53:5 show, the two words are similar in meaning, ἁμαρτί being the more general (cf. 1 John 3:4). Though common in Lxx, both ἀνομί (Romans 4:7, Romans 4:6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:14) and ἄνομο (1 Corinthians 9:21) are rare in Paul. Unless Bא revised in the light of vv. 7-8 (Weiss), or substituted ἀνομία for ἁμαρτία in the light of an exegesis which understood “ the man of sin” to be Belial, the more specific ἀνομία is the preferable reading.— It is tempting to identify the figure described in the four phrases with Belial (Beliar), though we cannot be sure (cf. Dob. Dibelius) that Paul would assent to this identification. This identification seems probable to Bousset (Antichrist, 1895, 99) and “ all but certain” to Charles (Ascension of Isaiah, 1900, lxii; cf. also Mill. and Moff.). The origin and meaning of the word Belial are alike uncertain; Moore (ICC on Judges 19:22) observes: “ The oldest etymology of the word is found in Sanhedrin, 111 f. … ‘ men who have thrown off the yoke of Heaven from their necks’ . So also Jerome in a gloss in his translation of Jdg 19:22: filii Belial, id est absque iugo” ; but the word is “ without analogy in the language” (ibid.); see further, Cheyne in EB 525 ff. In the Hebrew O.T. Belial is not certainly a proper name, though in Psalms 18:5 = 2 Samuel 22:5 “ torrents of Belial” (Briggs) is parallel to “ cords of sheol” and “ snares of Death.” In the Lxx ב ל י ע ל is rendered by υἱοὶβελιά (Judges 20:13 A), ἀποστασί (3 Reg. 20:13 A so frequently in the later Aquila), παράνομο ,ἀνόμημ (Deuteronomy 15:9), ἀνομι , etc.; see Moore, loc. cit. In the Test. xii (see Charles on Reub. 2:1), Jub. , and Asc. Isa. (see Charles on 1:8), Belial or Beliar is definitely a Satan or the Satan (cf 2 Corinthians 6:15). Charles (Asc. Isa lxi ff.) not only identifies “ the man of lawlessness” with Belial but elaborates an hypothesis to account for the Antichrist as he appears in Paul and in later N. T. literature. The Anomos of Paul, a god-opposing man, a human sovereign armed with miraculous power, is the resultant of a fusion of two separate and originally independent traditions, that of the Antichrist and that of Beliar. The Antichrist is not, as Bousset supposes, originally the incarnate devil but a godopposing being of human origin. The first historical person to be identified with Antichrist is Antiochus Epiphanes; and the language applied to him “ recalls, though it may be unconsciously, the old Babylonian saga of the Dragon’ s assault on the gods of heaven.” Beliar, on the other hand, is a purely Satanic being. “ It is through the Beliar constituent of the developed Antichrist myth that the old Dragon saga from Babylon gained an entrance into the eschatologies of Judaism and Christianity.” This fusion of Antichrist with Beliar “ appears to have been effected on Christian soil before 50 a.d.,” and is attested by 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. The subsequent history of Antichrist was influenced by the incoming of the Neronic myths; for example, Rev. xiii betrays the fusion of the myth of Antichrist with that of Nero Redivivus; Sib. Orac. III, 63-74, reflects the incarnation of Beliar as Antichrist in Nero still conceived as living; and Asc. Isaiah 4:2-4 (88-100 a.d.; Harnack and Bousset put the passage much later) suggests the incarnation of Beliar as Antichrist in the form of the dead Nero: “ Beliar … will descend from his firmament in the likeness of a man, a lawless king,” etc. ὁυἱὸςτῆςἀπωλεία = ὁἀπολλύμεονο , a Hebraism indicating the one who belongs to the class destined to destruction (v. 10 of οἱἀπολλύμενο as opposed to the class destined to salvation The same description is applied to Judas Iscariot in John 17:12. Abaddon is in Lxx rendered by ἀπώλει , and appears in parallelism with ᾅδη (Job 26:6, Proverbs 15:11), θάνατο (Job 28:22) and τόφο ; cf. ἀνομί (Belial) with θάνατο and ᾅδη in Psalms 17:5. Bousset (Antichrist, 99) calls attention to the angel of the abyss in Revelation 9:11 whose name is Ἀβαδδώ in Hebrew and Ἀπολλύω in Greek. The abyss is apparently “ the abode of the ministers of torment from which they go forth to do hurt” (Taylor in ERE. I, 54). It is not, however, probable that ὁυἱὸςτῆςἀπωλεία refers to the demonic angel of the abyss, for (1) Paul’ s usage of ἀπώλει is against it (Romans 9:22, Philippians 1:28, Philippians 1:3:19; cf. Isaiah 57:4 τέκναἀπωλείας , σπέρμαἄνομο ; Proverbs 24:22a υἱὸςἀπωλεία ; Jub. 10:3 Apoc. Pet. 1:2); and (2) in Revelation 17:8, the beast that ascends from the abyss is to go off ultimately εἰςἀπώλεια 4. ὁἀντικείμενοςκτλ . In the further characterisation of Satan’ s peculiar instrument, three points are prominent (1) his impious character, “ the one who opposes and uplifts himself against every one called God or an object of worship” ; (2) the tendency of his spirit of opposition and self-exaltation, “ so that he sits in the sanctuary of God” ; and (3) the blasphemous claim, intended by the session, “ proclaiming that he himself is really God.” The words of the first clause are evidently reminiscent of a description already applied to Antiochus Epiphanes by Daniel (Th. 11:36 ff.): καὶὑψωθήσεταιὁβασιλεὺςκαὶμεγαλυνθήσεταιἐπὶπάνταθεόν , καὶλαλήσειὑπέρογκ (i. e. ἐπὶτὸνθεὸντῶνθεῶ , Lxx) … καὶἐπὶπᾶνθεὸνοὐσυνήσει , ὅτιἐπὶπάνταςμεγαλυνθήσετα . In alluding to this passage and in quoting ἐπὶπάνταθεό , Paul inserts λεγόμενο to prevent the possibility of putting the would-be gods on a level with the true God; but whether λεγόμενο refers solely to the would-be gods designated as such, “ so-called” (cf. Iren. V, 25:1 super omne idolum, Wohl., Dob.), or whether it embraces both the would-be gods and the true God, “ which is called God,” rightly or wrongly (so most interpreters), is uncertain. Since both ἀντικείμενο and ὑπεραιρόμενο are united by one article, it is probable but not certain (De W., Lü n., Ell.) that the former is not a substantive referring to Satan (1 Timothy 5:14 1 Timothy 5:1 Clem. 51:1) or ὁδιάβολο who stands at the right hand of Joshua in Zechariah 3:1 τοῦἀντικεῖσθαιαὐτῷ — Apart from Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7) ὑπεραίρεσθα is found in Gk. Bib. Psalms 37:4, Psalms 71:16, Proverbs 31:29, 2 Chronicles 32:23, Sir. 48:13, 2 Mac. 5:23; the construction with ἐπι (only here in Gk. Bib.; cf. ὑπέ in Psalms 71:16 and the dat. in 2 Mac. 5:23) is due, perhaps, to the allusion in ἐπὶπάνταθεό — Since ἀντικεῖσθα (common in Gk. Bib.; cf. the substantive participle in Isaiah 66:6, 1 Corinthians 16:9, Philippians 1:28) is regularly construed with the dative, a zeugma is here to be assumed, unless the possibility of ἀντικεῖσθαιἐπι = “ against” be admitted (Schmiedel, Dob.).— The rare σέβασμ (Acts 17:23 Sap. 14:20, 15:17 Dan. (Th.) Bel 27; cf. Sap. 14:20 with 14:12 εἴδωλ , 14:15 εἰκώ , and 14:16 τάγλυπτα ) indicates not a divinity (numen) but any sacred object of worship.— On λεγόμενο , cf. 1 Corinthians 8:5, Colossians 4:11, Ephesians 2:11.— The omission by א * of καὶὑπεραιρόμενο is not significant. ὥστεαὐτὸνκαθισαικτλ . The session in the sanctuary of God is tantamount to the assumption of divine honours, “ proclaiming that he himself is really God.” The attempt to sit in the sanctuary of God is made quite in the spirit of the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:13 ff.) and the prince of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2); but whether the attempt is successful or not is not indicated certainly by ὥστ with the infinitive. τὸνναὸντοῦθεσυ . This is apparently the earliest extant reference to the session of the Antichrist in the temple of God (Bousset, Antichrist, 104 ff.). It is, however, quite uncertain whether the temple is to be sought in the church (on the analogy of 1 Corinthians 3:16 ff. 1 Corinthians 3:6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16), in Jerusalem (Psalms 5:8, Psalms 78:1, Psalms 137:2), “ in the high mountains toward the north” (Isaiah 14:13), “ in the heart of the sea” (Ezekiel 28:2), or in the holy heavenly temple where God sits enthroned; cf. Psalms 10:4 κύριοςἐνναῷἁγίῳαὐτοῦ , κύριοςἐνοὐρανῷὁθρόνοςαὐτου (see Briggs, ad loc., and cf. Isaiah 66:1, Micah 1:2, Habakkuk 2:20, Psalms 17:7). If the reference is to the heavenly temple, then there is a reminiscence, quite unconscious, of traits appearing in the ancient saga of the Dragon that stormed the heavens, and (beginnings being transferred in apocalyptic to endings) is to storm the heavens at the end (cf. Bousset, loc. cit.). In this case ὥστ with the infinitive will indicate either (1) that the tendency of the spirit of defiance and self-exaltation is toward self-deification, the reference to the temple not being pressed; or (2) that after his revelation or advent, the Anomos, like the Dragon, attempts an assault on the throne of God in his holy temple in heaven, but is destroyed in the act by the breath of the mouth of the Lord Jesus. Dibelius thinks that the original saga has been humanised by the insertion of the temple in Jerusalem, and compares Revelation 13:6 βλασφημῆσαιτὴνσκήνη Other commentators who find here a reference to the temple in Jerusalem hold either that the prophecy has been (Grot.) or will be fulfilled (e. g. Iren. V, 25:4 30:4; Hippolytus (Daniel 4:29 Antichrist, 6) has the temple rebuilt; and Cyril of Jerusalem (Cat. 15:5) has it rebuilt on the ruins of the old temple). When the significance of ὥστ with the infinitive is faced, it is held either (1) that the Anomos, when he comes, actually takes his seat in the temple, and exercises therefrom his demonic powers until his destruction, the exact manner in which ὥστ is realised being left indeterminate; or (2) that ὥστ indicates tendency or purpose not realised, the description being intended to set forth the trend of defiance and self-exaltation, and the reference to the temple not being forced. Still other commentators interpret the temple as equivalent to the church (Th. Mops., Chrys. Theodoret, Jerome, et al.), an interpretation which makes easy the application to heresy (Calv.), or when necessary, by Protestants, to the Pope sitting in the cathedra Petri. The difficulty with the reference to the temple in Jerusalem is that the evidence adduced for this interpretation is not convincing. Neither Antiochus who erected a heathen altar on the altar of burnt-offering, and presumably placed thereon a statue of Zeus Olympios (cf. 1 Mac. 1:54, Daniel 9:27, Daniel 9:11:31, Daniel 9:12:11; Mark 13:14, Matthew 24:15), nor Caligula who ordered Petronius to set up his statue in the temple (Josephus, Ant. 18:8) is conceived as sitting or attempting to sit in the sanctuary of God. Contrast our verse with Asc. Isa. 4:11: “ He (Beliar) … will set up his image before him in every city.” The temple then is probably to be sought in heaven; and there is in the allusion an unconscious survival of traits in the ancient tradition of the Dragon. On this saga, cf. Bousset, Antichrist, 104 ff.; Gunkel, schö pfung und Chaos, 221 ff.; Cheyne in EB 1131 ff.; Mill. 163 f.; and Dob. or Dibelius ad loc.— καθίζει is intransitive; on εἰ (Exodus 16:29, Exodus 16:1 Reg. 5:11, 2 Reg. 15:25 (A) Lamentations 2:10), see Bl 39:3. The ναὸςτοῦθεου (1 Es. 5:52, Judith 5:18 Dan. (Th.) 5:3, Matthew 26:61, etc.; or κυριο Luke 1:9 and often in Lxx) is elsewhere in Paul used metaphorically; the Christians are the temple of God, or the body is the temple of the Spirit. — ἀποδείκνυμ (1 Corinthians 4:9) may mean “ exhibit,” “ prove” (Acts 25:7), “ appoint” (Acts 2:22), or “ designate” (a successor, 2 Mac. 14:26 (A); cf. Polyb. V, 43:4, Josephus, Ant. 6:35 7:338 The latter meaning in the sense of “ nominate” or “ proclaim” is here preferred by Lft. and Mill. The participle ἀποδεικνύντ denotes either purpose (Acts 3:26) or attendant circumstance (BMT 449). Before καθίσα , KL, et al., put ὡςθεό 5. οὐμνημονεύετεκτλ . With an unfinished sentence behind him (vv. 3-4), Paul abruptly reminds his readers that they have already been instructed in the matter of the times and seasons, particularly the signs which must precede the Parousia of Christ (ταῦτ referring strictly to vv. 3-4). With a trace of impatience it may be (contrast μνημονεύετ in I 2:9) he asks: “ Do you not remember that when I was yet with you, I was repeatedly telling you these things?” Paul is wont to appeal not only to the knowledge of his readers (cf. I 2:1, etc.), but also, and specifically, as Chrys. has seen, to his previous oral communications (3:10, I 3:4).— On πρὸςὑμᾶςεἶνα , cf. 3:10, I 3:4.— Even without πολλάκι (Philippians 3:18), Ἔλεγο may denote customary or repeated action,— On the first person sing. without ἐγω , cf. 3:17; with ἐγω I 2:18, 3:5. — For ἔτιὤ , DE have ἔτιἐμοῦὄντο ; so also Ambst (Souter). On the view that ἔτ (a word found in the Major Epistles and Philippians 1:9; cf. Luke 24:6, Luke 24:44) excludes a reference to Paul’ s visit and indicates a reference to Timothy’ s visit, and that therefore Timothy is here proclaiming himself that he is really the author of II (Spitta), see Mill. xc. 6-8a. In these verses, Paul is evidently explaining the delay of “ the apostasy” and of the revelation or Parousia of the Anomos, and consequently the reason why the day of the Lord is not yet present. As the readers are not receiving new information, it is sufficient for Paul merely to allude to what they know already. Unfortunately, the allusions are so fragmentary and cryptic that it is at present impossible to determine precisely what Paul means. The conspicuous difficulty lies in the interpretation of To τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχεωἄρτ (v. infra). Since the reference is unknown, it is impossible to determine whether κατέχει is to be translated “ withhold” or “ detain,” an object αὐτό being supplied; or, “ hold sway” “ rule” , κατέχει being intransitive. It is worth noting, however, that in vv. 6-12 there is nothing obviously political. The thought runs in the sphere of the supramundane; the categories are concrete and realistic; and the interest, as in apocalyptic at its best, is religious and moral, the assertion of faith that the universe is moral, the justification of the ways of God to men. Though the Devil controls his own, his movements are directed by the purpose of God. Indeed, as vv. 9-12 make clear, God first of all endeavours through his Spirit to stir up within men the love for his truth unto their salvation. When they refuse to welcome the heavenly visitor, then God as judge prepares them for the consequences of their refusal. It is thus God himself who sends an “ operation unto delusion” into the souls of those who have destroyed themselves by refusing to welcome the love for the truth unto their salvation. Since then there is no obvious reference in vv. 6-12 to a political power, it is antecedently probable that τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχωνἄρτ refer not to the Roman Empire and emperor as a restraining principle or person, but to a supernatural spirit or person conceived either as an unknown being who keeps the Anomos in detention as the Dragon of the saga is kept (cf. Dibelius), or as a well-known spirit or person, possibly the Devil himself who is in control of the forces of evil, the prince of the power of the air that operates in the sons of disobedience (cf. Schaefer). The Meaning of τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχωνἄρτ The sphere of conjectural interpretations of τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχωνἄρτ seems to be limited by the following probabilities: (1) The presence of a ἄρτ with ὁκατέχω indicates that ὁκατέχω (and similarly τὸκατέχο , notwithstanding the fact that we do not have τὸνῦνκατέχο or τὸκατέχοννῦ ) is not a proper name but a description of a definite and well-known figure whose activity in κατέχει is in progress at the time of Paul; (2) the ἄρτ is “ now” to Paul; the τότ is of his expectation, and is not a far-distant “ then” ; (3) κατέχει has the same meaning in both participial phrases (so Boh “ that which layeth hold” (Horner) and Syr.), though the Vulg (Th. Mops., Ambst) renders the former quid detineat and the latter qui tenet nunc. Within the limits of these probabilities, two types of opinion may be briefly sketched, the one based on the “ contemporary-historical,” the other on the “ traditional-historical” method of interpretation. I. The usual conjecture finds a reference in both τὸκατέχο and ὁκατέχωνἄρτ to the Roman Empire. The older expositors (e. g. Tert. de resur. 24, and Chrys.) stretch the limits of τότ and include in ἄρτ both their own and Paul’ s present. Modern writers, following the example of Wetstein (who thinks of Nero), Whitby (who thinks of Claudius), and Hitzig (who unlocks the pun qui claudit), are inclined to adhere firmly to the contemporary reference. Bacon (Introd. 77; cf. Spitta, Zur Geschichte und Litteratur, 1893, I, 1146 ff. and Dob. ad loc.) states the prevailing conjecture cogently: “ We need not assume with Hitzig a play upon the name Claudius, nor deny that “ the restrainer” may well be a primeval element of the Antichrist legend; but in the present application of the word, first neuter, then masculine, the reference is certainly to Paul’ s unfailing refuge against Jewish malice and persecution, the usually incorruptible Roman magistracy (Romans 13:1-6) which at this very period was signally befriending him (Acts 18:12-17), The difficulty with this generally accepted interpretation is (1) that while the fall of Rome is one of the signs of the Messianic Period (4 Ezra 5:3 Apoc. Bar. 39:7; cf. for the rabbinical literature Klausner, Die Messianischen Vorstellungen, etc. 1904, 39 ff. and Rabinsohn, Le Mcssianisme, etc. 1907, 63 ff.), the notion of Rome as a restrainer does not appear in Jewish apocalyptic literature (cf. Gunkel, Schö pfung, etc. 223). To obviate this objection, it is assumed that the trait is due to Paul or to contemporary Christianity (cf. Dob.). (2) A second difficulty is the fact that Paul the Roman citizen, although he does not identify the Roman Empire or emperor with the Antichrist (contrast Rev.), is compelled with grim apocalyptic determinism to put the Roman emperor, if not also the empire, ἐκμέσο when once he, if not also it, has performed his service as restrainer. Augustine, in his interesting review of conjectural explanations (de civ. dei, xx, 19), notes the opinion of some that Paul “ was unwilling to use language more explicit lest he should incur the calumnious charge of wishing ill to the empire which it was hoped would be eternal,” and concedes that “ it is not absurd to believe” that Paul does thus refer to the empire as if it were said: “ Only he who now reigneth, let him reign until he is taken out of the way.” But while the conjecture is not absurd, it creates the only political reference not simply in this passage but in Paul’ s apocalyptic utterances as a whole. A theory which is not open to this objection would be distinctly preferable. II. Passing by other opinions, as, for example, that the Holy Spirit is meant (noted by Chrys.), or a friendly supernatural being (Hofmann thinks of the angel prince of Daniel), or Elijah (Ewald, who notes Matthew 17:11, Revelation 11:3), we turn to the distinctively “ traditional-historical” interpretations. (1) Gunkel (Schö pfung, 223 ff.) remarks that the heavenly or hellish powers who are to appear at the end are already in existence, and that the natural query why they have not yet manifested themselves is answered by the reflection that there must be something somewhere that holds them back for the time. The idea of κατέχω is originally mythical. Gunkel thinks that to Paul the κατέχω is probably a heavenly being, Elijah. (2) Dibelius in his Geisterwelt im Glauben des Paulus, 1909, 58 ff. and in his commentary (1911) on our passage attaches himself to Gunkel’ s method, and makes the acute suggestion, supported by such passages as Job 7:12, Revelation 13:1 Apoc. Bar. 29:4, 4 Ezra 6:52 and by instances from mythology and folk-lore, that τὸκατέχο or ὁκατέχω is the something somewhere (Paul does not know who or what it is exactly, and therefore shifts easily from neuter to masculine) which keeps the Anomos in detention until the time appointed by God for his advent. The trait is thus mythical, as Gunkel suspected. It is of interest to observe that while Gunkel takes κατέχει in the sense of κωλύει (so most from Chrys. on), Dibelius understands it in the equally admissible sense (see on I 5:21) of κρατεῖ confirming the meaning by an apt quotation from the Acta Pilati, 22:2, where Christ, in delivering Satan to Hades, says: λαβὼναὐτὸνκάτεχἀσφαλῶςἄχριτῆςδευτέραςμουπαρουσία (3) Schaefer in his commentary (1890) agrees with Dö llinger in taking κατέχει intransitively and in translating it “ herrschen” , “ rule,” “ hold sway.” In his exegesis of the passage he comes to the conclusion not only that τὸκατέχο is the mystery of lawlessness and that αὐτο (v. 6) is Christ, but also that ὁκατέχω is Satan. This indentification of ὁκατέχω with Satan, original apparently with the Roman Catholic scholar, has the advantage of fitting admirably into Paul’ s thinking both here and elsewhere. Assuming Schaefer’ s identification as a working hypothesis and applying it in our own way, we suggest first of all that just as Christ is to Paul both the exalted Lord and the Spirit operating in believers, so Satan is both (1) “ the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “ the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), the (temporary) ruler of the spiritual hosts of wickedness, and (2) the evil spirit that energises in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). The effect of the operation of Satan, the spirit or person who is now holding sway, is characterised as “ the mystery of lawlessness,” that is, the lawlessness which is secretly growing in unbelievers under the spell of Satan. This control of Satan is in accordance with the divine purpose, for it prepares the way for the revelation of the Anomos in the time set him by God and not before, the reason being that the mystery of lawlessness, which Satan sets in operation, is to culminate in a definitive apostasy on earth which is the signal for the advent of Satan’ s instrument, the Anomos. But this apostasy will not come, and the Anomos will not be revealed until Satan, who is now holding sway, is put out of the way. The notion that a iimit has been set to the authority of Satan has recently received fresh confirmation in a manuscript of the Freer collection (cf. Gregory, Das Freer Logion, 1908), where between Mark 16:14: and 16:15 we read: “ This age of lawlessness is under Satan who (which) does not permit τὰὑπὸτῶνπνευμάτωνἀκάθαρτ to understand the true power of God” ; and further, in words attributed to Christ: πεπλήρωταιὁὅροςτῶνἐτῶντῆςἐξουσίαςτοῦΣατανᾶἀλλὰἐγγίζειἄλλαδεινα But the unsolved difficulty in our passage is the reference intended by ἐκμέσουγένητα It is just possible that Paul is alluding to the war in heaven (Revelation 12:7 ff.), the religious revolt led by Satan, which is the signal for the sudden apostasy on earth. In this case, ἐκμέσου refers to Satan’ s expulsion from heaven to earth. Though he is thus removed, he makes use of his peculiar instrument, the Anomos, who now issues forth from his place of concealment, and gives him all his power, just as the Dragon (Revelation 13:2) gives the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. Equipped with this power, the Anomos, whose advent is for the doomed alone, gathers his forces for war against Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:24 ff.), attempts the assault on the throne of God in his holy temple in heaven, but is slain in the attempt by the Lord Jesus with the breath of his mouth and is destroyed with the manifestation of his advent. To this conjecture, based on Schaefer’ s identification of ὁκατέχω with Satan, it may be objected not that Satan is described in reference to his function of κατέχει , for Paul calls Satan ὁπειράζω (I 3:5), but that (1) Paul might not subscribe either to the identification or to the deductions therefrom indicated above, and (2) that ἐκμέσο , which to be sure designates only the fact not the manner (forced or voluntary) of the removal, does not at first blush suggest an ἐκβάλλεσθαιεἰςτὴνγῆ (Revelation 12:9). This brief review of conjectures only serves to emphasise the fact that we do not know what Paul had in mind, whether the Roman Empire, or a supernatural being that keeps the Anomos in detention, or Satan who is temporarily in control of the forces of evil, or something else quite different. Grimm (1861), for example, thinks of the Anomos himself and Beyer (1824) of Paul; see other conjectures in Lü n. (ed. Gloag, 222-238). It is better, perhaps, to go with Augustine who says on v. 6; “ Since he said that they (the Thessalonians) know, he was unwilling to say this openly. And thus we, who do not know what they knew, desire and yet are unable even cum labore to get at what the Apostle meant, especially as the things which he adds (namely, vv. 7-8a), make his meaning still more obscure” ; and to confess with him: ego prorsus quid dicert me fateor ignorare (de oiv dei. xx, 19). 6. καὶνῦντὸκατέχονοἴδατ . “ And as to the present, you know that which restrains him” (if the reference is to the Roman Empire), or “ detains him” (if the reference is to a supernatural being that keeps the Anomos, in detention), or “ is holding sway” (if the reference is to Satan). From things to come (vv.3b-4), Paul turns with καὶνῦ to things present (vv. 6-7); and then, having indicated the reason for the delay of the advent of the Anomos and so of Christ, he reverts in v. 8 with τότ to the future. The νῦ (cf. I 3:8) is not logical but temporal, calling attention to what is going on in the present in contrast not with the past (v. 5) but with the future (vv. 3-4; cf. the next clause ἐντῷαὐτοῦκαιρῷ and καὶτότ v. 8). τὸκατέχο is not a title, but the description of a supernatural being (or the Roman Empire) that is functioning as κατέχο in Paul’ s present. Some commentators (especially Lü n.) explains νῦ in the temporal sense: “ and now to pass to a further point.” This explanation puts so great a stress on the new point as such as to demand νῦνδε (cf. I Cor. , one of the few instances of logical νῦ in Paul). Since, however, the readers have already been instructed (Lü n.) and need only to be reminded again of the point, and that too allusively, it is more likely that the emphasis is laid not on the new point as such but on the present situation involved in κατέχο as contrasted with the future situation when ὁκατέχωνἄρτ will be removed, and the prophecy of v. 3 will be realised; and that therefore νῦ is temporal (so most). But to seek the contrast in ἔτ (v. 5) is to be forced to assume that the readers had never heard of τὸκατέχο until now, and that from the cryptic utterances of vv. 6-8 a they could divine, without previous knowledge, Paul’ s meaning. Dob. asks too much of the readers when he remarks: “ Paulus muss seiner Sache in dieser Hinsicht sehr sicher gewesen, dass er sich mit dieser Andeutung begnü gt.— The καὶνῦ is detached and emphatic (cf. John 4:18), “ und fü r jetzt” (Dibelius).— If κατέχει = “ restrain” or “ detain,” αὐτό = ἄνομο is to be supplied here and in v. 7; if it means “ hold sway” “ rule,” it is intransitive. εἰςτὸἀποκαλυφθῆναικτλ . The divine purpose (εἰςτο ; cf. 1:5) of the present action designated by τὸκατέχο is “ that he (namely, the Anomos; cf. ἀποκαλύπτεσθα vv. 3, 8) may be revealed in his time,” that is, the time set him by God, and not before. It is already evident (as v. 7 explains) that the terminus of the function indicated by τὸκατέχο is the apostasy and the concomitant revelation of the Anomos. The emphatically placed αὐτου (א AKP, et al.) is misunderstood by BDEGFL, et al., and changed to ἑαυτου (Zim; cf. Romans 3:25). The καιπό (cf. I 2:17, 5:1) is a day γνωστὴτῷκυρίῳ (Zechariah 14:7; cf. Ps. Sol. 17:23).— It is to be observed that we have εἰςτὸἀποκαλυφθῆναικτλ , not τὸμη or τοῦμὴἀποκαλυφθῆναιπρὸτοῦκαιροῦαὐτου (cf. Luke 4:42) or ἕωςαὐτὸςἀποκαλυφθῇἐντῷαὐτοῦκαιρῷ 7. τὸγὰρμυστήριονκτλ “ For” , to explain the connection between the present action intimated in τὸκατέχο and the future revelation of the Anomos, “ the secret, namely, of lawlessness has already been set in operation” (by Satan), and is preparing the way for the definitive apostasy on earth and its concomitant, the revelation of the Anomos (v.3). “ Only,” that apostasy will not come and the Anomos will not be revealed, “ until he who is now holding sway (or, detains or restrains him) is put out of the way; and then will be revealed the Anomos.” The phrase τὸμυστήριοντῆςἀνομία , the secret whose content is lawlessness, or “ the mystery of which the characterising feature, or, so to say, the active principle is ἀνομί ” (Ell.), is unique in the Gk. Bib. The exact meaning cannot at present be made out; but with some probability it may be referred not to the ἀποστασί (v. 3) itself, but to the secretly developing lawlessness which is to culminate in the definitive apostasy on earth (cf. Dob.). As ἐνεργεῖτα suggests, an evil power sets in operation “ the secret of lawlessness” ; and since it is improbable that ἀνομίας = ἀνόμο , this evil power is not the Anomos (the instrument of Satan) operating from his place of concealment, but Satan himself (cf. Schaefer), or more precisely, if we may identify τὸκατέχο with Satan, τὸκατέχο , the spirit that holds sway, energising in the sons of disobedience. In this case, τὸκατέχο (present participle) and τὸμυστήριο are connected both essentially and temporally. In the light of I 2:13 ἐνεργεῖτα may be middle “ is already operating,” or passive “ has already been set in operation.” In the latter case, the present tense with the adverb is to be rendered by the English perfect; cf. I 3:6 ἔχετεπάντοτ and BMT 17.— It is to be observed in passing that in vv. 6-7 Paul not only exposes the absurdity of the allegation that the day is present (v. 2) but also intimates that that day is not far distant.— On μυστήριο , which may have been suggested by ἀποκαλυφθῆνα , cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1, etc. , Colossians 4:3, etc. , Ephesians 1:9 , and Ephesians 6:19 ; also ἀποκαλύπτεινμυστήρι Sap. 6:22, Sir. 3:18, 27:16 ff. Dan. (Lxx) 2:28 f. (Th.) 2:19, 30, 47. See further, Hatch, Essays, 57 ff.; SH on Romans 11:25; Lft. on Colossians 1:26; Swete on Mark 4:11; and Robinson, Ephesians, 235 ff. μόνονὁκατέχωνἄρτικτλ . There is an ellipsis here; and since the clause with μόνο is evidently the link between the present action implied in τὸκατέχο and the terminus of that action at the revelation of the Anomos, it is natural to supply not only “ that apostasy, which is the culmination of the secret of lawlessness, will not come,” but also, in the light of vv. 6b and 8a, “ the Anomos will not be revealed.” Both the ellipsis and the position of ἕω have a striking parallel in Galatians 2:10: μόνοντῶνπτωχῶνἵναμνημονεύωμε On the probable meaning of these obscure words, v. supra, pp. 259 ff.— Since Galatians 2:10 explains, satisfactorily both the ellipsis and the inverted order of the words, it is unnecessary to resort to other expedients, as, for example, that of the Vulgate: tantum ut qui tenet nunc, teneat, donec de medio fiat. Many commentators think it needless “ to supply definitely any verb to complete the ellipsis. The μόο belongs to ἕως and simply states the limitation involved in the present working of the μυστήριοντῆςἀνομία ; it is working already, but only with unconcentrated action until the obstacle be removed and Antichrist be revealed.” (Ell.).— The conjunction ἕω occurs in Paul only here and 1 Corinthians 4:5 (ἕωςἄ ; so GF in our passage; cf. BMT 323).— ἐκμέσο is rather frequent in Gk. Bib. with αἴρει (Colossians 2:14, Isaiah 57:2, ἐκμέσο being absolute in both instances), ἐξολευθρεύει , and ἁρπάζει ; but ἐκμέσο with γίνεσθα occurs only here in the Gk. Bib. This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/iccnt/ V. FINALLY (3:1-5) This section, as τὸλοιπό and ἀδελφοι make clear, is new, and serves not as a conclusion of the foregoing (2:13-17) but as an introduction to the following discussion (3:6-16), as παραγγέλλομε (v. 4 and vv. 10, 11) and ποιήσετ intimate; in other words, vv. 1-5 form a transition (analogous to I 4:1-2) from the first to the second main point of the epistle, from the faint-hearted (1:3-2:17) to the idle brethren (3:6-15). The structure is abrupt (cf. δε in vv. 3, 4, 5) more so than in I 5:14-22; and the transitions, based on association of ideas , do not quite succeed either in relieving the abruptness or in making definite the underlying connection of thought. The situation may best be explained on the assumption not that a forger is at work (Wrede), or that in 2:16-3:5 considerable material has been deleted (Harnack), but that Paul is replying informally to remarks made by his converts in their letter to him. Wishing to get their willing obedience to the command of vv. 6-15, he seeks their sympathy in requesting their prayers for him and his cause, and delicately commends their faith (vv. 1-2). Finding, it may be, in the letter from the converts that the idle brethren are disposed to excuse their idleness on the ground that the Tempter is too strong for them, Paul bids them to remember that Christ is really to be depended on to give them strength sufficient to resist temptation (v. 3). Still wishing to get their willing obedience, Paul in the same Christ avows tactfully his faith in them that they will be glad to do what he commands, as indeed they are even now doing (v. 4). But as a stimulus to obedience, they need especially a vivid sense of God’ s love for them, and the reminder that Christ can give them an endurance adequate to the situation. Accordingly, Paul addresses a prayer for them to Christ the source of power (v. 5). 1Finally, pray, brothers, for us, asking that the word of the Lord may run its race and be crowned with glory, as it does with you; 2and that we may be delivered from those unrighteous and evil men,— for not for all is the Christian faith. 3Faithful, however, the Lord really is, and he will make you firm and guard you from the evil one. 4Moreover, prompted by the Lord, we have faith in you that the things which we command, you both are doing and will continue to do. 5However, may the Lord incline your hearts to a sense of God’ s love and to the endurance that Christ alone inspires. 1. τὸλοιπό . Though τὸλοιπό , like λοιπό (I 4:1 and GF here), is often found at the end of a letter intimating that it is drawing to a close (2 Corinthians 13:11; contrast 1 Corinthians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Corinthians 7:29), yet it does not of necessity imply that “ what remains to be said” is of secondary importance, as the instances in the other Macedonian letters demonstrate (I 4:1, Philippians 3:1, Philippians 4:8). In fact, just as I 4:1-2 paves the way for the important exhortations in I 4:3-5:22 (which are placed, like vv. 1-15 here, between two prayers, αὐτὸςδε I 3:11-13, 5:23 and II 2:16-17, 3:16) so vv. 1-5, introduced as I 4:1-2 by λοιπό and the affectionate ἀδελφοι , serve as a tactful introduction to the important injunction in vv. 6-15. προσεύχεσθεκτλ . This appeal for the prayers of the readers is characteristic of Paul (1:11, I 5:25, Romans 15:30 f. Colossians 4:2, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 1:22; also 2 Corinthians 1:11, Philippians 1:19); it is inspired here by the circumstances in which he is writing, namely, as καὶπάσχετ (1:4) has already intimated, by persecutions, and that too at the instigation of Jews, as οὐγὰρπάντωνἡπίστι in the light of I 2:15-16 suggests, and as the typical instances narrated in Acts (18:5 ff.) corroborate. This appeal for sympathy is intended not to remind the readers that they are not the only victims of Jewish opposition, but, as the tacit praise of their faith suggests, to stir up within them such love for him that they will obey with alacrity the command which he is about to give (vv. 6-15). ἵναὁλόγοςτοῦκυρίουκτλ . The prayer requested is not so much for Paul and his companions personally as for them as preachers of the gospel (2:14) and as sufferers in the common cause of the kingdom of God (1:4). Hence the object of the prayer (ἵν being here not, as in 1:11, of the purpose, but of the object as in Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9; cf. v. 12 below and I 4:1, 2 Corinthians 8:6) is both (1) that the word of the Lord (I 1:8) may run its race unhindered by the weight of opposition, and be crowned with glory; and (2) that the missionaries of the gospel of Christ may be delivered from those well-known unrighteous and evil men. In each of the clauses with ἵν there is an additional remark (a) in reference to the faith of the readers, καθὼςκαὶπρὸςὑμᾶ ; and (b) in reference to the adversaries common to Paul and the readers, the Jews whose hearts are hardened, οὐγὰρπάντωνἡπίστι On Paul’ s prayers and requests for prayer, see especially E. von der Goltz, Das Gebet in der ä ltesten Christenheit, 1901, 112 ff. The language here is natural enough in itself (Hebrews 13:18) and is quite Pauline (Colossians 4:2); but the phrase as a whole reminds one of I 5:25 . The agreement between our phrase and that of I 5:25 is not, however, exact. The και of I is not present here, a fact that makes the usual reference to 2:16-17 less distinct . Furthermore the position of ἀδελφοι is different; from I 5:25 (cf. I 4:1, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 3:1, Philippians 4:8), we should expect it to precede (as GF, et al.) not to follow (א BA, et al.) προσεύχεσθ . Finally, unlike I 5:25, the object of the prayer is here stated. The significance, if there is any, of the emphatic position of προσεύχεσθ is unknown. Since “ those unrighteous and wicked men” (v. 2) are evidently well known to the readers, it is not improbable that in their letter to him they had prayed for him in Corinth. If this surmise be correct, the present imperative (which, however, is regularly used in the Macedonian letters, the only aorists being ἀσπάσασθ I 5:26, Philippians 4:21 and πληρώσατ Philippians 2:2) with which Paul replies may perhaps be rendered: “ Keep on praying as you are, brethren, for us.” τρέχῃκαὶδοξάζητα . “ That the word of the Lord may run and be glorified.” This, the first object of the prayer, expressed in a collocation which is not found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib., is to the general effect that the gospel of Christ “ may have a triumphant career” (Lft.). The word τρέχει (used absolutely here as elsewhere in Paul) is, in the light of 1 Corinthians 9:24 ff. (cf. Romans 9:16, Galatians 2:2, Galatians 5:7, Philippians 2:16), probably a metaphor derived from the races in the stadium. The word of the Lord is ὁτρέχω (Romans 9:16), competing for the βραβεῖο (1 Corinthians 9:24) or στέφανο (I 2:19, 1 Corinthians 9:25), that is, for the acceptance of the gospel as the power of God unto salvation. But to indicate the victory of the runner, Paul adds, not, as we should expect, στεφανῶτα (cf. 2 Timothy 2:5), or λαμβάνῃστέφανο (1 Corinthians 9:25), but, with a turn to the religious, δοξάζητα “ be glorified,” that is, “ crowned with glory” (compare the kingly crown in Psalms 8:6, Hebrews 2:7, Hebrews 2:9). But while the general point of the metaphor is clear, the exact force of it is uncertain. In the light of v. 2, however, it is probable that τρέχῃ means not “ to fulfil its course swiftly and without hindrance” (so Riggenbach and many others); not “ to run, that is, unhindered, and make its way quickly through the world” (Dob., who notes the hope expressed in Mark 13:10, Matthew 24:14); but to run its race unencumbered by obstacles (not self-imposed (cf. Hebrews 12:1) but) superimposed by adversaries, in this context, the Jews . In view of the unique collocation, τρέχεινκαὶδοξάζεσθα , and of Paul’ s fondness for metaphors from the race-course, it is unnecessary to see here a literary allusion either to “ the faithful and expeditious messenger” (Briggs) of Psalms 147:4, or to Psalms 18:5 ὡςγίγαςδραμεῖνὁδόναὐτου where “ the path of the sun in the heavens is conceived as a race-course” (Briggs), or to Isaiah 55:11. In this phrase, evidently coined by Paul, the present tenses regard the race and victory as in constant progress. Each person or group of persons is constantly recognising the gospel at its true worth and welcoming it as the word not of man but of God. The transition to the complimentary καθώςκτλ is thus easily made.— On ὁλόγοςτοῦκυρίο , see I 1:8 where א has τοῦθεου (cf. I 2:13) as do GFP, et al., here. On δοξάζεσθα , see 1:10, 12. καθὼςκαὶπρὸςὑμᾶ . “ As it is running and is being glorified with you” ; or succinctly, “ as it does in your case.” The praise implied in the prayer that the gospel may succeed with all as it succeeds with the readers is designed probably as an incentive not to their prayers for him but to their obedience to the command in mind (v. 6). Sympathy for Paul is to create a willing compliance; if they love him, they will keep his commands. πρό (I 3:4) is to be construed with both τρέχῃ and δοξάζητα 2. καὶἵναῥυσθῶμε . The ἵν (parallel to ἵν in v. 1) introduces the second object of προσεύχεσθ : “ that we may be delivered.” The aorist (contrast the present tenses in v. 1) regards the action of deliverance simply as an event in the past without reference to progress. As in 2 Corinthians 1:11 where the prayer requested is for deliverance from the danger of death, and as in Romans 15:30 ff. where it is for deliverance from those that are disobedient in Judæ a , so here person and cause are inseparable. τῶνἀτόπωνκαὶπονηρῶνἀνθρώπω . “ From those unrighteous and evil men.” The τῶ points to a definite class of adversaries (cf. Romans 15:31) and well known to the readers. That persecutions in Corinth are here referred to is likewise suggested by καὶπάσχετ in 1:4; and that the Jews are the instigators of persecution is the natural inference both from οὐγὰρπάντωνἡπίστι when compared with I 2:15-16, and from the typical instances recorded in Acts 18:5 ff. οὐγὰρπάντωνἡπίστι . “ For not for all is the faith” ; “ it is not everybody who is attracted by the faith” (Rutherford). “ The faith” (Galatians 1:23) is not “ the word of the Lord” (v. 1), “ the truth” (2:10, 12), or “ the gospel” (cf. 2:14), but the faith which the gospel demands, the faith without which the gospel is not effective as the power of God unto salvation. The γά explains not the prayer for deliverance, as if “ only deliverance from them is to be requested since their conversion is hopeless” (Schmiedel), but the reason why those unrighteous and evil men exist. The explanation is set forth not in terms of historical fact, “ for not all have believed” , but in terms of a general principle based on observation , which GF, et al., read, is to be supplied here as often elsewhere in Paul), “ for not for all is the faith” (πάντω being either an objective or a possessive genitive; cf. Acts 1:7, 2 Corinthians 2:3 Hebrews 5:14). In view of the fact that under similar circumstances Paul had expressed himself similarly as regards the conversion of the Jews (I 2:15-16) it is quite likely that here too, in spite of πάντω , he has in mind the obstinacy of the Jews. It was their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah that raised a serious problem not only for Paul (Rom. 9-11) but for others (Mark 4:10-12, Acts 28:26 ff., John 12:37 ff.). Here, however, the mystery alone, not its solution, is stated. ἄτοπο is used of persons only here in the Gk. Bib.; elsewhere, chiefly in Lk. Acts, Job, it is neuter; e. g. πράσσεινἄτοπ (Job 27:6, Job 36:21) or ἄτοπο (Pr. 24:55, Proverbs 24:2 Mac. 14:23; cf. Luke 23:41) and ποιεῖνἄτοπ (Job 34:12; cf. Polyc. Phil. 5:3). “ From its original meaning ‘ out of place,’ unbecoming,’ ἄτοπο came in late Greek to be used ethically = ‘ improper,’ ‘ unrighteous’ ; and it is in this sense that, with the exception of Act 28:6, it is always used in the Lxx and N. T.” (Milligan, Greek Papyri, 72). For other instances of the word, see Wetstein and Loesner, ad loc., and on Luke 23:41, and the former on Acts 28:6. The prevailing ethical meaning makes unlikely the rendering “ unbelieving” which the context might suggest . For a conspectus of proposed translations such as “ unreasonable,” “ perverse,” “ unrighteous” (Thayer), etc., see Lillie’ s note; compare also Hatch-Redpath, Concordance, where under ἄτοπο in Job 36:21 both ἄδικ , and ἄνομ are noted as variants of ἄτοπ — On πονηρό see I 5:22; D in Luke 23:41 reads πονηρό for ἄτοπο On ῥύεσθαιἀπο , see I 1:10.— Born (533), whom Wrede follows, finds an almost verbal dependence on Isaiah 25:4: ἀπὸἀνθρώπωνῥύσῃαὐτού But Psalms 139:1 would serve as well: ἐξελοῦμεκύριεἐξἀνθρώπονπονηροῦ , ἀπὸἀνδρὸςἀδίκουῥῦσαίμ Dob. (cf. Harnack, op.cit.) sees a reference to 1 Mac. 14:14 where Simon ἑξῆρενπάνταἄνομονκαὶπονηρό ; cf. Isaiah 9:17 πάντεςἄνομοικαὶπονηροι However this may be, it is evident both that Paul read the Lxx and that the collocation ἄτοποςκαὶπονηρό is not found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. 3. πιστοςδέἐστινὁκύριοςκτλ . “ The Lord (Christ) is really (2:4) faithful (cf. Romans 3:3), and as faithful will surely strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” Prompted it may be by a passage in their letter to him saying that some of the converts, probably the idlers, were disposed to excuse their conduct on the ground that the Tempter was too strong for them, and being “ more anxious about others than about himself” (Calvin), Paul turns somewhat abruptly from the situation in Corinth and his own trials to the similar situation, so far as persecution is concerned (1:4), in Thessalonica, and the moral dangers to which the devil exposed the readers (ὑμᾶ , not ἡμᾶ which Bentley and Baljon conjecture). With πιστό , here naturally suggested by πίστι (v. 2), and with an emphatic ἐστί , Paul reminds them that Christ is really to be depended on to give them strength sufficient to resist the enticement of the devil. Paul assures them not that they will be delivered from persecution (cf. I 3:4) but rather that they will be strengthened both in faith (I 3:2) and conduct (I 3:13, II 2:17), and thus be shielded from the power of Satan (I 2:18, II 2:9), that is, from the ethical aberrations, perhaps specifically the idleness and meddlesomeness to which the Tempter (I 3:2), by means of persecution, entices some of them. The similarity of 1 Corinthians 10:13 has not escaped Calvin’ s notice: There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear; πιστὸςδὲὁθεό , ὃςοὐκἐάσεικτλ The usual phrase in Paul is not πιστὸςδέἐστινὁκύριο but simply πιστὸςὁθεό (1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 1:10:13, 2 Corinthians 1:18; cf. I 5:24). The change from θεό to κύριο = Christ (v. 5) is in keeping with the tendency of II already mentioned (v. 2:13). In fact, the frequency of ὁκύριο in vv. 1-5 (four-times) has an interesting parallel in another Macedonian letter, Philippians 4:1-5 (where ὁκύριο occurs four times). The unexpected ἐστί (G, et al., omit, conforming to Paul’ s usage), which emphasises the reality of the faithfulness of Christ, may be due simply to the contrast with the faithlessness of the Jews; or it may intimate, as said, that in a letter to Paul the converts, perhaps specifically not the faint-hearted (2:17) but the idle brothers, had expressed the feeling that the evil one was too strong for them, thus accounting for their yielding to temptation. Paul’ s reply, emphasising the faithfulness of Christ who is stronger than the devil, serves both as a reminder that persecutions are not an excuse for idleness and as an incentive to do what Paul is about to command (vv. 3-4, 6-15).— ὁκύριο stands in victorious antithesis to ὁπονηρό ; for, although grammatically τοῦπονηρου may be either masculine (Ephesians 6:16) or neuter (Romans 12:9), yet the masculine, in view not only of I 2:18, 3:5, II 2:9 but also of Paul’ s conception in general of the evil world (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:15), is the more probable gender (so Calv. and most modern expositors). For supposed allusions in this passage to the Lord’ s Prayer, see on the one side Lft. and Chase (The Lord’ s Prayer in the Early Church, 1891), and on the other Dibelius, ad loc.— On στηρίζει , see I 3:2. Elsewhere in the N. T. the future is στηρίξε (as א ADP, et al., here); in the Lxx it is regularly στηριω The reading of B has a parallel in Jeremiah 17:5; that of GF is due either to a previous στηρήσε (cf. B in Sir. 38:34) or to an approximation to φυλάξε (Dob.); cf. Sir. 4:20 συντήρησονκαιρὸνκαὶφύλαξαιἀπὸπονηρου — φυλάσσει is found apart from the Pastorals but twice elsewhere in Paul, Galatians 6:13, Romans 2:26 (used in reference to the law). On the construction here, cf. Psalms 120:7. The collocation στηρίζει and φυλάσσει is without a parallel in Gk. Bib. 4. πεποίθαμενδέκτλ . With δε again, introducing a new point, and with the Pauline phrase πεποίθαμενἐνκυρίῳ (Galatians 5:10, Philippians 2:24, Romans 14:14, but not in I), Paul, who is still intent on gaining the willing obedience of the converts, avows with tact his faith that what he commands they will do as they are doing. This confidence is defined as inspired by the indwelling Christ , and as directed to the readers (ἐφ ʼ ὑμᾶ ; cf. 2 Corinthians 2:3; also εἰςὑμᾶ Galatians 5:10). The insertion of ποιεῖτ (cf. I 5:11) tactfully prepares for ποιήσετ , as καθὼςκαὶπεριπατεῖτ (I 4:1) prepares for περισσεύητεμᾶλλο (I 4:1). Though the words are general, “ what (that is, quae not quaecumque) we command, both you are doing and will continue to do” (the future being progressive; BMT 60), yet it is natural in view both of παραγγέλλομε (cf. vv. 6, 12) and ποιήσετ to find a specific reference, namely, not to the faint-hearted (as if vv. 4-5 were a doublet of 2:15-17), and not to the request for prayer (vv. 1-2 Lft.), but to the command in vv. 6-15 (Calvin). The underlying connection between v. 4 and v. 3 is not evident. In deed, πεποίθαμε is less obviously dictated by πιστό than πιστό is by πίστι The connecting idea may be that since Christ is really faithful and will surely protect the readers from the wiles of the devil, Paul may dare to express his faith in them, prompted by Christ, that they (probably the idlers) will no longer seek to excuse their idleness but will be willing, as they are able (v. 3), to do what he commands. Or it may be that v. 4 is suggested by something else said in the letter to Paul. In any case, v. 4 prepares for vv. 6-15, as most admit (Lü n. Riggenbach, Ell., Wohl., Mill., et al.; so Find. who, however, refers ποιεῖτ to vv. 1-2).— πείθει is characteristic of Paul, though the word is not confined to his writings; the perfect tense here denotes the existing state, “ I am confident.” The specifically Pauline ἐνκυρίῳ (see I 3:8) does not always appear in this phrase . While v. 3 hints that the readers are “ in the Lord,” the position of ἐφ ʼ ὑμᾶ intimates only that Paul is in the Lord, the one who inspires his confidence in the converts; contrast Galatians 5:10, πέποιθαεἰςὑμᾶςἐνκυρίῳπείθει is construed with ἐφ ʼ ὑμᾶ (2 Corinthians 2:3, Matthew 27:43 and often in Lxx), with εἰ (Galatians 5:16 Sap. 16:24) with ἐ (Philippians 3:3), and with ἐπι and dative (2 Corinthians 1:9, etc.).— The expected ὑμῖ after παραγγέλλομε (I 4:11; cf. below, vv. 6, 10) is inserted by AGFKLP, et al.; but א BD, et al., omit. On ὅτ , cf. Galatians 5:10, Philippians 2:24, 2 Corinthians 2:3, etc.; on παραγγέλλει , see I 4:2.— καὶποιεῖτεκαὶποιήσετ is read by P and Vulg and by א AD; GF have καὶἐποιήσατεκαὶποιεῖτ ; B alone is comprehensive with καὶἐποιήσατεκαὶποιεῖτεκαὶποιήσετ Either B is original with its unexpected aorist after the present παραγγέλλομε , or the seat of the trouble is the itacism ποιήσατ which D preserves. 5. ὁδὲκύριοςκτλ . The new point, introduced by δε , is slightly adversative. Although Paul has confidence in the Lord that they will do what he commands , yet he is certain that the help of the Lord is indispensable to incline their hearts to keep his command. What they need especially is a sense of God’ s love to them and a reminder that Christ can give them an endurance adequate to face the persecutions. Hence the prayer: “ May the Lord ( = Christ) direct (I 3:11) your hearts (I 3:13, II 2:17) unto the love of God and the endurance of Christ.” In Paul, ἡἀγάπητοῦθεου (Romans 5:5, Romans 5:8:39, 2 Corinthians 13:13) means not our love to God but God’ s love to us, the thought here being that their inner life may be directed to a sense of the divine love (see SH on Romans 5:5). With an appreciation of the meaning of God’ s love, there would be no temptation to infringe upon φιλαδελφί by the continuance of idle habits (cf. I 4:9-12).— Since elsewhere in Paul ὑπομονη = “ endurance,” the rendering Patientem exspectationem (Beza), “ patient waiting” (AV), which demands the objective genitive, is here improbable (see Vincent); see, however, Lft., Schmiedel, and Deb. and compare Ign. Romans 10:3, ἐνὑπομονῇἸησοῦΧριστου , an expression which is “ probably derived from St. Paul” (Lft.). Taking ὑπομονη = “ endurance,” Χριστου ; may mean either the endurance which Christ possesses and shares (cf. δόξατοῦκυρίο in 2:14), or which is characteristic of him, and hence an object of imitation as in Polyc. Phil. 8:2; or it may mean the endurance which Christ inspires, as ὁθεὸςτῆςὑπομονῆ (Romans 15:5) suggests (cf. Moff.).— ὁΧριστό is not found elsewhere in II; cf., however, I 2:6, 3:2, 4:16, and see Mill. 136. The total phrase ἡὑπομονὴτοῦΧριστου appears to be found only here in the Gk. Bib.— The phrase κατευθύνειτᾶςκαρδία occurs frequently in the Lxx (1 Chronicles 29:18, 2 Chronicles 12:14, 2 Chronicles 19:3, 2 Chronicles 20:33, Proverbs 21:2, etc.); on εἰ (cf. πρό in I 3:11), see Sir. 51:20, Judith 12:8. DE, Vulg have τὰςκαρδίαςὑμῶ (I 2:4); but ὑμῶ referring to ἐφ ʼ ὑμᾶ in v. 4 is emphatic (B. Weiss). VI. COMMAND AND (3:6-15) This section contains the second main point of the letter, prepared for in vv. 1-5, “ the case of the idlers” (Find.). Word has come to Paul (v. 11) orally and by letter to the effect that the idle minority, in spite of his oral (v. 10, I 4:11) and written (I 4:11-12, 5:14) instructions are still begging and meddlesome, some of them still refusing to obey his epistolary injunctions (I 5:27 and below, v. 14). The case having become acute, Paul orders the majority to take severer measures against the idle minority, to add to νουθετεῖ (v. 15, I 5:14), στέλλεσθα (v. 6) and μὴσυναναμίγνυσθα (v. 14). Insisting, however, that the delinquents are brothers (vv. 6, 15), and surmising that the majority have not always dealt tactfully with the excited idlers (vv. 13, 15), Paul is careful to explain just why he gives the command (vv. 7-12) and to have it understood that the discipline, being intended for reformation, is to be administered in love (vv. 14-15). In fact, his attitude throughout is not that of an apostle exercising his apostolic authority but that of a brother appealing to brothers in the name of a common authority, the Lord Jesus Christ. He believes that his word will suffice; but he contemplates the probability that a few of the idlers will persist in being recalcitrant. The connection of thought is clear, the divisions being marked by δε (vv. 6, 12, 13, 14) and γά (vv. 7, 10, 11). Though the brethren as a whole are addressed throughout the section (even in v. 12), it is really the majority whom Paul has in mind and upon whom he places the responsibility for the peace of the brotherhood. 6Now we command you, brothers, using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother who walks in idleness and not in accordance with the instruction which you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, for we were not idle among you, nor did we receive the means of support from any one without paying for it; 8but in toil and hardship, night and day we kept at our work in order that we might not put on any of you the burden of our maintenance.— 9not because we have no right to free support, but that we might give in ourselves an examplep for you to imitate. 10For also, when we were with you, this we used to command you: “ If any one refuses to work, neither let him eat.” 11For we are informed that some among you are walking in idleness, not working themselves but being busybodies. 12Now such as these we command and exhort, prompted by the Lord Jesus Christ, that with tranquillity of mind they work and earn their own living. 13Now as for you, brothers, do not grow tired of doing the right thing. 14In case, however, any one is not for obeying our word expressed in this letter, designate that man; let there be no intimate association with him; in order that he may be put to shame; 15and so count him not as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 6. παραγγέλλομενδὲὑμῖνκτλ . With a particle of transition , the point prepared for in vv. 1-5 (especially παραγγέλλομε and ποιήσετ v. 4) is introduced, the responsibility of the majority in reference to the case of the idlers. The command (I 4:11 and 4:2) is addressed by a brother to brothers, and is based on the authority not of Paul but of Christ. The phrase “ in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” differs from “ in the Lord Jesus Christ” (with which the idlers are indirectly commanded and exhorted in v. 12), and from “ through the Lord Jesus” (I 4:2), in that it is not subjective “ prompted by the indwelling name or person of the Lord Jesus Christ,” but objective, “ with,” that is, “ using” that name. By the actual naming of the name, Paul draws attention not only to the authoritative source of his injunction, but also to the responsibility which the recognition of that supreme authority entails. στέλλεσθαιὑμᾶςκτλ . The substance of the command is “ that you hold aloof from every brother who walks idly (or, with Rutherford, “ not to be intimate with any of your number who is a loafer” ) and not according to the deliverance which you have received from us.” The persons to be avoided are not enemies but brothers (v. 15). Their fault lies in the realm of conduct; they “ walk” (cf. I 2:12, 4:1, 12), that is, “ live” (Chrys.), “ behave themselves” as idlers . The reference in περιπατεῖνἀτάκτω is to the refusal, on the part of a small fraction of the converts to work and earn their own living, and to the resultant idleness, want, and meddlesome demand for support from the church, which are mentioned in I 4:11-12 and warned against in I 5:14 (νουθετεῖτετοὺςἀτάκτου ; cf. below, v. 15). As the adverbial clause μὴκατὰτὴνπαράδοσινκτλ , parallel to and explanatory of ἀτάκτω , intimates, this disobedient idleness was contrary to the express instruction given when Paul was with them and reiterated in the first epistle (4:11-12; cf. 5:14). On the phrase ἐνὀνόματ , cf. 1 Corinthians 5:4, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Colossians 3:17, Ephesians 5:20, Acts 16:18 Ign. Polyc. 5:1; also 1 Corinthians 1:10 ; on the meaning of the phrase, see Heitmü ller, Im Namen Jesu, 1903, 73.— ἡμῶ after κυρίο is to be omitted with BD, et al., “ as a likely interpolation” (Ell.).— στέλλεσθα it found several times in the Lxx but only once elsewhere in the N. T. (2 Corinthians 8:20). From the root meaning “ set,” the further idea, “ set one’ s self for,” “ prepare” (Sap. 7:14, 14:1, 2 Mac. 5:1), or “ set one’ s self from,” “ withdraw” (cf. 3 Mac. 1:19, 4:11, and especially Malachi 2:5 ἀπὸπροσώπουὀνόματόςμουστέλλεσθαιαὐτό in parallelism with φοβεῖσθα ), is easily derived. The meaning, which is somewhat uncertain in 2 Corinthians 8:20, is clear here, “ withdraw one’ s self from,” “ hold aloof from” = χωρίζεσθα (Theodoret), or ἀπέχεσθα (which is parallel to στέλλεσθα in Hippocrates, Vet. Med. 10, as quoted by Liddell and Scott); it differs little from ὑποστέλλεινἑαυτό (Galatians 2:12) and ὑποστέλλεσθα (cf. GF in 2 Corinthians 8:20). On the word, see Loesner, ad loc., and Wetstein on 2 Corinthians 8:20; also Mill on our passage. For the subject accusative ὑμᾶ resuming ὑμῖ , see Bl 72:5.— It has already been stated (see I 5:14) that ἀτάκτω may be either general “ disorderly” or specific “ idly.” That the specific sense is intended is evident from vv. 7-9 where ἡπαράδοσι is indirectly explained by the reference to Paul’ s habitual industry ; from v. 10 where ἡπάραδοσι as orally communicated by Paul is quoted: “ if any one refuses to work , he shall not eat” ; and from v. 12 where ἀτάκτω is defined as μηδὲνἐργαζομένου The fault is not idleness but deliberate, disobedient idleness. What was probable in I 4:11-12, 5:14 now becomes certain; the second epistle explains the first. D, et al., by reading περιπατοῦντοςἀτάκτω (as in v. 11) blunt the emphasis on the adverb. On μη , see BMT 485.— Precisely how much is involved in the command to the majority “ to hold aloof from” the idle brethren is uncertain, even in the light of the further specifications in vv. 14-15. The idlers are deprived to some extent of freedom of association with the rest of the believers, though to μὴσυναναμίγνυσθα (v. 14) there is not added, as is the case with the incestuous person in 1 Corinthians 5:11, a μηδὲσυνεσθίει It is not Paul’ s intention to exclude the idlers from the brotherhood, for he insists that the admonitions even to the recalcitrant among the idlers, being designed to make them ashamed of themselves and return to their work, be tempered with love (cf. Chrys.). Furthermore, the fact that στέλλεσθα , as interpreted in vv. 14-15, is an advance over νουθετεῖ (v. 15, I 5:14) and calls for a slightly severer attitude to the delinquents suggests that, in the interval between I and II, the idlers, influenced both by the belief that the day of the Lord was near and by the severity of the persecutions (vv. 1-5), had become more meddlesome and contumacious than at the time of writing I (see note on πράσσειντὰἴδι I 4:11). It is evident that some of them persist in refusing to obey Paul’ s orders as conveyed by letter (v. 14, I 5:27); and it is not improbable that some of the more excited idlers were responsible for the disquieting assertion that the day of the Lord is present (2:2).— Most recent editors prefer the excellently attested reading παρελάβοσα (א A), which is supported by ἐλάβοσα (D), and, with corrected orthography, by παρέλαβο (EKLP). On the other hand, this reading puts an emphasis upon the idlers which would lead one to expect in the sequel not αἴδατ (v. 7) but οἴδασι Hence παρελάβετ (BG, et al.), which fits both ὑμᾶ and οἴδατ , is the preferable reading, leaving παρελάβοσα (on the ending, see B. 21:3) to be explained either (1) as an emendation (Weiss, 57) in accord with the adjacent παντὸςἀδελφου , or (2) as a scribal error arising from “ an ocular confusion with — οσι in the corresponding place of the line above” (WH. App.2 172). For παρ ʼ ἡμῶν B reads ἀφ ʼ ἡμῶ (1 Corinthians 11:23); cf. G in I 2:13. 7-11. In these verses, Paul gives the reasons why he commands the readers to hold aloof from the idle brethren among them, the separate points being introduced respectively by γά (v. 7), καὶγά (v. 10), and γά (v. 11). (1) First with γά (v. 7), he reminds them of himself as an example of industry, how he worked to support himself when he was with them, so as to free them from any financial burden on his account, strengthening the reminder by referring to the fact that though he, as an apostle, was entitled to a stipend, yet he waived that right in order that his self-sacrificing labour might serve as an example to them of industry (vv. 7-9). (2) Next with καὶγά (v. 10), he justifies the present command (v. 6) by stating that the instruction to the idlers referred to in v. 6 is but a repetition of what he had repeatedly commanded when he was with them, namely, “ if any one refuses to work, neither let him eat” (v. 10). (3) Finally with γά (v. 11), he wishes it to be understood distinctly that he issues the command because he is informed that some among them are idle and meddlesome. In reminding the converts both of himself as a visible example of industry (vv. 7-9) and of his repeated oral teaching in reference to idleness (v. 10), it would appear that Paul intends not only to arouse the majority to a sense of their own responsibility in the matter, but also to furnish them with arguments that would have weight even with those who might persist in refusing to obey this command as conveyed by letter (v. 14, I 5:27). At all events, this latter consideration helps to explain why Paul refers them not to what he had written in I, but to what he had said and done when he was yet with them. To be sure v. 8 is an exact reminiscence of I 2:9, and v. 12 recalls what was written in I 4:11-12; but both the example of Paul (vv. 7-9) and the precept in v. 10 (cf. καθὼςπαρηγγείλαμε , I 4:11) hark back to the time of the first visit. 7. αὐτοὶγὰροἴδατεκτλ With an appeal to the knowledge of the readers quite in the manner of I (2:1, 3:3, 5:2; cf. 1:5, 2:2, 5, etc.), Paul advances the first reason for commanding the readers to hold aloof from every brother who walks idly and not in accordance with the specific instruction received. The reason is that they themselves know, without his telling them, the manner in which they ought to imitate him, namely, by working and supporting themselves. Though addressed to all, the appeal is intended for the idlers. On the analogy of I 4:1, we expect πῶςδεῖὑμᾶςπεριπατεῖνὥστεμιμεῖσθαιἡμᾶ (Lft.); but the abridged expression puts an “ emphasis on μιμεῖσθα and gives the whole appeal more point and force” (Ell.). ὅτιοὐκἠτακτήσαμε … οὐδίκτλ . The ὅτ is not “ that” (I 3:3) resuming πῶ , but “ for,” explaining why they know how to imitate Paul. The explanation is stated (1) negatively, and in two co-ordinated clauses , namely, (a) “ because we were no loafers when we lived among your” (Rutherford), and (b) because “ we did not receive our maintenance from any one for nothing” ; and (2) positively (v. 8), “ but we worked toiling and moiling night and day rather than become a burden to any of you” (Rutherford). That ἀτακτεῖ (only here in the Gk. Bib.) is not general “ to be disorderly” but specific “ to be idle,” “ to be a loafers” (Rutherford) has already been pointed out (see on τοὺςἀτάκτου in I 5:14). ἐσθίεινἄρτο is apparently a Hebraism for ἐσθίει (v. 10). In view of παράτινο , it means not “ take a meal,” and not simply “ get food,” but more broadly “ receive the means of support,” “ get a living.” Paul received maintenance, lodging probably with Jason; but unlike the idle brothers who were begging support from the church, he did not receive it “ gratis,” that is, without paying for it . On πῶσδει , cf. I 4:1, and Colossians 4:6 εἰδέναιπῶςδεῖὑμᾶ ; μιμεῖσθα , here and v. 9 in Paul, is rare in Gk. Bib. (Hebrews 13:7, 3 John 1:11, 3 John 1:4 Mac. 9:23, etc.); on μιμητή , a word found chiefly in Paul, see I 1:6.— The phrase ἐσθίεινἄρτο , only here and v. 12 in Paul (cf. Mark 3:20, Mark 7:5, etc., and Lxx passim), represents the Hebrew א כ ל ל ה ם (see BDB sub voc. and Briggs, ICC on Psalms 14:4), which, like the simple א כ ל , denotes “ take a meal,” “ get food,” and, by a further extension of meaning “ to spend one’ s life” (or, “ to earn a livelihood” ; see Skinner, ICC on Genesis 3:19); so Amos 7:12 where Lxx has καταβιοῦ But the total phrase ἐσθίεινἄρτονπαράτινο seems to be unique in Gk. Bib., Leviticus 10:12 (A) Luke 10:27, Philippians 4:18 not being exact parallels. A few minuscules, bothered with ἐφάγομενπαρα , read ἐλάβομενπαρα — For the adverbial accusative δωρεά , which is common in Lxx, cf. in N. T. Romans 3:24, Galatians 2:21. For οὐ … οὐδε … ἀλλα , see I 2:3.— The fact that Paul states not only that he was not idle but also that he did not beg is doubtless due to the consideration that the idlers were begging support from the church (cf. the emphatic ἑαυτῶ in v. 12); the reference in I 5:12 to μηδενὸςχρεία now becomes definite. 8. ἀλλ ʼ ἐνκόπῳκτλ . “ We were not idle , and we did not receive support from any one without paying for it , but on the contrary (ἀλλα , this strong adversative being antithetical here as in I 2:3 to both the negative clauses) we were working,” etc. But instead of proceeding “ working in order that we might give ourselves as an example for you to imitate us” (v. 9b), and thus coming directly to the point introduced by μιμεῖσθα (v. 7), Paul interjects two considerations designed to increase enormously the value of his example. (1) First, he calls attention to the fact, with which the readers are already acquainted and to which he had alluded in another connection in his first epistle (2:9), that his labour was (a) exacting, “ in toil and hardship,” (b) incessant, “ by night and by day,” and (c) solely in their interests, “ so as not to put on any one of you a financial burden” ; and secondly (2), he observes characteristically that he worked to support himself, not because he had no right to demand, as an apostle of Christ, support from the church, but worked, waiving his right to maintenance, in order that he might give in himself a visible and constant example of self-sacrificing industry for them to imitate. The participle ἐργαζόμενο is loosely attached to both ἠτακτἠσαμε and ἐφάγομε , a construction not uncommon in Paul (see I 2:12, 2 Corinthians 7:5).— Some expositors separate the adverbial clauses, putting ἑνκόπῳκαὶμόχθῳ in sharp opposition to δωρεάν , and taking νυκτὸ … ἐργαζόμενο as an explanatory parallel of ἐνκόπῳκαὶμόχθῳ “ more remotely dependent on the foregoing ἐφάγομε ” (Ell.; so also De W., Wohl., Schmiedel, et al.). But as Lillie, who inclines to the separation, remarks: “ Grammatically, however, the words ἐνκόπῳ … ἐργαζόμενο may just as well be taken together in one antithetical clause,” antithetical we may repeat, in the light of I 2:3, to both οὐκἠτακτήσαμε and οὐδὲἐφάγομεν — The reference to the manner and purpose of his work is evidently advised. But whether the reminiscence of I 2:9, which is almost verbal (except that ἐνκἁπῳκαὶμόχθῳ is closer to 2 Corinthians 11:27 than to I 2:9), is likewise conscious is not certain.— א BG read here νυκτὸςκαὶἡμέρα as in I 2:9; ADEKLP, et al., emphasise the duration of the labour by reading the accusative. On the repeated phrase as a whole, see on I 2:9. 9. οὐχὅτλκτλ Using a common ellipsis , Paul qualifies the preceding statement with a view not simply to asserting his apostolic right to support from the church, but also to strengthening the force of his example by reminding the readers that he waived that right. Both the assertion and the waiving of rights are characteristic of Paul, especially as regards the right to receive remuneration for his missionary labour. In 1 Corinthians 9:14, he fortifies his contention by quoting the point of a word of the Lord (Matthew 10:10 = Luke 10:7). The language in which he expresses here his right differs from that in I (2:6; see notes on 2:5-8, 9) where the same claim is made and waived, and agrees with that in 1 Corinthians 9:4 ff. μὴοὐκἒχομενἐξουσίανφαγεῖνκαὶπεῖν ; μὴοὐκἔχομενἐξουσίανάδελφὴνγυναῖκαπεριἁγει (even the wives of missionaries being entitled to support), and especially ἢμόνοςἐγὼκαὶΒαρνάβαςοὐκἒχομενἐξουσίανμὴἐργάζεσθαι In the light of the latter citation, we may supply here after the absolute ἐξουσία a μὴἐργάζεσθαι ἀλλ ʼ ἵνακτλ “ But (we worked, waiving our rights) in order that we might give ourselves as an example to you with a view to your imitating us.” Since Paul says not σχῆτ but δῶμενὑμῖν it is likely that he intends to emphasise the self-sacrifice involved in this waiving of his rights, an emphasis which is conspicuous in a similar connection in the first epistle . The ἑαυτού here is likewise more emphatic than the ἡμᾶ just cited from Philippians 3:17; Paul gives not simply the command to work (v. 10), but also himself as an example of industry. On the ellipsis οὐχὅτ (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:24, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 7:9, Philippians 4:17), whose origin is forgotten in usage (cf. Philippians 4:11), see Bl 81:1; and on the ellipsis after ἀλλά see Bl 77:13. In the first case we may supply “ we worked,” in the second, “ we worked, waiving the right,” or simply “ we did it.” For ἀλλ ʼ ἵν , cf. 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 13:7, Ephesians 5:27.— ἐξουσία is here not potestatem but ius, not “ liberty of action” but moral “ right” or authority; see Mill. and cf. ἔχεινἐξουσία in Romans 9:21, 1 Corinthians 7:37, 1 Corinthians 9:4-6, 1 Corinthians 11:10.— On τὐπον , see I 1:7; on the use of διδόνα here, cf. Ephesians 4:11 ff. 10. καὶγὰρὅτεκτλ “ For also when we were with you (cf. I 3:4, II 2:5) this (that follows, τοῦτ being resumed by the ὅτ recitative as in I 4:15) we were wont to command you (παρηγγέλλομε ; contrast παρηγγείλαμε in I 4:11), namely,” etc. The γά is parallel to γά in v. 7, and the και co-ordinates the first reason for the command of v. 6, that is, the example of industry (vv. 7-9), with the second reason, namely, the oral precept repeatedly given when he was with them (v. 10). The παράδοσι of v. 6, which is now stated , is not a truism: “ if any one does not work, he has nothing to eat,” but an ethical imperative: “ if any one refuses to work, he shall not eat” ; “ nolle vitium est” (Bengel). In characterising as Christian this “ golden rule of labour” (Dob.), Paul is true to the traditions of his Jewish teachers and to the example of the Master himself (Mark 6:3). The very phrase itself may well be the coinage of Paul, for the Thessalonians were mainly working people. Many parallels to this word of Paul, both Jewish and Greek, have been suggested (see Wetstein); but the closest is that found in Bereshith Rabba on Genesis 1:2 (a midrash “ redacted according to Zunz in Palestine in the sixth century” ; see Schü rer, I, 140): “ if they do not work, they have nothing to eat.” But, as Dob. rightly urges, both in the passage cited and in other parallels that have been adduced, “ the full valuation of labour as a moral duty” (Dob.), which is the point of Paul’ s words, is absent. Deissmann would have it (Light, 318) that Paul was “ probably borrowing a bit of good old workshop morality, a maxim coined perhaps by some industrious workman as he forbade his lazy apprentice to sit down to dinner.” Be that as it may, it is the industrious workman Paul who introduces this phrase, with its significant emphasis on θέλει into the realm of Christian ethics. On the imperative in the apodosis, cf. 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 7:12, etc. For ου which negates θέλει instead of μη (which D reads) in conditional sentences, see BMT 370 f. The presence of μηδε instead of μη (1 Corinthians 7:12) is due to ου (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:7 ff., Ephesians 5:3, and Bl 77:12). B and א read ἐργάζεσθ ; L reads θέλῃ 11. ἀκύομενγάρκτλ With γά (parallel to γά in vv. 7, 10), Paul explains (just why we do not know) that he is giving the command of v. 6 on the basis of information received orally or by letter, or both. “ For we are informed that some among you are living in idleness.” In saying “ some among them” (ἐνὑμῖν not ὑμῶ v. 8, or ἐξὑμῶ ; cf. Romans 11:14), Paul speaks indefinitely (cf. Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:2:12, 2 Corinthians 10:2, 2 Corinthians 10:12, etc.); but he has in mind definite persons whose names may have been known to him from his source of information. Idleness is an affair of the brotherhood (I 4:9-12, 5:12-14), and the brethren as a whole are responsible for the few among them who “ do nothing but fetch frisks and vagaries” (Leigh). μηδὲνἐργαζομένουςἀλλὰπεριεργαζομένους In a paronomasia elegans (Wetstein), common to both Greek and Roman writers, Paul defines περιπατεῖνἀτάκτω (cf. v. 6) both negatively “ working not at all,” and positively “ being busybodies.” The point is not simply that some of the brethren are living in idleness, but also that these idlers, instead of minding their own business (I 4:11), are meddling in the affairs of the brotherhood , seeking in their poverty and want to exact funds from the treasury of the group (see on πράσσειντὰἴδι I 4:11), instead of working to support themselves as they are able and as they ought to do. The present tense ἀκούομε (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:18, and contrast the aorist in Colossians 1:4, Ephesians 1:15) indicates not “ we have just heard,” but either “ we keep hearing,” a progressive present, or “ we hear, are told, are informed,” a present for the perfect (BMT 16; Vulg. has audivimus). ἀκοὐει may refer to hearsay (Find., Dob.; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 11:18); but it may just as well indicate information received by letter, by word of mouth, or both (cf. Luke 4:23, Acts 7:12, 3 John 1:4); note in P. Oxy. 294 ἁντιφώνησι of a “ reply” to a letter, and ἀκούεινφἀσιν “ to get word” by letter.— If there is a distinction (cf. Bl 73:5) between ἀκούει with an infinitive (1 Corinthians 11:18) and ἀκούει with the participle, the former construction will refer simply to the fact that they walk, the latter, to the continuous state of walking.— In the light of ἠιακτήσαμενἐνὑμῖ (v. 7), the περιπατοῦνταςἀτάκτω may be joined directly with ἐνὑμῖ ; since, however, Paul does not elsewhere use περιπατεῖνἐ in the sense of “ walk among,” it may be better to connect ἐνὐμῖ with τινα , the separation being emphatic; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:27 (possibly also 3:18, 15:12), and Schmiedel, Moff., Dob. Rutherford. D, et al., obscure the emphasis by reading τινὰςἐνὑυῖνπεριπατοῦντα Vulg has inter vos quosdam ambulare.— To illustrate the “ elegant paronomasia,” commentators refer among others to Demosthenes (Phil. IV, 72) ἐργάζηκαὶπεριεργάζ , and to Quintilian (VI, 3:54) non agere dixit sed satagere. Various translations have been attempted (see Lillie); e. g. “ keine Arbeit treibend sondern sich herumtreibend” (Ewald); “ doing nothing, but overdoing; not busy in work, but busybodies” (Edward Robinson, Lex. 1850); “ working at no business, but being busybodies” (Ell.). For other instances in Paul of this play on words, Lft. refers to Philippians 3:3, 1 Corinthians 7:31, 2 Corinthians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 1:3:2, 2 Corinthians 1:6:10, 2 Corinthians 1:10:12; see also Bl 82:4.— περιεργάζεσθα is found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only Sir. 3:23 ; cf. Test. xii, Reub. 3:10 and Hermas, Sim. IX, 2:7; it is sometimes equivalent to πολυπραγμονεῖ (2 Mac. 2:30). See further, Deissmann, NBS 52, and cf. περίεργο in 1 Timothy 5:13. 12. τοῖςδὲτοιούτοιςκτλ Having explained in vv. 7-11 why he commands the brothers to hold aloof from every brother who lives in idleness, Paul now turns to command the idlers to work and earn their own living in tranquillity of mind, the τοῖστοιούτοι being in contrast with ὑμῖ (v. 6). Paul, however, says not “ we command you idlers,” or even “ those idlers,” but in directly and impersonally “ such as these.” Furthermore, though he uses παραγγέλλομε as in v. 6, he adds to it a παρακαλοῦμε , tempering the command with an exhortation. And still further, wishing it to be understood that he speaks on the authority not of himself but of the indwelling Christ, he adds “ in the Lord Jesus Christ.” The tone of the verse is obviously tactful. Paul speaks as one of them, not as an apostle but as a babe (I 2:7); and he is confident that this word from him will suffice for most of the idlers, though in v. 14 he faces the contingency that a few of them will continue to be disobedient (I 5:27). ἵναμετὰἡσυχίαςκτλ . Not without reference to his own example, Paul commands and exhorts them (ἵν introducing the object) to work and earn their own living, and that too with tranquillity of spirit. They are to depend for their maintenance not upon others (I 4:12) but upon their own exertions . In the light of ἡσυχάζει (I 4:11 q. v.), μετὰἡσυχία is to be understood as the opposite not of περιεργάζεσθα , as if “ without meddlesomeness” were meant, but of the feverish excitement of mind stimulated by the belief that the Parousia was at hand, or, in its new and erroneous form (2:2), was actually present, a belief which together with the persecutions (vv. 1-5) accounts for the increase of idleness and meddlesomeness since the writing of I. On τοιοῦτα , which defines the τινἀ with reference to them individually or as a class, see Bl 47:9 and cf. Romans 16:18, 1 Corinthians 16:16 ff., etc.— παραγγέλλει (I 4:11) and παρακαλεῖ (I 2:11) are not combined elsewhere in Paul; on the ἵν with παρακαλεῖ , cf. I 4:11; with παραγγελλει Paul elsewhere employs the infinitive (v. 6, 1 Corinthians 7:10; contrast 1 Timothy 5:7). After παρακαλοῦμε , supply αὐτούςορτοὺςτοιούτου — On the divine name with ἐ , see I 1:1; P omits Χριστῷ KL, et al., read the logically synonymous διὰτοῦκυρίουἡμῶνἸ . Χ with Romans 15:30 (see on I 4:2).— On ἡσυχί , cf. Acts 22:2, 1 Timothy 2:11 f., Sir. 28:16; μετα marks the quality of mind with which working and earning their own living are to be associated.— On έσθίεινἄρτο , see v. 8. 13. ὑμεῖςδέ , ἀδελφοίκτλ “ O brothers, do not tire of doing the right” (Rutherford). With δε and an affectionate ἀδελφοι , Paul turns from the idlers (v. 12) to the brethren addressed in v. 6. The new point, general in form (since καλοποιεῖ is applicable to all) but specific in reference (as v. 14 intimates), is a direct hint to the majority, perhaps definitely to “ those that labour among you” (I 5:12), that they keep on trying to do the right thing for the delinquents. The words may imply that in warning the idlers (I 5:14) the brethren had become impatient and tactless. Chrys., however, thinks that the majority are here reminded that they are not to permit the idlers to perish with hunger. Calv., taking the words generally, interprets Paul as fearing that their experience of the abuse of liberality will tend to make the leaders uncharitable, even to the deserving members of the church.— With the exception of Luk 18:1, the verb ένκακεῖ is found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only in Paul; cf. Galatians 6:9, τὸδὲκαλὸνποιοῦντεςμὴἐνκακῶμε On the spelling ἐνκακεῖ (BD), ἐγκακεῖ (א A cf. Sym. Proverbs 3:11, Isaiah 7:16, etc.), or ἐκκακεῖ (GFKLP; cf. Sym. Jeremiah 18:2), see WH. App.2 157 f. From the literal meaning “ to behave badly in” (Thayer), ἐνκακεῖ comes to mean also “ flag,” “ falter,” “ tire,” “ be weary.” On the μη here, see BMT 162.— καλοποιεῖ , a word found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. only Leviticus 5:4 (F), is equivalent to καλῶποιεῖ (Leviticus 5:4, 1 Corinthians 7:37 f. Philippians 4:14, etc.); it means probably not “ to confer benefits” (Chrys., Calv., Dob., et al.) but, as most take it, “ to do the right.” Elsewhere Paul uses not καλὸνποιεῖ (GF; cf. James 4:17) but τὸκαλὸνποιεῖ (Galatians 6:9, Romans 7:21, 2 Corinthians 13:7). 14. εἰδέτιςκτλ Anticipating the probability (cf. I 5:27) that some of the idlers would refuse to obey his evangelic utterance (τῷλόγῳἡμῶ referring especially to v. 12) expressed in this letter, he orders the brethren, if the case should arise, to proceed to discipline, not with a view to excluding the disobedient among the idlers from the brotherhood, but in the hope of inducing them to repent and amend their idle ways. (1) First of all, he commands: σημειοῦσθ , “ designate that man.” Just how they are to note him, whether in writing or by naming him publicly at a meeting, is not explained. (2) Then with an infinitive for an imperative (Romans 12:15, Philippians 3:16), he continues, interpreting the στέλλεσθα of v. 6: μὴσυναναμίγνυσθαιαὐτῷ , “ let there be no intimate association with him.” The advance from νουθετεῖ (I 5:14) to “ hold aloof from,” “ do not associate with,” is necessary, and the severer measures are justified. It will be remembered that Paul had given orders to the idlers when he was present (v. 10, I 4:11), had repeated them in the first epistle (I 4:11-12; cf. 5:14), and has just reiterated them in a conciliatory manner in vv. 6-12 (cf. vv. 1-5), hinting at the same time (v. 13) that the majority must be tactful in their treatment of their delinquent brothers. If, however , in spite of all this, some of the idle brothers persist in disobeying his orders as conveyed by letter (I 5:27), then they must be deprived of intimate association with the rest of their fellows (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:9. 1 Corinthians 5:11). But even so, absolute separation from the companionship of the brethren is not in mind; for Paul does not add here, as he does in 1 Corinthians 5:11, the μηδὲσυνεσθίει ; and above all he does add here the significant v. 15. (3) Finally, the purpose of the discipline is explicitly mentioned, ἵναἐντραπῇ “ that he may be shamed.” Reformation, not exclusion from the brotherhood, is intended. ὁλόγοςἡμῶ (2 Corinthians 1:18) could be the equivalent of τὸεὐκγγέλιονἡμῶ (2:1); here, however, it refers most probably to that element of the message of the gospel which is specified in v. 12. The obedience required (cf. Philippians 2:12) is not to Paul’ s word as such but to his word as inspired by Christ (ἐνκυρίῳ v. 12). B, et al., read ὑμῶ for ἡμῶ ; cf. Bא in 2 Corinthians 6:11 — διὰτῆςἐπιστολῆ refers naturally to the present letter (so most from Chrys. and Th. Mops. to Dob.); but the presence of the article is not conclusive for this interpretation, as 1 Corinthians 5:10 shows. However, were Paul alluding to a letter that the converts are to send him (Erasmus, Calv., Grot., et al.), there would be no point in specifying the procedure to be followed (Lü n.); and furthermore in that case we should expect σημειοῦσθετοῦτονδι ʼ ἐπιστολῆ . The phrase διὰἐπιστολῆ is to be joined closely with τῷλόγῳἡμῶ , the article τῷ being supplied on the analogy of I 1:1 ἐκκλησίᾳἐνθεῷ — On εἰδέτι , cf. v. 10; for the condition, see BMT 242.— σημειοῦσθκ (BA have the imperative; א DGFP the infinitive) is found elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only Psalms 4:7; it occurs in Polybius and Philo; and frequently in papyri, of the signature in writing (e. g. P. Oxy. 42, 5:8 (a.d. 323) σεσημείωμαιἐμῇχειρι ). See further, 1 Clem. 43:1, and Sophocles, Lex. sub voc.— συναναμίγνυσθα is found elsewhere in the Gk. Bib. only 1 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 5:11, Hosea 7:8 (A) Ezekiel 20:18 (A). The command is not direct “ don’ t you associate,” but indirect “ let there be no intimate association with him.” Bא A, et al., read the infinitive (not of purpose, but equivalent to an imperative); EKLP, et al., have the imperative. To relieve the asyndeton, GFKLP, et al., insert και before μη In Hosea 7:8, Ezekiel 20:18, B has the imperative, AQ the infinitive.— ἐντρέπει occurs in Gk Bib. only 1 Corinthians 4:14; the more common ἐντρέπεσθα is used either absolutely or with the accus. (Mark 12:6, Luke 18:2 Sap. 2:10, 7:6, etc.); for the passive here, compare the refrain in Psalms 34:4, Psalms 69:2 (39:15) αἰσχυνθείησανκαὶἐντρατείησα 15. καὶμὴὡςἐχθρόνκτλ Even the disobedient idler is a brother, and to do the right thing (v. 13) for him means that the warning is to be administered in the spirit not of hate but of love. “ And so” , that is, “ that the moral result aimed at may not be hindered, this of course must be the spirit and style of your discipline” (Lillie), “ regard him not as an enemy, but on the contrary warn him as a brother” . This significant sentence is so formed that the stress is laid not on the νουθετεῖτ but on the ἡγεῖσθ , as if the majority needed a warning as well as the minority. Evidently Paul wishes the majority to see as he sees that the idlers, even the recalcitrant among them, are brothers, not enemies; and to have a care that the discipline be administered in love and with the sole purpose of repentance and reform. Furthermore, it now becomes clear that “ to keep away from” (v. 6), and “ not to associate with” (v. 14) are far from suggesting the removal of the disobedient idlers from the influence of their brothers. It is noteworthy that the last word is not στέλλεσθα and συναναμίγνυσθα , but νουθετεῖτ as in I 5:14, the advance here being in the words ἡγεῖσθεὡςἀδελφό , a point which the brethren appear to have been in danger of forgetting (v. 13; see on ειἰρηνεύετ I 5:13). Chrys., who sees the fatherly heart of Paul manifested in vv. 13-15, is inclined to suppose that the admonition is to be given not publicly but privately. On ἡγεῖσθα , see I 5:13; on ἐχθρό , cf. Romans 12:20. The ὡ , if not a Hebraism (Bl 34:5; cf. Job 19:11 ἡγήσατοδέμεὥσπερἐχθρό , 33:10, 41:22), is at least pleonastic, marking “ the aspect in which he is not to be regarded” (Ell.). D, et al., omit the και before μη VII. PRAYER (3:16) Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace continually, in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all. 16. αὐτὸςδέκτλ The prayer for peace addressed to Christ, the Lord of peace, is prompted by the situation which the command (vv. 6-15) is designed to meet. The command alone, however, without the assistance of the indwelling Christ, will not suffice to restore harmony within the brotherhood; hence, to insure this concord, the Lord of peace himself must give them a sense of inward religious peace, and that too continually, in every circumstance of life. In the added prayer: “ May the Lord ( = Christ) be with you all,” the πάντω may be intentional (cf. I 5:26, II 1:3, 10, 3:18; but note also Romans 15:33); both the majority and the idlers need the personal presence as well as the peace of Christ as a surety for harmony and concord within the brotherhood. A similar situation evokes a similar prayer to the God of peace in I 5:23-24, following the exhortations of 4:1-5:22. On εἰρήν , see I 1:1 and 5:23; on κύριο = Christ, see 2:13. GFL, et al., read θεό conforming to Paul’ s regular usage (see on I 5:23). On δώῃ , cf. Romans 15:5 and the note of SH; on διδόναιεἰήνη , cf. Numbers 6:26, Isaiah 26:12.— διὰπαντό occurs elsewhere in Paul only Romans 11:10 = Psalms 68:24; it is equivalent to άδιαλείπτως , ἀεί ,πάντοτε , ἐνπαντἰκαιρῷ (cf. the parallelism in Psalms 33:2); see on I 5:16 ff.— ἐνπαντὶτρόπῳ (א BEKLP, et al.) is used elsewhere in Gk. Bib. only 3 Mac. 7:8 (A); cf. παντὶπρόπῳ (Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:1 Mac. 14:35) and κατὰπἀντατρόπο (Romans 3:2, Numbers 18:7). As Ven. in 3 Mac. 7:8, so ADGF, the Latins, Chrys. and Ambst, here have the more common expression ἐνπαντὶτόπῳ (I 1:8). VIII. (3:17) The greeting by the hand of me Paul; this fact is a taken of genuineness in every letter; this is the way I write. This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/iccnt/