13. εἰςτὸστηρίξαικτλ.] For εἰςτό with inf. to denote end or purpose see note on 2:12, and for στηρίξαι see note on 3:2. The combination στηρίξαικαρδίας is found again in James 5:8, where however there is an appeal to human effort, and not, as generally elsewhere, to the strengthening influence of the Divine working (2 Thessalonians 2:17, 1 Peter 5:10, Psalms 50. (51.) 14, Sir 6:37, Pss. Sol. 16:12): cf. also Sir 22:16 (19 f.) καρδίαἐστηριγμένηἐπὶδιανοήματοςβουλῆςἐνκαιρῷοὐδειλιάσει. ἀμέμπτουςἐνἁγιωσύνῃ] ‘ (so as to be) unblameable in holiness’ : cf. WM. p. 779. For the force of ἄμεμπτος (ἀμέμπτως, WH. mg.) cf. C.P.R. 27 (a marriage-contract— 2./a.d.) αὐτῆςδὲτῆςΘ. ἄμεμπτονκαὶἀκατηγόρητονπαρεχομένης. Ἁγιωσύνη (for form, WH.2 Notes p. 159) is used in the LXX. only of the Divine attributes, e.g. Psalms 29. (30.) 5, 95. (96.) 6 &c.: cf. 2Ma 3:12 (with reference to the temple) τοὺςπεπιστευκόταςτῇτοῦτόπουἁγιωσύνῃ. As distinguished from ἁγιασμός the process of sanctification (4:3 f., 4:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:2) ἁγιωσύνη points rather to the resulting state (Romans 1:4, 2 Corinthians 7:1), and is thus closely akin to ἁγιότης (Hebrews 12:20) in which, however, the thought of the abstract quality predominates. An interesting parallel to its use in the passage before us is afforded by Test. xii. patr. Levi 18:11, where it is said of the saints in Paradise, καὶπνεῦμαἁγιωσύνηςἔσταιἐπʼ αὐτοῖς. Th. Mops. rightly draws attention to the connexion with the following ἁγίων: ‘ per quam (sc. sanctitatem) poteritis etiam in future die fiduciam ad Deum adsequi, cum ceteris omnibus qui placite conuersantur in uirtute.’ ἕμπροσθεντ. θεοῦκτλ.] Two conditions of this ‘ blamelessness in holiness’ on the Thessalonians’ part are now stated (1) that it will be realized ἕμπροσθεντ. θεοῦκτλ. to whom it is due, and by whom it will be tested (cf. 2:4), and (2) that this will take place at the Parousia of the Lord Jesus, to which throughout these Epp. the writers point as the goal of all Christian hope (Intr. p. 69). μετὰπάντωντ. ἁγίωναὐτοῦ] There is considerable difference of opinion as to whether we are to understand by οἱἅγιοι (1) ‘ saints’ in the sense of just men made perfect, or (2) ‘ angels,’ or (3) a general term including both. The first reference is rendered almost necessary by the regular Pauline use of the term (2 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 1:2 &c.), and is supported by the place assigned to holy ‘ men’ in such passages as 4:14, 1 Corinthians 6:2 (cf. Matthew 19:28; Matthew 20:21, Revelation 2:26 f., 20:4, and Sap. 3:8 κρινοῦσιν [δικαίωνψυχαὶ] ἔθνηκαὶκρατήσουσινλαῶν). On the other hand, though οἱἅγιοι is nowhere else expressly applied to ‘ angels’ in the N.T., they are so frequently described in this way both in the O.T. and later Jewish literature (see especially Zechariah 14:5 on which this passage is evidently founded καὶἥξειΚύριοςὁθεόςμου, καὶπάντεςοἱἅγιοιμετʼ αὐτοῦ, and cf. Daniel 4:10 (13), 8:13, Pss. Sol. 17:49, Enoch 1:9 with Charles’ s note), and are so expressly associated with the returning Christ elsewhere (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Matthew 13:41, Mark 8:38 μετὰτῶνἀγγέλωντῶνἁγίων), that it seems impossible to exclude the thought of them altogether here. On the whole therefore the term is best taken in its widest sense as including all (note πάντων), whether glorified men or angels, who will swell the triumph of Christ’ s Parousia. As further illustrating the vague use of the term, it is of interest to notice that in Didache 16:7 its original reference to ‘ angels’ in Zechariah 14:5 (cited above) is lost sight of, and the passage is applied to risen Christian believers. For the general thought cf. such passages from Jewish apoc. literature as 4 Ezra 7:28 : ‘ reuelabitur enim filius mens Iesus [Syr Ar1 Messias] cum his qui cum eo, et iocundabit qui relicti sunt annis quadringentis’ : 13:52 ‘ sic non poterit quisque super terrain uidere filium meum uel eos qui cum eo sunt nisi in tempore diei’ : Asc. Isai. 4:16, ‘ But the saints will come with the Lord with their garments which are (now) stored up on high in the seventh heaven: with the Lord they will come, whose spirits are clothed, they will descend and be present in the world, and He will strengthen those, who have been found in the body, together with the saints, in the garments of the saints, and the Lord will minister to those who have kept watch in this world.’ The ἀμήν at the end of the verse (WH. mg.) is well-attested, and its disappearance in certain mss. may perhaps be traced to the apparent improbability of its occurrence in the middle of an Epistle. ‘ Videtur αμην hoc loco interiectum offendisse’ (Tisch.). On the other hand its addition can be equally readily explained through the influence of liturgical usage.