Preliminary Thoughts on Thessalonians 2007 December 31^st for 2008 January 28^th

One area of the faith that is often of great, sometimes unhealthy interest to Christians is the eschatological writings, those concerning the end times, the apocalypse, the tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, and so forth. A Google search on “end times” (such as the one I did to find the word “eschatology”) gives nearly a million hits on this subject. People have made a living nearly since the First Coming of Christ giving hope by predicting the fantastic things that would happen when history ended. Most since then have believed for various reasons that they lived in the end times, as many do today.

The world is indeed a sorry place in many respects. It is easy to see how people would predict that cosmic justice would ultimately wipe out all the schlock, with dramatic and hideous flourish.

When, as a youth who felt I had the strength and energy to endure a tribulation, I too was a devotee of the apocalyptic subjects. This was in the era when Hal Lindsey wrote The Late Great Planet Earth, a futuristic fiction based common beliefs of how the end times would occur. Sometime after reading this, I learned that there were camps, “denominations” if you will, schools of thought about even the broadest outlines of the end: “pre-millinealists, post-millenealists, a-millnealists,” and so on. These, like most others who preach biblical literalism with fervor, employ the abominable practice of “proof texting,” that is, skipping around from place to place in the God-breathed, divinely inspired, inerrant Bible and stringing together the words and thoughts they want from everywhere to prove anything they like. Then, of course, they claim their creation as the Word of God.

When discussing the end times, one place that proof texters always hop through is a few verses somewhere in Thessalonians. Perhaps we will even recognize them as we pass by ourselves. There is this concept called “the rapture” where all Christians are taken out of this mess of a world just before the tribulation (in the pre-millenealist version anyway) and watch from on high the horrors of a world without any good (Christian) influence. The term “rapture” does not appear in the text, nor does the concept, but interpretations leading to a doctrine of rapture are still considered near mainstream.

Personally, my guide for this has been Paul Morrell, my first pastor who wasn’t my dad. When expressing an interest in eschatology on interviewing to join his church in the late 1970s, he said that, while all this was interesting, he expected to die “normally” and meet his Maker in that way, and so, probably, would I. And, as it happens, he has.

Note that most of what I know about Thessalonians going in is this one reference that is interpreted into the doctrine of the rapture. I don’t know anything about the people of Thessalonica themselves, or of their issues. Maybe in a few days we will.

I Thessalonians 1 – 2 2008 January 1^st for 29^th

This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the new church that they founded in Thessalonica. Thessalonica was a relatively large city (200,000) at a strategic point commercial and military point in the ancient world, much as San Diego is today. There was considerable diversity and Paul had not had much time to indoctrinate the new believers before being thrown out of town as recounted in Acts 17.

The letter begins with love and encouragement. Paul recounts that the gospel had been seen there not just in words but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Thessalonians had not only accepted the message but had become imitators of Paul and the other preachers and had become examples to other new churches. “They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

The work in Thessalonica had not been a failure. Paul had suffered and been thrown out of many other places before. Also, the messengers (Paul included) did not have feet of clay. They did not preach for their own profit or fame or power. They did not use flattery and were not greedy.

They were not a burden to anyone there but worked among them night and day as a mother or father would nurture and train beloved children, “encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

The message had been well received and the church had grown and behaved as it should have. They suffered persecution, but that was expected because the gospel has a lot of competition for people’s hearts and minds. Also, there were Jews who did not want the Gentiles to be preached to or saved. Paul was always having to contend with them. This opposition just added to their other sins.

Paul and the missionaries had been torn away early and had wanted to come back but had been prevented in many ways, so had sent this letter for encouragement. It was their joy that the Thessalonians were exemplary followers and had remained so up to the imminent return of the Lord Jesus.

I Thessalonians 3 – 4:12 2008 January 3^rd for 30^th

Paul got to where he couldn’t stand it anymore and sent Timothy to check in with the Thessalonians. Paul had told them to expect tribulations and persecutions and this is what had happened, preventing him from coming himself. Paul had remained in Athens.

Timothy’s report back to Paul had been good. They were standing firm in the faith and were being persecuted. Paul prayed day and night that any weaknesses in their faith would be shored up. Paul also prayed that their love for each other would overflow and that they would be found blameless.

Paul gives some instructions: be sanctified and avoid sexual immorality. “Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” No one should perpetrate wrong or take advantage of another. God, who called us to a better life than that, punishes such sins.

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

I Thessalonians 4:13 – 5 2008 January 3^rd for 31^st

Paul is concerned that the Christians not be ignorant about those who have “fallen asleep,” a Christian metaphor for death, “or to grieve like other people do, who have no hope.” The pagans of the time viewed death as the end of everything (which it is, viewed from a purely physical standpoint) and were horrified, and painted horror pictures on their tombs accordingly.

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

This is usually interpreted as the rapture, starting with those who have died and ending with those who are still alive on earth when it occurs. At the time of this writing, Paul and the others believed that they might be among those still alive at the return of the Lord.

Paul goes on, “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

Thieves work at night and people get drunk at night and they, among the ignorant, will be surprised by Jesus arrival, but the instruction to the Christian is to always be ready, not to be surprised by this. “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love … and the hope of salvation.” We are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath but to be saved through Jesus Christ.

Paul’s final instructions are bullet proverbs, succinct in themselves:

“Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.”

He then ends with a benediction, a greeting, and a charge to read the letter to everyone in the church.

But wait. “Test everything”? Did not Jesus, under temptation say that it was unlawful to put God to the test? Test everything else then? We need to be on the lookout for the completion of this doctrine.

II Thessalonians 1 – 2 2008 January 4^th for February 1^st

This is the second letter from Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the church at Thessalonica. It begins with thanksgiving and encouragement. Their faith had been growing along with their perseverance and endurance in persecution.

Paul says that, “All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.” But, there is justice, “He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

Paul and his team are constantly in prayer that the Thessalonians will make it and be worthy.

This is the answer to the question, ‘what happens to the people who never hear about Jesus?’ Well, if they are not obedient, they will be eternally punished. Paul actually addresses this question directly elsewhere, saying in essence, ‘they can tell by observing nature what to be obedient to, so no one has any excuse.’

Continuing with the present text, there was some problem among the Thessalonians concerning the Second Coming. Some had come to believe that it had already occurred and that they had missed out. (Those of us who live with these doctrines today can identify.) Others were anxious about it’s imminence. In general there was confusion about this so Paul gives more detail.

Before the Lord’s surprise return a rebellion will occur and “the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” He will set himself up against and above all the things of God and proclaim himself to be God.

Paul had told them about this when he was there. Modern eschatologists refer to this man as the “anti-Christ.”

The lawlessness was already at work but was restrained “until the proper time.” This man would do counterfeit miracles, signs, wonders, and evil to deceive “those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”

This reminds me of the way God dealt with Pharaoh, hardening his heart to make an example of him. Where is the God who loves all of his creations with equanimity in all of this?

In any case, Jesus will destroy the rebellious man “with the breath of his mouth,” on his return.

But, none of this is for the believer to worry about, they are just to “stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

II Thessalonians 3 2008 January 8^th for February 4^th

This final chapter is devoted to two subjects. Paul requests prayer that the good news might spread quickly and that he might “be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.” That is to say, many are lacking the faith that Paul preaches and they are evil.

Then, there was apparently a problem that many of the believers (the not-evil ones, as it were) were living off of the charity of the way the church was set up by not doing anything but being “busybodies” and not supporting themselves. Paul rebukes them sharply and publicly, instructing the church to warn these people, not as the enemy but as brothers, but then not to associate with them so that they will be ashamed and hungry until they straightened up. Paul himself had modeled this by not taking anything from anyone while he was there with them but by working for a living and supporting at least himself. He directly commands, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” “Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.” On the positive side, “never tire of doing what is right.”

I have seen this behavior practiced widely. The practices of shunning and shaming must be simple and straightforward to have been adopted so widely.

As is his tradition, Paul closes with a greeting he has written in his own hand, a clever autograph and authentication given the technology of the time.

Concluding Thoughts on Thessalonians 2008 January 8^th for February 5^th

Throughout his letters to the young churches, Paul continuously refers to “the teaching you received from us,” that is, the straight story and doctrine of the gospel. What we really need from Paul in the Bible is that straight story written down, the one that he told to numerous start-up churches in his harried travels. As it is, we just have letters to a few of those churches where he makes corrections to the more difficult misunderstandings around the edges of the story such as the problems of the Second Coming or of goofing off around the church being supported while waiting for Christ’s imminent return. Given these corrections, we are only able to piece together part of Paul’s total gospel and, it would seem, only the fringe parts at that. Can we have an undistorted understanding of the teaching of Paul with only the material we have?

Of course, we do have the full and straight Gospel of Christ himself, in four parallel versions, and that should be, by definition, central to our faith, but we also know that the very story of Paul itself, as chronicled in Acts, is incomplete. It stops in the middle of the adventure, we do not know why. Was Paul himself surprised by what did not happen before his “natural death,” that he did not witness the Second Coming himself for example? Was the end omitted because it didn’t seem to fit the straight story or is it just lost to modern literature?

So, why has the Bible come to us in this form and why, since it is in this form, do we debate the “inerrancy” of that of which we are largely, otherwise, ignorant anyway?

It is amazing to me that, about two thousand years later a significant number of Christians still feel that this same Second Coming that is featured in the corrective teaching of these two letters to the Thessalonians is still not only imminent but a central teaching of faith. Christians of all generations have believed it. All times have had their tribulations, some of them severe such as the era of the World Wars or of the various plagues, or the ruthless and uncaring conquests of every megalomaniac from Alexander to Kahn to Napoleon to Hitler.

On the other hand it is true that none of those great disasters of humanity threatened to destroy the entire surface of the planet, as we do today….

© 2007, 2008 Courtney B. Duncan