2 Thessalonians 2

Notes

Ver. 1. But, having attempted to comfort you under your present tribulations with the certain prospect of Christ's appearance to judge the world, I must now, in the most solemn manner, entreat and adjure you, by your belief, expectations, and desire of that awful event, and by your hopes of being gathered, along with us and other saints, to his right hand, and of being for ever with the Lord, 2. That ye take heed that none, pretending to a spirit of prophecy, or misconstruing our words, or appealing to spurious writings which pass in our name, or any old tradition, mislead and perplex your mind, or stagger your faith, by insinuations that the coming of Christ to the last judgment is instantly to take place; the failure of which, if believed, might tempt you to disbelieve his coming at all, or even the whole truth of the gospel. 3. Let no pretences whatever decoy you into this pernicious notion; for, by revelations from God, I can assure you that the last judgment shall not happen till there has been a remarkable general apostasy from the faith, worship, and holiness of the gospel; and an antichristian succession of impious men, Romish popes, and their agents, has manifestly appeared in the church, countenancing and propagating the vilest corruptions in doctrine, worship, and practice, and, by seduction and persecution, destroying the souls and bodies of multitudes, till they themselves at last sink into everlasting destruction: 4. Who also, by pretended claims to civil and ecclesiastical authority, shall proudly assume a sovereign power over magistrates, ministers, or even angels, good or bad—a power in heaven, earth, and hell, superior to what had ever been ascribed to heathen gods; and shall set themselves in opposition to Christ in his mediatorial offices and members, and even pretend a power equal to or above the most High—in disposing of his worship to other objects, dispensing with his laws, nullifying or establishing his ordinances at pleasure; and, sitting in the church, shall assume titles, and exercise authority to confer gifts and graces, pardons and salvations, as if they were God himself. 5, 6. And as ye know I warned you that Christ would not appear to judgment till after this dreadful apostasy, I now inform you that it is the subsistence of the Roman empire under one political head which at present restrains the complete revelation of that antichristian empire which I have just mentioned. 7. For that apostasy, which includes an unsearchable depth of error and wickedness, is already, in a secret manner, spreading its malignant influence in the pride, worldly-mindedness, will-worship, and corruption of the doctrine of free justification before God, which take place among Christian professors, and would quickly appear in all its extent, power, pomp, and grandeur, were it not that the present imperial pagan government of Rome will prevent and restrain it till God, in his appointed time, remove the seat of the emperors from Rome, and even abolish the present form of the empire: 8. And then, through the growing ambition and luxury of church-rulers, under the protection and indulgence of the Christian emperors, and the division of the empire into ten kingdoms, all submitting to the delusion, shall that wicked and lawless system of the Papacy appear in its full power and pomp, and continue till the Lord Jesus, by the pure preaching of the gospel, and the zealous opposition of the Reformers, and by his fearful judgments, when he comes to fill the whole earth with his glory, shall utterly destroy it.—9. The introduction and maintenance of which papal system will, in imitation, and by the special influence and craft of Satan, be effected, by high pretences of authority from Christ, to work miraculous and wonderful operations for its honour; 10. And, at his instigation, will be carried on, by every subtle and deceitful artifice, managed in the most unrighteous manner, so as to delude those into eternal perdition who, through the influence of Satan and their own corrupt lusts, did not heartily receive the truths of the gospel, and Christ therein, as the only means of their salvation: 11. To punish which dislike and rejection of the truth as it is in Jesus, God shall deliver them up to the hardening, blinding, and delusive influence of their own hearts, that, by means thereof, they may consent to the merest forgeries, and the most absurd errors, vile idolatries, and gross superstitions; 12. That thus being left to the foolish and perverse influence of their own hearts, all of them may be condemned and punished with everlasting destruction who rejected Christ and his gospel truths, and took pleasure in perverting his Word, corrupting his worship, violating his laws, and persecuting his people. 13. But, in both duty and affection, we must bless and thank God that he hath warned you against such ruinous apostasy, having, in his universal, undying love, called you to complete and eternal salvation, to which he has sought by faith and through the universal and gradual renovation of your nature and knowledge, righteousness and true holiness wrought in you by the Holy Ghost, and through a faithful trust in Christ, and faithful adherence to him, as manifested and offered in the gospel, as God's appointed means of eternal happiness; 14. To which complete and eternal salvation, in consequence of faith in Christ, he has tenderly called you by the gospel which we preached unto you, that, through the attending operation of the Holy Ghost, ye might be fully entitled to, prepared for, and at last introduced into, the eternal enjoyment of that glorious blessedness which our Lord Jesus Christ has secured and prepared, taken possession of, promised to, and bestows upon, his believing people. 15. In consideration therefore of the secret and subtle operations of Antichrist to draw men from the faith, and of what God has done for and promised to you, we earnestly beseech you to stand fast in the faith, hope, comfort, and holiness of the gospel—steadfastly maintaining all those important points of truth and duty in which ye have been instructed by me, and my fellow-ministers of Christ, by word or writing. 16. And, for this purpose, may the Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by his blood, and secured eternal glory for us, and will at last confer it upon us; and God, his and our Father, who has loved us with an everlasting love, and often revived our souls by those everlasting consolations which flow from and are founded on it, and given us a solid, scriptural, and well-grounded hope of eternal life, confirmed by his Holy Spirit dwelling and working in our hearts,—17. Fill your souls yet more and more with all joy and peace in believing, and effectually comfort your hearts under all your troubles, fears, and dangers, and more and more establish your faith in and adherence to the truths of the gospel, and enable you constantly to speak and act for God, and for one another's edification.

Ver. 4. This 'man of sin'—this patron of sin—this 'son of perdition'—this heir of destruction—is to be found sitting 'in the temple of God,' the church, 1 Co. 3. 16, 17; 2 Co. 6. 16; 1 Ti. 3. 15; Re. 3. 12. 'He exalteth himself above all that is called God'—above all authority in churches and states, Ps. 82. 6; Jn. 10. 34—'showing himself that he is God,' by assuming his titles, attributes, and powers. Now these characteristics have never been discovered in any man or succession of men, but in the Papacy. There, however, they, all meet.—Wherefore the conclusion is inevitable—the prophecy describes the Papacy. C.

Ver. 6. The Roman empire 'withheld' and prevented the erection of the Papacy. So soon as it 'was taken out of the way,' the papal dominion, as great and as despotic, was erected upon its pedestal. C.

Ver. 8. That 'that Wicked' or 'lawless one' may, according to Scripture, represent a succession or be an individual, is unquestionable. The two views are not inconsistent with each other. Among the successive pontiffs of Rome there may yet arise one who shall surpass in pride, presumption, and antichristian despotism, and be punished with such accumulated and personal judgments as were dealt out in detail to his typical predecessors. C.

Ver. 11. Not that God will send 'delusion' purposing to mislead; but God will send truth to inform and rebuke, and self-interest will reject God's testimony; and wicked men, listening to the voice of their own counsel and the impulses of their own passions, will be deluded into a rejection of God's holy call to reformation, as Pharaoh's heart was hardened by God's righteous demand of his people's freedom. See Ex. 9. 34, 35. C.

Ver. 13. From the beginning is an equivalent for eternity. Comp. Pr. 8. 23 with Ep. 1. 4. C.

Reflections.—It is dangerous to fix the periods which God has concealed. Disappointment of the events expected may tempt us to discredit the whole gospel. That Christ will come is certain; our business is not to inquire when, but to be always ready to meet him. Happy will be the time when all the ransomed millions shall be gathered to and be for ever with him! By what strange wickedness of men does God punish obstinate and haughty professors, and carry on the designs of his glory! The most fearful lengths in wickedness will seducers go when left to their own hearts' lusts. But the triumphing of the wicked is short. Evil consequences overtakes them in due time. And when God has accomplished his purpose for the trial of his saints he leaves those who reject Christ to the reward of their doings. —But there is great ground of thanksgiving that nothing can defeat his blessed purpose; nothing can defeat his gracious and sanctifying influence; nothing can separate from his love; nothing can rob us of his comforts; nothing can undermine the faith or hope which is founded on his Word.—Stand fast, my soul! cleave to his precious truths, and give thyself unto prayer; so shalt thou be comforted and established in every good word and work.