New Testament 101: Second Thessalonians

In this letter to the believers in Thessalonica, Paul begins by thanking God that their faith and love keep growing all the time (1: 3).  They were going through a lot of troubles but Paul insists that this is God’s way of testing their faith, not a way of punishing them (1: 4, 5).

Someone in Thessalonica claimed to have a letter from Paul saying that the Lord had already returned (2: 2).  But Paul warns the church not to be fooled.  The Lord will not return until after the “wicked one” has appeared (2: 3).

Paul also warns against laziness (3: 6-10) and he tells the church to guard against any followers who refuse to obey what he has written in this letter.

The letter closes with a prayer:

I pray that the Lord, who gives peace, will always bless you with peace.
May the Lord be with all of you   (3: 16)

A Quick Look at This Letter
1.    Greetings (1: 1,2)
2.    The Lord’s Return Will Bring Justice (1: 3-12)
3.    The Lord Has Not Returned Yet (2: 1-12)
4.    Be Faithful (2: 13-17)
5.    Pray and Work (3: 1-15)
6.    A Final Prayer (3: 16-18)

Beryl