What did Paul teach the Thessalonian Church about the Second Coming of Christ?
"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure; which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, (because our testimony among you was believed,) in that day."—2 Thess. i, 4-10.
In both of the Epistles to the Thessalonians, there is one great event continually brought out into view, so as to fix the attention of every reader. That event is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.—There can be no doubt that it was on this that the minds of the Thessalonian believers were fixed, and that it was by this that the Apostle urged his exhortations and counsels upon them.
In those days the coming of the Lord was a well-known thing. The primitive Christians understood fully what was meant by it. The coming of the Lord was not a word of many meanings to them. It signified but one thing, and that was the return from heaven of him whom having not seen they loved . So that when the Apostle made mention of it to the Thessalonians, they at once knew that he referred to the glorious appearing of their Lord in the clouds of heaven. They had not heard that it meant anything else. Nor could they easily imagine another meaning. They would never think of referring it to the destruction of Jerusalem, for what had they in Thessalonica to do with the desolation of that city, and how could that event be the Lord's coming to them? Nor could they suppose it to mean death, for one of the chief things to be accomplished at this coming was the resurrection from the dead, that is, the removing of death, not the inflicting of it. The coming of the Lord was an event which they understood, which they loved and longed for; and the apostle takes this for granted in both of these Epistles. Nor indeed does any one doubt that in most of the passages in which he alludes to the subject, he really means the second and literal coming of the Lord Jesus. Let us throw together all the different passages in both of these two Epistles which allude to this event.
What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Chap. ii, 19.
To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. iii, 13.
We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (or go before) them that are asleep: for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; iv, 15, 16, 17.
Yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night; v, 2.
I pray God that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; v, 23.
When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe; 2 Thess. i, 7, 10.
We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him; ii, 1.
That day shall not come unless there come a falling away first; ii, 3.
Then shall that Wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming; ii, 8.
The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ; iii, 5.
Here then are twelve passages in which the Apostle makes mention of the coming of the Lord, in the course of two brief Epistles, consisting, the one of five, and the other of three chapters. The Thessalonians could attach but one meaning to all these various allusions, and as they had been taught to look for the Lord's coming in glory, so they would naturally interpret all these passages as referring to it, and to it alone. And we know as a fact in history, that they really did so. Before he wrote to them at all, they, like all the early Christians, were looking for the Lord's coming. His first Epistle confirmed them in this, and raised their expectations to the utmost. They thought of nothing but his instantaneous appearance. They began to be "shaken in mind and troubled" on account of this, supposing that the day of Christ was at hand. Some one, either belonging to themselves or to some other Church, took advantage of this, and wrote an Epistle to them in the name of Paul, proclaiming the immediate coming of Christ, (2 Thess. ii, 2.) Upon receiving intelligence of their troubled state, the Apostle wrote a second Epistle to them, to allay the agitation, and correct the error.
In correcting their error he takes for granted that they were right in waiting for Christ's coming. He gives them plainly to understand, in his first chapter, that when he spoke of Christ's coming, he really meant Christ's literal, visible, personal coming. He never hints that they were wrong in expecting this. They were looking for this event, and he knew it; nay, his second Epistle was written just because he knew this. Yet he never gives one hint that they were wrong in their expectations. Nay, he confirms them in these. At the same time he does correct an error into which they had fallen. And what was this? That there was to be no interval and no event between them and the Lord's coming; and that they might be so sure of his immediate appearing as to throw aside their ordinary employments, and look up to heaven as if to see him coming. This was the only error.
He tells them that Christ was certainly to come. So far they were quite right. But there was an interval, and it was here that they had gone wrong. There was to be an event between them and his coming, whereas they had thought there was to be none. But as soon as that event had taken place, then that which they had been looking for would certainly occur. He tells them of but one event that was to take place before the Lord should come.
But though he mentions only one event, might there not be others? Yes, there might. And time has showed us that there were to be many. But let us mark the character of this event, and the manner in which the Lord's coming is spoken of in connection with it. It is the rising of the Man of Sin of which he speaks. It is this that is to be the one mighty event that is to mark and fill up the interval before the Lord should come. The prevalence of Antichrist or Antichrists was to be the characteristic of the period between the days of the Apostle and the coming of the Lord. 1 John ii, 18. This Man of Sin had begun to show himself in the time of Paul. 2 Thess. ii, 7. He was to continue to show himself, nay, to rise into power and greatness. Then when he had reached the very pitch and summit of his grandeur, he was to be suddenly and instantaneously stricken down and destroyed. And by what means? By the coming of the Lord. The Lord's coming was not to be till Antichrist had reached its height, and then, "in one hour," was this judgment to come—then the Lord was to be revealed from heaven in flaming fire. The destruction of the Man of Sin, and the Lord's coming must be at the same moment of time, for the Lord comes in order to destroy him.
In whatever sense the coming of the Lord is understood, still that coming, and the destruction of the Man of Sin, happen at the same time. Antichrist began in the apostles' days. He has ever since been spreading and rising. He is to continue to increase until he be destroyed at the coming of the Lord. Such is the Apostle's statement.
But may not the expression "coming of the Lord" have another meaning besides that of his literal and personal appearing? We need not enter at present upon a discussion on the meaning of this expression in other parts of the New Testament. There is enough in these two Epistles to show the sense in which it was understood by the Apostle and the Thessalonians. Now, we ask, for what event was it that the Thessalonians were looking? Was it not the personal coming of the Lord Jesus, "to be glorified in his saints and admired in all them that believe?" Then it was by this personal coming that Antichrist was to be destroyed. What event was it that the Apostle exhorted them to look to for comfort under the sorrow they experienced at the bereavement of friends? Was it not the coming of the Lord Jesus to raise his sleeping saints? Then it was by that same coming that Antichrist was to be destroyed. And thus we see that the downfall of the Man of Sin is to take place at the same time as the resurrection of the saints—"their gathering together unto Christ." What event was that which was to bring vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Was it not the Lord Jesus' "being revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire?" Then it was by that event that the Man of Sin was to be destroyed. And thus we see that the coming of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, the glorification of the saints, the day of vengeance on the wicked, and the destruction of the Man of Sin, are all to take place at the same time. No one doubts that the coming of the Lord is to raise his saints, and to take vengeance on his enemies, and how then can we doubt that the destruction of Antichrist is to be effected by the same literal and personal appearing? The Thessalonians certainly knew but of one coming, and they could not but class all these events together as to be accomplished at the same time.
If so, then the coming of Christ must be before the Millennium, not after it. For every one admits that the Man of Sin, who is at present rising into power, must be destroyed before the Millennium; and if he is to be destroyed by the coming of Christ, then Christ must come before the Millennium can begin. Otherwise the Man of Sin would continue in power during the whole Millennium, which is impossible.
But may not the passage in 2 Thess. ii, 8, mean a spiritual or providential coming, and not a literal one, though all the other passages refer to the real and personal appearing of Christ? We question much if there be such a thing as a spiritual or providential coming of Christ; but, granting it, still that cannot be meant here. For surely the Apostle would not mislead the Thessalonians, and yet it is evident that they could not but understand that passage in the same way as the rest, unless he told them that it meant something different from all the rest. It would be strange indeed if, out of twelve similar passages, eleven were to be interpreted in one way, and the twelfth, without any reason at all, save to suit a theory, in an entirely different way. How would it have been possible for the Thessalonians, or how is it possible for a plain reader, to find out that such a difference is to be made, and such an exception taken, in the case of one passage out of twelve?63Besides, the expressions used in the verses alluded to are the strongest and most explicit in the whole two Epistles. "The brightness of his coming" is one of the strongest expressions in the whole New Testament in reference to Christ's appearing. It is literally "the Epiphany of his presence;" as if the Apostle would prevent the very possibility of its being explained away, by using this double term expressive of his advent. The word Epiphany is a remarkable one. It occurs only six times in the New Testament. In one of these it refers to the first coming of Christ, which we all know was literal and personal. 2 Tim. i, 10. In four, the reference is admitted by all to be to his second coming, and the last is the passage in question, which is stronger than any other of the six. The four are these:—
Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; 1 Tim. vi, 14.
Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Tim. iv, 1.
To all them that love his appearing; 2 Tim. iv, 8.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus ii, 13.
Now, as, in the former case, we asked, Why make one passage, and that the strongest, an exception to the other eleven? so here we ask, Why make one passage, and it certainly not the feeblest, an exception to the other five? What reason can be given for thus attempting to explain away and spiritualize those expressions which are plainest and most explicit, and leaving others to be taken literally which are really feebler and less definite? Would such an attempt ever have been made, had there not been a theory or an opinion to serve? Why not take the words literally? Because, if you do so, you cannot but admit that the coming of Christ is before the Millennium! Now, would it not be better to admit this at once, than torture a passage of God's Word from its obvious and ample meaning?
What we have said in the preceding pages may be thus gathered up and applied:—
1. The Thessalonians were "waiting" for Christ's coming. This was one of the great features in their character as believers. Should it not be one of our features too? Should we not wait and love and long for the return of him whom we profess to love best of all in earth or heaven? Must there not be something far wrong with us if we are not thus looking and longing for his arrival?
2. The Apostle told them that there was but one event between them and Christ's coming; that was the manifestation of Antichrist. Now, we know that Antichrist has appeared, and in our day he is rising into fearful strength. He is just at his height; therefore the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Christ must be near when Antichrist is at his height. The rapid spread of Popery should make us lift up our head, for our redemption draweth nigh.
3. Antichrist is to be destroyed by Christ's personal coming. Therefore there can be no interval between the downfall of Popery and the coming of Christ. Both are together. What a day of joy to a long darkened world, when not merely its worst enemy shall fall but its glorious deliverer shall arrive; Ad. Tracts, Vol. I.