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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
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| 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, regarding the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, |
Beseech you – Entreat you. R665:4
By the coming – Greek: parousia; presence. B159; R2979:1, 1693:1, 223:2
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| 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. |
Not soon shaken – Not quickly agitated, nor alarmed. R665:4
The day of Christ – Period of Messiah's glorious reign. SM151:1
Is at hand – Greek: enestemi; is present. B269; F226; R665:4
"Has set in." (Rotherham) R519:4*
For it was yet a long way off. F672
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| 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; |
Let no man deceive you – "Beguile." (Revised Version) R519:4*
Jesus knew the enemy's subtle power, and that he would deceive the very elect, if possible. (Matt. 13:24-43) R632:1
That day – Could not come until after the great falling away, and the manifestation of the Man of Sin. R3128:4
Until the abomination of desolation has been set up. R5339:3
We are now living in "that Day of the Lord." (1 Thes. 5:2) R305:1, 54:2
Not come, except – Paul did not use arguments such as some today are disposed to use against the claim that the Day of the Lord has begun. He did not say when Christ comes your eyes shall behold him and your ears hear the trump of God. B270
Come a falling away – The apostasy--from the true faith. B269; R1093:4; 665:4
From the truth. R306:1, 980:2, 55:1
In the Church before the great Day of the Lord could come. R5769:1, 306:6, 55:5
A spiritual defection. (Used one other place in New Testament, where Paul is charged with teaching apostasy from Moses by abandoning circumcision.) R638:6*
A false system that would develop in the Church. R305:1, 54:2
As one error after another crept in, the Church fell from her position of trust in and support of the promises of her absent Lord, and began to love the world and the things of the world. R305:1, 54:2
A falling away into formalism, the development of a clergy, and a desire for worldly power. B286, B287
During the "Dark Ages" of Papacy's reign, from about the year 300 to 1600 A.D. During that carnival of heresy several portions of the Bible were altered as to appear to give support to Papacy's teachings. R278:2
That man of sin – An apostasy; the system of error. R980:2; B267-361
The kingdom of Antichrist. R1093:6
In the Dark Ages there was quite a clear understanding that the Papacy was the Man of Sin. R5339:5
The Antichrist; the abomination of desolation, the beast, the little horn, the Papacy. B271, B277; C95; D32; R1775:1, 1526:4, 606:4, 402:1, 310:2, 305:2, 54:3
Be revealed – His real character shown and seen. R305:1, 54:2
Son of perdition – The son of destruction, the opponent. R665:4
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| 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. |
That is called God – That is called a mighty ruler. B269
That is worshipped. R304:3, 54:1
So that he as God – As a mighty religious ruler, A theos, not THE theos, Jehovah. B275
In the temple of God – A religious ruler, claiming and exercising authority over and above all other religious rulers, even to the extent of exalting himself in the Church, which is the true temple of God. B275; R305:6; 638:3*
Greek: Ton naon; here translated "temple," never means in six other usages a literal temple, but is always applied to the Church of God; "Which temple ye are." (1 Cor. 3:17) R638:1*
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| 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
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| 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. |
Withholdeth – Prevents, hinders, comes between. R665:5
Interposes. B270
That he – Christ Jesus. R665:5; B270
In his time – In his own due season. B270
Now you know why I so positively declare that we are not yet in the Day of the Lord. R665:5
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| 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. |
Mystery of iniquity – Began in Paul's day, and developed into Papacy and her daughter organizations. There is a sense in which the word mystery is used in Scripture in the same sense as the word church. (Col. 1:27; Eph. 5:32; 1 John 3:1) R368:6, 711:1, CR11:3
Insubordination to Christ. B270
The body of Antichrist, Babylon, Christendom, particularly the Papacy. F201; R767:1
Only he who now letteth – The thing which hindered a rapid development of Antichrist was the fact that the place aspired to was already filled by another, the Roman Empire. B288
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| 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his presence: |
Shall that wicked – System. R307:2
The Lawless One. (Diaglott) R1977:2
The Man of Sin. R1363:1
The Antichrist; "Even now there are many." (1 John 2:18) E286
Be revealed – Greek: apokalupto; to uncover, to remove a disguise. R307:3, 711:1
By Luther and others, even though many do not even yet see it. T86, R307:3
Spirit of his mouth – His Word--the truth. This agency for the consuming of Papacy has progressed for about three hundred years, or since God's Word began to be published--AD 1526, and particularly since 1801 when the "two witnesses" were exalted to heaven and the "dominion" or temporal power began to be taken away. R307:3, 815:4, 287:5, 55:6
Truth, the spirit of the Lord's mouth, may come through a thousand channels. Even blasphemous infidelity may be one of the agencies and we believe it is the truth uttered, though mixed, which is the secret of power against Babylon--with respect to human rights and equality. R757:4
And shall destroy – All willful sinners, and all who will not hear his voice, his command, his instructions. F398
Let no one hastily infer a peaceable conversion of the nations, for this and many scriptures teach the opposite. (Rev. 19:15; Rev. 11:17, 18; Dan. 12:1; Psa. 149 and 47) B101
With the brightness – Greek: epiphania; bright shining; manifestation. C39; R2979:2,6, 307:4
Light and knowledge will so increase that all forms of error and evil will be finally dispelled by the bright shining of the present one. We may expect vengeance to begin in October (1881). While it will not be hindered after October, yet great results need not be looked for in a day. R247:6
Of his coming – Greek: parousia; presence. B159, B270; C39; R3082:3, 2979:1, 6, 2001:5, 1363:1
Of the present one. R711:2, 247:6, 124:1
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| 9 Even him, whose presence is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, |
Even him – These words, supplied by the translators, and not in the original text, tend to obscure the sense of this passage. R1363:2
Whose coming – Christ's parousia (presence). R1363:1, 1693:1
Is after – Greek: kata; is with, or accompanied by, as the same word is rendered in Mark 1:27; 1 Cor. 2:1; Eph. 6:6. B359; R1363:1, 2
The working – An energetic operation. (Satanic energy and action.) B359
Of Satan – One of many scriptures which refer to this Adversary whose very existence is now denied by many. F609
The Apostle was a firm believer in a personal devil, and a Bible study of his teachings on this subject would be profitable when Christian Scientists and others deny the existence of the Adversary. R3165:6
The prime mover in the evils of this present time, and especially active in this hour of temptation. R2793:2
He will not yield peaceably to the new rule; but must be overthrown by Christ after a violent struggle. R3119:6
And lying wonders – Healing and miracles. F639
The fallen angels, spirit mediums. R3742:4
Out of the church of Rome have sprung the various minor systems. R767:1
"Seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." (1 Tim. 4:1; Eph. 6:11-13; 2 Pet. 3:17; Matt. 24:24) R2189:3, 2173:4, 1643:2
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| 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. |
Of unrighteousness – Untruth. R2891:3
Satan will be granted by the Lord special power in the end of this age, and as a result there will be special, severe testings upon the people of God; many will fall away from a Christian profession and a nominal faith. SM325:1
Satan himself is aware that nothing that is wholly false could succeed. (2 Cor. 11:14) SM323:1
The first question to be asked respecting any matter is: Is it true or is it false? To tamper with error after we see it to be error is to lay a trap for our spiritual feet. R2891:3; F264
Received not the love of the truth – With a proper zeal. R4194:3
But in the love of self. R3138:5
Loved the error rather than the light. SM326:1; R1643:2, 1356:3
Rather the love of building up a denomination; the love of soliciting money for a denomination; and the love of certain ideas of their own. R5800:4
After coming to a knowledge of the truth, they do not love it so as to be willing to die for it. R1356:3
They that receive the truth in the love of it will surely serve it with all the decision they can command. R2950:4
They who on receiving truth ponder long whether it will cost too much, give evidence that their love for the truth is not great enough. Such must cultivate love for the truth until it outweighs all other things else they will not be fit for the Kingdom. R2950:4
The Lord will not permit those who receive the truth in the love of it to be turned aside. But he would send strong delusions to those who receive it from any other motive, or for any other reason. R5800:4
If sincere love for the truth, honesty of thought and deed, be yielded, sacrificed to pride, ambition, vain-glory, or any other thing, the result will be a loss of Present Truth. R3847:4
They are not worthy of it. R2275:1
To the listless and selfish who are not grossly wicked, the truth is only made a minister to pride and selfishness, and hence it is the will of God that all such should lose it. R1950:1
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| 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: |
And for this cause – Evidently these words were a prophecy concerning the present Harvest time. Doubtless they apply primarily to the Church and will later apply also to Babylon and the unregenerate world. "Judgment must begin at the house of God." (1 Pet. 4:17) R4514:3
Shall send them – Permit to come upon them. R2274:6
Speaking of this evil day, a certain class may believe a lie, because they were not honest, but acted deceptively, hypocritically. Probably the most valuable trait of character is honesty. R5098:3
The Harvest time, especially the closing years of the Harvest. R4583:2
All, in the end of the Gospel age, who, having been favored with the Word of God, have failed to appreciate and use it. R2174:4, 3847:5, 3490:3
For the purpose of sifting and separating the true from the false among those who have named the name of Christ. OV294:1; R3209:3
To gather the tares. OV297:4; R3209:3
Upon many in the nominal church. R2540:1, 3490:3, 2274:6
The church in general. R4167:5
Not only nominal Christendom, but upon those who have been specially favored with the light of truth now shining. R4583:2
The intimation is that the severity of the testing will come first to the saints. R4583:3
Strong delusion – That which, from certain standpoints, has the appearance of truth. R2274:2
Literally, a frenzy of delusion. R4514:2
Of Satanic wrath and power. R1949:3
God not only permits, but also desires, that the faith of his professed people should be severely tried. R1949:6, 5990:4, 5800:4, 1280:1
A working of deception--Spiritism. Fallen angels transformed to appear as angels of light and progress. F639; R2174:5
The success of strong organizations; such as Papacy, Methodism, Spiritism, Theosophy, Christian Science, Church Federation. F200; R4583:2, 1736:4
The modern Satanic gift of tongues is one of the many delusions of our day. R3941:5
Putting light for darkness, and darkness for light. R3119:6
Christian Science, mind-cure teachers, Satan masquerading as the champion of pure thoughts and righteous living. SM326:1
Giving them over, permitting them to believe, the lie which they preferred, and to suffer for missing the Truth which they did not love. SM238:2
Persistence in that which in the beginning, at least, was clearly recognized as wrong; but which, through self-will persisted in, subsequently became a gross deception. F166
Because the Christian world received not the truth in the love of it, God sent these delusions that it should be condemned thereby. R5652:4; OV294:1
The pestilence (moral and spiritual) that walketh in darkness that spreads and makes its victims among those who are ignorant of the truth, or who are unfaithful to it and hence unworthy of it. (Psa. 91:6) R3332:1
The Adversary is permitted to bring strong delusions upon the Lord's people for the very purpose of sifting out all not truly his. (Mal. 3:17) R3125:2, 5800:4
These delusions will have wonderful power upon the world of mankind and especially in Christendom, which will gain power during the next few years. The delusions will have their power because God's people have not been sufficiently awake to the privileges of Bible study. R4583:2
Great delusions are just before us, and some of these may come closest upon those possessing the most light of Present Truth. (Matt. 24:26, 27) Had it been foretold precisely what form these deceptions would take, this would have somewhat hindered their deceptive power. D581
Surely the proposed union--vitalizing the Protestant image and bringing it into accord with the Papal (beast) system, is a master-stroke of Satan and one of the strong delusions of this time foretold by the Apostle. R1474:6
That they – A certain class, who acted deceptively, hypocritically. R5098:3
Those who, having been brought in contact with the truth, either resist it, or by failure to follow the true light loyally, show that they are unworthy of it. R2033:5
No doubt some who will be of the Great Company will be more or less deceived of the Adversary by the strong delusions of this hour. R4583:6
Should believe a lie – And depart from the truth. R3125:2
A disloyal condition of heart may be meant which would apply to every form of truth and correspondingly apply to various lies. R4514:3
The demons are constantly striving to perpetuate the lie of Genesis 3:4, "Ye shall not surely die." They will now be permitted to personate the dead so successfully as to be a strong delusion. R3490:4, 5909:6
Whoever would come under the influence of the teaching of Satan and his fallen host would think of a dead man as really advanced to a higher station instead of having fallen into death. Other errors could be introduced, such as purgatory. OV301:3
The poor world, lacking wisdom from on high, misled by its trusted scientific and theological teachings, is rapidly coming under the power of the evil spirits. R4404:4
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| 12 That they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. |
They all – Those who having once heard and understood the truth, turned from it, rejected it. R2274:6
Those who fall. SM567:2; R3941:5
Might be damned – Condemned. SM326:1; R3941:5, 3490:3, 3125:2, 2274:5, 6, 2174:5, 1869:5, 1766:4, 606:4; Q166:2
Might be judged unworthy to share the Millennial Kingdom, as joint-heirs with Christ. B359; R2813:3, 2274:2; Q166:2
Be manifested as not right--as out of harmony with God. SM567:2; R3941:5, 1766:4
Who believed not – Manifesting that they were not worthy of the glorious things which God has in reservation for those who love righteousness and hate iniquity. SM326:1
Had pleasure in unrighteousness – The preceding verses show that the reference here is to the development of the Man of Sin--Papacy. Those who were instrumental in introducing this system sought to pervert the truth for their own selfish ends. R606:4
Greek: adikia; untruth, deception, hypocrisy, two-facedness. R1363:2, 3181:3, 3941:5; SM105:T
Injustice. R1766:4
Doctrinal or practical. R2174:5
Not necessarily in gross unrighteousness, such as crime, but often a desire for a little more liberty of self-will instead of close conformity to the divine will. R2274:6
The great majority have followed Satan, the opponent of God. R5910:1
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| 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: |
From the beginning – God foreknew and fore-arranged that those should be chosen to this high calling who, believing the truth, would be sanctified by it. This implies the searching for truth as for hid treasures. R475:6
Chosen you – The saints, not the nominal church. A299; R2538:5, 25:1*
This peculiar people is a new and chosen generation. Or in other words, having believed the message of salvation and gratefully accepted, they were chosen of God. R1567:2, 3621:2
Through sanctification of the Spirit – The sanctification movement among Methodists is not the same as the high calling. Sanctification means, set apart, or, separated. The only sanctification recognized in Scripture is a sanctification of the spirit (mind) through the belief of the truth. R377:3, 475:6
Consecration of their hearts or minds. R831:4
A complete setting apart to the divine will and service. R1950:5
The divine spirit is the sanctifier, and the Word of Truth is the instrument. R197:3*
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| 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
Gospel – It is the voice of God by Jesus Christ proclaiming glad tidings of the coming Kingdom. R810:3*
Of the glory of our Lord – Pre-eminence over all other classes, all other stations, in earth or in heaven. Exalted far above angels and granted the divine nature. (Rom. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:53; 1 John 3:2, 3; 1 Cor. 1:26, 27; 2 Peter 1:4) This is the glorious inheritance of Zion, and this promotion can be received from no other quarter than God himself, on his own terms. R5711:1
"The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. 4:17; 1 John 3:2; Col. 1:27; John 17:22; 1 Peter 5:10) R5684:5; A211
"Partaker of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 21:2, 9; 22:17; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 12:12, 13, 27) R5748:6
Referring to our intimate relationship to our Head. "If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him." (2 Tim. 2:12) T80
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| 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. |
Traditions – Teachings of the Scriptures and Paul's own instructions. Q747:2
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| 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, |
Hath loved us – God's special love and provision for his saints as distinguished from the world. R1254:5
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| 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. |
Word and work – Give earnest heed to opportunities for service, and consider that the information has been given us that we may impart it to others--to those brethren and sisters of the Lord's family, some of whom are in Babylon yet. R4685:5
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