The Kingdom Come

An eschatologically packed chapter of the Bible is 2 Thessalonians 2, full of references of the "coming" of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like to approach the text first by seeing how many of the esteemed theologians [1] of the past have interpreted the text. We'll also attempt to exegetically unpack the text verse by verse as we go. First, let me post the entire text below, utilizing the New King James version. We'll note the significant variances between the more popular English translations; then citing the original Greek variances as needed, as we unpack the text.

2 Thessalonians 2

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[b] is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God[c] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He[d] who now restrains will do so until He[e] is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

VERSE 1

Paul continues to address the Thessalonians as he did in book one, about their apparent concern about the timing of the resurrection and of the coming of the Lord. There is question as to what the word gathering entails. Was Paul using this as a synonym for resurrection? More specifically, verse 1 is the "gathering together" which is the Greek word episynagoge, also found in Heb 10:25 used as the exhortation to continue to assemble together, to meet. Note the word "synagogue". It is also important to check the cross-reference of this with Mt 24:31 as some may attempt to equate Mt 24:31 as the referent. There is nothing in how this word is used in the various texts that would immediately cause us to conclude it was about a resurrection but more about the general coming together of Christians. (see link)

None of the major commentaries associate the "gathering together" with resurrection. The connection of resurrection is equated with the "coming" and not with the "gathering". However, Matthew Henry's commentary for example, does relate this gathering with the gather found in Mt 24:31:

"At the second coming of Christ all the saints will be gathered together to him; and this mention of the gathering of the saints together unto Christ at his coming shows that the apostle speaks of Christ's coming to judgment day, and not of his coming to destroy Jerusalem. He speaks of a proper, and not a metaphorical advent...There will then come from the four winds of heaven all that are, or ever were, or ever shall be, from the beginning to the end of time. All shall be gathered together. That they shall be gathered together to Christ. He will be the great centre of their unity. They shall be gathered together to him, to be attendants on him, to be assessors with him, to be presented by him to the Father, to be with him for ever, and altogether happy in his presence to all eternity." -- source

Even here, it is not supposed this is about resurrection but of Christ being the great center of unity by way of the gathering together.

VERSE 2

In this verse we see a direct comforting that the Thessalonians ought not be worried as if they had missed or would miss the coming of the Lord. Apparently there were rumors, even rumors using the names of the apostles that the coming of the Lord had already occurred. A Preterist/Hyper-preteristⁱ may point to this verse as evidence that whatever the "coming" is/was, it would be non-physical since the Thessalonians worried they missed it. The contention being, how could they suppose they missed it if it were going to be an obvious and physical manifestation? Even so, one verse and the use of ambiguous deduction as such, does not over turn so many other verses that indicate a physical manifestation of the "coming" and the general resurrection.....more to come

Footnotes:

a. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 NU-Text reads the Lord.
b. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 NU-Text reads lawlessness.
c. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 NU-Text omits as God.
d. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he
e. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he

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