Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1:12

"that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." — 2 Thessalonians 1:12 (ASV)

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means that the Lord Jesus himself may be honored among you: the name often denoting the person. The idea is that the apostle wished that the Lord Jesus might be honored among them by the proper application and development of the principles of his religion.

And ye in him. This means that you may be regarded and treated as his friends when he will come to judge the world.

According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that you may experience all the honor which his grace is suited to impart. In view of the explanation given of this chapter, we may remark:

1. The wicked will certainly be punished when the Lord Jesus comes to judgment. Words cannot reveal this truth more plainly than this chapter does, and if this is not so, then language has no meaning.

2. The punishment of the wicked will be eternal. It is impossible for language to teach that doctrine more clearly than this chapter does. If God had intended to teach the doctrine of eternal punishment, it is impossible to conceive that he could have chosen more plain and positive language to express the doctrine than he has used here. Can it be, then, that he means to trifle with people on so solemn a subject, by using words that have no meaning?

3. It will greatly aggravate the punishment of the wicked that it will be "a righteous thing" for God to punish them in this way. If they were to suffer as martyrs; if, in their sufferings, they could feel that they were oppressed and crushed beneath mere power; if they could feel that they were right, and that God was wrong; if they could get up a party in the universe against God, sympathizing with them as if they were wronged, the case would be changed. A person can endure suffering much more easily with a good conscience, feeling they are right, than when they feel that what they endure is deserved. But the sinner in hell can never have this consolation. They will forever feel that God is right, and that they are wrong, and that every pang they endure is deserved.

4. If it is a "righteous thing" that the wicked will be punished, then they can never be saved by mere justice. No one will go to heaven because they deserve or merit it. All dependence on human merit, therefore, is taken away in the matter of salvation; and if the sinner is ever saved, it will be by grace, and not by justice.

5. If it is a "righteous thing" that the sinner should perish, they will perish. God will do right to all.

6. It is amazing that the majority of people have so little concern about their future condition. God has plainly revealed that he will destroy the wicked forever, and that it is a righteous thing for him to do it; yet the majority of humankind are wholly unconcerned and disregard all the solemn declarations of the Bible on this subject, as if they were idle tales.

   One would suppose that the very possibility of eternal suffering would rouse all the sensibilities of the soul and lead to the earnest inquiry whether it is not possible to avoid it. Yet the majority of people feel no concern in this inquiry. It is impossible to get them ever to think of it. We cannot get them even to ask the question seriously, whether they themselves are to be happy or miserable for all eternity.

   This stupidity and indifference is the most unaccountable fact on earth and probably distinguishes this world from all others.

7. It is rational to think of religion, to reflect on eternity, to be serious, and to be anxious about the future state. If there is even a possibility that we may be miserable forever, it is proper to be serious about it.

   And if there is a solemn declaration of God that it will be a "righteous thing" for him to punish the wicked, and that he will punish them with everlasting destruction, assuredly the mind should be concerned. Is there anything more worthy of the calm and sober attention of the human soul than such solemn declarations of the infinite God?

2 Thessalonians 2