Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

Paul now states the purpose of his prayer—the glorification of Christ in the believers and they in him. This is an intermediate step toward the final recognition of the Lord’s own worthiness and majesty and the saints’ participation in these things with him. “Name” is a reference to the dignity, majesty, and power of the Lord’s revealed character.

“In him” is a technical expression initiated by Jesus (17:21); it was taken up by Paul and developed more completely (Romans 6:11, 23; 1 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 13:4; et al.). The thought is that of reciprocity resting on the union of the Lord with his people. They are to share the future moment of glorification together.

Elsewhere Paul shows a continuing zeal to exclude merit from the salvation process (cf. Romans 4:16; 11:5–6; Ephesians 2:5, 8); so here also “grace” (GK 5921) from both Father and Son (cf. 1:2) is the source of everything. We pray for such things as these and our prayers are answered in harmony with the working of God’s grace.