Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1:2

"Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." — 2 Thessalonians 1:2 (ASV)

After a period of several months, reports from Thessalonica about new conditions, especially some worsening problems, reached Paul while he and his missionary party were still in Corinth, leading him to write this second letter and to provide solutions.

The salutation is identical with that of the first letter (cf. comments on 1 Thessalonians 1:1) except for two additions. The first is “our” in the expression “God our Father” (v.1). God is the Father of Christians. His being the Father of Jesus Christ is expressed elsewhere (e.g., 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3).

The second addition is the phrase “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” in v.2. Identifying the sources of “grace and peace” occurs in all other Pauline superscriptions except 1 Thessalonians 1:1. The words make explicit what is already implicit: God is ultimately the only source of grace and peace. Two persons of the Godhead are specified: the Father and the Son. To Paul, Jesus was Deity in the fullest sense. This is the only justification for placing his name beside the Father’s as co-author of the unmerited favor and harmonious relationship pronounced in this greeting.