John Calvin Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1

To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God. As to the form of salutation, it would be superfluous to speak. It is necessary to notice only this—that by a Church in God and Christ is meant one that has not merely been gathered together under the banner of faith, for the purpose of worshipping one God the Father, and confiding in Christ, but is the work and building of the Father as well as of Christ, because while God adopts us to himself, and regenerates us, it is from him that we begin to be in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).

To give thanks. He begins with commendation, so that he might have an opportunity to move on to exhortation. For in this way, we have more success among those who have already started on the path, when, without overlooking their former progress, we remind them how far they still are from the goal and stir them up to make progress.

However, just as he had commended their faith and love in the former letter, he now declares the increase of both. And, unquestionably, this course should be followed by all the devout—to examine themselves daily and see how far they have advanced. This, therefore, is the true commendation of believers—their growing daily in faith and love.

When he says always, he means that he is constantly supplied with new reason. He had previously given thanks to God on their behalf. He says that he now has reason to do so again, because of their daily progress. When, however, he gives thanks to God on this account, he declares that the growth, no less than the beginnings, of faith and love are from him; for if they came from human power, thanksgiving would be insincere, or at least worthless. Furthermore, he shows that their advancement was not trivial, or even ordinary, but very great. All the more disgraceful is our slowness, since we scarcely advance one foot over a long period of time.

As is meet. In these words, Paul shows that we ought to give thanks to God, not only when he does us good, but also when we consider the favors he bestows on our fellow believers. For wherever the goodness of God shines forth, we ought to praise it.

Furthermore, the welfare of our fellow believers ought to be so dear to us that we should count as our own benefits everything that has been given to them. Moreover, if we consider the nature and sacredness of the unity of Christ’s body, such a mutual fellowship will exist among us that we will count the benefits given to an individual member as gain to the whole Church. Therefore, in praising God’s benefits, we must always be mindful of the whole body of the Church.

So that we ourselves glory in you. He could not have given them higher praise than by saying that he presents them to other churches as an example, for that is the meaning of those words: — We glory in you in the presence of other Churches.

For Paul did not boast of the faith of the Thessalonians out of a spirit of ambition, but because his praise of them might be an encouragement for others to strive to imitate them. He does not say, however, that he glories in their faith and love, but in their patience and faith.

From this it follows that patience is the fruit and evidence of faith. These words should, therefore, be explained in this way: — “We glory in the patience which springs from faith, and we bear witness that it shines out outstandingly in you”; otherwise, the context would not align. And, undoubtedly, nothing sustains us in tribulations as faith does. This is clear enough from the fact that we completely sink as soon as the promises of God leave us.

Therefore, the more progress anyone makes in faith, the more he will be endowed with patience to endure all things with fortitude. On the other hand, weakness and impatience in adversity indicate unbelief on our part. This is especially true when persecutions must be endured for the gospel, for in that situation, the influence of faith reveals itself.

A demonstration of the righteous judgment of God. Without mentioning the exposition given by others, in my opinion the true meaning is this — that the injuries and persecutions which innocent and pious persons endure from the wicked and abandoned show clearly, as in a mirror, that God will one day be the judge of the world.

And this statement is the complete opposite of that profane notion we are accustomed to entertain whenever it goes well for the good and badly for the wicked. For we think that the world is under the regulation of mere chance, and we leave God no control.

Consequently, impiety and contempt take possession of people's hearts, as Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 9:3). For those who suffer anything undeservedly either throw the blame upon God or do not think that He concerns Himself with human affairs.

We hear what Ovid says: “I am tempted to think that there are no gods.” Furthermore, David confesses (Psalms 73:1–12) that because he saw things in such a confused state in the world, he had nearly lost his footing, as if in a slippery place.

On the other hand, the wicked become more insolent because of prosperity, as if no punishment for their crimes awaited them — just as Dionysius, when making a prosperous voyage, boasted that the gods favored the sacrilegious.

In short, when we see that the cruelty of the wicked against the innocent goes unpunished, carnal sense concludes that there is no judgment of God, that there are no punishments for the wicked, and that there is no reward for righteousness.

Paul, however, declares on the other hand, that because God thus spares the wicked for a time and overlooks the injuries inflicted upon His people, His future judgment is shown to us as in a mirror. For he takes for granted that God, since He is a just Judge, must one day restore peace to the miserable who are now unjustly harassed, and will pay the oppressors of the pious the reward they have merited.

Hence, if we hold this principle of faith — that God is the just Judge of the world and that it is His office to repay everyone according to their works — then this second principle will follow indisputably: that the present disorderly state of matters (ἀταξίαν) is a demonstration of the judgment that does not yet appear.

For if God is the righteous Judge of the world, those things that are now confused must necessarily be restored to order. Now, nothing is more disorderly than that the wicked, unpunished, harass the good and act with unbridled violence, while the good are cruelly harassed without any fault on their part.

From this it may be readily inferred that God will one day ascend the judgment-seat to remedy the state of affairs in the world, so as to bring them into a better condition.

Hence the statement which he adds — that it is righteous with God to appoint affliction, etc. — is the foundation of this doctrine: that God provides signs of a judgment to come when He refrains, for now, from exercising the office of judge. And unquestionably, if matters were now arranged satisfactorily, so that God’s judgment might be recognized as having been fully exercised, an adjustment of this nature would keep us focused on the earth.

Hence God, to stir us up to the hope of a judgment to come, for now, only judges the world to some extent. He provides, it is true, many signs of His judgment, but in such a way as to compel us to extend our hope further.

Truly, this is a remarkable passage, teaching us how our minds ought to be lifted above all the obstacles of the world whenever we suffer any adversity, so that the righteous judgment of God may come to our minds and raise us above this world. Thus death will be an image of life.

May be accounted worthy. There are no persecutions to be considered of such value as to make us worthy of the kingdom of God, nor does Paul dispute here about the basis of worthiness.

Instead, he simply takes the common doctrine of Scripture: that God destroys in us those things that are of the world, so that He may restore a better life in us; and furthermore, that by means of afflictions He shows us the value of eternal life.

In short, he simply points out the manner in which believers are prepared and, as it were, polished under God’s anvil, since by afflictions they are taught to renounce the world and to aim at God’s heavenly kingdom.

Furthermore, they are confirmed in the hope of eternal life while they fight for it. For this is the entrance of which Christ spoke to His disciples (Matthew 7:13; Luke 13:24).

To appoint affliction. We have already stated why he mentions God's vengeance against the wicked: it is so that we may learn to rest in the expectation of a judgment to come. For God does not yet avenge the wicked, even while it is necessary that they suffer the punishment for their crimes.

Believers, however, at the same time, understand from this that there is no reason why they should envy the momentary and evanescent felicity of the wicked, which will before long be exchanged for a dreadful destruction. What he adds concerning the rest of the pious accords with the statement of Paul (Acts 3:20), where he calls the day of the last judgment the day of refreshing.

In this declaration, however, concerning the good and the bad, he designed to show more clearly how unjust and confused the government of the world would be if God did not defer punishments and rewards until another judgment; for in this way, the name of God would be a dead thing. Therefore, He is deprived of His office and power by all who are not intent on that righteousness of which Paul speaks.

He adds with us, so that he may lend credibility to his doctrine from his own experience of belief; for he shows that he does not philosophize about unknown things, by putting himself into the same condition and rank with them. We know, however, how much more authority is due to those who have, by long practice, been experienced in those things they teach and do not require from others anything but what they themselves are prepared to do. Paul, therefore, does not, while himself in the shade, give instructions to the Thessalonians on how they should fight in the heat of the sun, but, fighting vigorously, exhorts them to the same warfare.