Matthew Henry Commentary 2 Thessalonians 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
2 Thessalonians 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
2 Thessalonians 1
"Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure;" — 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 (ASV)
Where there is the truth of grace, there will be an increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there is the increase of grace, God must have all the glory. Where faith grows, love will abound, for faith works by love. It shows faith and patience, such as may be proposed as a pattern for others, when trials from God and persecutions from men stimulate the exercise of those graces; for the patience and faith of which the apostle gloried sustained them and enabled them to endure all their tribulations.
"[which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, [even] eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day." — 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 (ASV)
Religion, if worth anything, is worth everything; and those who have no religion, or none worth having, or do not know how to value it, cannot find it in their hearts to suffer for it. We cannot, by all our sufferings any more than by our services, merit heaven; but by our patience under sufferings, we are prepared for the promised joy. Nothing more strongly marks a person for eternal ruin than a spirit of persecution and enmity toward the name and people of God.
God will trouble those who trouble His people. And there is a rest for the people of God: a rest from sin and sorrow. The certainty of future recompense is proved by the righteousness of God. The thoughts of this should be terrible to the wicked and a support to the righteous. Faith, looking to the great day, is enabled partly to understand the book of providence, which appears confused to unbelievers.
The Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. He will come in the glory and power of the upper world. His light will be piercing, and His power consuming, to all who in that day will be found as chaff. This appearance will be terrible to those who do not know God, especially to those who rebel against revelation and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the great crime of multitudes: the gospel is revealed, and they will not believe it; or, if they pretend to believe, they will not obey it.
Believing the truths of the gospel is for the purpose of obeying its precepts. Though sinners may be long spared, they will be punished at last. They did sin's work and must receive sin's wages. Here God punishes sinners by creatures as instruments; but then, it will be destruction from the Almighty—and who knows the power of His anger? It will be a joyful day for some: for the saints, for those who believe and obey the gospel.
In that bright and blessed day, Christ Jesus will be glorified and admired by His saints. And Christ will be glorified and admired in them. His grace and power will be shown when it will appear what He has purchased for, worked in, and bestowed upon those who believe in Him. Lord, if the glory put upon Your saints will be so admired, how much more will You be admired as the Bestower of that glory!
The glory of Your justice in the damnation of the wicked will be admired, but not as the glory of Your mercy in the salvation of believers. How will this strike the adoring angels with holy admiration and transport Your admiring saints with eternal rapture! The humblest believer will enjoy more than the most expansive heart can imagine while we are here; Christ will be admired in all those who believe, the humblest believer not excepted.
"To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power; 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 1:11-12 (ASV)
Believing thoughts and expectations of the second coming of Christ should lead us to pray to God more, for ourselves and others. If there is any good in us, it is due to the good pleasure of his goodness, and therefore it is called grace. There are many purposes of grace and goodwill in God toward his people, and the apostle prays that God would complete in them the work of faith with power. This enables them to do every other good work. The power of God not only begins, but carries on the work of faith. And this is the great end and design of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, which is made known to us, and worked in us.
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