Thietland of Einsiedeln

In his own words on 2 Thessalonians

• 2 Thessalonians 1:3

  Indeed, we must note that in the first letter he does not say 'we ought to give thanks,' but 'we give thanks.' For truly there is a greater virtue in what he says, 'we ought to give thanks,' because indeed somebody can freely give thanks for some thing; but truly he who says that he ought, shows that he, too, is a debtor. Therefore the Apostle shows that he, too, is a debtor. because your faith is increasing greatly, and because the charity of each of you toward one another is abundant Certainly with these words they show the connection and narration of the first letter, since they show to them the progress of the same persons, in order that they might love the good things which they were more devotedly doing. In this act preachers are instructed that, while they know that their hearers have made progress, they must desire to show to them the same progress. To the extent that they give attention to their own progress, they should also love more firmly the good things which they do, and they should try to be imitators of the Thessalonians.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:4

  As if they should say, "You have thus far made progress in faith and patience, so that not only the children in the Church but we also, apostolic men, may take pride in the same faith and patience."

• 2 Thessalonians 1:5

  so that you may be held worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer The persecutions and tribulation did not make them worthy, but rather the grace of God that bestows to them the power of enduring those things patiently.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:6

  He had just said before that the judgment of God is just; he repeats this when he says, it is just for God to repay trouble to those who trouble you. And this is the sense, Nothing is more just than when they are afflicted who cause affliction to the good, and they wo suffer receive rest.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:7

  with a repose with us Beautifully do they say 'with us'; to the extent that they who were imitators of the apostles shall have fellowship with them in the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore John says "that you may have fellowship with us," (1Jn 1:3) And because this is rest, it is conferred not here, but in the future, to the saints.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:8

  by a flame of fire Perhaps it is about that which is read in the Apocalypse of John, "and fire came down from heaven and consumed them." (Rev 20;9) who are not obedient to the Gospel And this even refers to evil Catholics who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord though they say they believe, but they do not live according to what they believe.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:9

  He says of destruction because there death will be without death, destruction without weakening, and fire without light. apart from the face of the Lord and apart from the glory of his virtue The sentence goes out condemning the impious, when the same Lord says, "Go you cursed ones, into the eternal fire (Mt. 25:41)."

• 2 Thessalonians 1:10

  because our testimony has been believed by you They also call their testimony evangelical teaching, that which indeed was entrusted to them, because they received evangelical teaching from those preaching it.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:11

  so that our God may make you worthy of his calling that is, understood to make worthy. Here he asks that that calling be understood according to a purpose. On this account, in order that they might separate what is universal from that which is special, they added 'his.' In order that they might show that there is not power or merit in man, but in God alone. may complete every act of his goodness As though they should say, May virtue be bestowed upon you by God, that through it your faith may be filled up with effort.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:12

  That is, that you may be seen to be His worshippers, and therefore that you my be glorified in Him. And lest, when their own merits rather than to the grace of God, therefore they fittingly say, according to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. After the thanksgiving and praises and prayer they begin to make clear their intentions to those to whom they wrote out the letter.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:3

  Such is the saying of the Lord, "If someone should say to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'there,' do not believe it (Mt 24:23)."

• 2 Thessalonians 2:5

  And, that is, Christ would not come unless the Antichrist came first.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:8

  at the brightness of his return because His coming will be in a flash of lightning, as that passage says, "just as a flash of lightning goes forth from the east." Mt.24:27

• 2 Thessalonians 2:11

  Note that the Apostle did not hesitate to say that God sends to them the working of error, since then God is said to send it, when He allows to send it with the Devil. For God permits the Devil to do this with a just and hidden judgment, because he acts unjust and uneven intention. But what follows, who have not believed in the truth, is similar to that passage of the same Apostle, "because though they knew God they did not worship him as God or give Him thanks" (Rom 1:21). And right after that, "For that reason God gave them over to a reprobate frame of mind, that they may do those things which are not fitting." (Rom 1:28) Nevertheless, we must note that those who were judged shall be deceived, secretly by the just judgments of God, whom God himself did not cease to judge since the beginning of the sin of the rational creature. Even those who were described and led astray shall be justified at the last and open judgment of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who, having been judged most unjustly, shall judge most justly.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:12

  Yet we must always give thanks to God for you We should note that he had said this at the beginning of the epistle. brothers, beloved of God as if he should say, his unspeakable and immeasurable gifts. But not that those who he said to be about to be loved by God cannot in any way be mistaken. No one, therefore, disputed that they are of great merit; wherefore the Apostle calls them beloved in the judgment of him who can neither deceive nor be deceived. by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth He added 'of the Spirit' because this sanctification is in the Spirit and is acquired in the Spirit.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:13

  With these words they show that they were converted to faith by his teaching. The purpose was for the acquisition of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. As if he should say, "Therefore you were drawn to the faith by our teaching, so that you might obtain for yourselves the glory of the Lord."

• 2 Thessalonians 2:15

  and who has given us an everlasting consolation For He is their Fater, He consoles them, and they cannot be his sons without consolation. And because there is consolation in prosperous lands, Paul adds "eternal" so that he might separate earthly consolation from that which is in eternal things. and good hope in grace Becase there is hope in prperous times, he added "good" so that he might separate earthly hope from that which is in heavenly things.

• 2 Thessalonians 3:1

  Concerning other things, brothers, pray for us In this act of humility he leaves us an example. so that the Word of God may advance That is, be completed and become acceptable. and be glorified, just as it is among you As if he were to say, because I cannot prevail with my eloquence and merits, pray that the word of the Lord may be glorified at least by your prayers. To such a degree the word of the Lord was glorified among them, that they might show that they understood their teaching was God's.

• 2 Thessalonians 3:12

  Why does he direct them to eat their bread in silence? Plainly, lest they lose by immoderation of language the work which they acquired for their sustenance and that of others.