2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 1 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on 2 Thessalonians 1 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

"Paul"
Although this epistle (1:1, 3:17) claims to have been written by Paul, many scholars think it was a forgery.¹

See Col. 1:1. Wikipedia, the encyclopedia which anonymous people can edit at liberty, and can hardly be considered a source in any meaningful sense, nonetheless contains this nugget:

While Paul's authorship of 2 Thess. has been questioned more often than his authorship of 1 Thess., there is more evidence from early Christian writers for his authorship of Second Thessalonians than that of First Thessalonians. The epistle was included in the Marcion canon and the Muratorian fragment; it was mentioned by name by Irenaeus, and quoted by Ignatius, Justin, and Polycarp.

So the first time doubt arose about the authorship from 2 Thessalonians was in the minds of “scholars“ who question the whole Bible anyway. Well, let them have their taxpayer funded jobs, and let Christians stay in the reality based world where the standards of proof have a minimum level.
Read “Gospel Dates, Gospel Authors, Gospels Freedoms” for a general background on how this “scholarship” would work when applied to secular documents.

2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

(1:7-9) "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God ... who shall be punished with everlasting destruction."
Jesus will take "vengeance on them that know not God" by burning them forever "in flaming fire."
Does Hell exist?
What the Bible says about burning people to death

Sinners will be punished. Unless they receive forgiveness for their sins in the time allotted to them. But so many take God for a liar, as if what he says is not true and will not happen.

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.