Did you know that most of the books that comprise the New Testament are actually letters? These letters (also known as “epistles”) contain both general Christian teaching and specific instructions for the congregation to which they were addressed. As part of our Letters to the Church series, we’re taking a brief look at each epistle in the New Testament. This week, we look at the follow-up to Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church.

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[See other Blog posts in the Letters to the Church series]

Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians

Start reading it here: 2 Thessalonians 1

When was it written? Around A.D. 51, not long after Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians.

To whom was it written? Like 1 Thessalonians, this letter was written to the new Christian community in Thessalonica, a major trade city in Greece.

Why was it written? This short letter expands on one of the subjects Paul addressed in his first letter to this community. The Thessalonians may have responded to his first letter with questions that needed further answers; Paul also mentions hearing reports of problematic behavior by some in the church, which he felt obligated to correct.

What does it say? It’s clear from this letter that the Thessalonians were very concerned with the question of Christ’s promised return to Earth. In Paul’s first letter, he assured them that the death of Christ-followers did not cast doubt on Christ’s promise. This letter suggests that the regular persecution they faced was adding a great urgency to the question “When will Christ return and usher in his kingdom?”

In addressing these fears and concerns, Paul does not lay out an exact timeline or set of dates for Christ’s return. Instead, he assures the Thessalonians that the frightening things they’re seeing and experiencing should not surprise them—and that they could expect more trials in the future. Paul urges them not to panic in the face of alarming claims and prophecies about the “end times,” but to endure in the knowledge that Jesus Christ’s victory is already assured.

Noteworthy passages:

• 2 Thessalonians 1:4: Paul boasts of the Thessalonians’ perseverance in the face of persecution.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:1-6: Christians aren’t to obsess or panic about the “end times,” but wait patiently for God’s plan to unfold “at the proper time.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15: Straying brothers and sisters in Christ are to be rebuked, but still loved and encouraged to repent.

What can we learn from 2 Thessalonians? It’s natural that Christians have long wondered when to expect the return of Jesus Christ. We watch today for Christ’s return just as the Thessalonian believers did. But Paul’s words in this letter are an important reminder that a natural interest in the “end times” shouldn’t become an obsession, or a source of fear and panic. We can rest assured that no historical event or spate of persecution will stop God’s Kingdom from unfolding according to his perfect plan.

Consider these questions as you read 2 Thessalonians today:

• Can you understand the Thessalonians’ panicky obsession with Christ’s return? Do you ever feel frustrated or upset at the thought of Christ’s return, or at the fact that he hasn’t yet returned?
• What do you think Paul means when he mentions a “powerful delusion” that people will believe?
• Imagine that you’ve received this letter from Paul. What might you write back to him in response?