C, Post Pentecost 22 Proper 27 - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 "Thessalonica"

Paul writes two letters to the Thessalonians. It’s recognised that these two letters were Paul’s first, written in AD 51.

If we assume Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension occurred in AD 33, Paul writes these letters to the Thessalonians eighteen years after Jesus ascended to the right hand of our Father in heaven.

In today’s Epistle reading we hear Paul warn and comfort the church in Thessalonica over false letters shaking and alarming hearers that Jesus had already come a second time. Paul calls them not to be deceived in any way, but the reason and reality for why they shouldn’t be misled was no calming bedtime story either.

Paul says, “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” (2 Thessalonians 2:1–5 ESV)

Thessalonica sat on a major trade route, the Egnatian Way, that linked to Asia Minor through Byzantium, later called Constantinople, known today as Istanbul, then onto the Silk Highway to China. And to the west across Macedonia to the north of the Aegean Sea and onto Rome and what is Europe today. Sitting on the major trade route, Thessalonica was a hotbed of ideas and information which moved to and fro amongst the people who travelled “Via Egnatia”. No doubt these conversations likely conveyed many evolving half-truths, as you could imagine!

Then there was a synagogue of Jews, where Paul first preached the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of these Jews were jealous when Paul reasoned Christ’s necessity from the Scriptures, especially when some Jews became converts along with many Greek men and women. In their jealousy they formed a lawless mob and attacked the house of Jason and other believing brothers. Even after Paul was sent off to Berea by the brothers, these jealous Jews followed and agitated against Paul and the gospel in Berea too. (See Acts 17:1–15)

In his first letter to the church in Thessalonica Paul speaks of this strife, “We had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2b–4 ESV)

In his second letter, after Paul calls the Thessalonian church not to be deceived in any way by any spirit, he speaks of a coming rebellion, the revelation of a man of lawlessness — the son of destruction, and one who is a restrainer.

The rebellion is apostasy — the falling away from God and his word. Apostates and rebels are those who stand off from God, no longer trusting his word — abandoning the Holy Spirit and the faith he gives, in favour of another spirit or word. These are those spirits and words by whom Paul warns the Thessalonians not to be deceived.

With this rebellion Paul warns of a man of lawlessness. Who is this person? He is “the son of destruction”. This is a Hebrew expression, and Jesus first uses it in his high priestly prayer to refer to Judas Iscariot. Jesus prays to the Father, “I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12b ESV)

Any person who is without the law, a lawbreaker, one who commits wickedness without shame or regret, is a son of destruction, is a man of lawlessness. Opposite to Jesus Christ, he is an individual, “who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV)

The Apostle John refers to the lawless one as the antichrist. This person is not anointed by God, which is what Christ means. Rather they’re against God, taking the place of God. The man of lawlessness does not uphold the law of God, but ignores the law, so a contrary gospel of untruths and hidden programmes might further an antichrist’s agenda.

In his first Epistle, John says, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18 ESV)

Also, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2:22 ESV)

“…and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:3 ESV)

Then in his second Epistle John says, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 7 ESV)

Who is this antichrist? In the early church some labelled Caesar and Roman authority as the antichrist. Early Church fathers named it as the next authority to succeed the Roman empire.

Later on, in the Middle Ages Franciscans and some theologians identified the Pope as the Antichrist. Then some said the antichrist was the coming of the Turks with the threat of Islam to Europe. Lutheran doctrine labels Papal and Muslim doctrine as “marks of the antichrist”.

This seems compelling since the Vatican Library now has granted Muslims a prayer room. Also, King Charles, head of the Church of England, prayed recently with the Pope. He is known for his universalism rather than for being “The Defender of the Faith” as was Queen Elizabeth and her predecessors. So, it’s not a surprise the Papacy and leaders lend themselves to being labelled as the antichrist.

Nevertheless, as John has told us there are many antichrists, or persons of lawlessness, both male and female. So, the man of lawlessness can be an individual or individuals who do not uphold Jesus Christ, fulfiller of the law for us, but denies the law and he who came to put us right under the law by becoming our sacrifice.

The reality is any person can be an antichrist, when they put forward a gospel that does not promote Jesus Christ, Son of God, to reconcile us from our anti-God sinful antics. Or, those who inhibit the Holy Spirit from leading us to Jesus. So, it’s not hard for anyone to understand this occurred in the temple and it still occurs in God’s church where parishioners, pastors, bishops, and popes across Christendom seek to oppose and exalt, not only Christ and God’s kingdom, but the kingdoms and idols of the world too.

What may or may not come as a surprise to you is that Paul needs to warn the Thessalonians just eighteen years after Jesus’ ascension. It’s no wonder Jesus said while being led to the cross, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28, 31 ESV)

The wood was barely dry in AD 51 when Paul warned the Thessalonian church! How dry is it in 2025 after so many spirits inside the church of God, trick people into turning away from Jesus Christ, rather than encourage God’s people to test the spirits. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is not hocus pocus; this is as real as Jesus’ death and resurrection — as real as heaven and hell!

Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–16a ESV)

Wake up to the reality of this revelation in God’s word! The man of lawlessness, many antichrists, and rebellions or apostasy occur in the Church since the resurrection — it’s still happening before us today! 

But there is good news for the faithful hidden in the denominations who wait on Jesus Christ. Take comfort in what Paul says to the church in Thessalonica, that those who mysteriously work the will of lawlessness under Satan are being restrained. The power of evil is over in all creation at the cross, and on earth where it continues, it does so, restrained with limited power. It’s God’s will to restrain rebellion and apostasy through various means, and he does so for the sake of his saints.

Know that those who succumb to the false signs of Satan and wonders in the world, “God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 ESV)

Hear that those who endure under Jesus Christ, do so knowing, “the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV)

Therefore, as the church in Thessalonica did, endure in Saint Paul’s gospel promise, “because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13–15 ESV)

Amen.