The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (231 page)

1:10 his Son from heaven:
The first of several references in the letter to the return of Jesus (2:19; 3:13; 4:16; 5:23).
See note on 1 Thess 4:13-18
.
the wrath to come:
The final unleashing of God's power against evil on Judgment Day (Rom 2:8). The faithful in Christ will be spared the condemnation and everlasting destruction in store for the wicked (2 Thess 1:710) (CCC 681). 
Back to text.

2:2 shamefully treated at Philippi:
Just before coming to Thessalonica, Paul and Silas were hauled before the city magistrates of Philippi, stripped of their clothes, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison (Acts 16:19-24). This might have disheartened or terrified them into silence, but God gave them the
courage
to keep moving and preaching despite aggressive opposition (Rom 1:16). 
Back to text.

2:3 error . . . uncleanness . . . guile:
Perhaps Paul, in defending his motives, is countering slanderous charges circulated by his enemies. Despite such calumnies, his missionary team at all times lived and worked above reproach (2:10). 
Back to text.

2:6 apostles:
Refers to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy (1:1). In the NT, the term "apostle" is used in several different ways. It can refer to
(1)
Jesus, the One sent by the Father (Heb 3:1),
(2)
the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus (Lk 6:13),
(3)
a group of witnesses to the Resurrection (1 Cor 15:7), and
(4)
messengers sent on missions by churches (2 Cor 8:23; Phil 2:25). 
Back to text.

2:7 like a nurse:
Or, "like a nursing mother". The idea is that Paul and his companions developed a tender affection for the Thessalonians and made every effort to encourage them and serve their needs (2:8). 
Back to text.

2:9 labor and toil:
As apostles, Paul and his coworkers are entitled to financial and material support from the communities under their care (Lk 10:7; 1 Cor 9:13-14). But during their brief stay with the Thessalonians, they waived this right to avoid loading the Church down with burdens and to show that their ministry was not driven by greed or self-interest. It is not specified how the missionaries supported themselves, but we know that Paul was a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:3).
night and day:
Accentuates how tirelessly the apostles worked in order to provide for themselves and to continue their ministry at the same time. Paul, for one, was glad to spend himself in this way (2 Cor 12:15). 
Back to text.

2:11 like a father:
With great fatherly care, Paul has overseen the moral and spiritual formation of his Thessalonian children begotten through the gospel. The comparisons used here and in 2:7 highlight both the maternal and paternal sides of Paul's ministry.
See note on 1 Cor 4:15
. 
Back to text.

2:12 God, who calls you:
The Father summons his children to a royal inheritance kept in heaven (1 Pet 1:14). The saints will be given the fullness of this heavenly kingdom, but those unworthy of the calling will be denied it (1 Cor 6:9-10; Eph 5:5). 
Back to text.

2:13 the word of God:
The revealed gospel (1 Pet 1:25). This saving message was written down in the books of the NT and delivered orally in the form of apostolic preaching (2 Thess 2:15; CCC 104, 1349). • The ministry of the apostles parallels the ministry of the Hebrew Prophets, who received the word of the Lord and announced it to Israel by word of mouth and in writing (1 Kings 17:1-2; Jer 1:4; Ezek 1:3; Hos 1:1). 
Back to text.

2:14-16
Paul has some unusually harsh words for the perpetrators of Christian persecution. He traces this madness back to Jerusalem, whose long history of mistreating the Prophets (Mt 23:37) reached a new and diabolical level when its leaders murdered Jesus the Messiah (1 Thess 2:15; Acts 2:23). The Thessalonians got a taste of this when Jewish zealots, fiercely loyal to the aims and outlook of Judean Judaism, stirred up a horde of angry locals to raid the house church where Paul and his companions were staying (Acts 17:5-9). Similar forms of harassment continued even after the missionaries fled (1 Thess 3:3; 2 Thess 1:5). Notice that Paul is criticizing Jewish persecutors, not the Jewish people in general. Years later Paul still insisted that Jews have first claim to the gospel (Rom 1:16), and he expected that "all Israel" would be saved (Rom 11:26) (CCC 597). See essay:
The Salvation of All Israel
at Rom 11. 
Back to text.

2:14 in Judea:
Attacks on the infant Church began with the martyrdom of Stephen in Jerusalem (Acts 7:58-8:1). Even Paul, by his own admission, was a persecutor of Christians before his conversion (Gal 1:22-23; 1 Cor 15:9).
your own countrymen:
Macedonian pagans, but also hostile opponents from the Thessalonian synagogue (Acts 17:5).
the Jews:
I.e., the Palestinian Jews responsible for terrorizing Judean churches. 
Back to text.

2:16 fill up the measure:
Paul imagines a cup that is full of iniquity and is about to brim over. Jesus used the same image against the Pharisees when he prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem within the first Christian generation (Mt 23:32).
wrath has come upon them:
Perhaps in the form of divine abandonment of the people to sin (Rom 1:18, 24, 26, 28), which is an ominous prelude to the final manifestation of divine wrath in
A.D.
70 with the downfall of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Temple, and the dispersion of unbelieving Israel (Lk 21:23). A nearly identical statement appears in Jewish tradition that describes the violent conquest of the city of Shechem (
Testament of Levi
6, 11). For Paul, the wrath poured out on Jewish persecutors prefigures the "wrath to come" upon sinners at the final return of Jesus (1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 1:7-9). 
Back to text.

Word Study

At Last
(
1 Thess 2:16
)

Eis telos
(Gk.): a phrase that can mean "finally", "until the end", or "to the utmost". It is used six times in the NT, usually in the Gospels. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus says that the believer who keeps the faith and endures "to the end" will be saved (Mt 10:22; 24:13; Mk 13:13). In Luke, Jesus describes an oppressed widow who will "finally" or "eventually" wear out an unrighteous judge by her continual pleas for justice (Lk 18:5). In John, Jesus assures the disciples he has loved them "to the fullest extent" (Jn 13:1). Paul's intention in using the expression in 1 Thess 2:16 is a matter of interpretation.
(1)
It could mean "to the utmost degree" and describe how the full retribution of heaven is coming upon unbelieving Jews in Judea.
(2)
It could also mean "finally" and express how the wrath they have coming to them has at long last arrived.
(3)
Finally, it could mean "to the end" and describe how divine wrath will press upon unbelieving Jews for the rest of history. Deciding among these options is difficult, though one of the first two possibilities makes the most sense of the passage within its context.

2:17 deprived:
The Greek can mean "orphaned", a reference to Paul's hurried departure from Thessalonica (Acts 17:10). 
Back to text.

2:18 Satan hindered us:
The nature of the obstruction is left unspecified. It may be linked with the Jewish and pagan opposition Paul faced in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5). Now, the same evil that forced him to flee also prevents him from returning. 
Back to text.

2:19 crown of boasting:
The expression Paul uses is found in the Greek OT at Prov 16:31 and Ezek 16:12. Here it signifies the pride that Paul will take in his readers when the day of rewards has come.
his coming:
Several times the word "coming" (Gk.
parousia
) is used in the Thessalonian letters for the anticipated return of Christ in glory (3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:1, 8). For some of its background and meaning, see word study:
Coming
at Mt 24:3. 
Back to text.

2:20 our glory and joy:
Paul had similar sentiments for the Philippian Church (Phil 4:1). 
Back to text.

3:1 at Athens:
According to Acts 17:10-15, Paul and his missionary team escaped Thessalonica by night, traveled overland to Beroea, and then Paul went on by himself to Athens. Apparently Silas and Timothy rejoined him in Athens shortly thereafter. 
Back to text.

3:2 we sent Timothy:
Restless and anxious for the welfare of the Thessalonians, Paul and Silas sent Timothy on a mission to encourage and reassure the recently abandoned community. He returned after Paul had left Athens for Corinth (Acts 18:5). He brought a glowing report of how fast the believers were growing in virtue and how deeply they longed to see Paul again (1 Thess 3:6). This heartening news was a comfort to the suffering apostle (3:7). 
Back to text.

3:3 these afflictions:
Tribulation and distress are the inevitable lot of the true apostle (1 Cor 4:9-13). In this way, Jesus reproduces his own experience of suffering in the lives of his ordained shepherds (2 Cor 4:8-12). The Thessalonians are also sharing in these afflictions (1 Thess 2:14). 
Back to text.

3:10 what is lacking:
Gaps remain in the catechetical instruction of the Thessalonians. Paul hopes to fill these gaps by returning to complete the process of Christian formation in person (3:11). 
Back to text.

3:12 abound in love:
I.e., in the divine love that Christ pours into our hearts through the Spirit (Rom 5:5). It reaches out to
one another
in the family of faith as well as to
all
persons in the family of man, friends and enemies alike (Mt 5:43-48). Because the Lord is the Giver of this gift, only he can make it increase and overflow (CCC 1825). 
Back to text.

3:13 holiness:
Moral and spiritual sanctity.
See note on 1 Thess 4:3
.
the coming:
The third mention of Christ's return so far in the letter (1:10; 2:19).
See note on 1 Thess 2:19
.
all his saints:
Or, "all his holy ones". This could refer to the blessed angels or the victorious saints or both. Most likely, Paul is saying that Christ will descend from heaven with an army of holy angels. This is the picture drawn by Jesus (Mk 8:38), by the OT (Zech 14:5), and by Paul himself in his follow-up letter (2 Thess 1:7). 
Back to text.

4:1-5:22
The second half of the letter turns from memories of the past to moral exhortations for the days ahead. Paul is pleased with the moral progress being made in Thessalonica and urges them to grow still more (4:1; 5:11). 
Back to text.

4:3 sanctification:
Holiness of life is willed by God. Growth in holiness, or progressive sanctification, is a process that begins with God's work in Baptism (1 Cor 6:11) and continues when believers abound in love (1 Thess 3:12-13) and exert the moral effort needed to overcome sinful and selfish habits (Rom 6:19). Paul here demands the sanctification of the body through chastity, though the ultimate goal is a complete sanctification of the person (1 Thess 5:23). Holiness is not optional for believers but is a condition for salvation (Heb 12:14) (CCC 2348-50, 2813). • Vatican II issued a universal call to holiness for clergy and laity alike that is expressed through the perfection of love (
Lumen Gentium
39).
abstain from immorality:
Specifically, from the various forms of sexual immorality widely accepted in pagan environments such as Thessalonica. The Greek expression used here is also found in the apostolic decree issued by the Jerusalem Council in
A.D.
49 (Acts 15:20, 29). Paul, Silas, and Timothy (1 Thess 1:1) went about delivering this decree on the second missionary tour in Acts (Acts 16:4).
See note on Acts 15:20
. 
Back to text.