Time after Pentecost · Proper 26 · Year C
2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12
Thanksgiving and Prayer
November 5, 2028
Overview & Insights
“When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven… to be glorified in his saints.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 10)
The wording resembles the first letter’s address (see comment there) except for the addition of “our” in the phrase, in God our Father . This clarifies that God is being presented, not as the Father of Jesus but as the Father of his people and, specifically, of the church of the Thessalonians . The greeting also parallels the first letter’s (again, see the comment there), but it is expanded by the addition of from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ , which becomes Paul’s regular form of greeting in later letters (cf. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2 and for variants, cf. 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philem. 3). It makes explicit what is implicit in the simpler form: God (as author) and the Lord Jesus (as agent) are together the source of our salvation, which is entirely of grace (“the extravagant goodness of God,” see disc. on 1 Thess. 1:1) and which results in our peace .
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Take it further: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12
Commentary
2 Thessalonians 1 Commentary: The Godly Character2 Thes 1 Commentary: The Godly Character Enduring Word · David Guzik
Walks verse by verse through Paul's thanksgiving and prayer for the church.
2 Thessalonians 1 Commentary2 Thes 1 Commentary Precept Austin
Gathers verse-by-verse notes and outside sermons on the chapter's thanksgiving and judgment themes.
2 Thessalonians 1:1 Commentaries2 Thes 1:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Stacks multiple classic commentators on the opening greeting of the letter.
2 Thessalonians 1 (Barnes' Notes)2 Thes 1 (Barnes' Notes) StudyLight
Offers Albert Barnes' close reading of Paul's thanksgiving and prayer.
Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12Commentary on 2 Thes 1:1-4, 11-12 Working Preacher
The site's single Lutheran voice on Paul's thanksgiving amid the church's suffering.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 Commentary2 Thes 1:1-4, 11-12 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching-focused reading of the same lectionary passage.
2 Thessalonians 1:1 Interlinear2 Thes 1:1 Interlinear BibleHub
Lets you check the underlying Greek of the letter's opening greeting.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What does Paul say of judgment?
Paul commends the Thessalonians’ growing faith under persecution and assures them of God’s righteous judgment when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, glorified in his saints (2 Thessalonians 1:3–10).
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