Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Thessalonians 2:1

1 NOW we beseech you brethren , by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ , and by our gathering together unto him .

That he might the better perswade, he calls them brethren, and beseeches them, &c.

And next, conjures them, using the form of an Oath, by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c. We conjure men either by what they love, or by what they fear; as they would enjoy the one, or avoid the other. The coming of Christ was what they desired and rejoyced in, as that which would bring rest to them and tribulation to their Adversaries: And by this he doth therefore beseech, or adjure them; and therefore we must understand this of Christ last coming, as the word [non-Latin text not transcribed], in the Text is still applyed to this coming, 1 Thess. 2.19. and 3.13. &c. and not of his coming to destroy the Jewish Church and State, for that coming was at hand.

At his last coming, when the whole Body of Christ shall be gathered to him, to meet him in the Air, 1 Thess. 4.17. and then the sence is, As ye hope ever to see such a blessed meeting, and to be of that number, so take heed of this opinion. Yet some read the Text otherwise, because in the Greek it is not [non-Latin text not transcribed], but [non-Latin text not transcribed], and so the same with [non-Latin text not transcribed], not we beseech you by, but concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, as denoting only the Subject matter treated of: I prefer the former, and so the Apostle conjures them not to be soon shaken in mind, but to stand fast in the truth about the Doctrine of Christs coming, which they had been taught, and very lately taught, and therefore it was the greater evil to be soon shaken; as the Apostle upbraids the Galatians, Gal. 1.6. and God the Israelites, Psal. 106.13.

The Apostle now comes to refute the opinion that some at least of these Thessalonians had received, as if the day of Christ was near at hand. He having said, 1 Thess. 4.17. We which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, &c. Then some might think his coming would be in the Apostles time, or some other way, they might fall into this conceit, and some do conceive this was the chief reason of the Apostles writing this Epistle. And because this mistake might be of dangerous consequence, therefore he is very vehement and particular in refuting i[illegible: 1 letter]: For hereupon they might be brought to question the truth of the whole Gospel when this should not come to pass: They might be unprepared for the sufferings that were to come upon the [illegible: 1 letter]hurch; their patience might fail in expecting this day, and their minds be doubting about the coming of Christ at all. This opinion also would much narrow their thoughts about Christs Kingdom, and the enlarging of the Gospel among other Gentiles, And the prophane might abuse it to sensuality, as 1 Cor. 15 32. let us eat and drink. &c.

Marginal references: Or, into him.