Full Text for Leading Thoughts on Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians, part 2 (Text)

__ _ __ ____ _______ L1I.theT • (!tnurnrbiu mtnln!ltrul :!IntdlJly Continuing LBHRE UNO WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LUTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol.xm April, 1942 No.4 CONTENTS Pase Verbal Inspiration ­ a Stumbling-Block to the Jews and Foolish- ness to the Greeks. Th. Engelder . 241 Leading Thoughts on &chatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians. L. Fuerbrlnger ._______ ________ ___________ ____ 265 Luther: A Blessing to the English. W. Dallmann _______ 273 Outlines on the Wuerttemberg Epistle Selections ____ _ 290 Miscellanea _. ___ _____ ___ _ ___ _____ ___ _______ ___ 30Z Theological Observer. - Kirehllch-Zeitgesehichtliehes ___ 303 313Book Review. - Literatur ___ __ _ Eln Prediger muss nlcht alleln toei­ den, also class er die Schafe unter­ weise. wie ale rechte ChrIsten sollen sein.lOI1dern auch daneben den Woel­ fen toehTe7', class sfe die Schafe nlcht angrelfen und mit falBcber Lehre ver­ fuemen und Irrtum elnfuehren. Es 1st keln Ding. da8 die Leute mehr bel der Klrche behaelt cleDD die gute Pred1gt. -Apologie, An. Z4 If the trumpet glve an uncertain sound. who sba1l prepare hlmIeIf 10 the battle? -1 Cor.14:B Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING BOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. to Thessalonians directed Thessalonians Chap. But was just the thing question within congregation work, others in their fanatical many regarded spiritual as their and thought. For that reason Paul ad­ them: business may walk honestly them without and may He had them regard had not with success desired. In as result of many the return Lord would place immediately, and for that reason to neglect daily occupation, walked disorderly, "busybodies," Thess. Therefore apostle supplements his previous eschatological instructions by pointing Lord judgment that the revealed. eschatological Epistles Thessalonians. The section coming into consideration here is 2 Thess. 2: 1-12. begins: you, brethren, Jesus Christ gathering together unto that ye not soon shaken mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor word, by Christ is hand." Vv. 1, 2. The return the Lord, the personal, glorious return of Christ, which, as he just shown, will take place the punishment ungodly bring reward of grace to the believers, chap. 1: 3-10, return is still upper­ in mind, regards it matter of such vital impor­ tance to Christians that he pleads with his readers to give careful heed to what he has to say. return of Christ will apostle here indicates, "our gathering together unto Him," "unsere Versammlung zu ihm." After who have J __ -'----------' Eschatology in the Epistles the 265 Leading Thoughts on Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians II In his First Epistle St. Paul had the not to concern themselves about the exact time and hour of the return of Christ. 5: 1,2. that in which many within the congregation were particularly interested. Already from the First Epistle we see that the return of Christ had become so live a the that many had become disturbed over it; some had gone so far as to neglect their daily idly depending on to support them, and zeal matters the only ones worthy of time had monished "Study to be quiet and to do your own and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye toward that are that ye have lack of nothing." Chap. 4: 11, 12. shown the proper attitude with to Christ's return. Yet Paul's efforts met the fact, a of ever increasing persecutions and the intrigues false teachers, Thessalonians had come to the conviction that of the take they began their and became 2 3: 10-12. the now out that the will indeed return for but He will not come before great Antichrist will be That is the second leading thought in the to the Paul "Now, we beseech by the coming of our Lord and by our Him be in by nor letter as from us, as that the day of at of had for of the but will a this most his and he as a all The bring with it, as the those , , , , , . 266 Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians fallen asleep in Christ will have been raised from the dead and after the living believers in Christ will have been changed, both will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, to be with Him forever. 1 Thess.4:17. In this important and consoling truth the Thessalonians are not to let themselves be shaken, be made to waver, be disturbed, so as to be deprived of their reasoning power, their ability calmly to deliberate on matters, dlto 'tOU 'Vo6); much lesll are they to permit themselves to become frightened and terrified. These expressions, as also the adverb connected with them, "soon," 'taX8oo), quickly, indicate that as soon as the subject of the return of Christ was mentioned in the con­ gregation, the Thessalonians were seized by a certain panic, or at least they were in danger of being thus carried away and becoming confused. Three factors might be. the cause of such a disturbed state of mind: spirit, word, and letter. In the first place the Thessalonians should not permit them­ selves to be misled by "spirit," aLa ""eUl-'a'to). This expression most probably refers to the miraculous gift of prophecy in apostolic times rather than to fraudulent manifestations of spirits or revelations by dreams. Members of the assembled congregation would be seized by the Spirit of God and make prophetic utterances. There was present always the danger of abusing this gift, of uttering one's own views, while purporting to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore these prophetic utterances were not to be accepted indiscriminately. They were to be tested by the revealed Word of God, by the doctrine of the apostles. This the apostle emphasizes on various occasions, particularly also in his First Letter to the Thessalonians, "Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesyings, prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Chap. 5:19-21. Cpo 1 Cor. 14:32; Rom. 12:7. In like manner Paul here very clearly warns his readers against the danger of being deceived by men claiming to have the divine gift of prophecy. If any prophet told them that the parusia of Christ was present, they should not believe him, not permit him to disturb and terrify them. Such prophets were speaking not the Word of God but their own preconceived views; they were not teachers but dis­ turbers of the congregation. With like care the Thessalonians were to be on their guard against the danger of being misled by "word," or speech, aLa i..6yov. This term does not denote some word of Christ or of the apostles that was misunderstood by the Thessalonians. In con­ trast to "spirit" it means here a discourse or instruction by means of simple exposition of Scripture based on personal study of the written Word, connected perhaps with frequent quotations from Holy Writ. It denotes, therefore, a discourse spoken not in Cpo Finally, Thessalonians were to themselves be First Epistle to the Thessalonians but rather to letter falsely letter no exists today. (Cp. personal signature. 3: 17; was false prophecy teaching merely pointing to the possibility that might mentioned members of congregation easily led that Day the governed accordingly. has the Eveo"t'ljXEV, sei." Authorized Version likewise correct "at hand," the Revised Version when translates "just meaning of Lord but is actually here, present. Rom. 8: 3: 32; Gal.l:4.) Paul when says, "As the day is time prominent position verb EveO''t'l]%EV, "as though at hand Christ," indicates that Paul not to of Judgment thought distant future. The thing against which he cautions that Thes­ salonians themselves to "Now here." persecutions, which anew in violent form, had brought about that state of mind in Thessalonica. Such persecutions were looked the tribula­ tions that were immediately to precede return of Christ, and to another: "That beginning the Perhaps a similar reminder would not be amiss in this con­ nection. the so-called times," it is common practice to use expressions such as: "The world cannot stand much longer; the Last Day must be near." Nonetheless, be cautious lest we become too definite and positive in our asser­ tions. man when hour for certain events ,L Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians 267 prophetic ecstasy, during which the Holy Spirit controlled and moved the powers of thought and speech, but an instruction on the order of the sermons or catechetical instructions of our day. 1 Cor. 14: 26 3Ll\U)(;t]; 12: 8, A6'YoL. the not let misled by a "letter" allegedly written and sent by Paul. This refers not, as some have claimed, to a misunderstanding of the a ascribed to the apostle, which seems to have contained the error mentioned, a of which copy Paul's criterion for determining the authenticity of his letters, namely, his 2 Thess. 2: 15.) Even as it possible in Thessalonica for and false to prevail, so it seems that a forged letter of Paul was being circulated. It may be, too, that Paul is forged letters bearing his name be circulated. Through the three mediums just the the might be to believe the of Lord had actually dawned, and naturally their conduct would be Luther given us a correct translation of Greek word "vorhanden The is when it translates also American it at hand." The is not: The day the is near, or is about to dawn, is (Cp. 38; 1 Cor. This view rejects as incorrect he that of Christ at hand," ciJK before lI·n. At the same the of the is the day of does wish have the Day to be of only as in the is the permit be disturbed by the cry: He is Very likely the had broken out up as the one said must be the of Day of Judgment." When reference is made to "signs of the Certainly those who speak thus mean well. we should For no knows God's 268 Eschatology in the EpisUes to the Thessalonians will strike and when all the various signs of the times which God has arranged will have been fulfilled completely. On the other hand, we should not overlook the other truth of the text. In dis­ cussing the first point we observed that the return of Christ will be terrible for the unbelievers and the children of this world, for those living in carnal security and unfaithfulness. (Cp. March issue, p.191.) To such people Judgment Day will come as a thief in the night. The destruction will overtake them suddenly, as the pains of a woman in travail, and they will not escape. However, here Paul speaks of the believers, the Christians. They are not to let themselves be frightened or disturbed; to them the thought of Judgment Day is not to be one of terror but rather a source of comfort. For the return of Christ will mean for them their gathering unto their Lord and Savior. While the hearts of un­ believers will fail them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on earth; while they will cry out frantically when the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens and they will see Him come in the clouds with great power and glory; while they will say to the mountains: "Fall on us," and to the hills: "Cover us and hide us from the face of Him who sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb," the believers are to lift up their heads with joy, for their redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21: 2 6; Matt. 24: 30; Luke 23: 30; Rev. 6: 16; Luke 21: 28. The apostle continues in verse 3: "Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." The apostle's sincere concern for the Thessalonians prompts him to repeat his admonition and at the same time to show the urgent need of such warning exhortation. The claim that the Day of the Lord has now come involves a very serious and dangerous error into which they are to permit no one to seduce, t Ma'ttlO'[), them by any means, either in the manner in­ dicated in v.2 or in any other way. It is a manifest deception, an outright fraud, when anyone for any reason whatever says: "The Day of the Lord is here." Two things must first, lCQW'tOV, come to pass before the Last Day can dawn: there must have come the great falling away, and the man of sin must have been revealed. Paul is very definite in expressing himself; both times he uses the definite article: "the falling away," "the man of sin," "the son of perdition," so that we are compelled to conclude: from Paul's oral teachings the readers knew what he meant by "falling away" and "man of sin." Accordingly he says in v. 5: "Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" When he speaks here of the falling away, the. apostasy which must first occur before the Last Day comes, he does not mean any kind of "falling however, vigor letter steadfastness vision. sin. would well expressions see who is meant. not expression all Christ. counterpart Christ, Thess.1: the but be so there will one Antichrist. Antichrist presents course, contrast) to Christ, just every Antichrist, ,I Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians 269 political rebellion, as, for example, the revolt of the Jews against the Romans or some other upheaval in the Roman Empire, as claimed by Tertullian and Jerome, but a religious revolt, a falling away from God and from faith in Him. That is clear from the expression he uses, which always has this sense in Scripture (Acts 21: 21; 1 Tim. 4: 1; Heb. 3: 12). Moreover, the context com­ pels us to accept that meaning, for immediately upon the word "falling away" follows the expression "the man of sin," and in v. 7 the falling away is described as iniquity, literally "lawlessness." The word away," WtOO,;a.OLa., Abfall, dare not be regarded as an abstract designation of a person, as though the Antichrist himself were meant; no, the word must be permitted to retain its specific sense, a falling away from faith. This falling away will then lead to a suspension of all divine order, will result in iniquity, lawlessness, v.7. Although the Christian Church was still in the prime of spiritual and strength, although Paul in the first chapter of this very had praised the and loyalty of the Thessalonians, vv. 3-5, yet the future of the Church looms up dark and dreary before his Combined with the great falling away will be the appearance of the man of sin. That is clear from the close connection between the two sentences. The falling away from faith will prepare the way for the man of His appearance be impossible if all were with the Church. This man of sin is none other than the Roman Antichrist, the Pope at Rome. Before, however, introducing evidence to that effect, let us first examine closely the meaning of the which tlie apostle uses. At the end of the entire section we shall the more clearly However, even now it will be amiss to use the Antichrist, since practically ancient and modem commentators agree that the Antichrist is meant when reference is made to the man of sin, even though they differ widely in their views as to who that Antichrist is. First the apostle uses the expression "The man of sin shall be revealed," UrrO%a.AlJ In verse 9 even the technical term used in the Epistles to the Thessalonians when speaking of the return of Christ, Jta.QOlJOLa., is used also in connection with the Antichrist. Just as there will a parusia of Christ, be also of the And just because the a parallel (of a parallel of because he is in respect the opposite of Christ, the name UV';LX;QLO';O¼, ·.1 I "The Acts denotes closest connection: "The perdition"; Kind," perdition perdition, damnation, Matt. mentators, for example, the errorist Pelagius, maintained that case clear verse where is distinguished general such important bearing the doctrine Antichrist. Daniel 23 regard­ ing the empires: latter when Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians 270 is employed to designate this particular personage. However, we dare not forget that Paul himself never uses that expression; the term originated in St. John's Epistles, where it is used also in a wider sense and in the plural number, 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7. In the passage under consideration the Antichrist is called the man of sin, not merely a sinner, UVO/lO'; or u/lIlQ'tooM,;, but much stronger: man of sin," the man of lawlessness, that man of sin, o uvllQoolto,; 'ti),; U.VO/lLIl(;. In his lawlessness sin is, so to speak, con­ centrated and personified. Being the man of sin, he is the reverse of Christ, who so frequently is called the Holy One and Just One, 3: 14; 7: 52, and who is made unto us righteousness, 1 Cor. 1: 30; 2 Cor. 5: 21; he is a real Antichrist. Again, he is called: "The son of perdition," 0 uta\; 'tij\; MOOAELIl\;. Because he is the representative of sin, he is doomed to perdition. That is the mean­ ing of the term, which originates from the Hebrew and and most intimate son of the meaning is not that he leads to perdition, which, of course, is true, but that he will be plunged into perdition, that he is inseparably connected with perdition, hopelessly in its grasp. The expression is used by the Lord on one occasion with reference to the betrayer, Judas Iscariot, where Luther translates properly "das verlorne the son of perdition, John 17: 12. In the Book of Revelation the same word "perdition" is used of the beast that is to come, the Antichrist and his kingdom. There we read: "And the beast that was and is not, even he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goeth into perdition," Et,; MmAELllv uJtuYEL, Rev. 17: 11. This is an apt translation, for here as in other passages also means everlasting Phil. 3: 19; 7: 13. Some com­ have this portrayal can apply only to Satan himself. That such is not the is from 9, Satan clearly from the individual here described: the Antichrist's "coming is after the works of Satan." As we shall see later, we will have no difficulty in finding a manifestation that fits the expression here used. However, before proceeding, we should note the evident allu­ sions in this verse to the ancient prophecies of Daniel, whose words in have an on of the 8: we read the well-known prophecy world "In the time of their kingdom, ' the transgressors are come to the full," literally: when the rebel­ lious will carry out their apostasy to the limit, "the king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up." The king referred to is Antiochus Epiphanes, the Illustrious, a well-known type of the Antichrist, and the word translated "trans­ derived "Unto the and sanctuary.' We are firmly convinced that rise opposition the but God God. Antigod, dVt"L>EO=, the sense the word. respect "to i ?1 dV'tLXEL?aL dv'tLlhxo=· among above arrogantly he being above that is mlV'tIl Aeyo/tevov includes which being God. 5, description reminds great words king ac­ above every god speak marvelous things against the Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians 271 gressor," from the verb lIeie, which means to become - rebellious, to fall away, expresses the same idea as the Greek word WtoO"'taO"La, apostasy, used by the Apostle. In the First Book of the Maccabees the same expressions are again used in describing the times of godless Antiochus. 1 Macc. 1: 15, WteO"'t'l1O"av; 2: 15, WtOO"t"aO"La. Thus Christendom will witness a time similar to that inflicted upon Judah and Jerusalem by wicked Antiochus. In the Book of Daniel we find also the above-mentioned parallel between Christ and the Antichrist. In chap. 9:24-27, while the interpreta­ tion of the passage is a subject of much controversy, we read in v.25 concerning the seventy weeks: the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks." That is a prophecy of Christ. In v.26 we then read: 'After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off . . . and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy city the we have here a reference to the Antichrist. A prince, the Antichrist, will in to Prince, Christ. The Apostle continues in his detailed description of the Anti­ christ: "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God," v. 4. These words describe the activity and the modus operandi of the Antichrist. He opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God or that is worshiped. He is an adversary, dV'tLXd/tEVO=, who opposeth, who sets himself against. He opposes not only Christ the Son of God, everything that is or worshiped as He is not only an Antichrist, dV'tLXQLO"'tO=, but, as Chrysostomus aptly remarks, an in fullest of In this he corresponds to Satan, for Satan is called the adversary, r I whose work is resist," LXX: 'tOU au'tci> Zech. 3: 1. (Cp. 1 Pet. 5: 8, 0 urov aL!l.SOAO=, an opponent in court.) What Satan is in the spirit world the Antichrist is men. True, he is not an incarnation of Satan, as some commentators would have it, but he is a tool of Satan, as emphasized in v.9: "Whose coming is after the working of Satan." Moreover, the Antichrist is one who "exalteth himself all that is called God," uJ'tEQatQ6/tevo=; poses as the true God and everyone who is called God. The expression: "Above all called God," £11:L -freov, the true God as well as false gods, are merely called god without actually 1 Cor. 8: 6. Again the us of two prophecies of Daniel concerning the Antichrist: "He shall speak against the most High," 7:25; "The shall do cording to his will; and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself and shall God Paul that God the infamy, pride, opposition the Antichrist no respect personally seem vuov, addition, "in the the Jerusalem generally existence Paul's was written, but lost sig­ was Epistle in Temple at Jerusalem type, true house God, the Chris­ expressions Daniel, prophesied concerning desolate." the sanctuary and the consideration reminds the eschatological discourse Christ t t 272 Eschatology in the Epistles to the Thessalonians of gods," 11: 36. The Book of Revelation uses similar language in describing the seven-headed beast: "He openeth his mouth in blas­ phemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle," 13: 6. (Cp. Paul's expression: "sitteth in the temple of God.") Not only will the Antichrist exalt himself above God but also over everything that is worshiped, everything which is an object of reverence, OE$a.O!ta.. In the final analysis, he will revere nothing, will humble himself before no one but will exalt himself above everything worthy of reverence. He will demand reverence and worship exclusively for himself, will idolize himself. Therefore at once adds: "So he as sitteth in temple of God." ("As a god," is omitted by the best critical texts and is not needed.) The the the of knows limits. He himself ({Xihov is emphasized), the arrogant one, who has lost all for things divine, he seats himself as on a throne and as God Himself in the temple of God, in the sanctuary of God, for the word used here, vuo#, indicates the actual temple in contrast to the word tEQOV, sanctuary; the latter means a group of sacred buildings with the temple in the center. He takes his seat there naturally for the purpose of being honored and wor­ shiped. That is clear from the entire connection (compare par­ ticularly the words immediately following), even though the words "as God" do not to be a part of the original text. But what is the temple of God? Certainly not a heathen temple, as some have assumed; the definite article, "the temple," et# 'tOY and the temple of God, " true God, 'tOU iJ-EOU, argue against that interpretation. Nor can the Temple at be meant, which indeed was referred to as the temple of the true God. Most likely this Temple was still in when letter it had its nificance altogether; in fact, soon thereafter it destroyed, and the Antichrist portrayed in the before us never sat that Temple. The spiritual temple is meant, the one of which the was a the of tian Church, 2 Cor. 6: 16; Eph. 2: 21; Rev. 3: 12. The used here again hark back to who Antiochus Epiphanes, the type of the Antichrist, that he would pro­ fane the sanctuary and would "place the abomination that maketh Dan. 11: 31. Concerning the Antichrist himself Daniel says that in his day the Messiah will be cut off, that he will destroy the city and that he will cause sacrifice and the oblation to cease. Chap. 9: 26,27. Likewise the passage under us of of in which He speaks of the "abomination of desolation" (and this "gibt that to dignity seeks picture have to FUERBRINGER better "To and him desired champion the and he Captivity pub­ priests, many saying; when author of Mountjoy, denying writing any of works July 5 wrote Pace syllable he writes. And March 1522, writes Cardinal Wolsey he Captivity." Reichstag sent a copy the world-revolutionary Luther: A Blessing to the English 273 refers to the rage of the Antichrist), saying that it would stand in the Holy Place. Matt. 24: 15. Finally Paul adds that Antichrist "will show himself that he is God," setting forth, demonstrating that he is God, sich vor, er sei Gott." Not only does he seat himself in the temple of God, usurping place as though he had a claim it, but he actually claims divine for himself and on that account demands the reverence that is due to God alone. That to which Christ alone has a claim this infamous person claims for himself. He is not content to call himself God by mere words: by means of signs and wonders, which many will believe, he to prove himself to be God; It is indeed a horrible, repulsive which the Apostle paints, and we will note carefully and keep in mind all its details in order to recognize the person placed before our view. L. Luther: A Blessing to the English IV. A Battle Royal When the corrupt clergy would do nothing to the corrupt Church, Luther appealed the Christian Nobility of the German Nation on the Betterment of the Christian Estate," many hailed as the of nation shouted Hosannah! Hallelujah! When, however, in the same 1520 wrote "The Babylonian of the Church," he lished an earthquake and committed the unpardonable sin against the and cried "Crucify! This is an hard who can hear it?" We are reminded of the account John 6:60,66: "From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him." Strange to say, the higher critics thought Luther was not capable of writing this earthquake, and they thought Erasmus was capable of writing it! Imagine this timid man's surprise he was reported at Louvain as the this radical heresy! In June, 1521, he wrote his old patron, William Lord Luther's but justifying him in exposing the evils of the times known to all. And on he Dean there is not a of his in all Luther's books, but he cannot admire enough the spirit in which on 7, he had nothing to do with Luther's "Assertion" and "Babylonian On January 21,1521, Ambassador Tunstal at the world-historic of Worms Wolsey of 18