Homily 4 — Second Thessalonians 2, verse 6, to 3, verse 2

“And now you know what restrains him, so that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearing of his coming — the one whose coming is according to the working of Satan.” [a]

One might naturally ask what it is that restrains him, and after that would want to know why Paul puts it so obscurely. What, then, is it that restrains — that is, hinders — him from being revealed? Some say it is the grace of the Spirit; others say it is the Roman empire, and I agree with these most of all. Why? Because if he had meant the Spirit, he would not have spoken obscurely but plainly: that even now the grace of the Spirit, that is, the gifts, restrain him. Besides, if he was to come when the gifts ceased, he ought to have come by now, for they ceased long ago. But because he said this of the Roman empire, he naturally only hinted at it, and speaks in a covert and veiled way. He did not wish to bring needless hostility and useless dangers on himself. For if he had said that in a little while the Roman empire would be broken up, they would at once have crushed him as a public pest, and all the faithful as people living and fighting for that end.

And he did not say that it will be soon, although he is always saying so. What does he say? “That he may be revealed in his own time.” “For the mystery of lawlessness,” he says, “is already at work.” Here he is speaking of Nero, as a type of the Antichrist, for Nero too wished to be thought a god. And he did well to say “the mystery”: that is, it is not at work openly, as the other will be, nor shamelessly. If even before that time a man was found, he means, who was not far behind the Antichrist in wickedness, what wonder if there will now be one? But he did not wish to point Nero out plainly either — and not out of cowardice, but to teach us not to bring needless hostility on ourselves when nothing calls for it. That is just what he does here too. “Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way”: that is, when the Roman empire is taken out of the way, then he will come. And that is reasonable.

For as long as the fear of this empire lasts, no one will readily exalt himself; but when it is broken up, he will fall upon the anarchy, and try to seize the rule of both men and God. The kingdoms before this one were destroyed in turn: the kingdom of the Medes by the Babylonians, that of the Babylonians by the Persians, that of the Persians by the Macedonians, that of the Macedonians by the Romans. In the same way this one too will be destroyed by the Antichrist, and he by Christ, and it will restrain no longer. Daniel handed these things down to us with great clearness. [d]

“And then,” he says, “the lawless one will be revealed.” And what comes after this? The comfort is close at hand. “Whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the appearing of his coming — the one whose coming is according to the working of Satan.”

A fire, merely by coming near, even before it arrives, stuns and consumes the little creatures that are far off. So it is with Christ, by his command alone, and by his coming. It is enough for him to be present, and all these things are destroyed. He will put an end to the deception simply by appearing. Who, then, is this one whose coming is according to the working of Satan? “With all power,” he says — he will display all power, but nothing true, all of it for deception. “And lying wonders,” he says: that is, false ones, or ones that lead into falsehood.

Verse 10: “And with every deception of unrighteousness for those who are perishing.” [f]

“Why, then, did God allow this to happen? What arrangement is this? And what good does his coming do, if it takes place for the ruin of our race?” Do not be afraid, beloved; listen to what he says. It is “in those who are perishing” that he has his strength — people who would not have believed even if he had not come. What good, then, does it do? It silences these very people who are perishing. How? Whether he had come or not, they would not have believed in Christ; so he comes to convict them. He comes so that they may have no ground for saying that it was because Christ said he was God — although he nowhere said this openly, but those who came after him proclaimed it — that they did not believe; that because they had heard that there is one God, from whom are all things, they did not believe. The Antichrist will take away this excuse of theirs. When he comes, commanding nothing good but everything unlawful, and is still believed on the strength of false signs alone, he will stop their mouths. For if you do not believe in Christ, much less ought you to believe in the Antichrist. The one said that he was sent from the Father; the other will say the opposite. That is why Christ said, “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him” (John 5, verse 43).

“But we have seen signs.” But many great signs were done in Christ’s case too, so you ought much more to have believed in him. Besides, many things were foretold about this one: that he is the lawless one, that he is the son of destruction, that his coming is according to the working of Satan. And the opposite was foretold about the other: that he is the Savior, that he brings countless blessings with him.

Verses 10 to 12: “For because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved, for this reason God will send them a working of error, so that they will believe a lie, that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness.” [g]

“That they might be judged.” He does not say “that they might be punished,” for they were going to be punished even before this, but “that they might be judged”: that is, condemned at the dreadful judgment seat, so that they might be without excuse. “Who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness.” He calls Christ “the love of the truth.”

“For because,” he says, “they did not receive the love of the truth.” For Christ was both, and came for the sake of both: as one who loves people, and on behalf of what is true.

“But took pleasure,” he says, “in unrighteousness.” For the Antichrist comes to destroy people and to harm them. What will he not do then? He will overturn everything and throw it all into confusion, both by his commands and by the fear of him. He will be terrible in every way: in his power, in his cruelty, in his unlawful commands.

But do not be afraid. It is “in those who are perishing” that he will have his strength. For Elijah too will come then, to give courage to the faithful. Christ says so: “Elijah is coming, and will restore all things” (Matthew 17, verse 11). That is why it is said, “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1, verse 17). For John worked neither signs nor wonders, as Elijah did: “John,” it is said, “did no miracle, but everything John said about this man was true.” How, then, was it “in the spirit and power of Elijah”? That is, he would take on the same ministry. As the one was the forerunner of Christ’s first coming, so the other will be the forerunner of his second and glorious coming, and he is being kept for this. So let us not be afraid. [h]

He has calmed the minds of his hearers. He leads them no longer to think the present things dreadful, but things worth giving thanks for. That is why he has added, in verse 13: “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation, through being made holy by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”

How “for salvation”? By making you holy through the Spirit. These are the things that bring about our salvation. Nowhere is it from works, nowhere from righteous deeds, but “through being made holy by the Spirit,” he says. Verse 14: “To this he called you through our good news, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [j]

This too is no small thing, if Christ counts our salvation his own glory. For it is the glory of the one who loves humankind that those who are saved should be many.

Great, then, is our Lord, if the Holy Spirit so desires our salvation. Why did he not put faith first? Because even after we are made holy we still need much faith, so as not to be shaken. Do you see how he shows that nothing comes from themselves, but everything from God?

Verse 15: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm, and hold on to the traditions you were taught, whether by word or by our letter.”

From this it is clear that they did not hand everything down by letter, but many things also unwritten, and that the one and the other are equally worthy of belief. So let us count the tradition of the church worthy of belief too. It is a tradition: look no further. Here he shows that there were many who had been shaken.

Verses 16 and 17: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” [k]

Again a prayer after an admonition, for this is what truly does good. “Who loved us,” he says, “and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace.” Where now are those who make the Son less, because in the gift of the washing he is named after the Father? For look, here it is the other way around.

“Who loved us,” he says, “and gave us eternal comfort.” What kind of comfort is this? The hope of the things to come. Do you see how, by way of prayer, he rouses their minds, giving them God’s care, which is beyond words, as their pledges and tokens? “Comfort your hearts,” he says, “in every good work and word”: that is, through every good work and word. For this is the comfort of Christians: to do something good and pleasing to God. See how he keeps their spirit lowly. “Who gave us comfort,” he says, “and good hope through grace.” At the same time he fills them with good hope about the things to come. For if God has given so much by grace, much more will he give what is to come. “I have spoken, indeed,” he says, “but the whole is God’s.”

“Establish”: make you firm, so that you are not shaken or turned aside. For this is both his work and ours, so that it holds in teaching and in conduct alike. For this is comfort: to be established. When someone is not turned aside, he bears everything that may happen to him with great patience. But if his mind is shaken, he will no longer do anything good or noble; like a man whose hands are paralyzed, his soul is shaken when it is not fully persuaded that it is moving toward some good end.

Chapter 3, verse 1: “Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, just as it is with you.” [m]

He had prayed for them, that they might be established; and now he makes a request of them, begging them to pray for him — not that he may escape danger, for he had been appointed to that, but “that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, just as it is with you.” And the request comes with praise: “just as it is with you.”

Verse 2: “And that we may be rescued from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.”

This is how someone speaks who is also making his dangers known, the very things he most begged them to pray about. “From unreasonable and evil men,” he says, “for not all have faith.” So he is speaking of those who speak against the preaching, who oppose the teachings and fight against them. He has hinted at this by saying, “For not all have faith.” And here he seems to me to be pointing not at dangers but at the men who spoke against his word and hindered it, as Alexander the coppersmith did. For he says, “He strongly opposed our words” (Second Timothy 4, verse 15). That is, there are some to whom it is given — as though he were speaking of a father’s inheritance: “It is not for everyone to serve in the palace.” At the same time he also stirs them up, as people who already have such ground for confidence that they can both rescue their teacher from dangers and smooth the way for his preaching.

That is why we too say the same things. Let no one accuse us of arrogance, and let no one, out of too much humility, rob us of such great help. We do not speak from the same motive as Paul. He said these things wishing to comfort his disciples; we say them to reap some great and good fruit. And we are fully confident that if you are all willing, with one mind, to stretch out your hands to God on behalf of our littleness, you will succeed in everything. So let us make war on our enemies with prayers and petitions. If the people of old made war this way against men in arms, much more ought we to make war this way against men without arms. So Hezekiah triumphed over the king of Assyria, so Moses over Amalek, so Samuel over the men of Ashkelon, so Israel over the thirty-two kings. If, where there was need of arms, of battle lines and of fighting, they left their arms and turned to prayer, then here, where the thing must be done by prayers alone, is it not much more fitting for us to pray? [n]

“But there the rulers prayed for the people, and you ask the people to pray for their ruler.” I know that too. For those under rule in that time were wretched and lowly people, and so they were saved by their rulers. Now it is the reverse, and we will find among those who are ruled many — or rather the greater part — far surpassing their ruler. So do not rob us of this help. Hold up our hands, so that they do not grow weary; open our mouth for us, so that it is not shut. Pray to God — for this reason pray to him. It is done on our behalf, yes, but it is entirely for your sake. For we have been appointed for your benefit, and it is your interests we care about. [o]

Pray, every one of you, both in private and in public. Notice Paul saying, “so that for the gift given to us through many, thanks may be given by many on our behalf” (Second Corinthians 1, verse 11): that is, that God may give grace to many. Among men, when the people come forward and ask pardon for those who have been condemned and are being led away to execution, the king, out of regard for the crowd, cancels the sentence. How much more will God be moved by regard for you — not for your numbers, but for your virtue!

For the enemy we have is fierce. Each of you thinks anxiously about his own affairs, but we about the concerns of everyone together. We stand where the battle presses hardest. The devil is armed more fiercely against us. In wars too, the enemy tries above all to bring down the general. That is why all his fellow soldiers rush to him; that is why there is great commotion, everyone trying to rescue him; they surround him with their shields, wanting to keep him safe. Hear what all the people said to David — I say this not to compare myself with David, but because I wish to show the love of the people for their ruler: “You shall go out with us to battle no more, so that you do not put out the lamp of Israel” (Second Samuel 21, verse 17). See how anxious they were to spare the old man. [p]

I greatly need your prayers. Let no one, as I have said, out of too much humility, rob me of this alliance and help. If our part is found to be well done, your own will be all the more honorable. If our teaching flows abundantly, the riches will overflow to you. Hear the prophet saying, “Do the shepherds feed themselves?” (from Ezekiel 34, verse 2, in the Greek Old Testament).

Do you see Paul constantly asking for these prayers? Do you hear that this is how Peter was set free from prison, when earnest prayer was made for him (Acts 12, verse 5)? I truly believe that your prayer, offered with such oneness of mind, will have great effect. Do you not think it is a thing far too great for my littleness to draw near to God and plead with him for so large a people? If I lack the confidence to pray for myself, much less can I pray for others. For it belongs to men held in high regard to beg God to be merciful to others; it is for those who have made him favorable to themselves. But a man who is himself an offender — how will he plead for another? [q]

Nevertheless, because I embrace you with a father’s heart, because love dares everything, not only in church but at home too, I make my prayer above everything else for your health, both of soul and of body. For no one puts another people before his own. If Job rose up at once and made so many offerings for his children in the flesh, how much more ought we to do this for our spiritual children?

Why do I say these things? Because if we, who fall so far short of the greatness of the work, offer petitions and prayers for you, much more is it right that you should do so for us. For one person to plead for many is exceedingly bold and needs great confidence; but for many who have come together to pray for one is no burden at all. Each one does it trusting not in his own virtue but in the numbers and in their oneness of mind, which God everywhere greatly respects. For he says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” If he is there where two or three are, much more is he among you. What a man praying by himself cannot obtain, he will obtain praying with a multitude. Why? Because even if his own virtue lacks the power, the common agreement has great power. [r]

“Where two or three,” it says, “are gathered together.” Why did you say “two”? If there is one in your name, why are you not there? “Because I wish all to be together, and not to be separated.”

So let us close ranks; let us bind one another together in love; let no one separate us. If anyone has an accusation to make, or has taken offense, let him not keep it in his mind, whether against his neighbor or against us. This favor I ask of you: come to us, bring the accusation, and hear our defense. “Confront him,” it says; “perhaps he did not say it. Confront him; perhaps he did not do it” (Sirach 19, verses 14 and 15); and if he did do it, so that he does not do it again. For then we will either have defended ourselves, or, if found at fault, have asked pardon, and from then on we will try not to fall into the same faults.

This is good both for you and for us. You, having perhaps accused us without cause, will be set right when you have learned the truth of the matter; and we, if we have done wrong without knowing it, are set right too. For you, indeed, it is not to your advantage, for punishment is appointed for those who speak any idle word. But we put accusations away, whether false or true: the false by showing that they are false, the true by not doing the same things again. For someone who has the care of so many things is bound to be ignorant of some, and through ignorance to make mistakes. Each of you has a house and presides over a wife and children and slaves, one more and another fewer — souls that can so easily be counted — and still you are forced to make many mistakes, unwillingly, or through ignorance, or while trying to set something right. How much more must this be so with us, who preside over so great a people! [t]

And may God multiply you still more, and bless you, the small together with the great!

For although our care grows greater as the numbers grow, we do not stop praying that this care of ours may increase, and that this number may be added to, until it is many times as great and without limit. Fathers too, though often worn out by the number of their children, still do not wish to lose any one of them. Everything is equal between us and you, even the very chief of our blessings. I do not share in the holy table more fully while you share less; we both share in the same thing equally. And if I receive first, it is no great privilege: even among children the elder reaches out his hand to the feast first, yet he gains no advantage by it. With us everything is equal. The saving life that sustains our souls is given to both with equal honor. I do not share in one Lamb and you in another; we share in the same. We both have the same baptism. We have been counted worthy of the same Spirit. We are both hurrying toward the same kingdom.

We are alike brothers and sisters of Christ; we have all things in common. [v]

Where, then, is my advantage? In cares, in labors, in anxieties, in grieving for you. But nothing is sweeter than this grief. A mother grieving for her child delights in her grief; she thinks anxiously about those she has brought into the world, and she delights in her cares. Care in itself is bitter, yet when it is for children it has much pleasure in it. Many of you I have begotten, but my labor pains come after that. With mothers in the flesh the pains come first and then the birth; but here the pains last until the last breath, for fear that somewhere there may be a miscarriage even after the birth.

And I have a further longing too. For even though someone else may perhaps have begotten you, I am still weighed down with cares for you. For we do not beget you of ourselves; it is all of the grace of God. And if we both beget through the Spirit, the man will not be wrong who calls those begotten by me his children, and those begotten by him mine.

So consider all these things, and stretch out your hands, so that you may be our boast and we yours, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God grant that we may all see that day with confidence, through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.