Bible Commentaries

The holy, consistent, and useful lives of Christians are a striking manifestation of the power of divine grace, in which the friends of Christ greatly rejoice, and for which they render hearty and devout thanksgiving to God.

A manifest token; your "patience and faith," namely, "in all your persecutions and tribulations," endured for Christ’s sake, make it manifest that a righteous judgment is coming when God will graciously reward you and punish your foes.

That ye may be counted worthy; these words express the end and issue to which the righteous judgment of God looks, in the case of those who have steadfastly suffered for Christ’s sake.

When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed; at the day of judgment.

The prosperity, injustice, and cruelty of the wicked, and the adversity, meekness, patience, and submission of the righteous, show that men are not in this world treated according to their character; and that there is a coming judgment; when the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished according to their works.

Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord; their destruction consists in everlasting banishment from God’s presence and the glory of his power, and the everlasting endurance of God’s wrath with the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:46. The endless destruction of the perseveringly wicked is just.

Admired in all them that believe; that is, in the persons of all them that believe; for they will be transformed into Christ’s image in soul and body, and will reflect his glory.

Because our testimony among you was believed; a parenthetical sentence added to show that the Thessalonians also are included in "all them that believe." In that day; in the day of Christ’s second coming. These words are to be connected immediately with those before the parenthesis.

This calling; their calling to eternal life.

Fulfil; in your souls.

All the good pleasure of his goodness; as manifested in carrying forward to completion the work of sanctification in your souls.

The work of faith; that is, fulfil the work of faith in your souls, by making perfect your faith with its fruits.

Be glorified in you, and ye in him; by their bearing his image, promoting his glory, and being admitted to his rest.