Bible Commentaries

The apostle now stated clearly the order of events connected with the Second Advent of Jesus. He first announced the distinction between the two things that they were evidently confusing: ''the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "the Day of the Lord." For the first they are to wait, for it is to be the occasion of the gathering together of the saints to Himself. The second cannot come until certain other matters have been accomplished. He earnestly warns them against confusing the hope of the coming of Jesus with the fact of His manifestation to the world, in which "the Day of the Lord" will be ushered in. The signs of that Day will be a falling away, and, finally, the manifestation of evil in a person whom he now describes.

Having thus referred to that manifestation of the man of sin the apostle described the then present condition of affairs, which condition, by the way, remains until this time. Two forces are in confliict. The one he described as "the mystery of lawlessness," and the other as "One that restraineth." The first is the essential spirit of evil. It is described as a mystery on account of the secret and subtle method of its working. The other force is referred to as a Person. That Person is holding the mystery of lawlessness in check. Clearly, the reference is to the work of the Holy Spirit. This will continue until the Spirit is "taken out of the way." That will be the occasion for the heading up of evil in a person, and so also the occasion of the revelation of Jesus, and the destruction of the man of sin. The apostle charged the Thessalonians to "stand fast, and hold the traditions."