The Thessalonians got a five star review in the first book, but have slipped into a few problems since. They are being heavily persecuted, and have become vulnerable to teaching that God has forgotten them.
There is also an issue with idleness, which probably relates to a gossipy and sycophantic lifestyle of patronage by the wealthy that existed in those days.
Paul reaffirms the gospel to address the bad teaching. Jesus, God’s son who persevered in suffering to death for them, but still lives, means they can be sure God still loves them. Likewise they are to not merely persevere through the hardship but actively channel god’s love, for each other and for their enemies.
Regarding idleness, he reminds them of his example, he worked as a tent maker while ministering to them. Work, putting food on the table, is part of god’s plan.
I’m struggling with under-employment. Also I’m living and working with people who’s mental health limits their ability, particularly at paid employment. Not all of that is blameworthy enough to be described as idleness. That said though, I can do more to get more hours. Idleness has a way of atrophying your confidence in even being able to be busy.
As I read the book, these ideas danced around what has been a difficult year to get under way (Jan-Feb 2022).
The pandemic continues to throw a lot of planning off kilter. Mentally, it can stand in for a sort of symbolic supervening randomness that pushes your mind towards a general sense of philosophical futility. And various other practical issues, like my endless car woes, family and work issues, stubbornly refuse to resolve.
Paul is tender, touchingly concerned, and offers hard-headed, practical teaching into the rising sense of confusion and distraction that the church community faced. Also loving prayer, which is where his tenderness shows the most.
I am struck by the opposite nature of their church problems: thinking distorted by persecution, and idleness. Similar extremes could be identified in our church community.
And overall they are still a great church, which he reaffirms in chapter 1.
He encourages them to draw comfort from god’s justice. The people who are deliberately fighting God by attacking them, with full understanding of what they are doing, will face god’s wrath. It’s the kind of comfort often offered in the prophets.
I don’t think we are supposed to enjoy the thought of enemies facing god’s fire, but be aware of the truth of it. In Jesus’ interaction with enemies, that awareness showed up as a deep compassion for them, and as statements designed to shake them from their disastrous beliefs. Also a confidence that, no matter how bad they got, things would be alright.
It’s more complex than its three brief chapters imply, but the profundity of it allowed god’s spirit to engage with my problems in deep and interesting ways. I feel like I’m just getting started!
inheriting the earth 