2Th 2:1-2 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Thess 2:1-12: 2:1-12 False teaching about the day of the Lord had disturbed the Thessalonian church (2:1-2 ). Paul reminds them (2:5 ) that two events will precede that day: a great apostasy and the unveiling of the man of lawlessness (2:3-12 ). Christ will destroy this man when he returns (2:3 , 8 ), and those who have been deceived will also be judged (2:9-12 ). 2:1 At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:7-10 ; 1 Thes 2:19 ; 3:13 ; 4:15–5:2 ; 5:23 ), all of his people will be gathered to meet him . This will occur at the resurrection and rapture of the church (1 Thes 4:13-18 ).

Summary for 2Thess 2:1-12: 2:1-12 ^a False teaching about the day of the Lord had disturbed the Thessalonian church (2:1-2 ^b). Paul reminds them (2:5 ^c) that two events will precede that day: a great apostasy and the unveiling of the man of lawlessness (2:3-12 ^d). Christ will destroy this man when he returns (2:3 ^e, 8 ^f), and those who have been deceived will also be judged (2:9-12 ^g). 2:1 ^h At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:7-10 ⁱ; 1 Thes 2:19 ^j; 3:13 ^k; 4:15–5:2 ^l; 5:23 ^m), all of his people will be gathered to meet him. This will occur at the resurrection and rapture of the church (1 Thes 4:13-18 ⁿ).
2:2 ^o The Thessalonian Christians previously asked Paul when the day of the Lord would come (1 Thes 5:1-11 ^p). Now a false teaching that this day had already begun (cp. 2 Tim 2:18 ^q) was causing them to waver in faith and become frightened.

• a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter: The source of the teaching might have been a false prophecy (cp. 1 Jn 4:1-2 ^r), an erroneous sermon, or a letter falsely attributed to Paul.