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The Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth.

  The Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth.   2 Thessalonians 2:1 – 2: "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled — either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us — as though the day of the Lord (*h ē h ē mera tou Kyriou*) had come." The term *er ō t ō men* ( Ἐ ρωτ ῶ μεν ) signifies "to ask" or "to inquire." Furthermore, *parousia* (*parousias*) does not merely mean "a coming" (an arrival from elsewhere), but rather the "presence" of Christ — specifically, Christ ’ s presence among the saints in the present. This presence of Christ is what is known in Hebrew as "Immanuel." The Apostle Paul is addressing the believers in the church at Thessalonica — those who are in Christ — regarding the Lord who is present among them. The preposition *epi* (implied in the context of gathering) suggests ...

He shall come, and He shall be glorified in His saints.

  He shall come, and He shall be glorified in His saints.   2 Thessalonians 1:1 – 4: "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure." The term *di ō gmois* ( διωγμο ῖς ) does not mean "persecution" in the sense of being hunted down, but rather the act of pursuing something. Thus, there are times when the pursuit of something for the sake of the Lord becomes difficult. The term *thlipsesin* ( θ λ ί ψεσιν ) implies a "pushing" or "pressing" — in this context, it signifies God pushing His saints to en...

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.

  Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.   1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil; instead, always pursue what is good, both toward one another and toward all people." The term translated as "evil" — *kakon* ( κακ ὸ ν ) or *kakou* ( κακο ῦ ) — derives from the root *kakos* ( κακ ός ), which signifies something devoid of value. For instance, debates within the church — such as whether one must strictly observe the Ten Commandments or whether such observance is unnecessary — are, in essence, discussions lacking any true value. The instruction not to repay evil for evil means that one should not respond to such valueless discourse with equally valueless rhetoric. To those who insist on the necessity of keeping the Ten Commandments, the call is to look beyond the compulsion to adhere to the letter of the law and instead perceive the underlying will of God through the perspective of the Holy Spirit. Consider the...