THESSALONIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE. Certain close resemblances between the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the First have led some scholars to believe that the Second was modelled on the First by a writer who assumed the name of Paul with the idea of correcting some of the ideas of the earlier letter. In the First Epistle the Second Advent is imagined to be Imminent; in the Second it is not imminent, but is to be preceded by another event which itself still lies in the future. The really difficult section in the Epistle is chapter ii. vss. 1-12. which is in the style of Apocalypse. A solution of the difficulty would be to remove this partic ular section as an interpolation. But strong objections may be urged against this. Prof. Peake thinks " it would be out of the question to rescue the authenticity of the Epistle by sacrificing this section as a later Inter polation. The Epistle was written for the sake of that paragraph; remove it and we cannot understand what object could be served by the composition of the rest. If ii. 1-12 is not the work of Paul the authenticity of the whole must be surrendered." The section speaks of the Son of Perdition who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped, and sits in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. It says that the Mystery of Lawlessness is already at work, but there is one that restrains until he shall be taken out of the way. The Lord will come, and will slay the Law less One with the breath of his mouth. Attempts have been made to identify the Son of Perdition and the One that Restrains with various historical persons and empires. The former, for example, with Nero or even
with Luther; the latter with the Roman Empire, and even with the German Empire. Currie Martin thinks that the Son of Perdition represents the Judaizing teachers who figure so prominently in the Epistle to the Galatians (q.v.), and that the One that Restrains repre sents the Roman power. Prof. Peake thinks the Son of Perdition represents a form of heathenism. " There is nothing that so closely corresponds to Paul's description as the deification of the Roman Emperors, which had gone to insane lengths with Caligula. Paul's language especially reminds us of Caligula's orders to have his statue placed in the temple at Jerusalem. The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in Paul's time, held in check for a time by Claudius the reigning Emperor, but destined on his removal to receive its final consum mation in a monster of impiety who would be slain by Christ at the Second Coming. It was not unnatural that concurrently with this there should be a great apostasy within the Christian Church itself, such as is also pre dicted in the Gospels." The external evidence for the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is fairly strong. The Epistle seems to be quoted by Polycarp in his letter to the Philippians. Justin Martyr seems to be acquainted with the second chapter. The Epistle is mentioned by Irenaeus. It is included in the Canon of Manion and in the Muratorian Canon. See R. J. Knowling, Witness; J. A. M'Clymont; G. Currie Martin; Arthur S. Peake, Intr.; J. Moffatt, Intr.