Предисловие

a) Inscription and greeting (2 Thess. 1:1, 2) 2Sol. 1:1, 2. Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, Churches of Thessaloniki, about God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This inscription and greeting are word for word similar to the inscription and greeting of the first letter to Thessalonians. Let anyone who wishes to do so turn to what is said about this in the Interpretation of that Epistle. Here we will add only a few comments from our interpreters, which they also make on some sayings. "Paul and Silvanus and Timothy". – By this secondary comparison of his collaborators with himself, the Holy Apostle makes it clear that this epistle is written in the same spirit and in the same circumstances as the previous one. From which, in addition to historical considerations, it is rightly suggested that it was written not long after the first. "About God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ". If we relate these words to greetings, then it will be: we greet the Church of Thessalonica on behalf, in the name, by the good will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So Blessed Theodoret: “The expression “about God the Father” is similar to what we write in letters, for we also usually write: such and such desires to rejoice in the Lord.” If we relate them to the words: “Church of Thessaloniki,” then they will indicate the spirit of this Church, that it is not gathered in someone else’s name, but in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “For there are churches not about the Father and the Son, such as the Hellenic and heretical churches” (Ecumenius). Jews can say that their synagogue is in the name of God, but it is not in the name of God the Father, much less in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore it is nothing. All true blessings come to us by the grace of God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. Therefore, those who do not gather in their name gather in vain: there is no truth in them, they do not follow the path of God and are not partakers of the gracious promises. To say: “The Church about God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is the same as saying: a truly Christian Church. For this means the same thing as saying: the Church that came into existence and continues to exist through the grace of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, the Church which God, the Father of believers, adopted to Himself, and which the Lord Jesus Christ, the Author of our faith and the Savior of souls, called to faith, livingly united with Himself in baptism, joined to His body, or made His body, and filled it with the Holy Spirit. But only such a Church is the truly Christian Church, which is in God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, a true Christian is known from this if he is in God the Father, by the grace of sonship, and is united with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, like a member with its head, and is filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Let everyone remember that through baptism he has become a son of God, a member of Christ, a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and, remembering this, let him keep it in his conscience that he must live as a son of God, and always act in the Holy Spirit, or be guided by Him in everything. "Grace to you". “The majority of people do and undertake everything with the goal of earning the favor of both their superiors and those who are more noble than them, and they highly value this favor and consider themselves happy when they achieve what they wanted. But if it is so important for a person to earn the favor of people like himself, then what value should it have for us when we are honored with God’s grace? That is why the Apostle always at the beginning of his epistles posits this kind of benevolence of grace and prays to God about it” (Chrysostom). "Grace and peace to you". “When God graces someone, then nothing is unbearable for him, and everything is easily tolerated and passes. Why does Blessed Paul, knowing how great a blessing grace is in life, wish it prayerfully for the Thessalonians. For if it is inherent in them, then not only will they not feel the burden of temptation, but also, enjoying the peace of God, they will remain untroubled and at peace. He also reminds them of grace so that, even if temptations come to them, they, remembering the grace by which they were saved, will be comforted and, having been strengthened in spirit by previously received valuable benefits, will not despair when faced with temptations and deprivations of insignificant ones” (Theophylact); or (like Saint Chrysostom) so that “so that, remembering the grace of God, by which they were saved from great evils, they would not become despondent, being exposed to lesser ones, but would find consolation in it.” "From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ". No one would guess from this that the Apostle had the idea that God is our Father and Lord of Jesus Christ. This is not what the words of the Apostle should suggest, but that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are equal in honor and equal in power. He seems to say: from God, who is our Father, and from Jesus Christ, who is our Lord. The words: God and Lord indicate the one Divine nature in the Father and the Son. In the epistles to Timothy it stands like this: “from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Tim. 1:2), that is, from Christ Jesus, Who is our Lord and God. Blessed Theodoret writes: “Here the Apostle taught us the equality of power between the Father and the Son; for, having said: “about God our Father,” he added: “and the Lord Jesus Christ,” and, again, after the words: “from God our Father,” he added: “and the Lord Jesus Christ”; because the same benefits are given to us by the Father and the Son. You might be interested in: