1. Author: Paul
2. Date
1. 51-52 AD
2. Written shortly after the first epistle, possibly within a month or two
3. Purpose
1. The ones he had instructed in his first epistle were still "disorderly" and had not returned to work
2. They had received a fake letter indicating that the Day of the Lord had already arrived. Paul wanted to assure them that they were not in the Day of the Lord.
3. Give further instructions on how to handle the disorderly
4. Features
1. Dominant subject is the Second Coming
2. Gives a detailed description of the antichrist and the events surrounding him
3. Comparison to 1 Thessalonians

Remember: Prophecy is not for calendar creation but character creation

1. Comfort in Persecution (1^1-12)
1. Greeting
2. Be thankful for persecution
1. It is helping your faith grow
2. It demonstrates your worthiness
3. God will recompense
1. Judgment for the wicked
2. With the Lord
4. The Lord is returning
2. Certainty in Confusion (2^1-17)
1. Day of the Lord has not yet taken place
2. "falling away"
1. Apostasy from belief in God's word
2. The breaking of the covenant by the antichrist
3. The antichrist
1. Names
1. "man of sin"
2. "son of perdition"
3. "Wicked One"
2. Opposes God
3. Sits in the temple as though He is God
4. Perform miracles
5. Deceiver
6. Will be destroyed
4. The restrainer
1. In v. 6 it is neuter while in v. 7 it is masculine
2. Possible interpretations
1. Holy Spirit
2. The church
3. Government
3. Holy Spirit
1. Both neuter and masculine forms fit
2. He will be taken out in the sense that the church at the rapture will no longer be present to be the "salt of the earth."

In spite of its weakness and seeming failure, never underestimate the importance of the church in the world. People who criticize the church do not realize that the presence of the people of God in this world gives unsaved people opportunity to be saved. The presence of the church is delaying the coming of judgment. Lot was not a dedicated man, but his presence in Sodom held back the wrath of God (Gen. 19:12-29).

3. He will still be present in order to save and do His work
4. His ministry will be much like what He had during the OT dispensation
5. "them that perish"
1. Question: Will people who have had an opportunity to be saved before the rapture have a chance to be saved after the rapture?
2. Arguments for answering "no"
1. Proponents argue that the time of their "not believing" in vv. 10-12 is prior to the rapture
2. Believing "a lie" could be referring to the lie the antichrist spreads explaining the rapture (if you hold to the view that "the lie" is referring to this
3. It makes good preaching
3. Arguments for answering "yes"
1. The time frame for "not believing the truth" in vv. 10-12 seems to be the tribulation period, not the time before the rapture. Thus, it is people who reject the truth after the rapture that have sealed their damnation.
2. They "receive not the truth" after the antichrist has been revealed, not before the rapture
3. God is not willing that any should perish
4. In Revelation we have a whole multitude of every kindred, nation, tongue and tribe who believe during the tribulation period. Logic demands that some of these would have already heard.
5. The rapture itself could be the defining moment for some
6. Those who are saved will face severe persecution and most of them will be martyred for their faith
6. Stand fast
1. Traditions here refer to Scriptural teaching
2. Some were imparted by word, others by epistle. This is an allusion to inspiration
3. Compliance in Conversation (3^1-18)
1. Request for prayer
2. Exhortations to Christian living
1. Separation from the disorderly
1. Idle

Almost every culture has its saying about idleness. The Romans said, "By doing nothing, men learn to do evil." Isaac Watts wrote: "For Satan finds some mischief still, for idle hands to do." The Jewish rabbis taught, "He who does not teach his son a trade, teaches him to be a thief."

2. Busybodies
3. Disobedient