Notes on 1 and 2 Thessalonians "Be Not Soon Shaken in Mind, or Be Troubled," CFM study for Oct. 21 - 27

About 1 and 2 Thessalonians

• Reviewing Acts chapter 17 gives a good background to the Church in Thessalonica.  Paul taught there with great success on his second missionary journey, though not for long, as opposition from some of the Jewish population incited a riot against them.  Paul and Silas fled in the night, and this letter was written, likely from Corinth, a short time later.
• From The New Testament Student Manual, "After preaching in Philippi (see Acts 16:12–40), Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica. Thessalonica was the most populous and prosperous city in the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia because of two important features. The city was built on the best natural harbor in the Aegean Sea, and it was located on the major highway that connected Rome and modern-day Turkey. Paul commenced preaching the message of Jesus Christ at the city’s Jewish synagogue, and many Jews and God-fearing Gentiles accepted the gospel (see Acts 17:1–4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9). . . "evidence suggests that 1 Thessalonians was written from Corinth. Since both Silas and Timothy contributed to the writing of these epistles (see 1 Thessalonians 1:1), this letter could only have been written after Silas and Timothy had joined Paul in Corinth (see Acts 18:1, 5)." 

• 2 Thessalonians includes the same three as the authors -- Paul, Silas, and Timothy -- and looks to have been written shortly after the first letter.  "The themes of 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians are similar, suggesting that Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to clarify and expand on the first epistle. It is possible that his first letter did not resolve all the questions the Thessalonian Saints had about the Second Coming. In addition, it appears that the Thessalonians had received a fraudulent letter that claimed to be from Paul, and this letter had caused some to believe that the Second Coming had already occurred (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2). At the time Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, he had also learned that the Thessalonian Church members were experiencing increased persecution (see 2 Thessalonians 1:4–7). Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians in order to strengthen the faith of these members and to correct doctrinal misunderstandings. . . The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians provides significant details about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ that are not found in other biblical prophecies. Some examples include the ideas that the Lord will return in “flaming fire” and that the wicked will be punished with “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:8–9). In this epistle Paul also prophesied of the Great Apostasy, teaching that the Church would undergo a “falling away” prior to the Second Coming of the Lord (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12). Paul’s teachings about the Apostasy remind modern Church members why the latter-day Restoration of the gospel was necessary." (The New Testament Student Manual)

Opening Address and The Church in Thessalonica, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

• Of verse four, Lynne Wilson explains "The KJV “election/eklogé/chosen you,” is found seven times in the New Testament. It refers to a divine selection or a general choosing out.4 In the KJV, “God’s elect,” can be interpreted differently such as with the Reformed and Calvinistic doctrines where it means unconditional election. But Paul’s Greek word choice has a broader meaning.5 Many of the King James translators and most of the protestant movements for centuries believed in predestined election. Yet, the Lord revealed a different definition of “election” to the prophet Joseph Smith in D&C 29:7. He restored the meaning of “the elect” as those who “hear my voice and harden not their hearts.” Agency and love function on both sides. The “elect” in this sense are those who seek a closeness with God and humbly receive His direction. God offers humans the gift of His grace, but mortals must choose to receive it.
• Paul acknowledges that the saints have received the word "in much affliction" (v. 6).  There was a lot of opposition and persecution.  In Acts we read how a mob gathered up some of their number and forced one of them to pay a "security."  Likely the trials did not lessen after Paul's departure. The noun used for affliction in this verse means "tribulation caused by outward circumstances." (Seely, as quoted in my study Bible).
• Paul appreciates the faithfulness of the saints despite the opposition.  They are so faithful that they are helping to spread the gospel message (v. 8).
• It seems the Thessalonians were very anxious for the Lord to return soon as Paul brings up this theme in verse 10. From Lynne Wilson, "Initially, the early Christians thought that Jesus’ return to rule and reign was imminent (Acts 1:10–11; Revelation 1:1, 3). Even Paul speaks at times as if he expects the millennium to begin in his own lifetime (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17; Hebrews 9:28). But the Lord said that no one knew, “of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32, 26–31; Acts 1:7). They did not understand that Jesus came in the “meridian of time,” and that He would not rule and reign until after an apostasy and restoration (2 Timothy 4:3). In reality, each person has only their lifetime to wait before he or she will come before the Lord. In this sense, Paul’s exhortation to watchfulness is appropriate for each person in each generation."

Paul's Ministry to Thessalonica, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

• Paul briefly recounts their experiences in Phillipi, where they were "shamefully entreated," before discussing their labors in Thessalonica.  "Paul wrote that he and his missionary companions had preached the gospel to the Thessalonians “with much contention” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). This phrase does not mean that Paul was contentious or argumentative in his preaching; instead, it implies that he taught the gospel in the face of contention and opposition. In Thessalonica, resistance to the gospel message came from both antagonistic Jews and Gentiles (see Acts 17:5–10). Missionaries today inevitably face similar trials, but those who continue to preach despite opposition find, as did Paul, that their work is “not in vain” (1 Thessalonians 2:1)." (The New Testament Student Manual).
• I love verse four that tells us "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."  Like Paul, we have been trusted with the gospel and with callings to minister, help, and bless others.  Do we remember who it is that entrusted that stewardship to us?  Do we do our labors with an eye to please God?  Or are we more worried about what the neighbors think?  We live in an increasingly connected world where some might worry more about how others react to them rather than what God wants.  Elder Gary Stevenson has said, "Two additional risks related to social media are idealized reality and debilitating comparisons.
  
  Many (if not most) of the pictures posted on social media tend to portray life at its very best—often unrealistically. We have all seen beautiful images of home decor, wonderful vacation spots, smiling selfies, elaborate food preparation, and seemingly unattainable body images.
  
  Here, for example, is an image that you might see on someone’s social media account. However, it doesn’t quite capture the full picture of what is actually going on in real life.
  
  Comparing our own seemingly average existence with others’ well-edited, perfectly crafted lives as represented on social media may leave us with feelings of discouragement, envy, and even failure.
  
  One person who has shared numerous posts of her own said, perhaps only partly in jest, “What’s the point of being happy if you’re not going to post it?”  
• Paul points out here, as he does to the Corinthians (see my notes on chapter 9 in this post), that even though they had the right to be supported by the people, they worked for a living so they wouldn't be burdensome.

Concerns after Paul's Departure, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

• I love verses 19-20, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy."  The fruits of our labors in the gospel isn't in prestige, prominence, position, or power.  The fruits are the relationships we gain with others and the joy of seeing their happiness as the gospel changes them into a new creature.  As a mother, I can saw of my kids the same thing Paul says of the saints in Thessalonica.  They are my glory and my joy.  I rejoice so much in seeing them make good choices that bless others.
• Paul says he sent Timothy back to check on the saints because he was worried they had fallen away given all the persecution.  He hoped "That no man should be moved by these afflictions" (v. 3), and reminded them he told them this would happen (v. 4).  Timothy came back with good tidings of their faith and charity (v. 6) and they were comforted.  One translation of verse 7 says, "It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord."  He hopes they contine to stand firm and prays exceedingly for them.  Do we pray for those we have been given responsibility?  Do we pray that the Lord will help them "increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men,?" (v. 13).  I have been frustrated with some constant bickering between a few of my daughters of late.  It is so frustrating and hurtful to see these girls tear each other down instead of building them up.  I've been doing a lot of lecturing of late, but I think, after reading this verse, that I need to include this concern more regularly in my prayers.

If only they got along this well all the time!

An Upright Life, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

• And now Paul has some counsel for how the saints should live.  Lynne Wilson explains, "Paul begins with a straight-line approach. It is for their own good and sanctification. (Sanctification is the process of becoming a Saint, holy and pure.) The first issue is to avoid “fornication/porneia” (including incest and adultery, etc.) The law of chastity must have been a real problem in the Greco-Roman world as Paul repeats it in nine of his fourteen letters. 1061 Page Biblical translators debate verse four more than any other in the letter. The KJV phrase, “possess his vessel,” meant controlling one’s own body. Other translations read: RSV “take a wife for himself in holiness and honor.” NEB “gain mastery over his body, to hallow and honor it.” NIV “control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable.” LV “keep clear of all sexual sin so that each of you will marry in holiness and honor.”"
• From the student manual, "Concerning the Lord’s standard of sexual purity, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a man and a woman in the marriage relationship prescribed in God’s plan. Such relations are not merely a curiosity to be explored, an appetite to be satisfied, or a type of recreation or entertainment to be pursued selfishly. They are not a conquest to be achieved or simply an act to be performed. Rather, they are in mortality one of the ultimate expressions of our divine nature and potential and a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife. We are agents blessed with moral agency and are defined by our divine heritage as children of God—and not by sexual behaviors, contemporary attitudes, or secular philosophies” (“We Believe in Being Chaste,”)." (quoted in The New Testament Student Manual)
• Paul says that the saints are doing great in the area of brotherly love, but he wants them to "increase more and more." (v. 9-10) Elder Henry B. Eyring explains why we need to keep striving, "Years ago, one of the things we taught people we met as missionaries was that they could either progress or fall back spiritually. We told them it was dangerous to think they could stand still. I remember feeling it was true, and yet I wondered why it was so.  Time has taught me. As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough. And whatever growth in spiritual strength we once thought was possible, greater growth will be made available to us. Both the need for spiritual strength and the opportunity to acquire it will increase at rates which we underestimate at our peril. . . My message is a plea, a warning, and a promise: I plead with you to do with determination the simple things that will move you forward spiritually.  Start with remembering Him. You will remember what you know and what you love. The Savior gave us the scriptures, paid for by prophets at a price we cannot measure, so that we could know Him. Lose yourself in them. Decide now to read more, and more effectively than you have ever done before."
• Of verse 11, Lynne Wilson points out, "Paul encourages living a calm and quiet life for the intent of being a good neighbor to Christians and non-Christians (v. 12, “outsiders” BLB, or “those without,” KJV). Yet, minding one’s own business does not mean we must be silent and cloistered. Often, he encourages saints to “serve one another” (Galatians 5:13; also, Romans 7:6; 9:12; 1 Timothy 6:2; etc.). Paul’s counsel to work with your hands is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Epicureans who scorned work. It also addressed the Greco-Roman patronage system that allowed the elite on the ladder of social hierarchy to have lower class servants and slaves do all their work—including feeding, washing, dressing, and performing all other menial labor."  Paul gets even more emphatic about work and idleness in the second letter, presumably because he feels like the counsel wasn't followed by some who wanted a free ride.

The Return of the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

• Paul now works to clear up some misunderstandings about the second coming of Christ.  This is a good time to mention that our New Testament canon is limited because mostly what we have are a few letters.  They don't include all of the letters written (there are a lot of other letters mentioned that don't exist now, for example) and most of the letters were written for a specific purpose, to teach converts about the gospel and to correct misunderstandings and false teachings.  We can't say that because something isn't mentioned more in the letters that it wasn't necessarily an important part of the gospel.  For example, as Ben Spackman as pointed out, "If the Corinthians hadn’t been screwing it up so badly, we’d not have any passages about the Sacrament outside the Gospels."  Here, too, we are blessed that the Thessalonians had such concerns about the second coming because in clearing them up (especially in the second letter), we get a lot of deep and beautiful doctrine.
• It seems that the Thessalonicans, in addition to anticipating the Second Coming in their lifetimes, worried deeply about those saints who had died because they would miss out on Christ's beautiful advent.  It would be interesting to know if any of those deaths were due to persecution or if they were just the normal part of living in the first century.  In response to the concerns Timothy probably told him about, Paul says that when Christ comes again, those faithful saints will be raised first (v. 16), and then those who are alive will be caught up to meet with them.  
• From The New Testament Student Manual, "Elsewhere in his epistles to the Thessalonians, Paul used the Greek word parousia to refer to the Second Coming. Parousia could refer to the arrival of any person, but it was often used to describe the arrival of a ruler or emperor. In the Greco-Roman world, the arrival or visit of the emperor to a community was anticipated with extensive preparation. Paul’s use of this word helped him stress the importance of proper preparation for Jesus Christ’s return to earth."

The Day of the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

• Paul says of the coming that it will be like a thief in the night to those who are unprepared.  "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." (v. 4-6)
• From Lynne Wilson, "Even though the Lord’s coming will be unexpected, Paul’s choice of imagery, a woman in labor,” has many predictable warnings (her size, months gestation, her pain, speed of contractions, baby’s position, etc.). Likewise, the timing of the Second Coming can generally be estimated as when the signs are fulfilled. The same imagery was used often in the Old Testament, including Isaiah 13:8; 21:3; Jeremiah 6:24; 49:24; and Micah 4:10. Jesus used it for his death (John 16:21)."
• Paul says that the day will be one of wrath for the wicked, but not for the righteous.  Whether they are alive or dead, the righteous "should live together with him."  (v. 10)

Final Encouragement, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

• From The New Testament Student Manual, "In 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13, Paul encouraged the Saints to “know” and “esteem” those who were “over [them] in the Lord.” Although in these verses Paul did not mention specific offices as he did in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, these teachings suggest that even at this early date (around A.D. 52) there was some sort of a structure of Church leadership. Some modern scholars suggest that the early Church did not have any leadership hierarchy and that leadership structures developed much later, perhaps in the second century. It is possible, however, that the early branches of the Church had a less formal leadership structure than the bishops, elders, and deacons described later in Paul’s writings."
• Do we support and appreciate our local leaders?  Do we appreciate not just those who are "over" us but also those who serve alongside us?  Do we appreciate the Primary teachers and nursery leaders and camp leaders and building schedulers and clerks and secretaries and others?  Do we allow ourselves to learn from those around us?  I love what Terryl Givens said, "As the moral lesson without parallel and the basis of our own salvation and the world’s hope, the Atonement fittingly serves as the focal point of our Sunday worship. Most of us get this, if only vaguely. We know that the main purpose of Sabbath observance is to partake of the Lord’s Supper. But we sometimes grow frustrated with all the peripherals.
  
  Lessons and talks are to some Mormons what cafeteria food is to teenagers—not just in the way they can be bland and boring, but in the way that they sometimes bring us together in mutual griping rather than mutual edification. But what if we saw lessons and talks as connections to the sacrament rather than as unrelated secondary activities? What if we saw them as opportunities to bear with one another in all our infirmities and ineptitude? What if we saw the mediocre talk, the overbearing counselor, the lesson read straight from the manual, as a lay member’s equivalent of the widow’s mite? A humble offering, perhaps, but one to be measured in terms of the capacity of the giver rather than in the value received. And if the effort itself is negligible—well, then the gift is the opportunity given us to exercise patience and mercy.
  
  If that sounds too idealistic, if we insist on imposing a higher standard on our co-worshippers, if we insist on measuring our worship service in terms of what we “get out of” the meeting, then perhaps we have erred in our understanding of worship." (from The Crucible of Doubt)
• Verse 19 says to "quench not the spirit."  To quench is to "extinguish."  Do we ignore the promptings of the Spirit?  Or do we live so those promptings are harder to hear or discern?  Elder David A. Bednar has said,  "The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us."
• "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (v. 21).  To prove means to put to the test.  Does what we are learning or hearing fit with the truths of the gospel?  Then we should embrace and hold it fast, rejecting those lies that would have us question or abandon our faith.  I love what Elder Alexander B. Morrison said, "Indeed, all truth, both spiritual and temporal, testifies of Him. When we learn to read the “signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows” (Mosiah 3:15) properly, with the eyes of faith, we will realize that all of history, all of science, all of nature, all divinely revealed knowledge of any sort, testifies of Him. He is the very personification of truth and light, of life and love, of beauty and goodness. All that He did was done out of love. In Nephi’s words, “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him.” (2 Ne. 26:24.)
• Of verse 22, the student manual explains, "Paul taught the Saints to abstain from all “appearance” of evil, or in other words, from all “kinds” of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22, footnote b). Church officials have also used 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to teach that we should avoid appearing as though we are doing something evil. For example, President James E. Faust taught: “I strongly urge you that if there is any question in your minds or hearts about whether your personal conduct is right or wrong, don’t do it. It is the responsibility of the prophets of God to teach the word of God, not to spell out every jot and tittle of human conduct. If we are conscientiously trying to avoid not only evil but the very appearance of evil, we will act for ourselves and not be acted upon” (“The Devil’s Throat,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 51). Paul offered similar counsel in 1 Corinthians 8:9–13." 

Opening Address and The Coming Judgment, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

• And now we begin with the second letter.  Paul starts out by praising their growing faith and "the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;" (v. 3).  Is our faith and charity increasing or decreasing?  Would Paul, if he knew our hearts, praise us in the same way?
• He goes on to say they glory in the "patience and faith" the Thessalonians demonstrated in the midst of their "persecutions and tribulations."  How can we demonstrate more patience and faith in our trials?  When I was pregnant for the first time, I was blown away with how it affected me so physically on a daily basis.  Up until that point, I'd always been tough and strong and physically very active and healthy, so it shocked me to feel the exhaustion and nausea.  Every other physical trial in my life had been of short duration, but this one lasted months and months (though the nausea did subside halfway through) and really interfered with my regular life.  One scripture that helped me through that pregnancy was Mosiah 23:21, "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."  I repeated those words over and over to myself and tried to exercise more of both attributes.  

That patience and faith did finally pay off when Lillian was born!

• Paul seems to be explaining that the trials the saints are experiencing aren't because of sin or because God doesn't love them but instead "This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God and for the purpose of making you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you suffer." (v. 5, Wayment translation). How can we better see our trials as evidence of God's righteousness and love for us?  How can we let God use our trials to make us more worthy of his kingdom, more refined?  I love this quote by Elder Richard G. Scott, "Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain. . . To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love."
• Paul reminds them that the persecutors will be brought to judgment while they will rest with the righteous when "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels"  (v. 7).  That day will be one of vengeance for the wicked, and joy for the righteous, because Christ will come.

The Day of the Lord:  Apostasy, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

• And now Paul addresses what appears to be his main concern.  "Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 suggest that some of the believers in Paul’s day were alarmed or fearful that the Lord’s Second Coming had already taken place. Their concerns may have resulted from doctrinal misunderstanding, or they may have been deceived by false teachings in a forged letter purportedly written by Paul (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2). Paul cautioned the Saints not to embrace information that Church leaders had not previously taught (see 2 Thessalonians 2:15)." (The New Testament Student Manual).  It's also possible that the saints took Paul's earlier letter and read into it something that he didn't intend.
• From the student manual, "In order to calm the Saints’ concern that the Lord had already returned, Paul explained that before the Second Coming there would be a “falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). “Falling away” is a translation of the Greek word apostasia, a word that is closer in meaning to “rebellion” or “mutiny.” Paul was therefore speaking of an intentional fight against the gospel of Jesus Christ rather than a gradual movement away from it. . . Apostasy is often not simply a passive letting go of truth but an active rebellion that originates within the covenant community."  (The New Testament Student Manual)
• About the apostasy, President James E. Faust said, "Some of the early Apostles knew that an apostasy would occur before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the Thessalonians, Paul wrote concerning this event, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.”
  
  With this falling away, priesthood keys were lost, and some precious doctrines of the Church organized by the Savior were changed. Among these were baptism by immersion; receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; the nature of the Godhead—that They are three distinct personages; all mankind will be resurrected through the Atonement of Christ, “both … the just and the unjust”; continuous revelation—that the heavens are not closed; and temple work for the living and the dead.
  
  The period that followed came to be known as the Dark Ages. This falling away was foreseen by the Apostle Peter, who declared that “heaven must receive [Jesus Christ] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Restitution would only be necessary if these precious things had been lost.
• I also love this quote by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, also quoted in the student manual, "“New Testament epistles clearly indicate that serious and widespread apostasy—not just sporadic dissent—began soon. James decried ‘wars and fightings among’ the Church (James 4:1). Paul lamented ‘divisions’ in the Church and how ‘grievous wolves’ would not spare ‘the flock’ (1 Cor. 11:18; Acts 20:29–31). He knew an apostasy was coming and wrote to the Thessalonians that Jesus’ second coming would not occur ‘except there come a falling away first’; further advising that ‘iniquity doth already work’ (2 Thes. 2:3, 7).
  
  “Near the end, Paul acknowledged how very extensive the falling away was: ‘All they which are in Asia be turned away from me’ (2 Tim. 1:15). …
  
  “Widespread fornication and idolatry brought apostolic alarm (see 1 Cor. 5:9; Eph. 5:3; Jude 1:7). John and Paul both bemoaned the rise of false Apostles (see 2 Cor. 11:13; Rev. 2:2). The Church was clearly under siege. Some not only fell away but then openly opposed. In one circumstance, Paul stood alone and lamented that ‘all men forsook me’ (2 Tim. 4:16). He also decried those who ‘subvert[ed] whole houses’ (Titus 1:11).
  
  “Some local leaders rebelled, as when one, who loved his preeminence, refused to receive the brethren (see 3 Jn. 1:9–10).
  
  “No wonder President Brigham Young observed: ‘It is said the Priesthood was taken from the Church, but it is not so, the Church went from the Priesthood’ (in Journal of Discourses, 12:69).
  
  “The concerns expressed by Peter, John, Paul, and James over the falling away were not paranoia but prophetic warnings about ‘Apostasia’” (“From the Beginning,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 18–19).
• Of verses 10-12, "In connection with his teachings about the deceptions of Satan, Paul taught that those who refuse to accept truth will eventually lose the opportunity to receive it. Concerning those who “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,” Paul said that “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” This means that God will permit unbelievers to accept false doctrines and thereby forfeit their salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; see also Jacob 4:14; Alma 12:10–11)." (The New Testament Student Manual)

An Eternal Comfort, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

• Paul includes another nod to God's plan of salvation.  "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."  (v. 13-14).  The saints are God's chosen people from the beginning, and it is up to them to "stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught,"

Pray for Us, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

• Paul asks for the saint's to pray "that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men"  (v. 2). "Unreasonable" means "improper, injurious, or wicked" in this context (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance).

Warning about Idleness and Concluding Remarks, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

• It seems that some who were confused about the Second Coming used their belief in its immediacy to stop working altogether.  There were also "disorderly" brethren who were teaching different "traditions" than what Paul had taught (v. 6).  As part of this, some had stopped working altogether and were probably depending on the charity and goodwill of the other saints, who may have been living the united order as described in Acts.  Paul points out that he himself worked while he was among them teaching and says they should follow his example.  He puts it pretty bluntly, "this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (v. 10).  He goes on, "for we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies."  Wayment says there is a play on words in Greek in this verse that says the saints are "not working but near-working."  So it's not necessarily the modern concept of being a busybody that he is condemning in this verse, but idleness and putting on the appearance of work while really being idle.
• It seems there's a balance for how to treat those who are not obeying.  Paul says both to "note that man, and have no company with him that he may be ashamed," but also "yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."  We can love and care for those who turn away from the gospel and treat them as a brother or sister, but we also need to be careful about allowing their doubts, ideas and actions to influence ours (the "have no company" part of the counsel).  I love this reminder from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, "Everyone needs good and true friends. They will be a great strength and blessing to you. They will influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. They will help you be a better person and will make it easier for you to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. . . As you seek to be a friend to others, do not compromise your standards. If your friends urge you to do things that are wrong, be the one to stand for the right, even if you stand alone. You may need to find other friends who will support you in keeping the commandments. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as you make these choices."

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