Threat to Faith: An Exegetical and Theological Re-Examination of 2 Thessalonians 2

The task of presenting theologically oriented exegesis must precede the professional popularization of new interpretations, the writing of standard commentaries, and a number of other aspects of Biblical studies. We hope that we have helped fill a notable gap in Pauline studies in this respect by offering to scholars what we think is the first exegetical monograph concerning 2 Thes 2 as a whole. The chapter itself is by no means an unattractive one. It invites the scholar to scrutinize its many specific exegetical problems in terms of the Gestalt of difficulties which it presents, including its precise theological and pastoral orientation. By way of providing a special incentive for laborious investigation, tha chapter obviously contains a rich lode of eschatological teaching, one of the basic currencies of present-day theological discussion. Because of the nature of the problems to be faced and the more limited scope of previous detailed studies of 2 Thes 2, it has been judged advisable to retain for publication, after necessary corrections, both the format and the entire content of this monograph as it was defended on 1966, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. Part one investigates the state of the question; Part two contains the exegesis of 2 Thes and concludes with a commentary on the whole of that passage; part three presents fuller theological reflections consequent on the exegesis. For the reader with initially less time at his disposal, the schematically arranged text and translation at the end of part one together with the resumes and the over-all commentary in the last chapter of part two should provide a good grasp of the new interpretation we submit.