In 2 Thessalonians, Paul also discusses the snatching away at length, although he uses different terms to indicate this event. Although Paul had written extensively on this topic to his readers in his first letter, confusion had arisen among the believers in Thessalonica regarding the rapture and the events associated with it.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 But we ask you, brothers, concerning the presence (>parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him…
parousia
Paul, just as in 1 Thessalonians 4 (see verse 15), will speak about the parousia. And about the occasion that is part of that parousia, the snatching away. Here called: our gathering together unto Him. The NBG has this as: our gathering together to Him.
The Greek word used here is episunagōgēs. In it, we recognize the word synagogue, a place of assembly or gathering. The preposition epi means “up.” An older version of the NCV translation therefore had this as: “up-gathering.” This is undoubtedly not good Dutch, but it does convey the idea of an upward gathering, which is precisely what the snatching away is.
2 that you may not be easily shaken in your minds or alarmed, either by spirit, by word, or by letter as if from us, as if the day of the Lord were now.
Unrest
Paul had been teaching the Thessalonians about the events surrounding the parousia of Christ. But now they were stirred up and troubled because other teachings had come to them than those they had received from Paul. Apparently, there was even a forged letter circulating, which wasn’t from Paul, but which did bear his name.
Already in the day of the Lord?
The error revealed in the false teachings is that they wanted to make the Thessalonians believe they were already living in the day of the Lord. The Thessalonians were, after all, experiencing tribulation (1 Thessalonians 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:7).
However, Paul had stated in his earlier letter that while that day would indeed overtake the world like a thief in the night, it would not come as a surprise to believers who live by the light of God’s word. This day would be preceded by a period of peace and security, but this false peace would suddenly be taken away and followed by a period of destruction (1 Thessalonians 5:2-5).
The believers will be saved from the period of wrath that follows (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9). The day will dawn upon them, and they will be snatched away from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
3 Let no one deceive you in any way, for the departure must come first, and the man of lawlessness must be revealed, the son of perdition…
detachment
Departure (>or distancing) is a literal translation of the word apostasia (from + standing). Common translations render it as apostasy, which seems logical, because the only other time this noun occurs is when it speaks of the religious apostasy of Moses (Acts 21:21).
But as the verb aphistemi, it occurs much more often, no fewer than 14 times. It generally has the neutral meaning of detaching. It is translated as abandoning (Acts 12:10), detaching (Acts 19:9), departing from (Luke 4:13; 2 Cor. 12:8), or going away from (Luke 13:27). It can also imply a religious turning away, in the sense of falling away or apostatizing (Acts 5:37; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 3:12), but the meaning of a physical turning away is much more common.
apostasy?
The translation “apostasy” is therefore more of an interpretation than a translation. It would be better to render the neutral word “distancing.” The reader will then have to ask themselves: who is distancing themselves? And from what?
If we retain the term “distancing,” the meaning of the ecclesia emerges, which, after all, distances itself from this earth at the snatching away when it goes to meet the Lord in the air. This distancing is then the same as our gathering to Him in verse 1 and therefore refers to the rapture. Paul then says that the day of the Lord cannot yet have arrived, because the snatching away has not yet taken place.
After the distancing (>snatching away), the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Why this man is called the man of lawlessness or the son of perdition, we will read below.
4 the opposer, who exalts himself against everything that is called god or that is worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God, demonstrating that he is God.
Stopping Temple Service
After the period of peace and security, the man of lawlessness will bring unexpected destruction (1 Thessalonians 5:3), which will focus on the state of Israel. There, a temple will once again be established where religious activities are held, such as the offering of the daily sacrifice (Daniel 8:13; 12:11). This man of lawlessness will stop temple service and instead set up an idol in the temple to worship himself as God. Not only does this verse speak of this, but the Lord Jesus also pointed this out in Matthew 24:15.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?
Confusion
When Paul sent them the first letter, they still knew all this precisely. Now they were confused by other opinions. How important it is to be taught by the words of God, which He entrusted to Paul. We can stand firm on that.
6 And you know what is now restraining until he is revealed in his own due time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only until the one who currently restrains is taken out of the way,
8 and then the lawless one will be revealed.
The Restrainer
There is “something” that is restraining the revelation of the lawless one. This restrainer or retainer apparently ensures that the man of lawlessness cannot reveal himself. Only when the restrainer is removed will the lawless one be revealed. What else could this be but the snatching away of the ecclesia? Remember that this is the subject Paul is writing to them about: the parousia of Christ and our gathering to Him (1:1).
Parallel
Note also how verse 3 parallels verses 6-7. In verse 3 we read: … the distancing must come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed, the son of destruction.
And in verses 6-7 the idea is: first the one who hinders must be removed, and then the lawless one will be revealed. Therefore, the distancing is equivalent to the removal of the one who hinders.
8 (…) Whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the spirit of his mouth, and will bring him to nought in the brightness of his presence (> parousia).
good outcome
Although the revelation of the lawless one will usher in the terrible period of the great tribulation, Paul also immediately states how it will end. The Lord will destroy this man of lawlessness when He appears. Then, through Israel, He will establish His Kingdom over the entire earth.