Not Knowing God and Not Obeying the Gospel (2 Thess. 1:8): One Group or Two?

     Divine judgment is against “the ones not knowing God and the ones not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 1:8).¹ Does this refer to two separate groups,² or only one?³ Those “not knowing God” are clearly equated with “the heathen [ta ethnē] not knowing God” (1 Thess. 4:5), as confirmed elsewhere in scripture (Rom. 1:28; 1 Cor. 1:21; Gal. 4:8-9; cf. Job 18:21; Psa. 79:6; Jer. 10:25). Nevertheless, applicability to unbelieving Jews cannot be discounted (Jer. 4:22; 9:6; Hos. 5:4; John 8:55). Those “not obeying the gospel” would surely include unreceptive Jews resistant to Christ’s message (1 Thess. 2:14-16; cf. Acts 17:5, 13), confirmed elsewhere in scripture (Rom. 10:1-3, 16; cf. Isa. 66:4). But this is applicable to Gentiles as well (Rom. 10:16; 11:30).

     More likely this is a type of parallelism, where the same point is repeated for emphasis, using varied phraseology (cf. vv. 9b, 10). To “know” God requires more than simply knowing about him. The term used here is the participial form of the verb oida, the most commonly used “knowing” verb in the Thessalonian letters (1 Thess. 1:4, 5; 2:1, 2, 5, 11; 3:3, 4; 4:2, 4, 5; 5:2, 12; 2 Thess. 1:8; 2:6; 3:7), and ginōskō is employed once (1 Thess. 3:5). While the two verbs can be used interchangeably (cf. Gal. 4:8-9), the idea of “knowing God” is not merely acquiring information about him but “speaks of a very particular relationship” (H. N. Ridderbos, Galatians [NICNT] 161 n. 3). This necessarily involves an obedient response (cf. 1 John 2:3-5), i.e., “obeying the gospel” (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3, 5; 2:2, 4, 8, 9; 3:2).⁴

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ² J. E. Frame, Thessalonians 233; I. H. Marshall, Thessalonians 177-78; cf. also E. D. Edwards, Commentary on I and II Thessalonians 50.

     ³ F. F. Bruce, Thessalonians 151; A. J. Malherbe, Thessalonians 401; J. Weima, Thessalonians 472-73; cf. also E. D. Edwards, Commentary on I and II Thessalonians 50.

     ⁴ See also Matt. 7:21; John 3:21; 7:17; 8:12, 51; 14:15, 21-24; 15:10-14; Rom. 1:5; 5:19; 6:16-18; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 2 Cor. 7:15; 10:5, 6; Gal. 5:6; Philem. 21; Heb. 5:8-9; Jas. 2:14-26; cf. Rom. 10:16; Phil. 2:12.

Related Posts:

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What does it mean to “Obey the Gospel”? (Part 1)

     The phrase “obey the gospel” occurs only three times in the NT, all in reference to those who do not obey the gospel (Rom. 10:16; 2 Thess. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:17; cp. Heb. 4:2, 6). In the positive sense, comparable expressions include “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7) and “you have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted” (Rom. 6:17).¹ Moreover, the Bible has much to say about both the gospel and obedience. What, then, does the concept of obeying the gospel entail?

I. What it means to those who have not obeyed the gospel:

     The noun euaggélion, often translated “gospel,” essentially means “good news” or “glad tidings” (occurring 76 times in the Greek NT). The verbal euaggelízō (occurring 54 times) simply means to “proclaim good news” or “announce glad tidings.” The angel Gabriel ‘announced good news’ [euaggelízō] to Zacharias (Luke 1:19). When Jesus was born, an angel ‘brought glad tidings’ [euaggelízō] to a group of shepherds, a message of great joy to all (Luke 2:10). John the baptizer ‘preached good news’ [euaggelízō] to the people (Luke 3:18). When Jesus began his public ministry, he proclaimed the ‘good news’ [euaggélion] of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35).

     Mark opens his inspired record with these words: “[the] beginning of the gospel [euaggélion] of Jesus Christ, Son of God” (1:1). Mark’s rapid-fire historical account points to the earthly ministry of Jesus (briefly prefaced by OT prophecy and John’s preparatory mission) as the commencement of the gospel story (1:2-9). In contrast, the apostle John goes all the way back to the beginning of time (1:1-3) and then transitions into the testimony of John the baptizer as a prelude to Christ’s ministry. Luke takes us back to Adam (3:38) in connection with Jesus’ genealogy and incarnation, while Matthew starts with Abraham (1:1-2) as a focal point of Christ’s lineage and fulfilled prophecy. Collectively these four Gospels mark just the beginning of the gospel narrative, while the book of Acts continues the story for another three decades (see Acts 1:1).

     The gospel is a universal message to be shared with the entire world (Matt. 24:14; 26:13; Mark 16:15; cf. Acts 1:8). This necessarily involves both proclaimers and recipients. When the early Christians scattered from Jerusalem, they went everywhere ‘proclaiming good news’ [euaggelízō] of the word (Acts 8:1-4). The book of Acts provides a historical record of these early evangelizers and how their audiences received and responded to the divine message. While many rejected the gospel outright,² many others were receptive to it.³

The Desired Response

     Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy describe the coming judgment of Christ as follows: “in a fire of flame inflicting vengeance on those not knowing God and those not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 1:8). While the term “gospel” means “good news,” apparently an obedient response is required in order for it to actually be good news (cf. Rom. 10:16; Heb. 4:2, 6; 1 Pet. 4:17). There were a number in Thessalonica who “did not accept [déchomai] the love of the truth in order for them to be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10). Conversely, others “hearing [akoē] [the] word of God … accepted [déchomai] … [the] word of God, which also is working in you, the believing [ones]” (1 Thess. 2:13).⁴

     Two key terms describe their positive response: “hearing” [akoē] and “accepting” [déchomai].⁵ The latter conveys the idea of grasping and welcoming (cf. 1 Thess. 1:6; also Luke 8:13; Acts 8:14; 11:1; 17:11; Jas. 1:21), therefore “hearing” involves more than just receiving audible sounds (cf. Matt. 13:13-17; Jas. 1:22-25). It necessarily includes listening, understanding, accepting, and heeding.

     Elsewhere this is expressed as akoēs písteōs (“hearing of faith”) (Gal. 3:2, 5). Unfortunately, the significance of this phrase is all but lost in English translation. The sense is much clearer in light of the parallel idiom in Rom. 1:5 and 16:26, hupakoēn písteōs (“obedience of faith”). Both akoē and hupakoē [hupó -“by” + akoē -“hearing” = to give ear, hearken, obey] reflect the Hebrew sense of shema, a “responsive hearing” (cf. Ex. 24:7; Deut. 31:11-13; Rom. 10:16-17). The idiomatic expressions “hearing” and “hearing of faith” are clearly allusions to receptive and responsive hearing, viz., obedient faith (cf. Heb. 4:2, 6).⁶

Conclusion

     Sin separates the sinner from God (Isa. 59:1-2; 1 John 1:5-6), and all accountable humans (other than Christ) have sinned (Rom. 3:10, 23; 1 John 1:10). The gospel of Jesus Christ is “good news” because it reveals God’s plan of redemption for lost humanity. However, the gospel is only good news to those who obey (Rom. 6:16-18).⁷ This particularly involves receptive and responsive hearing (Acts 2:22, 37), believing and confessing Jesus (Acts 2:36-37; 8:12, 35-37), turning away from sin (Acts 2:38a; 3:19), immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38b, 41; 22:16), and continued faithfulness (Acts 2:42; 14:22).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ² Acts 4:1-3, 18; 5:13, 17-18, 28, 33, 40; 6:9; 7:51-59; 9:23, 29; 12:1-4; 13:6-10, 45-46, 50; 14:2, 4a, 5, 19; 17:5-9, 13, 32a; 18:6, 12; 19:9, 23; 20:3; 21:27-28; 22:22; 26:28; 28:24b.

     ³ Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 8:6-13, 36-39; 9:18, 35, 42; 10:33; 11:21-24; 12:24; 13:12, 42-44, 48-49; 14:1, 4b, 21; 15:3; 16:14-15, 30-34; 17:4, 11-12, 34; 18:8, 19-21, 24-28; 19:1-5, 18-20; 21:20; 28:24a.

     ⁴ The message they had received and continued to embrace, having been variously designated the “gospel” (1 Thess. 1:5; 2:4), “the word” (1:6), “the word of the Lord” (1:8; 4:15), and “the gospel of God” (2:2, 8, 9), is twice referenced here as “the word of God.”

     ⁵ The term paralambánō (to “take hold of” or “receive”) is another important description of how the gospel ought to be responded to (see 1 Cor. 15:1; Gal. 1:9; Phil. 4:9; Col. 2:6; 4:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 4:1; 2 Thess. 3:6; Heb. 12:28).

     ⁶ On the noun akoé (“hearing”), see Rom. 10:17; Gal. 3:2, 5; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 5:11. On the verb akoúō (“hear”), see Acts 2:11, 22, 37; 3:22-23; 4:4; 8:6; 10:22, 33, 44; 13:7, 44; 14:9; 15:7; 16:14; 18:8; 19:5, 10.

     ⁷ See also Matt. 7:21-27; 12:50; Luke 8:15; John 3:36[ASV]; 8:31-36; 14:15, 21, 23-24; 15:10, 14; Rom. 2:8; 10:16-17; Heb. 3:18; 4:6, 11; 5:8-9; Jas. 1:21-25; 2:17-26
11; 1 John 2:3-5.

Related Posts: What It Means to Obey the Gospel Part 2, NT "Believers", Hypothetical Faith

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Hebrews 11: Faith’s Hall of Shame

     The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is widely recognized as one of the Bible’s most informative discourses about faith. It recounts numerous examples of men and women through history whose lives exemplify the kind of faith the Lord expects us all to have. Nevertheless, not everyone mentioned in this chapter is a person of notable faith or worthy of emulation. A number of individuals are included who would necessarily be placed on the opposite end of the spectrum. Who are they and what can we learn from them?

A Faithless Worshiper

     The second person named in this biblical hall of faith is Cain (v. 4), and not in a favorable way. He is mentioned in contrast to his brother Abel, who “offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice” (ESV). Seeing that Abel’s offering was “by faith,” and faith is fostered by listening to and heeding God’s word (Rom. 10:17), the implication is that Cain either blatantly or carelessly disregarded the revealed will of God. An offering of mere convenience, innovation, or outright rebellion is unacceptable. We learn from Cain that worship must never be dictated by human preference and ingenuity. Acceptable worship is by faith, and true faith can only be established on what the Lord has communicated through his word.

A Faithless Majority

     The general populace of Noah’s day is alluded to in Hebrews 11:7, condemned because of their failure to exhibit the kind of faith and righteousness that characterized the lives of Noah and his family. Noah’s contemporaries, alienated from God due to their wickedness, were afforded ample opportunity to heed the preaching of Noah (2 Peter 2:5). Sadly, all but eight persistently rejected the invitation to get on board the divine plan until it was too late. We learn from these foolish souls that God’s longsuffering has its limits, and refusing or postponing submissive faith is disastrous.

A Faithless Temperament

     In verse 20 of Hebrews 11 Esau is named in conjunction with his father Isaac and twin brother Jacob. While neither Isaac nor Jacob were faultless, their priority of faith afforded them a special place in God’s redemptive scheme. Esau, on the other hand, was an “unholy” (ESV) or “profane” (NKJV) person because his spiritual apathy made immediate and temporal gratification his priority (Heb. 12:16; cf. Gen. 25:34). We learn from Esau that to live with little regard for heavenly things is to lead a disappointing and wasted life.

A Faithless Resolve

     Pharaoh and the worldly Egyptians are alluded to in Hebrews 11:23-29, opposing the divine will and oppressing the people of God. When the LORD made demands of Pharaoh that he didn’t like, Pharaoh reacted with stubbornness and pride. While God’s words and actions softened the hearts of Moses and the Israelites, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. One was stimulated to faith, while the other retorted with anger and rebellion. We learn from Pharaoh and his cohorts that you can’t fight against God with a realistic expectation of victory. Resisting the Lord always ends in defeat.

A Faithless Response

     In verse 31 of Hebrews 11 we read of the ancient inhabitants of Jericho. Rahab is portrayed as a heroine of faith, whereas her neighbors are described as “disobedient.” In contrast to Rahab’s receptivity and compliance, her fellow-citizens were resistant and defiant. By faith Rahab and her family were spared and added to God’s family, while all others in the city were destroyed. We learn from the Jericho residents that obedient faith is the necessary response to God, without which sure destruction awaits.

Conclusion

     There are many lessons to learn from Hebrews 11 about faith, including negative ones. Since we cannot please God without it (v. 6), let us be motivated by both the good and bad examples to be counted among the faithful, “of whom the world was not worthy” (v. 38).

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Parents of Faith, What Great Faith Looks Like 

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