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.

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Getting to Know Jesus Better

     About three years ago I posted an article entitled, “Getting to Know Jesus,” wherein the observation is made: “Knowing Jesus involves more than a mere subjective, emotional experience. One will never truly know him without spending a significant amount of time in the scriptures that testify of him (John 5:39) and then living one’s life accordingly [1 John 2:3-6]” <Link>. Today’s post is an introductory piece marking the beginning of a long-overdue follow-up series. Over the next few weeks, Lord willing, studies will be posted exploring biblical information about Jesus aimed at getting to know him better (Phil. 3:8-10a).

     The first article will address Christ’s deity. Was he merely a man who was later afforded divine status by his followers, or was he more than just a man? Is he fully divine, or perhaps some sort of demigod? Has he always existed and will forever exist as God?

     The next study will examine Jesus as the Son of God. If he is, by nature, truly divine, how did he come to be known as the Son of God, and what is the significance of this role and title? As the Son of God is he subordinate to God, equal with God, neither, or both? And when did this Father-Son relationship begin, or has it always been?

     Next we will consider Jesus as the son of man. While this is one of the most fundamental doctrines of the Bible, historically it has been overshadowed by weighty emphasis on his deity and divine Sonship to the point of virtual disregard. However, it is just as much a departure from biblical truth to underappreciate Christ’s humanity as it is to underappreciate his divinity (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7).

     Finally, we will consider the extent of Christ’s sacrifice in becoming a flesh-and-blood human being. With respect to his role as Son in relation to the Father, has he always been and forever will be subservient to the Father (Eternal Sonship), or did the Father-Son relationship begin when Jesus took on human flesh (Incarnational Sonship)? If the latter is true, did Jesus return to full equality with God at his ascension (Epochal Sonship), or will this occur only after the final judgment (Extended Epochal Sonship), or will Jesus the Son forever remain subservient to the Father (Everlasting Sonship)?

     I invite you to examine and critically evaluate these studies with an open mind and an open Bible, uninhibited by inflexible presuppositions, as we engage in this worthwhile albeit challenging investigation. I’m not expecting everyone to agree with every conclusion, at least not initially, and I welcome any constructive feedback. I readily acknowledge that after many years of searching the scriptures, I’m still learning! My purpose here is to challenge us to develop, maintain, and/or increase our desire to know Jesus better and to move closer to that goal.

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Deity of Christ, Son of God, Son of Man, Everlasting Subservience

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Getting to Know Jesus

     It was the fourth year of an unjust incarceration. The dangerous journey from Palestine to Italy, with multiple near-death incidents along the way, was the only interruption of Paul's prolonged detention. Undoubtedly the torturous experience had afforded him ample opportunity and motivation to pray, to think, and to reflect on what was truly important in his turbulent life (Acts 25:1–28:16). It was in this context, with a surprisingly thankful and joyous tenor, that the letter to his dear friends in Philippi was penned.

     Worldly status, achievement and success were no longer of value to the aged apostle, as he regarded these and all other secular pursuits as “loss” and “rubbish” for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:4-8a NKJV). At this stage in his mortal sojourn, what really mattered to him was what he refers to as “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (v. 8b), which he further expresses as his desire to “know” Jesus (v. 10). This was the admirable goal of a man, probably in his mid-60s, who had attained such spiritual maturity and stature.

     A couple of years later the apostle was back in Rome, and this time his situation was even more serious. Instead of house arrest, he was most likely locked up in the inner prison. Rather than anticipating potential release, he was now faced with imminent death. In this setting the soon-to-be martyr composes what was probably his final apostolic manuscript, addressed to one of his closest human companions, wherein he confidently affirms: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Notice that Paul’s stated conviction is not with reference to what he knows, although there is no question he was intimately familiar with the inspired message he had dedicated and risked his life to propagate. But here the apostle categorically avows, “I know whom I have believed.” After three decades of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, it seems that Paul had finally achieved his goal of getting to know Jesus Christ himself.

     It ought to be the determined objective of every child of God to genuinely know Jesus. Obviously this will not happen overnight, and the journey cannot begin without first learning about him. When my wife and I were in the early stages of our courtship, we spent a lot of time learning about each other in our mutual quest to eventually know each other. Knowing Jesus involves more than a mere subjective, emotional experience. One will never truly know him without spending a significant amount of time in the scriptures that testify of him (John 5:39) and then living one’s life accordingly.
     “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

     We must never be completely satisfied with the current state of our spiritual relationship with the great Redeemer. May we all have as our primary purpose in life to truly know him as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

--Kevin L. Moore

Related posts: The Doctrine of Christ, Preach Jesus, Getting to Know Jesus Better

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