2 Thessalonians 2:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Now, from the present reading, inscribe the truths of faith in your memory. In due time, draw proof for each of them from divine Scripture. For the truths of faith were not composed as men might wish. Rather, the most fitting passages, gathered from the whole of Holy Scripture, make up the doctrine of faith. As a mustard seed sends forth many branches from a small grain, so these truths of faith contain, in few words, the whole knowledge of piety found in the Old Testament and the New. Therefore, brethren, take heed. Hold the traditions (2 Thess 2:15) which you now receive, and write them upon your hearts.

Here tradition means not only oral tradition, but also written tradition. In view of these words, the Stundists cannot refuse to keep traditions in general. Otherwise they would also have to reject the apostolic writings or epistles, since it is said, “which you were taught,” “by our epistle.” But can they reject oral tradition, that which was communicated by the Apostles to the Church of Christ not through writings, but verbally? They cannot do this either, because when the Apostle commands them to hold the traditions, he places first those which the Thessalonians learned by apostolic word. The Orthodox Church precisely keeps both traditions, oral and written. But the Stundists, by rejecting the first, resist the Apostle’s commandment.

It follows clearly from the apostolic words that the Apostles did not hand everything down to the faithful through epistles. They also communicated much without writing. In particular, they personally established many things concerning the rites and ceremonies of the Church in the churches they founded, although they did not record them in their epistles. Must all this be trampled down and forgotten?

Against the Lutheran fear of accepting something non-apostolic by departing from Scripture, one of our interpreters of the word of God, Bishop Theophan, well observes: “Gold miners gather not only what is plainly gold, but often earth and sand, and in greater quantity, for fear of missing some grain of gold, even if it is not visible. Those who reject tradition ought to have acted in the same way. Much, of course, was introduced after the Apostles, but on the basis of apostolic tradition and in the same spirit. In this common mass, what is directly apostolic is also hidden. Is the apostolic precious? It is precious to everyone. Therefore, one ought to preserve everything preserved by the Church, out of serious fear that, while fearing to accept what is not apostolic, one might lose what is apostolic. To trample upon the apostolic is already a destructive matter. But to receive with respect what is not immediately apostolic, yet agrees in everything with the apostolic and is permeated by its spirit, can cause no harm. The only legitimate fear is lest one accept something contrary to the apostolic. But the Church herself watches over this, having as a constant law to reject every tradition which, appearing under the name of apostolic, is contrary to apostolic teaching.”

Theophylact writes: "Lest, on hearing of faith, they become exalted as though they themselves had contributed something, he makes clear that even this is from God. 'To which He called you.' To what?

"To being saved through sanctification and faith. Thus, although you believed, this is the grace of Him who called. For if He had not called you through our Gospel, how would you have heard?"

"To the obtaining of glory." The beginning of the saving path is calling. The middle is the working out of salvation through the action of sanctifying grace and faith. The end is the obtaining of eternal glory.

In the first epistle he said that God appointed us to obtain salvation (1 Thess 5:9). Here he says that He called us to obtain glory. When we obtain glory, it will be fully revealed that we are saved and what the power of salvation is.

Glory is inseparable from salvation. But here this glory is hidden within, like treasure in earthen vessels. There it will shine outwardly as well.

Therefore elsewhere the Apostle says of himself that he undertakes all labors and sorrows for the Gospel with this good desire: that those who have believed may obtain salvation in the Lord with eternal glory (2 Tim 2:10).

The obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is the obtaining of that glory by which He Himself is glorious, seated at the right hand of God the Father. He Himself assures us of this: "Where I am, there shall My servant be also" (Jn 12:26).

In His final prayer He also prayed to the Father about this: "that they may see My glory which You have given Me" (Jn 17:24).

It should be noted that in our Slavonic translation the words "to the obtaining of glory," and in Russian "for the attainment of glory," contain precisely the thought that those being saved are called to share in the Lord's glory.

But the Greek word peripoiesis means not receiving, but supplying. It means not so much supplying oneself as supplying another, not so much receiving as providing. Therefore all our ancient interpreters, following Saint Chrysostom, understand this passage differently.

They take it to mean, not that believers will receive glory, but that through believers the Lord will be glorified. In other words, believers are called by the Gospel into the glory of the Lord, for the glorification of the Lord.

The oldest Syriac translation agrees with this. Its thought is: "That you may be an adornment to the Lord, that is, that through you the Lord may be glorified."

Here are the words of the holy Fathers. Saint Chrysostom writes: "Nor can it be considered a small thing if Christ recognizes our salvation as His glory. For the glory of the Lover of mankind consists in there being as many saved as possible.

"Great, therefore, is our Lord, if He desires our salvation to such a degree. Great also is the Holy Spirit, who accomplishes our sanctification."

Oecumenius says: "It is glory to Christ that many are to be saved by faith in Him, as he said above, 'He will be glorified in His saints' (2 Thess 1:10). See how highly man is placed, when Christ reckons our salvation as His own glory."

Theophylact speaks in Saint Chrysostom's words and adds: "Who would not love such a Master? And who would not be zealous for His glory, that is, for his own salvation?"

Theodoret only hints at the future glorification of believers, then immediately invites us to glorify the Lord: "This will be at the proper time, that is, the obtaining of glory.

"But let us glorify the Giver of blessings, because He has counted us worthy of salvation and imparted to us the Holy Spirit, so that all glorify Him because of us."

Those who accept this ancient understanding should keep this thought in mind. In that case, one must understand here not only that the Lord is glorified by the salvation of believers.

One must also understand that believers should regard it as their duty to glorify the Lord, and to do everything so that His name may be glorified in them and not blasphemed.

So the Apostle commands elsewhere: "You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your souls, which are God's" (1 Cor 6:20).

This last reminder is very fitting for us, who are called to salvation not by a special act of preaching, but by birth itself. We often forget how great a mercy of God is shown to us by this.

Not only do we fail to glorify the Lord, but we do not even honor our faith as we should.