???That is a dilly. ‘Don’t know what Paul meant.’
This is what is wrong with this whole conversation. I did not say that. I say we "Don't know what Paul taught". That is completely different.
He was referring to the final leader of the revolt, John Gischala. The same as in Dan 8:13+. That’s why the abomination in Mt 24 etc is both a person and an event. The original Greek leaves it open to both.
II Thessalonians 2
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the [
a]coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your [
b]composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a [
c]message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for
it will not come unless the [d]apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4
who opposes and exalts himself above [e]every so-called god or object of worship,
so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
That is the blasphemies of the fourth beast in Daniel. The open boasts. And, stepping into the temple and declaring oneself to be God, opposing and exalting himself above every so-called god or object of worship, is the abomination. The end of sacrifice and all is because that recognizes God as God. They may be wrong in having sacrifices at all, but it is a reminder and image of the religion of Judaism, which is the worship of the One true God. (Judaism rightly practiced, such as when Josiah was king.)
5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
So Paul told these things to the church, but didn't expound upon it because he had already taught them.
6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
Sure they know. Paul taught them when he was with them. Because of this, he did not expound upon it. Of course, this can't have anything to do with the 70 weeks prophecy, because, according to you, this had ended already. But could it, since Paul is saying that the man of lawlessness is still being restrained, and started the chapter saying not to believe any letter from Paul saying that the day of the Lord has come. II Thessalonians was written almost 20 years after Christ. You think that if the 70 weeks had been fulfilled, he would stop talking as though they have not been fulfilled yet.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains
will do so until he is taken out of the way.
Again, the Thessalonians know who the one who restrains is, but Paul isn't telling us. You ASSUME based on your POV that it is someone, but look at the next verse...
8
Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and
bring to an end by the appearance of His [f]coming; 9
that is, the one whose [g]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan,
with all power and [h]signs and false wonders, 10 and with [
i]all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11
For this reason God [j]will send upon them [k]a deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [
m]judged who did not believe the truth, but [
n]took pleasure in wickedness.
The ANTICHRIST, whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with power, signs, and false wonders. So, what kind of true blue miracles did
Learn NT history. Need some authors? Even a commentary on Josephus Jewish war.
I already head that argument with someone else.
Stop thinking that everyone in the NT was thinking about the distant future. It is nonsense and there is no evidence. The belief that they would be with Christ right after the destruction is all through the NT.
I didn't say that humans were thinking about the distant future... God is. The evidence is that we are still here, and Jesus has not yet returned. Even Jesus said that His return would be visibly, and when He returned, He would gather ALL of His elect from the four winds. (Poetic way of saying North, South, East, and West, so basically everywhere.)
"29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from [
r]the sky, and the powers of [
s]the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31
And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His [t]elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."
He was consoling people who wondered what happens if friends or family die before reunion with Christ. A reasonable and direct and current question.
Actually, I think he was consoling those who might be frightened by the ferocity of the day of the Lord. I mean, didn't Jesus say that it would be so great that if the days weren't shortened, there would be no flesh left on Earth? That would frighten a lot of people. Fear isn't removed by becoming a Christian, as not all believers are SSR rank like Paul. Most are normal/common, some rare, even fewer are epic or legendary. Not everyone is at a place in their faith that they could, on their own, consider torture, persecution, and pain. If it comes, God will be their support, but on their own, thoughts cause worry and fear.
He did write about consolation about friend or family, but that isn't in this passage. That is in I Thessalonians, not second Thessalonians.