2 Thessalonians 3:18

3:16-18 The apostle prays for the Thessalonians. And let us desire the same blessings for ourselves and our friends. Peace with God. This peace is desired for them always, or in every thing. Peace by all means; in every way; that, as they enjoyed the means of grace, they might use all methods to secure peace. We need nothing more to make us safe and happy, nor can we desire any thing better for ourselves and our friends, than to have God's gracious presence with us and them. No matter where we are, if God be with us; nor who is absent, if God be present. It is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we hope to have peace with God, and to enjoy the presence of God. This grace is all in all to make us happy; though we wish ever so much to others, there remains enough for ourselves.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. This was the sign or token; See Gill on Romans 16:20 The subscription to this epistle is, "The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens"; though it seems rather to be written from Corinth. In the Syriac version it is said, "the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, which is written from Laodicea of Pisidia, and sent by the hands of Tychicus.''

18. He closes every Epistle by praying for GRACE to those whom he addresses. Amen—omitted in the oldest manuscripts It was doubtless the response of the congregation after hearing the Epistle read publicly; hence it crept into copies. The Subscription is spurious, as the Epistle was written not "from Athens," but from Corinth.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all; - See the notes, Romans 16:20 . From the subscription to this Epistle, it purports to have been "written from Athens." This is probably incorrect, as there is reason to think that it was written from Corinth. See the introduction. At all events, this subscription is of no authority. See the notes at the end of the Epistles to the Romans and 1 Corinthians.

(18) The grace. —This is his “salutation.” The Greek secular salutation, at greeting and parting alike, was chaire (literally, rejoice ); so St. Paul, alike at beginning and ending, uses a word of kindred origin, charis (“grace”). Observe the word “all” again, as in 2Thessalonians 3:16 . St. Chrysostom’s beautiful comment may well be given: “What he calls his ‘salutation’ is the prayer, snowing that the whole business they were then about was spiritual; and even when he must give a salutation, there must go some benefit along with it, and it must be a prayer, not a mere symbol of friendship. ’Twas with this he would begin, and with this he would end, fencing round that which he said with mighty walls on either side; and safe were the foundations he laid, and safe the conclusion that he laid thereon. ‘Grace to you,’ he cries, ‘and peace’; and once more, [‘Peace always’ and] ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.—Amen. ’”

18 . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all ] This sealing Benediction is identical with that of 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (see note), and is repeated in Romans 16:20 , and Revelation 22:21 . Only the Apostle adds here, as in 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (see note), the “all” which is fitting where some had been objects of censure. The Amen of the Received Text is absent in the oldest copies; comp. 1 Thessalonians 5:28 . On the subscription, see note in 1 Epistle, and Introd. p. 27.

2THESSALONIANS 3: 17 The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write. Verse 17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand - It is very likely that Paul employed an amanuensis generally, either to write what he dictated, or to make a fair copy of what he wrote. In either case the apostle always subscribed it, and wrote the salutation and benediction with his own hand; and this was what authenticated all his epistles. A measure of this kind would be very necessary if forged epistles were carried about in those times. See the note on 1 Corinthians 16:21, and see Colossians 4:18 (note). 2THESSALONIANS 3: 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Verse 18 The grace - The favor, blessing, and influence of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all - be your constant companion. May you ever feel his presence, and enjoy his benediction! Amen - So let be! God grant it! This word in this place, has more evidence in favor of its genuineness than it has in most other places; and was probably added here by the apostle himself, or by the Church of the Thessalonians. The subscriptions to this epistle are various in the MSS. and Versions. The latter are as follows: -2 THESSALONIANS The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens. - Common Greek text. The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, which was written at Laodicea in Pisidia, was sent by the hands of Tychicus. - Syriac.

2 Thessalonians 3:17 . Τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ , with my own hand ) Therefore the greater part of the epistle had been written by another hand.— σημεῖον , token ) We have reason to believe that Paul [ with a view to guard against fraud of every kind , ch. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 .—V. g.] distinguished, by a peculiar and inimitable painting (tracing) and formation of the letters, the words of the salutation, grace , etc., 2 Thessalonians 3:18 .— ἐν πάσῃ ἐπ στολῇ , in every epistle ) He had at that time, therefore, already written more.— οὕτω , so ) not otherwise. He hereby meets any doubt.[31] [31] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 4 : Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (J. Bryce, Trans.) (213–237). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

2 Thessalonians 3:17-18 . Conclusion. Paul now takes the pen from his amanuensis, to add the salutation in his own handwriting for the purpose of authenticating the epistle (otherwise in 1 Corinthians 16:21 ). This, he observes, is the sign-manual of his letters ( cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ), i.e. , the fact of a personal written greeting at the close, not any form of words (like 2 Thessalonians 3:18 ), or the use of the word “grace,” or “certum quendam nexum literarium” (Grotius). The precaution is natural, in view of his suspicion about unauthorised communications. Compare “the σεσημείωμαι (generally contracted into σεση ) with which so many of the Egyptian papyrus-letters and ostraca close” (Milligan, p. 130), or the postscript in one’s own handwriting ( ξύμβολον ) which guaranteed an ancient letter (Deissmann: Licht vom Osten , 105). μετά ( cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 ), the divine presence is realised through the experience of Christ’s grace.