Table Of ContentThe book refers to universal eschatology contain in the Letters to the ie
Thessalonians (1 Thess 4, 13-5, 11; 2 Thess 2, 1-12). The whole material ucickenc
is divided in two groups (eschatological motifs and apocalyptic motifs). Kd
z n
Each of the motifs is analysed in the Biblical context and in the Intertes- uspo
n
tamental Literature context (the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the as
Je
r
Qumran Literature). The exegetical analysis and the comparative analysis r
o
show similarity and diversity of the way Paul used the motifs. They also C
show which motifs were created or extensively modified by Paul in order n
a
to contribute to the creation of Christian eschatology. After presentation ni
o
of the importance of eschatological topics in the 1-2 Thess (chapter I), the l
a
analyses of prodroms (chapter II) and events connected with the parousia s
s
e
(chapter III) indicate the way of using each of the motifs in different tradi- h
T
tions. Based on results of the analyses, the Jewish background and Paul`s
e
original contribution to the New Testament eschatology are presented in h
t
chapter IV. f
o Janusz Kucicki
y
g
o
l
o
t
a Eschatology of the
h
c
s
E Thessalonian Correspondence
A comparative study of 1 Thess 4, 13-5, 11
and 2 Thess 2, 1-12 to the Dead Sea Scrolls and
the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
Janusz Kucicki was born in 1967 in Plonsk (Poland). In 1988, he joined
the Divine Word Society. In 2008, he obtained a PhD degree at John Paul II
Catholic University of Lublin. Since 2009 he has been working as associate
D A S A L T E T E S T A M E N T I M D I A L O G
professor at Nanzan University in Nagoya (Japan).
a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
Vol. 7
g
n
ISBN 978-3-0343-1474-9 a
L
r
e
et Peter Lang
P
www.peterlang.com Peter Lang
The book refers to universal eschatology contain in the Letters to the ie
Thessalonians (1 Thess 4, 13-5, 11; 2 Thess 2, 1-12). The whole material ucickenc
is divided in two groups (eschatological motifs and apocalyptic motifs). Kd
z n
Each of the motifs is analysed in the Biblical context and in the Intertes- uspo
n
tamental Literature context (the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the as
Je
r
Qumran Literature). The exegetical analysis and the comparative analysis r
o
show similarity and diversity of the way Paul used the motifs. They also C
show which motifs were created or extensively modified by Paul in order n
a
to contribute to the creation of Christian eschatology. After presentation ni
o
of the importance of eschatological topics in the 1-2 Thess (chapter I), the l
a
analyses of prodroms (chapter II) and events connected with the parousia s
s
e
(chapter III) indicate the way of using each of the motifs in different tradi- h
T
tions. Based on results of the analyses, the Jewish background and Paul`s
e
original contribution to the New Testament eschatology are presented in h
t
chapter IV. f
o Janusz Kucicki
y
g
o
l
o
t
a Eschatology of the
h
c
s
E Thessalonian Correspondence
A comparative study of 1 Thess 4, 13-5, 11
and 2 Thess 2, 1-12 to the Dead Sea Scrolls and
the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
Janusz Kucicki was born in 1967 in Plonsk (Poland). In 1988, he joined
the Divine Word Society. In 2008, he obtained a PhD degree at John Paul II
Catholic University of Lublin. Since 2009 he has been working as associate
D A S A L T E T E S T A M E N T I M D I A L O G
professor at Nanzan University in Nagoya (Japan).
a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
Vol. 7
g
n
a
L
r
e
et Peter Lang
P
Peter Lang
Eschatology of the
Thessalonian Correspondence
D A S A L T E T E S TA M E N T I M D I A L O G
a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
Band / Vol. 7
Eschatology of the
Herausgegeben von / edited by
Michael Fieger & Sigrid Hodel-Hoenes Thessalonian
Correspondence
PETER LANG
Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Oxford • Wien
D A S A L T E T E S TA M E N T I M D I A L O G Janusz Kucicki
a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
Eschatology of the
Thessalonian
Correspondence
A comparative study of 1 Thess 4, 13-5,
11 and 2 Thess 2, 1-12 to the Dead Sea Scrolls
and the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
PETER LANG
Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Oxford • Wien
Bibliographic information published by die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet
at ‹http://dnb.d-nb.de›.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book
is available from The British Library, Great Britain
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kucicki, Janusz, 1967-
Eschatology of the Thessalonian correspondence : a comparative study of 1 Thess 4,
13-5, 11 and 2 Thess 2, 1-12 to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Old Testament
pseudepigrapha / Janusz Kucicki. – 1 [edition].
pages cm – (Das Alte Testament im Dialog = An outline of an Old Testament dialogue,
ISSN 1662-1689 ; v. 7)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-0343-1474-9
1. Bible. Thessalonians–Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Eschatology–Biblical
teaching. 3. Dead Sea scrolls. 4. Apocryphal books (Old Testament)–Criticism,
interpretation, etc. I. Title.
BS2725.6.E7K83 2014
227‘.8106–dc23
2014002311
This book was published with the assistance of
NANZAN UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC PUBLICATION SERIES.
Umschlagabbildung: Pavol Filadelfi
Umschlaggestaltung: Thomas Jaberg, Peter Lang AG
ISSN 1662-1689 pb. ISSN 2235-5707 eBook
ISBN 978-3-0343-1474-9 pb. ISBN 978-3-0351-0693-0 eBook
© Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2014
Hochfeldstrasse 32, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
[email protected], www.peterlang.com
All rights reserved.
All parts of this publication are protected by copyright.
Any utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without the
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This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming,
and storage and processing in electronic retrieval systems.
Printed in Switzerland
Contents
Preface ........................................................................................................ 9
Abbreviations .......................................................................................... 11
Introduction ............................................................................................. 19
Chapter I: Preliminary Issues ................................................................ 33
1. The History of Discussions Concerning the
Authenticity of the Letters to the Thessalonians .................... 33
1.1. Denying the Authenticity of Both Letters ....................... 34
1.2. The Authors Accepting Authenticity of
1 Thess but Denying the Authenticity of 2 Thess ......... 36
1.2.1. The Eschatology of 2 Thess 2, 1–12
Contradicts that Found in 1 Thess 4, 13–5, 11 .... 36
1.2.2. Literary Relations between 2 Thess
and 1 Thess .............................................................. 40
1.2.3. A Problem of 2 Thess 3, 17 – “I, Paul
write this greetings in my own hand” ................... 41
1.2.4. The Difference in Tone between
1 Thess and 2 Thess ................................................ 42
1.2.5. The Need for a Holistic Argument
against the Authenticity of 2 Thess ....................... 44
2. Conclusion .................................................................................... 48
Chapter II: Events Preceding the Parousia ......................................... 51
1. Motifs of Vigilance and Deception .......................................... 51
1.1. The Motif of Vigilance ....................................................... 52
1.1.1. Christians ................................................................... 52
1.1.2. Non-Christians ......................................................... 82
1.2. Motif of Deception ............................................................ 97
1.2.1. Deceiving of Christians ........................................... 98
1.2.2. Deceiving of non-Christians ................................. 111
2. The Man of Lawlessness and the Restrainer .......................... 117
2.1. The Man of Lawlessness ................................................... 117
2.1.1. The Man of Lawlessness and His Nature .......... 118
2.1.2. Works of the Man of Lawlessness ...................... 121
2.1.3. Revelation of the Man of Lawlessness ............... 128
2.1.4. The Son of Destruction ........................................ 129
2.2. The Restrainer ..................................................................... 138
2.2.1. Analysis of Important Terms ............................... 139
2.2.2. The Figure of the Restrainer ............................... 141
2.2.3. Identification of the Restrainer ............................ 143
3. Conclusion .................................................................................... 161
Chapter III: Events Connected with the Parousia ........................... 167
1. Motif of Surprise ........................................................................ 167
1.1. Christians .............................................................................. 168
1.1.1. “Times and dates” ................................................. 168
1.1.2. “You know very well” ........................................... 170
1.1.3. “Like a thief in the night” ..................................... 171
1.2. Non-Christian ...................................................................... 178
1.2.1. “Peace and security” ............................................... 178
1.2.2. “Destruction will come on them suddenly” ....... 180
1.2.3. “As labor pains in a pregnant woman” ................ 182
2. Description of Events Associated to
Coming of the Lord ................................................................... 185
2.1. An Order .............................................................................. 185
2.2. The Voice of an Archangel ............................................... 191
2.3. The Sound of the Trumpet of God ................................ 204
2.4. Descent from Heaven ....................................................... 211
2.5. Rising from the Dead ........................................................ 214
2.6. “Be taken up in the clouds” ............................................. 223
2.7. “To meet Lord in the air” .................................................. 229
3. Equality of Living and the Dead on the
Day of Parousia .......................................................................... 235
3.1. The Coming of the Lord ................................................... 235
3.2. Those Who Fall Asleep ..................................................... 245
6
3.3. Those Who Remain Alive .................................................. 250
3.4. “Together with them” ........................................................ 254
4. Conclusion .................................................................................... 265
Chapter IV: Paul’s Eschatological Concept in the
Thessalonians Corespondence ............................................................ 271
1. Eschatological and Apocalyptic Motives in the
Letters to the Thessalonians and in the
Intertestamental Literature ........................................................ 272
1.1. Similarities ........................................................................... 276
1.1.1. Similarities of Motifs .............................................. 277
1.1.2. Similarity or Dependence? ................................... 279
1.2. Differences .......................................................................... 281
1.2.1. Paul’s Changes to Eschatological
Motifs Occurring in the Intertestamental
Literature. ................................................................. 282
1.2.2. Original Pauline Eschatological Motifs ............... 304
1.3. Paul’s Use of Eschatological Motifs ................................. 308
2. The Problem of the Unity of Eschatology in
the Letters to the Thessalonians .............................................. 311
2.1. Eschatology or Eschatological Motifs in 1–2 Thess .... 312
2.1.1. Dualism .................................................................... 312
2.1.2. The Time and Seasons ........................................... 314
2.1.3. Parousia / the Day of the Lord ............................ 315
2.1.4. The Resurrection .................................................... 316
2.1.5. The Judgment .......................................................... 317
2.1.6. Salvation ................................................................... 318
2.1.7. Conclusion ............................................................... 319
2.2. A Different Way of Using Eschatological Motifs in
1 Thess and 2 Thess .......................................................... 321
2.3. An Assessment of the Validity of Claims
about Differences in the Eschatology of
1 Thess and 2 Thess .......................................................... 325
7
Summary ................................................................................................. 329
Bibliography .............................................................................................333
Indexes ......................................................................................................365
Index of Biblical Passages ............................................................... 365
Index of Dead Sea Scrolls Passages ................................................382
Index of the Old Testament Psuedepigrapha Passages ................385
Index of Topics ................................................................................ 391
Index of Authors .............................................................................. 394
8
