Verse of the Day (June 24, 2020)

Verse of the Day (June 24, 2020) #BMSeminary – {But the Lord is faithful} Here the term “faith” is used in its OT sense of faithfulness. Jesus is exactly opposite of the evil men of 2Th 3:2 (cf. 1Th 5:24). {strengthen} In the Septuagint (LXX) this term was used of establishing something like a city. It came to be used metaphorically of establishing or confirming a person (cf. Rom 16:25; 1Th 3:2; 2Th 2:17; 2Th 3:3). The faithful Lord will establish and guard His own from evil, evil men, and the evil one. {protect} This is one of many military terms in this chapter (cf. 1Pe 1:3-12; 1Jn 5:18). {from the evil one} This inflected Greek form can be neuter or masculine. The Eastern Church Fathers and Tertullian interpret it as masculine , while the Western Church Fathers interpret it as neuter (cf. Rom 12:9). The NT seems to support the masculine (cf. Mat 5:37; Mat 6:13; Mat 13:19; Mat 13:38; Joh 17:15; Eph 6:16; 1Jn 2:13-14; 1Jn 3:12; 1Jn 5:18-19). This context has two possible orientations: (1) the false teachers of Paul’s day (antichrists, cf. 1Jn 2:18) or (2) the eschatological evil of the Anti-Christ (cf. Revelation 13). Evil is always present, but so too, the faithful Lord! He will rescue and preserve His followers from evil men and He will strengthen and protect them from the evil one. [You Can Understand the Bible by Dr. Bob Utley]