In contrast to the realized eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians displays an exclusive interest in the parousia as a future event. The manner in which apocalyptic eschatology figures in the document is at the heart of the hotly debated issue of authorship. The context of 2 Thessalonians involves persecution (2 Thess 1: 4, 6–8; 2: 12). An extensive use of apocalyptic concepts includes the idea of God sending a deceiving force to bring the opponents into error (2 Thess 2: 11). The apocalyptic detail, coupled with an apparent narrow focus on future salvation and encouragement of believers to endure persecution, have figured prominently in the conviction of some scholars that Paul is not the author of 2 Thessalonians (e.g., Krentz 1991: 52–62).
Dates to 80 C.E. to 2nd century, Polycarp likely doesn’t quote it:
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