Theme - The conditions which prompted the writing of the First Epistle had been augmented by a confused and perplexing doctrine on the "day of the Lord." This confusion came about as a result of an identification of "the day of the Lord" with the Second Coming of Christ; whereas, the New Testament distinguishes two phases of Christ's Second Coming: his coming to raise the dead in Christ and to change living believers so that both could be gathered up with him; and his coming to judge the ungodly and destroy the man of lawlessness. The correct reading of 2 Thessalonians 2:2 is "the day of the Lord," not the "day of Christ," in which Paul explains that certain things must take place before the "day of the Lord" can come (2:3-12).

Purpose - The purpose of this Second Epistle may be set out under five simple statements: (1) To comfort the Thessalonians in their persecutions (1:4-10) (2) To point out the truth that even though the coming of Christ to gather his church unto himself is imminent, the "day of the Lord" will not come until the apostasy has set in and the man of lawlessness has been revealed (2:1-10); (3) To exhort the Thessalonians to steadfastness and strict adherence to the truths he had taught them, both in person and by letter (2:13-3:5); (4) To admonish the disorderly and idle to a confident way of life (3:6-15); and (5) To give them a token by which they might distinguish his Epistles from those of forgers (3:17).

Outline - This fivefold purpose may be set out in two main sections: I. Consolation and Doctrine (1-2) II. Exhortations and Apostolic Commands (3)