Lesson 129: 2 Thessalonians
Introduction
Shortly
after writing his first epistle to the Thessalonian Saints, Paul wrote them a second
epistle, in which he clarified truths about the Second Coming. He taught that
the Savior would not come again until after an apostasy had occurred. Paul then
preached against idleness and counseled the Saints to “be not weary in well
doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
I.
2 Thessalonians 1–2 Paul encourages the Saints by prophesying of Jesus
Christ’s Second Coming
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following declaration by Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“I say to all and especially the
youth of the Church that if you haven’t already, you will one day find yourself
called upon to defend your faith or perhaps even endure some personal abuse
simply because you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints”
(“The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship,” Ensign
or Liahona, May 2014, 6).
---Ask
students to raise their hands if they have ever had to defend their faith or
endure opposition because of their membership in the Church. Invite a few
students to share their experiences.
---Explain
that Paul wrote a second letter to the Thessalonian Saints and addressed
several topics, including opposition that the Saints were facing. Invite
students to look for a principle as they study 2 Thessalonians 1 that can help them
endure opposition and tribulations they may face as Church members.
---Invite
a student to read 2 Thessalonians 1:3–5 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for why Paul praised the Thessalonian Saints.
- Why did Paul praise the Thessalonian Saints?
- According to verse 5, what reward would the Saints receive for enduring opposition and tribulation with “patience and faith”?
- What principle can we learn from these verses concerning how we will be blessed if we endure opposition and tribulation with patience and faith? (Students may use different words but should identify a principle similar to the following: If we faithfully endure opposition and tribulation with patience and faith, we may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God.)
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F.
Uchtdorf of the First Presidency. Ask the class to listen for what it means to
patiently endure:
“Patience is not passive
resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means
active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that
we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude,
even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply
enduring; it is enduring well!” (“Continue in Patience,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2010, 57).
- According to President Uchtdorf, what does it mean to patiently endure?
- Why do we need faith in order to patiently endure opposition or tribulation?
---Invite
students to consider someone they know or have read about in the scriptures who
faithfully and patiently endured opposition and tribulation.
- Whom did you think of, and how did he or she demonstrate faithfully and patiently enduring opposition and tribulation?
---Invite
students to reflect on the opposition or tribulations they might currently be
experiencing and to determine how they can endure these challenges with
patience and faith. Encourage them to pray for help.
---Explain
that as recorded in 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10, Paul prophesied of
Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Divide students into groups of two or three.
Invite each group to read 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10 together and to
discuss the following questions. (You may want to write these questions on the
board or provide them as a handout.) Ask students to record their answers in
their class notebooks or scripture study journals.
- What words and phrases did Paul use to describe the Second Coming?
- What will happen to the righteous when the Second Coming occurs?
- What will happen to the wicked when the Second Coming occurs?
---After
sufficient time, invite a few students to report their group’s findings to the
class. Write the following truth on the board: At the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ, the righteous will rest and the wicked will be destroyed.
- What do you think the righteous will rest from?
- How can this doctrine comfort those who are currently enduring hardships because of their commitment to Jesus Christ?
---Ask
students to raise their hands if they have ever wondered when the Second Coming
of Jesus Christ will occur. Explain that the Thessalonian Saints wondered about
this too and that Paul was concerned that they might have been misled.
---Invite
a student to read 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul thought the Thessalonian Saints might
have concluded about the timing of the Second Coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:1–3 is a scripture mastery
passage. Studying scripture mastery passages will help students increase their
understanding of basic doctrines and be prepared to teach them to others. You
may want to suggest that students mark scripture mastery passages in a
distinctive way so they will be able to locate them easily. Refer to the
teaching idea at the end of the lesson to help students with their mastery of
this passage.- What did Paul not want the Thessalonians to believe about the timing of the Second Coming? (That it would be soon.)
---Ask
students to read 2 Thessalonians 2:3 silently, looking for
what Paul said would happen before the Second Coming. Explain that the phrase
“that day” refers to the Second Coming, and “falling away” refers to apostasy.
- What truth can we learn from these verses about what would happen before the Second Coming? (Students may use different words but should identify a truth similar to the following: Before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, an apostasy would occur.)
---Point
out that in these verses, Paul suggested that members of the Church in his day
should be more concerned about the apostasy that had already begun among them
than about the timing of the Lord’s Second Coming.
---To
help students further understand what the Apostasy was, ask a student to read
aloud the following explanation:
“After the death of Jesus Christ,
wicked people persecuted the Apostles and Church members and killed many of
them. With the death of the Apostles, priesthood keys and the presiding
priesthood authority were taken from the earth. The Apostles had kept the
doctrines of the gospel pure and maintained the order and standard of
worthiness for Church members. Without the Apostles, over time the doctrines
were corrupted, and unauthorized changes were made in Church organization and
priesthood ordinances, such as baptism
and conferring the gift of the Holy
Ghost”
(Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service [2004], 35).
- Based on this understanding of the Apostasy, why was a restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church necessary?
---Explain
that the “man of sin” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 refers to Satan. The
Restoration of the gospel, including the coming forth of the Book
of Mormon, “revealed” (verse 3) the deceptions of Satan and his
followers.
---Summarize
2 Thessalonians 2:4–17 by explaining that
Paul prophesied that the Lord would permit Satan to deceive the earth’s
inhabitants until the Second Coming. Paul encouraged the Saints to “stand fast”
in what he had taught them (verse 15).
II.
2 Thessalonians 3 Paul warns of those who are undisciplined and preaches
self-reliance
-----Explain
that at the time Paul wrote his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, Church
members regularly held a feast in conjunction with partaking of the sacrament.
However, some members in Thessalonica would attend the feast to eat but refused
to help provide or prepare the food for the meal.
- What problems might have resulted from this situation?
---Summarize
2 Thessalonians 3:1–9 by explaining that
Paul commended the Saints who were faithful and warned them about associating
with those who were “disorderly,” or undisciplined (verse 6). Paul also wrote that he and his
companions had set an example of temporal self-reliance by working to support
themselves.
---Invite
a student to read 2 Thessalonians 3:10–13 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul instructed the Saints to do regarding
those who refused to work.
- According to verse 12, what instruction did Paul give those who refused to work? (To “work, and eat their own bread,” or be self-reliant by providing for their own needs.)
- According to verse 13, what additional instruction did Paul give the faithful Saints?
- What does it mean to “be not weary in well doing”?
- What truth can we learn from these verses? (Students may use different words but should identify a truth similar to the following: We are commanded to strive to be self-reliant and to help others.)
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement from For the Strength of Youth.
Ask the class to listen for how we can strive to be self-reliant.
“One of the blessings of work is
developing self-reliance. When you are self-reliant, you use the blessings and
abilities God has given you to care for yourself and your family
and to find solutions for your own problems. Self-reliance does not mean that
you must be able to do all things on your own. To be truly self-reliant, you
must learn how to work with others and turn to the Lord for His help and
strength.
“Remember that God has a great work
for you to do. He will bless you in your efforts to accomplish that work” (For the Strength of Youth
[booklet, 2011], 41).
- How can we strive to be self-reliant?
- What are some blessings of self-reliance?
---Testify
that as we strive to be self-reliant, the Lord will help us meet our needs and
help us find solutions to our problems.
---Ask
students to consider what they can do to become more self-reliant now and in
the future. Invite them to set a goal that will help them become more
self-reliant, and encourage them to seek the Lord’s help in achieving it.
---Summarize
2 Thessalonians 3:14–18 by explaining that
Paul concluded his epistle by counseling the Saints to discourage idleness and
withdraw from idle and disruptive people. However, the Saints were to not treat
them as enemies but reprove them as brothers and sisters in the gospel.
---Conclude
by testifying of the truths taught in this lesson.
Scripture Mastery—2 Thessalonians 2:1–3
Invite
each student to use scripture study helps (such as footnotes, the Guide
to the Scriptures, or the Topical
Guide) to find a scripture other than 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3 that teaches about the
Apostasy. After sufficient time, ask a few students to share the scriptures
they found and to explain what these scriptures teach about the Apostasy. You
may want to list on the board the references they find. Invite students to
choose one scripture as a cross-reference to 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3. You may want to
suggest that they write this reference in the margin of their scriptures next
to 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3. Explain that this
mastery passage is most often used to teach about the Apostasy and the need for
the Restoration. Invite students to use 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3 and one of the
scripture references listed on the board to teach a partner about the Apostasy.
Commentary and Background Information
2 Thessalonians
2:3. The Apostasy
“‘Falling
away’ is a translation of the Greek word apostasia, a word that is closer in meaning
to ‘rebellion’ or ‘mutiny.’ Paul was therefore speaking of an intentional fight
against the gospel of Jesus Christ rather than a gradual movement away
from it. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi’s vision of the future
taught him that ‘the house of Israel’ joined with those in the great and
spacious building ‘to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb’ (1 Nephi 11:35). Apostasy is often not simply
a passive letting go of truth but an active rebellion that originates within
the covenant community” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational
System manual, 2014], 453).
Elder
M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that the
Apostasy occurred because the people rejected Christ and His Apostles:
“In
the relatively short span of years covered by the New Testament … the people
turned against Christ and His Apostles. The collapse was so great we have come
to know it as the Great Apostasy, which led to the centuries of spiritual
stagnation and ignorance called the Dark Ages.
“Now,
I need to be very clear about these historically reoccurring periods of
apostasy and spiritual darkness. Our Heavenly Father loves all of His children,
and He wants them all to have the blessings of the gospel in their lives.
Spiritual light is not lost because God turns His back on His children. Rather,
spiritual darkness results when His children turn their collective backs on
Him” (“Learning the Lessons of the Past,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2009, 32).
2 Thessalonians
2:3. The Reformation and the Restoration
Many
who lived after the Apostles’ deaths continued to follow the Lord. Their
commitment to the Lord was so strong that they willingly suffered opposition
and even death for their beliefs. During the period of the Reformation, many
individuals recognized that some teachings of Christianity had been changed and
did not coincide with the teachings in the Bible.
These reformers sought to realign Christianity with the scriptures. President
John Taylor said the following regarding those who sought truth during the Dark
Ages:
“There
were men in those dark ages who could commune with God, and who, by the power
of faith, could draw aside the curtain of eternity and gaze upon the invisible
world[,] … have the ministering of angels, and unfold the future destinies of
the world. If those were dark ages I pray God to give me a little darkness, and
deliver me from the light and intelligence that prevail in our day” (in Journal
of Discourses, 16:197). (For additional information regarding the faithful
efforts of these reformers, see Thomas S. Monson, “The Way Home,” Ensign, May 1975, 15–16; see also
Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service [2004], 45–46.)
Due
to the efforts of these reformers and other faithful followers of God, truths
about Heavenly Father and His plan survived the Apostasy and can be found
throughout the religions of the earth. However, truths necessary for our
salvation were lost, as well as the priesthood authority to direct the work and
administer the ordinances of salvation. The Lord assured those in other
religions that the Restoration of the Church and the Book of Mormon did not
declare that everything they taught was false: “Behold, I do not bring it to
destroy that which they have received, but to build up” (D&C 10:52). For this reason, President
Gordon B. Hinckley invited all the people of the earth to “bring with you
all that you have of good and truth which you have received from whatever
source, and come and let us see if we may add to it” (“The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith,” Ensign
or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 81).
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lesson 130: 1 Timothy
Introduction
Paul
wrote to Timothy, a priesthood leader in Ephesus, and counseled him to ensure
that true doctrine was taught. He set forth the qualifications for bishops and
deacons and counseled Timothy to be an example of the believers. Paul admonished
the Saints to care for the poor and widows. He closed his epistle by teaching
that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
I.
1 Timothy 1–3 Paul instructs Timothy concerning his responsibilities in
watching over the Church
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following account given by President Thomas S.
Monson:
“I’m reminded of an experience I had
many years ago when I served as a bishop. During the opening exercises of our
priesthood meeting one Sunday morning, we were preparing to ordain a young man
to the office of priest. Visiting our ward that day was a high councilor who
also served as a temple worker. As I prepared to have the young man sit down to
face the congregation so that we could proceed with the ordination, the high
councilor stopped me and said, ‘Bishop, I always have those being ordained
turned to face the temple.’ He repositioned the chair so that the young man
would be facing in the direction of the temple. I immediately recognized an
unauthorized practice”
(“Opening Remarks” [worldwide leadership training
meeting, Nov. 2010], lds.org/broadcasts).
---Explain
that as bishop, President Monson, rather than the high councilor, was
authorized to preside over the Lord’s work in his ward.
- What could be the potential danger of a bishop or branch president allowing such an unauthorized practice?
---Explain
that the Apostle Paul wrote an epistle to Timothy, a young priesthood leader in
Ephesus. In the branch of the Church he presided over, Timothy faced challenges
similar to those President Monson faced.
---Invite
a few students to take turns reading aloud from 1 Timothy 1:3–7. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what responsibility Paul gave Timothy. Explain that the word
fables (verse 4) refers to false teachings; heeding
“endless genealogies” (verse 4) refers to the false tradition that
salvation came only to those of the chosen seed of Abraham, who were often
known by their lengthy or endless genealogies; and “vain jangling” (verse 6) refers to pointless discussion (see
verse 6 footnote c).
- According to verses 3–4, what responsibility did Paul give Timothy?
- According to verses 6–7, why was it important for Timothy to fulfill this responsibility?
- What is a truth we can learn from Paul’s counsel to Timothy about the responsibility of priesthood leaders? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify a truth similar to the following: Priesthood leaders have the responsibility to ensure that true doctrine and correct practices are taught. Write this truth on the board.)
---Remind
students of the situation President Monson encountered as a bishop. Invite a
student to read aloud the rest of his account. Ask the class to listen for how
President Monson responded to the high councilor:
“I could see the potential for it to
become more widespread in practice. Although much younger than the high
councilor, I knew what needed to be done. I turned the chair back so that it
was again facing the congregation and said to him, ‘In our ward, we face the
congregation’”
(“Opening Remarks,” lds.org/broadcasts).
- How are we blessed by priesthood leaders who work to ensure that true doctrine and correct practices are taught in the Church?
---Summarize
1 Timothy 1:8–11 by explaining that Paul
warned against those who desired to be teachers of God’s law but did not have a
correct understanding of it.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Timothy 1:12–16 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for why Paul expressed gratitude
toward Jesus Christ.
- Why did Paul express gratitude toward Jesus Christ?
- According to verses 15–16, how is Paul a “pattern” for all those who believe in Jesus Christ?
---Summarize
1 Timothy 1:17–1 Timothy 3 by
explaining that Paul counseled Timothy to hold to his faith. Paul taught that
Jesus Christ is our mediator, and he counseled Church members regarding how to
conduct themselves. He also set forth qualifications for bishops and deacons.
II.
1 Timothy 4–5 Paul describes the characteristics of a faithful minister of
Jesus Christ
---Bring
a paper clip, a piece of string, tape, and a magnet to class. Tie one end of
the string to the paper clip, and then tape the other end of the string to a
desk or table. Hold the magnet close to the paper clip without the magnet
touching the paper clip. The magnetic force should cause the paper clip to move
toward the magnet. Move the magnet around to show how it influences the
movement of the paper clip.
- If the paper clip represents a person, what might the magnet represent?
---Ask
students to consider how they have been like the magnet and influenced others.
Invite students to look for a principle as they study 1 Timothy 4 that teaches us how we can
be a positive influence in the lives of others.
---Summarize
1 Timothy 4:1–11 by explaining that Paul
prophesied that in the “latter times” (verse 1) some Church members would depart
from the faith and follow false teachings and practices, such as “forbidding to
marry” (verse 3). Paul exhorted Timothy to nourish
the Saints with true doctrine.
---Invite
students to read 1 Timothy 4:12 silently, looking for what
Paul counseled Timothy to be. Explain that the word conversation in this verse
refers to conduct or behavior (see verse 12, footnote c). Ask students to
report what they find.
- What do you think it means to be an “example of the believers”? (You may want to suggest that students mark this phrase in their scriptures.)
- In what ways did Paul counsel Timothy to be an example of the believers? (List students’ responses on the board.)
---Invite
a student to read 1 Timothy 4:13–16 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for additional advice Paul gave that would help Timothy
be an example of the believers.
- What additional counsel from Paul may have helped Timothy be an example of the believers?
- According to verse 15, why did Paul tell Timothy to meditate upon the doctrines Paul taught and to give himself completely to living them? (So that others could see how doing so profited Timothy.)
- Based on Paul’s teachings in verse 16, what can result as we strive to be examples of the believers of Jesus Christ? (Using students’ words, write a principle similar to the following on the board: If we are examples of the believers of Jesus Christ, we can help bring salvation to ourselves and others.)
- How can being an example of one who believes in and follows Jesus Christ help bring salvation to others?
---Invite
students to review the list on the board and consider the ways in which Timothy
was to be an “example of the believers” (1 Timothy 4:12). Ask the class to describe
ways someone can be an example in each of these areas.
- When has someone acted as an example of the believers for you in one of the ways Paul mentioned? (You may want to share an experience from your own life as well.)
---Invite
students to write a goal in their class notebooks or scripture study journals
regarding how they can be examples of the believers of Jesus Christ and thereby
help bring salvation to themselves and others.
---Summarize
1 Timothy 5 by explaining that Paul
instructed Timothy about how the Saints were to care for those in need,
including widows.
III.
1 Timothy 6 Paul exhorts Timothy to help others seek for eternal riches
---Display
a piece of money to the class.
- Do you think money can lead to more evil or to more good? Why?
---Explain
that 1 Timothy 6 records that Paul counseled
Timothy about money. Invite a student to read 1 Timothy 6:6–10 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul taught and warned about wealth.
- What teaching or warning from Paul stands out to you? Why?
- What do you think is meant by the phrase “the love of money is the root of all evil”? (1 Timothy 6:10).
- According to verses 9–10, what does the love of money lead to? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: The love of money leads to unrighteousness and apostasy.)
- Why do you think the love of money leads to unrighteousness and apostasy?
---To
help students understand that it is a “love” of money rather than money itself
that leads to unrighteousness, invite a student to read aloud the following
statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“There is nothing inherently evil
about money. The Good Samaritan used the same coinage to serve his fellowman
that Judas used to betray the Master. It is ‘the love of money [which] is the
root of all evil.’(1 Tim. 6:10; italics added.) The critical
difference is the degree of spirituality we exercise in viewing, evaluating,
and managing the things of this world” (“Spirituality,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 63).
---Write
the following scripture references and questions on the board, or provide them
as a handout:
What
counsel did Paul give to Timothy and to those with riches?
How
can this counsel help us have the right attitude toward seeking riches and
using wealth?
---Divide
students into pairs. Invite students to read the references and discuss the
questions with their partners. After sufficient time, invite several students
to share what they discussed.
- If the Saints trusted God and were rich in good works, what did Paul say they could lay hold on according to verse 19?
- What principle can we learn from Paul’s teachings about what we can do to obtain eternal life? (Although students may use different words, make sure they identify a principle similar to the following: If we trust in the living God and are rich in good works, then we can lay hold on eternal life.)
- If trusting in God and following after righteousness are our greatest priorities, how can that affect the way we view, seek, and use wealth?
---Conclude
by testifying that obtaining eternal life makes someone truly rich. Encourage
students to make following after righteousness their greatest priority so that
they can obtain the true riches of eternal life.
Commentary and Background Information
1 Timothy
1:1–7. “Charge some that they teach no other doctrine”
President
Gordon B. Hinckley taught the importance of teaching correct doctrine in
the Church:
“I
have spoken before about the importance of keeping the doctrine of the Church
pure, and seeing that it is taught in all of our meetings. … Small aberrations
in doctrinal teaching can lead to large and evil falsehoods” (Teachings of
Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 620).
1 Timothy
1:4. “Endless genealogies”
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that the
“genealogies” mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:4 and Titus 3:9 referred to “the false Jewish tradition
that salvation was for the chosen seed as such was known by genealogical
recitations. In this dispensation, the Lord has commanded genealogical research
as an essential requisite in making salvation available to those who do not
have opportunity to receive the gospel in this life” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:127).
1 Timothy
2:9–10. Modest apparel
“Paul
encouraged women to ‘adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness
and sobriety’ (1 Timothy 2:9), meaning with humility and
reverence; he also taught that women should avoid costly clothing and jewelry
and ornate grooming. Similar teachings are found in 1 Nephi 13:7–8; 4 Nephi 1:24; Mormon 8:36–39; and Doctrine and Covenants 42:40. Paul indicated that
women should dress as those ‘professing godliness.’ The principle of wearing
modest clothing applies to both male and female members of the Church today:
“‘Through
your dress and appearance, you can show that … you are a disciple of Jesus
Christ and that you love Him.
“‘Prophets
of God have continually counseled His children to dress modestly. When you are
well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit
and you can be a good influence on others’ (For the Strength of Youth [booklet,
2011], 6)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 458).
Supplemental Teaching Idea
1 Timothy 4:12. Video
presentation—“No Cussing Club” or “The Lost Purse”
After
asking the class to describe ways someone can be an example of the believers,
you could show either of two videos: “No Cussing Club” (4:57) or “The Lost Purse” (2:40). These videos are
available on LDS.org. Ask students to watch for ways the young man or the young
woman in the video is an example of the believers of Jesus Christ.
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sharing
personal experiences
Some
of the most meaningful and impactful learning experiences occur when teachers
invite students to share stories from their own lives that illustrate the truth
of a gospel principle. By placing a gospel principle in a modern context
alongside the scriptural context, students can better understand how it relates
to their lives and feel a desire to apply it.
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