1Thess 2:14-16 (the uttermost)

Gleanings in First Thessalonians
Chapter 2

1Thess 2:14-16
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

Here is a rough spot in the book; which [reader warning] I probably will not do it justice…and it may be a long one.

As we recall, when Paul came to Thessalonica, and taught for three sabbath days, some believed (Jews and Gentiles) and then the unbelieving Jews (obviously provoked by Gentiles coming into favor with God after being “strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”[Eph 2:12]) started the riots, blame and violence. The Thessalonian church (the local group of believers in Thessalonica, not a building) was persecuted, they suffered, they were in tribulation (NOT “the” tribulation, they were in tribulation). This is comparable as Paul says to the local churches in Judaea which were under persecution – Paul would know about that because...

HE WAS PART OF DOING IT before the Lord appeared from heaven on the road to Damascus. Call to memory what Paul/Saul did with his religious partners:


Act 7:57-59 

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Act 8:1, 3 

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. ... As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Act 9:1-2 

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Act 22:3-4 

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

Act 26:9-11 

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Gal 1:13-14 

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

So Saul/Paul and the top Jews “wasted” and “made havoc” of the believers. This same activity was happening everywhere that Paul and company went on their Apostolic journeys – they would go to the Synagogue, preach and teach that Christ had come, presented the gospel that could save them, some would believe, then the Gentiles would hear and believe too, then the unbelieving Jews would start the bad treatment.

So these Jews (in Judaea) did kill the Lord, killed their own prophets (New Testament prophets - we just read about Stephen, James was killed in Acts 12, with all the “havoc” and “wasting” of the church - I am sure there was more, but notice in Paul’s own words – they killed people, of which is not recorded in scripture), they persecuted Paul and company (read Acts after his conversion), doing things for self and religion never pleases God, and in the process of all this: “contrary (opposite; contradictory) to all men”.

After being enraged by Gentile conversion, jealousy and pride would drive the unbelieving Jews to make it though no more would be saved.
“to fill up their sin alway” – to be full of their sin, and because they rejected the gospel, always – continually.

“for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost” – they are left in a bad state…of their own choosing. They killed their Messiah, he forgave them on the cross, then they killed the prophets after Pentecost, they persecuted the church of God wherever it sprung up anew. It wasn’t a lost cause for them, they were not “predestined” to damnation because…PAUL WAS ONE OF THEM. Paul was guilty of the same sins and the same crimes and complicit in the same manslaughter, BUT Paul heard and believed the truth and got out of it. So everyone of the Christ rejecting and gospel rejecting Jews had the opportunity under the gospel of the grace of God.

Here are Paul’s own words:

1Tim 1:12-16
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Paul’s “uttermost” was avoided. The others had their chance as well.

Grace and Peace James