Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
Or, “good hope in grace.” The hope (of redemption at Christ‘s coming) is “good” in the sense of being genuine and therefore reliable, in contrast with false hopes aroused by erroneous teachings about the immediacy of the Saviour‘s return. It is justifiably called “that blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Like all God‘s gifts to men, it is bestowed freely, in accord with Heaven‘s abundant grace (cf. on Eph. 2:5, 8).
Everlasting consolation.
Gr. paraklēsis aiōnion. For paraklēsis see on Acts 9:31; for aiōnion see on Matt. 25:41. The consolation, or comfort, derived from the love of the Father and Son is not transitory, as earthly comfort so often is, but endures into eternity. Such a gift is well designed to cheer the fainthearted among the Thessalonians and to enable them to withstand any disturbing teachings concerning Christ‘s return (1 Thess. 5:11, 14; 2 Thess. 2:2). Fainthearted souls are not to be despised, but encouraged (see Rom. 14:1; Heb. 12:12).
Hath loved us.
The verb is in the singular, and may be regarded as applying to both the Son and the Father. The close connection attests Paul‘s concept of the equal divinity of the Son with the Father. The form of the verb in the Greek shows that the author had a definite historical event in mind. He is referring to God‘s unique act of love in giving His Son a sacrifice for our sins, and the self-denying act of our Saviour in giving Himself (John 3:16; Titus 2:14). The apostle can cite no greater evidence than the cross as the supreme manifestation of God‘s love and the sure basis for comfort and hope.
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Paul‘s usual custom is to mention the Father first, in address and in prayer (cf. 1 Thess. 1:1; 3:11; 2 Thess. 1:1, 2, 11, 12); but here he first names the Son (cf. 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 1:1). This order probably occurs because of the apostle‘s previous reference (2 Thess. 2:14) to “the glory of our Lord Jesus.” This conjecture is supported by the Greek construction in which the word for “himself” has first, and therefore emphatic, place in the sentence.
Now.
Or, “but,” as if Paul, having urged the believers to stand fast (v. 15), wishes to make clear that God is the only true source of stability.