2 Thess 1 is talking about the judgment that will come when Jesus comes again. Interpretations that try to say that he came again when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem are not even worth arguing about.
38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’
Since they have not said that, it is obvious that Jesus did not come again yet. When he does there will be a movement in Israel to believe in Jesus prior to His coming. They will actually say this "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" and when it happens people who understand this prophecy will say "this is that...." It will be a glorious day.
You have neglected an essential element of 2 Thessalonians 1. To whom is Paul writing and whom is he addressing. He is commending them for the great persecution they are suffering. His words of comfort are to them and to them alone. THEY were to be rescued and vindicated. Paul is clear that that vindication would come in THEIR lifetime when THEY saw His appearing. God was going to repay those who persecuted THEM with the very same kind of abuse--and then some. That happened in A.D. 70 and it very much affected those THESSALONIANS of Paul's day.
We do err when we refuse to acknowledge AUDIENCE RELEVANCE and make everything about us. Second Thessalonians is NOT about us.
When did the Jews say "Blessed in he who comes in the name of the Lord?"
^ EDIT to correct / clarify... where I'd put:
should read: "can legitimately be TRANSLATED as..."
[and]
... i.e. regarding the "FUTURE" events (of the Book)... "future" to when written
^ EDIT to correct / clarify... where I'd put:
should read: "can legitimately be TRANSLATED as..."
[and]
... i.e. regarding the "FUTURE" events (of the Book)... "future" to when written
I anticipated your argument. It is the same reasoning used by the translators when they allowed their FUTURIST bias to enter their rendering of MELLO. It is interesting to note that in most non-eschatological passages, the appears as "about to." In eschatological verses it is weakened with a simple futurist tense. Here are a few of the many examples of that bias.
1. Matt. 16:27, 28.
YLT: For, the Son of Man is ABOUT TO come in the glory of his Father, with his messengers, and then he will reward each, according to his work. CLNT (Concordant Living New Testament): For the Son of Mankind is ABOUT TO be coming in the glory of His Father, with His messengers, and then He will be paying each in accord with his practice.
2. Luke 21:36.
YLT: Watch ye, then, in every season, praying that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are ABOUT TO come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
CLNT: Now be vigilant on every occasion beseeching that you may be prevailing to escape all these things which are ABOUT TO occur and to stand in front of the Son of Mankind.
3. Acts 17:31 ESV:
YLT: He did set a day in which He is ABOUT TO judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He did ordain, having given assurance to all, having raised him out of the dead.’
CLNT: He is ABOUT TO be judging the inhabited earth in righteousness by the Man Whom He specifies, tendering faith to all, raising hIm from among the dead—
4. Acts 24: 15
YLT: having hope toward God… [that] there is ABOUT TO be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous.
CLNT: Having an expectation in God … that there shall be a resurrection which is IMPENDING for both the just and the unjust.
5. Acts 24:25
YLT: … he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment that is ABOUT TO be…
CLNT: …he is arguing concerning righteousness and self-control, and the IMPENDING judgment…
6. Romans 8:18-19
YLT: For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory ABOUT TO be revealed in us,
CLNT: For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory ABOUT TO be revealed for us.
7. II Tim. 4:1-2a
YLT: I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is ABOUT TO judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign; preach the word;
CLNT: I am conjuring you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, who is ABOUT TO be judging the living and the dead, in accord with His advent and His kingdom:
8. Heb. 1:13-14.
YLT: And unto which of the messengers said He ever, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I may make thine enemies thy footstool?’ 14 are they not all spirits of service — for ministration being sent forth because of those ABOUG TO inherit salvation?
CLNT: Now to which of the messengers has He declared at any time, “Sit at My right, till I should be placing Thine enemies for a footstool for Thy feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits commissioned for service because of those who are ABOUT TO be enjoying the allotment of salvation?
9. Heb 10:26-27
YLT: For we -- willfully sinning after the receiving the full knowledge of the truth -- no more for sins doth there remain a sacrifice, 27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, ABOUT TO devour the opposers;
CLNT: For at our sinning voluntarily after obtaining the recognition of the truth, it is not longer leaving a sacrifice concerned with sins, but a certain fearful waiting for judging and fiery jealousy, ABOUT TO be eating the hostile.
10. I Peter 5:1.
YLT: Elders who [are] among you, I exhort, who [am] a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the glory ABOUT TO be revealed a partaker.
CLNT: The elders, then, among you I am entreating who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a participant of the glory about to be revealed.
11. Rev. 1:19
YLT: ‘Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are ABOUT TO come after these things;
CLNT: Write then, what you perceived, and what they are, and what is ABOUT TO be occurring after these things
12. Rev. 3:10-11a.
YLT: Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is ABOUT TO come upon all the world, to try those dwelling upon the earth. 11Lo, I come quickly,
CLNT: Seeing that you keep the word of My endurance, I, also, will be keeping you out of the hour of trial which is ABOUT TO be coming on the whole inhabited earth to try those dwelling on the earth. I am coming swiftly.
13. Rev. 12:5.
YLT: and she brought forth a male child, who is ABOUT TO rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and caught away was her child unto God and His throne.
CLNT: And she brought forth a son, a male, who is ABOUT TO be shepherding all the nations with an iron club.