^ @selahsays,
The "false claimants" of verse 2 were the ones saying the TRIB is already present (already unfolding upon the earth, over some time [PERFECT indicative]); and Paul is saying, don't you believe such a deception, IT AIN'T TRUE, and here's WHY.
I'm not claiming it.
The "false claimants" Paul is talking about IN VERSE 2 were[!!!]... and why Paul is addressing this in a letter to the Thessalonians [and to us], to not be deceived by said "false claim".
The problem (when reading this text) comes in when, 1) people mis-define what "the DOTL" is (v.2, in the false claim) and WHEN it commences [solved by reading 1Th5:1-3 and understanding that it ARRIVES "exactly as [hosper] the INITIAL "birth pang [SINGULAR]" that Jesus had already spoken about: Matt24:4/Mk13:5<--WELL-BEFORE Christ's return to the earth / 2nd Coming to the earth]; and 2) conflating THIS Subject of the FALSE CLAIM ("the DOTL") with that of Paul's Subject (v.1) he is BRINGING TO BEAR on such a "false claim" by his reiterating the SEQUENCE between these two DISTINCT items (and also repeating THIS SEQUENCE 3x in this text).
The sentence does NOT read, nor convey, (as you suggest) "before Jesus' RETURN" (such and such must happen first). No.
Rather, before the statement "the day of the Lord [i.e. the TRIB] IS PRESENT" can be stated truthfully / accurately. The "false claimants" were saying it was already present. It wasn't.
The "false claimants" of verse 2 were the ones saying the TRIB is already present (already unfolding upon the earth, over some time [PERFECT indicative]); and Paul is saying, don't you believe such a deception, IT AIN'T TRUE, and here's WHY.
I'm not claiming it.
The "false claimants" Paul is talking about IN VERSE 2 were[!!!]... and why Paul is addressing this in a letter to the Thessalonians [and to us], to not be deceived by said "false claim".
The problem (when reading this text) comes in when, 1) people mis-define what "the DOTL" is (v.2, in the false claim) and WHEN it commences [solved by reading 1Th5:1-3 and understanding that it ARRIVES "exactly as [hosper] the INITIAL "birth pang [SINGULAR]" that Jesus had already spoken about: Matt24:4/Mk13:5<--WELL-BEFORE Christ's return to the earth / 2nd Coming to the earth]; and 2) conflating THIS Subject of the FALSE CLAIM ("the DOTL") with that of Paul's Subject (v.1) he is BRINGING TO BEAR on such a "false claim" by his reiterating the SEQUENCE between these two DISTINCT items (and also repeating THIS SEQUENCE 3x in this text).
The sentence does NOT read, nor convey, (as you suggest) "before Jesus' RETURN" (such and such must happen first). No.
Rather, before the statement "the day of the Lord [i.e. the TRIB] IS PRESENT" can be stated truthfully / accurately. The "false claimants" were saying it was already present. It wasn't.