Paul includes this prayer request in the final chapter of 2nd Thessalonians:
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
2nd Thessalonians 3:1-2
He urges his brothers and sisters in Christ to pray that the gospel will “speed ahead,” or advance. The original readers/hearers of this letter in Thessalonica would have pictured a runner triumphantly sprinting towards the finish line.
I am struck by the context of this prayer request, namely the contrast between this image and the description of future events in the previous chapter. 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12 is a section of text normally labeled as the “Man of Lawlessness.” It is one of the most confusing sections of the New Testament, and the meaning/interpretation has been debated for centuries. “I confess that I am entirely ignorant of what he (Paul) means to say,” said Augustine regarding these twelve verses.
One thing is perfectly clear about the “Man of Lawlessness” text: Paul describes an escalation of evil and deception that is to come. He was not naive about the broken state of this world and the people in it. He knew, in fact, that “wicked and evil men” were likely to show up and oppose his ministry at any time (vs. 2).
This makes Paul’s choice of the runner image all the more striking: the gospel is pictured as victoriously moving forward in the midst of an increasingly wicked world. He had complete confidence that the good news of Jesus Christ would save souls and transform lives.
I pray that we have the same confidence in the gospel. The wickedness of this world can (and should) be a source of grief, but it should not distract us from our mission.
May our prayers, our conversations, and our very lives reflect a passion for the gospel and for souls that God is willing and able to save.
