SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:5
¶ en testimonio del justo juicio de Dios, para que seis tenidos por dignos del Reino de Dios, por el cual asimismo padecis.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 1:5
Verse 5. A manifest token of the righteousness judgement of God] The persecutions and tribulations which you endure, are a manifest proof that God has judged righteously in calling you Gentiles into his Church; and these sufferings are also a proof that ye are called in; for they who enter into the kingdom of God go through great tribulation; your going through that tribulation is a proof that ye are entering in, and God sees it right and just that ye should be permitted to suffer before ye enjoy that endless felicity. The words, however, may be understood in another sense, and will form this maxim: "The sufferings of the just, and the triumphs of the wicked, in this life, are a sure proof that there will be a future judgment, in which the wicked shall be punished and the righteous rewarded. "This maxim is not only true in itself, but it is most likely that this is the apostle's meaning.
That ye may be counted worthy] Your patient endurance of these sufferings is a proof that ye are rendered meet for that glory on account of which ye suffer and, in a true Gospel sense of the word, worthy of that glory; for he who is a child of God, and a partaker of the Divine nature, is worthy of God's kingdom, not because he has done any thing to merit it, but because he bears the image of God; and the image is that which gives the title.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God , &c.] That is, according as some think, that God should glorify those that are persecuted, and punish their persecutors: this sense indeed may seem to agree with what follows; but the apostle is speaking not of something future, but of something present; not of what God will do hereafter, but of the present sufferings of the saints. According to others the sense is, that God's suffering affliction and persecution to befall his own people, as a chastisement of them, that they may not be condemned with the world, is an evidence of his strict justice, that he will not suffer sin in any to go unobserved by him; and is a manifest token how severely and righteously he will punish the wicked hereafter, (see 1 Peter 4:17,18). But rather the meaning of the words is this, that whereas good men are afflicted and persecuted in this life, they have now their evil things, and bad men prosper and flourish, and have their good things, so that justice does not seem to take place; which seeming inequality in Providence has been sometimes the hardening of wicked men, and the staggering of the righteous, which should not be; this is now a manifest token, and a clear case, that there will be a righteous judgment, in which things will be set aright, and justice will take place; for God is neither unrighteous nor careless, or negligent; and this is observed to support the saints under their sufferings, and to animate them to bear them patiently: that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer ; either of the Gospel, which is sometimes so called, and for which they suffered, and so judged themselves worthy of it; as those that put it away from them, and care not to suffer the least reproach for it, show themselves to be unworthy of it, and of eternal life also: or of a Gospel church state, and a name, and a place in it, for which the people of God likewise suffer; and those who shun reproach and sufferings for it are not worthy to have a place, or their names there: or rather of the heavenly glory; for the hope of which saints suffer much here, whereby their graces are tried, and so they are counted worthy, not by way of merit of it, but meetness for it; many tribulations are the way, or at least lie in the way to this kingdom. In the school of afflictions the saints are trained up for it; and though these are not worthy to be compared with their future happiness, yet they work for them an eternal weight of glory; by the means of these the graces of the Spirit of God are exercised and increased, their hearts are weaned from the world; and coming up out of great tribulations, they wash their garments, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, and are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-10 - Religion, if worth anything, is worth every thing; and those have n religion, or none worth having, or know not how to value it, cannot find their hearts to suffer for it. We cannot by all our sufferings any more than by our services, merit heaven; but by our patience unde sufferings, we are prepared for the promised joy. Nothing more strongl marks a man for eternal ruin, than a spirit of persecution and enmit to the name and people of God. God will trouble those that trouble his people. And there is a rest for the people of God; a rest from sin an sorrow. The certainty of future recompence is proved by the righteousness of God. The thoughts of this should be terrible to wicke men, and support the righteous. Faith, looking to the great day, i enabled partly to understand the book of providence, which appear confused to unbelievers. The Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. He will come in the glory and power of the upper world. Hi light will be piercing, and his power consuming, to all who in that da shall be found as chaff. This appearance will be terrible to those tha know not God, especially to those who rebel against revelation, an obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the great crim of multitudes, the gospel is revealed, and they will not believe it; of if they pretend to believe, they will not obey it. Believing the truth of the gospel, is in order to our obeying the precepts of the gospel Though sinners may be long spared, they will be punished at last. The did sin's work, and must receive sin's wages. Here God punishes sinner by creatures as instruments; but then, it will be destruction from the Almighty; and who knows the power of his anger? It will be a joyful da to some, to the saints, to those who believe and obey the gospel. I that bright and blessed day, Christ Jesus will be glorified and admire by his saints. And Christ will be glorified and admired in them. Hi grace and power will be shown, when it shall appear what he ha purchased for, and wrought in, and bestowed upon those who believe in him. Lord, if the glory put upon thy saints shall be thus admired, ho much more shalt thou be admired, as the Bestower of that glory! The glory of thy justice in the damnation of the wicked will be admired but not as the glory of thy mercy in the salvation of believers. Ho will this strike the adoring angels with holy admiration, and transpor thy admiring saints with eternal rapture! The meanest believer shal enjoy more than the most enlarged heart can imagine while we are here Christ will be admired in all those that believe, the meanest believe not excepted.
Greek Textus Receptus
ενδειγμα 1730 της 3588 δικαιας 1342 κρισεως 2920 του 3588 θεου 2316 εις 1519 το 3588 καταξιωθηναι 2661 5683 υμας 5209 της 3588 βασιλειας 932 του 3588 θεου 2316 υπερ 5228 ης 3739 και 2532 πασχετε 3958 5719
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. A manifest token (endeigma). N.T.o . Comp. endeixiv, Philippians i. 28. The token is the patience and faith with which they endure persecution and tribulation. It is a token of the righteous judgment of God, in that it points to the future glory which God will confer at the final judgment and the righteous award which will be dispensed to the persecutors. Similarly Philip. i. 28.
That ye may be counted worthy. The structure of the sentence is loose. These words should be directly connected with righteous judgment, and denote the purport of that judgment - their assignment to an inheritance in the kingdom of God.
Of the kingdom of God (thv basileiav tou qeou). The phrase is not frequent in Paul. basileia qeou four times; basileia tou cristou kai qeou kingdom of Christ and of God, once. Here in the eschatological sense - the future, consummated kingdom, the goal of their striving and the recompense of their suffering. See on Luke vi. 20.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:5 {A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God} (endeigma tes dikaias krisews tou qeou). Old word from endeiknumi, to point out, result reached (-ma), a thing proved. It is either in the accusative of general reference in apposition with the preceding clause as in #Ro 8:3; 12:1, or in the nominative absolute when ho estin, if supplied, would explain it as in #Php 1:28. this righteous judgment is future and final (verses #6-10). {To the end that you may be counted worthy} (eis to kataxiwqenai humas). Another example of eis to for purpose with first aorist passive infinitive from kataxiow, old verb, with accusative of general reference humas and followed by the genitive ts basileias (kingdom of God). See #1Th 2:12 for {kingdom of God}. {For which ye also suffer} (huper hes kai pascete). Ye {also} as well as we and the present tense means that it is still going on.
