¶ Now we beg you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, Darby translation
Touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (uper ths
parousiav tou kuriou (hmwn) ihsou cristou). For erwtwmen,
to beseech, see on 1Th 4:1; 4:12|. uper originally meant
over, in behalf of, instead of, but here it is used like peri,
around, concerning as in #1:4; 1Th 3:2; 5:10|, common in the
papyri (Robertson, Grammar, p. 632). For the distinction
between parousia, epifaneia (Epiphany), and apokaluqiv
(Revelation) as applied to the Second Coming of Christ see
Milligan on Thessalonian Epistles, pp. 145-151, in the light
of the papyri. parousia lays emphasis on the presence of the
Lord with his people, epifaneia on his manifestation of the
power and love of God, apokaluqiv on the revelation of
God's purpose and plan in the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.
And our gathering together unto him (kai hmwn episunagwghs
ep' auton). A late word found only in II Macc. 2:7; #2Th 2:1;
Heb 10:25| till Deissmann (Light from the Ancient East, p.
103) found it on a stele in the island of Syme, off Caria,
meaning "collection." Paul is referring to the rapture,
mentioned in #1Th 4:15-17|, and the being forever with the Lord
thereafter. Cf. also #Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27|.
Robertsons Wordpictures on the Greek NT
