



According to Vincent's Word Studies:

Temple of God

According to some, a figure of the Christian Church.
Others, the temple of Jerusalem.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible defends the first reading:


The context of the phrase is:




Paul gives a list of things that will happen first:

  1. Rebellion comes




Finally, we read this mysterious explanation:









  • It's written as "Paul is trying to correct a misconception1 that the "day of the Lord" had already occurred." Let's keep in mind Joel 2:31, Malachi 4:5, that the first great day of the Lord was the coming and death on the cross, and the second when Jesus returns from above. That's why he points it out as "the day of the Lord has come.—2nd". – Decrypted Mar 28 '16 at 21:06

What is the temple that Paul refers to in 2 Thessalonians 2:4?

It is the same temple as in 1 Corinthians 3:16

Berean Study Bible


In the Greek, this word for temple in both verses is naos. Naos is the Christian believer.

1Co 6:19 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple G3485 of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Strong's Concordance G3485


The Christian battle is against Satan trying to make himself God in our temples.

  • when you recognize that mammon is not the Syriac 'money' but the Hebrew 'believing ones', this is made even more clear. You cannot serve god and self. – Bob Jones Aug 7 '18 at 21:16

I think the key is again 1:7 paul speaks of waiting until Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels which is Still a future event paul waits for and since verse 2:1 is again about that gathering together with Christ (and his mighty angels) this can only be a future event when talking about the temple and the man of sin, the falling away is based on those who are decieved into believing Jesus comes Before these 2 events, (pre trib rapture) also a letter had Not been written since paul says: not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come..

Paul says Not to be SOON shaken or alarmed - which means in the future from pauls letter - as if either a Spirit or some men or if someone would delivery you a letter that Seems to be from us.... paul is touching multiple bases as why these men in the Future should Not believe if Any of these 3 reason come about in the future telling them That day of gathering had occured. Since paul still waits and ask us to wait with him until a coming of Christ with his mighty angel (7) when Christ will be glorified (10) hasnt happened yet.... if some spirit shows up paul says dont believe it, if some man shows up paul says dont believe it and if a letter from paul shows up paul says dont believe it - none of these happened and paul is just making sure they know what Must happen first before that day can take place.....

As for the falling away, those who believe Christ comes before the tribulation period are those who lose faith and fall away (pre trib rapture) we see paul waits for the tribulation rapture when all eye's will see him coming on the clouds (rev 1:7) the men in Acts are told Jesus will return coming on the clouds coming in the same manner as he left (Being Seen) not a bunch of people just disappearing - the fathful servant is rewarded when the master comes and finds him doin Gods will But... when the master is delayed (pre trib Jesus doesnt show) he can stay the coruse or Fall away and then the tribulation Jesus shows and catches him Not watching and hes cut to pieces, again its because he was decieved into thinking Jesus came before the man of sin sits in the temple, the same for the 10 virgins - they were decieved into believing Jesus comes before the tribulation and some fall away.... this is why we are also told in 2 peter 2:3-4 knowing this First.. 1st.... that there shall come in the last days (last 7 years) scoffers who say - where is the promise of his coming - the world has been told that this promise is the pre trib rapture and when that doesnt happen the scoffers come out..... then believers fall away and the man of sin comes and then tribulation Jesus comes and they are left and cut to pieces because they became unwise.

And Jesus wasnt wrong when he told the disciples that not one stone would be left upon another - this cant be the wailing wall and the temple was in the city of david anyway, we are waiting for the jews to realize that this wailing wall cant be the temple wall but was the roman fort wall, once they find out the truth then they can build a new temple


Paul would have to be referring to the 2nd temple. If a third temple is ever built it would not be the "temple of God", as Paul refers to it. It would merely be a replica. A third temple, from the Christian point of view, would represent and overthrow of the New Covenant and a return to the Mosaic era. An era a limited access to God. (disclosure, I do embrace Preterism.)

  • Hi Mike! Welcome to Hermeneutics.SE. You might take the tour if you have not already to get an idea of what constitutes a thorough answer. Can you show your point from the text? – colboynik Oct 23 '18 at 3:06

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