The Enigma of Samuel Beckett

November 3rd we read the first of three Sundays in 2nd Thessalonians, snippet from each chapter of the letter. The letter is canonical because it has Paul’s name on it, and is therefore as canonical as 1st Thess, Paul’s first letter. But 2T is on the pseudoPauline list, many scholars regarding it as not written by Paul, who died about 67 AD, and date 2T about 80 AD or later, intended as a replacement for 1T.

Why replace 1st Thessalonians? To update it. At the time of writing 1T (50-55 AD) Paul believed the Second Coming was imminent, even expected to live into it himself. But to the astonishment, and eventually embarrassment, of the church the parousia slipped elusively away, and the focus of faith began to be shifted to ongoingness and the future, which previously had no place in the scheme of expectation. 2T begins the shift away from the apocalyptic imminence. And some scholars point out that the 2T letter’s vehemence about Jesus pouring fiery vengeance on nonbelievers is hardly from Paul.

The jewel of 2T though is in chapter 3 where the writer (not Paul) warns “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.” Their rationale for laziness, of course, was that the Day of the Lord was at hand so live it up. Three decades later when the Lord was still a no show they got ordered back to work.

Two hundred decades on we’re still waiting and calling it the Mystery of Faith. 

Godot would be proud.

TW+