Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, we ask you
The false message seems to have gained a hearing also because it came from several different sources. Paul referred to alleged prophetic revelation, the teaching of other recognized authorities, and a letter Paul had supposedly written that had arrived in Thessalonica (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:17). If the day of the Lord had begun, how could Paul say the Lord’s return for his own would precede that day (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9)? Note that Paul had taught them a pretribulation Rapture. [Note: See Thomas R. Edgar, "An Exegesis of Rapture Passages," in Issues in Dispensationalism, pp. 207-11; and David A. Dean, "Does 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Exclude the Pretribulational Rapture?" Bibliotheca Sacra 168:670 (April-June 2011);196-216.] 