(18) The grace.—This is his “salutation.” The Greek secular salutation, at greeting and parting alike, was chaire (literally, rejoice); so St. Paul, alike at beginning and ending, uses a word of kindred origin, charis (“grace”). Observe the word “all” again, as in 2Thessalonians 3:16. St. Chrysostom’s beautiful comment may well be given: “What he calls his ‘salutation’ is the prayer, snowing that the whole business they were then about was spiritual; and even when he must give a salutation, there must go some benefit along with it, and it must be a prayer, not a mere symbol of friendship. ’Twas with this he would begin, and with this he would end, fencing round that which he said with mighty walls on either side; and safe were the foundations he laid, and safe the conclusion that he laid thereon. ‘Grace to you,’ he cries, ‘and peace’; and once more, [‘Peace always’ and] ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.—Amen. ’”

3:16-18 The apostle prays for the Thessalonians. And let us desire the same blessings for ourselves and our friends. Peace with God. This peace is desired for them always, or in every thing. Peace by all means; in every way; that, as they enjoyed the means of grace, they might use all methods to secure peace. We need nothing more to make us safe and happy, nor can we desire any thing better for ourselves and our friends, than to have God's gracious presence with us and them. No matter where we are, if God be with us; nor who is absent, if God be present. It is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we hope to have peace with God, and to enjoy the presence of God. This grace is all in all to make us happy; though we wish ever so much to others, there remains enough for ourselves.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all; - See the notes, Romans 16:20.

From the subscription to this Epistle, it purports to have been "written from Athens." This is probably incorrect, as there is reason to think that it was written from Corinth. See the introduction. At all events, this subscription is of no authority. See the notes at the end of the Epistles to the Romans and 1 Corinthians.

18. He closes every Epistle by praying for GRACE to those whom he addresses.

Amen—omitted in the oldest manuscripts It was doubtless the response of the congregation after hearing the Epistle read publicly; hence it crept into copies.

The Subscription is spurious, as the Epistle was written not "from Athens," but from Corinth.

See Poole on "2 Thessalonians 3:18"

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. This was the sign or token; See Gill on Romans 16:20 The subscription to this epistle is, "The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens"; though it seems rather to be written from Corinth. In the Syriac version it is said,

"the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, which is written from Laodicea of Pisidia, and sent by the hands of Tychicus.''

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.