2 Thessalonians 3

2Th 3:1-18.

HE

ASKS

THEIR

PRAYERS:

HIS

CONFIDENCE IN

THEM:

PRAYER FOR

THEM:

CHARGES AGAINST

DISORDERLY

IDLE

CONDUCT;

HIS

OWN

EXAMPLE:

CONCLUDING

PRAYER AND

SALUTATION.

1. Finally--literally, "As to what remains."

may have free course--literally, "may run"; spread rapidly

without a drag on the wheels of its course. That the new-creating word

may "run," as "swiftly" as the creative word at the first

(Ps 147:15).

The opposite is the word of God being "bound"

(2Ti 2:9).

glorified--by sinners accepting it

(Ac 13:48;

Ga 1:23, 24).

Contrast "evil spoken of"

(1Pe 4:14).

as it is with you--

(1Th 1:6; 4:10; 5:11).

2. that we . . . be delivered from unreasonable

. . . men--literally, men out of place, inept,

unseemly: out of the way bad: more than ordinarily bad. An

undesigned coincidence with

Ac 18:5-9.

Paul was now at Corinth, where the JEWS "opposed

themselves" to his preaching: in answer to his prayers and those of his

converts at Thessalonica and elsewhere, "the Lord, in vision," assured

him of exemption from "the hurt," and of success in bringing in "much

people." On the unreasonable, out-of-the way perversity of the Jews, as

known to the Thessalonians, see

1Th 2:15, 16.

have not faith--or as Greek, "the faith" of the

Christian: the only antidote to what is "unreasonable and wicked." The

Thessalonians, from their ready acceptance of the Gospel

(1Th 1:5, 6),

might think "all" would similarly receive it; but the Jews were far

from having such a readiness to believe the truth.

3. faithful--alluding to "faith"

(2Th 3:2):

though many will not believe, the Lord (other very old manuscripts read

"God") is still to be believed in as faithful to His promises

(1Th 5:24;

2Ti 2:13).

Faith on the part of man answers to faithfulness on the part of

God.

stablish you--as he had prayed

(2Th 2:17).

Though it was on himself that wicked men were making their onset, he

turns away from asking the Thessalonians' prayers for

HIS deliverance

(2Th 3:2:

so unselfish was he, even in religion), to express his assurance of

THEIR establishment in the faith, and preservation

from evil. This assurance thus exactly answers to his prayer for them

(2Th 2:17),

"Our Lord . . . stablish you in every good word and

work." He has before his mind the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into

temptation, but deliver us from evil"; where, as here, the translation

may be, "from the evil one"; the great hinderer of "every good word and

work." Compare

Mt 13:19,

"the wicked one."

4. we have confidence in the Lord--as "faithful"

(2Th 3:3).

Have confidence in no man when left to himself

[BENGEL].

that ye both do--Some of the oldest manuscripts insert a clause, "that

ye both have done" before, "and are doing, and will do." He means the

majority by "ye," not all of them (compare

2Th 3:11;

2Th 1:3;

1Th 3:6).

5. If "the Lord" be here the Holy Ghost

(2Co 3:17),

the three Persons of the Trinity will occur in this verse.

love of God--love to God.

patient waiting for Christ--rather as Greek, "the

patience (endurance) of Christ," namely, which Christ showed

[ALFORD]

(2Th 2:4;

1Th 1:3).

ESTIUS, however, supports English Version

(compare

Re 1:9; 3:10).

At all events, this grace, "patience," or persevering endurance,

is connected with the "hope"

(1Th 1:3, 10)

of Christ's coming. In ALFORD'S translation

we may compare

Heb 12:1, 2,

"Run with patience (endurance) . . . looking to

JESUS . . . who, for the joy that was

before Him, endured the cross"; so WE are

to endure, as looking for the hope to be realized at His coming

(Heb 10:36, 37).

6. we command you--Hereby he puts to a particular test their

obedience in general to his commands, which obedience he had

recognized in

2Th 3:4.

withdraw--literally, "to furl the sails"; as we say,

to steer clear of (compare

2Th 3:14).

Some had given up labor as though the Lord's day was immediately

coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in

1Th 5:14,

"Warn . . . the unruly"; but now that the mischief had

become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline, namely,

withdrawal from their company (compare

1Co 5:11;

2Jo 10, 11):

not a formal sentence of excommunication, such as was subsequently

passed on more heinous offenders (as in

1Co 5:5;

1Ti 1:20).

He says "brother," that is, professing Christian; for in the case of

unprofessing heathen, believers needed not be so strict

(1Co 5:10-13).

disorderly--Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the

order of Mendicant Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly" and

lazy life to a system. Call it not an order, but a burden

to the community (BENGEL, alluding to the

Greek,

2Th 3:8,

for "be chargeable," literally, "be a burden").

the tradition--the oral instruction which he had given to them when

present

(2Th 3:10),

and subsequently committed to writing

(1Th 4:11, 12).

which he received of us--Some oldest manuscripts read, "ye received"; others, "they received." The English Version reading

has no very old authority.

7. how ye ought to follow us--how ye ought to live so as to

"imitate (so the Greek for 'follow') us" (compare

Notes, see on

1Co 11:1;

1Th 1:6).

8. eat any man's bread--Greek, "eat bread from any

man," that is, live at anyone's expense. Contrast

2Th 3:12,

"eat THEIR OWN bread."

wrought--

(Ac 20:34).

In both Epistles they state they maintained themselves by labor; but in

this second Epistle they do so in order to offer themselves herein as

an example to the idle; whereas, in the first, their object in doing so

is to vindicate themselves from all imputation of mercenary motives in

preaching the Gospel

(1Th 2:5, 9)

[EDMUNDS]. They preached gratuitously though they

might have claimed maintenance from their converts.

labour and travail--"toil and hardship" (see on

1Th 2:9).

night and day--scarcely allowing time for repose.

chargeable--Greek, "a burden," or "burdensome." The

Philippians did not regard it as a burden to contribute to his

support

(Php 4:15, 16),

sending to him while he was in this very Thessalonica

(Ac 16:15, 34, 40).

Many Thessalonians, doubtless, would have felt it a privilege to

contribute, but as he saw some idlers among them who would have made a

pretext of his example to justify themselves, he waived his right. His

reason for the same course at Corinth was to mark how different were

his aims from those of the false teachers who sought their own lucre

(2Co 11:9, 12, 13).

It is at the very time and place of writing these Epistles that Paul is

expressly said to have wrought at tent-making with Aquila

(Ac 18:3);

an undesigned coincidence.

9.

(1Co 9:4-6,

&c.; Ga 6:6.)

10. For even--Translate, "For also." We not only set you the

example, but gave a positive "command."

commanded--Greek imperfect, "We were commanding"; we kept charge

of you.

would not work--Greek, "is unwilling to work."

BENGEL makes

this to be the argument: not that such a one is to have his food

withdrawn from him by others; but he proves from the necessity of

eating the necessity of working; using this pleasantry, Let him

who will not work show himself an angel, that is, do without food as

the angels do (but since he cannot do without food, then he ought to be

not unwilling to work). It seems to me simpler to take it as a

punishment of the idle. Paul often quotes good adages current among the

people, stamping them with inspired approval. In the Hebrew, "Bereshith Rabba," the same saying is found; and in the book

Zeror, "He who will not work before the sabbath, must not eat on the

sabbath."

11. busy bodies--In the Greek the similarity of sound

marks the antithesis, "Doing none of their own business, yet overdoing

in the business of others." Busy about everyone's business but their

own. "Nature abhors a vacuum"; so if not doing one's own business, one

is apt to meddle with his neighbor's business. Idleness is the parent

of busybodies

(1Ti 5:13).

Contrast

1Th 4:11.

12. by--The oldest manuscripts read, "IN

the Lord Jesus." So the Greek,

1Th 4:1,

implying the sphere wherein such conduct is appropriate and consistent.

"We exhort you thus, as ministers IN

Christ, exhorting our people IN Christ."

with quietness--quiet industry; laying aside restless, bustling,

intermeddling officiousness

(2Th 3:11).

their own--bread earned by themselves, not another's bread

(2Th 3:8).

13. be not weary--The oldest manuscripts read, "Be not cowardly

in"; do not be wanting in strenuousness in doing well.

EDMUNDS explains it: Do not culpably

neglect to do well, namely, with patient industry do your duty in your

several callings. In contrast to the "disorderly, not-working

busybodies"

(2Th 3:11;

compare

Ga 6:9).

14. note that man--mark him in your own mind as one to be avoided

(2Th 3:6).

that he may be ashamed--Greek, "made to turn and look into

himself, and so be put to shame." Feeling himself shunned by godly

brethren, he may become ashamed of his course.

15. admonish him as a brother--not yet excommunicated (compare

Le 19:17).

Do not shun him in contemptuous silence, but tell him why he is so

avoided

(Mt 18:15;

1Th 5:14).

16. Lord of peace--Jesus Christ. The same title is given to Him as

to the Father, "the GOD of peace"

(Ro 15:33; 16:20;

2Co 13:11).

An appropriate title in the prayer here, where the harmony of the

Christian community was liable to interruption from the "disorderly."

The Greek article requires the translation, "Give you the

peace" which it is "His to give." "Peace" outward and inward, here and

hereafter

(Ro 14:17).

always--unbroken, not changing with outward circumstances.

manuscripts read, "in every place"; thus he prays for their peace

in all times ("always") and places.

Lord be with you all--May He bless you not only with peace, but

also with His presence

(Mt 28:20).

Even the disorderly brethren (compare

2Th 3:15,

"a brother") are included in this prayer.

17. The Epistle was written by an amanuensis (perhaps Silas or

Timothy), and only the closing salutation written by Paul's "own hand"

(compare

Ro 16:22;

1Co 16:21;

Col 4:18).

Wherever Paul does not subjoin this autograph salutation, we may

presume he wrote the whole Epistle himself

(Ga 6:11).

which--which autograph salutation.

the token--to distinguish genuine Epistles from spurious ones put

forth in my name

(2Th 2:2).

in every epistle--Some think he signed his name to every Epistle

with his own hand; but as there is no trace of this in any manuscripts

of all the Epistles, it is more likely that he alludes to

his writing with his own hand in closing every Epistle, even in

those Epistles (Romans, Second Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians,

First Thessalonians) wherein he does not specify his having done so.

so I write--so I sign my name: this is a specimen of my

handwriting, by which to distinguish my geniune letters from

forgeries.

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.

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