KEITHLY EXEGESIS-Final Confidences in God's Grace Expressed (2 Thes. 3:1-5)
INTRODUCTION: With chapter 3 Paul begins to bring this epistle to a close, but in doing so, we are privileged to see a wonderful model as Paul demonstrates how his team's confidence lay not in human plans, promotion, programs, or human personalities, but in the Lord Himself. Their confidence for whatever they might need and face was an unending trust in the provision and faithfulness of the Lord and His powerful Word. The Lord Jesus said emphatically, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." While God uses frail human instruments in accomplishing His work on earth, the ultimate accomplishment of the work depends on the work and faithfulness of the Lord and His Word. Our modern 'go-go' tendency is to be quick to plan and act rather than pray, wait on the Lord, and then in God's timing and leading, work in His strength, leading, and provision. This is not only the position of wisdom but of humility as we put our trust not in ourselves, but in a sovereign God and Savior. Again, the apostle provides us with a model, not just for ministry but for life.
Paul's Confidence in Prayer (3:1-2)
3:1 Finally pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord's message may spread quickly and be honored as in fact it was among you, 3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith.
With the word "finally" (Greek loipon, a particle of transition often found toward the end of a letter) the apostle indicates that he is coming to the close of the letter, but not necessarily implying that he was immediately ending the letter or that other matters might not be discussed.88
As is 1 Thessalonians 5:25, Paul asks for prayer on behalf of their missionary team. He says, "Pray, brethren (the plural adelphoi used as a vocative of address), for us." The use of the vocative (as in 1 Thes. 5:25) puts some emphasis on the request and the sense of Paul's awareness of his need of God's hand and the important part the prayer of the saints has on our ministries. Thus, it was not unusual for Paul, who consistently prayed for his converts, to ask for prayer himself (see Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:19, 20; Phil. 1:19; Col. 4:3-4). Too much Christian work is attempted today by human plans and promotion with far too much dependence on the methods employed and in the dynamic personalities of people rather than on a prayerful dependence on the Lord.
There is an important lesson in this for all of us. Here was a giant among men and one used mightily by the Lord. Paul gave us more books of the New Testament than any other of the apostles or their associates, yet this great man of God humbly sought the prayer of those he and his team had led to Christ and were teaching to help them grow in Christ. Thus, recognizing their own inadequacy and need of God's enablement, the apostle and his team humbly sought the prayer support of others.
The content of their prayer is spelled out in two specific requests. They did not just ask for prayer in general (i.e., pray for us), but they were specific with two primary requests seen in the clauses introduced by "that" (two hina clauses introducing the content of the request). Significantly, both of these requests ultimately related to the progress of the gospel, even though the second request was more personal.
The First Request: Literally, "that the message (ho logos, the word) of the Lord may run and be glorified just as also with you." The message of the word is the message of gospel, the divine revelation which God breathed and which thereby comes with God's authority behind it.
(1) The first need is that it may run. This is the present continuous tense of the Greek word trecho, which means literally, "run" but it is used figuratively of "proceeding quickly without hindrance." This is, then, a prayer that God's message will continue to progress swiftly and without hindrance to and within the hearts of men and women as it had done so powerfully among the Thessalonians (see 1 Thes. 1 and 2:13). Note first that the focus here is on the message rather than the messenger for in the final analysis it is the message that transforms people. Again, we get a glimpse of Paul's confidence. It is in God and His precious Word. Second, the very nature of such a request calls to mind the fact that Satan and this world is always at work to throw up hindrances or barriers against the message. If the message is to run swiftly, it must have the sovereign work of God make clear the way (cf. 1 Thes. 2:18 with 3:11-13).
(2) The second need spelled out in this first request is that the message may continue to be glorified. The verb here is continuos present of doxazo, "to honor, magnify, praise." The idea is that God's message, and thus God Himself, may be honored among men as they recognize its authority and submit their lives to its glorious truth in faith and continued obedience and growth. For an example of this and as a further encouragement to the Thessalonians, he quickly added, "... just as it was with you." This recalls the amazing success of the message in Thessalonica as described in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 6, 8 and 2:13. This is the kind of response Paul and his team wanted to see wherever the gospel is proclaimed.
The Second Request: "And that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith." This request is certainly more personal, but it is still related to the first request for the speedy and unhindered progress of the Word for they were messengers of the message. The Word of God is not bound or imprisoned (2 Ti. 2:9) and Satan is impotent against the Word when it is accurately proclaimed. He may deny it, attack it, try to add to it or subtract from it, but his primary attacks must come against those who proclaim it (see 1 Thes. 2:18). He will seek to use those under his influence and who do not have faith to imprison, kill, distract, detain, or in some way through temptation and deception to negate the testimony of the messenger. This had happened in Philippi and in Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thes. 2:1; Acts 16:22f). There was undoubtedly the element of self-preservation in this request, but the primary aim is for the purpose of spreading the gospel.
"May be delivered" is the aorist of the verb ruomai, "to deliver, rescue, preserve." The aorist could possibly express Paul's desire for deliverance from a particular situation he was then facing, or it could express his desire as a whole, from beginning to end, knowing that there would always be those who would seek to hinder his ministry. In view of Acts 18:9-11, it is significant that though Paul had already received the Lord's promise of personal safety while he was in Corinth, this fact did not cause Paul to take the Lord for granted or make him independent from the prayer of the saints. Knowing God's will and having His assurances should never lead to prayerlessness and a spirit of independence.
Literally, the text has, "from the perverse and evil men." The presence of the article could indicate a specific group of men, but more likely this is an illustration of a generic article and points to a class of individuals, a class of men that form a very real obstacle for messengers of the gospel. As such, it categorizes rather than particularizes. What is the category of men like? They are first of all "perverse." This is the adjective atopos, "out of place, strange, outrageous," and thus, "morally evil, perverse, improper" (see Luke 23:41; Acts 25:5). "Evil" is poneros, which, in the physical sense means, "painful, virulent, serious, spoiled, worthless," but ethically, it means "wicked, evil, base, vicious, degenerate." It often refers to an active malignant kind of evil, one that affects others in some negative way. In comparing kakos, "bad, evil, wicked," with poneros, Trench writes, "The kakos may be content to perish in his own corruption, but the poneros is not content unless he is corrupting others as well, and drawing them into the same destruction with himself."89 For this reason, Satan is called ho poneros, the evil one.
The next clause, "for not all have faith" points us to the reason for this category of men. Since "faith" has the article (he pistis) this could be understood as "the faith," the objective body of truth, but the following contrast, "the Lord is faithful" puts the focus more on the subjective aspect of "trust." They are what they are because they have no faith or trust in the Lord.
Paul's Confidence in Continued Growth (3:3-5)
3:3 But the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 3:4 And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing, and will do, what we are commanding. 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.
With the human unbelief and behavior just described, the apostle quickly turns to focus the Thessalonians on the Lord and His faithfulness. Literally, "But faithful is the Lord." The term "faithful" is put first for emphasis and displays a definite contrast. As the last word of the previous sentence of the Greek text was "faith," pistis, and focused on the unbelief of evil men, so the first word of this sentence is pistos, "faithful, trustworthy," which turns our attention to the Lord and His character.90 While there are many who do not have faith in the Lord and may oppose the gospel and its messengers, we can rest in the Lord because He is faithful or trustworthy.
As the apostle thinks of the Lord's character, he thinks also of the spiritual and emotional needs of the Thessalonians and quickly assures them that the Lord who is faithful will "strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." English Bibles typically translate this as simply another independent clause, but in the Greek text we have a relative clause which more tightly describes or clarifies the nature of the Lord as one who is faithful. Literally, "But faithful is the Lord, who will strengthen and guard you ..." Both verbs are what could be called gnomic futures in that they portray that which is true of the Lord at any time. Thus, in the future, or as the need arises, they can count on Him as the One who will strengthen and guard or protect them from the evil one. For the word "strengthen" (sterizo), see the comments in lesson 7 at 2:17. "Protect" is phulasso, "to guard, protect, defend." It naturally suggests the presence of some form of danger which Paul defines as "the evil one." Above the apostle mentioned evil (poneros) men. Part of the reason they are actively evil and mentioned above is because they are unbelievers, but behind their unbelief and their evil activity is the evil one himself. "Evil" is again the Greek term poneros but here it has the article, ho poneros. This is a common name for Satan in the New Testament (Matt. 5:37; 6:13; 13:19, 38; John 17:15; Eph. 6:16; 1 John 2:13f; 5:18f) and calls to mind his character and constant work of actively causing evil, especially against the people of God. It is he who is behind the "mystery of lawlessness" (2:7).
Having mentioned the Lord's faithfulness, in verse 4 Paul expresses their confidence that the Thessalonians were doing and would do the things the missionary team had commanded them (continue in the apostolic teaching). But the key to that confidence is seen in the words, "in the Lord." Literally, "But we are confident in the Lord about you." Their confidence was rooted in the Lord. The missionary team trusted the faithful Lord to be at work to maintain them in growth and obedience because of their relationship to Him as those who were "in the Lord."
Now in verse 5, though confident in the Lord, we see that they did not take the Lord for granted, but expressed that confidence in a request to Lord. The verb in "may the Lord direct your hearts" is kateuthunai, an optative of kateuthuno, "make straight, direct, lead." This verb is repeatedly used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT) in 1 and 2 Chronicles (1 Chr. 2:18; 2 Chr. 12:14; 19:3 20:33). The optative mood represents a strong wish which they expressed to the Lord. In the first epistle (3:11), Paul used kateuthuno in his prayer that God might direct their way, undoubtedly by removing obstacles and opening doors that they might return to the Thessalonians. But here the verb is used of the "heart," which often refers to the whole inner person-mind, emotions, and will, or it may simply be used as a synonym for the personal pronoun. The apostle desired to see the Lord so lead that they might experience both the love of God and the endurance of Christ. But what does this mean? Each of these expressions, the love of God and the endurance of Christ, are capable of more than one meaning.
The love of God: A prayer (1) that they might be led more deeply in their love for God (an objective genitive); (2) that they might be led to apprehend more and more the love that God has for them (a subjective genitive); (3) that they might experience God's love for each other as God has loved them (see 1 John 4:7f, perhaps an attributive genitive, godly love). But perhaps this is plenary and includes all three ideas. "The comprehensiveness of the term is probably designed to include every aspect of the love of God, and every possible effect of that love upon the hearers."91
The endurance of Christ: Endurance is hupomone, "patience, endurance, fortitude, perseverance," etc. This is a prayer (1) that they might wait patiently for the coming Savior as translated by the KJV (objective genitive); (2) that they might have the kind of endurance that Christ gives, an endurance that comes from relationship with Him (subjective genitive); (3) that they might experience the kind of endurance that belongs to Christ or that was demonstrated in His sufferings on earth and that He is demonstrating even now as He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet (Heb. 12:2; 10:13, either a possessive or attributive genitive). Again, all three are true and perhaps all are intended. While a too rigid exegesis is to be avoided, it may, perhaps, be permissible to paraphrase: "the Lord teach and enable you to love as God loves, and to be patient as Christ is patient."92
Conclusion
In verses 1-2, we have seen how the apostolic team humbly turned to their students for prayer for their ministry. Though requesting prayer for deliverance from evil men who have no faith in the gospel, the focus was not so much for personal deliverance as it was for the ministry of the Word of the Lord, that it might have speedy and unhindered progress as men honor it by responding in faith and obedience to its message.
But the Lord is faithful and so there follows an emphasis that comes out of this vital truth. There is, then, an intimate connection, somewhat like cause and effect, between the key thoughts in verses 3, 4, and 5. In verse 3, the emphasis is on "the faithfulness" of the Lord in contrast to the unbelief and persecution of evil men. In verse 4, the focus is on human obedience to this glorious message, but such obedience must come from the believer's relationship with the Lord ("in the Lord"), and thus in verse 5, the focus is on their growth in the love of God and endurance of Christ which is always the root of obedience to the Word. In the background of all of this is the confident expectation of the sure return of the Savior, which we must all anticipate.
The writers pray that the risen Lord will lead their Thessalonian friends into a growing appreciation of God's love for them (which will inevitably increase their love for him and for one another) and into a still greater participation in the steadfast endurance of Christ. Even if there is no explicit reference to his Advent in this wish-prayer, their steadfast endurance will in any case be strengthened by their confident expectation of that consummation of their hope.93
Keithly-Final Exhortations Regarding Idleness in the Church (2 Thes. 3:6-18)
INTRODUCTION: If left untreated, disorder in the church, like physical ailments, will only increase causing greater and greater sickness and pain. Because of a wrong response to the imminent return of the Lord, the problem of idleness touched on briefly in 1 Thessalonians, seems to have only grown worse. There were those in the church at Thessalonica who had evidently stopped working and were running about in excited idleness from house to house in anticipation of the Lord's return at any moment. This wrong response to prophetic truth not only led to idleness and the lack of ability to support oneself and family, but it had resulted in becoming busybodies. It appears they also expected the church to support them. It is entirely possible that it was this group that had been spreading some or perhaps all of the false teaching discussed in chapter 2 of this epistle. Further, they were probably guilty of spreading rumors or gossip about others in the church. As Wiersbe puts it, "They had time on their hands and gossip on their lips, but they defended themselves by arguing, 'The Lord is coming soon!'"94
In the previous epistle, Paul had warned these busybodies to stop such idleness and get back to quietly working with their own hands (1 Thess. 4:11-12). He later urged the believers there to admonish the unruly or undisciplined (ataktos, "out of order, disorderly, undisciplined"). In view of this chapter, it is clear that either they had not heeded Paul's admonishment or they had not listened to the admonishments from the church body.
This is a sad illustration of either wrong interpretation or wrong application of biblical truth. The New Testament does teach the imminent, any-moment possibility of the return of the Savior for His church; it is imminent, but no one know when He will return. It could be today, but it might not be, as has been the case for hundreds of years. The principle is that we are to live as though it will be today while working and continuing on in life as though it won't be for years to come. We must hold both truths in proper balance. As seen previously, the coming of the Lord with all that it means to believers is to be a strong motivation to godliness and obedience to the directives of God's Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Misinterpretations and misapplications of the truths of God's Word can cause endless trouble. History records the foolishness of people who set dates, sold their possessions, and sat on mountains waiting for the Lord to return. Any teaching that encourages us to disobey another divine teaching is not Bible teaching.95
The Exhortations of the Apostolic Team (3:6)
3:6 But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition you received from us.
The seriousness of this exhortation is seen in the use of the word "command," in Paul's appeal in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the nature of the command "to keep away." "Command" is parangello, "give orders, command, instruct with authority." It is was used for various directions given from persons in authority like human rulers, Jesus, and the apostles. Paul used this strong word in connection with the idle busybodies in the first epistle (4:11 and the noun form, parangellia, in 4:2) and in this epistle in 3:4, 6, 10, & 12. Parangello was a military word often used of a command by a superior officer. The lesson here is simple: the church is engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10ff) with each believer a soldier whom God has enlisted into His army. When we fail to follow the directives of the Savior, it leads to disorderly conduct which hurts our effectiveness (see 2 Tim. 2:3-4; 1 Tim. 1:18). Thus, the apostle used another military term to describe the problem at Thessalonica. Some of the saints were "undisciplined," literally, "out of order" or "out of rank." "Undisciplined" is ataktos, an adverb meaning "disorderly, out of rank" (see also 3:11 and the verb form, atakteo, in 3:7). This family of words was used of soldiers who were out of step or moving in disarray. For another passage that uses military metaphors, we might compare by way of contrast two words the apostle used in Colossians 2:5 when he wrote, "For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see the order and the firmness of your faith in Christ." (emphasis mine) Here the apostle was thankful for the orderly way the Colossians had closed ranks and presented a solid front of soldiers in standing for the cause of Christ. "Order" is taxis, "a fixed succession or order." It was a military term used of a rank or orderly array. "Firmness" is stereoma, "a solid body," and so "steadfastness, firmness." But this too was a military word and continues the military metaphor and means, "a solid front," a closed phalanx as it was used of Roman soldiers marching shoulder to shoulder with their spears pointing forward.
In this regard, Paul appealed to the Thessalonians in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Commander-in-Chief of the army of God. In essence, then, these commands came by the authority of Christ. Paul was passing on authoritative instructions as an apostle, one sent by the Lord Jesus to plant or establish churches and to lay the biblical foundation for the body of Christ (Eph. 2:20). To disobey Paul's directives was to disobey the Lord.
"To keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition you received from us" spells out the specific command. "To keep away" is the middle voice of the verb stello. It originally meant "to set, place, arrange, fit out as an army for an expedition"; hence "to prepare, equip." Then it came to mean "to bring together" or "to gather up" as when one furls the sails of a ship (so used in Homer). Hence, "to shrink back, to restrain, check," and in the middle voice, "to restrain or withdraw oneself, hold aloof, avoid."
"From any brother" or literally, "from every brother" stresses the principle and need of impartiality. The tendency in exercising church discipline is to show partiality to some because of their standing in the community or in the church, or because of financial status, or simply because they are very likable people, but such cannot purify and toughen up God's army for spiritual warfare. As we are warned in 1 Corinthians 5, a little leaven eventually leavens the whole lump.
"Who live an undisciplined life and not according ..." pinpoints the specific problem. "Who live" is literally, "walking in a disorderly way." "Walking" (present continuous tense of peripateo, "to walk about") is a common idiom for one's way of life or conduct in general. "Undisciplined" is the adverb ataktos, mentioned previously, a vivid word that describes the nature of their behavior. "... The word means to play truant. It occurs, for instance, in the papyri, in an apprentice's contract in which the father agrees that his son must make good any days on which he absents himself from duty or plays truant. The Thessalonians in their excited idleness were truants from duty and from work."96 Such truant behavior was foolish because of the natural consequences and because no one knows when the Lord will return. But it was more than just foolish, it was rebellion because it was contrary to the tradition of truth handed down to the Thessalonians previously (1 Thess. 4:11, 12; 5:14) and to the teaching of the Word in general. In essence, this constituted walking in disobedience to the Word of God. This was rebellion and no excuse could justify such behavior. So strong measures were needed.
What does the Bible teach about manual (or mental) labor? For one thing, labor was a part of man's life before sin entered the scene. God gave Adam the job of dressing and guarding the Garden (Gen. 2:15). Although sin turned labor into almost hopeless toil (Gen. 3:17-19), it must never be thought that the necessity for work is a result of sin. Man needs work for the fulfillment of his own person. God created him to work.
Have you noticed that God called people who were busy at work? Moses was caring for sheep (Ex. 3). Joshua was Moses' servant before he became Moses' successor (Ex. 33:11). Gideon was threshing wheat when God called him (Jud. 6:11ff), and David was caring for his father's sheep (1 Sam. 16:11ff). Our Lord called four fishermen to serve as His disciples, and He Himself had worked as a carpenter. Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3) and used his trade to support his own ministry.
The Jews honored honest labor and required all their rabbis to have a trade. But the Greeks despised manual labor and left it to their slaves. This Greek influence, plus their wrong ideas about the doctrine of the Lord's return, led these believers into an unchristian way of life.97
Later, the apostle will show that the issue here was ultimately one of unwillingness. The circumstances of life (sickness, loss of a job, economic conditions) sometimes keep people from working, so the question was not one of inability but unwillingness (see vs. 10, "if anyone is not willing to work, ...").
The Example of the Apostolic Team (3:7-10)
3:7 For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, 3:8 and we did not eat anyone's food without paying. Instead in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. 3:9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. 3:10 For even when we were with you we used to give you this command: "If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat."
The apostle was always deeply concerned about his own example of Christ-likeness for he knew that a student will become like his teacher (Luke 6:40). His great concern for this is evident in his statement in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 when he said, "... for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved (literally, "came to be") to be among you for your sake."
In these verses, then, Paul was able to turn to his own example and that of his team. "Imitate" is the Greek mimeomai from which we get our word "mimic." As mentioned previously (see exposition on 1 Thes. 1:6-7), this word has no negative connotation as the word imitate sometimes does in our language. As a quick review: The idea of this word is that of modeling, becoming like, or following after another. It stresses the nature of a particular kind of behavior modeled by another that we are to follow. In the New Testament, it has a spiritual, ethical or moral emphasis and is generally linked with an obligation to a certain kind of conduct or character as a product of faith in the directives of the Bible and the example of the apostles or other leaders who were also following the Lord Jesus as our ultimate example. It is linked to certain ones who are living examples for the life of faith and the character of Christ.
This the apostle states is a moral and logical obligation. He said, "you must imitate us." "Must" is the impersonal verb dei, "one must, ought, it is necessary." It may refer to the compulsion of duty, of law, of custom, or of an inner necessity that grows out of the situation. Here it is the moral necessity that arises out of the fact these men were their spiritual mentors who followed the Lord Jesus and who had provided them with a godly example.
Thus, Paul added, "because we did not behave without discipline among you, ..." As always, though they had the right to receive support from the Thessalonians, they set aside that right in order to provide a fitting example of Christ-like behavior (see vs. 9). This not only provided an example to new Christians, but was a way of answering the false accusations of their accusers (see exposition of 1 Thes. 2). "Without discipline" is atakteo, "to be out of order, out of line." It's the verb form of the word used and discussed above in verse 6.
Paul himself was not idle. His readers could verify this claim ("you yourselves know," v. 7; cf. 1 Thess 2:1; 3:3; 4:2; 5:2). In imitating Paul, they would be imitating the Lord himself (1 Thess 1:6) because Paul's life was so carefully patterned after his Lord's. He did not loaf at Thessalonica (v. 7b), nor depend on others to supply him with free food (v. 8a). He supported himself in spite of much fatigue ("laboring," v. 8) and many obstacles ("toiling," v. 8; cf. 1 Thess 2:9) in order to relieve the new Christians in Thessalonica of the burden of maintaining him.
Paul did not have to exert himself so tirelessly. As an apostle, he had "the right to such help" (v. 9; cf. 1 Cor 9:4 ff.; 1 Thess 2:7) from his converts. He decided, however, to forego this privilege and leave an example for them to imitate.98
With verse 10, the apostle reinforced their example by reminding them of their previous instruction as it pertained to working and supporting oneself and family. As mentioned previously, the instruction here is aimed at those who are "unwilling to work." Also, this instruction was not just a matter of some cultural tendency they may have noted in the Thessalonians, but of a fundamental biblical principle. God is Himself a worker. After all, He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. As such, He designed a working vocation as a necessary part of life even before the fall and He expects each of us to be involved in some form of vocation that we might support ourselves, find a sense of significance and destiny in our labor, and be a productive member of society. Thus, denying support to those who are unwilling to work is not cruel, but becomes a basic form of discipline to force idlers into reality and into the responsibility of becoming productive people. This kind of discipline is tough love and provides a protection to both the individual and to the society.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 EXEGESIS - Donovan
CONTEXT: The church at Thessalonica has experienced various problems since Paul's brief visit there on his Second Missionary Journey.
But first Paul asks the Thessalonian Christians to pray for him and his companions. He invites prayers for deliverance "from unreasonable and evil men" (3:2), and assures them that the Lord "will establish you, and guard you from the evil one" (3:3). He states his confidence in them-that they will do as he has asked (3:4), and prays that "the Lord (might) direct (their) hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ" (3:5).
2 THESSALONIANS 3:6. WITHDRAW FROM THOSE WHO WALK IN REBELLION
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us.
"Now we command (Greek: parangello) you, brothers (Greek: adelphoi), in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves (Greek: stellomai) from every brother (Greek: adelphou) who walks in rebellion" (Greek: ataktos) (v. 6a).
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul urged (parakaleo) the Thessalonian Christians "to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you; that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing" (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). Because some Christian brothers and sisters refused to work, Paul now commands (parangello) those who have been working to separate themselves from those who have failed to work-parangello (command) being a much stronger word than parakaleo (urge).
The word adelphos (brother) can mean a sibling by the same physical parents, but in the New Testament adelphos is often used metaphorically to mean a spiritual sibling-a brother or sister by virtue of being children of the same Heavenly Father. Christians in the first century referred to each other as brothers or sisters (Acts 6:3; 9:30; 10:23; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 6:23; 1 Timothy 6:2; Revelation 1:9; 12:10). Some Christians today still use that sort of language. The rest of us would do well to recover it.
Paul commands the faithful to withdraw from those who walk in ataktos. The word ataktos has often been translated "idle"-but it means more than that. "Disorderly" comes closer than "idle" or "rebellion." There is an unruliness about these people's idleness-the phrase "Idle hands are the devil's workshop" comes to mind. In verse 11, Paul calls the idle Christians "busybodies" (peiergazomai)-people who, because they are idle, have time to meddle and create mischief. That is the crux of the problem here. The people who have chosen to disobey Paul's entreaty to work have become meddlers and mischief-makers.
When Paul commands the faithful Christians to withdraw from the idle-disruptive Christians, he doesn't intend that withdrawal to be permanent (see vv. 14-15 below). Instead, he hopes to get the attention of those who are idle and disruptive-and to encourage them to start working and to stop meddling. At that point, they can be restored to the community of faith-which then will be harmonious rather than troubled.
Other scriptures that encourage this kind of redemptive withdrawal are Luke 17:3; Romans 16:17; Galatians 6:1; 1 Ephesians 5:7; Timothy 5:20; and Titus 3:10.
While Paul doesn't specify exactly what this withdrawal should entail, it would most likely include (1) refusing to subsidize the idle-disrupters with free bread; (2) refusing the Lord's Supper to those who are being unfaithful, and (3) avoiding social contact or conversation with them. These expressions of disapproval would put great pressure on the non-compliant to become compliant. Verses 12-15 makes it clear that this is Paul's intent. There he expresses the hope that those who haven't been working will begin to quietly work and to eat their own bread-rather than sponging off their Christian brothers and sisters.
"and not after the tradition which they received from us" (v. 6b). The tradition that Paul passed on-and that the recalcitrant Thessalonians received-included entreaties "to lead a quiet life, and to do (their) own business, and to work with (their) own hands" (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
2 THESSALONIANS 3:7-9. IMITATE US
7 For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn't behave ourselves rebelliously among you, 8neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you; 9 not because we don't have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.
"For you know how you ought to (Greek: dei) imitate us" (v. 7a). Some Thessalonian Christians are Jewish, and Jewish disciples are expected to imitate their rabbis. Thessalonians are Greek, and Greek students are expected to imitate their teachers. What Paul is asking is both common practice and common sense. When Thessalonian Christians want to know what to do and how to act, they have only to ask, "What would Paul and his companions do?"
The ultimate challenge, of course, is to imitate Christ. When Christ calls us to follow him (Matthew 4:19; Mark 10:21; Luke 5:27; John 1:43), he is calling us to adopt his values and to act as he would act-even to the point of bearing a cross (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). When we wonder what we should do, we have only to ask, "What would Jesus do?"
The little word dei gives Paul's words considerable force. That word means, "it is necessary" or "it is right and proper." When Paul uses dei in this verse, he means that it is necessary (or right and proper) that the Thessalonian Christians follow the example set down by Paul and his companions.
"For we didn't behave ourselves rebelliously (Greek: atakteo) among you" (v. 7b). As noted in the comments on verse 6a above, the words ataktos (adverb) and atakteo (verb) indicate idle and disruptive behavior. Paul points out that he and his companions didn't behave that way when they were in Thessalonica.
"neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you" (v. 8). In Acts 18:2-3, Luke tells us that Paul was a tentmaker by trade. In his first letter to the Corinthian church, he mentioned working with his own hands (1 Corinthians 4:12). In his first letter to the Thessalonians, he mentioned working day and night "that we might not burden any of you" (1 Thessalonians 2:9)-an emphasis that he repeats in this verse. He paid his own way and reimbursed those who gave him food.
His words, "in labor and travail," make it clear that his work had a burdensome quality to it-but he did it voluntarily so that he might bear the burden rather than imposing the burden on the Thessalonian Christians.
"not because we don't have the right" (v. 9a). In his first letter to Timothy, Paul established that elders engaged in teaching the word of God are worthy of support. In support of that principle, he quoted two scriptures: (1) "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain"-from Deuteronomy 25:4. The idea behind this law was that working animals deserve to eat. Paul adapted that to mean that working elders deserve to eat. (2) "The laborer is worthy of his wages"-from Luke 10:7 and Matthew 10:10-Jesus' words. Jesus was establishing that it was appropriate for traveling evangelists to rely on the people they were serving for food and lodging-a principle that exactly parallels Paul's situation (see also 1 Corinthians 9:1-14).
"but to make ourselves an example (Greek: typos) to you, that you should imitate us" (v. 9b). The Greeks used the word typos to refer to the mark or impression made by striking something with a patterned image. As a tentmaker, Paul would have worked primarily with leather-and leather lends itself to stamped images. However, a stamped image would need to be clear and accurate to be of value.
Paul says that he and his companions, in their decision not to receive funding from the Thessalonian Christians, had set an example of self-reliance and humble service-an example that they intended the Thessalonian Christians to follow.
2 THESSALONIANS 3:10-12. IF ANYONE WILL NOT WORK
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat." 11 For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don't work at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: 'If anyone will not work, neither let him eat'" (v. 10). My first exposure to this command came, not from the Bible, but from eighth-grade American history. In the fledgling Jamestown, Virginia colony in 1609, colonists were faced with the prospect of starvation. One of their many problems was gentlemen who were unaccustomed to hard work-men who considered themselves above menial labor and who refused to help with the hard work of planting and harvesting. John Smith, the leader of the colony, imposed the rule, "He that will not work shall not eat (except by sickness he be disabled)." At the time, I didn't realize that this was a Biblical injunction, but I considered it a logical and effective remedy to a serious problem.
While we must make provision for people who, through no fault of their own, are unable to work, we need strong incentives to encourage people to work. The reasons are simple: If a person isn't working, someone else has to work "above and beyond" to support the person who isn't working. Also, idle hands are, indeed, the devil's workshop.
The need to be engaged in meaningful work extends to those who are officially retired from the workplace. It isn't healthy to do nothing-nor is it healthy to do nothing but play. People need a sense of purpose, and one way to accomplish that is to do some sort of meaningful work-work that makes life better for the worker or for someone else. Whether it is paid or volunteer work is less important than whether it is purposeful.
"For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion (Greek: ataktos), who don't work (Greek: ergazomai) at all, but are busybodies" (Greek: peiergazomai) (v. 11).
Note the play on words between ergazomai (work) and peiergazomai (busybodies). Some translations, in an attempt to capture this play on words, say "busy" and "busybodies."
When people are working, their energy is channeled into positive enterprises. When they aren't working, their energy is available for meddling and mischief-making. That is the problem in the Thessalonian church. Christians who should be busy working to support themselves have become busybodies-meddlers and mischief-makers.
"Now those who are that way, we command (Greek: parangello) and exhort (Greek: parakaleo) in the Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 12a). Once again, we have a play on words in the Greek between parangello (command) and parakaleo (exhort). Parangello (command) is the stronger of the two words, but parakaleo (exhort) has a winsome quality to it that might speak to those who have a problem with authority.
"that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread" (v. 12b). This is the goal-that the idle and disruptive people might change their ways, getting jobs and earning money so that they might buy and eat their own bread rather than living off the toil of their Christian brothers and sisters.
2 THESSALONIANS 3:13-15. DON'T WEARY IN DOING WELL
13 But you, brothers, don't be weary in doing well. 14 If any man doesn't obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15 Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
"But you, brothers, don't be weary in doing well" (Greek: kalopoieo) (v. 13).
In verse 12, Paul directed his remarks to the idle-disruptive people. Now, in verse 13, he addresses those who have been faithful.
The word kalopoieo is a combination of the Greek words kalos (good or well) and poieo (to do), and means "doing good things" or "doing well."
Paul has commanded the idle-disrupters to get to work. Now he exhorts the faithful not to get tired and discontinue their good work.
"If any man doesn't obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (vv. 14-15). These verses are not in the lectionary reading, but one wonders why. They make it clear that Paul's purpose in commanding withdrawal from idle-disruptive people is intended be redemptive rather than punitive-to shame them so that they might change their ways and be restored to full fellowship in the church.
2 Thess. 3:1-9 - Extra Commentary
2 Thessalonians 3:1 "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have [free] course, and be glorified, even as [it is] with you:"
"Pray for us": Paul frequently enlisted prayer support from the churches for his ministry (Rom. 15:30-32; Eph. 6:18-19; Col. 4:2-3; 1 Thess. 5:25; Philemon 22). In particular, he asked them to pray that the word of God would continue to spread rapidly as it had been already (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 13:44-49), and be received with the honor it deserved.
Paul had given them instruction in the last lesson to stay steadfast in the Word of God. He knew they had been taught the Truth of the gospel, and he was reminding them to stay close to what they had learned from him.
Paul is very pleased with this church, and the way they had conducted themselves. Now he feels that he should praise them for their steadfastness on the course he had set them. He was pleased with the results he had seen from them.
His request for them to pray for the Word of God to be spoken freely from him, was not just a statement, but showed that he had great confidence in them. We have said so many times, the power in this world is the Word of God. It matters not whether it is spoken or written.
Paul wants to be able to continue to bring the same Truth that he had brought here at Thessalonica, to all the places God would send him. His prayer was that the Word of God would be freely given by him everywhere he went, and that the people hearing would accept it.
The unselfishness of Paul is seen in that Paul includes them in the success of his mission by asking them to pray for the success of the mission.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in this world to some extent restrains evil. Often this is accomplished through the presence of Christians who are the "salt of the earth" (Matt. 5:13). At the rapture, when the Christians are removed and the age of the Holy Spirit ceases, this restraining ministry will be "taken out of the way" during the Great Tribulation. Until that time, God will use the godly examples of Christians to restrain evil in the world.
Verses 2-3: "For all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful": The unfaithfulness of men provides a contrast to the faithfulness of God, a favorite topic of Paul's (1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:24; 2 Tim. 2:13). "Keep" means "guard." "Evil" or "evil one": The reference is to Satan.
2 Thessalonians 3:2 "And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all [men] have not faith."
"Unreasonable and wicked men": These were Paul's enemies at Corinth, where he ministered when he wrote (Acts 18:9-17). Who were perverse and aggressively unrighteous in their opposition of him and the gospel.
Paul had certainly met with his share of unreasonable men. This is a gross understatement, to say that all men have not the faith. Even today, many men do not have the faith. It was even more so in Paul's day. Christianity was new. Many of the people where Paul had gone worshipped idols. His greatest persecution came from the Jews, however.
Paul had been persecuted from every side. He was weary of the persecution, and prayed that he would be delivered from that in the future. This would not be for Paul, however. He had a high calling of God. Look what Jesus said in the next Scripture.
Acts 9:16 "For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Name's sake."
Paul was called to a ministry of suffering. These unreasonable and wicked men are men who will not listen to, or accept the Truth. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Those who reject faith in Jesus are doomed. Paul is not afraid for himself, but for the others with him, and for these in Thessalonica.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil."
"The Lord is faithful": Lam. 3:23. God is faithful regarding creation (Psalm 119:90), His promises (Deut. 7:9; 1 Cor. 1:18; Heb. 10:23), salvation (1 Thess. 5:4), temptation (1 Cor. 10:13); suffering (1 Peter 4:19), and here faithful to strengthen and protect from Satan (John 17:15; Eph. 6:16; 1 Thess. 3:5).
We see a sudden change from his welfare to that of these Thessalonians. He is saying, put your faith in God, and He will protect you. Even in the Lord's Prayer, it says deliver us from evil.
Temptation comes through the flesh of man. As long as man is in the flesh, there will be temptation to sin. You must allow the spirit within you to overcome your flesh. If we allow the Spirit of Christ within us to be our Lord and guide us in everything, that Spirit will overcome the flesh and keep us from evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 "And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you."
Paul was confident that they had turned their will over to the will of God. If Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, He makes your decisions, and you will do the will of God instead of your own will.
To make Jesus your Lord, means that He is in total control of your life.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."
Another of Paul's benedictions (verse 16; 2:16-17), so common in his letters.
Let Jesus Christ your Lord fill you so full of His love that you will know you are His. You are what your heart is. If Jesus has filled your heart, you are a Christian, Christ-like. It is difficult to wait patiently for the coming of Christ. These Thessalonians had expected Jesus back immediately. Paul is telling them to not be anxious, but to wait patiently for His return.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."
"Command", used above (in verse 4), is a very strong, authoritative term. Since it is buttressed by an appeal to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, one cannot miss the seriousness of the apostle here.
Paul's directions were not mere suggestions but rather they carried the weight and authority of a judge's court order which the apostle delivered and enforced (verses 4, 6, 10, 12). Here, he required separation so that obedient Christians were not to fellowship with habitually disobedient believers. This is further explained (in verse 14).
"Withdraw" literally means "dissociate." This is the only time this term is used in the New Testament to mean church censure.
"Walketh disorderly" indicates a pattern of life not in conformity to the Word of God.
"The tradition": There were false traditions (Mark 7:2-3; Col. 2:8), and true (2:15). Paul's traditions were the inspired teachings he had given.
Paul had taught of the second coming of Christ. Their error had come in expecting His return to be immediately. Paul is not asking them, but commanding them to not fall into false doctrine. Brethren indicate that this was for all the believers in the church, not just the officials.
The "disorderly" here, would be those who do not follow the teachings Paul established there. Traditional teachings are those that were originally established in the church by Paul. One person walking disorderly can cause a great confusion in the church. It is best to remove yourself from any influence of the disorderly, so that you will not become disorderly yourself.
2 Thessalonians 3:7 "For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;"
"Follow us": Paul called for them to imitate him (verse 9, 1 Thess. 1:6), because he imitated Christ's example (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Eph. 5:1).
Paul had lived uprightly before them, and his life had been as much a testimony as his words to them. He had set an example for them to follow. He says, you already know the example we set without us telling you. The "us" here, probably includes Timothy and Silas.
Verses 8-10: The specific issue related to working diligently to earn one's living. Though Paul had the "right" as an apostle to receive support, he chose rather to earn his own living to stay an example (1 Cor. 9:3-14; Gal. 6:4; (1 Thess. 5:17-18).
2 Thessalonians 3:8 "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:"
It seems many of these people were expecting the Lord back so quickly, that they had quit their jobs and were just sitting around waiting for the return of the Lord. We are instructed in the Word of God over and over to be doing the work of the Lord even up until the hour that he comes. Paul reminds them that he worked and made his own living while he ministered to them.
Paul did not want to be obligated to any of them, so he made a living making tents. Paul did this not so that he could brag about it, but so that he could stay away from the influence of obligation. The job of ministering is a full-time job by itself, and is very hard labor. It is a labor of love, but it is still very tiring.
Paul went even further for this congregation, in that he required nothing in return for his labor. He wanted to show them the love that he had for them.
2 Thessalonians 3:9 "Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us."
Paul is saying here, that it was within his power to expect them to pay him for his work. He did not require it, because he wanted to set a good example for them. He was teaching that we should never be weary in well doing. Paul worked for them to see that it is important to be working for God. He set the example.
