2 Thessalonians 3.....correction concerning practice
The chapter can be easily divided into three parts:
1. Verses 1-5. Dependence on the Lord
2. Verses 6-15 Discipline in the church.
3. Verses 16–18 Farewell greetings.
Dependence on the Lord.
The mark of all truly great men in scripture is not about their own achievements, but on how much they depended on the Lord to work through them. One great man in the Old Testament, Moses, found the secret of success in spiritual life by taking everything, that is everything, to the Lord. Time and again it is recorded “Moses returned unto the Lord.” This was the secret of his greatness and also the same with Paul, who constantly brought everything to the Lord and advised all his follower to do the same. He invites them at the start of the section to pray for them, and at the end he invites the Lord to direct them in their living, to move them forward in His likeness. In five short verses he mentions the Lord four times, this is the secret of Christian living. In the 1st epistle chapter 5v25 he asks them to pray for them generally, but in these final verses he requests their prayers specifically. The first request is prayer that “the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.” The idea is that the word of the Lord may run, that is without hindrance, that it may achieve its goal swiftly and decisively. The second request for prayer is a personal one that they might be delivered from “unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not faith.” He wanted them to pray for the success of the word of the Lord, but also for their own personal safety.
He now reminds them of the Lord’s faithfulness to establish them and keep them from evil; he expresses confidence in the Lord that the believers will put into practice the things that were handed down to them. In verse 5 he appeals to the Lord to “direct their hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ”. Mostly Paul’s prayers were for the spiritual empowerment of the saints, it is one thing to know the love of God it is another to live it and for that we need the Lord. The word “direct” is also used in 1st Thessalonians 3v11 and carries the idea of the removal of hindrances, the clearing of the pathway, the smoothing of the way. In the first epistle he requests a smoothing of the way for them to visit, referring to a practical issue; in the 2nd epistle the request is for spiritual issues. The direction of our hearts into the love of God will involve the removal of all bias and prejudice. The direction into the patience of Christ involves a calm acceptance of the divine timetable.
Discipline in the church.
He now changes his approach; from “beseeching”, using exhortatory language, he moves to “charging” using mandatory language, pulling apostolic rank on them because some of their number were walking out of rank. This is the meaning of “disorderly” which he uses three times in this section (v6, v7, v11). He also uses the word “charge” three times (v6, v10, v12.), meaning an order, the language associated with a military setting The meaning of the word is literally “out of rank” and the picture is of a military parade. The rapid change of approach is in line with the trend of the epistle. In the context of world lawlessness it would be imprudent, indeed unacceptable, for Christians to be walking out of rank!
Order in the things of God is something which should mark every church. 1st Corinthians 14v40 “let all things be done decently and in order;” Colossians 2V5 “joying and beholding your order.” Order is the opposite of chaos. The word for universe is “cosmos” an ordered arrangement of things. Disorder, if tolerated, can lead to chaos; there is an order about everything in life and so too in the church. The particular problem was wilful idleness, someone refusing to work for their living. The Divine view on idleness is made clear particularly in the book of Proverbs and such idleness is unacceptable Christian practice. Paul approaches this problem in a number of ways:
• Verse 6a He invokes the authority of the Lord by introducing “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This behaviour will bring the name of the Lord into disrepute. From the beginning God intended man to work (Genesis 2v15, “And the Lord God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Christians, delivered from the lawless world, have surely to observe Divine order. Even the ungodly know the necessity of work.
• Verse 6b He commands social withdrawal, not as strong as excommunication, but a milder form to mark this unacceptable behaviour. There are a number of such actions indicated by the apostle, such as Romans 16v17 “mark and avoid;” 2nd Timothy 3v5 “from such turn away;” 2nd Timothy 2v21 “if a man purge himself from these;” 2nd Thessalonians 3v14 “note that man and do not mix with him.”
• Verse 7-10 He points to apostolic teaching and example. Although as an apostle he had the right to expect their financial support, he did not use that right “but wrought with labour and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you.” This he did as an example which is to be followed saying “that if any would not work neither should he eat.” The problem was as fundamental as that. The apostles’ sense of decorum for Christians in relation to material needs was as follows; “I will not eat any man’s bread for nought” and “...so that I might not be chargeable to any of you.” In addition to preaching the gospel to them, and teaching the word, they toiled night and day to supply their needs, and this is an example to be followed.
• Verse 11-12 Idleness tends to lead to indolence. They would not busy themselves to work for a living but they became busybodies in other people’s affairs. The apostolic command and exhortation, with the full authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, was “that with quietness they work and eat their own bread.”
The wording of verse 13 may give rise to the thought that the shirkers were “sponging” from the others, playing on their generosity. “But ye brethren be not weary in well doing.” In other words don’t allow the abuse of some to diminish your giving. On the other hand they were to act decisively against the practice of the idlers, particularly if they continued to disobey apostolic command. Social ostracisation is recommended but caution is advised against prejudice, the offending person is to be treated as a wayward brother and not as an enemy.
Farewell greetings
He brings them to the Lord, and uses a favourite expression in the letter “The Lord Himself....”, again emphasising the prime teaching of the epistle, which is the Coming, the Parousia, the presence of the Lord on their journey to the glory. The present age is characterised by His absence from them, but He is with them in spirit, through the Holy Spirit. The benefits of that are amazing;
His peace in every situation, He is the Lord of peace, and will use every means to maintain conditions of peace.
His presence with them at all times, just as He promised “..to the end of the age.”
The respect of the apostle for who they are and whose they are...”salutation” is a term of respect. He signs this letter, as all letters, with his own hand.
Constant streams of grace from the Lord Jesus Christ, the thought being “grace upon grace” (John 1v16) and “He giveth more grace” (James 4v6). The combination of an inexhaustible supply and eternal love assuring all we are not alone.
HE IS COMING........COMING TO REIGN!
The chapter can be easily divided into three parts:
1. Verses 1-5. Dependence on the Lord
2. Verses 6-15 Discipline in the church.
3. Verses 16–18 Farewell greetings.
Dependence on the Lord.
The mark of all truly great men in scripture is not about their own achievements, but on how much they depended on the Lord to work through them. One great man in the Old Testament, Moses, found the secret of success in spiritual life by taking everything, that is everything, to the Lord. Time and again it is recorded “Moses returned unto the Lord.” This was the secret of his greatness and also the same with Paul, who constantly brought everything to the Lord and advised all his follower to do the same. He invites them at the start of the section to pray for them, and at the end he invites the Lord to direct them in their living, to move them forward in His likeness. In five short verses he mentions the Lord four times, this is the secret of Christian living. In the 1st epistle chapter 5v25 he asks them to pray for them generally, but in these final verses he requests their prayers specifically. The first request is prayer that “the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.” The idea is that the word of the Lord may run, that is without hindrance, that it may achieve its goal swiftly and decisively. The second request for prayer is a personal one that they might be delivered from “unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not faith.” He wanted them to pray for the success of the word of the Lord, but also for their own personal safety.
He now reminds them of the Lord’s faithfulness to establish them and keep them from evil; he expresses confidence in the Lord that the believers will put into practice the things that were handed down to them. In verse 5 he appeals to the Lord to “direct their hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ”. Mostly Paul’s prayers were for the spiritual empowerment of the saints, it is one thing to know the love of God it is another to live it and for that we need the Lord. The word “direct” is also used in 1st Thessalonians 3v11 and carries the idea of the removal of hindrances, the clearing of the pathway, the smoothing of the way. In the first epistle he requests a smoothing of the way for them to visit, referring to a practical issue; in the 2nd epistle the request is for spiritual issues. The direction of our hearts into the love of God will involve the removal of all bias and prejudice. The direction into the patience of Christ involves a calm acceptance of the divine timetable.
Discipline in the church.
He now changes his approach; from “beseeching”, using exhortatory language, he moves to “charging” using mandatory language, pulling apostolic rank on them because some of their number were walking out of rank. This is the meaning of “disorderly” which he uses three times in this section (v6, v7, v11). He also uses the word “charge” three times (v6, v10, v12.), meaning an order, the language associated with a military setting The meaning of the word is literally “out of rank” and the picture is of a military parade. The rapid change of approach is in line with the trend of the epistle. In the context of world lawlessness it would be imprudent, indeed unacceptable, for Christians to be walking out of rank!
Order in the things of God is something which should mark every church. 1st Corinthians 14v40 “let all things be done decently and in order;” Colossians 2V5 “joying and beholding your order.” Order is the opposite of chaos. The word for universe is “cosmos” an ordered arrangement of things. Disorder, if tolerated, can lead to chaos; there is an order about everything in life and so too in the church. The particular problem was wilful idleness, someone refusing to work for their living. The Divine view on idleness is made clear particularly in the book of Proverbs and such idleness is unacceptable Christian practice. Paul approaches this problem in a number of ways:
• Verse 6a He invokes the authority of the Lord by introducing “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This behaviour will bring the name of the Lord into disrepute. From the beginning God intended man to work (Genesis 2v15, “And the Lord God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Christians, delivered from the lawless world, have surely to observe Divine order. Even the ungodly know the necessity of work.
• Verse 6b He commands social withdrawal, not as strong as excommunication, but a milder form to mark this unacceptable behaviour. There are a number of such actions indicated by the apostle, such as Romans 16v17 “mark and avoid;” 2nd Timothy 3v5 “from such turn away;” 2nd Timothy 2v21 “if a man purge himself from these;” 2nd Thessalonians 3v14 “note that man and do not mix with him.”
• Verse 7-10 He points to apostolic teaching and example. Although as an apostle he had the right to expect their financial support, he did not use that right “but wrought with labour and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you.” This he did as an example which is to be followed saying “that if any would not work neither should he eat.” The problem was as fundamental as that. The apostles’ sense of decorum for Christians in relation to material needs was as follows; “I will not eat any man’s bread for nought” and “...so that I might not be chargeable to any of you.” In addition to preaching the gospel to them, and teaching the word, they toiled night and day to supply their needs, and this is an example to be followed.
• Verse 11-12 Idleness tends to lead to indolence. They would not busy themselves to work for a living but they became busybodies in other people’s affairs. The apostolic command and exhortation, with the full authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, was “that with quietness they work and eat their own bread.”
The wording of verse 13 may give rise to the thought that the shirkers were “sponging” from the others, playing on their generosity. “But ye brethren be not weary in well doing.” In other words don’t allow the abuse of some to diminish your giving. On the other hand they were to act decisively against the practice of the idlers, particularly if they continued to disobey apostolic command. Social ostracisation is recommended but caution is advised against prejudice, the offending person is to be treated as a wayward brother and not as an enemy.
Farewell greetings
He brings them to the Lord, and uses a favourite expression in the letter “The Lord Himself....”, again emphasising the prime teaching of the epistle, which is the Coming, the Parousia, the presence of the Lord on their journey to the glory. The present age is characterised by His absence from them, but He is with them in spirit, through the Holy Spirit. The benefits of that are amazing;
His peace in every situation, He is the Lord of peace, and will use every means to maintain conditions of peace.
His presence with them at all times, just as He promised “..to the end of the age.”
The respect of the apostle for who they are and whose they are...”salutation” is a term of respect. He signs this letter, as all letters, with his own hand.
Constant streams of grace from the Lord Jesus Christ, the thought being “grace upon grace” (John 1v16) and “He giveth more grace” (James 4v6). The combination of an inexhaustible supply and eternal love assuring all we are not alone.
HE IS COMING........COMING TO REIGN!
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