2 Thessalonians 3:8

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Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought: the apostle here gives a particular positive instance of what before he speaks negatively, and in general; and brings his discourse home to the present case, and declares his orderly working in this, that he wrought for his own bread, and did not eat for nought, or live upon that which was freely given. dwrean the word is sometimes taken for that which is without effect, as Galatians 2:21, answering to the Hebrew word Chinnam, oft used, Psalms 7:4, Psalms 25:3 69:4 119:61. Or, that which is without cause; and that either with respect to injury received, as 1 Thessalonians 15:25, or benefit bestowed, as Romans 3:24, when it is freely given without merit. The apostle means that he preached the gospel to them freely, as he tells the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 11:7. Though if he had received maintenance for his labour in the gospel among them, it was that which he well deserved, and he had not eaten their bread for nought; but he wrought with his own hands to maintain himself, as he did at Corinth, Acts 18:3. But wrought with labour and travail; and he wrought laboriously, with wearisome and toilsome labour, as the words import; and that night and day; as he had told them in the former Epistle, 1 Thessalonians 2:9; only he speaks of it here upon a different account; there, to clear his ministry from suspicion of covetousness, and to evidence his sincere affection to them; here, to set before them an example of industry against such who lived idly, and did eat others bread. Had he not wrought with his hands, he had not walked disorderly; but lest any should think so, he would do it to take away all occasion of evil. For though the labour of the ministry in the exercise of the mind and study may be reckoned as the greatest, yet most people cannot judge of it, and think it such; and though he had power to forbear working, as he tells the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 9:6, yet he would do it rather than any good should be hindered, or any evil furthered thereby.