2 Thessalonians 3

The *Lord has not come yet

2 the Thessalonians

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 3

A request for prayer 3:1-2

v1 For the rest, *brothers and *sisters, please pray for us. Ask the *Lord that he will use us to spread his good news quickly to many more people. Pray that they will honour God’s word. And pray that they will believe it even as you did. v2 Pray also that God will keep us safe from wicked and evil people. They will not believe what we teach.

Verse 1 The writers have dealt with the major questions. To close the letter they ask the Thessalonians to keep on praying for them. Then it seems that they thought of another matter, about which they needed to write. So, the letter goes on beyond verse 5 for that reason.

The prayers that they ask for are not for their own personal matters. They are rather for the *preaching of the *gospel. They ask the Thessalonians to pray for them in their work of spreading the good news. They want the good news about the *Lord to spread quickly. This means that more and more people will hear the message. The message of the *gospel is God’s word. They wanted people to know that the *gospel was the truth. They wanted people to see that it is the word of the true God and respect it as such.

When Paul, Silas and Timothy came to Thessalonica, they *preached the *gospel there. Many of the Thessalonians saw that this was the truth. And so they believed it. They then told other people about the *Lord and so the *gospel spread. Now the desire of the writers is that the same will happen in other places. They want people to believe just as the Thessalonians did.

Verse 2 As Paul, Silas and Timothy wrote this letter, they were having bad problems in *Corinth. There were many in *Corinth and in other places that were opposed to them. These enemies were trying to stop them from *preaching the *gospel. Many of these were *Jews. These *Jews did not accept that Jesus was the Christ. There were also the *Gentiles who had not believed in the *Lord Jesus Christ. These wicked and evil people attacked Paul and his friends. They would not come to the *Lord and they tried to stop other people from coming to him.

Not everyone has the *faith to believe the good news. Many who hear what the Christians teach will not accept it as the truth. Lack of *faith explains the bad attitude some have to Christ and to his people.

Confidence in God for them 3:3-5

v3 But the *Lord keeps his promises to us. So, he will make you strong and guard you from everything evil. v4 We are sure that the *Lord is helping you to do what we tell you. And we are sure that he will continue to do so. v5 May the *Lord show you more of the love of God in and for you. May he show you how patient and strong Christ was. And may he help you to be the same.

Verse 3 Here Paul is contrasting people and the *Lord. We cannot always trust people but we can trust the *Lord. People may fail us but the *Lord never will. The *Lord will do what he has promised. We can have confidence that. The Thessalonians can depend on the *Lord to give them strength and to protect them. He will make them strong to overcome all the attacks of the devil. The *Lord will stand over them like a guard to keep them safe. He will not allow the enemy to get through. Those who trust in the *Lord can be sure that *Satan cannot defeat them. They are safe in the *Lord.

Verse 4 The writers were confident that the *Lord would cause the Thessalonians to do the right thing. They were sure that the Thessalonians would go on living as they had taught them. Paul and his friends knew that they could depend on the *Lord to help the Thessalonians to do it.

Verse 5 They need the help of the *Lord to live as they should. They need to realise the love that God has for them. So Paul, Silas and Timothy ask that the *Lord will cause them to know more about the love of God. God loves them and his love is in them. The love of God will be a strong force in the lives of the *believers.

The *Lord Jesus showed the love of God when he came to this earth. His whole life displayed patience and strength. The prayer is that this character may be in them as well. So then they may be able to live right, even through all the troubles that they may have to suffer.

About those who are lazy 3:6-13

v6 *Brothers and *sisters, keep away from Christians who are lazy. Such people do not live in the way that we taught you. We tell you to do this by the authority that the *Lord Jesus Christ gives to us. v7 You yourselves know very well that you should live as we did. We were not lazy when we were with you. v8 We did not depend on any of you for our food without paying for it. No, we worked hard night and day. We earned what we needed. So we did not have to charge you anything at all. v9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to expect such help. But we did it so as to be an example of how you should live. v10 Because when we were with you, we gave you this rule: Whoever refuses to work should not eat.

v11 We say this because we hear that some among you are lazy. They talk about other people but do no work themselves. v12 By the authority that we have in the *Lord Jesus Christ, we urge them to work quietly. They must earn the money to buy their own food. v13 But you, *brothers and *sisters, must never tire of doing good things.

Verse 6 Paul, Silas and Timothy had taught the new Christians at Thessalonica that they should work. It was not right for those who would not work to depend on their friends to provide for them. The writers had urged the church to warn those who would not work (1 Thessalonians 5:14). But that warning had not had the effect that they had desired. There were still those who would not work. We do not know why they did not work. It may be that they were just lazy. Perhaps they thought that the *Lord was coming soon. So they thought that they did not need to work. It was not that they could not work or that there was no work for them to do. They chose not to work.

Here is what the church ought to do about this situation. All the members should keep away from those who were lazy. This would show that they did not approve of the manner of life of the lazy person. This is what Paul and his friends command them to do. For this they say that they have the authority of the *Lord Jesus Christ. What they tell them to do is a command from the *Lord.

Verses 7-9 Paul, Silas and Timothy had made it very clear to the Thessalonians how they should live. They had given to the Thessalonians a model to follow by the way that they lived. In those early days, the Thessalonians did copy their way of life (1 Thessalonians 1:6). Paul, Silas and Timothy were not lazy while they were in Thessalonica. They worked very hard. They worked night and day to provide for themselves while they taught about the *Lord Jesus. The long hours of hard labour must have been very tiring. But they did it so that they could *preach the *gospel. They did not depend on the Thessalonians for anything. They earned enough for all their needs. This does not mean that they would not accept an invitation to a meal. But it does mean that they would not depend on other people for their daily needs.

The Thessalonians had seen this. And so they knew the principles by which the three men had lived. They knew that they should follow the same principles. Each one ought to work to provide for themselves and for those who depend on them. All who can work should work.

The *Lord Jesus sent his followers out to *preach the good news. He told them to take nothing with them. They were to expect those to whom they went to provide for them (Luke 10:1-7). This was a principle. Those who *preach the word of God have the right to expect this provision (1 Corinthians 9:14). Paul stated that he had that right when he wrote to the *Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:4-5). So, Paul and his friends did not have to work so hard. They could have asked for food and other provision from those who had become Christians. But they decided not to insist on this right. Instead, they worked hard so that there would be no cost to the Thessalonians. In doing this, they gave the Thessalonians a model that they should copy.

Verse 10 When Paul and his friends were in Thessalonica, they had given them a definite rule. Now they repeat that command in plain words. The Christians should not provide for those of their number who will not work. People who refuse to work do not deserve food to eat. If they will not work, let them go hungry.

Verse 11 Some people had come from Thessalonica to *Corinth. They said that there were still those among the Christians there who were lazy. They had not obeyed the teaching in the first letter (1 Thessalonians 4:11 and 5:14). That is why Paul, Silas and Timothy wrote what they did in verse 10. The problem was not only that these people did not work. It was not just that they were wrong to expect other Christians to feed them. They also got involved in things that were nothing to do with them.

Verse 12 Paul and his friends say that they have the authority of the *Lord Jesus Christ. So, they command the lazy ones to work quietly. They command them to earn the food that they eat. They also urge them as *brothers and *sisters to work, to provide for themselves. They should no longer spend their time on the affairs of other people. But they should go about their own affairs in a quiet manner.

Verse 13 Now Paul and his friends turn to the rest of the Christians. They urge them to keep on doing what is right. They must not give up in the struggle against all that is wrong.

Paul warns them to obey 3:14-15

v14 Perhaps some there will not obey what we have told you in this letter. See who they are. And have nothing to do with them, so that they will be ashamed. v15 But do not think of them as enemies. Rather warn them as *brothers and *sisters.

Verse 14 Paul, Silas and Timothy think that some probably will not obey the command. Some may choose to continue their manner of life and not work. Paul now describes how the Christians should deal with those people. The first thing to do is to discover who these persons are. This may mean to write down their names so that the whole church can act. Because the Christians need to know against whom they are to take action.

They should be firm as they deal with these who will not obey the rules. They should have nothing to do with them. They should not feed them or provide for them. Then the guilty persons will see that they are wrong. They may be ashamed and perhaps they will *repent and change.

Verse 15 These are Christians who are wrong. They are not enemies. They are *brothers and *sisters. The church should not throw them out. They are still part of the church. It is the duty of the other Christians to warn them. But they should do it with love, because they are *brothers and *sisters.

A prayer for *peace 3:16

v16 Now I pray that the *Lord himself, who is where *peace comes from, may give you his *peace always and in every way. May the *Lord be with you all.

Verse 16 The *Lord is the *Lord Jesus Christ. He has promised to give his *peace to his people (John 14:27). This is an inner *peace that nothing can take away. It means that every part of us is working as it should. This *peace comes from the *Lord Jesus. He alone can give it to them. The prayer is that the *Lord Jesus would give this *peace to the Thessalonians at all times. It is that this *peace should remain in them always and in all circumstances.

The *Lord is always present with them (Matthew 28:20). He lives in them by his Holy Spirit. This prayer asks that the Thessalonians may know that the *Lord is with them. It is a prayer for the *Lord to guide them and keep them by being with them.

Signature and final prayer 3:17-18

v17 I, Paul, greet you. You see that I have written this myself. This is how I sign all the letters that I write.

v18 I pray that the *grace of the *Lord Jesus Christ will be with you all.

Verse 17 Up to this point Paul had dictated the letter. Someone else wrote it down. Now Paul takes the pen and adds the final greeting. There was the danger that the Thessalonians could receive letters that said that they were from Paul. It could be that this had already happened (2 Thessalonians 2:2). So, Paul says that this is his handwriting. In every letter that comes from Paul, he writes the greeting and he signs it. If the signature is not there then the letter is not from Paul. This letter is genuine; it comes from Paul.

Verse 18 This greeting is the same as at the end of the first letter except that Paul adds the word ‘all’. Paul wanted to send his good wishes to all the Christians in Thessalonica. This included even those who had not yet obeyed what he wrote. The *grace of our *Lord Jesus Christ is what the *Lord Jesus gives. It is the benefit that comes to them because of what he has done. It is *grace because they did not deserve it.

Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
brothers ~ other men who are Christians and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
sisters ~ other women who are Christians and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
preach ~ to speak out the message from God and to teach his word.
gospel ~ the good news that God saves people from sin through Jesus Christ.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God.
Corinth ~ a city in Achaia.
Achaia ~ the southern part of modern Greece, see Macedonia.
Macedonia ~ the northern part of modern Greece; see Achaia.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Gentiles ~ people who are not Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus Christ his Son.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
believers ~ Christians, that is those who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
brothers ~ other men who are Christians and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. It is also the special name that God gave to himself in the Old Testament (the second part of the Bible), as in 'the day of the Lord'.
repent ~ to change one’s mind and heart; to turn away from sin and turn to God. To turn one’s mind and heart away from sin is to repent.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God.
peace ~ when we have no troubles in our mind or spirit; when every part of us is working as it should.
grace ~ God’s kindness to us in saving and helping us, that we do not deserve.