Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is with you [Here, as elsewhere, Paul asks for the prayers of the disciples (1 Thessalonians 5:25; Ephesians 6:19); the request at Col 4:2-3; being very similar. The unselfishness of his request shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith. [i. e., all professed Christians are not really such. A phrase answering to that at Romans 9:6]... [ Continue Reading ]
But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil one. [Evidently Paul, while at Corinth, met with some of the false brethren of whom he speaks (2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Corinthians 11:26). These refused to be moved by argument or persuasion, and were evil and without fait... [ Continue Reading ]
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command. [The faithfulness of God to supply power and protection gave the apostle confidence that the Thessalonians were living in obedience to his instructions, and would continue to so live.]... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. [From expressions of confidence in God, Paul easily passes to prayer to him, that the Thessalonians may be led to love him, and to exercise in their trials and persecutions the patience which Christ exhibited unde... [ Continue Reading ]
Now we command you [because confident, as we have just said, that you will obey], _brethren_ [not the officers, but the whole church], in the name of [by the authority of] _our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from_ [abstain from your habitual fellowship with] _every brother that walke... [ Continue Reading ]
For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;... [ Continue Reading ]
neither did we eat bread for nought [gratis, without compensation] _at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you_ [1 Thessalonians 2:9]:... [ Continue Reading ]
not because we have not the right [to demand support while preaching-- Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18], _but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us_. [Many of the Thessalonian converts were from the laboring classes. Now, laborers in that day were brought into competition... [ Continue Reading ]
For even when we were with you [and so even before we wrote you our first epistle], _this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat_. [This precept is founded on Genesis 3:19. It forbids the Christian to exercise that false charity which genders beggary and becomes the parent of ma... [ Continue Reading ]
For we hear [probably by the returning messenger who carried his first epistle] _of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies_. [A paranomasia, or play on words; "work" and "busybodies" being cognate; so it may be translated, "who have no business, and yet are bus... [ Continue Reading ]
Now them that are such we command and exhort [mixing entreaty with authority] _in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own_ [this word is emphatic] _bread_.... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye [who stand in contrast to the disorderly], _brethren, be not weary_ [lose not heart] _in well-doing_. [A general exhortation as to all well-doing. As applied to the parasites, it might mean that disgust at them should not discourage true charity. The great body of commentators, including the... [ Continue Reading ]
And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company [fellowship] _with him, to the end that he may be ashamed_. [By noting your moral indignation, and seeing his conduct repudiated by the church.]... [ Continue Reading ]
And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. [They were not to give him the complete estrangement of Matthew 18:17. The purpose of discipline is to save (1 Corinthians 5:5). It is medicine for curing, not poison for killing; it is not to gratify the hatred of the judge, but to a... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. [Peace outward and inward, for time and for eternity.] _The Lord be with you all_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. [I. e., this is my penmanship.]... [ Continue Reading ]
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. [This, like most of Paul's Epistles, was dictated. Verses 17 and 18 were written by Paul's own hand, this being a guarantee of the Epistle's genuineness, just as our signatures are to-day. With some slight variation of form, "grace" closes all Paul... [ Continue Reading ]