OUTLINE: I. Paul's request for their prayers: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 II. Confidence in God and in them: 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 III. Discipline for the disorderly: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 IV. Closing: 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 Stott notes, “During the interim period between the two comings of Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
“FINALLY, BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY RUN AND BE GLORIFIED, EVEN AS ALSO IT IS WITH YOU” “Finally”: God writes organized letters, with introductions, greetings, logical arguments and final observations. These letters were not collections of Paul's personal "notes", or just... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND THAT WE MAY BE DELIVERED FROM UNREASONABLE AND EVIL MEN; FOR ALL HAVE NOT FAITH” “And that we”: Paul requests their prayers for the safety of those who proclaim the gospel. Paul realized that for the gospel to spread, someone had to preach it, and those preaching it needed to stay alive as lon... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, WHO SHALL ESTABLISH YOU, AND GUARD YOU FROM THE EVIL ONE” “But”: In contrast to those who oppose the gospel. “THE LORD IS FAITHFUL”: “The Lord can be counted on, however perverse men may be” _(Robertson p. 56)._ “He turned from the depressing fact of man's faithlessness... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD TOUCHING YOU, THAT YE BOTH DO AND WILL DO THE THINGS WHICH WE COMMAND” “We have confidence in the Lord touching you”: Paul could have confidence in them, because of their past track-record (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Paul did not have any confidence in wicked men, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD, AND INTO THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST” “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God”: Stott notes, “Paul's prayer is that the Lord will lead the Thessalonians into. love like God's love and. patience or constancy like Christ's. The context sugge... [ Continue Reading ]
“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 THEY RECEIVED OF US” “Now”: Previously (2 Thessalonians 3:4), he expressed confidence that these brethren would obey his com... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR YOURSELVES KNOW HOW YE OUGHT TO IMITATE US: FOR WE BEHAVED NOT OURSELVES DISORDERLY AMONG YOU” “For”: Not only were the disorderly ignoring clear commands, they were also ignoring the example that Paul and his companions had set. Hence, they found themselves in an inexcusable position, and co... [ Continue Reading ]
“NEITHER DID WE EAT BREAD FOR NOUGHT AT ANY MAN'S HAND, BUT IN LABOR AND TRAVAIL, WORKING NIGHT AND DAY, THAT WE MIGHT NOT BURDEN ANY OF YOU” “Eat bread”: “Is. Hebraism which means ‘to take food' and can be more generally of receiving maintenance from somebody” _(Marshall pp. 221-222)._ “For nought”... [ Continue Reading ]
“NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT THE RIGHT, BUT TO MAKE OURSELVES AND ENSAMPLE UNTO YOU, THAT YE SHOULD IMITATE US” “Not because we have not the right”: The right to be financially supported,. right that Paul did exercise. Paul quickly nips any misconception in the bud. It is amazing that despite this clea... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR EVEN WHEN WE WERE WITH YOU, THIS WE COMMANDED YOU, IF ANY WILL NOT WORK, NEITHER LET HIM EAT” “For even when we were with you”: That is, during the original visit recorded in Acts 17:1. “The Thessalonian ‘irregulars' could not excuse their conduct by saying, ‘You never taught us any different'... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR WE HEAR OF SOME THAT WALK AMONG YOU DISORDERLY, THAT WORK NOT AT ALL, BUT ARE BUSYBODIES” “For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly”: Paul was dealing with concrete and specific instances. “He has not been speaking simply in general terms, laying down precepts against some possible f... [ Continue Reading ]
“NOW THEM THAT ARE SUCH WE COMMAND AND EXHORT IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT WITH QUIETNESS THEY WORK, AND EAT THEIR OWN BREAD” “Now them that are such”: Notice that God gives these individuals one last chance to repent, yet equally observe that one must come to God on God's conditions “WE COMMAND... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT YE, BRETHREN, BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING” “But ye, brethren”: Paul now addresses and exhorts the majority in the congregation who were not being idle. “BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING”: The bad example of the few cannot be allowed to discourage the many. In contrast to the idlers, they should pers... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND IF ANY MAN OBEYETH NOT OUR WORD BY THIS EPISTLE, NOTE THAT MAN, THAT YE HAVE NO COMPANY WITH HIM, TO THE END THAT HE MAY BE ASHAMED” “If any man”: God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). “OBEYETH NOT OUR WORD BY THIS EPISTLE”: “If any one disregards what we have said in this letter” (TCNT... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND YET COUNT HIM NOT AS AN ENEMY, BUT ADMONISH HIM AS. BROTHER” “And yet”: The Bible is always quick to "check" us from falling into extremes. “COUNT HIM NOT AS AN ENEMY”: Morris notes, “He is eager to see to it that what is done to him is from the best of motives. The enforcement of discipline i... [ Continue Reading ]
“NOW THE LORD OF PEACE HIMSELF GIVE YOU PEACE AT ALL TIMES IN ALL WAYS. THE LORD BE WITH YOU ALL” “Lord of peace”: (Isaiah 2:6). “The Lord, from whom all peace comes' (TCNT). “GIVE YOU PEACE AT ALL TIMES IN ALL WAYS”: “In every circumstance” (NASV). “No matter what happens” (Tay). “Peace which is u... [ Continue Reading ]
“THE SALUTATION OF ME PAUL WITH MINE OWN HAND, WHICH IS THE TOKEN IN EVERY EPISTLE: SO. WRITE” “Salutation”: “This greeting” (NASV). “WITH MINE OWN HAND, WHICH IS THE TOKEN IN EVERY EPISTLE: SO. WRITE”: “Add this greeting in my own handwriting. It is my signature to every letter” (TCNT). “This aut... [ Continue Reading ]
“THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL” Concluding Comments “Paul's repeated commands, with their expectation of obedience, also condemn those churches whose attitude to the Word of God appears to be subjective and selective. They wander at random through Scripture, choosing. verse he... [ Continue Reading ]