_HE DESIRETH THEIR PRAYERS FOR HIMSELF, TESTIFIETH WHAT CONFIDENCE HE HATH IN THEM, MAKETH REQUEST TO GOD IN THEIR BEHALF, GIVETH THEM DIVERS PRECEPTS, ESPECIALLY TO SHUN IDLENESS AND ILL-COMPANY; AND LAST OF ALL, CONCLUDETH WITH PRAYER AND SALUTATION._ _Anno Domino 52._ IN the end of the foregoin... [ Continue Reading ]
_2 THESSALONIANS 3:1_.— The apostle now proceeds to the close of his epistle; and as he had so often and so ardently prayed for his Thessalonians, he here begs their prayers for him and his fellow-labourers in the gospel; and as having upon his mind a continual sense of their distresses, he again in... [ Continue Reading ]
UNREASONABLE— 'Ατοποι, _absurd, contumacious persons,_ who are not to be fixed by any principles, and whom no _topics_ can work upon. Some suppose that the unbelieving Jews are here meant. By _faith,_ in this verse, some understand a principle of honesty, which may encourage a confidence to be repos... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM EVIL.— 'Απο του πονηρου; _from the evil one._ The Hebrews commonly speak of the _devil,_ as the source and author of all evil; and of _God,_ as the author of all good: and when they would describe any great evil in a most emphatical manner, they mention the apostate himself. See 1 Thessalonians... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE HAVE CONFIDENCE, &C.— "We have that opinion of you, as Christians, and our dear children, that you will persevere in duty; and that the things which we have recommended, you both practise already, and will continue to practise." See ch. 2 Thessalonians 2:15. 2 Corinthians 7:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE PATIENT WAITING FOR CHRIST.— The original, 'Υπομονην του Χριστου, may be rendered _the patience of Christ,_ and may signify either _Christian patience,_ or that patience with which Christ himself suffered the many injuries and afflictions through which he passed.... [ Continue Reading ]
_2 THESSALONIANS 3:6_.— St. Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 had ordered the _idle_ persons among them to work and maintain themselves in a creditable manner. As his directions had not been complied with, but, instead of reforming, they were rather grown worse, he here repeats what he had there said; rebu... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE BEHAVED NOT OURSELVES DISORDERLY, &C.— Ουκ ητακτησαμεν, _we did not go out of our rank;_ an allusion to soldiers standing or marching in their proper _ranks,_ out of which it is a great irregularity to depart in the least degree. The expression _night and day,_ in the next verse, may possibly... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT POWER;— St. Paul would not here leave room. for any person to insinuate, as we find his enemies did at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 9:27 that he knew himself not to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and therefore he abstained from takingor demanding any thing from t... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IF ANY WOULD NOT WORK, &C.— This sentence occurs in many of the Jewish writings, and seems to have been proverbial: and both our Lord and his apostles frequently adopted those proverbs or sayings which were in general u... [ Continue Reading ]
WORKING NOT AT ALL, BUT ARE BUSY-BODIES.— The original is, _Not working, but going about as busy-bodies:_ not only _idle,_ but _officious;_ vices, which frequently accompany each other.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EAT THEIR OWN BREAD.— That which they have earned themselves. Therefore Dr. Heylin renders it, _and earn their bread by labour._... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING.— _Faint not,_ nor be discouraged _while_ you are engaged in a course of _well-doing:_ though some may abuse your liberality, be not deterred thereby from works of charity. See Galatians 6:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY MAN OBEY NOT, &C.— Some would render this verse, _If any man obey not our word, signify,_ or _take notice of him by your epistle to me,—that he may be reclaimed by shame._... [ Continue Reading ]
BY ALL MEANS.— Dr. Heylin renders the clause, _Grant you continual peace in all respects._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IS THE TOKEN IN EVERY EPISTLE:— What was hinted before in this epistle, ch. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 may be an intimation,—as we observed,—that some _fictitious_ letters were early written in his name, by which St. Paul might be induced to add this _token_ with his own hand. _Inferences._ How earne... [ Continue Reading ]